DREB CHAPTER 86

Li Yan placed Lu Zerui on the inner side of the bed and lay on the outer edge. The bed was narrow, just a single, but luckily, Li Yan was slim and didn’t take up much space. After they settled in, Lu Zerui rolled over a couple of times. He seemed energetic, likely from sleeping during the ride.

Li Yan turned off the light and lit the candle, placing it by the bedside. Its warm orange glow filled the room.

Lu Zerui leaned closer to watch, but Li Yan pulled him back. “Don’t get too close.”

After taking his medication, Li Yan became drowsy. It was his usual bedtime, and his eyelids struggled to stay open. His mind was muddled. He knew that Lu Zerui’s sudden arrival was filled with suspicion, but he also understood there was no point in asking Lu Zerui now.

As Li Yan was drifting off to sleep, he felt Lu Zerui quietly inching closer behind him, trying to be as stealthy as possible.

Lu Zerui slowly lifted Li Yan’s loose shirt, causing a slight chill on Li Yan’s stomach. Li Yan furrowed his brows but didn’t open his eyes. He had never dealt with a child this age and wasn’t sure how to respond.

In the candlelight, Lu Zerui stared at the scar on Li Yan’s stomach, then covered his mouth with his hand.

It was true!

Lu Zerui lay back down, feeling both excited and anxious.

Li Yan felt him gently pull the shirt back down as if trying to undo what he had just done.

Then, from behind him, Lu Zerui whispered, “Mom.”

The voice was so soft, completely unlike the arrogant, fierce way he’d acted while pounding on the door earlier. It was as if he were suddenly afraid of disturbing Li Yan.

Li Yan’s heart jolted. His eyes opened wide as an indescribable ache filled his heart.

He felt the warmth of the small body pressing against him from behind.

The butler had been watching from a distance. He stayed until the lights dimmed and the candlelight flickered softly before he left, catching the last bus back to City A.

By the time he arrived, it was already 12:30 AM. The Lu family mansion was brightly lit. The butler parked his electric scooter and walked inside, carrying the dragonfly kite.

As expected, Lu Lianning was there, along with Lu Anling, who sat in the living room with a stern expression.

“Where’s Xiao Rui?”

“He was tired from flying the kite and wanted to see his mother, so I took him to him,” the butler said in an even tone, dropping his words like a bomb.

Two voices immediately erupted in the living room.

“What!?”

“Ridiculous!”

Lu Anling’s eyes filled with displeasure, his presence exuding an oppressive aura. Lu Lianning sprang up from the sofa, a look of disbelief on his face.

The butler tidied up the kite string and added, “He was let inside.”

The room fell silent. Lu Lianning’s gaze locked onto the butler. “You’re saying he let Lu Zerui in?”

The butler nodded. “Yes.”

At that moment, Lu Lianning felt like the muscles in his face were no longer under his control. His expression shifted to panic and indecision, and he paced halfway around the sofa before suddenly exclaiming, “Withdraw Lu Zerui from school immediately!”

“Have someone bring him back right now!”

At the same moment, Lu Anling’s voice rang out in unison with Lu Lianning’s.

The father and son locked eyes. The other servants in the living room were sweating, while the butler acted like nothing had happened. He continued to tidy up the kite and walked over to place it among Lu Zerui’s other toys.

The air in the room froze, almost suffocating from the tense atmosphere.

Lu Lianning sneered, turning to Lu Anling. “What? Still think you run this household?”

In response, Lu Anling pulled out his phone and issued orders. Lu Lianning simply walked out without another word. Lin Cheng and the others waited for him outside.

While this scene of “fatherly love and filial piety” played out, Li Yan, over in Wujingwan Town, finally rolled over in bed to observe the sleeping Lu Zerui.

He had to admit, though the child had been quite noisy while awake, he looked well-behaved in his sleep. Maybe it was his naturally good looks, but at that moment, he looked especially adorable.

Li Yan didn’t pull his hand away where Lu Zerui held it; instead, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Wujingwan Town’s scenery was unlike anything Lu Zerui had ever seen before. He woke up around five or six in the morning and, together with the neighbors Er Niu and Niu Niu, chased the big yellow dog near the village entrance. By the time he ran back, he was drenched in sweat and his shoes muddy. His energy seemed boundless.

That evening, just before bed, Lu Zerui suddenly remembered something important. He rummaged through his small backpack, pulled out a battered, folded fairy tale book, and pushed it into Li Yan’s hands. “Read me a story!”

Li Yan looked at the book, and Lu Zerui’s wide eyes stared back at him, his eyes incredibly clear. Li Yan said, “Alright.”

After reading for a while, Lu Zerui became unsatisfied. He pulled Li Yan’s arm aside and wriggled his way into it, mimicking the way mothers read stories to children in cartoons. Only then did he settle down.

Having used up all his energy during the day, Lu Zerui grew sleepy after just one story. His little head bobbed as he struggled to stay awake. When the story ended, he mumbled, “Li Yan, I want a lullaby too.”

Li Yan replied, “I can’t sing.”

Lu Zerui pouted, but he wasn’t the type of kid who cried easily. Who knew where he got his temperament from? With reddened eyes, he stared at Li Yan, convinced that Li Yan was lying to him and simply didn’t want to sing for him.

“But everyone else gets one. Wu Xu said his mom…” Lu Zerui stopped mid-sentence, suddenly remembering that Li Yan didn’t want to be his mom.

When he first arrived, Li Yan had left him waiting outside the door. Someone who truly liked him wouldn’t do that. Children are sensitive, and at that moment, Lu Zerui felt genuinely sad.

He turned away, refusing to look at Li Yan, curling up his short legs.

With a trace of helplessness, Li Yan patted him on the back and said, “I’m not sure it’ll sound very good.”

After a long pause, Li Yan began to sing “Two Tigers”[mfn]

the English version of this is called “Brother John”[/mfn] to him softly.

On Monday, Li Yan held Lu Zerui’s hand to take him to school.

Lu Zerui still wanted to play, but Li Yan reminded him, “It’s Monday. You have to go to school, and you’ve already missed half a day of classes.”

Although Lu Zerui wasn’t pleased, he knew he had to go. He didn’t ask when he could come back and confidently told Li Yan he’d return during the holidays.

Li Yan returned to City A, dropping Lu Zerui off at the kindergarten he had pointed out. Like many parents, he watched the boy walk through the school gate before turning to leave.

He thought that after today, they probably wouldn’t meet again.

The Lu family wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

He bought a bus ticket and traveled back to Wujingwan Town by himself.

Living alone, he didn’t care much about what he ate, but Lu Zerui was picky. During the boy’s stay, Li Yan had bought more vegetables and meat than usual. In just two days, the groceries equaled what he’d typically spend in a month.

When neighbors asked about the child, Li Yan explained that he was the child of an old friend. Everyone complimented the boy’s looks, assuming his parents must also be very attractive.

Li Yan just smiled lightly and didn’t say more.

To his surprise, Lu Zerui returned the following weekend.

This time, he carried a larger bag than before. Li Yan guessed it was because he’d mentioned last time that folding books would damage them, so Lu Zerui had obediently brought a bigger bag.

But when Lu Zerui arrived, he eagerly opened his bag in front of Li Yan, revealing stacks of cash. He said, “Li Yan, your house is too small, even smaller than the bathroom at my home. I brought some money so you can buy a bigger house!”

As he spoke, he gestured with his hands to show just how large the new house should be.

Li Yan frowned, looking at Lu Zerui. He couldn’t believe a five-year-old could have come here alone. Someone must have brought him.

He picked up the money Lu Zerui had pulled out, stuffed it back into the bag, zipped it up, and slid the backpack back to him.

Lu Zerui was stunned, not expecting his gift to be refused.

Li Yan didn’t say anything about the gift. Instead, he asked, “How did you get here?”

“By bus!” Lu Zerui replied, still feeling hurt. “Why don’t you like money?”

Li Yan actually liked money quite a bit. With a sigh, he asked, “Who brought you here? Was it your dad? Or someone else?”

Still convinced his gift was a good one, Lu Zerui felt frustrated that it hadn’t pleased Li Yan. “But my grandpa said all adults like money.”

Li Yan’s voice dropped. “Lu Zerui!”

Seeing that Li Yan was getting angry, Lu Zerui’s gaze shifted, and he reluctantly said, “My dad said he didn’t want me anymore, that I’m too much trouble, and told me to come find you.”

Hearing this, Li Yan pursed his lips tightly. “Too much trouble?”