CFRFGC Chapter 95

⌈Which time? Every time.⌋

Seeing Jin still bent over with his head in the toilet, Lu Ran dusted off his hands, opened the restroom door, and walked out.

The two bodyguards noticed Lu Ran emerging. Their tone instantly turned respectful but hesitant: “Sir… how are we supposed to explain this to Mr. Ji?”

“My boss?”

Lu Ran waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, he’s used to it by now.”

The two bodyguards stared at him, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Lu Ran, on the other hand, seemed quite pleased to see them. He instructed, “Perfect timing! I need to step out for a bit. You two go in and make sure that guy inside doesn’t escape!”

After giving these orders, Lu Ran quickly walked off.

The two bodyguards looked at Lu Ran’s retreating figure, then back toward the restroom where Jin was still bent over. They couldn’t help but extend their hands in silent protest as if pleading for him to stop.

But in a flash, Lu Ran had disappeared around the corner.

One of the bodyguards couldn’t hold back and wiped his face, muttering, “So… what do we do now?”

The other looked equally conflicted before sighing in resignation. “What else can we do? Let’s go in!”

Meanwhile, Lu Ran was wandering down the hallway, weaving around as if aimlessly.

From afar, he noticed Shen Hongyuan chatting with Old Lino. The second son wasn’t around.

Lu Ran decided not to approach them and continued strolling through the hallway. Sure enough, before long, he spotted Yan Lino wandering alone.

Lu Ran paused to think for a moment. Then he ruffled his hair to make it look messy and hurried toward Yan, a look of panic on his face.

“Second Young Master… could I trouble you for some help?”

Yan glanced at Lu Ran, a bit surprised.

He wasn’t in a good mood after what his father, Old Lino, had just said.

His father had mentioned that a marriage alliance with Lu Ran would be a monumental opportunity.

Yet, as always, the old man had planned to assign this so-called “great opportunity” to his elder brother, as if Yan didn’t even exist.

Seeing Lu Ran approach him now, Yan was still feeling bitter. He asked, “Isn’t my brother with you?”

“It’s your brother that’s the problem! He suddenly started acting so strangely. I thought I’d come ask for your help…” Lu Ran said softly.

Hearing this, Yan suddenly perked up with interest.

From a young age, Yan had always been overshadowed by his elder brother. But now, someone actually found his brother unreliable and came to seek his help?

“Alright, I’ll go take a look with you,” Yan said.

“That’s wonderful.” Lu Ran smiled at him and turned to lead the way.

As they walked, Yan kept his eyes on the youth ahead.

In truth, he didn’t have much of an initial impression of Lu Ran. The first time they met, all he remembered was that Lu Ran was some poorly dressed follower by Ji Min’s side.

And when he learned that Lu Ran was connected to the Shen family, his disdain only grew.

So without hesitation, he had chosen Lu Ran as a target back then, pouring a whole glass of wine over him.

But now, seeing how Jin seemed so interested in Lu Ran, Yan began scrutinizing the youth more closely.

His thoughts started to wander. What if Lu Ran didn’t like his elder brother but was actually interested in him?

If that were the case, wouldn’t he—rather than his brother—be the one to form a marriage alliance with the Shen family and seize this so-called “opportunity”?

Lost in thoughts of “opportunity”, Yan failed to notice that Lu Ran had led him all the way to the restroom.

By the time he snapped out of it, the boy in front of him had turned, pushed him into the restroom, and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

It had to be said—Yan and Jin were undoubtedly brothers.

When faced with Lu Ran’s actions, this second son also had a brief moment of excitement.

He assumed something was about to happen between them right there in the restroom and raised a hand, preparing for a classic “wall slam” move.

But halfway through the motion, his arm froze mid-air.

Because he finally noticed, in one of the stalls, a familiar figure with their head stuck in a toilet, struggling incessantly.

If his memory served him correctly…

The clothes on that person looked suspiciously like his brother’s.

Yan stared at the scene, trying to process it. When he glanced down again, the boy who had been all smiles earlier had somehow pulled out a toilet brush from nowhere.

Yan’s pupils shrank as he instinctively stepped back. “Y-you, what are you trying to do?”

Lu Ran raised an eyebrow, almost amazed by the second son’s lack of comprehension.

He asked, “You see your brother like that, and you’re still asking me what I’m going to do?”

Yan glanced back at the stall, then at the toilet brush in Lu Ran’s hand.

It finally dawned on him how his suave, seductive, and worldly elder brother had ended up in such a pitiful state.

“Hah! You think someone with your scrawny frame can do anything to me?”

Yan sneered disdainfully.

He was no pushover like Jin—flashy but useless.

As Yan spoke, he raised his hands, attempting to snatch the “weapon” from Lu Ran.

However, after flailing and posturing for a while, he shockingly discovered there was no opening for him to act!

“You! Just wait and see!”

Sensing the situation turning against him, Yan immediately moved to open the door and escape.

Lu Ran sighed.

Dealing with someone of Yan’s build was indeed a bit of a challenge for him. Feeling slightly frustrated, Lu Ran could only call out, “You two, come out.”

Yan was just about to retort when he looked up and saw the stall door swing open.

Out walked two burly bodyguards, who wordlessly grabbed him, one on each side, pinning him down.

From the hallway came a muffled scream.

Moments later, Lu Ran stepped out again.

He meticulously washed his hands clean and then used a paper towel to carefully wipe away the water droplets on his fingers.

After ensuring he looked presentable, he once again sprinted towards the area where Shen Hongyuan and Old Lino were conversing.

Midway there, Lu Ran paused for a moment.

He cast a distant glance at Shen Hongyuan, a flicker of loathing flashing through his eyes.

Then he reached up and deliberately disheveled his clothing.

Shen Hongyuan and Old Lino were deep in discussion when they noticed Lu Ran rushing towards them, his clothes in disarray.

When Lu Ran stopped in front of them, he seemed to suppress his anger, casting Shen Hongyuan a sharp glance.

From his expression, it was obvious something unpleasant had happened to him.

Feigning innocence, Shen Hongyuan gave a kind smile and asked, “What’s wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?”

Lu Ran glanced at him but chose not to complain. Instead, he turned to Old Lino and said: “Uncle, Jin and Yan… they started fighting over me!”

This statement left both Shen Hongyuan and Old Lino momentarily stunned.

With a worried look, Lu Ran continued, “Jin was just with me… and then Yan suddenly barged in and punched Jin, shouting, ‘Why is it always him…'”

Lu Ran’s words were vague, but Old Lino knew his sons well and instantly connected the dots.

Knowing Jin’s personality, he was likely making moves on Lu Ran—possibly even attempting something more forceful.

As for Yan, the fool lacked his elder brother’s cunning but always tried to compete with him.

It was entirely plausible that Yan would barge in and disrupt everything at such a critical moment.

And now, this had happened in the Shen family’s home!

The Lino family had been arch-enemies with the Shen family for generations, and now the two Lino brothers were actually fighting over a Shen family member in their rival’s home?

This was beyond humiliating.

Old Lino almost fainted from anger.

He immediately stood up, bellowing, “Those two disgraceful sons! How dare they do something like this? Where are they?”

“They’re… in the first-floor restroom,” Lu Ran replied in a small voice.

Old Lino stormed toward the restroom, his fury palpable.

Since it was the Shen family’s home and another family’s members were causing a scene, Shen Hongyuan, the host, naturally followed.

Lu Ran trailed behind them.

“You did this on purpose… you sent Jin…” Lu Ran ground his teeth as he spoke.

Hearing this, Shen Hongyuan feigned surprise, showing no guilt whatsoever about orchestrating trouble for his own son.

Pretending to be concerned, he asked, “What happened? Did something occur between you and Jin?”

But seeing Lu Ran’s seething demeanor, Shen Hongyuan felt entirely at ease.

It seemed something significant really had happened.

Meanwhile, Old Lino, consumed by rage, pushed open the restroom door without hesitation.

Seeing the chaotic scene inside, Shen Hongyuan instinctively followed.

The moment he stepped through the doorway, there was a soft click.

He turned his head to see Lu Ran locking the door behind them.

And now, the chaotic mess in the restroom came fully into view.

Jin was tied to the toilet with his head shoved into the bowl, struggling futilely.

Yan was pinned down by two bodyguards, his face being pressed with a filthy toilet brush.

In that instant, not just Old Lino, but even Shen Hongyuan, who had personally experienced Lu Ran’s “unique tactics”, was stunned.

What on earth was this?!

Shen Hongyuan’s understanding of Lu Ran had been limited to the boy’s antics involving a dog.

He had never imagined that his son’s “attacks” had escalated to targeting humans in a restroom.

The sheer shock left Shen Hongyuan momentarily paralyzed, even forgetting to dodge.

After all, Zhang Lin, Gu Ningqi, and the others who had endured Lu Ran’s peculiar assaults had never fully disclosed the details of their humiliations.

What lay before him now was far beyond anything Shen Hongyuan could have comprehended.

He even felt a strange curiosity arise and couldn’t help but take a few steps toward the stall.

After confirming that, yes, it was indeed a person tied to the toilet and not some form of performance art, he stepped back.

Then he examined the toilet brush being pressed against Yan’s face.

After a thorough observation, he concluded: It was, indeed, a real toilet brush.

And yes, it had been used.

Having completed his analysis, Shen Hongyuan was plunged into profound shock.

Shen Hongyuan froze in place, his footsteps stalling as his mind began to churn slowly.

Why had they come in here again?

On the other side, Old Lino was completely dumbfounded.

Seeing his eldest son with his head buried in a toilet, he couldn’t even begin to associate this scene with Lu Ran, the “little bunny” in his eyes.

In Old Lino’s perception, Lu Ran was too harmless to even register as a threat.

After pondering for a long moment, Old Lino’s face twisted in fury as he berated Yan, “It’s one thing for you brothers to squabble, but how could you stuff your brother into a toilet?!”

Yan, who still had a toilet brush pressed against his face, was stunned.

Before his father arrived, he had steadfastly believed that his dear old dad would come to rescue him.

Even when the toilet brush nearly poked into his mouth, he had gritted his teeth and endured.

But his father’s first reaction upon arrival was to accuse him?!

If he had been the one to do this, would he still be here, getting threatened with a toilet brush?

Yan was so enraged he almost leaped up in indignation.

“Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm!” He tried to explain.

But to explain, he had to open his mouth.

The moment his jaw relaxed, the bodyguard holding him down instinctively applied more force in response to his struggles.

The result was… an absolutely indescribable scene.

The bodyguard holding the toilet brush looked at it in his hand, his expression collapsing in an instant.

His face contorted into an expression even more horrified than Yan’s.

Dear heavens.

What had he just done?

Could this be the beginning of his moral downfall?

But he couldn’t deny… this was undeniably an effective method for teaching someone a lesson.

At that moment, seeing his son humiliated like this, Old Lino finally realized he had been played.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Lu Ran suddenly emerged from the utility closet holding a plunger.

With a casual toss, he hurled it toward the other bodyguard. “Catch!”

The other bodyguard, who had yet to fall from grace, panicked at the sight of the plunger flying toward him.

He fumbled to catch it and looked on the verge of tears as he cried, “Young master! Is this something you can just throw around?”

“Don’t worry, I threw it handle-first!” Lu Ran said cheerfully.

Then, pointing dramatically at Old Lino, he ordered, “That scheming old man full of bad ideas—I leave him to you!”

Before anyone could react, Lu Ran turned sharply and grabbed Shen Hongyuan, who had been attempting to slip away.

Lu Ran tugged at Shen Hongyuan’s collar, dragging him to the side while smiling, “Master Shen, aren’t you at home? Why are you trying to run away?”

Shen Hongyuan’s gaze darted to Jin, still stuck headfirst in the toilet, then to Yan, with a toilet brush jammed in his mouth. Finally, his eyes landed on Old Lino, who was awkwardly grappling with a plunger, and then at the line of empty stalls and urinals beside them.

His expression shifted wildly, cycling between terror, benevolence, and sinister coldness as if trying to determine the best face to present.

Eventually, realizing that any attempt at pretense would be futile against Lu Ran, he let his face settle into an ominous grimace. His voice trembled as he demanded, “This is the Shen family home! Lu Ran, what are you trying to do?”

Lu Ran smiled faintly, his tone almost casual: “You’re asking me what I’m doing? When you conspired with outsiders to sell out your own son, did you ever stop to ask yourself that question?”

With that, he yanked Shen Hongyuan toward one of the stalls, opened the door, and gestured inside.

As if chatting about the weather, Lu Ran sighed, “That Jin guy tried to get handsy with me so many times. And yet, when I dealt with him, I couldn’t bring myself to use this on him.”

He tilted his head and asked, “Do you know why?”

Shen Hongyuan’s face froze. He dared not utter a single word, terrified that saying the wrong thing would push this lunatic over the edge.

Lu Ran didn’t seem to mind. He suddenly lit up with mock delight, as though struck by inspiration.

“Because your second son just used it! Of course, I saved it especially for you!”

Shen Hongyuan’s face cracked as the horror sank in.

Lu Ran tightened his grip and shoved him toward the toilet bowl.

Shen Hongyuan scrambled to brace himself with his hands, staring at the nightmarish toilet before him. His lips quivered as he exclaimed, “You unfilial brat! Unfilial! I am your father!”

To his surprise, Lu Ran raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued.

“Oh, so you do remember.”

Without a shred of mercy, Lu Ran pressed harder, forcing Shen Hongyuan’s head closer to the toilet.

Shen Hongyuan, with no strength to resist, felt the abyss looming.

In desperation, he yelled, “Didn’t you want to know where the Gu family’s gift is? I’ll tell you now!”

But the only reply was Lu Ran’s cold and indifferent voice from behind: “I don’t feel like knowing anymore. All I want is to press you in.”

“No, no, no!”

Shen Hongyuan clung to his belief that there was no problem in this world that couldn’t be solved with the right exchange of interests. If there was, it was only because he hadn’t been honest enough.

He shouted hurriedly, “It’s in the cabinet against the eastern wall of my study! The key—it’s on me!”

Yet, Lu Ran’s hand didn’t waver.

There was another scream, followed by the unmistakable “splash” of water.

Lu Ran stood still, his gaze calm as he watched Shen Hongyuan, his biological father, now shoved headfirst into the toilet.

Finally, Lu Ran reached down, plucking a keyring from Shen Hongyuan’s waistband. With a look of disdain, he shook it off before straightening his back and glancing around the restroom.

The scene was nothing short of disastrous.

Shen Hongyuan pulled his head out of the toilet, spluttering and screaming.

Old Lino, with a plunger pressed against his face, and Yan, who had a toilet brush stuck in his mouth, both looked as though their souls had left their bodies.

It was as if they were questioning whether this was all just a bad dream.

Jin, meanwhile, had managed to break free from his bindings after relentless struggling and was now slumped on the floor. However, the ordeal had clearly taken a toll on him. He sat dazed on the ground, seemingly shell-shocked and utterly vacant.

Lu Ran shook his head and curiously asked the three from the Lino family, “Why are you all reacting so strongly?”

Why are we reacting so strongly?!

He actually dared to ask why they were reacting so strongly?!

Hearing this, Jin almost leaped up from the floor. Pointing at the toilet, he shouted in utter despair, “If it were you drinking toilet water, wouldn’t you freak out too?!”

Lu Ran, the culprit behind it all, tilted his head, his innocent black eyes brimming with genuine confusion.

“But haven’t you already drunk it before?”

Jin froze at his words, his mind grinding to a halt.

Thinking back, his expression darkened.

Suddenly, he roared, “What your brother made us drink wasn’t swallowed—we spat it out!”

But as his furious exclamation echoed in the restroom, the boy calmly washing his hands by the sink continued to gaze at him in confusion, replying: “But you drank what I gave you, didn’t you? And you seemed very satisfied with it—so much so that you said you’d miss it.”

Jin went completely still, stunned.

When he finally grasped the implication of Lu Ran’s words, his entire body began trembling violently.

“You… you mean…”

“No, no, no! That’s impossible!”

Visibly wrestling with his disbelief, Jin glared at Lu Ran and demanded through gritted teeth, “Which time was it?”

In response, the boy offered an embarrassed smile, his familiar bashful expression returning as he shyly admitted: “Every time.”

Every. Single. Time.

“I’ve always been so enamored with the wine you pour me…”

“Such a uniquely rich and exquisite flavor.”

…

As the memories of his own past words flooded back, a horrified Jin let out a strangled cry—before a stream of water burst from his throat like a geyser.

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