“How could this be?”

Li Buyan sighed after hearing this. “It’s too incredible.”

“Indeed incredible.”

Yan Sanhe’s mind was exceptionally clear. “With Yuan Shi’s behavior, why didn’t the Lu family simply drive her away?”

Li Buyan thought about it—right! “Why keep her around for the New Year!”

Han Xu shook his head, indicating he didn’t know.

“When things are abnormal, there must be something demonic at work.”

Yan Sanhe: “Fort Master Han, please continue.”

“Although Lu Shi ranked seventh in the Lu clan hierarchy, no one truly treated him as a young master. Everyone secretly called him a bastard. This Lu Shi was reportedly different from other children from a young age.”

Yan Sanhe: “Different in what way?”

Han Xu: “They said this child had an ominous quality about him, covered in thorns all over, like a wolf cub.”

Yan Sanhe: “How so?”

“Although the Lu family’s four branches had divided the property, they still lived in one compound. Because Lu Shi was a bastard, he was reportedly bullied from childhood. When other children were bullied, they’d cry and run home to their mothers. Not him—he had two reactions.”

“Which two?”

“Either he’d endure silently no matter how others bullied him—even if people shit and pissed on his head, he could bear it. Or else, he’d beat them nearly to death.”

Han Xu: “I heard that Fourth Master Lu nearly died from his beating.”

“Either endure or be ruthless!”

Li Buyan slapped her thigh. “This kid was destined to be someone from childhood.”

“Besides this ominous quality, Lu Shi had another trait different from others.”

Han Xu: “When other children at three were still dragging snot from their noses, wearing split-crotch pants and playing in mud everywhere, he was already reading and writing at three. No one taught him—he learned on his own.”

“Three years old, this lady can accept.”

Li Buyan muttered quietly, “Child prodigies are truly unbearable.”

Han Xu glanced at her. “Miss Li, are you talking too much today?”

Li Buyan looked back at him faintly. “Without my comic relief, Fort Master Han’s flat tone would put people to sleep.”

Han Xu wasn’t offended. “Give him books to read, this person could stay quiet without crying or making noise, didn’t even need to eat. Without books, he could wail for three days and nights.

Yuan Shi was afraid of this son, so she’d go to great lengths to find books from outside. When Lu Shi reached thirteen or fourteen, he entered the Lu family private school.”

Yan Sanhe: “An illegitimate son of unknown origin, by rights, wouldn’t qualify to enter the private school.”

“I heard his mother made a scene at the clan leader’s place. She’d slept with the clan leader a few times and knew clearly how many moles were on his body.”

Han Xu: “The clan leader, fearing the matter would come out, had no choice but to agree.”

Li Buyan: “So that Yuan Shi did have some foresight.”

“Not really. I heard that sending her son to private school was based on a fortune teller’s words.”

Han Xu: “The fortune teller said her son would become a remarkable personage in the future, able to give her endless wealth and honor.”

“Which fortune teller made that prediction? I must say, it was quite accurate!”

“What? Does Miss Li also want someone to read your fortune?”

Li Buyan shrugged. “Not for me—for you, Fort Master Han. To find out when you’ll marry a wife and have a big fat son to continue your family line.”

Han Xu’s pupils contracted slightly. “Li Buyan?”

Li Buyan smiled sweetly. “I’m here?”

“Do you two want to go outside and have a fight?”

Yan Sanhe’s face darkened. “Buyan, is now the time for this?”

“I’m just feeling sorry for him.”

Li Buyan looked at Yan Sanhe’s expression and found herself a way out. “Fine, it really isn’t appropriate. I’ll shut up.”

Han Xu, seeing her deflated, showed a faint smile in his eyes.

“Once in private school, Lu Shi’s intelligence immediately became apparent. Even the teaching master said this child, if properly cultivated, would definitely be imperial examination material in the future.

But how could the Lu family possibly cultivate him? Not killing him off would already be good enough.”

Yan Sanhe traced her finger around the rim of her tea cup. “What happened next?”

“Later Lu Shi went to the capital.”

“At what age?”

“I heard sixteen.”

“So he only studied at the private school for two or three years.”

“Should be.”

“Who sent him?”

“No one sent him. He stole his mother’s private savings and ran away on his own, making his mother so angry that she reportedly cursed for three days and nights straight, nearly cursing herself to death.”

These words gave Yan Sanhe and Li Buyan goosebumps all over.

Must say, this Lu Shi was a ruthless person!

Han Xu: “After Lu Shi entered the capital, he never returned, not until his mother’s affair was exposed.”

Yan Sanhe’s heart stirred. “Was the matter of his mother’s affair true?”

“It was true. The affair was with a young laborer working at the Lu family quarry.”

“A young laborer?”

“That’s right, the fellow was only eighteen. The two had been involved for some time and had even agreed to find an opportunity to rob the Lu family of some silver, then elope.”

Han Xu: “The Lu family originally didn’t plan to make it public, but hearing she wanted to rob them, they ruthlessly reported it to the magistrate.”

Yan Sanhe: “What was Yuan Shi’s final outcome?”

Han Xu: “Drowned in a pond.”

Yan Sanhe: “What about the child?”

Han Xu: “Still in her belly.”

Two lives lost?

Yan Sanhe felt somewhat horrified. “What about that laborer?”

“His legs were broken. Later his whereabouts were unknown. Oh…”

Han Xu shook his head lightly.

“Before being drowned, Yuan Shi shouted for the Lu family to be careful—her son would become a high official in the future and would definitely avenge her. She also said that having slept with so many men, she’d lived a full life!”

Yan Sanhe’s breathing hitched.

Honestly, when she heard Tang Jianxi mention that Lu Shi’s mother was caught having an affair, which affected his examination eligibility, many thoughts had actually surged through her mind.

Could it have been a trap set by the Lu family’s legitimate wife?

Could she have been jealous of the concubine’s outstanding son?

Could Lu Shi’s birth mother have been wronged?

In the end, none of it was true.

Why would a woman be so shameless?

By logic, this shouldn’t be!

As Yan Sanhe fell into deep thought, the last ray of autumn sun sank down. Li Buyan stood up to light the lamps, and while at it, replaced the cold tea with hot.

Gurgle!

Gurgle!

Li Buyan’s head turned. “You haven’t eaten?”

Han Xu: “Didn’t have lunch.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

Li Buyan placed the tea cup in front of Han Xu. “Want to eat first?”

“Would love a bowl of noodles made by Miss. Wonder if I have that honor?”

“Honor, honor—it sounds so sour.”

Li Buyan glared at him hard and stormed out, slamming the door. Her dissatisfied voice came from outside: “Lives so unrealistically.”

After a long while, Han Xu finally withdrew his gaze from the door and rested it on Yan Sanhe. “Sometimes, I envy her very much.”

Yan Sanhe’s mind was full of Lu Shi’s affairs and asked casually, “Envy her for what?”

“For being able to stay by Miss’s side, spending every day together.”

Han Xu sighed softly. “If not for the heavy responsibilities I carry, I too would want to be a servant by Miss’s side, able to speak freely and indulge in little tantrums.”

Only then did Yan Sanhe shift her attention to the man before her.

“Am I really that good in your heart?”