“I said I don’t know you! I don’t even know your child!” Wen Li shouted, her outburst startling a nearby lady. Everyone turned to look.
“Are they fighting?”
“Why can’t it be settled privately? Why shout at someone else’s birthday banquet? For grown adults, no manners at all. You’ve dirtied my skirt too, bad luck.”
“Ah, Mrs. Lin, isn’t that Wen Li from the entertainment industry?”
“That’s her? She doesn’t look as good as on camera. They say she’s a beauty with presence, but without her editor, she’s just like this—clueless about social graces. If Old Hu knew she was causing a scene here, he’d be furious.”
These socialite wives already looked down on the entertainment industry. Wen Li, rumored to have been pregnant out of wedlock, received even less favor.
“Miss Wen, you’ve dirtied Mrs. Zhang’s skirt. Aren’t you going to apologize?”
Having rarely been insulted, Wen Li, still angry, snapped back, “It’s just a skirt. How much do you want me to pay?”
Mrs. Zhang raised her red wine glass and splashed it over Wen Li, tilting her chin with a cold stare. “How much? I’ll take your money.” She opened her purse and threw a stack of bills in her face. “Enough?”
Wen Li nearly lost her mind. Now she finally understood—Lu Xianqing had brought her to this banquet to humiliate her.
Han Yu stepped in front of Wen Li. “It’s just a skirt. Does your husband’s status let you behave arrogantly here? If this escalates, it’ll look bad for Old Hu. Let it go.”
Mrs. Zhang sneered. “Trying to buy your way out? Know your place!”
Wen Li trembled with anger, her white dress soaked in wine, unable to leave. Han Yu took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “These people are used to being overbearing. Don’t clash with them. I’ll take you out.”
Wen Li, furious and humiliated, clenched her teeth, trying to keep control.
Finally, Qin Sizheng managed a moment to breathe and noticed Wen Li. He froze briefly, then coldly nodded at her as a greeting.
Wen Li hurried over, confronting him. “You said you’d act like nothing happened before! Why have you brought Lu Xianqing to deal with me?”
Qin Sizheng looked at her in disbelief. “What are you screaming about?”
Wen Li ground her teeth, her words coming out through clenched teeth. “I shouldn’t have trusted you! You pretend to keep the peace in front of me, but secretly have Lu Xianqing take revenge? You’re just climbing on the Hu family too!”
Qin Sizheng, seeing her disheveled and frantic, frowned. “I said I never asked my brother to take revenge. I’m not using the Hu family. The person I love is Lu Xianqing. Even if he were a beggar, I’d still love him. Do you love Zhou Changjiang? Did you marry him for love?”
Wen Li suddenly froze.
Standing with her by the railing, Qin Sizheng laughed coldly. “You’re with Zhou Changjiang just because he can help you get higher, right?”
“Did Lu Xianqing tell you that?”
Qin Sizheng shook his head in disappointment, pointing first to his own eyes and then toward Wen Li. “Eyes can see love. When you look at Zhou Changjiang, all I see is desire for material things.”
On set, Zhou Changjiang had admitted that he used to smoke and drink heavily, struggling to deliver good performances, sometimes going through several packs a day. After being with Wen Li, because she disliked it, he gradually quit. Quitting was hard, and failing to capture the perfect shot made it even harder—but he persevered and stayed away from smoking and drinking.
Though not particularly romantic, he would fly across countries to buy anniversary gifts. If he had once harbored even a trace of resentment toward Wen Li, Qin Sizheng now turned to look at Lu Xianqing speaking quietly with others in the distance and smiled softly. He just wanted to cherish the time he had with Lu Xianqing.
“Go ahead,” he said.
Han Yu looked at Qin Sizheng, struck by how much he resembled Wen Li when she was younger—though with an added air of cold detachment, a lofty elegance. Because of his connection with Xi Ling, he had heard of Qin Sizheng’s past, from his reckless youth to his present pride. Lu Xianqing had raised him well—calm, elegant, and untouchable. This was his son.
“Sizheng, you are…” Han Yu started, only to have his wrist grabbed.
“Xiao Wen?”
Wen Li yanked him out through the back door, her voice sharp. “I warn you, he’s not your child! I don’t know you! I never had a child!”
Han Yu closed his eyes briefly. “I won’t tell anyone. Don’t be so afraid. I just want to see him, to see the child you once bore for me. Before I die, that’s enough for me.”
Wen Li gripped her purse tightly, holding back her breakdown. “Do you know how hard it’s been for me in this industry all these years? You didn’t want me then, so you shouldn’t have appeared at all!”
Han Yu asked gently, “So, is he my son? It’s my last wish before I die.”
Wen Li swallowed hard, her eyes closed, and after a long pause said, “Yes. I left him at an orphanage.”
Han Yu frowned. Wen Li’s voice rose uncontrollably. “What else could I do? I had just debuted, got pregnant because of you, and you married your wife. What am I to you? A mistress? A nameless, unacknowledged wife?”
Her words left him speechless. Indeed, he hadn’t wanted the child—how could Wen Li, a woman alone, have managed?
“If you still owe me anything, bury this secret forever. Don’t tell anyone!” she demanded, then took her car, yanking her jacket back from him.
Her manager, seeing Wen Li’s state, shouted, “What’s going on? You cause a scene at a banquet? Calm down, this isn’t the entertainment circle. Show some respect and next time you’ll have better cooperation. This world doesn’t work that way.”
“I know that! Can you shut up? I’m already so frustrated! Lu Xianqing had me come to this banquet to humiliate me! Everything I do is targeted, do you understand?” Wen Li snapped.
The manager paused, trying to calm her. “Impossible, right?”
“Impossible? Look at this wine on me—is it fake?”
The manager finally reassured her, “Lu Xianqing wouldn’t play such petty games. He’s not that kind of person. Maybe you’re overthinking.”
Wen Li thought back to the evening. Lu Xianqing had never appeared. The conflict with those women had only started because of her talking with Han Yu. Could it really have been her imagination?
“Forget it. I have a headache. Call me when we get home.”
During the long ride, Wen Li dreamed intensely—from her childhood poverty to later being bullied, falling for Han’s heir thinking she’d found true love, only to see his legitimate wife. Every step she’d taken was harder than most; she thought she should have ended the child back then to avoid this nightmare.
When the manager woke her, he was startled by the fierce look in her eyes. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Wen Li said, her gaze immediately softening.
Exhausted, she returned home and saw Zhou Changjiang sitting at the table, staring at a now-locked iPad.
“I’ll take a shower.”
“Wait.”
Annoyed and unwilling to deal with him, Wen Li asked, “What?”
“What is this?” Zhou Changjiang unlocked the iPad, turning it to her. The video showed her conversation with Han Yu just an hour ago.
Wen Li’s face went pale. “Where did you get this?”
“You once had a child and secretly got sterilized. I thought it was because of your health. I never intended to force you to have a child. Why did you lie to me?” Zhou Changjiang asked calmly.
Wen Li was struck like lightning, unable to process how he had this, or how he knew about the sterilization.
He placed the iPad in her lap. “See for yourself.”
Stiffly, Wen Li opened the iPad, discovering that her secret Weibo account had been posting exposés every ten minutes since before she went to the banquet—exposing her past: being financially supported in college, unwed pregnancy, abandonment, and voicing opinions for DINK couples.
All her rumors of being pregnant out of wedlock were just a cover to hide that she had once had a child.
Her past misbehavior on set, diva-like demands, cursing crew members, mocking newcomers, and treating event organizers like servants—all had been laid bare. Even evidence of her having been a mistress had resurfaced.
Only now did Wen Li realize that Lu Xianqing hadn’t sent her to the banquet to humiliate her—he had set a trap for her to confront Han Yu herself.
What he wanted was that recording!
He always acted decisively, leaving no room for hesitation—but she hadn’t expected it to happen so fast, without even a moment to breathe. He had tricked her into attending the birthday banquet and, in that short window, pushed her straight into the storm.
No matter what she tried now, it was too late.
No wonder when He Xing called her claiming to be abroad, Lu Xianqing had given her a week off, and even Hu Lianzhi’s birthday banquet was just a ploy by Lu Xianqing to lower her guard!
Wen Li hurriedly lifted her head, grabbing Zhou Changjiang’s sleeve. “It’s not like that! Listen to me—I can explain! It’s not true! I was framed! It’s Lu Xianqing! He set me up!”
Zhou Changjiang’s disappointment was palpable. “He has no grudge against you. Why would he harm you?”
Wen Li had no way to explain that if Lu Xianqing acted for Qin Sizheng’s sake, it would confirm she was Qin Sizheng’s mother. That, she could not reveal.
“Then explain! Speak!”
Wen Li broke down, crying miserably. “After all these years of marriage, you’d rather believe an outsider than me? I really was framed!”
Zhou Changjiang took the iPad from her, scrolling a bit and placing it in front of her. “Fine, let’s set that aside. Qin Sizheng—because you said his acting was poor—you had someone poison him! On set, he nearly died from eating mango; Yao Jinwei said it was you who told her, and you’re allergic to mango… Qin Sizheng is the child you abandoned?”
Wen Li’s face went pale. She denied it vehemently. “No, no! How could I harm him? You know how serious allergies are! I would never do that!”
Seeing her cry, Zhou Changjiang’s heart softened.
Wen Li clutched his hand, tears streaming down her ruined makeup. “I truly did nothing! Believe me! After all these years, you should know me well!”
Zhou Changjiang pulled his hand back, letting her collapse to the floor. “I know your character. Whatever you do, you always manage to place yourself above reproach.”
“The day Yao Jinwei set that trap, she happened to attend the same event as you. I wanted Qin Sizheng for a role. You said his image wasn’t suitable and strongly recommended Jiang Zhen instead. The methods to become famous in the entertainment circle are countless. That hand thing was just an improper move—it means nothing—but you kept exaggerating it. You feared he’d remain in the industry and affect you!”
Wen Li shook her head frantically. “I didn’t!”
Zhou Changjiang lowered his gaze, utterly disappointed in the woman beside him. “How could you become so frightening, Wen Li? All these years, scheming and maneuvering—doesn’t it tire you?”
“When I met you, there were rumors of your unwed pregnancy, but you were single. The industry is full of such stories, so I chose to believe you. I never doubted you! Even after divorce, I loved you for who you are, not for some ridiculous virgin obsession. Why deceive me? Why plan and calculate like this?”
“Wen Li, you’ve truly disappointed me.”
Wen Li lay on the floor, screaming his name, unable to hold him back, fists pounding the ground in rage. “Qin Sizheng! Lu Xianqing!”
Her purse fell in the car; the manager returned it to her but didn’t speak, seeing Zhou Changjiang storm out in anger.
She rushed inside, finding Wen Li on the floor, crying, and helped her up. “What happened? Did you fight? What’s going on?”
“It’s over… everything’s over!”
Wen Li’s rage had nowhere to vent. She shouldn’t have trusted Qin Sizheng’s sweet words, thinking he’d truly let her go. Everyone was against her—even Zhou Changjiang. After all these years, her husband could just discard her!
She shoved the manager aside, smashing all the vases and jade ornaments in the house.
“They want to kill me! Everyone wants to kill me!” Wen Li sobbed, exhausted, caring nothing for appearances.
The manager sighed. “I told you to stop. You didn’t listen. You can still turn back—apologize, leave the industry. Maybe Lu Xianqing will let you off.”
Wen Li glared. “Then it’s do-or-die!”
The manager’s voice grew stern. “Wen Li! Do you have to destroy yourself to prove a point? Think of Xu Zhiliang’s fate. Jiang Zhen is still missing. Do you really want the same ending as them?”
Wen Li covered her face, finally breaking down in uncontrollable sobs.
Qin Sizheng stayed at the Hu residence for four days. Lu Xianqing could no longer endure so many people handling him and forcefully said goodbye, taking him away.
The elder insisted that Qin Sizheng visit often, but Lu Xianqing didn’t even give him a chance to respond, slamming the car door. “Let’s go—quickly.”
Qin Sizheng pushed his hand away, waving to everyone from the car window. Only when they were out of sight did he lower his hand.
“Is Lu this year three years old?”
Lu Xianqing replied irritably, “No, two and a half.”
Qin Sizheng pursed his lips, smiling widely. Lu Xianqing pinched his waist playfully. “And still smiling! The first night, you chatted with the elder till late; second day, you taught those little brats martial arts; third day, just signing autographs. How do you expect me to wholesale you back to school?”
Qin Sizheng didn’t feel bothered—he was content. “We’re family. I didn’t expect them to like me so much. You just suffered a little.”
“Besides making me suffer, what else can you do?”
Qin Sizheng smirked mischievously. “I can hit people. Want to try?”
Lu Xianqing laughed at him. “If you don’t say something nice soon, I’ll toss you out and you can walk home.”
Leaning close, Qin Sizheng whispered, “Don’t be upset. Tonight, little Fengzheng is yours. If you leave me behind, I’ll get lost.”
Lu Xianqing’s lips curled slightly. He closed his eyes, silent, but his mind raced with a thousand plans for how to get justice.
Back home, Qin Sizheng stretched his arms, releasing the tension of the past few days. “Home is the best. They were all kind, but I still felt nervous, afraid they wouldn’t like me.”
Lu Xianqing grabbed him and pinned him against the door. “Tonight’s mine, right? So when do we start counting?”
Qin Sizheng’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he blinked, trying to change the subject. “Where’s my phone? You took it yesterday and haven’t returned it. I need to call You Si and tell him to take his stuff back.”
Lu Xianqing handed the phone back. “Take what back? Last time he even offered a few extras for you to try. Not giving friends face?”
Qin Sizheng dialed while replying, “I don’t need them. You want them, you use them yourself.”
“Fine, I’ll use them myself. Not a bother.”
He connected to You Si. “Your birthday’s coming up in a few days. Did you get the gift I prepared?”
You Si’s excited voice practically tore through the receiver. “Got it! I love you to death, babe! With your investment, our Si Corporation will definitely lead the industry! I promise your future… highs will be long, intense, passionate, and everything you want!”
“…No need for that,” Qin Sizheng said, his expression tight. He didn’t want to try those bizarre new designs again. Last time, he got some butterfly-shaped thing to test. He wasn’t home, and Lu Xianqing had taken in the package, leaving him nearly exhausted in bed.
You Si continued gushing on the line, calling him “good sister” repeatedly. Qin Sizheng finally hung up.
“What was that about?” Lu Xianqing asked.
Qin Sizheng set the phone down, remembering to consult him. “You Si’s been wanting to open a small workshop for his own designs. I invested some money. Would you disapprove?”
“How much did you invest?” Lu Xianqing asked.
Qin Sizheng held up two fingers. Lu Xianqing guessed, “Twenty million?”
“No, no, two million,” Qin Sizheng said, thinking, I don’t have twenty million—maybe if I sold myself, then…
Lu Xianqing closed his fingers into a fist around Qin Sizheng’s and cupped them in his palm, his gaze fixed on Qin Sizheng’s eyes. “As long as you’re happy. If it’s not enough, I’ve got it. But don’t let You Si put your name on it—it’d look bad.”
“I know,” Qin Sizheng replied quickly.
“If he really can’t repay your kindness, he can give you a few more prototypes to try. I don’t mind helping you explore new human-friendly channels.”
“…No thanks, I don’t want gifts like that.”
Lu Xianqing smiled, patting his head. “Just teasing you.”
Qin Sizheng didn’t believe him. This man’s mind was never clean; he rolled his eyes.
“Now, let’s talk seriously. Sit up.”
Qin Sizheng turned to rest on Lu Xianqing’s leg. “Can I stay like this?”
“…Fine.”
Lu Xianqing picked up Qin Sizheng’s phone and opened Weibo trending. Wen Li’s name was still there. He said, “I know you don’t want anything to do with Wen Li, but I’m selfish and vindictive. I can’t just let her past actions slide.”
Qin Sizheng scrolled in silence. Every misdeed of Wen Li’s was exposed. The only secret left untouched was her relationship with him—mother and son. Her entire public image collapsed. She could no longer survive in the entertainment industry.
The latest post was her apology and announcement to retire.
So these past days, Lu Xianqing had kept the phone from him just to handle Wen Li. Last time it was Jiang Zhen; this time Wen Li. Even Xu Zhiliang and the others, he hadn’t let Qin Sizheng intervene, keeping him fully protected.
“Blame me?” Lu Xianqing’s hand brushed near his ear, lightly massaging his earlobe. Qin Sizheng sensed his unease.
“Blame you for protecting me? Or for loving me too much?” Qin Sizheng shut the phone. He had no feelings for Wen Li—what she did didn’t concern him. Her downfall was of her own making.
Lu Xianqing admitted he wasn’t a good person. From Jiang Xi to Si Qianqiu to Wen Li, he never believed in repaying kindness with kindness; he believed in retaliation.
But the entertainment world isn’t solved by force alone. “She… could she do something? I’m afraid if you push her too far, she’ll lose control.”
He feared nothing for himself, only for Lu Xianqing.
Lu Xianqing held his hand, reassuring him. “Don’t worry. She won’t admit she abandoned you. Your fans could tear her apart. As for me—are you worried about me?”
Qin Sizheng pulled his hand back. “Be serious! Last time I got… those things—what if she found out? I’m afraid she’d hurt you.”
Lu Xianqing lowered his head, kissing his eye. “Then the whole world will know Qin Sizheng was betrayed. Your sister fans and mommy fans might kill me.”
Qin Sizheng couldn’t joke back. “Stop messing around!”
“Alright, no messing. Wen Li’s selfish. Retiring and apologizing now, she can still survive. If she messes with me, the rest of her life will be filled with fear. Do you think she’ll dare?”
Lu Xianqing’s rogue grin oddly reassured Qin Sizheng.
“Just…”
“Just what?”
He stroked Qin Sizheng’s head, whispering, “I can’t give you justice. If Wen Li is investigated, your origins will be exposed. I’m selfish—you’ve got Mommy, that’s enough. You don’t need parents who don’t love you. But I promise Wen Li will be sent far away, never to appear in front of you again.”
Qin Sizheng blinked, silent.
“Or, if you want to know Wen Li’s fate, and what happened back then, I can tell you.” Lu Xianqing’s voice was slow and soft as he rubbed his hand. “I won’t hide anything. Hate me or blame me if you will. These things… I must do.”
Qin Sizheng shook his head lightly. “I don’t want to know. Mommy is enough for me.”
And Lu Xianqing had already been very protective of him, keeping all of this out of the public eye, shielding him as much as possible.
He didn’t need recognition from anyone else; it was enough that he alone knew the pain Lu Xianqing had endured, the suffering of his illness, without letting the world judge, attack, or humiliate him with prying eyes.
He was Lu Xianqing’s gift, and so was the verdant mountain.
“Lu Xianqing.”
For the first time, Qin Sizheng called him by his full name, catching him off guard for a second. He took the silver chain from around his neck and removed the ring.
“Raise your hand.”
Lu Xianqing obeyed.
Qin Sizheng slid the ring onto his finger, then, resting against his lap, looked up and said: “You always call me the sunshine, but the reason I can shine so purely is because you’ve blocked out all the darkness.”
Lu Xianqing’s eyes reddened slightly, and he gently moved his Adam’s apple.
“Yanyan.”
Qin Sizheng reached up, cupping Lu Xianqing’s neck to force him down, and pressed their lips together. Before the kiss, he said, “I love you, Lu Xianqing.”
Not Fourth Brother, nor any other title.
Simply Lu Xianqing.