Luo Yuan was so angry that he practically jumped.
“You’re still pretending? I used to play the same green-tea tricks when I was chasing my wife. You think I don’t understand you?”
“You couldn’t suppress that little bit of online buzz? Huh? You just had to make a public announcement to suppress it?”
“Back when those hot searches were pairing you up with other people and stirring up rumors, you could crush them in an instant. So why did this one have to be solved by publicly announcing your relationship? Huh?!”
“I was wondering why those marketing accounts weren’t afraid of getting themselves killed and dared to lead the backlash against you. Turns out you’ve been waiting for this all along, haven’t you?”
……………………
Xi Yu’s brows drew together slightly.
Even though he didn’t know much about the entertainment industry, he still realized something was off.
He looked at Lu Zhixing, somewhat puzzled.
The meaning in Xi Yu’s eyes was obvious.
He was waiting for Lu Zhixing to explain.
It was pure confusion, without the slightest suspicion or accusation.
Shen Qing pulled Luo Yuan down to sit.
Seeing that Xi Yu had caught on, Luo Yuan snorted.
He had genuinely thought Lu Zhixing was good in every way before.
But not anymore.
Times had changed.
Their identities had changed too.
Back then, Lu Zhixing was his good friend’s son—steady, handsome, decisive, and ruthless when necessary.
But now this brat had actually started playing mind games with his son!
Xi Yu had only recently returned to the Luo family, and unlike Luo Cheng’an, he wasn’t the type to act spoiled or cling to people.
Luo Yuan didn’t know this son very well.
But even he could tell that when it came to romance, Xi Yu was practically clueless.
And this brat Lu Zhixing had spotted that weakness and was taking full advantage of it!
He had used these kinds of tricks himself when he was twenty.
He knew all about this slow-boiling-frog tactic!
Today, he was determined to tear off Lu Zhixing’s fake mask.
His son didn’t understand.
So he would expose every single one of Lu Zhixing’s little green-tea tricks for him.
Luo Yuan crossed his arms over his chest, looking exactly like a vicious father-in-law preparing to give his future son-in-law a hard time on his first visit.
Luo Cheng’an stared numbly at his father’s confident expression.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
His father still understood Lu Zhixing far too little.
Luo Yuan’s accusations were loud, but his words were exceptionally clear.
Lu Zhixing’s pupils trembled as he met Xi Yu’s questioning gaze.
The next second, the silent Lu Zhixing released his grip on Xi Yu’s clothes.
He shifted his body away from Xi Yu by a little, lowered his eyes, and stared at his toes.
“It was my fault. I’ve been too busy lately and didn’t have time to deal with the comments online, which allowed things to get this bad. I ended up forcing Xiaoyu to use this method to clarify things for me. I’m sorry.”
Luo Yuan nearly laughed from sheer anger.
Busy?
It only took one phone call to suppress this kind of thing. What on earth had he been busy with?
An excuse!
A completely flimsy excuse.
His son definitely wouldn’t believe something this ridiculous!!!
Sure enough, Xi Yu reached out his hand.
Luo Yuan’s eyes lit up.
He thought Xi Yu had finally seen through Lu Zhixing and was about to give him a couple of solid punches.
He was just about to make a show of stopping him when Xi Yu’s hand gently landed on the back of Lu Zhixing’s hand.
Then Xi Yu said,
“Oh, so that’s what happened. Then it’s my fault.”
Luo Yuan: “????”
Luo Cheng’an rolled his eyes.
I knew it.
Xi Yu’s fingertips lightly rubbed the back of Lu Zhixing’s hand before he turned to explain to Luo Yuan.
“Lu Zhixing has been helping me with the Liu family’s affairs recently. It’s my fault for not trusting him to handle things alone and insisting that he come with me, so he didn’t have time to deal with it.”
It really was his fault.
There had simply been too many things going on lately.
The Liu family was one problem, and another was Chan Yu affecting Lu Zhixing.
When he was in that much pain, how could he possibly have had time to deal with things online?
As far as Xi Yu was concerned, those matters on the internet were trivial.
It was perfectly normal that he hadn’t had time to deal with them.
Lu Zhixing pressed his lips together and looked at Xi Yu.
Seeing Xi Yu defend him, he looked deeply moved.
The slightly distant expression in his eyes softened, becoming even more vulnerable.
It was as though the most innocent person in the world had been framed, believing no one would believe him, only to receive salvation when he was on the verge of despair.
Lu Zhixing shifted back beside Xi Yu and revealed a harmless, dazzling smile.
Xi Yu was momentarily dazzled by that smile.
For some inexplicable reason, his fingertips felt a little itchy.
I want to…
Before Xi Yu could decide where he wanted to poke the little cub with those itchy fingertips, Luo Yuan flew over and squeezed himself directly between the two of them.
Lu Zhixing was pushed aside.
The corners of his lips tightened slightly.
Luo Yuan grabbed Xi Yu by the shoulders and shook him as if he were trying to see whether there was water inside his head and shake it all out.
“Sonny, don’t get bewitched by beauty!!! Calm down!!! Lu Zhixing is a green-tea man! Believe your dad! Don’t let him fool you!”
Xi Yu was shaken dizzy.
He instinctively argued,
“He’s not a green-tea man. Don’t say that about him. He—”
“Xiaoyu, it really is my fault for dragging you into this. Whatever Uncle Luo says is justified.”
Lu Zhixing stood up and interrupted Xi Yu.
He bowed apologetically to Luo Yuan and Shen Qing.
“No matter what, things have become like this because of me. If the two of you mind, I’ll clarify everything right now.”
Luo Yuan stopped moving.
Xi Yu immediately escaped from beside him and pulled Lu Zhixing back up.
“Clarify what? This is fine.”
There were even more offerings than before.
He still had to take Lu Zhixing to Wutong Village, and he had no idea what kind of situation awaited them there.
With all those offerings around him, at least he would feel a little more reassured.
Thinking about going to Wutong Village, Xi Yu really didn’t have time to bicker with them anymore.
He took Lu Zhixing’s hand and sat down on another sofa.
Luo Yuan was about to go over and separate the two again, but Shen Qing immediately pressed him down and shook her head.
Then Shen Qing looked at Lu Zhixing.
“Since Xiaoyu chose to do this, I’m sure he has his reasons. There’s no need to clarify it. You’ve already left the entertainment industry, and Xiaoyu isn’t part of it either. The two of you won’t have many opportunities to appear together in public. After a few years, when each of you has someone you like, you can talk about clarifying things then.”
After saying that, Shen Qing looked at Xi Yu.
“Your dad is only being overprotective because he cares. You just came home, and he’s afraid that once you start a family, you’ll have even less time for your family, so he got a little worked up. Don’t mind him.”
Shen Qing saw things much more clearly than Luo Yuan.
Lu Zhixing’s little tricks could indeed be exposed with a single poke.
But that didn’t change the fact that Xi Yu believed him.
If they insisted on making Xi Yu believe that Lu Zhixing had deliberately orchestrated all of this, they might only achieve the opposite effect and create a rift between their son and the family.
Not that she thought badly of her own husband, but compared with Lu Zhixing, Luo Yuan’s old tricks were nowhere near enough.
Shen Qing looked at Lu Zhixing with an amused, knowing smile.
She didn’t think there was anything wrong with what Lu Zhixing was doing.
If you liked someone, what was wrong with using a few little tricks?
As long as you didn’t cross any boundaries or become genuinely annoying, it was simply another kind of fun.
That clueless man Luo Yuan still thought to this day that she had been moved by his obvious, clumsy tricks.
Little did he know that she had fallen for Luo Yuan at first sight, deliberately laid a trap for him, and watched him happily jump right into it.
Shen Qing was very open-minded.
Whether it was Xi Yu or Luo Cheng’an, she didn’t care what gender their partners were.
As long as her children liked them, everything else was secondary.
There was no point in Luo Yuan trying to stop them now.
He might even trigger their rebellious side and damage the harmony of the family.
It was better to simply wait and see.
In terms of family background, appearance, and character, Lu Zhixing was excellent in every respect.
Having him as a son-in-law wouldn’t be bad at all.
Lu Zhixing met Shen Qing’s gaze.
He didn’t show the slightest trace of guilt and looked back at her openly.
Seeing that the matter had been smoothed over because of Shen Qing’s words, Xi Yu breathed a sigh of relief.
Luo Yuan angrily refused to say anything more.
And no one asked why exactly the two of them had to sleep while embracing each other.
………………………….
There was no need anymore.
Luo Yuan had figured out that asking wouldn’t accomplish anything.
Lu Zhixing simply had too many tricks up his sleeve.
If he could coax his son into sleeping while holding him, then he obviously had his reasons.
His poor, innocent son couldn’t even see through it!
Jiang Shuhe was completely supportive of her son, so she naturally had even less reason to ask.
She laughed and smoothly redirected everyone’s conversation toward having lunch together.
“I have to go out for a while. I won’t be home for lunch,” Xi Yu said.
After saying that, Xi Yu looked at Lu Zhixing somewhat worriedly.
He hesitated before adding,
“You’re coming with me too.”
Lu Zhixing was already being misunderstood.
Xi Yu figured that if he stayed behind, Luo Yuan would probably keep taking digs at him.
Luo Yuan was his elder, and given Lu Zhixing’s personality, he definitely wouldn’t talk back.
He would probably just keep saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
It would be easier to simply take him along.
Lu Zhixing pressed his lips together.
He didn’t ask where they were going.
He simply looked at the others.
“Then I’ll go with Xiaoyu.”
Luo Yuan was now completely unwilling to let Lu Zhixing be alone with Xi Yu.
But seeing Xi Yu’s expression, he knew Xi Yu had something important to do, so he didn’t say anything.
Shen Qing, however, waved her hand.
“Go ahead.”
Luo Cheng’an said,
“I’m going too!”
Xi Yu hadn’t even had time to respond when Luo Yuan moved with lightning speed and shoved Luo Cheng’an over beside Xi Yu.
“Take your brother with you. We adults have something to discuss.”
Fine.
Taking Luo Cheng’an along wasn’t a problem.
Xi Yu took the two of them and left.
The moment they were gone, Luo Yuan pointed at Lu Zheng and started yelling.
“Look at the son you’ve raised! What has he turned my son into?! A pretty boy who seduces people! A calamity! A calamity!”
Shen Qing sat on the sofa and cast a sideways glance at Jiang Shuhe, who had come over to coax her.
And so the battle between the parents began.
Outside, the younger generation was no less competitive.
Luo Cheng’an and Lu Zhixing flanked Xi Yu on either side.
When they reached the car, Luo Cheng’an opened the front passenger door.
“Brother, get in.”
Xi Yu was just about to get into the car when Lu Zhixing spoke softly.
“Can I sit in the front? I get carsick.”
Where Xi Yu couldn’t see, Luo Cheng’an gave Lu Zhixing a mocking smile.
I knew it.
Lu Zhixing was petty.
He simply couldn’t stand seeing Xi Yu get even a little closer to him.
And that had been Luo Cheng’an’s original goal anyway—to prevent Xi Yu and Lu Zhixing from sitting together.
“Sure.”
Luo Cheng’an opened the rear door and pushed Xi Yu inside.
Then he pointed toward the passenger seat.
“Get in, Brother Lu.”
Lu Zhixing nodded politely.
“Thank you.”
Xi Yu didn’t notice the undercurrent between the two of them.
He lazily gave the destination.
“Go to the overpass.”