The daily life of a space tycoon raising children, doting on his husband, and farming.

Chapter 80 What kind of beast?
Lu Chengjing's expression turned slightly somber, and images of past events flashed before his eyes. He spoke softly, "Actually, it's nothing to be proud of."

Shang Wan rested her chin on one hand and poked at the fire with a long stick in the other, listening quietly.

"I can remember things from about one year old. Because I was born prematurely, I was a baby who needed medicine from a young age. I started taking medicine while still being breastfed. After I could remember things, I would cry whenever I saw medicine, or anything that was similar in color to medicine. My mother couldn't do anything about it, but she would always gently comfort me..."

Lu Chengjing looked at the sparks leaping in the orange flames, speaking slowly but at a great length.

It is said that when he was a child, he was sick, and his mother stayed up all night by his bedside, secretly wiping away tears.

He said that his family had consulted doctors, and every doctor predicted that he would not live past twenty. His mother cried until her eyes were swollen, his father's brows were always furrowed, and his two older brothers, though not very old, were also very worried.

They said that in order to keep him from getting sick, his family restricted him from leaving his room. Occasionally, he could peek out the window at the little birds on the branches, chirping together.

He said that his mother grew increasingly haggard from taking care of him, and prayed to gods and Buddhas every day, hoping that Buddha could save him.

He said his father was entering his house less and less, perhaps because they spent less time together, so the grief of a parent outliving their child was not as intense.

He said his two older brothers would take turns visiting him. The eldest brother would tell him stories, and the second brother would bring him some fancy trinkets bought from outside. In front of him, who was only two years old, the two older brothers would complain about their father's strictness, their teacher's harshness, the excessive amount of schoolwork, and the lack of playtime.

When he said he hadn't been sick for several days, his mother was overjoyed and hurriedly sent someone to the temple to donate money for incense and oil.

He said he longed for the outside world, but his older brother couldn't take him out, so he secretly taught him to read and brought him picture books so that he could glimpse a corner of the world through the books.

He said he heard his second brother complain that he didn't want to study and wanted to become a wandering knight-errant.

He recounted his lively birthday banquet when he was three years old, with his family gathered together. His mother and brother made him a small bowl of longevity noodles, and his father looked a bit rounder than he remembered.

It is said that when he was four years old, a powerful master came to Qingchi Temple, and his mother rushed to pay her respects...

"And then?" Shang Wan was listening intently when suddenly the conversation ended.

She turned her head to look at the person beside her, only to find that Lu Chengjing had his lips tightly pursed, his left hand clenched into a fist, and veins bulging on the back of his fair hand, as if he was trying to suppress something.

Shang Wan was slightly taken aback. What... happened?
"Lu Chengjing?"

Lu Chengjing seemed lost in memories, staring blankly at the fire, and did not respond to Shang Wan's gentle call.

Shang Wan frowned, grabbed his tightly clenched left hand, and with an irresistible force pried open his slender fingers one by one.

Looking at the four crescent-shaped marks on her palm that were almost bleeding, she hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently kneaded them until she felt the arm she was holding relax. Only then did she stop and turn her head to look at them.

Lu Chengjing's eyes were deep and dark, as if a man-eating beast lurked in his dark depths, staring at her intently.

At this moment, Shang Wan had the illusion that she was being targeted by a high-level mutated beast in the apocalypse.

She blinked, reached out and pressed her hand against the corner of Lu Chengjing's rosy eyes, raising an eyebrow, "So beautiful."

The fox looks even better with its claws out than when it's docile; no wonder it's her pet fox.

Lu Chengjing's expression shifted slightly as he slowly approached Shang Wan, stopping only when their noses touched.

His eyes were like deep pools, reflecting the firelight as if tiny stars had fallen into them.

Each blink of her long eyelashes seemed to pluck at Shang Wan's heartstrings like feathers.

Shang Wan was unusually overwhelmed. Was he already trying to seduce her before she was even fully recovered? What if she couldn't control herself? What if he disappeared into the ground once he sobered up?
She reached out and touched Lu Chengjing's forehead, pushing him away. She cleared her throat. "That thing that's been bothering you happened when you were four years old, right? Can you tell me now? If it's really painful, you..."

“That day, Mother went out early in the morning with her entourage to Qingchi Temple to find Master Kong.” Lu Chengjing grabbed Shang Wan’s hand, his fingers interlacing with hers, their palms pressed together, their fingers interlocked. Shang Wan leaned against his shoulder, her eyes half-closed, listening intently.

“I fell asleep after taking the medicine. When I woke up, only Lu Chengyuan was in my room. He… looked at me with a strange expression. At the time, I just thought he was not feeling well and didn’t realize anything was wrong with him.”

Shang Wan frowned, instinctively feeling that what was about to be said was not something she wanted to hear.

“He said he would teach me to read, using the excuse that he hadn’t slept well last night. He brought a book to bed to teach me, and as he was teaching, he…” Lu Chengjing paused, as if he was finding it difficult to say, or as if he was gritting his teeth in hatred, and quickly said, “He took off my nightgown.”

Shang Wan's eyes widened. Wait, this isn't what she thought it meant, is it?

She sat up straight and looked at Lu Chengjing's face, trying to be as tactful as possible: "You don't mean... Lu Chengyuan is plotting something against you?"

Lu Chengjing pursed his lips, recalling that incident from back then, countless emotions churning in his heart, and finally nodded slightly.

Business Evening News: !!!
"then you……"

“No!” Lu Chengjing gripped Shang Wan’s hand tightly and said coldly, “I almost bit off his ear when he wasn’t paying attention. The servants rushed in when they heard his screams, and then my mother came back too.”

His long eyelashes trembled slightly. "My mother questioned me about why I bit my brother, and I... I couldn't tell her."

He knew how much his parents had hoped for Lu Chengyuan and how much effort they had put in. If he told his mother the truth, she would definitely not be able to bear the blow.

If I tell my father, he... might not believe me.

On one side is the eldest son, on whom high hopes are placed and who is repeatedly praised by his teacher; on the other side is the sickly child, whom the doctor has determined will not live past twenty. What choice will the father make? Little Lu Chengjing already has the answer in his heart.

"So you didn't tell anyone?"

Lu Chengjing scenic spot.

Even if he did say it, after Lu Chengyuan's excellent singing and recitation performance, probably no one would believe him.

Upon hearing of this, his father, who rarely sets foot in his room, comes to discipline him. The cane strikes him, nearly killing him.

His mother distanced herself from him day by day, too afraid to approach him.

The servants in the manor all say that he is a cold-blooded monster, and that it is God's punishment for him not living past the age of twenty. They hope he will die of illness soon.

After hearing this, his second brother became afraid of him and dared not come to see him again.

Only Lu Chengyuan...

"And then? Did that beast still try to harm you?" Shang Wan's killing intent surged, wishing she could fly to the Lu family and grind Lu Chengyuan to dust.

Seeing Shang Wan so angry, Lu Chengjing's complicated and difficult emotions actually subsided a bit.

“I became wary after that day, and I wouldn’t even sleep alone at night. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t find an opportunity.”

Shang Wan wasn't stupid; she could tell at a glance how much of what he said was exaggerated. But looking at Lu Chengjing's pale face, she couldn't bear to reopen old wounds.

“I suddenly remembered I have something to take care of.” She let go of Lu Chengjing’s hand and stood up, a cold glint in her eyes. “When Shitou comes out in a bit, have him carry you to bed. You don’t need to wait for me.”

(End of this chapter)