After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

An Ning tugged at her lips and smiled, "Let's not talk about the past."

Seeing her so sad, An Yucan asked again, "Sister, will you leave again this time you're back?"

After asking the question, he grabbed her hand urgently, "Please don't leave, okay? I only have one more year until graduation. After graduation, I'll raise Xianxian with you."

He looked at Xiao Anxian, who was quietly eating dessert, and said somewhat angrily, "If her father treats you badly, we won't rely on him. After I start working, I can support you."

Anning was amused by his words, "Okay, then I'll wait for you to graduate and find a good job."

An Yucan's eyes lit up with joy. "Really not leaving?"

"I'm not leaving," Anning said with a smile. "I'm so happy to see you're doing well. Yucan will definitely have a bright future."

"Okay!" An Yucan smiled, revealing a row of white teeth. "Then it's a deal. We'll live a good life together as a family."

An Ning nodded, feeling a warm feeling in her heart.

Waiting for Li Chunfang's surgery to be successful, and for Yu Can to graduate.

They left Jinghai and found a suitable place for Li Chunfang to retire, where the family could live peacefully and Anxian could grow up healthy and safe.

Thinking of this, she lowered her eyes, her gaze dim.

By then, Lu Xiyan should be getting married too.

That's fine, then they can go their separate ways.

Their identities were worlds apart, and they would never cross paths again.

An Yucan was very excited about An Ning's return. He insisted on hugging An Xuan and pulling her around his university, showing her the place where he studied.

At noon, they stayed at the school cafeteria for lunch before reluctantly seeing them off onto the bus.

An Ning and An Xuan had just gotten into the car when her phone rang.

It's the hospital's phone number.

Li Chunfang's surgery is scheduled for tomorrow; she guesses there's something she needs to tell him.

As soon as the call connected, her expression changed drastically. "What do you mean? Why do we need to transfer hospitals?"

......

Lu Family Manor.

Inside the exquisite and elegant Chinese restaurant, servants are setting the table.

In the luxurious living room, Lu Lixiao, who was over eighty years old and in good health, was already seated in the main seat.

Wearing a perfectly pressed black Zhongshan suit, he exuded an air of great authority.

The monthly family dinner was a rule set by Lu Lixiao.

No matter how busy the Lu family members are, they always have to come back for dinner on the day of the family banquet.

The first to break this rule was Lu Xiyan.

Lu Lixiao was angry, but there was nothing he could do about it.

At this moment, a group of people entered from outside. Leading them was Lu Jin, the chairman of Zheng Hong Group, a subsidiary of the Lu Group, and also Lu Lixiao's eldest son.

Lu Jin had a tall and straight back and a vigorous posture. Apart from the gray hair at his temples, his handsome face showed no signs of being fifty-six years old.

He was wearing a dark suit. He walked up to Lu Lixiao, bowed, and said, "Dad."

"grandfather."

The speaker was Lu Jin's son, Lu Weian, the chief CEO of Zheng Hong Group.

Lu Lixiao grunted an "Mmm" without even lifting his eyelids.

He never really liked Lu Wei'an, but he doted on Lu Xiyan.

Because everyone in the Lu family knows that although Lu Wei'an is the eldest son of the Lu family, he is actually an illegitimate son that Lu Jin brought back from outside.

More than a decade ago, after the first wife of the eldest son of the Lu family passed away, the eldest son brought Lu Wei'an and his mother back to the Lu family from outside, and only then did he give the mother and son a legitimate status.

Although Lu Wei'an was also a member of the Lu family, the old master Lu still harbored resentment towards them, mother and son, over the years. Only towards Lu Ling's only son, Lu Xiyan, did he truly love him.

It's just that no one can understand why Lu Wei'an can't hold this favoritism against him, but even his birth mother—now the first wife Jiang Xiaolian—can be so tolerant and forgiving.

Jiang Xiaolian was gentle and dignified, wearing a custom-made light green cheongsam. She softly called out "Dad" and then quietly sat down with Lu Jin.

Lu Jin glanced around the hall and asked, "Dad, didn't west Yan come again today?"

"It's all my fault for spoiling him; he's getting more and more out of control!" Lu Lixiao said with a serious expression. "These past few years, he hasn't respected me, his grandfather, at all!"

"Dad, don't be angry." Jiang Xiaolian quickly explained for Lu Xiyan, "Xiyan has always been unrestrained since he was a child. He must not be able to get used to taking over the business in the past few years. In addition, so many things happened in the past few years, which must have been a big blow to him. There must be a reason why he doesn't come back often."

Although Lu Lixiao had never quite accepted Jiang Xiaolian's identity, she had indeed acted like the matriarch of the Lu family over the years, and her words just now had made him feel very comfortable.

He nodded, his expression softening. "Yes, west Yan hasn't had it easy these past few years, let's just let him be."

Just then, a crisp sound came from the entrance of the living room—

"Grandpa really loves Xiyan the most. I can see that your heart is completely devoted to Xiyan."

The newcomer wore a high-end custom-made fitted red dress, her figure graceful and her steps elegant.

Lu Qinghe strode arrogantly to Jiang Xiaolian's side, glanced at her haughtily, ignored Lu Jin and Lu Weian, and sat down next to Lu Lixiao with a smile. "Grandpa, I'm not too late today, am I?"

"It's not too late, not too late." Lu Lixiao smiled kindly. "Grandpa is happy that Xiao He is here."

"I bet you'd be beaming with joy if west Yan came," Lu Qinghe said, linking her arm with Lu Lixiao's. "Besides, even if Xi Yan doesn't come, he's still the rightful young master of the Lu family. After all, Grandpa dotes on him the most, doesn't he?"

As Lu Qinghe spoke, her eyes turned to Jiang Xiaolian, a smug smile spreading across her bright face.

She never liked her stepmother, and she didn't like the son she brought in either!

She chuckled softly, "Unlike some people who pretend to be tolerant, kind, and unassuming all day long, trying to please everyone in the Lu family, even if they rise to a high position, they are nothing more than a little sparrow struggling to stand on a branch."

"Lu Qinghe!" Lu Jin said sternly, "How dare you speak like that! Don't you have any respect for us elders?!"

"Alright!" Lu Lixiao glanced at him, his tone authoritative, "Why are you getting so angry at Xiaohe?"

"It's alright." Jiang Xiaolian held Lu Jin's arm and gently comforted him with a smile, "Qinghe has always been straightforward since she was a child. Let her say a few words, it won't hurt. Don't ruin the atmosphere of today's family dinner."

Lu Qinghe hated her hypocritical act and rolled her eyes to the sky.

Just then, a servant rushed in, breaking the tense atmosphere. "Master! The second young master is back!"

Old Master Lu's previous stern expression vanished, his face brightening as he quickly stood up. "west Yan is back?"

"Yes, sir, the second young master is back!"

Lu Lixiao happily raised his hand to signal, "Ready to eat."

"But..." the maid hesitated, "the second young master didn't go back to the main house when he came back, he went straight to the ancestral hall."

......

The Lu Family Ancestral Hall is a place where the ancestral tablets of the Lu family are enshrined.

Inside the ancestral hall, incense and candles burned, their smoke curling upwards.

Lu Xiyan wore a black, elegant, modern Chinese-style suit, his posture upright and outstanding.

He walked into the ancestral hall, bent his knees, and knelt down in front of the newly erected memorial tablet.

The dim light inside the ancestral hall illuminated his smooth, sharp jawline and high, straight nose. His usually indifferent and aloof eyes churned with unbearable emotions as he looked at the name on the memorial tablet.

"Dad, she's gone back to Jinghai."

Lu Xiyan's voice was deep, and his back was straight.

As he spoke, his eyes reddened, and his hands, hanging at his sides, trembled and clenched into fists.

"You've come back at the worst possible time."

He stared at the two characters "Lu Ling" on the memorial tablet, his black figure looming in the wisps of smoke.

"Tell me, how should I repay what she owes me?"