Because she was addicted

Wen Jia trembled.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Madam Lu said that Lu Chenyan's elder brother, Lu Chenlan, died at the bottom of that dry well more than ten years ago. Where did Lu Chenyan's so-called elder brother come from?

He had told her more than once how amazing his older brother, Lu Chenlan, was. He even said that his older brother was in charge of arranging marriages for the family, while he was in charge of having fun.

His older brother would often call him to talk about work and life.

Lu Chenyan also said that he would take her to meet his older brother and introduce them to each other.

Early this morning, Lu Chenyan said that after he was rescued, he couldn't sleep all night. His older brother stayed in the room with him, talking to him and coaxing him to sleep.

Now that my elder brother is dead, who is keeping him company?

Seeing Wen Jia's face turn pale and then green, Madam Lu knew she understood the strangeness of the situation. She took a deep breath and continued:

"Miss Wen, I have no reason to lie to you. I am their mother. A-Lan's death has devastated me. Similarly, A-Yan has become extremely important to me, and I cannot allow anything to happen to him again. I do not want to experience the pain of losing my son again."

"After Ayan was brought back, his condition remained poor. He wouldn't sleep all night, hiding in the corner of the room, calling out for his older brother."

From the traces at the scene and Lu Chenyan's fragmented and intermittent words, they deduced what happened.

At first, the kidnappers gave them two steamed buns and a bottle of water each day to keep them alive.

Lu Chenlan felt sorry for her younger brother, Lu Chenyan, and gave him half of her steamed bun every day, always making sure he drank the least amount of water. The two brothers tried to save themselves from the well, but the well walls were wet, slippery, and high. Lu Chenlan would climb up and slip back down, unable to get out, and even broke his leg. Lu Chenyan managed to climb halfway up, but ultimately failed.

Later, the two brothers became too exhausted to climb any further.

About five days later, the well was never opened again.

The steamed buns and water have also run out.

They persevered in the darkness for a long time.

Lu Chenlan's wound worsened, and he didn't survive ten days in the damp, cold, and dark environment. Lu Chenyan, whose physical condition was much better than his older brother's, survived by catching rats.

"Afraid of upsetting Ayan, we secretly handled his older brother's funeral arrangements without telling him. Ayan stayed in the sanatorium for over a year, but his condition didn't improve. Then one day, he suddenly recovered. He could eat and sleep normally, his logic was sound and clear, and he recovered without any warning."

"His father and I were of course very happy. We took him home. In the following years, we took him to see a psychologist regularly, and Ayan's condition became more and more stable each year, even exceeding our expectations."

The Lu family has two sons. Lu Chenlan is steady and composed, and has been groomed as their successor since childhood. Lu Chenyan is lively and active, loves art and freedom, and enjoys anything dangerous or exciting, never bound by worldly rules. This has caused Madam Lu a great deal of headaches.

After that incident, Lu Chenyan put away his paintbrushes, carving knives, and all sorts of play equipment. He began to seriously study architecture, business, human nature, and the etiquette of dealing with people in the business world. The two brothers were five years apart and already looked seven or eight parts alike. As a result, even Madam Lu gradually couldn't tell whether the person in front of her was her younger son, Lu Chenyan, or her older son, Lu Chenlan.

However, Madam Lu originally disliked Lu Chenyan playing those dangerous and risky activities.

She was genuinely happy about this change.

She was even relieved that her eldest son had stayed by her side in this way.

Five years ago, Lu Chenyan suddenly announced that he was going to study in the UK.

Mrs. Lu was naturally very happy.

I personally escorted him there.

Soon after, news came that Lu Chenyan was pursuing Tang Ning.

"I'm from Haicheng. When Alan was little, I often took him to live in Haicheng. I watched Tang Ning grow up. She was as cute as a doll when she was little, always following Alan around calling him 'brother, brother.' Alan has always liked her and was willing to give her all the good things. I often thought, how wonderful it would be if Ningning could marry Alan."

"But A-Lan is rather reserved, and she kept these feelings hidden in her heart for over ten years without ever confessing them. So, when I later heard A-Yan confess to Tang Ning, I was still quite moved. If A-Lan and Tang Ning's relationship could continue in this way, wouldn't that be a blessing?"

Hearing this, Wen Jia gradually began to have some guesses in her mind. But she dared not say them.

Madam Lu glanced at her.

"Miss Wen, Ah Yan hid it too well. So well that we all thought he was fine and fully recovered. Little did we know, he was hiding a secret that none of us knew."

"It was because of you that we discovered this secret."

After graduating, Lu Chenyan did not return to J country to inherit the family business, but went to Haicheng.

Madam Lu thought he went there because of Tang Ning.

Not long after, she received a call from Lu Chuan in J country. Lu Chuan said that Lu Chenyan was pursuing a person named Wen Jia and also told people about his older brother.

Lu Chuan immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"As it turns out, our guess was right. Miss Wen, Ayan wasn't better at all. He just hid himself away. He didn't want to face the reality that his older brother was dead, so he imagined an older brother. In his world, Alan is still alive, living like a normal person. She calls him, discusses work and life, and even gives him some life advice. His personality and Alan's personality switch from time to time."

At this point, Madam Lu trembled and silently took out a pill from her handbag and swallowed it.

Wen Jia was so shocked that she didn't know what to say.

Because, up until this moment, she had completely believed that on the other side of the world, there was a genius older brother named Lu Chenlan who was alive and well. She was still waiting for Lu Chenyan to introduce the two of them.

In fact, Lu Chenlan had already died more than a decade ago in that dark and sunless dry well.

His face and limbs were gnawed beyond recognition by rats.

Everything that followed was entirely in Lu Chenyan's imagination.

"This is a photo of his older brother."

After taking her medicine, Madam Lu's emotions finally calmed down a bit. She then showed Wen Jia photos of Lu Chenlan on her phone.

The man in the photo was dressed in a suit and tie, his hair neatly combed. His face was handsome and noble; at first glance, Wen Jia mistook him for Lu Chenyan.

But upon closer inspection, they are different.

Lu Chenlan's expression became even more composed and self-possessed.

When Lu Chenyan is working, he is serious and focused, and his expression is indeed like that of Lu Chenlan, as if they were cut from the same mold. But when Lu Chenyan grins, he exudes a completely different aura.

The sunshine was so bright and clear, like the winter sun breaking through a window.

The sunlight made me feel warm and cozy.

Upon closer inspection, Lu Chenlan no longer had that light mole on her Adam's apple, and her figure was even thinner.

Wen Jia gasped in shock.

Madam Lu said, "Miss Wen, I've told you our Lu family's biggest secret. I've come here to ask you to let me take Ayan back with me."

"Both Haicheng and Gangcheng are too dangerous. Fu Xiu is already unconscious, and the Fu family is now under the control of Lin Xiao and his son. Fu Huaishen wants to divorce Tang Ning and take back the family property. The duel with Lin Xiao and his son is just around the corner."

"Miss Wen, even in Hong Kong, the aftermath of their struggle can threaten you. You almost lost your life, and Ah Yan risked his life to protect you. It's too dangerous for him to stay here."

"Miss Wen, please have pity on me, please have pity on Ayan. Let me take him back to China. There are many people there who can protect him, and he can receive more comprehensive treatment."

Wen Jia returned the phone to Madam Lu, and looking at the street scenes flashing by outside the car, she was overwhelmed with emotion.