After finishing both phone calls, Lin Yun saw that the situation was turning against her and asked her daughter, "You said earlier that Wen Li must have used some trick to fool Song Zhixian and the others. Do you know something?"
Wen Baixiang remained silent, waiting to see what evidence Wen Xin could produce.
"She couldn't possibly have solved that problem herself! With all her skipping classes and the poor educational resources in Mingcheng, how could she solve a problem that even Brother Zhixian couldn't?" Wen Xin refused to believe that Wen Li could be smarter than her, let alone Song Zhixian.
Wen Baixiang's face turned cold. "Is that your evidence? So that's why you slandered her in class and cornered her in the restroom?"
Faced with her stern father, Wen Xin dared not act rashly. "Dad, I didn't... It's just impossible for her to be better than Brother Zhixian."
Lin Yun chimed in, "Xinxin has already said she only went to ask her to clear things up, not to do anything to her! It was Wen Li who harbored malicious intentions and attacked Xinxin so viciously."
Wen Baixiang said harshly, "Didn't you hear what her head teacher just said? Even if she didn't intend to do anything to Wen Li, she was still in the wrong today."
"Even if Xinxin shouldn't have accused her of cheating, Wen Li had no right to beat her like this! You're just taking sides—Xinxin is your daughter too!" Tears welled up in Lin Yun's eyes instantly. "She grew up by your side, and not a single hair on her head has ever been touched. Look at her now..."
Looking at Wen Xin, whose face was swollen on one side and whose eyes were red from crying, Wen Baixiang sighed helplessly, "Wen Li shouldn't have hit her. I'll find a chance for her to apologize to you later."
Lin Yun couldn't believe it. "Apologize? Just..."
"This matter ends here!" Wen Baixiang said firmly.
Lin Yun had been able to marry into the Wen Family entirely because her birth chart was believed to be auspicious and able to bring prosperity to Wen Baixiang. Her family background was far inferior to the Wen Family's, so over the years she had always played the role of the virtuous wife and devoted mother so that Wen Baixiang would provide more support to her family.
Therefore, until now, she had never dared to disobey Wen Baixiang.
Whenever Wen Baixiang's face darkened, Lin Yun wouldn't dare to utter another word.
Seeing that his wife had quieted down, Wen Baixiang softened his tone. "Call the doctor to come and examine Xinxin."
He raised his head and looked toward the second floor.
Earlier, when his wife guessed that Wen Li had entered First High School through some improper means, he had been worried. Now that he knew it was Song Boyan who had stepped in, Wen Baixiang felt somewhat relieved.
He just couldn't figure out how Wen Li, who had always lived in Mingcheng, had managed to meet Song Boyan and his grandson, and their relationship seemed quite close.
Wen Baixiang looked up at the second floor, lost in thought.
The villa finally quieted down.
Outside the door, Wen Yan, who had returned at some point, had quietly listened to everything that happened in the villa...
Friday,
Toward evening,
At Lu Family Manor, in Lu Xixiao's residence—
The little one, Xiao Jingyuan, sat at the long dining table, poking at the food on his plate with a spoon, over and over again.
A table full of exquisite and delicious dishes, but he refused to take a single bite.
Seeing this, Lu Wu stepped forward, took the food and the spoon, and said, "I'll feed you, Young Master."
The food was brought to his mouth, but the little one remained silent and refused to open it.
"Fifth Master is busy. He'll be back later."
Lu Wu was a rough man who barely spoke a few words on a regular basis, let alone raised children. This job was truly difficult for him.
Although he was only responsible for the little one's safety, he couldn't just turn a blind eye to a situation like this.
Lu Wu was just about to go call a female servant.
At that moment, a head poked in from outside the door, peeking in stealthily. "Fifth Uncle isn't here?"
Lu Wu said, "Young Master Ziyin, Fifth Master is still at the company."
Hearing that Lu Xixiao was not around, Lu Ziyin immediately let loose. With a flash, he dashed inside and headed straight for the little one.
"Xiao Jingyuan~"
"Quickly let your little uncle give you a kiss."
Lu Ziyin picked up the unhappy little one and smothered him with kisses. The little one couldn't resist at all, his little face squished out of shape.
He pushed hard against Lu Ziyin with his tiny hands, but to no avail. Lu Ziyin acted as if he were hooked on something and simply couldn't stop.
Only after he had enough kisses did Lu Ziyin put him down, holding the little one with one hand while picking up the chopsticks with the other to help himself to the food.
He tried to feed the little one, but the little one turned his face away and wiped the saliva off his cheek. Already in a low mood, he was pushed to the verge of tears by this commotion.
Seeing that he wouldn't eat, Lu Ziyin redirected the food into his own mouth.
"Have you eaten your fill, or what?"
Lu Wu replied, "He hasn't eaten a single bite."
Lu Ziyin glanced at the messy, poked-up food in Lu Wu's hands, then looked at the gloomy little one.
He asked, "Brother Wu, when is my Fifth Uncle coming back?"
Old Master Lu had five sons, boasting a full house of children and grandchildren.
Lu Xixiao was the youngest, a child born late in the old man's life.
Lu Ziyin was Lu Xixiao's youngest nephew.
As for the little one, Xiao Jingyuan, he was the grandson of Lu Xixiao's eldest brother. According to their generation, the little one called Lu Xixiao "Fifth Great-Uncle."
The three of them spanned across different generations.
Lu Wu said, "Fifth Master is in a meeting. It should be past ten o'clock."
Lu Ziyin's eyes lit up. He scooped up the little one and bounced him gently. "How about Little Uncle takes you out to eat?"
"After we eat, I'll take you to play the claw machine. Don't you love doing that? We'll win a whole pile of toys! Remember that Crucian Carp brother from last time? We can find him to go with us."
"Brother Wu, I'll leave this table of food to you. Don't waste it; I'm taking Xiao Jingyuan out to eat."
Lu Wu said, "I have to go with you."
"Oh, relax, nothing's going to happen. We're just going out for a meal and a little fun, not running wild."
Lu Ziyin scooped up the little one and ran outside.
Soon, he drove out of the manor with him.
The night gradually grew dark.
Lu Ziyin turned on the car stereo. "Listen to Little Uncle play a super cute Little Frog Song for you~"
The cheerful, childlike prelude rang out.
Lu Ziyin sang along while driving:
"A happy pond is planted with dreams, turning into an ocean,
Bulging eyes and a big mouth, singing just as loud,
Lend me a pair of little wings, and I can fly toward the sun,
I believe miracles are right within me,
La la la la la,
La la la la la..."
Getting carried away by the song, he even swayed his body gently to the rhythm.
In the back seat, the little one stared straight ahead with a look of utter despair.
The front seat was full of song, dance, and roaring noise, while the back seat was dead quiet and utterly silent—like two completely isolated worlds.
A phone call interrupted Lu Ziyin's solo party.
"It's your birthday today? Right now? I don't have time right now."
"Tell me where you are first, and I'll see if it's on my way."
"Dylan Bar... Alright then, I'll drop by since it's on the way."
After hanging up the phone,
Lu Ziyin negotiated with the little one, "A friend of Little Uncle's is having a birthday, and there are lots of good things to eat and play with over there. I'll go say happy birthday to him, and then we can go play nearby, how's that?"
"If you don't speak, I'll take that as a yes."
Just like that, Lu Ziyin drove the car to the outside of the bar.
He unbuckled his seatbelt, turned his head, and asked the little one, "Do you want to go inside with Little Uncle? There's cake to eat."
The little one tried hard to lift his little head to peer inside the bar, then shook his head. In the little one's eyes, this place was no different from a haunted house.
"Then you wait in the car for Little Uncle. I promise I'll be back in five minutes. Be a good boy~"
Lu Ziyin got out of the car, crossed the street, and went into the bar.
Left alone in the car, the little one's mood remained depressed.
He got up from a sitting position to a kneeling one, pressed himself against the car window, and stared with a blank expression at the bustling traffic and the newly lit street lamps outside.
The sense of loneliness grew even stronger.
At that moment, he missed Lu Xixiao desperately.
Just as his emotions were about to collapse, he suddenly saw a slender figure walk out of a pet store across the street...