Chapter 55: The Gift

Shen Zheming had a real knack for making digs at people.

It took Lu Shi two seconds to realize he was being called a blockhead.

Lu Shi admitted he had done it on purpose earlier, trying to break the ice by making small talk.

Now that he had calmed down and thought it over carefully, Shen Zheming’s expression didn’t look like he was trying to comfort him, nor did it seem like pity.

An answer he had never considered rose from the bottom of his heart.

Could Shen Zheming be… feeling sorry for me?

But as soon as the thought surfaced, Lu Shi pushed it back down.

He pressed his lips together, afraid to think too deeply.

Because the more he dwelled on it, the more he probed what Shen Zheming had meant, the tighter his chest felt. Under Shen Zheming’s deep gaze, his heart pounded wildly.

Was this right?

The two walked out of the hospital.

Lu Shi got into the car and pulled out his phone, only to find it had been blowing up with calls.

Once his competition results were announced and his first livestream ended, countless university admissions offices had somehow gotten his number, calling and texting him with offers of admittance without examination.

As long as he took this year’s exams and didn’t do too poorly in any subject.

Even Capital University had sent him a message, written in a very sincere tone.

Lu Shi found the phone too noisy, so he simply turned it off and leaned back.

From Shen Zheming’s angle, it looked like he was curling up in the seat.

Shen Zheming: “Don’t want to go to school?”

Lu Shi said slowly, “Of course not. I’ve got money and a goal now. Why should I take an extra step in between? Besides, I’d have to learn a bunch of random stuff…”

Shen Zheming listened to his muttering growing softer, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Lu Shi shifted, finding a comfortable position for his neck. “Brother Shen, you’re graduating soon, right?”

Shen Zheming: “Next year.”

Lu Shi: “Given our relationship, you’ll invite me to your graduation ceremony, right?”

Back when he was busy with the company, Lu Shi had missed his own graduation ceremony. He still felt a bit regretful about that. It was said that Capital University’s annual graduation ceremony was extremely grand and unforgettable.

Shen Zheming hummed in agreement, without much thought, as if he was just following the conversation. “I’ll invite you to the wedding too.”

Lu Shi’s mind went blank.

It seemed he was increasingly unable to keep up with Shen Zheming’s words.

From ceremony to wedding, just one word difference, but the meaning was completely different.

A ceremony was a public occasion. Friends and classmates with a good relationship could all attend together.

A wedding was a private vow between two people, a deep affection kept close. Only those with an even closer bond would be invited.

So their relationship held a pretty important place in Shen Zheming’s heart?

Lu Shi shrank his neck deeper into his bulky down jacket, turned his head to look out the window, leaving only the soft back of his head facing Shen Zheming.

The day after the livestream exam ended, Sun Sirui’s family couldn’t find Lu Shi. Reporters kept showing up near Lu Shi’s apartment, so they had no choice but to leave in disgrace.

Before Sun Sirui could apologize online, the police from the investigation bureau came to his door, saying he had slandered and defamed someone in public, causing great damage to that person’s reputation, and placed him under temporary detention.

Sun Sirui’s parents grabbed hold of him.

“Xiao Rui, you weren’t like this before! Someone must have put you up to this, right? Tell the police who it was!”

“You can’t have a criminal record at such a young age. What about your future? What will you do?”

But Sun Sirui kept his mouth shut, saying nothing, his expression dazed.

Chen Youxuan had blocked and deleted him on the night of the anniversary party.

With Old Master Jiang acting as a witness, Capital University also actively responded to the previously agreed conditions.

Although Sun Sirui had been taken away and couldn’t voluntarily withdraw, the university still issued him an expulsion due to the serious impact on the school’s reputation and the harm to others’ mental health.

At the Chen residence, the atmosphere at the dinner table was strange.

Chen Youxuan sat uncomfortably, having no appetite for the food on his plate. When he heard that Sun Sirui had been expelled, his face turned even more ashen.

Now he no longer sat next to Zhu Wanqing. Chen Qiming sat at the head of the table, and Zhu Wanqing sat across from him.

The couple ate on their own, focused on the competition news, too preoccupied to pay attention to what he was doing.

Chen Youxuan tightened his grip on his chopsticks.

Maybe he was overthinking it, but even the dishes on the table had fewer of his favorites.

After watching the news of Sun Sirui being taken away by the investigation bureau, Chen Qiming snorted coldly. “Youxuan, this person was brought by you to the anniversary party, right?”

Chen Youxuan’s hand trembled slightly. He looked up with a stiff smile. “Yeah, he said he wanted to broaden his horizons, so I brought him along. I didn’t expect him to be that kind of person.”

Chen Qiming’s tone was colder than ever. “I’ve wanted to say this for a while, ever since you started bringing so many friends home. Some people just aren’t from our world. Since you’re the young master of the Chen family, you should know your place and understand what kind of people you should associate with.”

Chen Youxuan forced himself to stay calm on the surface, but panic was evident in his eyes.

He could feel Chen Qiming’s attitude toward him subtly changing.

Before, to placate him and avoid hurting his feelings, Chen Qiming and Zhu Wanqing never emphasized status. Instead, they repeatedly assured him that he was always their son, telling him not to overthink.

Chen Youxuan looked at Zhu Wanqing, seeking comfort from her. But Zhu Wanqing, who had always been protective of her own, merely picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth and said nothing.

Realizing he was isolated, Chen Youxuan could only lower his head. “I understand.”

Chen Qiming remembered something else. “And why aren’t you going to Minxing anymore? Do you know how much one class costs there? Who was it that insisted on going to the same institution as Lu Shi?”

Chen Youxuan had been spoiled at home and was used to having his way, so he couldn’t change his willful temper overnight.

He instinctively retorted, “But doesn’t he just sleep in class every day…”

Chen Qiming set down his cup with a dull thud.

“But he got first place in the competition.” Chen Qiming frowned in displeasure. “If you could sleep and still get first place, I wouldn’t have a problem with it either.”

On the day the Oubridge Cup competition rankings were released, Chen Youxuan had been secretly ridiculed by many.

Now even his parents, who had always held him in their hands, had changed.

Although Chen Youxuan had long known that in a wealthy family, warmth was a luxury, and when interests were at stake, family ties and face could all take a backseat. This seemingly happy family was actually full of calculations and trade-offs. When profit came first, even the closest relationships were as fragile as paper.

But when he was actually treated like a failure and gradually set aside, the immense sense of loss still made him feel like he was falling into an ice cave, the weightlessness hitting him so hard he couldn’t recover.

Just then, Chen Qiming’s phone rang. The caller ID showed Capital University Student Affairs Office.

Whenever Chen Qiming answered calls at home, everyone, no matter what they were doing, would stop and make no sound. So he was used to putting the call on speaker.

“Hello, are you the parent of Chen Youxuan?”

“I am. What’s the matter?”

“We have received a joint report from several students accusing Chen Youxuan of cheating on the midterm exam in Management. After reviewing the surveillance footage, we have confirmed the incident.”

Through the phone, the clear voice of the Student Affairs Office teacher rang throughout the dining room.

The chopsticks in Chen Youxuan’s hand clattered to the floor. He shot up from his seat. “Impossible!”

He had indeed passed an answer during the midterm, but the people sitting around him were all his good friends. They had come to his house to play last time. Only those few knew about it.

Upon hearing Chen Youxuan’s voice, the teacher paused and sighed.

“We are now formally notifying Chen Youxuan and his parents. Considering this is Chen Youxuan’s first offense, the college will issue him a demerit.”

“Also, he is not to come to school for now. There is surveillance footage as evidence. The case is solid, and it has already been posted online.”

At the same time, Chen Youxuan’s phone vibrated.

A contact who had added him on WeChat at his parents’ request and never spoken a word to him popped up.

Lu Shi: A gift for you. Do you like it?

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Blue Teaser

BLBoys LoveDevoted Top

Read Now →
Not interested