Chapter 3: A Fever and a Reckoning

It was scorching hot.

Lu Shi felt like a solitary traveler crossing a desert, the blazing heat leaving his mouth parched and his throat dry.

He moved, instinct driving him to unbutton his shirt or simply strip it off.

But as soon as he tugged at them, a hand as cold as ice gripped his wrist.

That hand felt like an ice cube, and Lu Shi couldn’t help but lower his head in search of relief from the heat, only to have someone press his head down and stop him.

“I never took you for the meddling type, Shen Zheming.”

“The Chen family sent out invitations five or six times. Dad told you to show up and deal with it, but instead you took the chance to slack off here.”

Through his hazy consciousness, Lu Shi heard voices nearby.

The young man sitting cross-legged nearby didn’t deny slacking off, his tone frigid. “What’s wrong with him?”

“A fever from falling into cold water, plus a bit of heat.” The woman paused. “Hmm… F-rank? How is that possible? Usually D-rank is already considered a low-grade Omega. I’ve never seen such a low rating.”

She flipped a page of the examination report. “Most likely his gland was damaged early on. His original rank shouldn’t be this low.”

Lu Shi’s eyelashes fluttered.

‘Early damage?’ he thought. ‘This was the first time he’d heard such a conclusion. No doctor had ever mentioned it before.’

He knew he was lying on a hospital bed, but his limbs felt as heavy as lead, immobile.

As far back as Lu Shi could remember, his father Lu Jinguo had been addicted to gambling.

They lived not far from the county’s biggest casino. Every day, Lu Jinguo left in the afternoon and didn’t return until the next morning.

He would either rummage through the house for the savings Wang Xiuzhi had painstakingly hidden to gamble, or take things that could be sold for cash.

When Wang Xiuzhi grabbed his leg to stop him, he would kick her away, saying women were short-sighted and would never get rich working in a factory for a lifetime.

When he left, Lu Jinguo still looked somewhat human. When he returned, he was a mindless beast.

Lu Jinguo was both bad at gambling and addicted to it, usually losing nine out of ten times. Sometimes he lost so badly that even his clothes were stripped off. He’d get dead drunk outside, then come home and look for Lu Shi.

“Get your old man a glass of water!”

“Pfft! Are you trying to scald me to death? Can’t even pour water properly. What’s the use of raising you!”

The few bowls in the house were smashed. If Lu Shi was slow in refilling the water, a beer-laden slap would come flying.

Lu Shi had been beaten by Lu Jinguo countless times since childhood. Wang Xiuzhi used to try to stop him, but she was too frail and would only infuriate him further.

So later she stopped intervening. When Lu Jinguo was tired and fell asleep on the bed, she would get ice and medicine to clean the blood from Lu Shi’s bruised and swollen face.

She cried while wiping him, murmuring apologies.

The ice was cold; her tears were hot.

Though Lu Shi was in pain, he didn’t feel too upset inside.

He thought Wang Xiuzhi was guilty for not being able to protect him, that she cried because she cared. So he wiped away her tears and said, “Mom, it doesn’t hurt. When I grow up, I’ll take you away from this hellhole.”

But later, Lu Shi learned that Wang Xiuzhi’s apology wasn’t out of love or pity for him, but a confession for swapping away his life, hoping heaven wouldn’t punish her own biological son.

Lu Jinguo beat him so many times that Lu Shi couldn’t remember when his gland had been injured.

His being found by the Chen family was also an accident.

After Lu Jinguo gambled away all their money, he started borrowing from loan sharks. In just two years, he was drowning in debt. The debt collectors were resourceful—they could dig up your ancestors for generations. In the process, they stumbled upon the truth that had been hidden for years…

During his feverish sleep, Lu Shi dreamed of many things from the past.

One nightmare after another haunted him. When his fever finally broke and he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a face with glasses.

The face was so close, almost nose to nose, that Lu Shi jolted, breaking out in a cold sweat.

“You’re finally awake,” said the woman in a white coat, sitting up straight with a small flashlight in hand. “Sorry if I scared you. I was just checking your pupil response.”

The distinct smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils. Lu Shi looked around and saw that only the two of them were in the ward.

The woman had a neat short haircut, half-moon frameless glasses perched on her high nose bridge, and her handsome, distinguished features closely resembled those of the young man he’d passed by last night.

“I’m Shen Luo. Just call me Dr. Shen,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “This is your check-up report. You have severe malnutrition. You need to nourish your body and take care of your health.”

Lu Shi took it. The results were full of red flags, even more heartbreaking than his first month’s exam scores in his previous life.

He skimmed through it, his eyes landing on a line of small print at the bottom: ‘Ping’an Zhikang Medical.’

Lu Shi’s brow furrowed slightly.

During his years at the company, he had cooperated with many conglomerates and had a good grasp of the business circle’s corporate standings and interpersonal relationships.

Jushang Bank was the highest-status and largest investment group, backed by the Shen family, a century-old dynasty. Almost all major enterprises and conglomerates had its investments.

Although it was a private group, its investment acumen was unique. Any field it invested in would inevitably flourish. Over time, Jushang Bank became the industry standard, with the Shen family holding the lifeblood of most enterprises, an unshakable force.

Ping’an Zhikang Medical was a private hospital under Jushang Bank.

Rumor had it that both the Shen siblings were Alphas: the daughter was a confirmed bachelor dedicated to saving lives, and the son was groomed as the future heir of Jushang Bank. Neither attended many social events.

So this woman was the legendary eldest daughter of Jushang Bank, Shen Luo. And the one who brought him here last night was…

Shen Zheming.

Lu Shi’s fingers dented the report sheet.

In his previous life, he hadn’t dealt much with the Shen family because he wasn’t qualified. Every time he sought investment for his projects, he was turned away. He never thought that being reborn would entangle him with them in this way.

As he was lost in thought, a jacket and a bag of medicine were placed before him.

“Take these medicines on time. It’s windy outside. My brother forgot his jacket when he left. You can wear it back; no need to return it.”

The suit jacket was of excellent quality, the collar smooth and wrinkle-free. Having worn many fine clothes, Lu Shi could tell by touch that it probably cost six figures.

The jacket carried the faint fragrance he had smelled when passing by last night.

But upon closer sniff, it didn’t seem like perfume.

It was the faint scent of Alpha pheromones.

Lu Shi really didn’t want to get sick again. The Shen family was ridiculously wealthy; spending tens of thousands was like throwing away pocket change.

So he didn’t stand on ceremony. He gathered his belongings, put on the jacket, thanked her, and left.

“Dad, didn’t you say Shen Zheming would come last night? I waited all night and didn’t see him.”

In the Chen family’s living room, Chen Youxuan was nestled between his parents, eating fruit served by the servants.

“Maybe he was too busy. After all, he’s the future heir of Jushang Bank. It’s normal for him to have no time,” Chen Qiming consoled.

Chen Youxuan pouted in displeasure.

Back when Shen Zheming was in the same school as him, he had wanted to ingratiate himself and become friends. Now that he had managed to get into the same university as Shen Zheming, he was even more eager to find a chance to get to know him.

But Shen Zheming was too cold. Apart from his childhood friend, the crown prince of another group, no one else could break into his circle.

“Where’s Lu Shi?”

Zhu Wanqing was the first to notice that Lu Shi hadn’t come downstairs for a while.

“He’s still sleeping in? That’s just disgraceful,” Chen Qiming frowned in dissatisfaction, telling a servant to go call him.

A few minutes later, the servant came down and reported, “Young Master Lu Shi doesn’t seem to have been home last night.”

Chen Qiming’s heart skipped a beat. He pulled out his phone to call Lu Shi.

After all, he was his biological son. Last night, everyone was laughing and chatting at the birthday party, but Lu Shi was the only one left out. Thinking back, Chen Qiming felt a bit uneasy.

The phone had barely rung twice when Lu Shi walked in from outside.

Everyone in the villa, including the steward and servants, over a dozen people, were stunned at the sight of Lu Shi.

Lu Shi was still wearing the same clothes from when he was pushed into the water last night, with an expensive jacket tucked under his arm. He walked in with newly dyed gray hair and two fresh earrings in his ears.

He had always liked this hair color, but had never tried it to maintain his obedient and sensible image.

Chen Qiming: “This… you…”

Lu Shi stretched his neck, which was stiff from sleeping, and casually accepted everyone’s stares. “What’s the matter? Didn’t you say I could do whatever I want and spend however I like from now on?”

Zhu Wanqing smiled to smooth things over. “Oh, child, Mom and Dad aren’t saying anything. We’re just wondering how you’ll go to school with your hair like this. Aren’t you going to repeat a year?”

“Oh.” Lu Shi lowered his eyelids. “I’m not going.”

Chen Qiming’s expression turned serious. “What did you say?”

Chen Youxuan quickly grabbed Chen Qiming’s arm. “Brother is just joking. He must be angry about what happened last night.”

Then he turned to Lu Shi. “Brother, there were too many people last night, so I was embarrassed to apologize as you asked. Please don’t let this affect your studies. I’ll apologize now, okay? Don’t make Mom and Dad worry about our issues anymore…”

“I’m not joking.” Lu Shi was tired of listening, and directly cut off Chen Youxuan’s fake sincerity.

The result of studying hard was just being thrown into the company and squeezed dry.

Lu Shi stood at the bottom of the stairs, a genuine smile of joy curling at his lips. He tilted his head, his tone carrying a hint of relief.

“I’m just uneducated, and I don’t plan to change that. What, are you going to kick me out?”

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