Luo Chengxiu irritably grabbed the water glass and chugged a few mouthfuls.

The sea at midnight, in the middle of the rain—what was there to see?

Luo Zhi’s inexplicable state and reaction, what exactly did it mean?

Was he dissatisfied with him, or with everyone?

…What right did Luo Zhi have to be dissatisfied?

If only Luo Zhi could have been as quiet and behaved as he was today, not endlessly causing trouble, not recklessly hurting his family again and again, how could the family have ended up in this state!

The more Luo Chengxiu thought about it, the more annoyed he became. He sat motionless at the table, his brow tightly furrowed, his grip on the glass water cup deathly tight.

For some reason, when he recalled the sight of Luo Zhi’s eyes from just now, besides the uncontrollable irritation, Luo Chengxiu also felt a faint, lingering, bone-deep chill that he couldn’t shake off.

He had clearly left that cold rain long ago without a backward glance, and had his assistant take away his rain-soaked coat.

The room was clearly bright and warm, the annoying ghost of a weather and the annoying person all shut outside the door, as if they were in two separate, unrelated worlds.

…

Luo Chengxiu was startled awake by Luo Cheng’s voice, dragged back into the world he was in.

The family was enjoying a warm and harmonious home-cooked dinner together.

His wife had been recuperating well lately. Both her mental state and her complexion were much better than before.

Jian Huaiyi had coaxed her into a particularly good mood. His wife was now beaming because of something he had said, insisting on personally picking up food for this considerate adopted son. The gentle focus in her manner made it seem as if he were the only person in the entire room.

Accustomed to his mother’s focus on Jian Huaiyi, Luo Jun didn’t disturb them much. He sipped his coffee slowly while distractedly browsing through the documents his assistant had sent over, occasionally discussing a few things with Jian Huaiyi in a low voice.

Luo Cheng didn’t have to bear as much as her brothers. She snuggled up beside him intimately, holding her father’s arm.

A very ordinary, common scene.

No different from any other family reunion dinner.

As if sensing that Luo Chengxiu’s state was unusual today, Luo Cheng was looking up at him, her eyes showing some worry and unease.

Meeting his young daughter’s gaze, Luo Chengxiu’s heart warmed slightly. He shook his head. “…It’s nothing.”

He put down the water cup and pressed his temples firmly. “What were you guys talking about just now?”

Jian Huaiyi suddenly stopped talking, looked at Luo Chengxiu, wanted to speak, but hesitated.

Luo Jun put down his documents and looked up. “We were discussing the matter of renaming Huaisheng Entertainment.”

Luo Chengxiu frowned. “Everything’s fine. Why change the name again?”

“Dad… it’s like this.”

Jian Huaiyi quickly sat up straight and took over the conversation. “Because of the recent public opinion turmoil, and some past events, Huaisheng Entertainment has always had,” he paused, “a very negative impression in the public eye.”

He didn’t say it explicitly, but the recent public opinion turmoil was, of course, the matter with Li Weiming.

As for the past events… that would involve the messy gossip and disputes Luo Zhi had stirred up when he debuted as a singer.

Of course, Luo Chengxiu also remembered these things.

Because of the “good deeds” Luo Zhi had done, the Luo family had become a laughingstock more than once.

Everyone knew that the Luo family’s lost-and-found son had grown up crooked outside, arrogant and domineering, acting recklessly, and throwing his weight around relying on the Luo family’s power. His reputation was as bad as it could get.

Reminded of these things by Jian Huaiyi, Luo Chengxiu’s expression couldn’t help but darken.

“But don’t worry, we’ve already taken effective crisis public relations measures in time, and the situation has clearly improved.”

Jian Huaiyi quickly added, “But this situation is ultimately detrimental to the company’s future development. We are preparing to change the name first to get rid of the established stereotypes…”

Jian Huaiyi had long since prepared a draft in his mind. Taking advantage of the opening Luo Jun had made, he said it all in one breath, listing very convincing reasons.

Luo Chengxiu listened absentmindedly for a few sentences, then suddenly lost his patience and waved his hand. “That’s enough.”

Jian Huaiyi froze and immediately closed his mouth.

Luo Chengxiu didn’t speak immediately, but turned to the side and gestured for the chef to place the newly served dessert in front of Luo Cheng.

The Luo family didn’t attach much importance to the entertainment industry; otherwise, they wouldn’t have let that subsidiary languish to the point of near collapse in the first place.

Even now that they had given it to Jian Huaiyi, it was only to take care of Luo Cheng, to prevent the Luo family’s child from having to go out and be bullied and pushed around.

Luo Chengxiu had never cared about the company’s revenue, so he naturally had no interest in these reports. “It’s not a big deal. Do as you please.”

Jian Huaiyi sat up straight and lowered his head. “Yes.”

“It’s a pity. The name Huaisheng Entertainment is not bad,” Luo Chengxiu said, not wanting the atmosphere to be too stiff, and asked casually, “Who came up with it in the first place?”

When he asked this, no one at the dinner table answered.

Luo Jun also didn’t know. He turned to the side and looked at Jian Huaiyi.

His intention was just to ask if the other knew about the company’s past, but in an unguarded moment, he suddenly noticed that Jian Huaiyi’s expression seemed a little strange.

When he looked again carefully, it was no different from usual.

“It was Luo Zhi, Dad,” Jian Huaiyi smiled. “Have you forgotten? You handed the company over to him three years ago. Luo Zhi is actually very capable.”

His tone was very composed, a kind of composure and frankness free of any jealousy that was completely flawless, which confirmed to Luo Jun that what he had seen was indeed his own illusion.

Luo Jun withdrew his gaze and picked up his coffee cup again.

Hearing Jian Huaiyi’s words, Luo Chengxiu was rather surprised. “Has it only been three years?”

He sorted through his memories and found that Jian Huaiyi was actually not wrong.

Luo Zhi had indeed taken over Huaisheng Entertainment three years ago.

…To say he took it over was actually just that Luo Chengxiu was preparing to file for bankruptcy and liquidation for these useless subsidiaries and needed to fill the vacant general manager position with a figurehead.

No matter what, he would still be the last person in charge before the company went bankrupt. Even as a figurehead, it would affect his resume somewhat, and he might be mocked by public opinion for it in the future.

Luo Chengxiu didn’t want Luo Jun and Jian Huaiyi to be tainted with such a reputation, and it was inconvenient to have an outsider in charge, so he had given that subsidiary to Luo Zhi.

In just three years, a company that was just waiting for bankruptcy and liquidation had actually been revitalized by Luo Zhi.

Because Luo Zhi had never used the Luo family’s funds, had not pulled the Luo family’s connections, and had not even used the Luo family’s network when competing for resources, Luo Chengxiu had almost completely forgotten about this matter.

“Yes,” Jian Huaiyi nodded. “Luo Zhi, he—”

This time, he didn’t get to finish his sentence.

Mrs. Luo, who was sitting next to him, suddenly heard the name clearly. Her originally relaxed expression changed abruptly, and she looked around frantically. “Luo Zhi? Where is Luo Zhi?!”

Luo Jun’s expression suddenly darkened. He glanced at Jian Huaiyi coolly, put down his coffee, and supported her. “Mom, there’s nothing.”

Jian Huaiyi also seemed to have just realized his slip of the tongue. He suddenly became flustered, wanting to comfort Mrs. Luo but not daring to, and looked at Luo Chengxiu with some trepidation.

“Alright, we were just talking about him casually,” Luo Chengxiu frowned. “I was the one who asked. It has nothing to do with you… Hurry up and go comfort your mother.”

Mrs. Luo’s illness couldn’t stand the slightest bit of stimulation. Once she encountered a trigger, it was very easy for her to have an episode. If she really had a breakdown, no one would have any peace for the rest of the night.

Jian Huaiyi quickly agreed, got up and went around to the other side. He and Luo Jun coaxed her in low voices from left and right, which finally calmed down the already agitated Mrs. Luo.

But even so, Mrs. Luo no longer had her previous lighthearted joy. She just shrank into Jian Huaiyi’s arms, her nerves taut with fear, constantly searching the room for that possible figure.

Her gaze was distant and wary, as if she were constantly afraid that Luo Zhi would suddenly appear. Her body trembled uncontrollably with fear.

Luo Chengxiu slowly tightened his grip on the water cup.

He looked at the chaos before him that had easily disturbed everyone’s peace, and then he thought of the troubles Luo Zhi had caused, the terrible reputation he had outside, and the evil things he had done.

…

On that night when he and Luo Jun couldn’t make it in time, what exactly did Luo Zhi say and do to his wife?

Even a vicious tiger does not eat its own cubs. Although his wife’s mind was already unclear at that time, as a mother, she still had the instinct to protect her child.

Luo Chengxiu still remembered the years when the child was lost. Although it was Luo Zhi who had run off and gotten lost due to his own willfulness and playfulness, his wife had still been almost completely crushed by intense self-blame, washing her face with tears all day, and her whole being was in a daze as if she had lost consciousness.

What extremely outrageous thing must Luo Zhi have done to provoke his own mother into pushing him down with her own hands?

…

Thinking of these things, those chaotic thoughts from before naturally faded away completely.

“So what if he’s capable?”

Luo Chengxiu’s tone was cold and heavy. It was unclear whether he was answering Jian Huaiyi’s interrupted sentence or talking to himself. “With a crooked heart, even if he has some crooked skills, he will only use them to harm people.”

Jian Huaiyi didn’t have time to reply. He held Mrs. Luo and slowly comforted her in a gentle voice. The hand hanging under the table, clenched into a fist, finally relaxed slowly.

Luo Cheng, however, seemed to have thought of something. She let out a soft “ah” and quickly covered her mouth.

Luo Chengxiu frowned. He turned to the side and looked at this daughter who seemed to have more secrets and worries recently. “What is it now?”

Luo Cheng shook her head in a panic. “It’s nothing…”

In the end, she couldn’t hold back her words. She fidgeted with her dinner fork for a long time and finally asked in a small voice, “Dad, did Luo Zhi… really kill Brother Chenbai’s mother?”

Although the volume was kept low enough, the room was not noisy, and only Mrs. Luo, who was still immersed in her own world, did not hear.

As soon as Luo Cheng’s words fell, Luo Jun and Jian Huaiyi’s gazes had already turned over in astonishment.

Luo Chengxiu, however, did not seem surprised. “Did Ren Chenbai tell you that?”

Luo Cheng nodded.

Because of this matter, Luo Cheng hadn’t dared to see Brother Chenbai for several days. Every time she thought about it, she would feel inexplicably guilty.

This guilt, of course, had to be blamed on Luo Zhi—if Luo Zhi hadn’t been so utterly rotten, doing such crooked and harmful things, how could she have been implicated and unable to hold her head up in front of Brother Chenbai?

“It should be his family who told him that,” Luo Chengxiu nodded. “Let’s just assume that’s the case. He might not be able to handle the truth.”

This answer was truly ambiguous. Luo Cheng was stunned and wanted to ask again, “But Brother Chenbai—”

Luo Chengxiu looked at his daughter, his expression darkening slightly. “Don’t mention this matter again.”

Ren Chenbai was the most promising among this generation of young people. In terms of ability, he was not inferior to Luo Jun at all. In a serious contest, he might even surpass Luo Jun. His character and moral standing had never been faulted.

Even this villa was lent to them by Ren Chenbai after he heard that Mrs. Luo needed to recuperate.

The Luo family was not short of a villa, but one with such a good geographical location was hard to find.

Although this villa was right by the sea, because of its clever location, the sea breeze was blocked by the cliffs not far away. Climbing high did not obstruct the view, and on a good day, one could see very far. The back door connected to the garden led to the beach, and it was also close enough to the port.

While recuperating here, Mrs. Luo’s body and mind were relaxed and comfortable, and her condition was indeed much better than before.

…

Owing this favor to the Ren family, Luo Chengxiu couldn’t say much more. Besides, he had also met Ren Chenbai and knew that Ren Chenbai was very good to Luo Zhi.

Perhaps because Luo Zhi had once been fostered in the Ren family, Ren Chenbai, like his mother, always took extra care of Luo Zhi and did not seem to hold a grudge against him because of this past event.

In Luo Chengxiu’s heart, there was also a faint measure—Luo Zhi had been taken care of by the Ren family for so long, he should repay them. The Luo family would naturally reciprocate in the business world, but such a heavy debt of gratitude was originally for Luo Zhi to repay himself.

Even if Ren Chenbai occasionally brought up this matter and treated Luo Zhi coldly a few times, what was the big deal? That child from the Ren family had a very gentle and kind temperament; he wouldn’t do anything too drastic.

Thinking of this, Luo Chengxiu found a suitable occasion to speak up. “Little Cheng.”

Luo Cheng was still in a daze. Hearing his words, she quickly responded and stood up.

“I saw Luo Zhi outside. Ren Chenbai probably told him we were here, so he followed us.”

Luo Chengxiu said casually, “Take a few things to eat over, and then tidy up a decent room.”

Remembering that drafty, leaky, dilapidated room Luo Zhi was standing in, Luo Chengxiu couldn’t help but feel disgusted—why did he have to put on such a miserable act for everyone to see? Who had wronged him? In such a large villa, was there no room for him to live in?

Luo Cheng froze at the first sentence. It took all her effort not to give herself away, and she was then stunned by her father’s subsequent instructions. “For… Luo Zhi?”

“Who else?” Luo Chengxiu looked at her reaction and couldn’t help but frown. “Isn’t he sick now? Are we just going to leave him in that drafty, leaky, dilapidated room and let him starve for a night?”

Luo Cheng had indeed never thought of this. Her face flushed red, and she meekly agreed, going to the table to pick up a few things to eat.

Luo Chengxiu pressed his temples a couple more times, closed his eyes, and leaned back in his chair.

He had been exceptionally tolerant of Luo Zhi today.

He had only said a few words, without scolding or hitting, and had not even pursued why Luo Zhi had come.

Luo Chengxiu usually wouldn’t bother with these trivial details. It was just that the pale, dazed figure kept popping up and provoking his temper. His telling Luo Cheng to bring some food to Luo Zhi might still have stemmed from that inexplicable irritation.

…So Luo Zhi had better be a little more sensible and stop showing him that lifeless look.

Thinking of this, Luo Chengxiu completely lost his appetite. He instructed Luo Jun and Jian Huaiyi, the two brothers, to take good care of their mother, then got up and left the table to rest in his room.

Luo Cheng had someone pack a few food containers. She didn’t know Luo Zhi’s tastes, so she just randomly packed some things and stuffed them all into an insulated bag.

She had just casually hidden Luo Zhi in a small room that resembled a storage shed. That small room was not connected to the main building, and to get there, one had to cross the outer garden.

Outside, the storm poured down, making the world pitch black. The garden, which was lovely during the day, had turned into menacing black shadows. Luo Cheng really didn’t dare to go by herself. She took two umbrellas and begged her big brother for a long time, finally persuading Luo Jun.

With Jian Huaiyi accompanying her, Mrs. Luo’s condition was stable. Luo Jun left his assistant behind, opened an umbrella, and went out with her. “Why didn’t you ask Huaiyi to accompany you?”

Stirred by the cold wind, Luo Cheng shivered involuntarily and pressed closer to her big brother. “Brother Huaiyi… has to accompany Mom.”

She said this, but a vaguer complaint surfaced in her mind.

Brother Huaiyi seemed… not as attentive to her as before.

Was it because he was too busy with company matters?

Perhaps so, but Luo Zhi’s work used to be busy too, and he would never be so perfunctory with her…

If she hadn’t chosen to help Jian Huaiyi that day, but had let Luo Zhi continue to run the company, would things be completely different now?

Luo Cheng was startled by her own thought. Her hand loosened, and the insulated bag fell to the ground.

Luo Cheng let out an “ah” and quickly bent down to pick up the bag.

Fortunately, it hadn’t spilled.

It was just that the outside of the bag was covered in mud and water, looking not very clean, but the inside should be fine.

Luo Jun held the umbrella, staring blankly at a certain spot in the rain. He heard the commotion behind him, stopped, and turned to look back. “What’s wrong?”

The weather tonight was truly terrible. Luo Cheng really didn’t dare to go back again. She quickly hid the insulated bag behind her back. “It’s nothing.”

She trotted to catch up with Luo Jun. “Big brother, the weather is so bad. Can we still go on the cruise ship tomorrow?”

“I don’t know,” Luo Jun asked her. “Aren’t you auditioning for some crew?”

Remembering Luo Zhi’s current cold attitude towards her, Luo Cheng felt even more discouraged. She pursed her lips. “I guess there’s not much hope… Big brother, can you ask Brother Huaiyi to help me?”

Letting Jian Huaiyi take over Huaisheng Entertainment was originally to pave the way for Luo Cheng. Luo Jun didn’t ask much, just nodded and continued to walk forward.

Jian Huaiyi had bought the cruise tickets, a total of five, saying he wanted the family to go and relax.

Luo Jun’s work was not busy recently, so he was indifferent. But seeing his mother’s rare anticipation and joy, he had his assistant change his arrangements.

They were all at the villa tonight to make it convenient to go directly to the pier tomorrow morning. They just hadn’t expected Luo Zhi to be so well-informed as to follow them like a lingering ghost.

Luo Cheng followed him for a while and asked in a low voice, “Big brother, Luo Zhi doesn’t have a ticket… will he be angry?”

“What does he have to be angry about?” Luo Jun’s expression turned cold. “He shouldn’t even be here.”

Luo Cheng knew she had said the wrong thing and quickly shut her mouth.

She knew very well in her heart that her big brother’s aversion to Luo Zhi stemmed almost entirely from Luo Zhi’s targeting of Jian Huaiyi.

In the few years that Luo Zhi was still at home, Luo Jun happened to be studying abroad and only occasionally came back for the summer vacation. Later, Luo Zhi got lost, and then the second brother was replaced by Jian Huaiyi. Luo Jun also came home to take care of his mother, and the family slowly came together.

Since they were young, Jian Huaiyi had always followed Luo Jun. After graduating, he became Luo Jun’s assistant, so their relationship was naturally closer.

It was also because of this that every time Luo Zhi picked a fight with Brother Huaiyi, it would make her big brother very angry.

…

The following scene indeed confirmed her thoughts.

Luo Jun stopped about a few dozen meters away from that room. “You go. I don’t want to see him.”

Luo Cheng nodded obediently, gathered her courage, held the umbrella, and walked over step by step.

A flash of lightning tore through the thick clouds. The white light made one’s eyes blur and also illuminated the motionless figure standing by the window.

Luo Cheng was so scared she almost screamed. Her legs went weak, her mind went blank, and it took her several tries to get a sentence out, intermittently. “Dad, Dad wants you, to sleep somewhere else.”

She held the insulated bag by its straps with her fingers and tremblingly passed it through the window.

Luo Zhi did not react.

Luo Cheng’s arm was so sore that it instinctively went limp. The insulated bag, covered in mud and water, fell into the room.

A dull “thud.”

For some reason, Luo Cheng’s heart also seemed to have been hit by this sound, and it suddenly began to pound uneasily.

She didn’t dare to wait for any answer from Luo Zhi. She just hurriedly withdrew her hand and quickly ran back to her big brother’s side.