EPISODE 4

Madam Shen soon realized her mistake in what she had said.

Regardless of her true feelings, such words didn't sound appropriate when spoken out loud. After a moment's thought, she reached out and gently grabbed Lu Ran's wrist, softening her tone. "Xiao Ran, don't be upset. Mom knows you've suffered for so many years being away from home. You were wronged last night when your dog was thrown out."

Lu Ran looked up at Madam Shen.

In the past, he had been deceived by this kind of tone from her countless times.

The reason he had been so tolerant was that Madam Shen often made him believe that she loved him.

Each time, she would say, "You've suffered so much all these years being away."

She would also say, "Mom knows you've been wronged."

And repeatedly promise, "Don't worry, Mom will make it up to you properly."

After soothing Lu Ran's emotions, turning him into a puppy enduring all for the sake of maternal love, Madam Shen would change the subject:

"Because of your arrival, Ranran is so frightened. We need to reassure him. Otherwise, seeing him upset, Mommy's heart aches."

Madam Shen continued holding Lu Ran's hand, speaking in the tone he was most familiar with: "Xiao Ran, you understand Mommy, don't you? Don't give Mommy any trouble. Your younger brother was wronged because of you yesterday; let's pick out a gift to properly make it up to him."

Each sentence carried a "because of you."

It always made Lu Ran feel as if he truly was a sinner who disrupted others' families.

In his previous life, whenever Madam Shen spoke this way, Lu Ran would immediately lose his temper.

If he showed any discontent, Madam Shen would look at him with an expression that said, "How could you be so disobedient and not understand Mommy?"

Upon seeing that look, Lu Ran would instinctively become fearful.

But Madam Shen had promised to compensate him many times without ever following through.

She had also called herself "Mommy" in front of him numerous times but would never allow him to address her as such in front of outsiders or Shen Xingran.

Each time there was a conflict between him and Shen Xingran, she would unwaveringly side with her. This time, Lu Ran glanced at his hand being held by Madam Shen. He said coolly, "Madam, you're disrupting my meal." Madam Shen froze and awkwardly retracted her hand. Lu Ran calmly stuffed the last crab roe bun into his mouth. After eating, he looked at Madam Shen's phone. She had just ordered a watch, clearly as compensation for Shen Xingran, priced at over two hundred thousand yuan. "Compensation is indeed in order," Lu Ran commented. Madam Shen finally wore a look of relief. But then, Lu Ran took out his phone and opened a calculator.

He muttered, "For Shen Xingran's one day of distress, compensation is two hundred thousand. I've been wronged from the age of four until now, at nineteen, which adds up to fifteen years. With three hundred sixty-five days in a year, that's a total of five thousand four hundred seventy-five days of suffering."

"At twenty thousand per day, then..."

After a moment, Lu Ran slid his phone toward Madam Shen. "That comes to nine hundred and ninety-five million. I'll round it down to a neat billion, so remember to transfer it to my account."

In the past, Lu Ran had never dared to mention money in front of the Shens.

It was as if the mere mention of it would expose the hardships he had endured throughout his teenage years, highlighting the stark contrast between him and this affluent family.

He also feared that bringing up money would taint his motive for returning to the family, making it seem like he was eyeing the Shen family's wealth.

It wasn't until he spent a long time lying in a hospital bed that Lu Ran realized why he had such thoughts.

Because that was precisely how the Shens saw him!

Every gaze directed at him conveyed the belief that he was an unscrupulous opportunist with ulterior motives.

Upon this realization, Lu Ran decided to simply accept their perception and act accordingly.

Well, who needs family when you've got money?

Family bonds can't be forced, but cash can always be squeezed out.

He looked at Mrs. Shen, whose face had turned pale, and cheerfully rose to his feet, waving goodbye. "Remember to call me, either through Alipay or WeChat."

With that, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and whistled a tune as he left.

There were many classes in the morning, so after leaving the lab, Lu Ran headed to the school computer room.

It was already the second semester of university, but he still didn't have his own computer. For some troublesome assignments, he had no choice but to use the facilities here.

Lu Ran checked his tuition fees.

The student loan had been credited, and he had finally settled this academic year's tuition.

In his first year, he had gone through the green channel, which meant the tuition payment arrived much later than for regular students.

After that, Lu Ran searched online for news about the yellow-haired guy.

Initially, he assumed that with the involved families working together, these videos would quickly be suppressed and submerged in the torrent of information.

Surprisingly, the topic of the wealthy second generation hitting people and dogs not only didn't decline but climbed to the top position, firmly entrenched there without any sign of being suppressed.

Below the trending topic were a few gossip posts from the entertainment industry.

It seemed someone was attempting to divert public attention with insider news, but it had no effect.

Lu Ran gazed at the number one spot on the hot searches for a while, acutely sensing the scent of money.

He wondered which big shot was lending a hand.

An image of that sleek, extended black limousine flashed across Lu Ran's mind.

But he quickly put the matter aside.

Deities fighting had nothing to do with him.

Exiting the computer room, his class monitor sent him a message, saying there were documents waiting for him to collect.

Lu Ran approached and discovered that it was a scholarship application form issued by the academic counselor. It was a joint initiative between local businesses and the school, requiring an interview. Upon receiving the scholarship, the graduate's job placement would depend on the sponsoring company's wishes.

In his previous life, Lu Ran had also received this application form. However, believing he no longer needed it, he had declined. As a result, he had struggled under the pressure from the Shen family and didn't even complete his university studies.

This time, without any hesitation, Lu Ran filled out the form and delivered it to the counselor's office.

In the afternoon, he visited Big Yellow at the pet hospital and then promptly headed to his part-time job.

Upon arriving at his part-time job location, Lu Ran suddenly recalled that he had already "obediently" turned down the work.

Fortunately, the boss was understanding, so Lu Ran secured the part-time job once again.

Once upon a time, the erstwhile day laborer Lu Ran dreamed daily of a time when he wouldn't have to work so tirelessly.

But for Lu Ran, who had been bedridden for ten years, even running errands was a source of happiness.

However, he was currently short on cash due to the substantial medical expenses for Big Yellow.

Recalling this, Lu Ran took a moment to send another message to Madam Shen: "Don't forget about that billion, okay? ~"

Madam Shen was pretending to be dead on her end.

Or perhaps she had been angered to the point of spitting blood.

Another day passed, and Lu Ran picked Big Yellow up from the pet hospital.

After discussing with the pet store where he worked part-time, he decided that during the day, while he attended school, Big Yellow would stay at the pet store. In the evenings, they would return home together.

Lu Ran had no intention of renting a separate apartment.

His experiences from his previous life taught him that even if he rented a place, the Shens could still find him easily.

After a busy day, as Lu Ran entered the Shen family villa with Big Yellow, his steps paused.

In the courtyard, two vehicles were parked.

An MPV and a sports car.

Big Yellow still had some aftereffects from the accident, and at the sight of the sports car, he became fearful, whining as he retreated.

Lu Ran squatted down and stroked Big Yellow's head. "Silly dog, you've survived a car accident, what are you afraid of now?"

He led Big Yellow into the living room.

Dinner was already prepared in the dining room.

The auntie who was busy with preparations glanced at Lu Ran and then subconsciously looked upstairs.

Footsteps echoed from the staircase on the third floor. Lu Ran paid no attention, took Big Yellow to the bathroom, washed up himself, and wiped the dog's paws.

Usually, Big Yellow was well-behaved during paw-wiping, but this time, he spun around in place. "Woof!"

"Patience, it'll be over soon," Lu Ran said, hanging the towel on a rack. Squatting down again, he rubbed Big Yellow's belly.

Big Yellow whined again, its dark, round eyes fixated on Lu Ran.

By the time Lu Ran took Big Yellow out, the Shen family had already taken their seats in the dining room.

This time, everyone was present.

Shen Hongyuan, who had been away on business, had returned. The current head of the Shen family appeared slightly weary but still carried the dignity of his high position.

Seated next to Shen Hongyuan was his wife, followed by Shen Xingran, whose expression was obscured by her lowered head.

At the end, leaning casually against his chair with his legs crossed, was Shen Xingzhuo.

Hearing the noise, Shen Xingzhuo glanced over.

Spotting Big Yellow trailing behind Lu Ran, he raised an eyebrow and grinned.

Shen Hongyuan was scolding Shen Xingzhuo at that moment: "How do you sit? No proper posture at all!"

Although Shen Xingzhuo looked annoyed, he still obediently uncrossed his legs.

"I'm here to visit Ranran, not to be lectured by you," he declared.

Shen Hongyuan's face darkened. "You still have the nerve to come back! Who are those people in your studio? Three out of the five who got exposed this time are from your company!"

At this, Shen Xingzhuo's expression turned grim as well.

"I don't care how you spend your money outside, but keep your people in line and don't tarnish the reputation of the Shen family," Shen Hongyuan said sternly.

"Reputation, reputation — do you eat with your reputation?" Shen Xingzhuo shot back.

"Foolish boy!" Shen Hongyuan slammed his hand on the table in anger.

In the meantime, Shen Xingran, who had been keeping her head low, lifted it gently, revealing her now-recovered fair complexion.

She picked up the serving ladle and poured a bowl of soup for Shen Hongyuan. "Dad, don't be angry. It's not easy for us to have a meal together as a family."

Shen Hongyuan smiled at her, somewhat calming down.

Dealing with the rebellious Shen Xingzhuo was much simpler.

Shen Xingran promptly turned her head and called out to Shen Xingzhuo, "Big Brother!"

At once, Shen Xingzhuo's objections faded away.

The impending conflict was effortlessly diffused by Shen Xingran's few well-chosen words.

Mrs. Shen also revealed a gratified smile.

The family was in harmony, but they all unspokenly treated Lu Ran as if he didn't exist.

Whether it was reprimands or warmth, none of it concerned him.

Lu Ran was long accustomed to such disregard.

In this novel, Shen Hongyuan had a tendency to dote on his children, and Shen Xingzhuo was an even more devoted brother.

However, their affections were directed at Shen Xingran, not towards him, their biological son.

With Big Yellow in tow, Lu Ran took it upon himself to sit at an unoccupied spot at the dining table.

No sooner had his bottom touched the chair than Shen Hongyuan immediately barked, "Stop right there."

Shen Xingzhuo also turned his gaze, deflecting the scolding, "Yeah, you should be scolding whoever deserves it. Someone hit your son and then demanded a billion yuan with his mouth."

Everyone at the table turned their attention to Lu Ran.

Looking at Shen Xingzhuo, Lu Ran shamelessly said, "If you want to add to that, I won't mind."

Shen Xingzhuo was taken aback.

He lifted his gaze to study Lu Ran closely for a while.

Shen Hongyuan, however, didn't delve into the so-called billion yuan matter.

He glanced at Shen Xingran beside him, then lifted his eyelids to look at Lu Ran with a hint of meaning, "Your younger brother is sitting here, and this is how you plan to sit down?"

"Oh, right," Lu Ran said as if he had just remembered something.

Observing him bend down to lift Big Yellow and place the dog on an empty seat beside him – the spot designated for Shen Xingyu, the heir of the Shen family – one could sense his intention.

He then fetched a plate, picked up a boiled chicken leg, and set it in front of Big Yellow.

With words of consolation, he said, "We must properly comfort the poor victimized dog."

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