Chapter 1.1

In the alleys of Nancheng's shantytown, the biting winter wind whistled through the narrow walls.

(Shanty towns are slums on the outskirts of many cities)

Lu Yu'an moved his numb hand and added the final stroke to the painting.

This painting had been delayed for a long time. In the meticulous gongbi style, a woman in a white cheongsam embraced two children in her arms. With just a few strokes, the woman lowered her eyes, exuding a gentle warmth on the paper, while the children in her arms were innocent and adorable.

Since being diagnosed with terminal gastric cancer, he had apologized and withdrawn all his unfinished paintings.

The doctors had been clear with him: it had already metastasized, and there was no point in treatment.

Only this painting remained. He had started and stopped, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and repaired it.

This painting was different. It was the unfinished work of his mother.

It was also going to be the only and final piece they would create together.

To be honest, he didn't do a good job of completing it. He hadn't received proper training in painting. He had only learned sporadically from a peculiar neighbor during his childhood. Later, his right hand was injured, and even though he had struggled through rehabilitation with determination, its function never fully recovered. Painting was never an easy task for him, and especially now, after the diagnosis of gastric cancer, his condition was deteriorating.

And repairing a painting was far more difficult than starting a new one.

But he managed to do it.

The young man rarely showed a faint smile, his features naturally handsome with a touch of fierceness. There was a hideous scar about the width of a thumb between his eyebrows. He wasn't fond of smiling and always stood apart with an unruly disposition. His temperament exuded aggression, making people either find him difficult to approach and keep their distance or consider him wanton and violent, an irredeemable deviant.

However, with this smile, the hostility that clung to him seemed inexplicably diluted. Even on the excessively gaunt cheeks of the young man, there was a fragile hint of gentleness.

It was the coldest time of winter now.

The room was only slightly warmer than the outside.

The old wooden house didn't provide much insulation, and Lu Yu'an was wrapped in layers, making him look somewhat bulky. Yet, his fingertips still felt numb from the cold.

The outdated electrical wiring in the shantytown couldn't handle the power consumption of air conditioning or other heating devices. It was easy to trip the circuit and posed a safety hazard, so the landlord strictly prohibited their use.

The neighboring couple in the shared building often used high-power devices, almost causing a fire. The girl who lived with them got into an argument with the foul-mouthed couple, but she couldn't win against them. Instead, the man in the couple threatened her, leaving her sitting by the door, teary-eyed and aggrieved. At that time, Lu Yu'an's condition wasn't as severe as it is now. He found an opportunity to corner the man in the alley, and since then, that family treated the young girl with much more courtesy.

"Meow..." A tiny meow sounded from outside the weathered glass window, with its brown-red paint peeling off.

Through the glass, an orange cat was covered in a thin layer of snow, staring at the window with big almond-shaped eyes, foolishly rubbing against it.

"Click." Lu Yu'an had just opened a crack in the old wooden window when the orange cat couldn't wait and squeezed its way in. It shook off the snow from its body, crouched on the windowsill, and curled its front paws with its tail, affectionately rubbing against Lu Yu'an's palm.

However, Lu Yu'an furrowed his brow and pushed the orange cat away a bit.

This orange cat belonged to the previous tenant, who had let it roam freely and neglected it after moving out.

Not only was the orange cat far from cute, it was arguably one of the ugliest cats Lu Yu'an had ever seen. It had a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks, and it wasn't good at fighting. It either had injured legs from being bitten by other cats or scratched-up facial markings. It carried injuries all year round, making it both ugly and bald.

Its intelligence was lacking as well.

It didn't even notice when there was a change in residents in the house.

Being close to stray cats outside wasn't a good thing because they never knew if the person approaching them was a human or a devil.

Lu Yu'an didn't want to give it the wrong impression, so he always pushed the little orange cat away.

But each time, the orange cat persistently approached, rubbing its dirty body against Lu Yu'an's clothes, making coquettish sounds to please him, oblivious to how it only accentuated its pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks.

If it had a somewhat delicate appearance when not acting spoiled, when it did, it became excessively greasy.

"You're really foolish," Lu Yu'an couldn't help but mutter softly.

After he dies, what will happen to it? What will the next tenant be like? What if the stupid cat still approaches and what should be done?

It's both foolish and ugly, and it's not even good at being cute. How can it deceive the next sucker?

It can't even fight. Lu Yu'an has seen it a few times in the nearby alley, and it seems that even its own kind despises it. It is always chased and beaten by different groups of cats, completely defenseless, only able to cry out in pain.

A rare look of concern appeared in Lu Yu'an's eyes.

Who will take care of the clown cat after he dies?

He has thought about the "what if" scenarios, but he never dared to hope for the kindness of fate.

His twenty years of life have been like a cruel joke of fate, divided into two completely different parts.

Before the age of five, he was the long-awaited youngest child of the Lu family, a little tyrant who ruled the house. His parents were loving, his older brother cared for him, and he was showered with love and adoration. Fuzzy memories from long ago are filled with toys scattered around the house, and various nameless snacks and cakes.

But everything took a sharp turn when he was five years old. He accidentally fell into the water, narrowly escaping death, and drifted downstream. He was picked up by a childless couple who, seeing his young age and good health, had ulterior motives and wanted to raise him as their own. At first, those people had some patience with him and were willing to indulge his stubbornness, until they tried to make him call them "mom and dad."

Because of his young age and hazy memories, he couldn't remember many things clearly, but he was absolutely certain that those people were not his parents. He vaguely remembered his mother's gentle voice and his father's strong and reliable back, and he always insisted that those people were not his mom and dad.

Even when everyone around him told him that they were his real parents, he never wavered.

The impatient family grew tired of him, seeing him as a useless burden who couldn't be thrown away. They locked him up in a storage room for a long time.

But despite his spoiled nature, he had a strong will. He refused to change his words no matter what.

The pitch-black and icy storage room left a deep impression in his memory.

The cramped space had only one window that was so high he had to tilt his head back to see it. That was the only source of light in the room.

It happened to be a snowy day, and the cold from the cement floor stole away all the warmth from his body. The sunlight shining through the glass window created small squares of warmth on the cold cement floor, and he tried to curl up in that small patch of sunlight, like a stray puppy.

He was actually quite delicate and couldn't stand the cold or pain.

But he refused to change his words. He kept shivering and repeating in his mind that his mom was the gentlest mom and his dad was an invincible hero, and that his dad would come to save him soon.

He just needed to hold on a little longer.

He curled up, holding onto his own icy cold body, and kept staring at the twisted branches of a tree outside the window. He tried to deceive himself, pretending that nothing had happened, and that in the next second, his parents would lovingly pick him up.

But unfortunately, nothing happened.

There was only the coldness that seemed to freeze his blood inch by inch.

But in the end, his consciousness became blurred.

Chapter 1.2

He no longer had those painful memories, but he always remembered the twisted branches that occupied most of his view from the window.

He recognized that tree—it was an elm tree. His dad had planted a large elm tree in the yard at home, and from the window of his room, he could see a corner of the elm tree.

Looking at that tree felt like being back home.

He burned with fever for several days in a daze. Eventually, that family didn't want to bear the cost of taking care of him any longer, nor did they want him to die from illness in their home, so they sold him off.

The experiences of being sold during those years were something Lu Yu'an always tried to avoid recalling. Every time he thought about it, he would be overwhelmed by an endless darkness that suffocated him.

What kept him going through those days was his unwavering belief that his mom and dad were still looking for him.

And he would meet them again amidst all this darkness.

But as time passed, just surviving consumed all his energy, and his memories of home gradually faded. Except for a few profound memories, he couldn't remember his parents' names. Slowly, he stopped expecting, because without expectations, there would be no pain.

Later, Wang Ru saved him. Wang Ru then married Li Fangjia, and he became an adopted son of the Li family. They moved to the city together, and Wang Ru tried to protect him, but she herself was beaten and abused by Li Fangjia. What could she do to help him? He was still young at that time and had to protect Wang Ru from being killed by Li Fangjia.

Later, Wang Ru became pregnant and gave birth to Lele.

Those years were relatively better, except that he felt more and more redundant at home. Li Fangjia was willing to bring home his wages from the factory to support the family, especially for Lele, the only heir of the Li family.

Every day at dawn, Lu Yu'an would carry a stool, step on it, and start boiling hot water for the family. He would also cook meals for the whole family.

However, as Lele grew up, something was not right. It was evident that he was different from other children. Li Fangjia accompanied Wang Ru to take Lele to the hospital, and it was finally diagnosed that Lele had intellectual disabilities and needed long-term medication to prevent further deterioration.

The Li family's already tight financial situation worsened as a result, and Li Fangjia became even more aggressive. Every time he got drunk and went crazy, Wang Ru would throw herself on him and Lele to protect them. Wang Ru suffered injuries that never healed, until one time Lu Yu'an took a knife and swung it near Li Fangzhu's hand, he finally restrained himself.

However, what he didn't know was that after he disappeared for a year, his mother who dived in the water to save him fell ill and deteriorated rapidly. Following the advice of their close elders, his father adopted Lu Yuning, who was the same age as him, from an orphanage after calculating their fate using astrology.

Perhaps it was effective, as the condition of the mother improved significantly after Lu Yuning came home. Lu Yuning's presence also alleviated the mother's depression caused by losing him, and she finally had some laughter in her final days.

After the mother passed away, Lu Yuning stayed in the Lu family. His obedience and understanding greatly comforted the father and the older brother's wounded hearts.

Bit by bit, it erased any trace of Lu Yu'an's existence in the Lu family.

From then on, the Lu family no longer had Lu Yu'an, only Lu Yuning.

Later, when he returned to the Lu family, unlike the drunken master of the Li family who never sobered up, Lu Zhengqing fulfilled all his expectations of a father figure.

When Lu Zhengqing brought him back from the Li family, he was filled with admiration for his father, immersed in the joy of returning to his family, and had a period of happiness.

However, Lu Yu'an soon noticed that the father and sons of the Lu family were united and happy, and he could never fit in. Their harmonious interactions, which he could never be a part of, were incredibly glaring.

He knew he shouldn't harbor resentment. He should be grateful that Lu Yuning had accompanied his father and brother for so many years.

But he couldn't do it. Jealousy consumed his heart like a wildfire.

Lu Yuning's hands were fair and slender. He could play beautiful melodies on the grand piano that he had only dared to glimpse at from afar outside the shop window when he was a child. He also understood the meaning of those music scores that were like hieroglyphs to him.

His own hands, on the other hand, were full of scars, rough and calloused. He only knew how to use them to beat someone until they fell down, leaving no visible evidence.

Lu Yuning excelled academically in the best school in the city, while he attended a neighboring rubbish school where all the teachers shook their heads at him.

He felt like an ugly duckling, unable to possess even a heart without jealousy.

He was jealous of the gentle and stern manner in which his father instructed Lu Yuning, jealous of his brother's gentle smile when playing basketball with Lu Yuning, and jealous of the unspoken understanding between the three of them at the dinner table.

The three of them seemed to have an invisible barrier, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break through.

When faced with him, his father and brother only felt distant and awkward.

He did a lot of things, wanting his father to see him and acknowledge him.

But the more he did, the more jealous he became.

Inevitably, his conflict with Lu Yuning grew larger and larger, and everyone around them looked at him as if he were a monster trying to oppress the poor and kind-hearted adopted son with his bloodline.

In his father's eyes, there was only deep disappointment, but everything he did was just to make his father and brother notice him.

During the college entrance examination, his mind was filled with thoughts of Lu Yuning. Combined with his hand injury, he failed miserably and ended up attending an average college that was not very good. Both his father and brother were exceptional and never had any issues with their academics. He was simply an anomaly in the Lu family.

Compared to him, Lu Yuning, who had been admitted to the top fine arts academy in the country and was taken in as a disciple by a master, seemed more like a child of the Lu family.

Lu Yuning's perfection made him feel even more ugly.

Their personalities clashed, and the conflict intensified. In the end, Lu Yu'an had almost no way to live under the same roof as Lu Yuning.

But he knew that Lu Yuning would never leave.

So it could only be him who left.

Even when his father angrily scolded him not to ever come back if he left, it didn't stop him from leaving.

But if he continued to live with Lu Yuning, he truly didn't know what he would do. He didn't want to end up becoming that kind of despicable person, completely disappointing his father and brother.

Three years ago, he nervously stepped into the Lu family with his suitcase. Three years later, he left the Lu family in a sorry state with that same suitcase. The only thing he took from the Lu family in those three years was a half-finished painting by his mother.

On the day he left the Lu family, just as he had expected, there was no ripple in the vast Lu family. His father went to the board meeting as usual early in the morning, his brother took Lu Yuning for a medical examination. Even when he left the Lu family with his luggage, there wasn't even a single person in the empty hall.

He did indeed manage to never return to the Lu family. The paintings he learned from the neighbors became surprisingly popular online. He managed to support himself with some commissioned artwork, even after being diagnosed with cancer. He used the fund his mother left him to handle the treatment without any problems.

The Lu family treated him as if they had never had such a child. They never reached out to him.

He didn't tell them about his cancer diagnosis either. He originally wanted to tell them. When he was first diagnosed, he started to panic. His first instinct was to find his father and brother, but he couldn't reach them through the phone. He ran to the Lu family in the pouring rain, lingering at the front gate the whole afternoon. In the end, he encountered, the secretary Du who handles the Lu family's documents. In her sympathetic gaze, he learned that they had taken Lu Yuning on a family trip abroad and wouldn't be back anytime soon.

So he gave up.

But today, it was his father's birthday.

He vividly remembered when he was young, his mother was secretly preparing this painting with him, intending to surprise his father on his birthday. His mother also said that his father and brother had bad temperaments, and he should endure them with his mother and take care of them.

Unfortunately, his mother couldn't finish it.

It seemed that his father and brother didn't need his care either.

But he wanted to fulfill his mother's last wish.

He didn't have much time left.

The painting wasn't big. He carefully took the canvas down, framed it simply, and put it in his backpack. Inside the backpack, there were also his medical records. He had originally intended to take them out, but he hesitated at the moment of taking them out.

Even though he had accepted it calmly, he still hoped that his loved ones could be by his side.

He was also a little scared.

Before leaving the house, Lu Yu'an changed into a decent white suit, although he preferred casual sportswear.

But this way, he would look more like a member of the Lu family.

Chapter 2

It had started to snow again.

The road to the Lu family's house was not convenient. The taxi refused to go any further once it reached halfway up the hill where the Lu family's villa was located.

Lu Yuning didn't insist as he had enough physical strength.

Following the mountain road, he walked uphill in the shallow snow. However, his white suit was not suitable for such a mountain path, and even though he was careful, his pants were stained with specks of snow.

There was a dinner party at the Lu family's villa, and luxury cars were constantly passing by on the mountain road. The difficult part was that Lu Yuning had severe hearing loss in his right ear from being sold during his childhood years, and he could hardly hear anything.

This meant that with only one ear, he couldn't determine the direction of the sound, so he could only walk along the outer side of the mountain road, leaning against the cliff.

Several flashy sports cars, led by a bright yellow supercar, honking maliciously, forcing him to the edge of the steep hillside while also brushing against his clothes as they drove past him.

The tires raced by, splashing black water droplets onto his creamy white suit pants, but he couldn't avoid it.

Lu Yu'an knew they were doing it on purpose.

These people were all wealthy children from the southern city and grew up with Lu Yuning.

Lu Yuning was very popular in their circle, and almost everyone liked this obedient and sensible little brother.

When he was found, those people were worried about Lu Yuning's situation. Some of them even brazenly encouraged their parents to take in Lu Yuning as their own brother.

They all stood up for Lu Yuning, and excluding him became the default rule in their circle.

Lu Yu'an didn't mind, but he wasn't completely unfamiliar with them.

He faintly remembered the leader of those wealthy children who had driven the bright yellow sports car just now. They were childhood playmates and they had made a promise to be good friends their entire life.

But how could childhood promises be taken seriously?

Resting and walking along the roadside, he managed to reach the Lu family's mansion halfway up the mountain with his endurance.

As the sun set, the sky gradually darkened. A row of luxury cars had already parked outside the mansion, and the mansion was brightly lit, indicating that the banquet had already begun.

His pant legs were already wet from the melted snow. The pants were not thick, and the icy fabric clung to his skin, quickly draining away the warmth from his body. His legs were getting stiff from the cold, but this level of discomfort was still within Lu Yu'an's tolerance. The psychological fear of bone-chilling cold was even more distressing for him.

In his disheveled state, he stood out and didn't fit in among the well-dressed guests.

He never cared about or feared the gazes of others.

He just wanted to be Lu Zhengqing's son and Lu Wangbei's little brother. He had just wanted to be better.

Fortunately, the security guard at the gate recognized him and didn't stop him. With the strange and suddenly enlightened gazes of the guests, he walked into the Lu family's estate.

"Is this the child that the Lu family found later?"

"He really... really doesn't look like a member of the Lu family."

"He doesn't have the slightest resemblance to Uncle and Aunt. Nini (adopted son; Lu Yuning) is so much better than him. I'm telling you; it must be a mistake. How could he be a member of the Lu family?”

The last complaint was intentionally raised several notches by its owner, as if it was deliberately said for Lu Yu'an to hear.

Lu Yu'an didn't turn around, but he knew the person speaking was Lu Yuning's number one fan. He was the youngest child of the Lu family, and he was the beloved of everyone in the Lu family. He was Lu Yu'an's cousin by blood.

From the moment Lu Yu'an had stepped into the Lu family, he (the cousin) had been extremely critical of Lu Yu'an and tried to protect Lu Yuning under his wing like a mother hen. Most of his disputes in the Lu family revolved around this cousin.

But this time, Lu Yu'an didn't argue with his cousin like he had done before. He walked through the crowd without even looking back.

After being diagnosed with cancer, there was one advantage: Lu Yu'an could finally accept this fact calmly.

What they said was the truth, and it could even be considered tactful.

He... He really didn't resemble a member of the Lu family, whether in appearance or personality.

The Lu family was renowned in the southern city as a scholarly family with a rich literary heritage. Each member of the Lu family carried themselves as humble gentlemen, gentle and refined.

And he was like a sharp and untimely stone within that jade.

But even so, he hoped to become the most jade-like among the stubborn stones, to be closer to his father and brother.

Today was his father's birthday, but he didn't see them in the busy hall.

In the fragrant and elegant hall, he stood tall with a slightly disheveled appearance, showing no trace of fear in his expression as he ignored the scrutinizing gazes around him. He hesitated in his steps, tightly clutching the backpack in his arms, his gaze fixed on the door leading to the back of the villa. He knew his father and brother were there.

He shouldn't be willful and disturb his father and brother when they were busy.

They had said it many times, they disliked his willful behavior the most.

Lu Yu'an was not a weak person. From the moment he confirmed his cancer diagnosis and decided on a conservative treatment plan, he faced it alone. But at this moment, being less than a hundred meters away from his father and brother whom he hadn't seen in a year, the vulnerability that he had been able to ignore since falling ill surged up in his heart. The longing to see his loved ones surpassed everything else.

Without hesitation, he went around the garden and walked straight toward the back of the villa.

Less than a year after he left, there were significant changes in the Lu family's garden.

The prominent elm tree that used to be right next to the second floor had been cut down, replaced by a cluster of delicate roses. The roses appeared even more vibrant against the backdrop of the nearby landscape pond. Without the tall trees and leaves obstructing the view, the second-floor French windows received much better lighting. Through the partially covered light blue velvet curtains, one could see an easel.

That used to be his room.

Now, it seemed to have been converted into an art studio, Lu Yuning's art studio.

Lu Yu'an's footsteps paused for a moment, but soon he stiffly twisted his ankle. It was probably due to poor blood circulation that his legs felt numb, making it difficult for him to take a step forward.

"Second Brother." A voice came from the other side of the garden, startling Lu Yu'an.

Almost immediately, his fair face creased with a frown. He was too familiar with this voice.

Sure enough, Lu Yuning were dressed in white suits with matching cashmere coats. They jogged over from behind him, their deer-like brown eyes filled with delight as they looked at Lu Yu'an. Gasping for breath, Lu Yuning reached out to stop him in his tracks.

"Second Brother, you're finally back! We've all been so worried about you." His youthful voice was clear and tender, easily evoking a sense of fondness.

Lu Yu'an adjusted his clothes, his brows slightly furrowed, and lethargically said, "Step aside."

In front of Lu Yuning, he never concealed his disdain towards him.

He was truly narrow-minded and couldn't accept Lu Yuning, and he didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

Not all relationships could be friendships. Just like how so many people disliked him, why couldn't he dislike Lu Yuning?

Lu Yuning's injured expression vanished in an instant, but instead of being discouraged by Lu Yu'an's indifference, he took a step forward, blocking Lu Yu'an's path even more firmly. "Second Brother, do you know how much we missed you? Please don't leave again this time, okay--"

But Lu Yu'an didn't want to say more to him and turned to leave.

Lu yuninig hurriedly reached out to grab his arm but missed, losing his balance and slipping to the side.

Lu Yu'an furrowed his brow and reached out his hand, intending to catch Lu Yuning. The landscape pond was beside them, and the winter water was bone-chilling. Lu Yuning was in poor health, and if he fell in, he would definitely become seriously ill.

Although Lu Yu'an detested Lu Yuning, he couldn't bring himself to resort to such means.

But he was still a bit too late.

With a splash, half of Lu Yuning's body had already fallen into the water.

Together with him, Lu Yu'an also fell into the icy water. The bone-chilling coldness made him shiver uncontrollably. He barely had time to think before his backpack fell into the water.

Lu Yu'an didn't have time to attend to Lu Yuning, who had fallen into the water. He quickly got up, picked up the backpack from the water, unzipped it, and took out the wrapped painting. He confirmed that the painting inside was intact.

Gongbi paintings cannot come into contact with water, but fortunately, due to the outer packaging, the painting inside was unharmed.

(Gongbi is a careful realist technique in Chinese painting.



)

Just as he was starting to relax...

"Lu Yu'an!" A voice filled with anger and accusation came. He couldn't really determine the direction of the voice. Looking disheveled and comical as he glanced around, Lu Yu'an finally saw his furious father storming out of the villa's entrance.

Lu Yu'an froze in place.

A few steps away, Lu Zhengqing's chest heaved violently, and he walked briskly towards them. His sharp eyes fixed on Lu Yu'an as he questioned sharply, "What did you just do?"

The young and handsome man next to Lu Zhengqing lost his usual composure. Ignoring the cold water, he stepped into the lake and helped the disheveled Lu Yuning get up.

As he passed by Lu Yu'an, he cast a cold glance, sending chills down Lu Yu'an's spine.

Before Lu Yu'an could utter the words "older brother," they dissipated into the air.

"I'm fine, Brother," Lu Yuning said as his brother lifted him up. His pale faces showed a reassuring smile. "Don't worry."

He was very considerate and obedient.

Lu Wangbei carefully lifted Lu Yuning out of the icy water and placed them by the edge of the lake. His cold voice carried an unmistakable concern as he said, "You're having heart surgery next week. What if you get sick?" Before he could finish his sentence, he had already draped his still warm coat over Lu Yuning.

The oversized cashmere coat made Lu Yuning look even smaller, but he wrapped himself tightly in the clothes and smiled shyly. "Brother will take good care of me." His playful words eased the furrowed brows of Lu Wangbei.

How could he not feel affection for such a sensible and obedient younger brother?

Lu Yu'an withdrew his gaze expressionlessly, protecting the package in his arms. Stiff and almost clumsily, he climbed out of the lake.

The wet clothes dripped with cold water, forming puddles on the ground. The chilly wind blew away the last trace of warmth.

The shirt under Lu Zhengqing's deep black suit was visibly agitated. The usually calm face revealed popping veins due to anger. He took a big step forward, and his broad back almost overshadowed Lu Yu'an as he approached.

Lu Yu'an's dark eyes looked at Lu Zhengqing, and his colorless lips moved almost imperceptibly. The word "father" was yet to be spoken.

The next moment, there was a crisp sound.

Caught off guard, Lu Yu'an's head turned abruptly, causing him to stumble and take a step back. The slender young man managed to steady himself by gripping onto the railing. Almost instantly, a red mark appeared on his pale face, a result of being scratched by the sapphire blue diamond cufflink. Fine strands of blood quickly oozed from the wound, making his pale appear particularly alarming.

There was no doubt that the injury was severe.

Lu Zhengqing did not expect his angry slap to have such an effect. His body instinctively wanted to step towards Lu Yu'an, but he only made a slight movement before forcibly restraining himself. He stood still in his place, his gaze fixed on Lu Yu'an's wound, and issued a harsh command, "Apologize to Ning Ning!"