Without Old Master Lu around, the roomful of lively people were more relaxed. They broke off into small groups and chatted with glasses of wine. From time to time, someone would come over to toast Lu Beichuan. Sometimes, he would give them face by taking a sip of wine. Other times, he wouldn't give them a face and brush them off with a casual acknowledgment. He always kept in mind Ye Zhen's words about not getting drunk.

Moreover, under the circumstances of not knowing the specifics of Old Master Lu's situation, Lu Beichuan had to keep his head clear.

"Zhouzhou, did you fall down earlier?" Ye Zhen crouched down to check on her son.

If he had fallen earlier, his injuries definitely wouldn't be light.

Zhouzhou gave her a big smile with squinting eyes. "Dad held me!"

Ye Zhen smiled and stroked the back of his head. She looked over at Lu Beichuan.

Lu Beichuan heard Zhouzhou's voice and turned to look in their direction. His eyes met Ye Zhen's, and they saw the smile in each other's eyes.

***

Old Master Lu, who had been helped back to his room by Butler Lu and Lu Shaoyan, didn't have a good complexion and was gasping. He sat down on a sofa with their help.

Butler Lu hastily fetched several pills from the colorful pill bottles in the cabinet. Lu Shaoyan brought over a glass of warm water to Old Master Lu.

Old Master Lu was panting badly to catch his breath. He swallowed the pills. Sitting next to him, Lu Shaoyan patted his back to help him. It took a long time before Old Master Lu's condition finally stabilized.

Seeing Old Master Lu like this, Butler Lu was anxious. "Old Master, this won't do. I'll go call the doctors over."

Old Master Lu waved him off. "Don't. It's the holidays. You just sent those doctors away. If you call them back now, how can they celebrate New Year's?"

"But your body…"

"I'm fine. It's an old problem. I'll be fine after taking medicine and resting." After saying that, Old Master Lu looked at Lu Shaoyan. "Go back out to play with the others. You don't have to stay here. I'll be fine after resting."

"You're already like this and you say you're okay? I thought you're different from those elders that get more muddled-headed as they age, but now, I see you're the same as them."

Old Master Lu didn't get angry. He smiled. "You're even telling me what to do now. I spoil you too much!"

Butler Lu brought over a blanket and covered Old Master Lu with it.

Lu Shaoyan tucked him in and said, "Be good and rest in your room the next few days. Don't bother with what's happening outside. It's more important for you to get better. There's New Year every year. It's only if you get better that we can continue to celebrate New Year together every year, right?"

"I've gotten old. I can see that I don't have much time left. How many years do I really have left to spend with you?"

Lu Shaoyan fell silent before laughing. "That's nonsense. After the holidays are over, let's go to the hospital for a check up. Even if there's really something, there's nothing to be afraid of. Just get it treated as soon as possible. Medical treatment is advanced now. If it can't be treated in China, then go abroad for treatment. You'll definitely get better."

"Going abroad for treatment…" Old Master Lu sighed with regret. "Was your mother's illness cured abroad?"

Perhaps, it was because he had gotten old. Old Master Lu was especially fond of recalling past events lately, but doing that led to him having insomnia from regret.

There were some regrets that became even more impossible to make up as time passed.

Old Master Lu had money and power, but he couldn't change the past.

Lu Shaoyan remained silent and only stared at Old Master Lu.

"Your mom… is she well?"

Lu Shaoyan didn't answer. Old Master Lu felt as if he was on tenterhooks.

"Say something. Is your mom well?"

Perhaps, Butler Lu had seen something in that silence. He walked over and tried to persuade Old Master Lu, "It's getting late. You should turn in for the night. You can talk about this tomorrow."

Old Master Lu turned a deaf ear to him. As he stared at Lu Shaoyan, his hands started trembling. "Just tell me. How's your mom doing?"

Lu Shaoyan was silent and expressionless for a long time. He didn't look like his usual wild and carefree self. "I told you a long time ago. She's doing very well."

Lu Shaoyan stood up. "You're in poor health. Rest early."

Old Master Lu tried to grab his hand to keep him for a few more questions, but Lu Shaoyan forcibly flicked his hand away. "I'm leaving."

"Old Lu, stop him. I still… I still have more questions for him!" Old Master Lu was very agitated. His chest was heaving.

Butler Lu didn't stop Lu Shaoyan. He watched him leave and took painstaking effort to persuade Old Master Lu, "The doctor has already said a year ago that you need to take care of your health even if you don't go to the hospital for treatment. Why tax your mind and body? No matter how important something is, can it be more important than your health? Listen to me. Get better first, then you can ask whatever you want to ask, okay?"

"No! I'm sure Shaoyan is hiding the truth from me! He's definitely hiding something!"

Butler Lu was helpless. "So many years have passed. You can't change anything now! Young Master must have reasons for why he doesn't want to tell you…"

Old Master Lu urged Butler Lu, "Go, go ask him! Hurry up!"

Seeing that Butler Lu wasn't moving, Old Master Lu yelled, "Go!"

He was so agitated that he couldn't catch his breath again.

"Okay, okay, I'll go ask. You go rest. I'll go right away!"

Old Master Lu kept urging Butler Lu, so he had no choice to go out despite being extremely worried.

Butler Lu had been a servant of the Lu family for many years. He had been by Old Master Lu's side since he was young and was privy to all of Old Master Lu's secrets.

So many years had passed, and what was done can't be reversed. Old Master Lu had already done everything that he could. What else could be done?

He helplessly sighed. Right after he closed the door, he saw Lu Shaoyan standing near the shadow of a covered corridor and smoking. The lighting was dim in the courtyard, and he couldn't clearly make out Lu Shaoyan's expression.

Butler Lu walked over and shouted in a serious voice, "Young Master."

Lu Shaoyan glanced at the door. "Dad told you to ask me?"

"Yes, Old Master sent me to ask you…"

"No need to ask." Lu Shaoyan stubbed out the cigarette and interrupted him, "Tell him that my mom is doing very well abroad. Tell him to not worry and focus on getting better."

"But…"

Lu Shaoyan was unwilling to say anymore. He threw the cigarette butt in a trash can and left.

Butler Lu didn't feel right stopping him. He watched him leave and helplessly sighed.

It was the dead of night, and the Lu's ancestral home that had been bustling with noise and excitement all day had fallen silent. After settling Old Master Lu down, Butler Lu was weary as he walked out of the room.

Butler Lu had gotten old too. He had served the Lu family for most of his life. His body wasn't what it used to be. Although he didn't suffer any ailments when he was young, it was inevitable that he would feel weary after working all day at his old age.

Hunched over, he paused every few steps. Right after walking through a covered corridor, he saw Lu Beichuan approaching him.

Butler Lu straightened up. Before he could say anything, Lu Beichuan supported him.

"Young Master, you…"

Lu Beichuan bent to support him. "I'll help you to your room."

Lu Beichuan had an unyielding expression. Butler Lu wanted to refuse, but the hands supporting him were extremely strong.

Butler Lu silently sighed. "Thank you, Young Master."

"You've taken care of me since I was young. It's only right that I take care of you now."

"It can't be reasoned like that. When I took care of you, I was doing my duty. For you to take care of me, it's not appropriate."

Lu Beichuan's attitude was humble. "You're one generation above me. It's only right for a junior to take care of an elder."

Lu Beichuan's attitude was unyielding. Butler Lu couldn't avoid his help, so he didn't say anymore.

After they reached the room, Lu Beichuan helped Butler Lu sit down on the sofa and brought a glass of warm water to him.

Butler Lu took two sips before placing the glass on the table and hammering his sore shoulders. Looking at Lu Beichuan, he said, "Young Master, go back to your room to rest. I'm fine."

Lu Beichuan didn't leave. Instead, he walked around the room and asked, "You've been with the Lu family for 50 or so years, right?"

"Yeah, it's been 57 years."

“You've been with Grandpa since he was young. You've been working hard all these years."

Butler Lu slightly smiled. "I'm only doing what I should. It's not hard work at all."

"How's Grandpa's health lately?"

Butler Lu paused. His smile turned unnatural. "He had a checkup a few days ago. He's okay. It's just that he had a minor injury when he was young and it flared up. The doctor said he has to properly recuperate."

Lu Beichuan nodded. "Since it's a pain from an old injury, why are there so many cancer-treating medicines at home?"

Butler Lu was stunned. He wanted to refute, but then he heard Lu Beichuan say, "Don't rush to explain. I already checked. You sent away five doctors today. As far as I know, those doctors are all experts in treating cancer. They've been staying here for a while too. I checked the medicine that the servant brought over too. They're all medicine for treating cancer."

Lu Beichuan paused and sat down next to Butler Lu. "There used to only be a few doctors that checked up on Grandpa, and they were ordinary doctors too. Right before New Year's, Grandpa was the only living here, so those doctors and that medicine, they were all for Grandpa. Am I right?"

Lu Beichuan had laid everything out in the open.

Butler Lu didn't know how to answer him.

"Tell me the truth. Grandpa, is he…"

Butler Lu sighed and solemnly nodded. "Yes, Old Master's health is getting worse and worse."

"When did you find out?"

"Around March or April. At the time, Old Master wasn't feeling well, but he refused to go to the hospital and had a doctor come here to do a checkup. The doctor saw troubling early signs and advised him to go to the hospital, but Old Master refused. The delay and dragging out lasted for over two months. Later on, he couldn't bear it anymore and finally went to the hospital. The examination showed that he had terminal liver cancer."

Lu Beichuan didn't understand. "Grandpa has annual physical examinations. How did they not find signs of it earlier?"

"Old Master hasn't gone for a checkup since he moved here." Butler Lu was very helpless. "He keeps saying that he's in good health and that he knows his body best. He wouldn't go to the hospital."

"Why?"

Butler Lu said in solemn voice, "Perhaps, it's because he's been thinking about the past. Since Young Master Shaoyan came back, Old Master's mood has been unstable. I don't know how to persuade him."

Lu Beichuan had heard a little bit about what happened back then, but as a junior, it wasn't his place to get involved.

Lu Beichuan contemplated for a while. "This won't do. Grandpa has to go to the hospital tomorrow."

"Old Master won't agree to that." Butler Lu said, "He said that going to the hospital to get treatment is suffering. He rather stay at home and comfortably and peacefully spend his last days."

"With conservative medical treatment…"

"Young Master," Butler Lu interrupted him and patiently advised, "I've tried persuading Old Master to go to the hospital for treatment. That's not what he wants. He doesn't want anyone else to know that he's sick. Do you know why he called everyone back home? It's because he's already contacted his lawyer. He's going to announce his will while everyone is here. He wants to avoid people getting into heated arguments after his death."

After coming out of Butler Lu's room, Lu Beichuan was still frowning. He had guessed that Old Master Lu's health wasn't good, but he hadn't thought it was at the stage of beyond curing.

In the late stage of liver cancer, Old Master Lu was planning his funeral arrangements.

"How is it?" Ye Zhen greeted him as soon as he came back. Seeing Lu Beichuan's solemn expression, she inwardly sighed. "It's real then?"

Lu Beichuan sighed and nodded.

"He shouldn't delay any further. Let's take him to the hospital for treatment!"

Lu Beichuan took off his jacket and loosen his tie. "It's terminal liver cancer. Grandpa doesn't want to go to the hospital."

"Terminal!" Ye Zhen was shocked. "How could that be? He has a regular check up every year. How did the doctors not find it earlier?"

"Grandpa hasn't gone for a checkup in the past two years." Lu Beichuan glanced at the bed. Zhouzhou was sleeping there. He lowered his voice, "Pay more attention to Grandpa in the next two days. If anything happens, tell me immediately."

"Okay."

Lu Beichuan walked over to the bed, leaned over, and wiped Zhouzhou's sweaty forehead. Zhouzhou was in pajamas and covered by a thin blanket. "Why is he sweating so much?"

"He was fussing earlier. He fell asleep after drinking a bottle of warm milk. Kids have a fast metabolism. The doctor said it's normal for him to sweat more. It's not a big deal."

"Alright, it's late. Go take a shower and go to sleep early."

She hadn't rested almost all day. By now, Ye Zhen was tired. She turned and went to the bathroom.

Lu Beichuan dried Zhouzhou's sweaty hair, gently picked him, and was about to put him down in the crib.

However, Zhouzhou woke up as soon as he was picked up. He sleepily opened his eyes, yawned, and stretched in his dad's arms.

Lu Beichuan didn't move. When Zhouzhou's eyes were half-opened, he saw Lu Beichuan through his blurry eyes. He mumbled, "Dad," before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

With his head resting on Lu Beichuan's chest, he mumbled, "Want to sleep with Dad."

There was the sound of running water from the bathroom. Lu Beichuan lowered his head to look at the sweetly sleeping Zhouzhou and put him back on the bed.

As soon as Zhouzhou touched the bed, he rolled over without conscious thought.

Lu Beichuan covered him with the blanket, leaned over, and kissed him on the forehead.

"Beichuan, I didn't bring…" The sound of falling water had gotten louder. Ye Zhen had opened the door and poked her head out from the bathroom. She happened to see this scene.

Lu Beichuan stiffened. He slowly got up. Pretending that nothing had happened, he turned and looked at Ye Zhen "... What?"

Ye Zhen looked at the floundering Lu Beichuan. She didn't expose him. She requested with a smile, "Please bring me the essential oil."

Lu Beichuan passed the essential oil to her. Seeing Ye Zhen's amused gaze, he turned around to pretend to deal with the non-existent documents on the desk.

***

Next morning, after breakfast, Ye Zhen coaxed Zhouzhou, who was lazing about on the sofa, to go to the playroom to exercise.

The doctor had said that it would be beneficial for Zhouzhou's health and development if he was more active.

However, if this kid could lie down, he would never sit. If he could sit, he would never stand. He liked to laze about. He wouldn't move unless his dad sternly raised his voice. She had no idea who he took after to have this lazy temperament.

Right after Ye Zhen had this thought, Lu Shaoyan came over. As soon as his butt touched the sofa, he comfortably lay down. He looked over Ye Zhen and said, "It's so cold today. The baby animals are staying at home. Who wants to go out to exercise, right Zhouzhou?

As he said this, he held Zhouzhou's little foot and winked at him.