"Yeah, yeah." His grandma wasn't present. Zhouzhou finally met someone that would say something to help him, so he hurriedly leaned over. Nodding along as if they were united against a common enemy, he said in his innocent and young voice, "Mom, didn't you say that winter has arrived, and the baby rabbits and the old rabbits have gone into their burrows for winter? Zhouzhou doesn't want to go out either."

With this turnaround, it felt as if she had become the villain.

Ye Zhen was amused. He usually didn't remember what she said, and yet, he was able to clearly remember a fairytale she told him.

It only took a few words for Zhouzhou to be on the same side as Lu Shaoyan. In the future, would Lu Shaoyan be able to spirit away Zhouzhou just by giving him a few benefits?

"Lu Zhifei, get over here," Ye Zhen called out his name. Zhouzhou hesitated and dawdled to get down.

"Zhenzhen, there are kids who are innately active, and there are other kids who don't like to move around. You can't force this kind of thing. Zhouzhou's happiness is the most important thing."

"Yeah, Zhouzhou's happiness is the most important thing."

Ye Zhen looked at him calmly, not saying anything.

On a normal occasion, Ye Zhen would have let it go to make Zhouzhou happy. However, since Lu Shaoyan was present, Ye Zhen was afraid of the consequences if she did that.

She usually went along with what Zhouzhou wanted, but when he was being too naughy, she would put on a stern motherly look. Seeing his mom like this, Zhouzhou pouted and got down from the sofa.

"Mom, I was wrong."

Lu Shaoyan was still smiling. "Zhenzhen, it's Chinese New Year. Don't be angry with your son."

Ye Zhen said with a smile, "If there's nothing else, we're leaving. Rest here by yourself."

Lu Shaoyan was startled, and he suddenly laughed. Just as Lu Shaoyan was about to speak, Butler Lu pushed Old Master Lu into the living room. Old Master Lu was sitting in a wheelchair today.

Old Master Lu looked as if he had aged a lot in the span of one night. His face was pale. Sitting there in the wheelchair, he looked as if he had been drained of his strength.

Ye Zhen furrowed her brow. She brought Zhouzhou with her to Old Master Lu.

"Great-Grandpa, are you okay?" Zhouzhou asked.

Old Master Lu smiled and touched Zhouzhou's little face with his wrinkled and very old hand. "Great-Grandpa was just a bit tired yesterday. I'm fine. I just can't hold Zhouzhou today. Zhouzhou, you have to be good, okay?"

Zhouzhou very sensibly nodded. "Zhouzhou will be good."

Old Master Lu meaningfully looked at Butler Lu.

Butler Lu understood. He left and soon came back with a large group of people.

The crowd included the relatives they had the reunion dinner with last night, which included Old Master Lu's siblings. They looked puzzled. There were also unfamiliar men in suits with their briefcases. They were silent, and their faces were solemn.

Everyone took a seat.

The members of the Lu family started talking at once to ask what was going on. Old Master Lu seemed unable to deal with this. Standing behind Old Master Lu, Butler Lu spread his words on his behalf, "Everyone, please be patient and quiet down."

Old Master Lu looked around. "Where's Beichuan?"

Ye Zhen said with a smile, "I'll go get him." She handed Zhouzhou over to Mrs. Lu and hastily walked out.

She could see from Old Master Lu's attitude that he was definitely going to announce his will. Such a major issue, who knows if there'll be any trouble.

Ye Zhen found Lu Beichuan in the study. After she told him about the situation in the living room, the two people headed to the study.

"Grandpa, I'm here."

Seeing Lu Beichuan, Old Master Lu nodded. He lifted his hand but didn't have the strength to keep his hand up.

Butler Lu understood his meaning and introduced the unfamiliar men in suits and ties, "These people are from Guohan Law Firm. Old Master Lu invited everyone here today to hear the reading of how the Lu family's property will be divided."

Other than Ye Zhen, Lu Beichuan, and Lu Shaoyan, everyone else was shocked.

"Dividing the property? This… Old Master Lu, what do you mean by this? You're in good health. Why would you think about such a thing?"

"Yes, you're fine. Besides, it's the holidays. Oh you…"

"Second Brother, this is so sudden. Why didn't you give us advance notice to give us time to prepare?"

"It's Chinese New Year. Don't talk about this kind of thing. It's bad luck. Old Master Lu, let's go play another game of Chinese chess."

Butler Lu quietly waited until everyone was finished complaining. "Everyone, here's what Old Master Lu is thinking…"

Before Butler Lu could finish speaking, Old Master Lu raised his hand to stop him and weakly said, "I've considered this matter for a long time. I've gotten old. My health isn't as good as before. You're all members of the Lu family and have a share of the Lu family's property. Rather than dragging this out, it's better to give that share to you now. I know that you guys want it."

Although his voice was weak, it still had some strength in it. Old Master Lu had accumulated heavy prestige over the past decades, and he was speaking the naked truth. He laid bare everyone's long-time desire for their inheritance. One by one, they coughed and stopped speaking.

Old Master Lu lightly swept his gaze over the crowd. Not hearing a peep from them, he nodded at Butler Lu.

Butler Lu continued to say, "Since everyone is here, the announcement will begin."

The lawyers nodded. One of them opened his suitcase, took out the documents they had prepared, and began to announce the division of the Lu family's property.

Lu Corporation accounted for the bulk of the Lu family's domestic assets. The other assets included the ancestral home, shares in various unrelated companies, various real estate properties, etc. The division of the property was actually very simple. For the members of the Lu family that frittered away their money as soon as they got it and relied on dividends from Lu Corporation, they were given the stocks of those various unrelated companies. Lu Corporation would be handed over to Lu Beichuan, and all of the Lu family's real estate would be given to Lu Shaoyan. As for the Lu family's assets overseas, no matter what it was, they would be given to Old Master Lu's wife, who he hadn't seen in many years.

The relatives that only got a small amount of stocks were distassified, but Old Master Lu was alive. So no matter how dissatisfied they were, they couldn't show it. Otherwise, if they angered Old Master Lu, then none of them would have a good outcome.

Lu Beichuan didn't have objections. After all, Lu Corporation had become his a long time ago. He didn't expect to get anything else from Old Master Lu.

In contrast, Lu Shaoyan had stopped smiling the moment the lawyers had entered the living room. After the lawyer finished announcing the division of the property, his expression was extremely ugly.

He had just gotten real estate. In other words, all he got was money.

What use did he have for those buildings and land? What use did he have for that money?

Combined, the real estate and shares in the various companies was worth less than 1% of the Lu Corporation!

After the lawyer was finished reading, Old Master Lu nodded. "Is that clear?"

Everyone looked at each other. Things had already gotten to this point. Seeing Old Master Lu's expression and attitude, they knew they couldn't turn things around from themselves, so they reluctantly nodded.

"Then you can all disperse. Butler Lu, push me back to my room."

Butler Lu assented. Just as he was about to push Old Master Lu back, Old Master Lu saw the ugly expression on Lu Shaoyan from his peripheral vision. He sighed. "Shaoyan, come with me."

Lu Shaoyan stood up and silently left with Old Master Lu.

After they entered the room, Butler Lu closed the door. Old Master Lu gestured for him to go out.

Butler Lu glanced at Lu Shaoyan. He had been silent all the way here. Butler Lu left the room feeling worried.

Old Master Lu looked at his tall and straight son. He helplessly smiled, "Do you think dad's decision is unfair?"

"What use do I have for that real estate?" Lu Shaoyan sneered at him. "Do you see me as your son, or do you still think that Mom cheated on you, and I'm a b*stard child?"

Silence.

Lu Shaoyan had always been prideful of being cool-headed but the words b*stard child" made him lose his calm.

Old Master Lu looked at him with deep sorrow. "How can you think that? The way Dad has treated you during these past years, how can you not see how much Dad cares about you?"

"Care?" Lu Shaoyan seemed to have heard something hilarious. "If you really care, why didn't you go look for her?"

At the mention of what happened back then, Old Master Lu was regretful, but it was too late for regrets.

He had married three times. His first wife came from a family that matched his family in social status. He had married her solely to consolidate his position in the Lu family. The support of that woman's family was enough for him to become the successor of the Lu family.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for his first wife to die while giving birth.

He had feelings for his second wife. Just like this first wife, she came from a family that shouldn't be underestimated. However, she died five years after their marriage due to an illness.

By the time he met his third wife, he had full control of the Lu family.

At the time, it was rumored that he was cursed when it came to marriage, and anyone that married him would die. There wasn't any woman from a prestigious family who dared to marry him, and he wasn't interested in marrying a woman from an ordinary family.

The woman that would become his third wife was called Gu Yu. The first time he met her, she said the You in her name meant outstanding and that she would become Lu Corporation's most outstanding employee.

There was a 19 year difference between him and Gu You.

Familiarity bred fondness, and by that time, he had the freedom to choose his partner.

Soon after, Lu Shaoyan was born.

He and Gu You lived happily together for over 10 years.

At this moment, due to Lu Shaoyan's question, Old Master Lu couldn't raise his head. He had no way to explain.

"You say that you love her, but your love is so cheap. You let her go abroad with the reputation of cheating on you, and I became a b*stard child. Do you realize how cold-hearted that was?"

Old Master Lu tightly clenched his hands. The past flashed through his mind.

Gu You had been caught red-handed committing adultery, and a paternity test revealed that Lu Shaoyan wasn't his son. At the time, he was blinded by anger. After hearing the so-called evidence from his subordinates, he couldn't accept that the person who shared a bed with him would harbor evil intentions and was disloyal. His beloved son turned out to not be his son.

"So what if you found out later that she was framed by the person closest to you? She's not willing to come back to this land that has you for the rest of her life. Do you know that she hates you? She doesn't want to see you. She doesn't want to hear your name or anything about you! She was the one that told me to come back. I knew that you had cancer a long time ago. I saw your symptoms, but so what? Anyways, you'll die sooner or later. Rather than staying on a hospital bed for a few years and being tormented by medical devices, it's better to live out your last few months comfortably!" Lu Shaoyan breathed heavily. "But even so, you won't hand over Lu Corporation to me before you die. Instead, you just gave me the real estate under your name."

"What use do I have for that money?" Lu Shaoyan looked at him in surprise and suddenly became irritable. "What I want is Lu Corporation. I want to see you lose everything that you cherish!"

Old Master Lu looked at Lu Shaoyan in silence. He quietly listened to him and met his eyes.

Lu Shaoyan was panting. He suddenly raised his head and looked at the window. In that moment, his tone fell. He sounded calmer, or more accurately, he was murmuring, "So what if you gave her all of your overseas assets? She won't want it. You didn't go look for her then, so why are you bothering her now?"

Old Master Lu clenched his hands. He tried to stabilize his emotions, but his hands were still violently shaking. His body felt uncomfortable somewhere, and he was sweating. He usually held his head high, but right now it was lowered. With great difficulty, he asked, "Does your mom hate me?"

"Do you need to ask?" Lu Shaoyan turned to look at him coldly. "You didn't believe in her and threw her dignity into the trash. You forcibly sent her abroad. You're afraid that she'll lose your face if she stayed in the country?"

"No… It's not like that…" Old Master Lu seemed to want to raise his head, but his struggles were in vain. His nails were digging into his palms. He wanted to say something, but his words were stuck in his throat. It was if he was being strangled. He squeezed out a few broken words, "Shao… Shaoyan. Dad… I just…"

He couldn't catch his breath. Old Master Lu couldn't finish speaking. His expression was distorted from severe pain. He heaved for breath, and his head flopped down.

Lu Shaoyan's hand trembled. He stared at Old Master Lu. "You know why I came back."

There was no movement from Old Master Lu.

"I'm not reconciled. I'm really not," Lu Shaoya murmured, "I'll never forget how you called me a b*stard child and told me to get out of your sight. I'll never forget everything I suffered abroad. Everything is your fault! It's all your fault!"

Lu Shaoyan staggered towards the doorway. He blankly held the doorknob for a moment before turning to look at Old Master Lu, who was sitting in the wheelchair with his head hanging down.

This dying old man was very ill. He didn't have many good days left. After that, Old Master Lu would cease to exist in this world.

As his son, he would offer incense to his tablet, but he would never remember him fondly.

The stainless steel doorknob was so cold. That coldness spread from his palm to the rest of his body. He shivered from the bone-deep chill, and the hand holding the doorknob trembled.

So cold.

It had been a snowy day when he had first gone abroad. Just like now, he had felt so cold then.

This room was obviously warm, so why did he feel so cold?

A hot teardrop fell on the back of his hand. That temperature was astonishingly hot.

He abruptly pushed open the door and said with gritted teeth to Butler Lu, who was standing outside the door, "Dad…. he passed out!"

Butler Lu's expression drastically changed. He entered the room and shouted several times, but Old Master Lu didn't respond, so he hastily called the doctors over.

Fortunately, Butler Lu had kept his wits about him yesterday and secretly invited back all of the doctors that had been sent away. It was only because he had done this that Old Master's Lu's rescue wasn't delayed.

Old Master Lu's condition wasn't optimistic. The doctors worked together to pull him back from death's door. To be on the safe side, they sent him to the hospital that night.

After such a large commotion at night from the shouting and the sound of the ambulance, everyone staying at the ancestral home knew that Old Master Lu was suffering from cancer.

"I knew it! There had to be a reason why Old Master decided to suddenly divide the family's assets. It's because he has cancer. Ai, w-what will we do?!"

"Old Master was still fine a few days ago, but his complexion became so ugly today. How can he not go to the hospital to get his cancer treated? Instead… Instead, he hid it from us!"

"I don't think this matter is that simple. Old Master got cancer, and he's not in good spirits. It's inevitable that he'll be muddled-headed. We should go ask him about today's matter of dividing the property when he wakes up."

"Yeah, I think so too. Dividing the property is such an important issue? How can it be divided just like that? What a joke!"

The group looked at the cars in the distance. They were stirred up, and their eyes shone with greed in the night.

As soon as Lu Beichuan heard the news about Old Master Lu, he hastily got dressed and came over. After he sent Old Master Lu into the ambulance, he looked around at the gathered people who were looking anxious, or perhaps, they were just pretending to be anxious. These unreasonable people. After imparting instructions to Ye Zhen, he left to follow the ambulance to the hospital.

The red and blue lights from the ambulance faded into the distance, and the clamor finally died down.

Harboring their own thoughts, the members of the Lu family returned to their rooms to sleep. Plagued with thoughts, Ye Zhen didn't sleep well that night either.

The next morning, she got a call from Lu Beichuan. He said that although Old Master Lu's condition had stabilized after the rescue and examination last night, the diagnosis of his illness was still pessimistic.

Lu Beichuan sent people to the ancestral home to bring Ye Zhen and Zhouzhou over to the hospital. For Lu Beichuan to make such a decision, Old Master Lu's condition must really be...

On the way to the hospital, Ye Zhen's heart had fallen to an all-time low, but Zhouzhou asked without worries, "Mom, where are we going?"

"Great-Grandpa is sick. We're going to see Great-Grandpa," Ye Zhen affectionately touched Zhouzhou's little head. "When we see Great-Grandpa later, could you say a few words to cheer him up?"

Zhouzhou tilted his head to think. "Like what Dad says when Mom is sick?"

Ye Zhen paused in surprise. "What did he say? Children aren't allowed to say nonsense!"

"Umm…" Zhouzhou was anxious and couldn't articulate what he wanted to say for a long time.

"Alright, never mind, just tell Great-Grandpa the stories that Mom has told you. Great-Grandpa will definitely be happy if he hears that from you."

"Okay! Zhouzhou will tell stories to Great-Grandpa! I'll tell him about the one with the little rabbit!"

Ye Zhen kissed his head in encouragement. "Our Zhouzhou is the most well-behaved one!"

Having received a compliment, Zhouzhou beamed with happiness. He practised telling the story to Ye Zhen the rest of the car ride.

The hospital wasn't too far from the ancestral home. An hour later, the car smoothly stopped at the entrance of the hospital.

Right after getting out of the car, Ye Zhen and Zhouzhou were led to Old Master Lu's hospital room by someone. Lu Beichuan and the others were standing outside the hospital room. Their brows were furrowed due to sadness as they listened to the doctor's grave assessment.

Ye Zhen picked up Zhouzhou and stood there for a while. It was only when the doctor left that she stepped forward.

"What's wrong?"

Lu Beichuan shook his head and looked into the hospital room.

There was a respirator mask on Old Master Lu's face, and there were many tubes inserted into his body.

"Grandpa always had a heart problem, and it relapsed last night. That on top of the liver cancer, I'm afraid…" Lu Beichuan shook his head.