Title: I’m Pregnant with the Villain’s Child
Translator: Little Bamboo Spirit
Chapter 308-316
Chapter 308 - "Tell me the truth. Grandpa, is he…" (3)
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."
Chapter 309 - Do you see me as your son, or do you still think that Mom cheated on you, and I'm a b*stard child? (1)
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.
Chapter 310 - Do you see me as your son, or do you still think that Mom cheated on you, and I'm a b*stard child? (2)
"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."
Chapter 311 - Do you see me as your son, or do you still think that Mom cheated on you, and I'm a b*stard child? (3)
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?"
Chapter 312 - "Zhouzhou likes Great-Grandpa a lot too. When Zhouzhou grows up, I'll take good care of Great-Grandpa too!" (1)
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?"
Chapter 313 - "Zhouzhou likes Great-Grandpa a lot too. When Zhouzhou grows up, I'll take good care of Great-Grandpa too!" (2)
"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?"
Chapter 314 - "Zhouzhou likes Great-Grandpa a lot too. When Zhouzhou grows up, I'll take good care of Great-Grandpa too!" (3)
"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.
Tears were streaming down Butler Lu's face. He slowly walked into the hospital room. His old and stooped over figure stopped at Old Master Lu's bedside. He had so many words that he wanted to say, but his heart felt so stuffy. His words were stuck in his throat.
Butler Lu had been with Old Master Lu for the longest. He didn't have any children of his own. He had dedicated his life to the Lu family. In this lifetime, he only had the Lu family and Old Master Lu.
It wasn't that he hadn't thought about death, but it had always been something in the future. Now that the death bells were about to ring, he found it very difficult to accept.
Butler Lu's body slowly sank down. His body looked as if it had lost its backbone. He solemnly kneeled down by Old Master Lu's bedside. He held Old Master Lu's hand, but he didn't dare to hold it too tightly. He violently trembled all over. Tears streamed down his wrinkled face to land on the back of Old Master Lu's hand.
"Old Master…. Old Master…." Although he knew very well that praying was useless, he placed his forehead on the back of Old Master Lu's hand, like a devout believer praying.
Butler Lu regretted it. If only he had persuaded Old Master more to come to the hospital for examinations, then perhaps, today's outcome would be entirely different.
Lu Beichuan and Lu Shaoyan hastily helped him up. They silently looked at each other and could only say a few words of no significance to console him.
The room was filled with the sound of beeping machines, and the air in the hospital smelled of disinfectant.
Ye Zhen didn't go in. She stood in the hallway and held Zhouzhou.
Zhouzhou silently looked at the hospital room. He sniffed. Puzzled, he asked Ye Zhen, "Mom, why aren't we going in to see Great-Grandpa?"
Ye Zhen was teary. "We'll go in as soon as Great-Grandpa wakes up."
"Oh." Zhouzhou obediently waited and didn't bother Ye Zhen anymore.
He could feel that his mom was feeling unhappy. That's why he had to be a well-behaved, good kid that didn't make his mom worry.
"Zhouzhou, did you know that Great-Grandpa gave you your name?"
Zhouzhou tilted his head. "Lu Zhifei?"
"Do you like that name?"
"Like it!"
"When Great-Grandpa was picking out a name for you, he wrote out countless names and thought about it for a long time. He hopes that you'll be a sensible child and grow up to be someone that knows good and evil and right and wrong."
(T/N: Lu Zhifei's name comes from the saying zhi shan e, ming shifei, shi lianchi which means know good and evil, know right and wrong, and know honor and shame.)
Zhouzhou didn't understand and looked at Ye Zhen with a pair of baffled eyes.
"When you were still in mom's belly, Great-Grandpa greatly looked forward to your birth. He likes you. He likes you a lot. Hasn't Great-Grandpa always especially looked forward to seeing you?"
Zhouzhou firmly nodded. His voice was crisp and soft, "Zhouzhou likes Great-Grandpa a lot too. When Zhouzhou grows up, I'll take good care of Great-Grandpa too!"
Chapter 315 - That was the only way that he could leave this world without regret (1)
Old Master Lu's condition got increasingly worse. Doctors went in and out of the room several times. Each and every one of them helplessly shook their heads and sighed. When the old man was pushed out of the operating room, the horizon had turned white.
A day and a night had passed.
The doctor took off his mask and told the family members to mentally prepare themselves.
The old man, who had been in great spirits only a day ago, had deteriorated with age and fallen into a coma. He was lying in the hospital bed, waiting for his life to come to an end.
Inside the room, everyone's mood was heavy. No one said a word.
There was only the sound of the hospital equipment beeping. The windows by the bed were tightly closed. The sky was densely covered by black clouds. It felt so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Old Master Lu woke up.
Butler Lu had been staying by his bedside to keep an eye on him. As soon as he saw that Old Master Lu was awake, he hastily asked, "Are you awake? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"
Old Master Lu's unclear eyes turned. He looked around as if he was confirming his environment.
"This is…" With a breathing mask on his face, it was difficult for him to speak.
Butler Lu understood what he was trying to ask.
"Hospital. We're at a hospital."
Old Master Lu became anxious. He gasped. His upper body surged up in an attempt to sit up.
"Why… Why am I at a hospital? Didn't I… say I didn't want to come here?"
"Old Master," Butler Lu tearfully persuaded him, "Don't torment yourself anymore. Your health is important!"
After exerting himself for a little while, Old Master Lu was already out of breath. He turned his head to look at the jumping line on the ECG monitor. Life and death was on that screen.
He silently sighed. He wasn't that afraid of death. His calm gaze settled on Lu Beichuan.
"Beichuan…" He stretched his hand towards him with great difficulty.
Lu Beichuan stepped forward, firmly held his hand, and whispered, "Grandpa, I'm here."
Old Master Lu's breathing came in short pants. He shakily held Lu Beichuan's hand. His eyes reddened. "Beichuan.... promise Grandpa... the company… you must…"
Lu Beichuan understood what he meant. He solemnly agreed, "Grandpa, resure assured, I'll definitely take care of Lu Corporation. I won't discredit your reputation."
Hearing Lu Beichuan's guarantee, Old Master Lu tried to smile to express his gratification, but only the corners of his lips twitched weakly.
Old Master Lu knew the condition of his body, and he could see the clues from the people present. His hour of death was coming.
In this lifetime, he had been successful and glorious. His name had been eulogized. To accomplish so much in only one lifetime, he hadn't let himself down.
The only people he had let down was his wife and son.
He swept his gaze over the group of people, but he didn't find Lu Shaoyan. His eyelids became increasingly heavy, and his breathing short. "Shaoyan…"
Lu Shaoyan stepped out from the corner of the room.
Old Master Lu felt relieved. "Other than Shaoyan, everyone else, go out…"
"Old Master!"
Old Master Lu didn't look at Butler Lu. Exhausted, he closed his eyes.
Lu Beichuan stood up. He persuaded and consoled Butler Lu, and they left the room with the others.
It didn't take long for Lu Shaoyan and Old Master Lu to be the only ones left in the hospital room.
"Come here." Old Master Lu gestured Lu Shaoyan with his finger to come over. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something to him.
"Sor… Sor…" That sorry was stuck in his throat. No matter what, he couldn't get it out.
He owed him too much. Before dying, he just wanted to say the apology that was over 10 years too late. He wanted to appeal for forgiveness. He wanted to hear the answer that he wanted to hear from Lu Shaoyan. That was the only way that he could leave this world without regret.
Chapter 316 - That was the only way that he could leave this world without regret (2)
Lu Shaoyan sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at the old man, who had become haggard from grief.
He just watched him.
"Sor… Sor… ry." That word was stammered out, but he was finally able to say it.
Old Master Lu deeply sighed. The emotional knot that had plagued him for so many years seemed to dissipate entirely in that moment.
Lu Shaoyan laughed.
"Sorry?" He was doubtful. "Dad, are you that moved by your own words?"
It really wasn't right to say these words in front of an eldery person who had been notified that he had limited time left. Despite that, Lu Shaoyan continued to jokingly smile. "Can you redeem yourself of any sin just by saying sorry? No matter what it is, as long as you say sorry, then you can cancel out everything that you've done? Dad, don't you think you're being too naive?"
Old Master Lu looked at him. His Adam's Apple went up and down, but he couldn't produce any words from his slightly open mouth.
"I found out that you had cancer a year ago. The symptoms of cancer, I couldn't be more clear about that. Do you know why? Lu Shaoyan looked at him. He smiled a strange smile. "Because my mom had cancer too."
Old Master Lu grasped the bedsheet in vain. He stared at Lu Shaoyan with his unclear eyes. His entire body trembled violently.
"You said that my mom betrayed you. That I'm not your son. That I'm a b*stard child. You're so conceited. When you saw the so-called truth, you believe it without any doubt. Did you forget? That you once loved my mom so much? That you cared about me so much. Just because of that fake evidence and falsified paternity test, you saw me as b*stard child and called my mom a sl*t."
Old Master Lu's expression became twisted.
"You weren't even willing to be on the same land as my mom and me. Your heartlessly drove us out of the country. Did you know? My mom had the same symptoms as you in the first year we lived abroad. She went to the hospital, and the doctors found out that she had an early stage of liver cancer. There was time for treatment, but we didn't have money. We didn't even have the money to survive. She could only wait for death."
"Do you know why I keep coming back to the ancestral home?" Lu Shaoyan laughed. A twisted pleasure floated up. "Because I want to see you as you went from the early stage of liver cancer to the middle stage to the late stage. I waited to hear the doctor say you're past the point of treatment and could only wait for death!"
"Your…. Mom…"
"Yes, she died. She died a long time ago." Lu Shaoyan expressionlessly said, "She died in her second year abroad. Her condition worsened much faster than yours. It was because she washed her face with tears every day. Every day, she hated you and thought about you. She talked about you like a lunatic. Before she died, she told me to not tell you the news of her death. She said that death ended everything. It was the living that suffered the most. She didn't want you to suffer."
The line on the ECG monitor became more gentle.
Even with the oxygen mask, it became harder and harder for Old Master Lu to catch his breath.
"She told me that you would find out about the truth one day. When that time comes, you'll contact me. She told me to tell you that she hates you and never wants to see you to hide the news of her death. Look, even when she was dying, she was still thinking about you. A woman like that, she's downright ridiculous!"
"Shao…. Shao…" Old Master Lu could only say his name in vain. He struggled to reach out and grab Lu Shaoyan's hand. Tears slipped from his eyes that were full of guilt and pleading.
Lu Shaoyan looked at his eyes and suddenly sighed. "I regret it now. I should have told you the news of her death earlier. She's right. It's all over when you die. Only living people can feel pain. Instead of letting you carry the hope of being forgiven every day, it would have been better to tell you earlier and have you live your life in guilt. Perhaps then, I would have gotten more instead of that little bit of useless real estate!"