Chapter 20 A Subtle Stirring of the Heart

However, he had always been adept at learning; though he had never coaxed anyone before, he could certainly learn how.

Wang Zhifang, seeing his silence, grew a little uneasy. “I only make three hundred and twenty a month. That’s not even as much as you, and I have to hand over two hundred and twenty. The hundred I lent you last time was all I had managed to save up. I truly don’t have any more to lend you.”

Lu Yan nodded and smiled. “That’s fine. Are the extra pieces of ore in the lab available for me to take?”

“Of course,” Wang Zhifang replied.

“And what about that old set of capacitors and the metal detector? Those were brought from Lincheng, and we don’t need them for the upcoming experiments.”

Wang Zhifang grinned. “Absolutely, take them!”

He admired Lu Yan’s dedication to research, assuming he wanted them for more study at home. “Alright, I’ll write up a form for you to sign in a bit.”

“Great! Thank you!”

“Have you thought of a new approach?” Wang Zhifang asked, curious.

Lu Yan laughed. “No, I just want to build a radio for my wife and teach my son a thing or two.”

Wang Zhifang burst out laughing. “Good, harmony at home is important too. Move in sooner rather than later; stop thinking about renting outside.”

Lu Yan said nothing more, turning to leave.

After work that afternoon, Lu Yan collected the items but didn’t go to see Shen Qingyi, since he had already agreed with Anan to meet the next day.

He stopped by the family compound.

Qian Guihua didn’t look pleased to see him. “Last time, the money you left wasn’t enough for the doctor’s visit, and you didn’t even come back to ask. Do you still care about your old mother at all?”

Lu Yan frowned slightly, his tone calm and measured. “Didn’t I leave money with Lu Fan?”

“Ten yuan isn’t enough! I had to use my own living expenses to cover the rest.”

Lu Yan smiled, neither arguing nor pursuing the subject. Instead, he asked, “In recent years, have you been keeping the letters I wrote to Shen Qingyi?”

Qian Guihua hadn’t expected this question and hesitated. “It’s been so long, and there are so many people at home. Who can remember if they took them?”

Lu Yan nodded. “Then let’s wait until everyone’s back and ask together.”

A flicker of panic crossed Qian Guihua’s eyes, but she quickly collected herself. “They must have been lost in the post. If anyone here had received them, I’d remember.”

Just then Lu Fan and Lu Caiqing returned. Qian Guihua immediately stepped forward, blocking Lu Yan, and asked the siblings, “Did either of you get any letters from your second brother?”

Lu Fan scratched his head. After a sharp tug from Qian Guihua, he caught on. “It’s been so long—I can’t remember.”

Lu Caiqing shook her head as well.

Lu Yan seemed unsurprised, smiling faintly. “It’s just as well that I sent them registered mail, with a receipt. Since you all say you never received them, I’ll check for myself later.”

Lu Fan frowned in displeasure. “Second brother, you haven’t come home in days, and now you show up just to interrogate us. What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lu Caiqing said nothing, turning away from Qian Guihua to head to her room. She was counting on her well-known second brother to arrange a good marriage for her in the capital, after all. She didn’t want to fall out with him. In this area, many people tried to cozy up to her just because of him. Only their mother failed to see that she couldn’t boss everyone around in this family.

“It means nothing.” Lu Yan’s voice turned cold. “But if I find out someone took those letters and hid them, don’t blame me for cutting ties.”

At those words, Qian Guihua burst into tears. “You ungrateful son! Are you going to turn the whole house upside down for the sake of that woman? Look at the life she leads compared to ours. She buys expensive clothes from big department stores without blinking, and eats better than we do even at New Year. Has she ever thought of you? Or your parents? I heard you borrowed a hundred from your supervisor—did you give all your money to that woman?”

Lu Yan looked at his mother’s unreasonable tantrum with numb indifference. Her words stirred no emotion in him. “I give you and father enough for a good living—plenty of meat, and the occasional new clothes. You and father choose to favor eldest brother and Lu Fan. What does that have to do with my wife?”

Besides, he owed Shen Qingyi a debt he could never repay with money alone—whatever he had, he would give her.

Lu Fan ground his teeth in anger. If he hadn’t just been beaten, he’d have cursed Shen Qingyi again. “Second brother, in the countryside, when one person succeeds, the whole family prospers. Why do you always take her side? Do you even know what people are saying about her and that man named Xia?”

“Enough!” Lu Yan cut him off sternly. “I came home today just to say: if any of you took those letters, find them now, so we don’t ruin family harmony later.”

He slung his bag over his shoulder and left.

Qian Guihua stamped her feet in fury as he walked away. “Lu Tiesheng, get out here! Hiding in your room—come see this son of yours!”

There was no response for a while, so Qian Guihua threatened, “If you don’t come out, I’ll throw away all your tobacco!”

With a creak, the door opened. The old man emerged, face wrinkled with displeasure. “Why do you insist on butting heads with him? You know very well the second one never responded to your bullying, not since he was a boy. Haven’t you learned by now?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? So I’m in the wrong?” Qian Guihua stepped forward.

“He’s just someone who responds to kindness, not force. Besides, his wings are strong now—why keep pushing him?” the old man said.

Qian Guihua grew anxious. “He’s giving all his money to that Shen woman.”

The old man tapped his pipe. “Enough, let’s calm down. After a while, invite Anan and Shen Qingyi over for a meal.”

“What? That little—”

“Quiet. Didn’t you hear what I just said? If the second one gets serious, can you out-stubborn him?” The old man shot her a glare.

Qian Guihua fell silent.

She recalled the way Shen Qingyi had looked at her in the market that day and couldn’t bring herself to bow her head.

Meanwhile, Shen Qingyi was waking Anan. “Come on, let’s go buy groceries.”

Anan mumbled sleepily, “Not today. I want to stay home and wait for Dad.”

“Alright, but you still have to get up and wash your face and brush your teeth,” Shen Qingyi said helplessly.

At last, Anan got up and followed her to the backyard to wash up.

After breakfast, Anan sat in the living room reading comic books while Shen Qingyi went to her room to get changed. Lu Yan was coming to take their son today, so she planned to visit Cheng Youqing and perhaps discuss the border pass issue in private.

She brushed her hair, checked herself in the mirror, and, pleased with her appearance, prepared to leave.

When she opened the door, she immediately saw the father and son sitting on the sofa, heads bowed, speaking softly as if sharing a secret.

“Anan, Mommy’s heading out,” she called.

Lu Yan looked up at the sound, catching sight of her slender figure: a white round-neck blouse paired with pale yellow cropped shorts, her long, dark hair falling smoothly over her shoulders, bright and clear eyes, long lashes curving upwards, and a gentle smile on her elegant face.

The early sunlight slanted through the doorway, casting her in a gentle half-light. The scene stirred something deep within him.

Lu Yan dropped his gaze and quietly told Anan, “Your mother is calling you.”