Gu Su collapsed right in front of his eyes without any warning. Even someone as composed as Lu Zhentong couldn't entirely keep his emotions in check. He didn’t dare move Gu Su, only told the auntie who ran out at the noise to call an ambulance.
Looking over once again at this childhood friend who seemed a little stranger every time they met, Lu Zhentong’s gaze swept past her bleeding ear, finally landing on those flat slippers. He really couldn’t believe his nimble and coordinated childhood friend would just trip in front of him for no reason. And purely by looks, Xiao Su was beautiful, but... well, that was about it.
He slipped the black earring into his pocket. The more he thought about it, the more what Lu Liu said about the supernaturals made sense: Xiao Su’s ability to make people fall for her definitely wasn’t all due to her own charm.
He still remembered back then, after Uncle Gu's accident, how Xiao Su had begged Xiang Feng for help. Xiang Feng only did what he could, whereas now—with that lovesick look—Xiao Su seemed like a completely different person.
Just from this, he couldn't be certain there was anything really off with Xiao Su, not until Lu Liu reminded him to recall what had happened to Lu Jiuxiao after marrying Gu Su, then compared it with Xiang Feng, Lu Jiuxiao’s assistant, and that martial arts association worker Lu Liu had introduced, who’d been seeing Xiao Su a lot lately…
What Lu Liu hadn’t brought up was that Xiao Su had even played matchmaker for him and Xuan Wei. Xuan Wei was Lin Baiming and great-aunt's biological daughter; to this day, he hadn't been able to find out how she’d been switched out all those years ago.
With so many doubts, he couldn't let it go—he had to go find her and get to the bottom of it all. Yet when he saw Xiao Su, he could clearly sense she was feeling guilty. Suddenly, inspiration struck: he noticed the black earring in her ear. She’d never taken it off since returning from abroad years ago. Lu Jiuxiao had always given her plenty of spending money, and Xiao Su, born to a wealthy family, usually changed her clothes several times a day, so the fact she’d kept the earring on must mean she couldn’t take it off.
That was why he acted so decisively. If nothing happened, it would just be a small wound—he could always smooth things over with a bit of coaxing.
But as it turned out, all his suspicions were correct.
While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, he pulled out his phone, giving instructions to his assistant to keep an eye on Xiang Feng—Lu Jiuxiao could be left out for now, and since Cheng Jingzhou had joined the martial arts association, even fending off the extraordinary team he had hired all by himself, Lu Zhentong wasn’t about to go up against Cheng Jingzhou before securing supernatural powers of his own.
He’d barely finished talking to the assistant when another urgent call came in—from the assistant managing family affairs—saying Old Master Lu had suddenly collapsed and Lu Zhentong was needed at the hospital right away. Even though he still wanted to keep an eye on Gu Su's reaction, he could only leave for now.
He explained the situation to the auntie, then informed Gu’s father to come look after his daughter, and left without a backward glance, leaving the auntie at a total loss.
On the way to the hospital, another call came, this one from a confidant: Xiang Feng had also collapsed without warning and was already being rushed to the hospital by the Xiang family. Lu Zhentong hung up and felt the earring in his pocket grow slightly warm. He couldn’t help but laugh coldly. He was always one to use open schemes more than hidden ones, and this childhood friend of his had completely set off down the path of dark arts, spending these last years dabbling only in trickery… Never mind, for Baobao's sake, he would save her the last bit of dignity.
Still, he guessed that once Xiao Su woke up, she’d come to reclaim the earring. He needed to be ready. So he made a detour, heading to a reputable jewelry customization studio in their circle, wiped the blood off the earring, and asked the staff to take measurements and make an identical pair.
Only then did he continue on to Old Master Lu’s hospital.
Come to think of it, if the assistant hadn’t told him Xiang Feng had fainted too, he really would have thought Old Master’s illness was critical, maybe even fatal, and that an announcement of the will could happen at any time—he’d have rushed straight over. Now, though… he was sure the earring was what had triggered the incidents, so he wasn’t in such a hurry any more.
As expected, when he arrived at the hospital, Old Master Lu was sitting there calmly drinking tea, surrounded by concerned family.
He’d gotten there even later than Lu Liu, putting on a sheepish face and greeting the old master cautiously before standing behind his parents.
Ever since Lu Jiuxiao had run off with his father, Old Master Lu had doted especially on his great-grandson, Lu Zhentong. “What took you so long?”
Old Master Lu’s tone was unfriendly, and those relatives who'd long been marginalized were all eagerly waiting for drama.
But Lu Zhentong was completely unaffected by their gloating expressions. He neither got angry nor complacent, just looked at Old Master Lu and, mixing truth with lies, answered, “Xiao Su tripped on the stairs.”
Old Master Lu frowned. “She and Jiuxiao haven’t officially divorced yet. You ought to keep your distance.”
Lu Zhentong agreed readily, then added, “No matter how things turn out between her and Uncle Jiuxiao, she’s still Baobao’s mother. I was thinking perhaps I should just bring Baobao to live with me.”
With the whole family present, Old Master Lu didn’t bother to hide his feelings. Thinking of Gu Su put him in a bad mood. “Baobao’s a little genius, but if you’re going to keep the child with you, don’t expect to marry a well-matched wife.”
Lu Zhentong answered calmly, “The family’s already this size. Without some particular turning point, we aren't suited to getting any bigger. Rather, I’d prefer a quiet, sensible wife from a modest family.”
Old Master Lu sipped his water. “As long as you know what you’re doing.”
Lu Zhentong smiled, especially when he felt the earring in his pocket grow warm again. “Old Master, since we’re all here, why don’t you get another checkup?”
At these words, even Lu Zhentong’s grandfather turned to look at him. He’d just tried to persuade Old Master Lu to have another exam for safety, only to be cursed out over it.
Old Master Lu nodded. “True, since we’re here anyway.”
So he really did go for a thorough examination surrounded by family, especially of the brain, and didn’t mind multiple scans at all.
After all that, Old Master Lu even took Lu Zhentong’s advice to stay at the hospital for two or three days for observation—when, before, anyone mentioning hospitalization would have earned at least a tongue-lashing, if not a burst of temper.
Everyone in the family was dumbfounded. Even though they’d already known Old Master Lu had been angered by Lu Jiuxiao and had, in a fit of pique, made Lu Zhentong the heir—meaning Lu Zhentong was a fallback choice—why was Old Master Lu suddenly treating Zhentong with such kindness? Why had he even agreed to have Baobao’s identity formally verified? What on earth had happened in recent days?
The Lu family started to look at Lu Zhentong with increasingly complex expressions.
Even setting aside others, when only his grandparents and parents were present, they eyed him curiously, so Lu Zhentong had to explain, “Old Master really likes Baobao, he’s mentioned it to both me and Xiao Su several times, and often wants Baobao over. I have a feeling he’d like to teach Baobao himself. Honestly, I’m just basking in Baobao’s glory—Old Master likes me because of him.”
Lu Zhentong’s mother gently tapped his arm. “Are you serious about marrying a girl from a humble family?”
Lu Zhentong smiled back, “How could I not be? The recent scandals with the Lu Group have really hurt our reputation. Cheng Jingzhou, for the sake of his son, isn’t likely to go easy on us. He even managed to convince Lin Baiming… we should lay low for now.”
That was classic misdirection.
The Lu family did need to keep a low profile, but what did that have to do with refusing an arranged marriage and planning to acknowledge and raise an illegitimate child?
Lu Zhentong’s mother glanced at her husband and in-laws, wanting to persuade her son a bit, but seeing the look in his eyes, she felt there was no need. She only stressed, “Old Master says you know your own mind, so I won’t nag. But one thing, you're never to marry Gu Su! When she married Lu Jiuxiao, she did it for money and for revenge! She may be Baobao’s biological mother, but I absolutely won’t allow her through our door!”
“I never once thought about marrying Xiao Su.” Right then, his phone rang. Glancing down, Lu Zhentong saw it was Gu Su’s father calling. Without hesitation, and in front of his parents, he answered. “Awake? Good. I’m at the hospital, all right, I’ll come over.”
Lu Zhentong’s mother, seeing his phone screen, rapped his arm again in frustration. “What did you just promise me?!”
Lu Zhentong replied calmly, “Mom, I have to get custody of Baobao, how can I just not care about her…”
Hearing that, his mother could only sigh. “True enough.”
After bidding goodbye to his family, Lu Zhentong got into his own car. He, of course, wasn’t going straight to Gu Su. First, he had to find Lu Liu and the supernaturals who’d come from Hua Country with him, at least to figure out what this earring in his pocket really was.
Given how it had just heated up as if showing off, he wouldn’t even touch the earring until he knew what it really was.
He set the meeting with Lu Liu and the others at one of his apartments. On the way there, he even stopped by the kindergarten to pick up his son, Baobao.
According to the teachers, Baobao had slept especially deeply that afternoon and was hard to wake up, so the family should keep an eye on him. Lu Zhentong just nodded, then smiled and thanked the teacher.
He didn’t often come to pick up his son, and Baobao had never called him “dad” in public, but anyone could see the real relationship just watching them interact.
Lu Zhentong dropped Baobao off at his own place, leaving a trusted auntie to watch him, then went out again to meet Lu Liu and company.
Lu Liu didn’t disappoint: not only had he called together the team of supernaturals who’d returned to the country with him, he’d also found a few well-connected and tight-lipped local Magic path masters.
Lu Zhentong knew that facing such people, the best approach was to be selectively truthful. Lying was pointless and might provoke them. Carefully, he took the earring out and placed it in front of everyone. “Is this thing a magic implement?”
The Magic path master, taking the lead, did a few simple tests, then confidently answered, “Ever read a novel? This thing’s a non-sentient Favorability system. On the surface, it cultivates someone into a heartthrob, using admirers to extract endless benefits.”
“I see.” Lu Zhentong got straight to the point. “Can I sell it?”
The master was surprised. “You want to sell? This thing’s risky, but used right, it has brilliant effects. You could use it to persuade your family’s old master to retire and transfer all shares to you.”
Lu Zhentong smiled faintly. “I bet the price isn’t small, right?”
The master chuckled. “It shortens lifespan, damages virtue, lowers intelligence, and makes people more and more heartless.”
So that was why Xiao Su even targeted Baobao. She always had a trace of real affection for the child, yet she hadn’t spared him. Without any more hesitation, Lu Zhentong said, “Could I trade this for a set of cultivation techniques and the resources to get started?”
The master regarded Lu Zhentong and burst out laughing. “You’re an interesting fellow. Deal!”
Meanwhile, Gu Su was waiting for Lu Zhentong at her private ward in Jingguan Hospital. She’d been waiting ever since the afternoon, all the way until dinnertime, and he still hadn’t come. Calls and texts were unanswered, and finally even the assistant stopped picking up.
The longer she waited, the more anxious she grew. The fact that Lu Zhentong had targeted her earring immediately… She couldn’t keep hoping for luck any longer.
Gu Su gingerly touched the swelling at the back of her head, then poked at the stich in her ear. The ear wound had needed a single stitch, but she hadn’t even needed her scalp wound bandaged. With these injuries, dreaming of pressing charges for intentional harm was pointless.
No matter her panic, or her dizziness and blurred mind, she still wanted to try one last time before giving up. She had Gu’s father call Lu Zhentong again—still no answer.
Gu Su clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug in, blood trickling down her palm, but she didn’t care. “Dad, try calling Xiang Feng.”
Gu’s father complied, but got no answer either.
Finally, Gu Su gave up hope and picked up her own phone to message Lu Jiuxiao. “I need to see you! I have something extremely important to tell you! Lu Zhentong, he…” Caught off guard by Lu Zhentong, she’d lost her most crucial thing. “Lu Zhentong stole my golden finger!”
At that moment, Lu Jiuxiao was at home with Qin Er and the others, laboriously processing medicinal materials. When Lu Zhentong snatched away Gu Su’s earring, the gray fog in Lu Jiuxiao’s mind contracted tightly. He’d only been momentarily dazed, though, not knocked out.
Seeing Gu Su’s message for help, he didn’t mind seizing the opportunity. “Agree to the divorce, then we’ll talk.”
He could probably guess what Gu Su’s golden finger was, but if it was something that could be taken so easily by Lu Zhentong, he simply didn’t care. Looking at his father decocting herbs, Lu Jiuxiao thought, now a golden finger you can’t be robbed of—that was worth boasting about.
How could Gu Su possibly agree to the divorce? She’d refused before because she still hoped to exploit him, and now refused because Lu Jiuxiao was her only remaining lifeline.
But if she said she didn’t want a divorce outright, Lu Jiuxiao would probably block her without a second thought, just like Lu Zhentong and Xiang Feng.
She had no choice but to play her ace. “I have evidence Lu Zhentong plotted against you, and the mastermind behind the car accident years ago, Lu Liu, has returned to the country!”
Restless with anxiety, she waited five full minutes before at last getting a reply from Lu Jiuxiao.
“Come.”