NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3
After learning that Lu Junzhi’s Deep Blue was cruising along that route, Chu Muxi quickly suggested to Shen Wu, “Grandpa, can’t you change your course and return home with Lu Junzhi?”
Shen Wu was momentarily taken aback, “What’s wrong, Xiao Xi? Is there something going on there?”
Shen Wu had arranged a meeting with a long-time partner, and they had already committed to it. He was halfway there.
Chu Muxi couldn’t directly reveal Chu Tianhao’s plan. He was concerned about potential surveillance at home, so he quickly said, “I haven’t been feeling well lately. I want my grandpa to accompany me to the hospital. I’m scared.”
When Shen Wu saw the fear in his eyes and the child looking so pitiful, as if he had been abandoned, he instantly forgot about all his business partners. After all, Chu Muxi was his only grandson. If something happened to him, there would be no relatives left.
“Alright, alright, don’t worry, Grandpa will be back soon! Be good!” Without hesitation, Shen Wu instructed his secretary to return with the Deep Blue.
“Okay! Grandpa, I’ll be waiting for you to come back.” Chu Muxi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As soon as he ended the call, he heard a commotion outside. Checking the time, it was 7:30 in the morning, the usual time for He Hui to rise and prepare breakfast.
Since entering the Chu family, He Hui had always personally prepared breakfast to demonstrate her status as the virtuous lady of the house. This seemed to satisfy Chu Tianhao, who held traditional beliefs that women with no family background were easier to control.
Then, the family of four enjoyed their breakfast cheerfully, seemingly unconcerned about Chu Muxi, who was stirring up trouble alone in his room.
Initially, he had wanted to draw Chu Tianhao’s attention, but Chu Tianhao only remarked, “If you don’t want to eat, you can go hungry. At your age, do you still need someone to feed you?”
However, he immediately shifted his attention to Chu Lulu, who was trying to lose weight. “Lulu, dear, eat more. Being too thin isn’t good for you. Being a bit plumper is healthier. And remember, you can more dignified as the wife of another family’s head.”
But who didn’t know that their family had been the subject of ridicule many times within upper-class society? Although Chu Tianhao was now recognized as the nouveau riche who had entered the elite circle, He Hui was still seen as an audacious mistress.
Nevertheless, they had to maintain the façade and pretends.
Taking a deep breath, Chu Muxi opened his door and went downstairs.
.
Chu Tianhao was already seated at the head of the table, engrossed in reading the financial news of the day. Chu Mubei appeared as if he hadn’t woken up yet, while Wu Qing seemed as though he had indulged in an excessive night of debauchery, leaving him disheveled. It was unclear who he had been frolicking with last night.
Chu Lulu was being instructed by He Hui about the manners of upper-class ladies from distinguished families, so she could potentially attract a suitable suitor from an influential family in the future.
“I don’t think much of those playboys. They lack skills and only know how to flirt with women,” Chu Lulu scoffed, then coquettishly grasped He Hui’s hand and said, “Mom, you met Madam Lu last time, right? Did you mention me to her? What impression does she have of me?”
Chu Mubei sneered, “Come on, you really think Marshal Lu would like you? Quit daydreaming.”
“Why do you think he wouldn’t like me? I’m good-looking, I’m the eldest daughter of the Chu family, and I like Lu Junzhi so much. He smiled at me last time, he must remember me,” Chu Lulu retorted defiantly.
Chu Tianhao said sternly, “Don’t make trouble.”
He Hui affectionately patted her daughter’s head, “Our Lulu is the most beautiful. Last time, there were too many people, so Madam Lu couldn’t clearly express her opinion. I’ll speak to her privately later.”
Chu Muxi inwardly sneered: If it weren’t for the need to maintain appearances, the contempt and disdain in Madam Lu’s eyes could have turned into sharp swords, swiftly ending both you and your daughter.
Wearing a polite and demure expression, he stood a short distance from Chu Tianhao and softly greeted, “Good morning, Father.”
The hall fell into a sudden hush. Just as Chu Mubei was about to make a sarcastic comment, He Hui intervened, saying,
“Xiao Xi, why are you up? I thought you were still asleep just now. Were you playing games late into the night again? You’re still growing, so you should focus on getting enough rest.” Her tone was gentle, but the content indirectly scolded Chu Muxi for not focusing on self-improvement and just having fun.
Chu Tianhao’s face darkened, and he remarked, “You’ve grown up and only know how to play. You don’t take your responsibilities seriously. If your grandpa’s business were in your hands, you’d have ruined it by now!”
In other words, he wanted to convey that Chu Muxi should just give up his claim.
Chu Muxi nervously shuffled his feet and mumbled, “No, I felt a little unwell yesterday, so I slept in.”
“You’re so weak,” Chu Lulu taunted with a chuckle.
He Hui, carrying a cup of coffee for Chu Tianhao, casually mentioned, “I heard from your teacher that you got into a fight yesterday. Why are you always getting into trouble when you’re so weak?”
In essence, she insinuated that even though he couldn’t win, he still insisted on provoking others.
Chu Tianhao, concerned about his reputation, immediately reproached him, “What happened? Didn’t I tell you to behave in school? Why are you so disobedient?”
Stuttering and flustered, Chu Muxi tried to explain, “I… I didn’t… I mean, he was the one who started insulting me, and I… my older brother was there too, he heard it all.”
Chu Tianhao swiftly turned his gaze to Chu Mubei, asking, “Xiao Bei, what happened?”
“It was that boy from the Chen family. He made some derogatory comments, and Chu Muxi retaliated by punching him. I tried to intervene, but Chen Hao shoved him to the ground and attacked him. There were too many people around, so I couldn’t help.” Chu Mubei recounted the incident, his eyes gleaming with a hint of satisfaction.
Chu Tianhao castigated Chu Muxi, “It’s truly disgraceful to engage in fights you can’t win.”
Chu Muxi’s eyes turned teary. Ordinarily, he would have retorted, but this time, he just wept.
Chu Tianhao knitted his brows, commenting, “Why are you crying just because I said a few words? You don’t act like a man at all.”
“No! He… he called me a little bastard, and said I was the little bastard born of a big bastard. He also said that father, you are a big bastard, and I’m just a little bastard. I hit him because I was angry.”
Chu Muxi, overwhelmed by a sense of injustice, couldn’t hold back his tears any longer. “He… he insulted me, but he… how could he insult my own father!”
In reality, at that moment, Chen Hao had been insulting his mother, but he intentionally twisted it to make it seem like Chu Tianhao was being insulted.
Chu Tianhao slammed his hand on the table, his voice seething with anger as he demanded, “Chu Mubei, is this true?”
Chu Mubei, who had never seen Chu Muxi cry like this before, was taken aback by the sudden outburst of tears. When Chu Tianhao questioned him, all he managed to utter was a bewildered “Uh.”
However, it was clear to Chu Tianhao that this confirmed the truth.
Turning back to Chu Mubei, Chu Tianhao scolded him, “You just let him insult me like that? And you stood there watching Chu Muxi being beaten?”
Chu Mubei was flustered by the scolding and found it increasingly difficult to explain. He hadn’t heard the exact words that were spoken at the time, and had only witnessed Chu Muxi being attacked. He stammered, “I… It was just… a couple of words…”
Chu Tianhao slapped him across the face, “How could you say that? You little bastard!”
Chu Tianhao, who had risen from a humble background, cherished his reputation. If others said something to him, he could remember the insults for a lifetime.
Hearing that Chu Mubei had allowed such insults to be hurled without much resistance infuriated him.
Chu Mubei was knocked to the ground from the force of the slap.
He Hui and Chu Lulu were both terrified and screamed in shock. Chu Muxi, who still sobbing, had a glint of cold hatred in his eyes.