In the photo, a group of students from the Xijing Art Academy was holding a joint activity in the square in front of the library. It looked like a very lively atmosphere.
A tall, elegant, and gentle figure stood out.
Shi Yang.
He seemed to be explaining something as he stood in front of a billboard with a few students.
He was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and there was a faint smile on his face. He looked very elegant.
Shen Li paused.
“Do you mean… Shi Yang?”
Bella nodded.
“Yes. I remember that both he and your mother were at the Xijing Art School. He was three years older than your mother, so I suppose he could be considered a senior?”
As she spoke, she took another look at the photo.
“Actually, there were many people chasing after your mother at that time. The number of love letters she received could not be counted. However, the reason I remember him is because, at that time, the love letters he had given her had been sandwiched in a landscape painting that he had given to your mother.”
Shen Li did not say anything.
Gu Tingyin was a scholar of traditional Chinese painting. It was not unusual for Shi Yang to give such a gift that matched her interests to her.
“However, your mother was chasing after your father at that time. He was the only one in her eyes. Of course, she would not accept these. She gave it back the next day.”
Having brought up the past, Bella could not help but snort softly at the thought of how everyone in Xijing had known that Gu Tingyin was chasing after Shen Zhijin at that time.
“Who didn’t know that your mother liked Shen Zhijin? She chased him from Bai City to the Capital, and even attended the Xijing Art School for him.”
Even as her best friend, Bella had felt jealous, not to mention those boys who liked Gu Tingyin.
Under such circumstances, everyone had known that there was no chance for anyone to win her heart.
Why was it that she had only had eyes for Shen Zhijin?
Knowing his place, he had withdrawn himself early on. Unwillingly, he had continuously hit the wall and had eventually given up.
“What happened after that?” Shen Li asked.
“After that? There was no after that.” Bella shrugged. “After your mother returned the painting and love letter to him, the two of them didn’t have much interaction.”
When one was young, it was too easy to fall in love with someone. However, not everyone could get what they wanted and be with the person that was in their heart.
Shen Li nodded.
All she had known was that Shi Yang had also been a student at the Xijing Art School. She had not known that he had shared such a history with Gu Tingyin.
Bella looked sideways at the perfect combination of Gu Tingyin and Shen Zhijin’s face and said with a smile, “Your mother was beautiful and cute. Ever since she was at the Bai City High School, many people had chased after her. At that time, we had made a bet. We hadn’t known which one would make your mother nod her head first. Who would have known that she would fall in love with your father and fall head over heels for him?”
This was a love that would last a lifetime.
Shen Li held her phone and thought of the two chairs that sat opposite each other in the study room of the villa on Corning Street, the books that filled the two walls, and the camellia tree in the courtyard. The corners of her lips curled into a faint smile.
…
In a high-end residential area in the Capital.
Yu Ming entered with a gloomy expression on his face.
Zhou Lan and Yu Yu, who were waiting in the living room, stood up at the same time.
When she saw Yu Ming’s expression, Zhou Lan’s heart sank. She could tell that things might not have gone smoothly.
However, she still held onto a glimmer of hope and asked nervously,”Hubby, how was it?”
“What else could it be?!” Yu Ming slammed the door shut and said in a nasty tone, “Zhao Hengshan is personally supervising the case. Who else would be willing to interfere?!”
He had gone out to look for help again today, but he had returned empty-handed.
Everyone knew that Yu Cheng’s matter was a big problem. Once anyone got involved, they would find it difficult to be rid of it. Who would want to make things difficult for themselves?
Moreover, Zhao Hengshan’s attitude this time was very firm. Not many people were so stubborn as to go head-to-head with him for Yu Cheng’s sake.
Zhou Lan could not help but say,”No matter how powerful Zhao Hengshan is, he is only a bureau chief. In such a big city as the Capital, is there no one who can suppress him?”
They had been using all sorts of methods recently. They had met everyone they could meet and begged, but no one had agreed to help.
All this, just for Zhao Hengshan?
Yu Ming snorted.
“I only heard about this today. Apparently, Zhao Hengshan is being so tough because the Lu family is backing him up!”
“What?” Zhou Lan was shocked.
Yu Yu frowned, but she was not very surprised.
Yu Ming sat down on the sofa and said with a dark expression,”Zhao Hengshan used to be a subordinate of the old master of the Lu family. Now, although that person has retired, his position is still there. Who in the Capital can face the Lu family head-on?”
Zhou Lan muttered, “But… but what does this have to do with the Lu family…”
Yu Yu smiled bitterly and said, “Did you forget that behind Ji Shu and LY is Shen Li? And she… is Lu Huaiyu’s girlfriend.”
Zhou Lan instantly fell silent, her face pale.
The Lu family had not made a move openly. All they had done was to instruct Zhao Hengshan to thoroughly investigate this matter. Even so, this was enough to destroy Yu Cheng!
How could he resist the investigation?!
The room was dead silent.
Zhou Lan’s eyes were red.
“No, Hubby, you have to think of another way! Ah Cheng is our only son! What if he–”
Bang!
Finally, Yu Ming could not hold it in anymore. He picked up the cup on the coffee table and threw it down violently!
Zhou Lan’s voice stopped abruptly.
Yu Ming said angrily, “Do you think I don’t want to save him?! I’ve been busy all this time, begging for help. Hasn’t it all been for him?! Who asked him to become such a disappointment? If he had committed other crimes, it would have been fine, but now he’s being suspected of possessing drugs! What else can I do?!”
He pointed at Zhou Lan and cursed angrily.
“A loving mother is a waste of a son. This is the good son that you raised!”
This was not only affecting Yu Cheng. They were also suffering along with him!
Zhou Lan’s tears instantly flowed out, and the emotions that she had suppressed for a long time suddenly erupted.
“Yu Ming, what do you mean by this?! Isn’t he also your son?! Haven’t you cared about him all these years?! You don’t have the right to criticize me!”
Seeing that the two of them were in the middle of an intense argument, Yu Yu hurriedly stepped forward to stop them.
“Uncle, Aunt, now is not the time to argue about this. Let’s think about what to do for Brother first…”
Zhou Lan cried out,”What else can we do?!”
Yu Yu patted her back and comforted her.
“Actually, if the Lu family hadn’t intervened in this matter, it would have been much easier for us. At the very least, we could have had some hope if we had asked for help from others…”
Zhou Lan could not stop crying. “But didn’t you say just now that it was Lu Huaiyu who wanted to help Shen Li this time?”
Yu Yu said, “Just because he’s helping Shen Li doesn’t mean that everyone in the Lu family is willing to help Shen Li.”
Zhou Lan was stunned. “What do you mean?”
Yu Yu said in a low voice, “I had a phone call with Xu Yini previously. She said that Lu Zheng and his wife are about to return to the Capital. If they don’t like Shen Li, then Lu Huaiyu and his wife will definitely not be happy with what they are doing.”
Zhou Lan frowned. “But who’s to know if they will like Shen Li…”
Yu Yu replied,”No matter what, Shen Li is still an outsider. She has never met them before. However, they’ve watched Xu Yini grow up. Could it be possible that they would like Shen Li more than Xu Yini?”
