It was not a tough job to get approval for Lu Yi’s leave application. Nonetheless, everyone in the procuratorate was told about the situation of the Lu family. They knew that Lu Yi’s father and wife almost lost their lives at the Serene City, and naturally understood how Lu Yi felt. Initially, they had the intention to visit his injured wife and father. However, when they were reminded that Lu Yi’s wife was a celebrity, they gave up the idea.
A few days later after Yan Huan was slightly better, the four Lu family members visited the Ye family’s residence.
Languidly, Ye Xinyu sat on the wheelchair, appearing gloomy. Upon seeing Ye Shuyun, his eyes instantly turned red and teared up.
“Xinyu, what’s wrong with you?” Ye Shuyun was perturbed immediately after she saw Ye Xinyu’s tears. She had personally raised Ye Xinyu and definitely saw him as her own daughter. The only thing that disappointed her was Ye Xinyu being a boy.
“Aunt… Uhh… Aunt…” Ye Xinyu wailed as he hugged Ye Shuyun tight.
“Aunt, I’m handicapped. I’m now a cripple. I can’t take care of you anymore with only one leg left.”
He wept sorrowfully, causing his face to be covered with tears and snot. Lu Jin shut his eyes, appearing to be suppressing his unreadable emotion. By now, Ye Shuyun had yet to figure out what was going on. She gently stroked Ye Xinyu’s leg.
“It certainly does not look like you’ve been amputated. Which leg is it?”
“Aunt, one of my legs is a prosthesis,” Ye Xinyu cried like a baby. He was a young man in his golden years when it was supposed to be the most colorful and poetic time of his life. He had not fully grown into an adult yet. He was still a 19-year-old boy who claimed to be in his twenties, yet he had not celebrated his twentieth birthday.
Without a leg, he was forever incapacitated. He could never again walk, jump and play any games.
“A prosthesis?” Ye Shuyun squatted down to Ye Xinyu’s eye level and patted his head, consoling, “It’s just a leg. You’ll be fine. The Ye family will not leave you starving even if you lose both of your legs.”
Ye Xinyu had his cheeks bathed in tears. Aunt, is that how you comfort a sad person?
Are you really my true aunt?
Ye Chuji dismissed it, “He is a lucky boy to have lost only one leg. If Yan Huan and Lu Jin did not save him, he would have turned into plain ashes now.”
Ye Xinyu shivered, fearing to speak one more word. In fact, Ye Chuji was absolutely right. If Lu Jin did not take him out of the collapsed building, he would have lost more than just a leg. His life would be left at the Serene City. He was frightened even by the thought of it.
Yan Huan gently pulled Lu Yi’s sleeve and threw him a glimpse, hinting.
“We lied to him,” Lu Yi said in a muffled voice.
Yan Huan felt sorry for Ye Xinyu as the entire Ye family was happily bullying and lying to their youngest member. Ye Xinyu was the youngest boy in the family. Because of his stunningly pretty face, all the other family members had been spoiling him and simultaneously sabotaging him since he was a baby. That put Ye Xinyu in a very difficult position.
They even lied to Ye Xinyu about amputating his leg. What puzzled Yan Huan was how He Xinyu actually believed the lie. He trusted his family members’ words. Without consulting the doctor or asking the nurses, he believed that his leg had been cut off.
What is in his brain?
Ye Jianguo coughed deliberately, hinting at the others to not expose the lie to Ye Xinyu out of sympathy.
“Lu Jin, how are you?” he asked Lu Jin who had been standing the whole time. He was told that Lu Jin was injured as well and he hoped that it was nothing major.
“Don’t worry, dad. I’m fine. The injury is minor,” Lu Jin turned to look at Ye Jianguo as he answered. He stood still and straight like a typical soldier. Regardless of the situation, Lu Jin had never bent his back.
“That’s good,” Ye Jianguo was relieved. At the same time, he was secretly cursing Old Master Lu who seemed to show zero concern to his almost dead son. Oh! How could I have forgotten about Lu Qin? Lu Jin and Lu Yi are not the only descendents of the Lu family.
“When are you returning to the military base?” Grandpa Ye proceeded to ask Lu Jin about his work. Lu Jin had spent almost all his years away from home and barely had time to take care of his family. Now, no longer being a young man, did he want to continue to live separately with his wife?
“Dad, I’ve been relocated. From now on, I’ll be based at Sea City. I’ll not leave this city anymore,” Lu Jin flaunted a rare smile. The relocation of his work position was never part of his plan. Initially, he intended to rest for two months. However, the incident in Serene City had made great changes to his career. Not only was he promoted as admiral, one of the military bases was moved to the Sea City. Other than that, he had gained the first honor of individual achievement. This would be his greatest achievement even after he retired, proving that the years he spent in the military did not go in vain.
In the future, he would work from nine to five every day and return to his home after work.
He was old and no longer fit. It was time for him to stay by his wife’s side.
“That’s great,” Grandpa Ye was very pleased with this new arrangement. His gaze then landed on Yan Huan as he put on an amicable smile.
“How about Huanhuan? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, grandpa. There’s nothing serious,” Yan Huan grabbed her bandaged arm, “These are only small bruises and cuts, definitely not as bad as Xinyu’s. At the very least, I still have my arms and legs. My four limbs are still present.”
Her words were full of sarcasm.
And it hit right into the bottom of Ye Xinyu’s heart.
Ye Xinyu stared at his leg sorrowfully. He doubted that they were his true family because they seemed to have no intention to share his pain. Instead, they were constantly mocking him as he was crying. At this moment, he thought he would rather die in Serene City than coming home to these scornful treatments.
Mom, why didn’t you bring your son along?
“It’s meal time.”
Ye Chuji promptly seated everyone down, disregarding Ye Xinyu who was mourning for his allegedly lost leg with his chin lifted to an angle of 45 degrees.
Skipping a meal will not starve him to death.
“Huanhuan, you should eat more,” Ye Shuyun placed some food in Yan Huan’s bowl, “You have to eat more. Dad and mom do not know how to express our gratitude.”
“Yes, eat more,” Ye Chuji added, “Xinyu owes his life to you. By now, you have saved the Ye Family twice. In the future, you can tell uncle if you encounter any challenge. Uncle will help you with my uttermost. Those that can be done, I’ll do it for you regardlessly. Those that can’t be done, I’ll figure out a way and do it for you too.”
“Thanks, uncle. Thanks, mom.”
Yan Huan lowered her head to eat from her bowl. But, the amount of food she was being fed was more than the amount they gave to the swines in the farm.
The members of the Ye family favored Yan Huan a lot. They saw her as part of their family. Also, they thought that it was their fortune to have helped Yan Huan back then as that eventually benefited themselves.
It also aided Ye Xinyu’s destiny.
If Yan Huan was absent that day, Lu Jin would not have survived, not to mention Ye Xinyu.
