Chapter 2: Against All Reason
But Leng Changsheng still married Lu Xiaowei in the end!
And now, barely a hundred days since her passing, with her spirit hardly at rest, Leng Changsheng had hastily brought his mistress and illegitimate son into the family home. Such behavior was against all reason and propriety!
As these thoughts raced through my mind, Leng Haoran suddenly shot to his feet. His handsome face turned ashen with fury as he clenched his fists and shouted, "Introducing your mistress and illegitimate son to my fiancée? Dad! Don't you feel any shame?!"
"Shut your mouth!" Leng Changsheng's face turned a deep red as he furiously slammed the armrest of the sofa, his roar reverberating through the room.
I bit my lip and glanced at Hong Hong, the mistress. Her face was deathly pale, frozen in an expression of humiliation and submission, her head bowed low in a show of quiet endurance.
Her son, the man named Leng Mofan, raised his head slowly. His piercing, icy gaze first swept across Leng Haoran, then shifted toward me. For a moment, I felt as if a gleaming blade had slashed through the air, leaving a chill down my spine.
Before I could fully process the intensity of his gaze, it was gone. Leng Mofan's expression remained calm as he spoke in a low, indifferent tone:
"Mom, do you want to leave with me?"
The room fell into stunned silence.
Leng Changsheng cleared his throat, his demeanor shifting to one of fatherly kindness. "Mofan, Haoran is still young. Don't hold it against him. You two are brothers living under the same roof—relationships take time to build…"
"Mom, you're not leaving?" Leng Mofan interrupted, his cold, detached voice directed only at Hong Hong. He didn't spare Leng Changsheng so much as a glance.
One second, two seconds... He checked his watch and added in an even tone, "I'll go ahead. Call me if you need anything." Without waiting for a response, his tall, imposing figure rose, and he strode unhurriedly toward the door.
"Mofan!" Hong Hong leaped to her feet. She looked toward his retreating figure, then turned back to Leng Changsheng, torn and sweating with anxiety.
"Sir," Aunt Yun approached and reported in a hushed tone, "breakfast is ready."
"Very well. Set the table," Leng Changsheng instructed with a frown, waving her off.
After Aunt Yun left, he reached out to take Hong Hong's hand. "Don't worry. We'll talk to him later. Let's have breakfast first."
"Come on, Nuan Nuan, let's go!" Leng Haoran, still seething with anger, beckoned me sharply.
"Haoran!" Leng Changsheng snapped, his patience finally at its limit.
For a moment, father and son locked eyes in a tense standoff, the air between them crackling with unspoken defiance.
I hurried over to Leng Haoran, taking his arm gently. "Haoran, I'm starving," I said softly.
Before he could respond, I turned to Leng Changsheng and Hong Hong, adding politely, "Please, go ahead."
Leng Changsheng caught my subtle cue and led Hong Hong into the dining room without further ado.
I leaned close to Haoran and whispered, "Being impulsive will only mess up your plans. This is your home—you should stay and keep watch over it, not avoid them."
"You're right," Haoran muttered, his anger receding slightly as he turned to face me. "But I have to leave for a business trip to Singapore soon…"
"Then go on your trip. I'll be here. Besides, that Leng Mofan doesn't seem like he plans to stay here for long. Only Hong Hong will," I reassured him.
Haoran hesitated briefly before nodding and leading me into the dining room.
As soon as we sat down, Haoran's eyes, red with suppressed rage, turned to Leng Changsheng. "Dad! Mom has only been gone a hundred days—her spirit hasn't even moved on yet. Do you think bringing another woman into this house will let her rest in peace?!"