Chapter 26 (1/2)

My goodness,

I just knew the last chapter would be controversial.

That said, I'd like to say that I appreciate that everyone has been keeping it clean in the comments. I know that this is a profoundly sensitive topic, so I could guess there would be a lot of comments that want to discuss that in more depth. No trouble there, I was expecting it, that's why I still allowed comments. There should always be more room in this world for civilized discussion.

Also, just some light heads up, the t.i.tles of chapter 27 – 29 is “Apology”, “The Truth”, “and “Forgiveness” respectively. So these next few chapters will be… interesting.

Another long chapter. Did not proofread. Chose to Sleep.

Tang Li's journey home was one of nervousness.

Finally, back at the Shen home, after stepping into the living room, the first thing that came into view was the brightly colored balloon affixed to the window, which excitedly spelled out two big words, “Happy Birthday”.

The living room was decorated very childishly, and there were even stuffed bears as tall as Tang Li resting on the sofa.

A three-tier birthday cake with a blue hue was placed quietly on the tea table. The top of the cake has a lovely whale leaping out of the blue water.

When Tang Li approached, he saw a line of words written on the bottom tier of the cake.

[—— My little Chestnut, brother will always love you.]

For a moment, Tang Li was stunned. His eyes were filled with joy, and his nose even stung a little. It seemed that a hot liquid was spilling out of his eyes.

This is undoubtedly the best birthday gift he has ever received.

Tang Li looked up and turned to Shen Yu, who was sitting in front of him in his wheelchair with his straight back facing the little villain. He called out softly, “Brother Shen Yu.”

He didn't know if he was too sensitive, but he somehow felt that the atmosphere in the living room is too quiet. The servants, including Uncle Zhang and Aunt Chen, stood quietly in the corner of the living room and did not dare to look at them.

Shen Yu heard his call but refused to turn around and face him.

“Brother Shen Yu. What's wrong with you?” Tang Li cried in a childish voice, taking two tentative steps forward.

Before his voice fell, he was interrupted by Shen Yu: “Don't come here.”

Tang Li's footsteps stopped for a moment. He thought about it and quickly retreated to his previous position. He grinned uneasily and said, “Brother Shen Yu, is there anything I did to upset you?”

The answer to Tang Li's question was only a sneer.

Now he is guilty, he knows how to call him brother?”

Tang Li's stood stiffly in place. He seemed to realize something in that moment. His face gradually grew green, and even his smile became extremely reluctant.

“What's wrong?” Tang Li said, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

Shen Yu did not speak, but slowly turned around in his wheelchair. The expression on his face could be described as despair. His lips were tight, and his cold eyes rested on Tang Li's face.

Looking at Tang Li made Shen Yu very uncomfortable. The little villain's slightly flat mouth, and the glimmering light flowing in those phoenix eyes gave him a pitiable appearance.

“Brother Shen Yu…”

As usual, the villain shouted Shen Yu's name in a soft, waxy voice, like a puppy who made a mistake and was begging his master for forgiveness.

This time, however, Shen Yu was indifferent.

He looked straight at Tang Li and remained silent.

No fear…

No worries…

Not a trace of regret…

Doing such bad things, and then acting like this.

Shen Yu closed his eyes and felt that all his internal organs were sore with anger. All he could see was the memory of when he went to the hospital in the afternoon. Lei Yumeng was lying weakly in the hospital bed, her exposed hands and feet were badly bruised, her wrists were covered with heavy gauze, and she was groaning in her sleep from pain.

In a only a little more than a month, Lei Yumeng has changed from a lovely girl who jumps around to a patient who is thin and sick.

At that moment, Shen Yu could hardly believe his eyes.

Mrs. Lei was sitting beside the hospital bed with a pale face and black circles under her eyes. She covered her face with one hand and wept silently.

Mr. Lei called Shen Yu to the corridor outside the ward and pleaded in a low voice, “Mr. Shen, we did not discipline for our daughter enough, and failed to stop her behavior in time. This must have caused trouble to the Tang child. We are deeply sorry and Yumeng's mother will go to school to pull her out tomorrow. I hope you will forgive us.”

In the face of the sincere Mr. Lei, Shen Yu looked on in a daze and did not respond for a long time.

After a while, Shen Yu squeezed out a few words from his throat: “I'm sorry…”

“No.” Mr. Lei waved his hand in a hurry. “Don't say you're sorry, blame the students and their head teacher. They're the ones who hurt Yumeng. Tang Li is also a victim in this matter.”

Shen Yu opened his mouth but did not know what to say.

The memory of Mr. Lei father apologizing to him was like a sharp needle quenched with poison, which penetrated into his skin so hard that he could hardly breathe.

He knew that Lei Yumeng's parents didn't really think Tang Li was free from blame, but after looking at Shen Yu's face, they could only put their feelings aside and carefully apologize to him.

When he left, Shen Yu asked Uncle Zhang to inquire about the Lei family's bank account number and deposit a sum of compensation as soon as possible.

But on the way home, he still felt bad.

He just couldn't make sense of the recent events.

Tang Li has just turned eleven years old. He should have been an unknowing child. So where did he learn how to do think and do such cruel things?

But at this moment, looking at Tang Li's unrepentant face, Shen Yu suddenly understood.

Tang Li himself is the biggest villain in the original novel.

Doesn't that fit in with the ruthlessness of a villain?

Even if Shen Yu treats him attentively, even if Shen Yu actively wants to pull him back from his inherent evil ways, it will ultimately mean nothing… Just because Tang Li is a real villain and a natural cold-blooded animal.

Even if Shen Yu had the best intentions, he could not warm the heart of Tang Li.

Shen Yu clenched his lips and felt so sad that he wanted to cry. He took a deep breath and forced back the feelings that poured into his eyes. Only the despair that had soaked into his bone marrow remained.

“Uncle Zhang.” Shen Yu looked away from Tang Li's pleasant face and said hoa.r.s.ely, “Take apart the decorations.”

“As you wish.” Uncle Zhang responded in a low voice, turning his head and motioning to Aunt Chen and the other servants. The group of people acted immediately.

Tang Li was frozen on the spot, and his little face was full of confusion. He did not seem to understand Shen Yu's meaning.

“Shen Yu, are you unhappy with something?” Tang Li asked in dismay.

Shen Yu ignored Tang Li's words, he refused to give him any more attention. Suddenly, he saw the three-layered cake on the tea table, Shen Yu's eyes flashed, and then he said to Uncle Zhang, “Throw this away too.”

“Yes.” Uncle Zhang nodded and strode to the tea table to pick up the tray that held the cake.

When Tang Li saw the situation, he was immediately fl.u.s.tered. He staggered over, spread his arms over the cake protectively and quickly said, “Isn't this my birthday cake? Why throw it away? You can't throw it out!”

Uncle Zhang turned his head to Shen Yu.

Shen Yu sat in his wheelchair with no expression. His calm eyes are like a lake without even the slightest ripple. Even his breath is soaked with a detached tone: “I said throw it away.”

Uncle Zhang no longer hesitated, after bypa.s.sing Tang Li in front of him, he picked up the cake on the tea table and went out.

He was only able to take a few steps when suddenly, Tang Li rushed over like a madman and tried to steal the cake from Uncle Zhang's hands.

Uncle Zhang was shocked by Tang Li's sudden action and, on reflex, turned sharply to the side to avoid the little villain. As a result, he collided with Tang Li's small body.

The weight of the three-tier birthday cake is not light. Even Uncle Zhang, as an adult, had some difficulty carrying it. At the moment he was. .h.i.t by Tang Li's body, his own body's center of gravity instantly changed, and his hands became unstable.

The whole cake fell straight onto Tang Li.

Tang Li had no intention of avoiding at all and instead reached for the cake.

Unfortunately, such a delicate thing as a cake cannot withstand such harsh treatment. In the end, Tang Li's face and body were pasted with the fallen cake.

Uncle Zhang was stunned and looked at Tang Li in surprise: “Young master Tang Li…”

Tang Li's expression was slightly stunned. He looked down at the cake pasted on his body, and at the empty hands he wanted to catch it with. He was as stranded as a small animal lost in the forest.

“This is my cake. It's the cake you gave me…” Tang Li muttered, grieving as if he was about to cry, “Why did you throw my cake away? Didn't you give it to me? You can't throw away my cake without my consent…”

Uncle Zhang, who had a hard time listening to his helpless muttering, could only turn his head away in silence.

Shen Yu, who was sitting not far away, watched all this quietly from beginning to end. After hearing Tang Li's words, the sarcastic arc of his mouth became more and more obvious, and his voice opened coldly: “Consent? So what you did in school was with my consent? Did you let Lei Yumeng suffer those injuries with her parents' consent?

As soon as this was said, Tang Li's whole face turned pale.