After leaving the audio-visual store, Yu Shulin visited other shops selling celebrity merchandise, but unfortunately still found nothing related to Liang Zhou. There were a few small stalls that had stickers of Liang Zhou, but the workmanship was crude and the images blurry—clearly made from screenshots taken from TV dramas—hardly enough to spark anyone's desire to buy them.
Yu Shulin sighed. Liang Zhou's fans had it tough too. If they wanted to see more of their idol, they had to shell out money for official DVDs and posters of his TV shows and movies, which made chasing him much more expensive than following other stars.
Carrying his newly purchased CDs and selected gifts, Yu Shulin returned home.
As he entered, Aunt Liu was just taking off her apron. Seeing him back, she hurriedly picked up a thermal container from the table, ran over, took his hand, and started leading him outside. "Quick, quick. He Long will be here soon to pick us up. Let's wait at the entrance."
"What's going on? Didn't Brother He go on a business trip with my brother? How is he back?" Yu Shulin took the rather heavy thermal container from Aunt Liu's arms to carry it himself, asking in confusion.
For the first time, Aunt Liu's face was without its usual smile. Her brows were furrowed, her eyes full of worry. "The young master was injured in a car accident. We're going to bring him some food and a change of clothes."
"Car accident? What happened?" His heart gave a violent lurch, his tone instantly turning urgent. "Wasn't he supposed to be filming out of town? How did he get back, and end up in a car accident? Is it serious? Where is he hurt?"
Seeing him so anxious, Aunt Liu calmed down a bit instead. She patted the back of his hand and explained, "I just got the call too. Don't worry. He Long said the young master's injuries aren't serious. Don't fret."
Yu Shulin nodded absently, but his furrowed brows didn't relax.
A few reporters who had caught wind of the news were lurking at the hospital entrance. He Long was quite adept at dodging reporters. He swiftly guided Aunt Liu and Yu Shulin past their line of sight and into the hospital building.
Liang Zhou was staying in a VIP single room. The entire floor was quiet, with all doors closed. There were even a few bodyguards stationed at the elevator and stairwell exits, checking identities for anyone coming or going.
It was Yu Shulin's first time seeing such a scene. He only glanced around briefly before lowering his head and following quietly behind He Long.
The group walked all the way to the end of the corridor, finally stopping before the innermost hospital room door.
"Don't think winning Best Actor makes you something special. No matter how glorious you seem, you're just a dog living off my father's scraps. Dream on if you think you can take back Rong Guang!"
Even through the door, the noisy commotion inside was audible. Yu Shulin frowned. With all this racket, how could anyone recuperate?
He Long lowered his hand from where he was about to knock, his expression turning unpleasant. Aunt Liu's face also darkened, but as if constrained by the identities of the people inside, she didn't say anything.
"Zixiu, mind how you speak to your cousin." A low, hoarse voice spoke up, its tone full of perfunctory concern.
"I'm not wrong, Dad! Why should you have managed the company for him all these years for nothing, and now that he's won Best Actor, he gets to take it back? How shameless!"
"Zixiu, Xiao Zhou isn't the kind of person you're describing."
"How isn't he? He's just an entertainer, a laughingstock if you ask me—"
BANG—
The loud crash of the door hitting the wall cut off Liang Zixiu's words. He looked over impatiently, highly displeased. "What kind of rundown hospital is this? Is this the quality of the staff? Don't they know to knock before entering?"
Yu Shulin stood in the doorway. His usually gentle, smiling eyes were cold. Without even glancing at Liang Zixiu, he walked to the bedside holding the thermal container, staring expressionlessly at the person propped up on the bed. His words were stiff. "When someone barks nonsense in front of you, don't you know how to chase them out?"
This was the first time Liang Zhou had seen him with such a cold, sharp demeanor. He found it somewhat novel, and remembering it was for his sake, his own eyes softened slightly. He reached out to ruffle Yu Shulin's hair and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Boss." He Long made his presence known.
Liang Zhou looked at him, then at Aunt Liu glaring at Liang Jian and his son behind him, and rubbed his temples. "He Long, take Aunt Liu out for dinner. Come back after you've eaten."
"Yes, sir." He Long stepped back and closed the hospital room door.
Yu Shulin didn't speak. He brushed off Liang Zhou's hand and looked him up and down, trying to find where he was injured.
"Where did this brat come from? Spouting nonsense, aren't you afraid your tongue will be snatched by ghosts!" First being jabbed by a suddenly appearing kid, and now being ignored, Liang Zixiu was furious. He took two steps forward, wanting to teach Yu Shulin a lesson.
The middle-aged man standing slightly behind and to his side suddenly slapped the bed railing hard and barked, "Zixiu, shut your mouth! Be quiet!"
Yu Shulin glanced sideways, his gaze sweeping over the middle-aged man's face, then looking at the young man who had been shouting nonstop but was now forcibly silenced. A vague guess formed in his mind.
He thought he knew who these two were—Liang Chi had a younger brother, his name seemed to be... Liang Jian?
"Xiao Zhou, is this your other nephew? When did you bring him back?" The middle-aged man's face changed remarkably fast. One moment he was angry, the next he was looking at Liang Zhou with a face full of paternal affection, asking gently.
Liang Zhou glanced at him expressionlessly, pulled Yu Shulin to sit by the bed, and said flatly, "Not long ago."
"What? You brought that bastard back?" The young man who had been silenced by the middle-aged man was shocked. He didn't stay quiet for more than a few seconds before bouncing back up. His gaze towards Yu Shulin was full of hostility, then he turned to Liang Zhou and let out a cold laugh. "Hah, cousin, you'll stop at nothing to seize Rong Hua. Thinking bringing a bastard back will give you more say? That's a bit too naive, don't you think?"
"Liang Zixiu, do you think everyone is as stupid as you?" Liang Zhou looked at him coldly. "Also, he is not a bastard. Shulin is my rightful brother, with inheritance rights."
Liang Zixiu's face changed. "What do you mean?"
Yu Shulin also looked at him in confusion. Inheritance rights? What was that about? Wasn't he an illegitimate child?
"Exactly what it sounds like." Liang Zhou patted his hand reassuringly, then turned his head to look at the middle-aged man, whose face was now a mix of shock and doubt. He said calmly, "Uncle, if you hadn't set your sights on my life today, I wouldn't have wanted to tear up appearances with you either. You've managed the company for my father all these years, and I'm grateful. I will give you the rewards you deserve. But for things that aren't yours to take, it's better if you stop while you're ahead."
Liang Jian's expression froze for an instant before he forced a look of innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Liang Zhou didn't want to play word games with him. He dropped a bombshell directly. "Three years ago, my father made a will. If I'm not mistaken, that will has now taken effect. The board of directors will be notified tomorrow. Your acting authority over Rong Guang has been revoked."
Revoked?
The news hit Liang Jian like a ton of bricks. He staggered back two steps and sank into a visitor's chair, his expression gradually twisting. "A will? He actually made a will?"
Liang Zixiu's reaction was even more extreme. Without another word, he pulled out his phone and started making a call. Whatever the person on the other end told him, his face grew paler and paler.
"Liang Zhou, I'm going to fight you!" He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly roared, clenched his fists, and charged towards the hospital bed.
Liang Zhou moved, but accidentally pulled at the wound on his chest, momentarily unable to block in time. Watching Liang Zixiu's fist nearly graze Yu Shulin, his expression changed drastically as he coldly shouted, "Liang Zixiu, how dare you!"
Seeing Liang Zixiu pounce, Yu Shulin's eyes turned cold. He sidestepped, grabbed a bowl of grapes from the bedside table and threw it at him, then pulled out a fruit knife, pointing it straight at the other man. "Just try to hurt my brother!"
Liang Zhou was taken aback and turned to look at him.
Being hit by the grapes wasn't painful, but the glass bowl they were in was a different story. Liang Zixiu instinctively dodged, but accidentally stepped on the grapes scattered on the floor. He slipped and landed hard on his backside.
Grimacing in pain, he looked up to see a gleaming fruit knife pointed at him. A cold sweat broke out instantly, his blinding rage vanishing, leaving him momentarily speechless with shock. The way he looked at Yu Shulin was as if he were seeing a monster.
"Shulin, put the knife down." Liang Zhou reached out to pull Yu Shulin's arm.
Liang Zixiu's expression improved slightly, and his gaze towards Liang Zhou became less hateful... This cousin wasn't being completely heartless towards him after all.
"Be careful not to cut yourself."
"..." He decided to take back his previous thought. These two brothers were definitely no good!
