In the days that followed, Lu Xun learned from his past mistakes. He attended his classes diligently every day and finally managed to get his university diploma by June.
"Bro, it is a genuine diploma. Can you unfreeze my cards now?" The moment he received his diploma, Lu Xun went straight home to find his older brother.
Lu Yu picked up the diploma, examined it carefully, and looked pleased. "Not bad. Starting tomorrow, you can come to work at the company."
Lu Xun froze. "What are you talking about, bro? Did you forget that Mom specifically told you not to let me join the company?"
Lu Yu looked up. "That was because you were young and your grades were poor. Mom was worried you would not be able to handle the work. But now that you have your university diploma, I think your personal abilities are fine. What do you say, Mom?"
Shu Qingqing nodded. "Yes, your brother is right. The company is so busy. Even if you cannot do much, you can still run errands for your brother."
Lu Bochuan chimed in, "Learn well from your brother."
Lu Xun felt like the sky was falling. If he had known this would happen, he never would have gone through all that trouble to get the diploma!
Lu Xun looked up resentfully. "Bro, did you plan this all along? Saying I could go back to having fun once I got my diploma, you were just tricking me."
Lu Yu did not answer directly, only saying, "You have grown up. It is time you did something productive."
Lu Xun wailed, "Is having fun not productive? Our family has so much money. If I do not spend more of it, is it not just going to waste sitting there? Mom! Say something to help me!"
"Well, just listen to your brother." Shu Qingqing stood up quietly and went upstairs, pulling Lu Bochuan along with her.
Lu Xun could only beg his own brother for mercy.
However, after begging for ages, Lu Yu remained completely unmoved.
But Lu Xun had no intention of compromising. So what if his cards were frozen? At worst, he could just ask his friends for help. With so many wealthy friends, he would not have to worry about money.
And so, relying on his friends' money, Lu Xun spent over half a month having fun in the Arctic.
He stayed home for a while, but when he was getting ready to set off for Africa, he found that none of his friends would come out to see him, let alone lend him money.
Upon asking around, he found out that his brother had spoken to all of them.
Lu Yu was over a decade older than him to begin with. Coupled with his current position as the head of the Lu Group and his status in the business world, all of Lu Xun's childhood friends naturally obeyed his brother's every word.
Lu Xun was furious!
He immediately ran to his brother's house, ready to complain to Yan Zhuxi.
"Sister-in-law, you have no idea, my brother has gone too far! He actually..." Lu Xun had barely started speaking when a noise came from the doorway.
An assistant helped Lu Yu walk in. Lu Yu's brows were tightly furrowed, and his left hand was clutching his stomach.
Lu Xun hurried over to support him. "Bro, what is wrong?"
"It is nothing," Lu Yu waved his hand.
"Bro, you look terrible. How could it be nothing?" Lu Xun picked up his phone, about to call the family doctor, but saw Yan Zhuxi take a box of medicine from a nearby cabinet, pop out two pills, and bring over a glass of water.
Lu Yu swallowed the pills with the water, then leaned back weakly against the sofa.
Lu Xun frowned. "Sister-in-law, what medicine is my brother taking?"
Yan Zhuxi replied, "Stomach medicine. It is fine, this is an old problem for your brother. He will be better after taking some medicine."
Lu Xun asked, "An old problem?"
The assistant said from the side, "Young Master, you do not know because you are not at the company. In a massive corporation like the Lu Group, there are countless matters waiting for the Eldest Young Master's decision every day, not to mention meetings and social engagements. Because of this, he is often so busy that he misses meals. Plus, drinking is inevitable during social events. Over time, his stomach has suffered."
Lu Yu raised a hand to interrupt him. "Assistant Sun, I am fine now. You should go home."
Yan Zhuxi rubbed Lu Yu's stomach for a while, then got up and went to the kitchen to cook some porridge.
Lu Xun pursed his lips and sat on the sofa. "Bro, I did not realize you were working so hard. You never mentioned it before."
Lu Yu forced a smile and rubbed his brother's head. "Do not worry, I will be fine in a bit after the medicine kicks in."
Lu Xun lowered his eyes and silently mimicked Yan Zhuxi's actions, gently rubbing his brother's stomach for him.
The next morning, when Lu Yu arrived at the company, he was surprised to see Lu Xun.
He handed some documents to his assistant. "Lu Xun, why are you here? It is true that I have not been a good brother lately. I will have the assistant unfreeze your cards in a moment, you..."
Lu Xun said, "Bro, it is not about the cards. I thought about it, and working at the company is fine. I have already visited all the places I wanted to see anyway, so it is not really that interesting anymore."
Lu Yu looked surprised. "Lu Xun, is that how you truly feel?"
Lu Xun nodded. "Yeah. I will work hard from now on and do my best to help you shoulder the company's burdens. You should stay home and rest well for a couple of days to recover from your illness."
Lu Yu looked gratified. "Our Lu Xun has grown up. Alright then, I will head back. Assistant Sun, make the arrangements for Lu Xun."
Over the next two days, Lu Xun worked hard to adapt to office life.
After work one day, the moment he got home, he saw Lu Zhaoyan sitting obediently on the sofa. There was no sign of Shu Qingqing. Upon asking, he found out that his parents had gone traveling again.
Lu Xun was long used to this. Ever since his brother took over the company, his parents would go off on trips at the drop of a hat.
He played with Lu Zhaoyan until past nine o'clock, but his brother and sister-in-law never came to pick her up. Lu Xun called them, only to discover that they had also gone on a trip.
Lu Xun said, "...Wait, bro, aren't you suffering from stomach pains? Why did you go traveling?"
Lu Yu replied, "Well, the doctor said that stomach pains are partly related to one's mood, so he suggested I go out to relax, which would be good for my condition. Your sister-in-law and I will be back in about a week, so we are leaving Lu Zhaoyan in your care during this time."
Lu Xun suspected nothing.
However, over the next six months or so, his brother would frequently go on trips with his sister-in-law, leaving Lu Zhaoyan for him to take care of.
Lu Xun gradually started to realize that something was not right. Had he been played by his brother?
As soon as his brother returned from his latest trip, Lu Xun immediately went to confront him.
"Bro, your stomach illness from before was fake, wasn't it? You just wanted me to feel sorry for you so I would agree to come work at the company."
Lu Yu replied, "How could someone fake being sick?" He had merely made his condition look a little more serious than it actually was.
Lu Xun retorted, "If it was not fake, how come you always have the energy to go traveling whenever you are sick? Aren't sick people supposed to stay home and rest?"
Lu Yu raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I tell you? The doctor suggested I go out and relax more, saying it would help with my condition."
Lu Xun's mouth twitched. "Bro, I am twenty-five, not five. You are still trying to fool me. Whatever, I will not argue with you. I just came to inform you that I will not be coming to work tomorrow."
Lu Yu simply said, "Your cards have not been unfrozen yet. Be a good boy and go to work."
Lu Xun shot him a resentful look: "Brother, you have finally shown your true colors. I don't care, I am definitely not coming into work anymore. Also, if you don't unfreeze my cards, I will tell my sister-in-law that a scantily clad female celebrity sneaked into your room during your last business trip."
Lu Yu laughed out of sheer exasperation: "I kicked her out immediately."
Lu Xun: "I don't care. Either way, my sister-in-law will definitely be angry if she finds out."
Lu Yu tapped his index finger against the desk, then leaned back in his chair: "If you dare tell your sister-in-law, I will tell Zhaoyan that her little uncle was still wetting the bed when he was almost five years old."
Lu Xun froze: "When did I ever do that?"
"That time when you were four, the first time you slept in my bed. I was afraid you would be embarrassed, so I had Mom and Nanny Li help me keep it a secret. If you don't believe me, you can go ask them." After saying this, Lu Yu raised an eyebrow: "Tell me, if Zhaoyan knew that her handsome and dashing little uncle was still wetting the bed at that age, what do you think..."
"Stop, stop, stop. Brother, say no more. I will go to work. I love working the most." Lu Xun walked out of the office, completely crestfallen.
Sigh, it seemed his brother did not love him anymore. What happened to brotherly love and respect?
