Sang Lu's thoughts were a whirlwind.
Suddenly, she realized her understanding of money was entirely different from that of the ultra-wealthy elite.
What she believed shouldn’t be accepted, in Old Master Feng’s words, became something that shouldn’t be refused.
Countless words collided in her chest.
But by the time she spoke, her heart had already settled into acceptance.
With a touch of humility, a dash of sincerity, and a hundred percent enthusiasm, she transformed her words into a string of flawless, flattering praise:
"Grandpa, Feng Yan being able to speak again doesn’t really have much to do with me, haha. I just accompanied and observed a little when Doctor Ji came to the house."
"Most of all, it’s because Feng Yan himself is incredibly amazing~"
"Oh, and of course, Grandpa, your encouragement and care must have played a decisive role too!"
"Grandpa, don’t worry. I believe Feng Yan will recover bit by bit. We’re all very confident~"
Old Master Feng was so delighted by Sang Lu’s words that his smile stretched wide.
In his joy, he habitually tapped the ground with his cane.
Hearing his granddaughter-in-law affectionately call Feng Yan "A-Yan" over and over, his mind began wandering to potential names for his future great-grandchild.
Nearby, a man with an air of cool indifference lazily turned the fishing reel.
A fish bit the hook, and he expertly began reeling it in.
But when he heard Sang Lu repeatedly call him "A-Yan," Feng Yan’s hands paused mid-motion. He turned to look at her.
The nickname "A-Yan" wasn’t unfamiliar to Feng Yan.
But the number of times he’d heard it from Sang Lu’s lips could be counted on one hand.
The last time was a month ago, when they visited the old family home, and she had addressed him that way in front of Old Master Feng.
Compared to the old man calling him that, hearing it from Sang Lu…
Stirred something indescribable in him.
Sang Lu sensed a gaze lingering on her and slowly turned to find Feng Yan watching her.
His sleeves were rolled up, his posture relaxed and unhurried. The usual icy sharpness in his demeanor had softened, replaced by a quiet depth in his dark eyes—so profound and captivating.
For some reason, his rare gentleness emboldened her.
She arched a playful brow and asked lightly,
"Right, A-Yan~?"
Feng Yan’s gaze froze. "…"
The sudden intimacy of the address made his grip on the reel falter slightly.
The fish slipped free.
With a splash, it darted back into the water, swift and nimble.
Gone in an instant.
Just like the inexplicable emotion that flickered through his heart.
Here one moment, vanished the next.
No trace of where it had come from.
…
When Feng Yi and Feng Bai arrived at the old estate’s backyard, this was the scene that greeted them—
Old Master Feng, known as the "King of Hell," was laughing so hard his beard and silver temples trembled.
Their eldest brother, usually a master angler, had somehow let a fish escape mid-catch. The ever-composed, authoritative aura around him had faded, replaced by a fleeting gentleness.
And standing between them was Sang Lu.
Glancing left, then right.
Beaming, her smile vivid and radiant.
Feng Yi and Feng Bai blinked in unison: …
What an unfamiliar sight.
Back at the fishing platform, Sang Lu also heard the fish’s splash as it escaped.
She puzzled over it for a second.
Hadn’t Old Master Feng said Feng Yan was an expert at fishing? How could the fish slip away at the final moment?
She didn’t understand the intricacies of fishing.
But she was fluent in the art of words.
Ah, so what if the fish got away?
Right now, she and Feng Yan were in the same boat.
Having accepted such a generous gift from Old Master Feng, she could turn black into white if she had to!
Sang Lu's lips curled up into a smile brimming with admiration.
Her voice rang out clear and bright:
"Grandpa, look! Feng Yan just released a fish back into the water!"
Old Master Feng shifted his gaze toward his eldest grandson, who stood tall and composed as he rebaited his fishing hook.
With eyes sparkling in amusement, Sang Lu added, "Feng Yan being able to speak again must be heaven's blessing. It’s surely connected to all the good karma he’s built by releasing creatures and doing good deeds~"
"......" Feng Yan paused, momentarily stunned.
After a few seconds of silence...
He pinched the bridge of his nose, a faint, helpless smile tugging at the corners of his handsome face.
Not far away,
Feng Yi and Feng Bai stood frozen in place.
Hearing Sang Lu’s words, surprise and joy flickered across their faces simultaneously.
Big Brother spoke again!
Really? No way—
This is too, too, too amazing!
But… can we really trust Sister-in-law’s words? The part about him releasing animals often sounded a bit far-fetched, didn’t it?
Does Feng Yan actually do that?
They’d never heard of it.
For a brief moment, both Feng Yi and Feng Bai hesitated.
In that split second of doubt, people instinctively turn to the person nearest to them.
Slowly, the two brothers turned their heads—
Their gazes collided mid-air.
Sizzle—
It was as if sparks had ignited.
Suddenly,
Both wiped all expression from their faces.
Feng Yi scowled and looked away with disdain.
Feng Bai, utterly exasperated, averted his droopy eyes.
Feng Yi was the first to speak up, greeting them:
"Old man, Big Brother, Sister-in-law—I’m back."
His brows lifted slightly, his tone carefully restrained, yet the natural arrogance of a young master from a wealthy family still seeped through.
The three by the fishing platform turned at the sound of his voice.
Right then,
Feng Bai pulled his hands out of his pockets and gave a casual wave.
His voice flat, he greeted:
"Grandpa. Big Brother. Sister-in-law."
Sang Lu smiled and waved back at them.
Internally, she mused: Not to compare, but really—whether it’s the way he greets or his tone, Feng Bai is just so much more pleasant than Feng Yi.
As the two approached,
Sang Lu took the chance to observe the brothers side by side.
Feng Bai wasn’t wearing his usual over-ear headphones today. Two tufts of ash-blue hair stuck up adorably from his head, and his droopy eyes—lifeless yet oddly youthful—clashed with his gloomy expression, creating a strangely endearing contrast.
Beside him, Feng Yi was… also present.
Sang Lu’s gaze drifted downward.
She noted their outfits.
Feng Bai wore a black hoodie with gray sweatpants—standard college-boy attire, clean and simple, like a quiet teen straight out of a manga.
Beside him, Feng Yi was also… clothed.
When the two finally reached them, Sang Lu naturally struck up a conversation with Feng Bai.
Sang Lu: "Have you run into those troublemakers at 'Silent Spicy' recently? They haven’t been bothering you again, have they?"
Feng Bai hadn’t expected his sister-in-law to initiate a chat with him.
He turned his head slowly, his voice low but firm:
"Haven’t seen them. But even if I did, I wouldn’t back down."
His tone was indifferent, but the resolve in his words was unmistakable.
Sang Lu grinned—
The kind of grin an auntie might have while doting on a favorite nephew.
As an avid anime fan, Feng Bai reminded her of those brooding yet kind-hearted boys from her favorite shows.
The more she looked at him, the more she liked him.
If only Feng Bai were my real little brother, she thought wistfully. Then I could ruffle that ash-blue hair of his all I want.
Across from her, Feng Bai peered at Sang Lu through half-lidded eyes, suspicion creeping in.
The last time they’d met near the TV station, Sister-in-law had given him the exact same look.
So weird…
It almost felt like… she was looking at a pet.
And once that thought took root—
Feng Bai felt that something was off in every possible way.
He slowly shifted his gaze and coughed twice, as if to remind his sister-in-law that he was, in fact, human.
Perhaps because she had stood up for him against that band of troublemakers last time, his previous unfavorable impression of her had gradually faded.
Now, all that remained was confusion.
He found his sister-in-law to be someone whose thoughts were impossible to decipher.
It suddenly occurred to him—could his elder brother figure her out?
Probably.
After all, his elder brother was capable of anything.
...
On the other side, several steps away, Feng Yi lazily glanced over out of the corner of his eye.
He saw his sister-in-law seemingly chatting with Feng Bai.
Instantly, a wave of bewilderment washed over him.
What could his sister-in-law possibly have to talk about with that guy? That guy was like a ghost, devoid of any liveliness.
It made no sense.
He furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment before ultimately attributing this oddity to one thing—his sister-in-law simply talked way too much.
After a long while, he noticed that his sister-in-law had finished her conversation with Feng Bai and turned on her heel, walking straight toward him.
His pulse jumped.
Don’t tell me she’s coming to talk to me now?
Please, no. He wasn’t in the mood for interaction.
But… with his elder brother present…
Would it be rude not to respond if his sister-in-law initiated a conversation?
With that thought, Feng Yi’s shoulders slumped slightly.
He sighed inwardly.
By the time his mind had cycled through eight hundred different thoughts in a single second, his sister-in-law was already standing right in front of him.
He tilted his chin up, preparing to toss out a few perfunctory words.
Then, suddenly, he realized—her footsteps hadn’t slowed at all…
She just… walked right past him?
Feng Yi’s lips twitched. "..."
What the hell?
She could chat and laugh with Feng Bai, but when it came to him, she just treated him like thin air?
