After Reborn, I Became the Bigshots' Beloved-Chapter 406 Cunning

An inexplicable tacit understanding.

Seeing this, Shi Muchuan looked at Lu Sheng again and repeated in a low, steady tone, "You go ahead."

Lu Sheng paused for a moment before speaking, "...Actually, I just wanted to apologize on behalf of my mother."

Lu Sheng had heard from Shi Erya before that when Shi Muchuan’s mother passed away, it was the day before his eighth birthday.

It was hard to imagine how devastating such an event must have been for a child. Shi Muchuan must have taken a long time to emerge from that shadow and grow into his current composed and mature self.

The debt to Shi Chengyun had already been paid, but as for Shi Muchuan, Shi Suyu, and that still-unseen Shi Xiche, Lu Sheng couldn’t help but feel a lingering guilt.

"What happened back then was just an accident; it wasn’t your fault," Shi Muchuan said with a faint hint of melancholy in his eyes as he lowered them.

"Besides, if children are truly meant to bear the consequences of their parents’ mistakes, then I should be the one apologizing. After all, my stepmother did such things to you, and my father blindly defended her without distinguishing right from wrong."

So even Shi Muchuan thought Shi Chengyun lacked discernment. The youngest and most promising lawyer in China’s legal field still had a proper moral compass, luckily not led astray by his father.

"Then what were you going to say a moment ago?" Lu Sheng asked.

Shi Muchuan, while continuing to disinfect Lu Sheng’s wound, began to speak, "What I wanted to say earlier was that, before you returned to the Shi Family, I had seen your statements online."

"My statements?" Lu Sheng was taken aback.

"Yes, what you said about why you wanted to study law."

Shi Muchuan recalled, "At the time, some of the new graduates interning at our law firm shared your remarks in our group chat, and by chance, I saw them."

"I remember thinking, if I ever went back to Beijing University to give a lecture, I could find an opportunity to meet such an outstanding high school student."

"I never thought that before I could act on that thought, I’d come home and be told that this exceptional high school student was actually my biological sister."

Shi Muchuan discarded the used cotton swabs, opened a bandage package, and said, "That feeling—it’s quite surreal."

"Do you... not dislike me?" Lu Sheng asked hesitantly, surprised by his words.

"Dislike?"

Shi Muchuan cautiously applied the bandage to the wound on Lu Sheng’s neck and replied, "Back then, I thought that any girl who could say those words must have a solid moral foundation and a strong will—unlike most high school students."

"I admired you before, and now... maybe this is the wonder of blood ties."

"From the moment you woke up from your fainting earlier and murmured ’brother’ to me in your grogginess, I felt that I, as an older brother, have a duty and responsibility to protect my sister. I ought to shield you."

"Besides, before that incident years ago, Second Aunt genuinely loved me. Even with my mother involved, I still felt sorrow when I learned she was gravely ill and passed away."

"Furthermore, having both lost our mothers, I fully understand all the pain you’ve endured, so I can’t bring myself to harbor resentment or blame towards a child like you."

"...Thank you," Lu Sheng was deeply moved by the sincerity in his words. After a moment, she said, "If my mother could hear your words, she would definitely be touched."

Lu Sheng’s "thank you" was heartfelt. After this conversation, an unseen gap between them seemed to close.

However, given how late it was, after bandaging Lu Sheng’s wound, Shi Muchuan left the room to let her get some rest.

Yet as Lu Sheng lay in bed, replaying the events of the night, there was one thing she couldn’t figure out.

She and Lin Fangling’s Fox Demon had no enmity. They hadn’t even exchanged words during the day, barely even crossed paths, let alone shared a glance.

So why, by evening, did Lin Fangling suddenly harbor the idea of killing her?

What could she possibly gain from killing her?

Was it really just to stop her from inheriting a share meant for her child? But a Fox Demon, knowing full well that she was far stronger than her, would she really take such a risk for that reason?

Unable to suppress her doubts, Lu Sheng frowned, and suddenly thought of Shi Yuwei’s behavior earlier that evening.

From the moment she entered her room and saw the scene inside, she showed no shock or astonishment.

As if everything was within her expectations, she stood at the back with her arms crossed, watching the drama unfold like a spectator.

Did Lin Fangling share her plans with her? Or was Shi Yuwei directly involved in orchestrating tonight’s attempt on her life?

At this thought, Lu Sheng’s gaze grew icy.

They had agreed to maintain peace, each minding their own business. If Shi Yuwei had indeed masterminded this, then she was the one who had broken the agreement first.

In that case, she shouldn’t blame Lu Sheng for responding in kind.

-

The next morning.

After the hubbub that lasted into the late hours of the night, Old Mr. Shi also woke up late the next day.

Assisted by the caregiver to the dining table, the servants had already prepared breakfast. Shi Erya got up to serve porridge for her father.

Seeing just the two of them at the table, Shi Mingxiu asked, "Erya, what’s going on? Why is it just us having breakfast?"

Shi Erya replied, "Muchuan left early for the law firm—he has a court case today. Xiao Yu and Luochen finished breakfast and went to their math and logic classes. Shengsheng and Yuwei are probably still asleep."

"As for Big Brother and Sister-in-law..." Shi Erya’s tone became awkward. "Dad, you said last night that Sister-in-law could only have one meal today as punishment. Big Brother said if she wasn’t eating, then neither would he. When I went upstairs to call them, he scolded me and sent me back."

"Chengyun actually dared to scold you?" Old Mr. Shi’s voice immediately grew angry. "He’s not just scolding you—this is defiance against me!"

"If it weren’t for Shengsheng saying not to pursue the matter last night, I’d have called the police and had his wife arrested. Now she’s just not allowed to eat and is confined to reflect on her actions, and he has the nerve to object? Outrageous! My poor Shengsheng!"

Seeing the old man upset, Shi Erya quickly tried to calm him. "Dad, don’t be angry. After what happened last night, Sister-in-law definitely wouldn’t dare to mess with Shengsheng again. We’ll just pay more attention to Shengsheng in the future."

Just as she finished speaking, Lu Sheng woke up and entered the dining room.

She greeted Shi Mingxiu and Shi Erya, "Good morning, Grandpa, Aunt."

The girl’s slightly messy, inky-black hair draped over her shoulders. She was wearing a simple cotton-linen camisole nightgown that exposed her delicate collarbones and slender arms and legs. Her feet were adorned with ankle-length socks and fluffy white slippers.

However, she clearly hadn’t rested well. Her small, palm-sized face was marked by faint dark circles under her eyes, her complexion pale. Yet this gave her an otherworldly, fragile elegance that surpassed even yesterday’s impression.

"Shengsheng, you’re up!" Shi Erya immediately noticed the bandage on Lu Sheng’s neck and felt a pang of heartache. Her voice softened, "Come sit down. Auntie will get you some porridge. What would you like to eat?"

Lu Sheng sat down at the table and was about to reply when a servant approached and said, "Third Miss, please have your breakfast as well. I’ll serve Miss Lu Sheng her porridge."

Setting the table, distributing utensils, and serving food were the servants’ duties.

So Shi Erya thought nothing of it and simply handed the ladle to the servant.

The servant swiftly served a bowl of porridge, then respectfully offered the steaming bowl to Lu Sheng.

This newly arrived Miss Lu Sheng hadn’t only miraculously saved the dying Old Mr. Shi upon her arrival, but as his granddaughter and life-saver, she had become central to his favor.

Though nothing serious had happened to her last night, Old Mr. Shi still forbade the First Lady from eating, making her kneel in the Buddhist hall for two weeks—a punishment severe enough to terrify everyone.

Watching everything unfold last night, the servants had come to understand how important Lu Sheng was to Old Mr. Shi.

Of course, they intended to treat her with extra care moving forward, if only to curry favor with the old man.

But just as the servant extended the bowl to Lu Sheng—

The next second, it seemed as if their hand lost control, and the bowl slipped—it fell straight onto Lu Sheng’s chest!

This was freshly cooked porridge, still steaming hot!

The servant was so stunned they froze, while most of the porridge spilled onto Lu Sheng’s body.

The girl’s previously clean white nightgown was now a mess of scattered rice and liquid, her collarbone already scalded and turning red.

The floor was littered with shards of the shattered bowl and spattered porridge, a complete disaster.

"Shengsheng!!" Shi Erya gasped sharply and leapt from her chair to Lu Sheng’s side.

Shi Mingxiu, too panicked to wait for his caregiver, hurriedly stood up, "Shengsheng, are you okay? Were you burned? Let Grandpa see!"

Seeing Lu Sheng in such a state, with her skin scalded by the porridge, Shi Mingxiu grew angrier and fixed his gaze on the servant who had served the porridge.

His voice was filled with reproach: "How could you be so careless? You couldn’t even hold a bowl properly? Or was it deliberate?" freёweɓnovel.com

The young servant, intimidated by Old Mr. Shi’s outburst, was on the verge of tears as they stammered a defense.

"N-no... I didn’t do it on purpose, Old Master. I was holding it securely—I don’t know what happened, but the bowl just..."

"Still arguing?!"

To Shi Mingxiu, the idea of a securely held bowl suddenly falling was absurd—plain nonsense.

Yet before he could say more, Lu Sheng spoke up calmly, "Grandpa, it wasn’t deliberate."

Shi Mingxiu was startled. "Shengsheng, how can you be certain it wasn’t deliberate?"

With her body disheveled and her skin stinging from the burn, Lu Sheng drew in a sharp breath.

She knew it wasn’t intentional because, at the very moment the servant dropped the porridge, the Death Seeking Bell on her bracelet had rung.

The Death Seeking Bell only reacted when a demon used Soul Power to harm her. Which meant a demon had deliberately caused the servant to drop the porridge on her.

Was it Shi Yuwei or Lin Fangling?

Was it merely an act of petty revenge, or was there some deeper purpose?

But then, from the stairs four or five meters away, Lu Sheng instinctively glanced over and saw Shi Yuwei descending leisurely.

Clad in an elegant beige qipao of high-quality fabric, its hand-embroidered floral patterns accentuated the girl’s slender waist and graceful figure.

Her hair was styled into an updo, with soft waves framing her face. Her light makeup was both exquisite and understated, making her appear every bit the refined and dignified debutante.

A gaze passed between them across the room. Only they understood the unspoken tension carried in that exchange—a spark that ignited the air between them.

Shi Yuwei’s expression didn’t change as her attention fell on Lu Sheng’s soiled clothes, as though she had anticipated it.

Lu Sheng’s pupils narrowed slightly, her first question now answered, as her own demeanor turned icy.

The next sound she heard, however, was the "beep" of the house’s main door unlocking, followed by the creak of it being pushed open—

Stepping inside was none other than Shi Suxin, who had stormed out angrily the day before.

Trailing behind her was a man holding a microphone, clad like a journalist, and another man carrying a camera. Both entered right after.

Shi Suxin ignored the scene in the house, warmly greeting the newcomers:

"Ah, Qingmang TV is the most popular channel in all of China; every show you produce goes viral. Even while I was abroad, I’d watch them frequently."

"Journalist Lin, what an honor that you’re here to broadcast live and interview our Yuwei for your new program. You should’ve let us know earlier so that we could properly prepare the house!"

Journalist Lin, slightly confused, responded, "Uh? We called Yuwei three days ago to confirm. Didn’t she inform the family ahead of time?"