Father and Son

Seeing this poem, Wu Wei's fist tightened quietly, then relaxed just as quickly.

He admitted that he was starting to appreciate Lan Meng a little; her performance now was much stronger than before.

At the very least, she had shed her psychological baggage and was finally beginning to display the poise of a Lan Family young lady and a Student Council Vice President.

It was nothing like the timid, submissive way she had acted in front of him previously.

When dealing with a sycophant, whether they are a "god" or "goddess" in the eyes of others, one never truly takes them seriously in their heart; that is only natural.

However, Wu Wei still would not get angry because of her.

He was rarely even moved to emotion.

Because, when there is no feeling, there is simply no feeling.

"Lan Meng, you are very cute. Keep it up, don't suppress your true nature."

After sending this message to Lan Meng, Wu Wei tossed his phone aside.

Lan Meng was fine.

It was a pity that his heart was not in it.

From a long time ago, he had rarely wasted time on such trivial matters.

Wu Wei lay on his bed, the image of his mother appearing in his mind.

If she were still here, how would she handle this situation with Wu Tian?

"Mom, I really miss you so much."

While Wu Wei was thinking of Lin Shen, Wu Tian was also reminiscing about her.

He took a photograph out from his bedside table.

It was a picture of him and Lin Shen together.

The pair of star-crossed lovers in the photo had once been the envy of many.

But this photo had been taped back together.

One could clearly see from the middle that it had once been torn into two halves, only to be glued back together later.

He stared at it for a very, very long time.

The next morning.

The Wu Tian that Wu Wei saw was a middle-aged man with bloodshot eyes and a weary expression.

"Dad, you didn't sleep all night?"

"Mm, I couldn't sleep."

Wu Wei felt no sympathy; instead, he said bluntly, "Serves you right. Who told you to not keep your lower half in check? Look at me, your son, how self-disciplined I am."

Wu Tian: "..."

You brat, you waste my genes like this, and you still have the face to be proud?

He really had been completely corrupted by Lin Shen.

"Have you decided what to do?" Wu Wei continued to ask.

"Let's go get a paternity test done with that Zhao Xin first."

Even a tiger does not eat its own cubs. Wu Tian did not fully understand Wu Wei, but he did have some understanding of Lin Shen.

Raised single-handedly by Lin Shen, Wu Wei could not possibly be some gentle, modest, and yielding youth.

He was afraid that Wu Wei might strike with lethal intent.

Such decisiveness and ruthlessness had been displayed vividly by Lin Shen in the past, and this had been the greatest point of contention between him and Lin Shen after they married.

Regrettably, he had also lost when it came to the education of his son.

Wu Wei frowned, looking somewhat displeased: "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Wu Tian knew his choice might have hurt Wu Wei, so he explained earnestly: "Regardless of the result, you will always be my son, the son I love the most."

Wu Wei sneered: "Dad, don't say I don't respect you, but I've seen this episode before."

"Hm?"

"You write novels and work as a screenwriter; don't you think this plot feels very familiar? A secret illegitimate child suddenly pops up and starts challenging the status of the legitimate, wealthy, and handsome heir. The father feels indebted to the illegitimate child and begins to compensate them out of guilt. The original heir loses his composure and starts dealing with the illegitimate child in all sorts of ways."

"In the end, the cuckoo takes over the nest, and the illegitimate child successfully ascends to become the new protagonist. No, to be precise, perhaps he was the protagonist all along, and I am merely a villainous boss on his life's path."

A mocking smile hung on Wu Wei's face.

He was, of course, a top student, and in more than just one field.

As a former Vice Dean of Night Emperor Academy, Lin Shen had associated only with the learned and the elite; naturally, she would never have raised her son to be a bookworm.

Even though his attitude toward Wu Tian was already quite insubordinate, when faced with this kind of situation, Wu Wei still did not want to suppress his grievances.

In terms of bloodline, he did indeed have to submit to Wu Tian.

But that did not mean he was going to be a puppet.

Especially when he sensed that the development of events might be heading in a different direction.

Wu Tian thought for a moment, then said with some hesitation, "Zhao Xin might not even be my son; perhaps you're overthinking it."

"As long as you go for a test, he will be—even if he isn't, he will be. What era do you think this is? Is it hard to forge results? Even if you don't forge them, is it hard to swap blood?" Wu Wei stated his opinion aggressively. "This matter is obvious: Zhao Xin is indeed your son, or someone wants him to be your son. Don't play dumb, Dad. You aren't a fool, and I don't like your current attitude."

Wu Tian fell silent.

He knew that Wu Wei was actually right.

If Zhao Xin was not his son, then someone wanted Zhao Xin to be his son.

After all these years, had Zhao Liang really never checked his paternity with Zhao Xin?

When it came down to it, he was just clinging to wishful thinking.

"What Mom hates most about you is your indecisiveness and your 'central air conditioning' personality." Wu Wei said coldly.

Wu Tian was no longer silent. "And is it better to be heartless, cold, and unreasonable like your mother?"

"Mom isn't heartless or cold; she is only good to her own people." Wu Wei immediately retorted. "Some people don't deserve her kindness at all. Why should she care about what others think?"

"So what about me? Do I not deserve it either?"

"You brought it on yourself, Dad. A 'central air conditioner' is essentially a scumbag; I agree with Mom's view. I know you haven't cheated since getting married, but you still deserve it. A married man should know what boundaries are."

"Then what about her? Didn't she spend all her time with other men working on that God-Conferring Project after we married? How is that any different from me?"

"The difference is that Mom was building a career, while you were acting out of spite." Wu Wei said very calmly.

Perhaps he had been brainwashed by Lin Shen.

But Wu Wei truly believed now that it was Wu Tian's lack of self-confidence that had destroyed the relationship between him and Lin Shen.

"Dad, if Mom had really liked someone else, you wouldn't have had a chance from the very beginning. You know in your heart that you were always the one with the least to offer."

"You're my son, how can you talk like that?"

"I love my dad, but I also love the truth. The truth is just that, Dad. You lack confidence, you lack conviction, and that is why I will never become a second version of you. You wanted me to grow up without constraints, you wanted me to have more happiness, and you thought Mom was suppressing my nature. But a man, if he lacks the corresponding achievements and status, can never be truly happy."

"In the world of adults, there is never such a thing as 'easy.' Being unconstrained is just a utopia. I understood this truth after I turned ten; you are forty this year, and you still don't get it."

Wu Tian pointed toward the door and shouted at Wu Wei, "Get out! I don't have a son like you."

Wu Wei felt a pang of pain in his heart, but he did not regret it.

"I'll handle the matter regarding Zhao Xin. Dad, trust me, with your personality, you can't solve this kind of problem."

After saying this, Wu Wei turned and walked toward the door.

Wu Tian opened his mouth, wanting to call Wu Wei back, but he never spoke.

He felt terrible.

Watching Wu Wei's retreating figure, Wu Tian's tears flowed uncontrollably.

He remembered a passage he once liked very much:

"I slowly, slowly came to realize that the relationship between parent and child simply means that your fate with them is to watch their back as they drift further and further away in this lifetime."

"You stand on this side of the path, watching them gradually disappear around the bend, and they use their back to silently tell you: 'No need to chase.'"

No need to chase!