Xu Junshan had clearly gotten up later than usual. He looked exhausted, with pronounced dark circles beneath his eyes, nothing like his usual confident, energetic self.
When he came downstairs, Shen Shuyi and several of the children were already eating breakfast in the dining room.
Xu Mingyue suddenly exclaimed,
"Dad, what happened to your face?"
At once, everyone in the dining room turned to look at Xu Junshan's face.
Embarrassed, Xu Junshan awkwardly covered his scratched cheek and offered a stiff explanation.
"I wasn't paying attention when I got up last night and walked into a door."
He shot Xu Mingyue a displeased glance. His daughter really had to bring up the one thing he didn't want mentioned. Where had her usual tact gone?
[He didn't walk into a door. He got scratched trying to break up a fight. Whether it was the mistress or his younger sister who scratched him, though, I have no idea!]
"How could you be so careless? Should we call a doctor to take a look?" Shen Shuyi nearly laughed, but she managed to force a concerned expression onto her face as she stood up and asked.
"No need. It's just a scratch," Xu Junshan replied expressionlessly, walking over to sit at the head of the table.
Shen Jinyan glanced at his seventh sister, his heart sinking.
If he hadn't been completely certain before, the scratches on his father's face now confirmed that the man at the scene had been their father.
He had still clung to a sliver of hope, but his father's deliberate concealment now looked all too much like a guilty man scrambling to cover his tracks. That last bit of hope was utterly shattered.
It turned out they didn't know their father at all.
"The weather's nice today. Why don't we go visit my mother-in-law after breakfast?" Shen Shuyi suggested after a while.
"Mom's gone out with friends. Let's go another day!" Xu Junshan looked up and forced a smile.
The smile pulled at his scratches, making him suck in a breath of pain. His expression instantly twisted into a grimace.
The Shen brothers stared, dumbfounded.
"Dad, the injuries on your face don't look like you walked into something. They look more like cat scratches.
Shouldn't you see a doctor and get a rabies shot, just to be safe?" Shen Qingfeng blurted out, his eyes wide.
Shen Banxia nearly ducked her head beneath the table, afraid she wouldn't be able to keep herself from laughing.
Her sixth brother certainly lived up to his troublemaker reputation. He never thought before he spoke!
Xu Junshan nearly coughed up blood. He glared at his youngest son and snapped,
"Eat your breakfast. Nobody will think you're mute if you keep your mouth shut!"
Xu Mingyue seemed to realize something. This time, she didn't dare say a word and simply lowered her head to eat in silence.
Shen Qingfeng pouted, looking aggrieved and innocent. Was it wrong to worry about his dad?
Just then, Xu Junshan's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and discreetly rejected the call.
"Something at work?" Shen Shuyi asked with concern.
"No. A spam call," Xu Junshan replied expressionlessly.
Despite saying that, Xu Junshan hurriedly finished his coffee, left the dining room, and headed out.
[More drama to watch! Things are really lively at that old woman's place.]
Shen Shuyi finished her breakfast at a leisurely pace. After all, she needed a full stomach to have the energy to enjoy the show.
After Shen Shuyi left, Shen Banxia immediately put on a bored expression and suggested a countryside outing to the two brothers who were still home.
The second brother had nothing to do anyway. Besides, he'd picked up some juicy gossip while out with his seventh sister yesterday. Perhaps there would be another surprise today, so he naturally had no objections.
Judging by his seventh sister's reaction, the fourth brother suspected she was up to something again. To keep her from causing trouble, he agreed.
And so the three of them set off in two cars.
Shen Banxia got into her fourth brother's SUV.
She chose his car because she hadn't had her fill of the entertainment industry gossip he'd shared last time. This was the perfect chance to hear more.
"Fourth Brother, last time you said you got into a fight with that guy called Li-something. Did you win or lose?"
"What a joke. Do I look like someone who'd lose a fight?"
"Absolutely!" He was tall and slender, and so good-looking. One glance told her he wasn't the fighting type, but someone who needed protecting.
Shen Ruogu turned to glance at his seventh sister, wondering if he'd misheard her.
"Are you really my sister?"
"As long as Mom gave birth to you, I am!"
"..." Shen Ruogu was speechless.
"How could your fourth brother possibly lose? That guy had better not cross my path again. If he does, I'll beat him up every time I see him."
[Fourth Brother really has it in for that Li-something guy. Is it because of love? Or is it because of love?]
Shen Ruogu froze, nearly forgetting how to drive. He glanced at his seventh sister. What the hell was she talking about?
"Uh... your fourth brother is straight!"
"Oh!" Shen Banxia replied woodenly.
Her tone made it clear she didn't believe him, nearly infuriating Shen Ruogu enough to make him cough up blood.
Forget it. His seventh sister was still young. She wouldn't understand even if he explained.
Just then, Shen Ruogu's phone rang. It was his manager. He tapped his Bluetooth earpiece to answer.
On the other end, his manager, Xiao Bai, said there was a new period drama with a big-name director and a top star as the female lead. They wanted him for the second male lead, and Xiao Bai had already accepted on his behalf.
Before Shen Ruogu could speak,
[Fourth Brother took this role, and the female lead accused him of harassment. He already had plenty of haters, but that made him the most despised actor on the entire internet.]
[When Fourth Brother defended himself, they accused him of lashing out in humiliation. This drama was also the spark that eventually led to a hater stabbing him to death.]
[The female lead was the one who had a crush on my fourth brother and wanted to use her position to get him into bed. When he refused, she called it harassment. Talk about twisting the truth.]
[Fourth Brother's death was pretty unjust. But then again, he always threw his weight around like a big star, and his acting was terrible. Nobody trusted his character, so naturally they didn't believe him!]
Shen Ruogu was too shocked to speak, until his manager protested on the other end,
"...Are you even listening?"
"I'm not taking it. I'm on vacation!"
"I already gave them my word!"
"Whoever agreed can play the part. Not my problem!"
"Shen Ruo, just try pulling that diva act on me again!" Shen Ruo was Shen Ruogu's stage name.
Shen Ruogu hung up and blocked his manager, Xiao Bai.
On the other end, Xiao Bai was so furious he nearly blew a gasket and dropped dead.
"Fourth Brother, why won't you take it? It's such a great opportunity. Who knows? This drama might make you truly famous!" Shen Banxia asked, looking surprised.
After all, notoriety was still fame.
Shen Banxia's eagerness to watch the drama unfold, no matter how bad things got, left Shen Ruogu speechless.
"Can't I just not want to take it?"
"Sure. Fourth Brother's the biggest star!"
[Sigh. If Fourth Brother doesn't take this drama, the female lead won't get the chance to accuse him of harassment. What a shame to miss out on such explosive gossip!]
Shen Ruogu broke into a cold sweat. Was his seventh sister hoping he'd march off to his death?
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