Since Lin Xinhe let go, his protagonist aura automatically shifted to Lu Xingzhi, and the Lin Family also went downhill after the protagonist aura shifted.
First, the Lin Family in the Imperial Government were found guilty of embezzlement and were sentenced to life imprisonment. Then, the Lin Family company ran into trouble, its stock price plummeted, and after paying all employees' salaries, the company declared bankruptcy.
Unable to bear the ridicule and scorn of thousands after his fall from a great height, Lin Xinhe and his father jumped from the company building and were reduced to pieces the very night they declared bankruptcy.
The Lin Family's assets were all sold off to pay off debts. After nearly a year of this ordeal, the Lin Family completely disappeared from S City. In the end, only Lin Xinhe, who had already foreseen the end, remained alive in the once-great Lin Family.
When Lin Xinhe left S City, the college entrance examination had already ended. He had achieved excellent results, but when filling out his college application, he did not apply to schools in S City; instead, he went to a school in the south.
He had already prepared an escape route for himself. In the south, he had a small house, completely independent of any of the Lin Family's assets, and he also had his own savings, enough to pay his tuition and live on.
Over there, he could work and study at the same time, and he wouldn't starve, but he wouldn't achieve much either.
Even if he still has a lot of potential, he's lost that adventurous spirit. Perhaps after seeing the true nature of things, he'll just become one of the ordinary people in this world—an NPC or a puppet, it doesn't matter...
Time flies, and it's New Year's Eve in the blink of an eye. Shen Liyan, who has differentiated into an Omega this year, is 18 years old, and his family is holding a very grand coming-of-age ceremony for him.
On the grassland, Shen Liyan was dressed up like a free-flying eagle, radiating his unique charm under the blue sky and white clouds. He danced amidst the laughter of his family and fell for Lu Xingzhi's gentle and doting gaze...
After that day, Shen Liyan and Lu Xingzhi got engaged. When Shen Liyan twenty-five, they would officially hold their wedding and obtain their marriage certificate.
They were happy, and so was Shen Lanting. At their engagement banquet, he cried the most, not out of sadness, but out of relief.
Do you need some tissues?
Lu Liuru sat next to Shen Lanting as usual, asking questions while handing him a tissue. Shen Lanting took it but didn't say thank you, wiping away tears as he cried even more.
Lu Liuru didn't know what to do, so she could only sit silently in the safe zone beside him, keeping him company, handing him tissues, and then handing him water when he had finished crying.
Shang Shujue, Song Yanqing, Shen Liyan, and Lu Xingzhi crouched quietly not far away, watching. Behind them, Lu Xingzhi's father and Qin Yu huddled together, peering in that direction.
" Xiaoru has been so stubborn since she was little. She's been chasing someone for eighteen years and still hasn't succeeded. Why doesn't she learn from Old Xiang in our clan, who's so smooth-talking? It's driving me crazy..."
Dad Lu finally couldn't help but speak his mind. Perhaps he had watched too many short dramas; he was no longer as silent as before and could occasionally crack a little joke with his son.
"Are they both just stubborn fools?" Shang Shujue couldn't help but glance at Lu Xingzhi and Shen Liyan, finally fixing her gaze on Shen Liyan and patting his head.
"I feel like my brother really likes Lu Erge, but he can't get over that mental hurdle. He feels that if he's with someone else, he'll be letting down your Alpha dad."
After hearing this, everyone was speechless for a moment. They all knew that Shen Lanting had always been a person with very high moral standards.
Therefore, they trusted him with many tasks, but they never expected him to hold himself to such high moral standards...
Shen Liyan paused slightly after hearing this, unsure of what to say. After thinking for a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "But Dad is so sad, will my Alpha dad really be happy to know?"
"Your Alpha father loved him very much. If he knew that his death had caused his beloved so much distress when she was about to find happiness, he would probably be heartbroken too."
Shang Shujue didn't have many memories of Shen Lanting's lover, but he knew that the man was an upright and brave soldier who had married into a wealthy military family after his death and was now very happy.
Shen Lanting's stubborn insistence was actually just making things difficult for himself, but he wasn't Shen Lanting and couldn't say anything, since everyone's moral standards are different.
"Shh... don't talk, Lu Liuru finally going to move!"
Qin Yu was so excited that she almost screamed, but she managed to attract everyone's attention.
Everyone looked over and saw that Lu Liuru had been handing out water, said something after putting the water down, and then the two of them hugged.
Everyone held their breath, their hearts screaming: Ahhh--They hugged! They hugged! They hugged!!!
Unaware that they were being watched, Lu Liuru and Shen Lanting were still embracing. To call it an embrace was a bit of an exaggeration; Shen Lanting was gently leaning on Lu Liuru's shoulder, while Lu Liuru very discreetly put her arm around his shoulder and patted him like she was comforting a baby.
Such a hug wouldn't normally have any romantic undertones, but the problem is, it was the first time the two of them had crossed such a line, which is why it excited onlookers.
" Brother Ru." Shen Lanting lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Her gaze was fixed on the crumpled tissue between her fingers as she softly called Lu Liuru's name, her voice a little hoarse, "Come with me to the cemetery. I want to see him."
At first, Lu Liuru didn't understand who Shen Lanting was referring to. After a moment, she realized what he meant, and her breath caught in her throat for a second, but she quickly recovered, "Okay."
Lu Liuru and Shen Lanting parted ways. They entered the tent one after the other, and came out carrying bamboo baskets filled with incense and fruit. Their destination was obvious.
Watching the two figures walk away, the crowd could only sigh, disperse, and go home. They were always like this; they could never be friends, and they could never be lovers...