Yan Shengbing was also terrified that Yan Heqing had been sent back and the five million was gone. He stood up and asked urgently, "Did you sign? Young Master Lu..."
"Ahem!" Zhao Huilin cut Yan Shengbing off, took a few hundred yuan from her pocket, and pressed it into her son's hand. "Fengfeng, go out and play for a while."
She certainly didn't want her precious son hearing about the disgraceful things Yan Heqing did.
Yan Feng had wanted to go out and play for ages. "Okay!"
He took the money and stuffed it into his trouser pocket, his eyes darting as he hatched a plan.
He hated Yan Heqing. He wasn't his brother at all. His dad had said Yan Heqing was an orphan nobody wanted. Why did his grades have to be so good? Because of him, Mom wouldn't let him go out to play and kept making him stay home and do homework.
Just now, Mom had even said that Yan Heqing had gotten into a top university, so he had to go to a prestigious university too, and she'd signed him up for tutoring.
He couldn't play because of him. He wanted revenge!
Yan Feng glared resentfully at Yan Heqing.
This time, he would stomp on Yan Heqing's foot until it swelled!
He loved stomping on Yan Heqing's feet most. Yan Heqing didn't dare dodge. If he did, he would tell his dad and have his dad kick Yan Heqing. After being kicked a few times, Yan Heqing had learned his lesson and obediently let him stomp on his feet every time.
He weighed over 150 jin now. He was plenty strong enough!
Yan Feng went to the doorway and deliberately changed into a pair of cleats. As he passed through the doorway, he aimed at the top of Yan Heqing's foot and stomped down hard.
But just as he stomped down, Yan Heqing moved away.
Thud.
His foot landed on the threshold.
"Ow!" Yan Feng let out a strange cry of pain. The sole of his foot felt as though it were splitting apart.
He turned to tattle at once. "Mom, Dad-"
Zhao Huilin had no patience for Yan Feng. Seeing him dawdle, she went over, pushed him straight out, and shut the door.
The flesh on Yan Feng's face shook with anger, but he didn't dare knock. He pulled an angry face and limped downstairs.
Inside, Zhao Huilin asked impatiently, "Yan Heqing, tell us clearly. Did you sign the contract?"
Yan Heqing's expression was cool. "No."
"Have you lost your mind?!" Yan Shengbing slapped the coffee table. He stood up and raised his hand to slap Yan Heqing. "I'll beat you to death!"
Zhao Huilin's face went even paler. She had spent over ten thousand of that hundred thousand yuan on a designer handbag. If she had to return it...
Her tears came on command, and she sobbed her heart out. "Qingqing, didn't you agree last night? Mommy scrimped and saved to raise you for twelve years. You should repay me!"
For the first time, Yan Heqing caught Yan Shengbing's hand mid-slap. He flung it aside and said evenly, "Five million is too little."
Yan Shengbing was so shocked that he didn't even register that Yan Heqing had fought back. His mouth fell open.
Five million was too little?! And it was five million a year! Even if that young master got tired of Yan Heqing, they would still get at least five million!
Yan Shengbing's facial muscles twitched. "Stop talking nonsense. Go back and sign it right now!" Still uneasy, he added, "I'll go with you." They would hand him over and receive the money at the same time!
Zhao Huilin was far smarter than Yan Shengbing. That hint from Yan Heqing was like a sudden revelation.
Lu Muchi clearly wasn't some ordinary rich man. With all that money and power, five million was pocket change! They really had asked for too little.
While Yan Heqing was still worth something, she had to save up another sum for her precious son's future marriage!
Tears still clung to Zhao Huilin's eyelashes, but she had already put on a smile and was warmly ushering Yan Heqing over.
"Qingqing, you must still be hungry. Eat first. We can take our time discussing everything else. The lamb spine stew is freshly cooked and piping hot. Have plenty. It's good for you. Look how thin you are."
Yan Shengbing didn't understand Zhao Huilin's calculations. No longer in the mood to eat, he slumped at the other end of the couch, sighing and smoking sullenly.
Yan Heqing sat down.
At eighteen, he was severely malnourished. He stood 181 centimeters tall but weighed only 102 jin. He urgently needed nourishment.
Yan Heqing ate with refined manners, picking every last shred of meat clean off the lamb spines.
Beside him, Zhao Huilin's eyes practically turned green. It pained her terribly.
Temporarily appeasing Yan Heqing was one thing. Money was another.
Imported lamb spine was expensive. She had only stewed a small pot and couldn't bear to eat any herself, saving it all for her son. Now Yan Heqing had eaten the whole thing!
Before she could finish mourning the loss, Yan Heqing put down his bowl and chopsticks and opened a drawer.
Seeing Yan Heqing take out that plate of big, bright-red strawberries, Zhao Huilin nearly cried out. They cost a hundred yuan per jin! She sprang to her feet. "Those aren't-"
Yan Heqing was perfectly calm. "Am I not allowed to eat them?"
Zhao Huilin felt there was something strange about Yan Heqing today. He was usually quiet and spoke little too, but not like today... She kept feeling as though he had the upper hand over her.
Zhao Huilin swallowed and forced a smile. "No, they just haven't been washed." They hadn't even eaten a single one yet!
Yan Heqing stood up with the plate. "I'll wash them."
The large, red cream strawberries gave off a rich strawberry fragrance.
They were Lin Fengzhi's favorite fruit.
Yan Heqing had never eaten strawberries. He washed them clean, picked one up, and took a bite.
Nine parts sweet and one part tart, they left a sweet fragrance in his mouth.
Yan Heqing thought, So strawberries taste this good.
No wonder Lin Fengzhi likes them.
He lowered his eyes and took another bite of the fresh flesh.
Sorry, little brother.
This time, I want to taste strawberries too.
One, two, three... Zhao Huilin hid outside the kitchen door, counting. Unable to hold back any longer, she rushed in and snatched the strawberries away, saying sternly, "Leave a few for your little brother! He hasn't had any yet."
Yan Heqing said nothing, merely looking at her calmly.
For some reason, Zhao Huilin felt a little intimidated. Clutching the strawberries, she said, "They're only strawberries. You'll have plenty of chances to eat them later. That Young Master Lu is rich."
Yan Heqing still said nothing. Zhao Huilin stopped caring and hurried away, going to the living room to call Yan Shengbing into their bedroom to eat strawberries.
Yan Heqing's expression remained mild. He turned on the water
tap
and rinsed his fingers clean one by one before returning to his room.
It was called a room, but it was actually half the balcony. One half was used to dry clothes, with a wooden board dividing it down the middle, and the other half served as Yan Heqing's room.
The cramped
space
had a blue cloth curtain hanging across it. With a small one-meter-wide bed in place, there was no room for anything else.