The next morning, the mountain air was still cool, but the sun was already shining brightly on the earth.

Lu Er crawled out of the tent, completely wrapped in a beige turtleneck sweater.

She pulled her collar down to her chin, revealing only a slightly tired but still stunning face.

While stretching my slightly sore back, I secretly congratulated myself on being smart enough to have brought this outfit.

The punishment Song Jingmo received last night after he spilled his vinegar jar was really harsh; he was left with quite a few ambiguous marks on his neck and collarbone.

If someone sees this, won't he lose all face?

People gradually got up to prepare breakfast.

Yin Siyao walked up to Lu Er with a small bottle in her hand: "This Thai herbal balm is especially effective at repelling insects and relieving itching."

"You look like you've been bitten quite badly by mosquitoes. Applying this will make you feel much better."

Lu Er's smile froze instantly. She didn't know whether to accept the offer or not, and her ears turned red at a visible speed.

That's not a mosquito bite at all...

Shouldn't Dr. Yin get her eyes checked?

Seeing her uncle so embarrassed he was practically digging a three-bedroom apartment out of the ground, Leng Keyan, suppressing a laugh, snatched the herbal ointment from Yin Siyao's hand.

He exclaimed, "Oh, Teacher Yin, you're just in time! I was also swarmed by mosquitoes last night, it was so itchy, can I borrow this for a bit?"

Without saying a word, he pulled the bewildered Yin Siyao into the tent next to them.

As soon as she entered the tent, Yin Siyao frowned and looked at Leng Keyan with a puzzled expression: "Why did you pull me?"

After thinking for a moment, she looked at the person with amusement and teased, "That ointment is for your uncle... How can you be jealous of your own uncle?"

Leng Keyan looked at her teacher, Ms. Yin, in such a naive and almost "foolish" manner that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He leaned closer to Yin Siyao and lowered his voice: "Those marks on my uncle's neck... those are... those were gnawed out by Teacher Song..."

Seeing Yin Siyao's still bewildered expression, he steeled himself and spoke more bluntly: "Also, that sound you heard last night..."

"That wasn't a scream of agony, that was... a moan of pleasure..."

Yin Siyao's mouth gaped open, as if she had heard something out of the blue: "Song Jingmo is a man, and Lu Er is a man too. What kind of nonsense are you thinking about?"

Leng Keyan looked at the person with her dog-like eyes and said, "I'm telling the truth. You've wronged me. If I lied to you, I'd be your dog for life."

"How could two men... possibly... have such a pleasant interaction?"

Yin Siyao's deeply ingrained beliefs were greatly shaken, and she murmured, "Shouldn't it be... a spiritual connection, a Platonic love?"

Leng Keyan finally broke down and sighed, rubbing her forehead.

It's hard to judge how someone could be so innocent, almost like a blank sheet of paper, especially a doctor.

Don't hospitals ever receive any strange patients in the emergency room at night?

Leng Keyan felt she had a long way to go and had to give this person, who lived in a world of pure love, a brief but impactful explanation of the subject.

When the two came out of the tent, Yin Siyao was still in a daze.

She would steal glances every now and then at Lu Er, who was whispering to Song Jingmo, and then at Song Jingmo, who had a calm and aloof demeanor.

His brows were furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly; he clearly still couldn't comprehend the non-Platonic love between the two men.

Leng Keyan walked to Lu Er's side, sighed heavily, and muttered under her breath, "Uncle, I give up."

"Teacher Yin... he actually thought that two men dating was just about holding hands, looking at the stars, and talking about life ideals."

He had never seen such a... such a straight man before.

His pursuit of his wife seems endless.

Song Jingmo, who was listening nearby, unusually chimed in with a comment.

His tone was calm and objective: "Siyao has been a test-taker in the county since he was a child. He puts all his energy into studying and has no other entertainment."

"Even if he gets to university, you know how much academic pressure and exams medical students face, he probably won't have time to learn about these things."

He glanced at Yin Siyao, who was still lost in thought not far away, and said, "Give him some time, be patient, and don't push him too hard."

Leng Keyan pursed her lips, but took his words to heart.

The group had a lively and simple picnic, which served as their breakfast and lunch. Then they began packing up their luggage and trash, preparing to head down the mountain and return home.

On the way back to the city, Lu Er leaned back in her seat and dozed off.

Climbing mountains is physically demanding, and he overexerted himself last night; his eyelids are drooping right now.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, his phone vibrated. It was a message from his older brother, Lu Chen:

[We're going back to the old house for dinner tonight, at Ms. Leng's request. We have important guests.]

Lu Er was instantly awakened from her slumber, her heart skipped a beat, and a strange sense of unease quietly spread through her.

Whenever Ms. Leng calls him back in such an unquestionable tone, it's usually not for anything good, especially since she emphasizes that he's an important guest.

Song Jingmo noticed Lu Er's body stiffen instantly, turned his head and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Lu Er quickly composed herself, forcing a relaxed smile, and said in a natural tone, "It's nothing serious."

"My family wants me to go home tonight. I guess some guests have come and I need to keep them company."

Song Jingmo looked at Lu Er for a few seconds, then didn't ask any more questions. He simply squeezed Lu Er's hand gently and said, "Okay, call me if anything happens."

Song Jingmo first took Lu Er back to the villa.

"Are you sure you don't need me to take you home?"

Lu Er hugged the person and hummed softly, "I want to too, but I'm afraid my mom will suspect something if she sees you."

Ms. Leng has been busy dealing with the company's financial matters lately, which is why she hasn't had time to deal with him.

He probably finished his work and then remembered his adopted son.

"Your mother..." Song Jingmo sighed, "Don't be reckless, or you'll get beaten up."

Lu Er looked up, lifted the other person's chin, and lingered her fingertips on it: "I feel so sorry for you. Your mother is so supportive, but my mother..."

"Don't overthink it. Your mother's life has been too hard, so it's normal for her to complain."

Song Jingmo hugged him and kissed him. "I'm not in a hurry, let's take it slow. Try to talk nicely and avoid arguing."

If Lu Er has to have conflicts with her family because of him, that's the last thing he wants to see.

How can one find a way to have both in this world, to neither abandon the Buddha nor betray the one you love?

Song Jingmo watched Lu Er's flashy sports car drive away until its taillights disappeared around the street corner before turning around and getting into his car.

Lu Er drove towards the Lu family's old house with mixed feelings.

The closer they got, the stronger the ominous premonition became.

When the car pulled up to the grand gate of the old house, my heart sank.

In the courtyard, two extremely conspicuous cars were parked.

One was an elegant, powerful black Rolls-Royce Phantom. The other was a vibrant, dazzling pink Ferrari.

This car definitely belongs to a girl.

The eldest brother is already married, so the girl's purpose in coming here is self-evident.

Lu Er parked the car, straightened her turtleneck, put on her usual slightly cynical smile, and opened the door.

Leng Qinghua, dressed in an elegant lake-green cheongsam with a white fox fur shawl draped over it, sat gracefully on the sofa, sipping tea.

A middle-aged couple sat next to me; they had a refined and scholarly air about them and were clearly people who had long held high positions.

"Little Er, you're back."

Leng Qinghua greeted her with a smile, "Come and sit down, this is your Uncle Lu, he even held you when you were little!"

Lu Mingyuan smiled kindly at Lu Er: "You're much more handsome than you look on TV! You've become a top star at such a young age, truly a force to be reckoned with."

Jiang Wenwen followed up with praise: "It just so happens that my daughter Yan Yan is also interested in the entertainment industry and said she wants to start an entertainment company. You young people should have a lot to talk about."

As she spoke, she called out to the sofa in the small living room in the distance, "Yan Yan, your little brother is back, aren't you coming over?"

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