The heartless beauty is addicted to being licked by a seemingly obedient and loyal dog.

Song Yunxun seemed to envy Song Yunqi for being able to be used to pay off debts.

"Brother, have you been doing well these past few years?"

The boy's eyes were full of curiosity, tinged with innocent cruelty, as he cautiously asked, "They were adopted by rich people and live a life of comfort and ease, unlike me, who has to hide from debt collectors every day and gets beaten and scolded from time to time..."

Song Yunqi's fingers rested on the booklet, his fingertips lightly tapping back and forth on the character "颂" (song), once, twice, three times, unhurriedly.

He didn't look up, nor did he reply.

Shen Chonglu, who was listening nearby, casually added, "The Lu family isn't exactly a great place either. There's nothing to envy about them. They're all bad in their own way."

"Looking back, I guess I've benefited from my brother's success."

Song Yunxun smiled and looked down at the swaying water in the cup.

"When I was little, my dad thought I was a burden because I didn't have the same body as my brother, and I wasn't as lucky as him to be adopted. He wanted to abandon me."

"But my brother's adoptive father gave him a large sum of money, and he thought I was good-looking and might fetch a good price, so he kept me..."

These words were spoken in a plain and casual manner, as if they were casual conversation.

The phrase "good fortune" was used lightly, but to Song Yunqi it sounded more offensive than an insult.

If being sold off as a kept woman is considered lucky, then what does it mean to be unlucky?

He also said that you were good-looking when you were a child, and you must be even more beautiful after being pampered, while I am much less attractive.

Song Yunxun looked up at him, unable to suppress a smile, but her eyes held little warmth.

"When I saw him at the karaoke bar that day, I was shocked. I was thinking, how could someone be so good-looking and look so much like me... Later I found out it was him."

"Are you still in contact with Song Yuanzhi?"

After listening to the stories, Song Yunqi felt uneasy. The more she talked about the unhappiness of her family of origin, the more painful it would become, so she changed the subject at the right time.

Song Yunxun was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Very few."

"I haven't been home since I started doing this job. He came to ask for money a few times, and after taking the money he would disappear for a while, but he would come back when he ran out of money."

"Um."

Song Yunqi nodded thoughtfully, closed the booklet, and placed it on her lap.

After saying so much, Song Yunxun's mouth was slightly dry, so she lowered her head and took a sip of water. As she put down the cup, she seemed to suddenly remember something and turned her head to look at Shen Chonglu:

"Brother Shen, there's actually something else I'd like to ask you."

"Don't be so formal, just say it directly."

"It's about the KTV."

He placed the cup on the coffee table, folded his hands on his knees, and said meekly, "I signed a ten-year contract with them, and now if I want to leave, I'll have to pay an exorbitant penalty."

"Although my brother gave me a check, the people at the KTV are ruthless and know that my family has no connections. I'm afraid they won't let me leave even if they take the money."

This was a piece of cake for Shen Chonglu. He nodded and asked, "How much is the penalty for breach of contract?"

"More than four million."

"They have powerful connections, and I'm the store's new top star, so I'm afraid it won't be easy for me to get away..."

These words, spoken in a pitiful and helpless manner, directly ignited the man's inherent sense of justice. He immediately patted his chest and promised to resolve the problem, displaying righteousness and integrity.

"Okay, I'll handle this. You don't need to worry."

As he spoke, Shen Chonglu walked to the window and made a phone call, instructing his lawyer to meet at the KTV immediately, and also asked someone to communicate with the manager there.

When he returned after hanging up the phone, Song Yunxun had already composed herself and was standing by the sofa waiting for him.

"Brother Shen, shall we go now?"

"Hmm, it's a minor issue, I can easily resolve it."

Shen Chonglu picked up the car keys from the coffee table and turned to look at Song Yunqi.

"Honey, how about we go together? It'll be good for some fresh air and a bit of wind."

Song Yunqi was in a bad mood. Pregnancy makes one sensitive and vulnerable, and hearing Song Yunxun mention Song Yuanzhi's name repeatedly inevitably brought back many unpleasant memories and the past, making it difficult for her to cheer up.

"No, you two go ahead."

He shook his head, looking listless. "I'm a little tired."

Shen Chonglu was a little worried, thinking that Song Yunqi was in this state because she felt sorry for her younger brother's tragic experience. He bent down and pressed his forehead against Song Yunqi's to comfort her.

"Then you get some rest, I'll be back as soon as I'm done."

As Song Yunxun walked to the entryway to change her shoes, she squatted down to lift the heels, then glanced at Song Yunxi with a slight smile.

"Brother, we'll be going now."

After the door closed, the living room became quiet.

Song Yunqi leaned back on the sofa, panting heavily, her eyes closed, her fingers gently stroking her stomach.

"Don't let me down..."

He opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling, murmuring softly, his voice so faint it drifted into the empty living room.

After getting into the car, Song Yunxun sat in the passenger seat without saying a word, and obediently fastened her seatbelt.

Shen Chonglu hesitated, wanting to speak, but since the passenger seat was Song Yunxi's reserved seat, it wasn't appropriate for anyone else to sit there. However, he didn't want to make a big deal out of it with a child, so he gave up after a moment's hesitation.

Once outside the underground parking garage, Song Yunxun turned her head to look at the man's profile, her gaze sliding from his brow bone to his jawline before returning to the road ahead.

"Brother Shen, you're so kind."

"Of course, you're my wife's younger brother, my brother-in-law, how could you not be good to me?"

"Did you and your brother get married? I think same-sex marriage isn't allowed under Chinese law?"

"Not yet. Your brother hasn't given his approval yet. If he just nods in agreement, we'll go abroad to get our marriage certificate right away."

Song Yunxun lowered her head and smiled, then spoke again after a moment of silence: "When my brother was at home, Dad treated him badly."

"After he left, Dad kept nagging him, saying that he went to live with a rich family and became a young master, but he didn't know how to help support the family and had no conscience at all."

Shen Chonglu didn't reply. Frustrated, he opened the car window to let in some fresh air and lit a cigarette.

"Later, my dad started hitting me a lot, saying I looked like my older brother and that it annoyed him."

At this point, the boy gave a bitter smile and turned his head to look out the window: "So I really envy my brother, who can leave that suffocating home."

Shen Chonglu didn't know how to respond to that, and after hesitating for a while, he finally said comfortingly, "Everything is moving in a good direction. Just live your life steadily from now on and don't think about those things anymore."

Song Yunxun turned to look at him, smiled, and her eyes crinkled: "Yes, I know."

"I'm already very lucky to have my brother and Brother Shen helping me now."

The car turned into the street where the KTV was located, and Shen Chonglu parked the car in a roadside parking space and turned off the engine.

Song Yunxun unbuckled her seatbelt, turned to look at him, and suddenly reached out and gently touched the back of Shen Chonglu's hand, which was resting on the gear shift.

"Brother Shen, thank you."

The fingertips lingered on the back of the hand for a moment before being withdrawn, the movement very light, as if it were just an unintentional touch.

Shen Chonglu, oblivious to the subtle movement, extinguished his cigarette, opened the door, and got out of the car. Seeing this, Song Yunxun quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and jogged alongside the man towards the KTV entrance.

The lawyer was already waiting at the door. Upon seeing them arrive, he quickly stepped forward, shook hands with Shen Chonglu, exchanged a few pleasantries, and led the two inside.

As the elevator doors closed, Song Yunxun leaned closer to Shen Chonglu, her shoulder almost touching his arm.

"Brother Shen, what if we can't reach an agreement later?"

"Don't worry about it, I'm here, no problem."

The elevator ascended smoothly, the numbers ticking up one by one.

The boy lowered his eyes, looking at the shadows of the two people standing side by side on the elevator floor, and the corners of his mouth curved into a smile.