Mu Lichuan watched coldly as the mother and son were led away, though his face still wore a gentle smile.
"Mom..." The boy's eyes grew moist as he looked at his mother. In his past life, he had failed to protect her, she had taken her own life, unable to endure the suffering. Now, reborn, he was determined to do better. If possible, he would break free from the Mu family entirely. Living an ordinary life as a commoner wouldn't be so bad.
Zhang Xiao quickly pulled her teary-eyed son close. "You're a young man now, what's with the tears? If your father sees you like this, he'll scold you for sure!"
"Mom..." Mu Lichuan hugged her tightly, his voice hoarse.
Zhang Xiao patted his shoulder. "As the eldest son of the Mu family, you bear heavy responsibilities." Even if he was a "waste," his extraordinary intellect meant the family would never let him go easily.
She had considered divorcing Mu Changnian before, but in a family like theirs, an ordinary life was impossible.
Mu Lichuan's gaze darkened. No matter how difficult, he wouldn't let his mother come to harm. As for Mu Xiaolin, unless something unexpected happened, that boy would never truly become part of the Mu family. After all, he wasn't even his father's biological son.
Two days later, when the results came out, Mu Lichuan was stunned.
Mu Xiaolin... was actually his father's son?
Had everything he heard in his past life been a lie? Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Those words had come straight from Mu Xiaolin's mouth. And his surname wasn't "Mu" (慕), but "Mu" (幕).
Mu Lichuan wasn't a fool. He knew he couldn't confront them head-on, in his current state, death would be his only outcome. But that didn't mean he would let himself or his mother be bullied.
"What?" Mu Lichuan clenched his fists, staring at his father in disbelief.
This hadn't happened in his past life. Which meant from the moment he was reborn, from the moment he saved his mother, fate had already begun to change drastically.
"Lichuan, what's with that attitude?" Mu Changnian frowned, displeased. Why did the boy suddenly seem like a different person?
Realizing his recklessness, Mu Lichuan quickly schooled his expression. "Father, you mean... he'll become my brother? And attend school with me?"
In his past life, that woman had become the official wife, and Mu Xiaolin had been recognized as a legitimate young master of the Mu family. As for him? He had been nothing but a motherless wretch.
But now, with his mother still alive, the mistress could never become the main wife. So instead, they planned to register Mu Xiaolin under his mother's name?
"Exactly, though he won't be at school often. As his elder brother, you must take good care of him." Mu Changnian smiled, reassured. This was his obedient eldest son. That strange feeling earlier must have been his imagination.
Even if his second son hadn't been tested for spiritual roots yet, his instincts told him the boy would become a cultivator. Then, he could finally hold his head high.
Mu Lichuan forced a smile. "Don't worry, Father. I'll take good care of my brother."
As for his mother... he could only hope she would accept this.
"Elder brothers friendly, younger brothers respectful - that's what a father wants to see." Mu Changnian beamed, completely missing the deep sarcasm in Mu Lichuan's words.
[兄友弟恭 (xiōng yǒu dì gōng): lit. elder brothers friendly, younger brothers respectful; fig. harmonious sibling relationship.]
School felt like a distant concept to Mu Lichuan. He got up early the next morning, only to find the young mistress already present.
"Auntie, why are you doing servants' work? After all, you've contributed a son to the Mu family. Even if it's not merit, it's still hard labor."
The woman, who had been serving breakfast, stiffened. "I'm not a servant." She was only trying to curry favor with Mu Changnian.
"Not a servant, yet doing a servant's job?" The boy's face was the picture of innocent confusion, a thinly veiled insult implying she was lowborn and unfit for elegant halls.
[登不得大雅之堂 (dēng bù dé dà yǎ zhī táng): lit. unfit for elegant halls; fig. vulgar or unrefined, beneath dignity.]
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