"I didn't expect Uncle Lou to remember I like Japanese food," Duan Xiu said, waiting for Lou Yu Ming to sit down before he did.
Lou Yu Ming's expression was calm as he idly spun the ring on his finger. "Order whatever you want to eat."
Duan Xiu broke into a childlike smile. "Then I won't be polite."
The restaurant was quite upscale within the mall. Duan Xiu hadn't had Japanese food in a long time and ordered quite a few dishes.
After ordering, he worried he might have ordered too much. Unexpectedly, Lou Yu Ming placed a card on the table.
Though no words were spoken, this gesture undoubtedly made Duan Xiu feel at ease.
Uncle Lou was indeed Uncle Lou, so cool!
"What are you doing back in the country this time?"
Duan Xiu felt embarrassed to say he had returned to start a family and career. He found it somewhat shameful, especially in front of Lou Yu Ming.
"I'm back... for work!"
Lou Yu Ming agreed. "The Duan family's business is booming. You coming back to help manage it can also help you share more responsibility with your parents."
Duan Xiu nodded.
"How is your mother's health?"
Lou Yu Ming had quite a history with Duan Xiu's mother, which was why he was particularly attentive to Duan Xiu.
"My mother's condition is the same as always. When she's not having episodes, it's not a major issue."
Lou Yu Ming's eyes darkened. "A heart ailment requires a cure for the heart."
Duan Xiu sighed, not wanting to dwell on the topic. He took a bite of salmon and clumsily changed the subject. "Uncle Lou, I heard Zhang Qi went abroad. When will he be back?"
Lou Yu Ming's eyes were so deep they seemed bottomless. "Since when did you care so much about him? I remember your relationship wasn't great in high school."
Duan Xiu indeed disliked Zhang Qi, even hated him, because Zhang Qi was always speaking ill of Uncle Lou behind his back. But he believed one must know oneself and one's enemy to win a hundred battles.
He wanted to be someone Uncle Lou could trust and rely on, so he would resolve anything detrimental to Uncle Lou, without hesitation, in his own way.
Lou Yu Ming wiped his mouth with a napkin, his gaze subtly fixed on Duan Xiu's face.
"But if it weren't for you, Zhang Qi's leg would have been crippled in high school."
Caught off guard by the mention of the past, Duan Xiu's fingers stiffened, and a flicker of panic crossed his eyes.
That was the first semester of his second year of high school. His family was planning for him to study abroad, but Duan Xiu didn't want to go and kept refusing.
He had always been obedient and sensible; this was his first act of rebellion.
His mother was troubled by this and wanted to talk to him, but Duan Xiu's adolescent rebellion began to surface. He refused to communicate and his personality became quite peculiar.
Duan Xiu's mother had no choice but to contact Lou Yu Ming.
Since the incident at the parent-teacher meeting, Duan Xiu's family had frequently invited Lou Yu Ming over. They initially thought he would be too busy to make time, but to their surprise, he readily agreed.
What Duan Xiu didn't know was that Lou Yu Ming's words at the parent-teacher meeting weren't just because of Zhang Qi; it was also because he saw a reflection of his own childhood in Duan Xiu.
It was common knowledge in Duan Xiu's family that he admired Lou Yu Ming.
Therefore, Lou Yu Ming's arrival made Duan Xiu restrain his temper, but he remained obstinate.
Lou Yu Ming didn't force him, and even when they were together, he rarely spoke.
One day, Duan Xiu, curious, couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Lou, aren't you here to persuade me?"
Lou Yu Ming looked at his newspaper without looking up, his demeanor exceptionally cool. "Handle your own matters yourself."
Anyone else would have been angered by these words, but Duan Xiu found Lou Yu Ming incredibly dashing!
He respected him; he treated him as an equal, not a child.
As for why Zhang Qi's leg was related to Duan Xiu, that had to be traced back a week later.
Zhang Qi ostracized Duan Xiu at school and even instigated others to isolate him.
They were all children of wealthy families, and Zhang Qi was Lou Yu Ming's nephew. Naturally, everyone sided with him, even though the Duan family was a prominent household in A City.
Fortunately, Duan Xiu was naturally laid-back. At that time, apart from Ge Bai Tao, no one spoke to him, but he didn't really take it to heart.
Seeing his indifference, Zhang Qi was naturally displeased.
So, he challenged Duan Xiu to a basketball match, vowing to agree to anything if Duan Xiu scored a single point, but if he failed, he would have to kneel and call him "Dad."
He knew Duan Xiu couldn't play basketball, so he deliberately intended to humiliate him and embarrass him.
Duan Xiu didn't want to agree, but Zhang Qi kept provoking him, or bullying Ge Bai Tao. Although Duan Xiu couldn't do much, Zhang Qi's constant harassment was truly disgusting.
Reluctantly, Duan Xiu agreed.
Coincidentally, on the day of the basketball game, his mother came to pick him up from school.
His mother mentioned good news to him over the phone, which Duan Xiu didn't take seriously. Little did he know, it would lead to lifelong regret...