Chapter 284: Chapter 284

Zirui Pavilion was a replica of ancient architecture. The backyard was sectioned off and furnished with pavilions and towers. In the early winter season, the flora had withered away, yet inside a greenhouse filled with flowers, it was a riot of color.

Through the glass casing, a lush green vibrancy and radiant blossoms could be seen.

In the chill of early winter, a glimpse of spring seemed to warm even the biting cold brushing past one’s ears.

The way to the parking lot required crossing through the garden.

A young boy stood by the greenhouse, his lean and calm figure betraying an unyielding uprightness.

Helian Yu patted Luuo Yunqi’s hand gently and said warmly, "You still have classes this afternoon. You and President Lan can head back to school first. I’ll have a few words with Xixi."

Lan Man waited at the entrance of the parking lot.

Luuo Yunqi glanced in the direction of the young boy, whispered an acknowledgment, and then turned away, leaving quietly and obediently.

Helian Yu adjusted the mink shawl draped over her shoulders and, stepping in high heels, walked toward the boy.

"Before things spiral out of control, it’s best for you to abandon this thought."

Her tone was as gentle as a fleeting dream, yet carried an unyielding dominance that left no room for debate.

"Heh." A cold laugh escaped from the boy’s throat, strange and mocking.

"If one day something happens to her, I will not live alone."

The boy uttered terrifying words lightly, akin to a sudden thunderclap striking on a winter’s day.

Helian Yu’s eyes reflected shock, her brows knitted tightly. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"You know best whether I’m speaking nonsense. If you don’t believe me, feel free to test it."

After over a decade of interaction, she understood all too well the tempestuous currents hidden beneath her son’s placid exterior.

And Liu Runxi also knew, with equal clarity, the ruthless and venomous means of this honey-tongued, controlling woman.

On the surface, a pretense of peace was maintained. But once the winds stirred, they locked horns like two forces unwilling to yield an inch.

In some ways, mother and son shared something in their very bones.

Helian Yu took a deep breath, steadied her breathing, and spoke slowly, "It’s normal for a young man to have someone he likes. A mother doesn’t object to your relationships. But a fleeting affair is all that it should be. A woman of her impoverished origins can never bring any benefit to your future. She is unworthy of you."

"And besides, if you won’t think for yourself, at least think about your father. He was disgracefully driven out all those years ago and struggled to gain a foothold in Qingzhou. To climb higher, do you know how arduous it is? Those in the Liu family are all waiting to see us humiliated. But I will not let them have their way. During this trip to Jingzhou for Old Madam Yu’s birthday, I’ve already made some arrangements. By next year at the latest, our family can return to Jingzhou. That is where you truly belong. How could a low-born woman from a small place like Qingzhou ever deserve you?" ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ Nove1Fire.net

"Xixi." Helian Yu softened her tone, speaking earnestly, "I’ve already chosen an esteemed young lady for you. With this marriage alliance, you and your father can secure lifelong status and prospects. Everything I’m doing is for your own good. You need to understand your mother’s painstaking efforts."

Such silence made a foreboding sense of unease creep into Helian Yu’s heart.

As they say, a silent dog bites the hardest. The quieter Liu Runxi became, the more unsettled she felt.

It reminded her of an incident from Xixi’s childhood.

When Xixi was a little boy, he was sickly, and Helian Yu took exceptional care of him. From his surroundings to the minutest details of his daily life, she managed everything meticulously.

In truth, Xixi could not speak before the age of three. She’d taken him to several highly esteemed specialists and nearly received a diagnosis of high-functioning autism.

The reason why it was only "almost" was because one day, her niece visited her and brought a puppy along. Strangely, her normally apathetic Xixi displayed an affinity for that little dog, which delighted Helian Yu.

With the dog’s companionship, Xixi still rarely spoke, but he appeared more normal. In particular, his extraordinary intelligence brought Helian Yu great joy. At the age of five, Liu Runxi could effortlessly solve a 9x9 Rubik’s Cube—a true child prodigy.

But he still disliked speaking, which increasingly frustrated Helian Yu. Whenever she saw him clinging to that dog, she grew angry. One day, when Liu Runxi was at school, she drove the dog away.

When Liu Runxi returned and learned of it, he lost his mind and dashed out in a frenzy. It was a winter’s day, the rain falling relentlessly. The seven or eight-year-old boy roamed everywhere like a madman searching for the dog.

Helian Yu was startled; she had not expected his obsessive attachment to be so deep.

The dog was eventually found, but it was dead. It lay pitifully by the roadside, its body crushed by a passing car. Its guts and organs spilled out, grotesque and utterly tragic.