Chapter 46
Chapter 46
Seeing Lu Dong’s claims grow more and more outrageous, Pei Yuming was just about to cut him off when Bai Xue interrupted from beside him.
“There’s no rush on any of that,” Bai Xue said, letting go of her daughter and walking over to Lu Dong with a smile. “Let’s do what you said. We’ll find somewhere to eat first, then talk it over slowly.”
“That’s more like it!” Lu Dong gave Bai Xue an approving look, then took out his phone and called to book a restaurant.
Since this really was not something they could discuss outside, Pei Yuming followed along despite his deep reluctance.
Lu Dong was more than willing to spend money on this sort of thing. He booked a large private room at the best hotel in the city.
The hotel was by the sea. The private room where they ate had an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. Just then, the sunset’s afterglow was falling across the ocean, scattering vast swaths of golden-red light that dyed the whole sea in rich color. At a glance, it looked unreal, like a Van Gogh oil painting.
Pei Xiaobei pushed open the side awning window. The sea breeze brushed past, lifting the hair beside her cheek. She listened to the heated discussion beside her. From beginning to end, none of them had thought to ask for her opinion or her feelings. It was as if she were a puppet without emotions, and as long as she followed the future they had arranged for her step by step and made everyone satisfied, that was the entire meaning of her existence.
“Of course, if you’re worried about sending her abroad, Xiao Xue can go with her. Xiaobei is still young, after all, and pregnancy and childbirth are major events. As parents, we definitely have to give her our full support. When the time comes, I’ll hire two nannies to go with you too. I guarantee everything will be properly arranged for you mother and daughter!”
“Xiao Xue, you can also take this chance to travel around overseas. Europe is very convenient for sightseeing. Get a Schengen visa and you can visit quite a few countries.”
Bai Xue looked at Lu Dong, delighted, and the two of them began chatting about travel just like that.
At that moment, Lu Dong seemed to have returned to his home turf. His well-maintained, handsome face practically glowed, and he was even more talkative than he usually was at dinner parties.
Pei Yuming’s face remained dark the entire time. Watching Lu Dong and Bai Xue excitedly plan out his daughter’s future, the anger in his chest accumulated exponentially, carrying a tense stillness like the calm before a storm.
Su Jin rarely joined the discussion. Her gaze occasionally fell on her son and Pei Xiaobei, and no one knew what she was thinking.
“Enough!”
Pei Yuming suddenly roared, startling the waiter who had come in to serve the dishes so badly that he nearly dumped a plate onto Lu Dong.
“How old is Xiaobei? She’s still a child who doesn’t understand the world, and you really want her to give birth for someone else’s family before she’s even gone to college?” Pei Yuming glared fiercely at Bai Xue.
When Bai Xue saw him lose his temper, the bright smile on her face froze, then finally turned completely awkward.
“Haha, you’re right…” She shrugged. “Xiaobei really is too young. She’s not even twenty yet, quite a bit younger than I was when I had her. Then…”
Before she could finish, Su Jin, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke as well. “I don’t agree either.”
This time, even Pei Yuming was a little surprised. He had known Su Jin for so many years, but he had rarely seen her be this firm.
“This…” With his proposal rejected one after another, Lu Dong’s expression started to slip. “Then can you really bear to make Xiaobei have an abortion?”
It would have been better if he had not said anything. The moment he did, Pei Yuming exploded again. Pointing at Lu Dong’s nose, he cursed, “You still have the nerve to say that? If you people had taught your son properly, would my daughter have to suffer like this?!”
It had been many years since anyone had pointed at Lu Dong’s nose and cursed him out like this. Even the smoothest person had a temper, but for his son’s sake, this was a time when he could only bow his head.
He tugged at the corners of his mouth and patiently advised, “Yes, yes, you’re right. This really is our fault. We didn’t discipline Zixuan properly. But aren’t I trying to think of Xiaobei too? An abortion does too much harm to the body. I was thinking that while Xiaobei is young, she could have the baby, then recover afterward with proper care. That way, her recovery would be faster too.”
He was used to business dinners and social maneuvering, so lowering his posture like this did not bother him much. Over the years, he had dealt with plenty of clients far more difficult than Pei Yuming.
But in Lu Zixuan’s eyes, that was not what was happening at all.
From his perspective, his father was being forced to humble himself and beg this stubborn old man because of him. Furious, and emboldened by the fact that both his parents were there, he glared viciously at Pei Yuming and said, “That’s enough. Don’t push your luck. So she’s pregnant, so what? It was consensual in the first place. If you want me to take responsibility, I’ll marry her. If you want an abortion, I’ll pay for it. What more do you want? Do I have to kneel down and kowtow to your whole family before you’ll be satisfied?”
“Zixuan!”
“Xuanxuan!”
Lu Dong and Su Jin shouted at the same time, but neither of them managed to stop Pei Yuming’s fist.
All his pent-up rage finally found an outlet in Lu Zixuan’s provocation. He rose, stepped past Bai Xue, and before anyone could react, grabbed Lu Zixuan by the collar and drove another punch into the already bruised and swollen wound on his face.
The two of them started wrestling again. And this time, with Lu Dong and Su Jin present, Lu Zixuan fought back even harder. Relying on his youth, he dodged Pei Yuming’s first reckless barrage, then seized the opening and turned the tables, pinning the exhausted Pei Yuming beneath him and swinging his fists as if venting all his anger.
“Lu Zixuan, stop!” Su Jin reacted quickly this time. She squeezed past Lu Dong to pull back her crazed son, even shoving Bai Xue, who had also rushed in to stop them, off to the side in the process.
Lu Zixuan was not usually the type to cause trouble, but age was age. Young people were prone to getting carried away in the heat of the moment. Now, with old and new grudges piled together, it seemed he would not stop until he saw blood.
Inside the private room, chaos had broken loose. Outside, the food runner was also run off her feet. It was not until she pushed the door open for the waiter bringing in the dishes that she realized a full-on brawl had already erupted inside.
With a scream, the young food runner instinctively ducked back, slamming straight into the waiter carrying the tray and knocking him off balance. The handsome waiter lost his footing and could only watch as a huge platter of roasted lamb ribs slid off the tray. The sizzling, charred, fragrant rack of lamb, along with the heavy solid porcelain plate, went crashing straight toward Lu Zixuan’s head.
It all happened too suddenly. Whether it was Lu Zixuan, head down as he threw punches, or Lu Dong and Su Jin beside him trying to pull him away, none of them had time to react.
Lu Zixuan never could have imagined that one second he would be burning with rage, and the next his head would be split open.
Scalded by the lamb ribs, Lu Zixuan howled in pain. Pei Yuming took the chance to shove him off. Bracing one hand against the floor, Pei Yuming tried to stand, only for his hand to brush against something hard. He glanced down and saw that it was a small serving knife.
Without thinking, he picked it up and lunged at Lu Zixuan, who was still screaming.
“Yuming! Don’t!” Su Jin rushed out from the side and threw herself in front of her son, using all her strength to block Pei Yuming’s solid arm.
But the difference in their strength was simply too great. Seeing the tip of the knife about to stab into her son, Su Jin suddenly shouted, “No, don’t! Zixuan is actually your son! You mustn’t hurt him!”