Lu Yin Ze's steps were steady. He arrived at the third row and stopped several steps away from the corner table. He took a deep breath to calm his speeding heart and continued on.
Lu Jin felt that someone was coming to their table. His father no longer wore a mask. Now that his father did not care about being discreet anymore, Lu Jin took off his mask as well.
Hearing the footsteps, he looked to the direction where they were coming from.
Silver hair, blue eyes like the ocean in summer.
It was no doubt that it was his little brother.
"..." Lu Jin was stunned to see his own little brother who had always cowered before them coming towards them.
The man next to him, Ming Zhi Yi, looked as well.
Ming Zhi Yi was also surprised, but none of it showed on his face. He just raised the corners of his lips while watching his own son make a fool of himself, coming so boldly towards them.
Two men watched silently as Lu Yin Ze stopped in front of them.
"Father."
A firm tone.
It was not cold, not fearful, nor angry. Just firm, stable, and rigid. Lu Yin Ze's determination was apparent in his eyes.
A hint of interest flashed in Ming Zhi Yi's dark eyes.
"How unexpected. Are you greeting me now?"
"No." A solid 'no'. "You have no right to be called a father or be respected as one. Unfortunately, that title is stuck on you as long we live." Lu Yin Ze's eyes were cold as he spoke and subtly glanced at his older brother who was looking at him intently.
His gaze returned to Ming Zhi Yi again. "I have something to return to you." He reached inside his jacket's pocket and brought out a tiny familiar box. He put it on the table.
After knowing that this person had returned, he knew that he would be meeting him soon, so he began to carry this around.
"It was your present to me years ago. However, this clearly does not belong to me. Have you become so poor that you gifted things you have once used?"
Lu Jin's face remained cold, but he was taken aback.
His little brother was talking back to their father?
His voice was not shaking too.
Ming Zhi Yi's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the box and back to the familiar face. "It's my gift. There's no use to return it. If you don't want it, you might as well throw it."
"It doesn't belong to me. You can do whatever you want with it."
Lu Yin Ze turned around to leave but suddenly halted. He took a deep breath and turned back again.
"By the way, father, I have always wanted to tell you this."
He put his hand on the table and leaned forward so that only Lu Jin and Ming Zhi Yi could hear him.
"There's no secret that will remain buried. I'll make sure you will pay your sins and you will rot in hell."
He swiftly turned and left the table.
The two men left speechless as they looked at his back.
***
Walking fast, Lu Yin Ze did not return to his table but glanced at Xiong Zhi's direction. He really wanted her warmth and presence right now.
However, the woman he loved was currently exchanging a whispered conversation with another man. They looked very intimate.
Linfeng sensed his gaze. He looked back sharply. His hand held Xiong Zhi's shoulder as if to claim she was his.
Lu Yin Ze felt a squeeze in his heart. He withdrew his gaze, changed directions, and went to a familiar woman instead.
His steps were hurried, because he feared that he might fall at any time.
Tang Yin was currently talking to the guests when Lu Yin Ze walked towards her.
"Second Young Miss Tang, may I borrow some of your time?"
"Hmm? Sure."
Tang Yin excused herself from the guests and went with Lu Yin Ze to one side.
"What is it?"
"That..." Lu Yin Ze turned a bit red. His voice was trembling slightly. "Can you take me back to my grandfather's room?"
He felt ashamed that they just came in yet now he was asking to leave again.
"?" Tang Yin blinked.
What now? She just returned, it had only been a few minutes.
Lu Yin Ze: "I deeply apologize. Since we both came together here, I can only think of you to send me back there."
"Don't you have your attendants with you to send you there...?" Tang Yin hinted. After all, she was not a chaperone. She was the host of this concert and she had to mingle.
Lu Yin Ze's cheeks turned even redder. "That's right, that's right. I did not think of that."
But he did not move.
Actually saying something so aggressive to that evil man, it took all of his courage away. Now he was afraid to pass by the third row. Who knew if they would suddenly throw a fruit knife at him?
Lu Yin Ze's body started to tremble. His sickness was starting to act up again.
Tang Yin stared at him in surprise.
She wondered what happened to this man.
"Then, can you just send me off until I find my butler?" Lu Yin Ze wanted to crawl into a hole right now of embarrassment. Here he was, asking a woman to send him off.
But he really could not do it on his own. His feet would not move when he thought of going out alone. He knew that he was a coward and was scared off by his own actions. His heart was still beating loudly and it was hard for him to breathe.
Tang Yin stared helplessly.
What are you, a child?
She was still clueless, but she sighed. "Fine."
She walked forward to lead the way. Then she noticed that after a couple of steps, the man still stood on the same position, unmoving.
Tang Yin's brows rose.
"Do you still want me to carry you?"
Lu Yin Ze shook his head, embarrassed.
What can I do? My feet won't move!
His knees still felt soft.
"What are you--" 'What are you playing at?' was what she was supposed to say when she saw Lu Yin Ze's body visibly shake.
There was really something wrong with him.
Did he get paralyzed or something?
Tang Yin hurriedly went up to him and whispered, "What happened to you? Why do you look like a scaredy cat? Get yourself together."
Like Tang Xinyang, Tang Yin usually shed off all pretentiousness in front of a person she became friends with. Because she and Lu Yin Ze had made up earlier, Tang Yin now felt more comfortable speaking and treating Lu Yin Ze like a friend, without a mask on.
Lu Yin Ze took a deep breath. His voice was shaking. "Can you stand still for a moment? Just pretend to talk to me, until... the shaking stops."
It finally dawned onto Tang Yin.
She spoke hesitantly. "Is it one of those breakdowns?"
She heard previously from his sister that Lu Yin Ze had a kind of psychological sickness.
Lu Yin Ze nodded with an embarrassed face.
However, even he felt weak right now due to what he had said, he never regretted leaving those words to that evil man.