Chapter 18: Going Up Against Lu Tian?!

“Child, haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

The adorable Mary Poppins mask and those eyes, as glossy and dark as ripe grapes.

Because of the spread of cancer cells, Lu Tian’s vision and memory were beginning to falter in varying degrees.

For a moment, all she could feel was an intense sense of familiarity, yet she couldn’t recall anything else.

The little girl sighed cutely, speaking with the wisdom of a small adult: “Beautiful lady, this is our first time meeting. But if you came up to me like that, does it mean you fell in love with me at first sight?”

“...”

Must a child be so straightforward?

Yet, teased like this, the heavy weight of despair that had pressed on her all night suddenly lifted considerably.

She crouched down, habitually stroked the girl’s head, and smiled gently. “Because I once had a daughter as adorable as you, I instantly took a liking to you.”

Saying this, she lifted the child into her arms and headed toward the castle’s parking lot.

Today, Fei Jing had a video conference to attend, so Lu Zhi took Lu Youyou out to play.

Lu Tian initially planned to schedule a sea burial service as soon as possible.

But upon seeing this lost little cutie, she simply could not turn a blind eye.

“Where did you get separated from your father? Can you tell me?”

Once inside the car, she smiled and asked.

Suddenly, the little girl grinned and burst into loud sobs. “Sister lost a daughter, but you’ll definitely have a new one who’s better and well-behaved. You must love your new daughter, okay?”

Pfft!

Ha ha ha—

Unable to hold back, Lu Tian laughed heartily for the first time in a long while. The crushing despair that had weighed on her heart was utterly shattered in that instant.

The girl sniffled and gave an address.

It was a seaside restaurant not far from the castle.

She drove there.

As soon as she arrived at the entrance, she was surrounded by a group of people in air traffic control uniforms.

Leading them was Victor.

The moment he saw her, he became so excited he was almost at a loss for words. He shouted, “Wow, goddess, I knew you would come! Brothers and sisters, our favorite daughter of the skies has returned!!!”

Cheers and shouts erupted all around.

By the time Lu Tian regained her composure, she had already been pushed to the table and had drunk several sips of freshly squeezed juice.

Looking around, the little girl was nowhere to be seen.

Only a note was stuffed into her pocket.

Written in childish handwriting:

— “Sister, you must have a great time~”

Beneath it, in bold, powerful strokes:

— “Enjoy yourself, live for yourself.”

As night fell, the gathering came to an end.

Before leaving, Victor handed Lu Tian a business card. “Tian Tian, just now you looked at everyone in uniform with such envy it was like sparks flying from your eyes. If that’s the case, why not consider returning to the Air Traffic Control Bureau? That’s the sky meant only for you.”

The card bore the phone number of the current head of the bureau.

Her hand holding the card broke out in a cold sweat.

Her love and passion for air traffic control had not faded in the slightest, even after all these years.

But now, did she even have the right to go back?

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the castle.

Lu Zhi blocked Fei Jing, who wanted to find Lu Tian, speaking calmly: “A Jing, Youyou has been hurt several times because of you. The last time, she almost lost the baby. I know this must have been stirred up by Lu Tian.

“But as Youyou’s man, the father of her child, don’t you want to make it up to her at all?”

The eldest son of the Lu family already loved Lu Youyou deeply to her core.

Fei Jing sneered coldly, his voice sharp, “Lu Zhi, since when do you dare to bargain with me?”

If it weren’t for making Tian Tian happy, he would never tolerate this frivolous rich second generation playboy!

Lu Zhi was incensed by the rebuke. “Fei Jing, the Lu family is an old and prestigious household in Beijing and Hong Kong. Don’t you know my status in the entertainment industry?”

“First, the Lu family isn’t bankrupt; it’s Tian Tian who had me secretly support it! Second, what status in the entertainment industry? Lu Zhi, without your sister, what are you even worth?”

A barrage of blows.

Lu Zhi went hysterical on the spot. “Lu Tian is a lucky star—only you, the fool, like her! Are you some kind of masochist? You treat Youyou as your wife, your heaven, obedient in every way.

“And what about that woman? She only ever enjoys your love and favoritism. Someone used to being a princess would ever truly care about your feelings?”

Their argument grew fierce on the second-floor stage.

Lu Youyou appeared from somewhere, tears in her eyes, timidly intervening: “Big brother, let it be. I know you feel sorry for my husband seeing my sister hugging and cuddling with those people.

“But my sister is different from me. I’m willing to delete all my friends for Brother Fei, to make the whole world revolve around him.

“If he punishes me, I accept it gladly.

“But my sister is different. She knows her husband loves and spoils her, so naturally, she’s a bit more carefree.”

Since Lu Youyou had been supported by Fei Jing, her WeChat friend list contained only one contact labeled “Master.”

This pleased Fei Jing greatly.

He looked at Lu Zhi with a softer gaze and then instructed the servant, “Call Chen Yi over to check on Youyou’s health. Also, tomorrow, I’ll accompany you all day.”

“Really? Husband, I’m so happy~”

Lu Youyou beamed with excitement.

Before Lu Zhi left with his men, he sent Fei Jing several photos. “A married woman, yet out there kissing so many men. A Jing, you’ve given so much to Lu Tian, and it’s just not worth it!”

Near midnight.

Lu Tian drove back to the castle.

The gathering had long since dispersed, but she didn’t want to face the nauseating crowd inside, so she found an empty beach and sat alone under the moon hanging from the branches.

Passing through the pitch-black living room,

A sinister male voice, accompanied by a stack of photos, slammed into her face.

“Where were you today?” Fei Jing wore a limited edition Armani light gray loungewear. His bare feet bore a row of indelible scars.

Those were from the first year of their venture when she was nearly assaulted and raped by a client.

The blade should have struck her leg, but Fei Jing had recklessly taken the blow.

“Lu Tian, I’m asking you! Today! You left Nan Nan’s ashes unattended and went off alone?”

He was half angry, half ashamed.

A strong, controlling hand gripped her fragile, vulnerable neck, squeezing tighter and tighter with all five fingers.

Fei Jing looked down on her with a domineering gaze, fiercely staring and demanding, growling, “Answer me! Look at me! Why are you hiding? Guilty? Feeling sorry for me?”

His other hand clutched her equally broken chin, forcing Lu Tian to meet his eyes.

But what he saw no longer held unreserved love, nor an obsession that could not be denied.

“Wife...”

Fei Jing panicked.

Lu Tian shoved him away, struggling to suppress the rising disdain and disgust.

She said, “I was just taking a lost little girl to find her father and happened to run into some former colleagues at a gathering. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the castle’s butler.”

The butler happened to overhear and approached.

He testified, “Indeed, sir. Madam’s original plan was to contact the sea burial company.”

At that, the fury-filled Fei Jing instantly softened.

“Wife, I’m sorry. I may have misunderstood.”

“Then go find whoever made you misunderstand and lose your mind! I’m tired; I’m going to sleep.” Lu Tian left a pointed remark.

She had just gone upstairs when

Lu Youyou was dragged out of her room, crying out sharply, “Brother-in-law, it wasn’t me, I didn’t mean to, please don’t… ah!”