Be Careful, Scum Dad! Mommy Is Back!
Chapter 376: We Are Essentially the Same Kind of People

Chapter 376: Chapter 376: We Are Essentially the Same Kind of People

The room was filled with a calming fragrance, light and subtle, lingering between Lu Xining’s breaths.

In response to Shang Lvxing’s serious statement, she recalled how he had done the same thing before—this time even bringing a recording pen with him, as if convinced she wouldn’t believe what he said.

Lu Xining sighed and raised her gaze, saying, "I have never doubted the truth of your words."

"But Shang Lvxing, we also have to be practical. What my mother said was based on the context of you and me growing up as childhood friends. But in reality?"

She looked at his handsome and composed features and continued, "Shang Qing deceived my mother, leaving her heartbroken beyond repair."

Lu Xining never felt that having been married and having three children made her inferior to Shang Lvxing. Her views stemmed from her mother’s choices and the reality of the situation, advising Shang Lvxing not to cling stubbornly to a promise made in their younger years.

"My mother changed her identity, married someone else, and had a daughter, all to leave the past behind and avoid being discovered by the Shang Family. Even if my mother were still alive today, do you think she would want me to have anything to do with the Shang Family?"

Shang Lvxing bore the Shang surname, the very name the Chu Family wished never to speak of.

If she were to be with Shang Lvxing, it would mean forming ties with the Beicheng Shang Family—a prospect that truly terrified Lu Xining, as if her grandfather and mother might crawl out of their graves to admonish her.

The man fell silent after hearing her remarks.

A sharp mind capable of navigating the business world as he did—how could he not understand the complexities and logic involved?

If life could return to the year Shang Qing and Chu Yan’s relationship shattered, he would undoubtedly leave with her without hesitation, ignoring Aunt Chu Yan’s words.

Had he done so, he and Aunt Chu Yan might have remained a family, and he could have taken on the role of protector, ensuring Lu Xining’s well-being.

Even when the Lu Family went bankrupt, she wouldn’t have been forced to return to Yunqiao Village, nor would she have had to rely on others in Port City. Her university years wouldn’t have been so bitter, nor would she have faced Ji Muye’s betrayal when he abandoned her and fled.

Shang Lvxing thought of the information he had uncovered later, and a mix of heartache and resolute determination flashed through his eyes.

Locking his gaze on her almond-shaped eyes, he asked, "If I were willing to give up the Shang surname, to renounce everything bestowed by the Shang Family, would you give me a chance?"

A soft laugh broke the silence of the tranquil room.

Lu Xining lowered her eyes, looking at the recording pen in her hand. She didn’t let herself get swept up in the romantic vortex prompted by the near-confession of this exceptional man.

In this world, love at first sight does exist, but it certainly can’t sway the decisions of superiors.

Love, to them, is just a seasoning in their quest for power. To think love could ever dictate their lives—unless you hold enough value—will only result in being discarded in the end.

She calmly retorted, "Can you really let it go?"

Lu Xining was acutely aware of the Beicheng Shang Family’s standing—three generations to build a gate, five to build a hall, seven to establish a family, nine to form a clan, and twelve or more to be deemed a noble lineage.

And the Shang Family was precisely the representative noble family of the northern region.

Years ago, Lu Xining’s grandfather started with nothing, single-handedly challenging such aristocratic families. In the span of a century, he was the only outlier with exceptional talent. Yet, in the end, he couldn’t withstand the combined attacks of several prominent families in the country. To protect his daughter, he had no choice but to take his own life.

At their level, their goals and aspirations transcend commerce and gravitate toward power.

Shang Lvxing might just be a dominant figure in the business world now, but in those power-centric private gatherings, he occupied the main seat.

Birds of a feather flock together. A man capable of such accomplishments will never be someone ruled by love.

Shang Qing might have been a despicable scumbag who exploited emotions, but his judgment in picking an heir was impeccable. If Shang Lvxing had spent over ten years under his meticulous guidance, he was bound to be alike in certain aspects—perhaps even surpassing his mentor.

It was only after Lu Xining reached her current position that she understood that finding someone was never truly difficult. Changing one’s identity could only deceive others temporarily, but those determined to find you would always succeed through the smallest of clues.

Younger Shang Lvxing may not have had the means, but the adult Shang Lvxing?

Could it really be due to a lack of ability that he couldn’t find her?

He could infiltrate the C Nation’s Underground Dark City without a sound and even plant people there—how could he not locate Chu Yan?

These thoughts churned endlessly in Lu Xining’s mind, forming an undeniable conclusion that everyone understood deep down.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t find her but that finding her would harm his interests.

Perhaps, at the beginning, Shang Lvxing truly had sought out Chu Yan. But as his wealth grew and his power expanded, the thrilling lifestyle of flipping clouds and overturning rain became impossible to surrender.

Shang Lvxing subconsciously furrowed his brows and said, "You don’t trust me?"

His voice carried a trace of disappointment at her lack of faith. His deep, tender eyes were now fully focused on Lu Xining.

"Shang Lvxing, why don’t we stop beating around the bush?"

Lu Xining’s ultimate goal in boarding the Royal Cruise was known only to herself.

Since she had agreed to discuss her mother’s matters with him just now, she intended to make good use of the power wielded by the man in front of her. It was time to stop letting them manipulate her and to "return" the favor.

Hearing this, his gaze flickered lightly. "Alright."

She rubbed the recording pen and said in a cool voice, "Actually, don’t you think our experiences are similar?"

The man didn’t respond to her question.

But the way he looked at her clearly carried an added layer of scrutiny and contemplation.

"And..."

Lu Xining paused momentarily before continuing, "In essence, we are the same kind of people."

It had been over a decade since she last heard her mother’s voice, and at this moment, she found it difficult to put down the recording pen in her hand.

But even so, Lu Xining took a deep breath and pushed it toward Shang Lvxing, returning it to him.

She continued, "Whether it’s because of our subjective intentions or because others pushed us onto this path, once we step onto it, no matter how thorny and treacherous the road ahead, we’ll walk it to the end."

Her snow-cold almond-shaped eyes now burned as she gazed intently at the silent man across from her, who had lowered his gaze in thought.

"You lost your parents at a young age and were sent to an orphanage, where you experienced the coldness of human nature and became withdrawn. It was my mother and Shang Qing who adopted you and brought you to the Shang Family, so you cherish that hard-won familial bond."

"As for me, I lost everything when I was young. My grandmother accompanied me for a few more years before passing away. I spent three years in Port City suppressing and restraining myself. You should have already investigated everything that happened afterward, shouldn’t you?"

Shang Lvxing did not deny it. His dark eyes remained indifferent, his calm demeanor conveying that he had long known these facts.

Behind them were shadows of darkness and desolation. Without moving forward, they would have been swallowed completely by that darkness.

Lu Xining understood all too well the feeling of having no choice but to keep moving forward.

Even now, with three children and family like Ming Yuan, Jing Zheng, Fu Junhang, and Haozi, she dared not stop walking.

Because she now had people she wanted to protect, and that gave her even more reason to press onward.

Lu Xining even had a faint premonition that during Shang Qing’s years of focusing on power, it was Shang Lvxing who blocked his attempts to search for her and her mother.

Even the appearance of Shang Yueling... seemed far too coincidental.