Fell Deeply In Love With My Ex-Husband's Fiancé - Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Seize the Day – “If you knew you were going to die soon…”

The Lu family’s old mansion was packed with people. Lu Feiran’s car wasn’t even properly parked before he was stopped and urged to hurry to see Lu Liye.

His car keys were taken by someone else to help park the car.

All the way, Lu Feiran was in a daze. Lu Liye was only in his fifties. How could he be dying?

Yet, all the signs and omens had been evident long ago. The Lu family, like Lu Liye’s body, had begun its inevitable decline years ago.

On the second floor, outside Lu Liye’s bedroom, Lu Xingli and his mother stood, their eyes red, displaying clear anxiety and fear.

Lu Feiran felt that, more than the death of a relative, these two were afraid of losing their backer.

He felt a pang of sadness for Lu Liye. His gaze lingered on the two of them for just a moment before he withdrew it and entered the bedroom.

Doctors and a lawyer were in the bedroom. Lu Xingli and his mother followed him in.

Lu Liye looked pallid and wasted, horrifyingly thin. Seeing Lu Feiran enter, his eyes lit up as if in a final burst of energy. He reached out to grab Lu Feiran’s hand.

Lu Feiran looked at him, not moving.

Is this… still his father? Why did Lu Liye become like this? The last time he saw him in the cemetery, he looked quite spirited. How long has it been? Why the sudden decline?

Someone behind him gently pushed Lu Feiran’s shoulder, prompting him to take a step forward. Lu Liye seized his fingers, his frail, withered hand gripping Lu Feiran’s with all its strength, trembling violently.

Lu Feiran half-crouched, leaning close to Lu Liye’s constantly moving, shriveled lips, listening to his unclear whisper: “Ranran, you are my most outstanding child. Forgive Dad. The Lu family… the Lu family is yours…”

Father and son’s hands were still clasped. The warmth in Lu Feiran’s palm was almost driven away by Lu Liye’s icy grip. His expression froze. After a brief wave of sadness, an odd sense of unwillingness surfaced.

“Where is the apology, for there to be forgiveness?” Lu Feiran asked.

Lu Liye never thought he had done anything wrong, not his infidelity during the pregnancy, nor the absurd things he did over a decade later to get Lu Xingli into the family, nor tacitly allowing Lu Xingli and Zhai Qiance to be together… He never admitted fault.

But now, realizing Lu Xingli was useless and couldn’t be an heir, he became anxious, determined to hand everything over to Lu Feiran even on his deathbed.

Lu Liye didn’t understand why Lu Feiran was dissatisfied. As a father, he felt he had given everything he could.

As Lu Feiran withdrew his hand, all relevant personnel were present, and the lawyer began reading the will.

Lu Liye’s shares were divided: 70% to Lu Feiran, and the remainder to Lu Xingli and his mother. Other assets were split equally among the three.

No one raised any objections. Lu Feiran found the doctor in a quiet area to inquire about the situation. The doctor said: “It’s heart failure. He’s experienced quite a lot of stress in the past six months. Mr. Lu, I advise you and your brother to undergo thorough physical examinations, especially regarding your hearts.”

The doctor only hinted. Lu Feiran’s face stiffened. He saw the doctor off to the lounge, ignored Lu Xingli’s glaring red eyes, and returned to his old room, sitting on the edge of the bed.

He gently pressed his chest, unsure whether the frequent dull sensation was pathological or psychological. He didn’t want to die.

Rubbing his eyes, Lu Feiran delegated his work on his phone, and lay down fully clothed.

…

The next morning, Lu Feiran was woken by a burst of wailing. He shot up from the bed. The unlocked door was abruptly flung open. His Second Aunt, Jian Xu, stood at the doorway, clutching a handkerchief: “Your father…”

Qing Zhi, Lu Xingli’s mother, was organizing the funeral affairs. Jian Xu was helping. Lu Feiran and Lu Xingli knelt on either side in the mourning hall.

Compared to Lu Xingli’s overt grief, Lu Feiran appeared much colder. He knelt silently, feeling a profound sense of emptiness more than sorrow.

From today onwards, he had lost his last relative, completely alone. Moreover, it was possible his own heart had issues similar to Lu Liye’s…

After kneeling for a while to pay his respects, Lu Feiran took over Qing Zhi’s job of receiving guests. The whole day, he was so busy that he didn’t even have time to dwell on the fact that it was his father’s death anniversary, treating it merely as a typical busy workday.

The Lu family was traditional in some aspects. After seeing off most of the guests, Lu Feiran and Lu Xingli couldn’t sleep; they had to keep vigil.

The perpetual lamp lit up the mourning hall brightly, its light making Lu Feiran want to cry. He rubbed his eyes and heard Jian Xu call him out to eat.

He wasn’t very hungry and stalled for a while before going out, intending to tell Jian Xu that he wouldn’t eat yet, but saw a familiar figure not far away. Unlike his usual preference for white, he was wearing black for once.

Lance had arrived.

Jian Xu was talking to Lance. Lu Feiran stood far away and couldn’t hear what they were saying, only seeing their lips move. The ringing in his ears grew louder, and his head ached.

Lance saw Lu Feiran, bid farewell to Jian Xu, and walked over, steadily supporting Lu Feiran’s arm. It wasn’t overly intimate, but if Lu Feiran were to faint, Lance could catch him perfectly.

“You’re too tired,” Lance said.

Lu Feiran shook his head, ignoring him, and spoke to Jian Xu: “Second Aunt, I won’t eat yet. I’m going back to the hall.”

Jian Xu worriedly asked: “You barely ate anything at noon. How will you manage?”

“Later… there are still quite a few people now. I’ll eat at night.”

Lu Feiran left that line and turned to walk away. Lance didn’t stop him. He turned and asked Jian Xu in a low voice: “Second Aunt, what food did the kitchen prepare? Ranran is a picky eater; it might not suit his taste.”

Lu Feiran and Jian Xu were both taken aback. Jian Xu hesitated for a moment and listed the dishes: “The Lu family has strict rules. There are many things we can’t eat during these seven days, to ensure Old Lu can rest peacefully.”

Lance nodded: “I wasn’t aware of these customs. However… Second Aunt, may I borrow the kitchen? Ranran has a sensitive stomach. He’s only just recovered. He can’t go without food.”

Jian Xu was unaware of Lu Feiran’s physical condition, deepening her suspicion of Lance. She led Lance to the kitchen and watched him work skillfully. She couldn’t help but ask: “What is your relationship with our Ranran? You’re not just ordinary friends, are you?”

Lance smiled: “I don’t know either. Second Aunt, you should ask him.”

He was poised and polite. Despite being a son of the Deville family, he was personally cooking in the Lu family’s kitchen because Lu Feiran wouldn’t eat.

Jian Xu suddenly remembered the day she met Lu Feiran at the Lu family a few months ago. As she was leaving, she took a call for Lu Feiran, asking the person to pick him up. The caller ID’s note was “Deville”…

So their relationship was already unusual back then, Jian Xu thought.

…

In the mourning hall, Lu Feiran sat on a small sofa by the wall, wearing mourning attire, staring blankly at the shadow cast by the perpetual lamp at his feet.

Suddenly, a bowl of fragrant tofu pudding was offered to him. Lu Feiran looked up. Lance was smiling at him.

“Why are you here?” Lu Feiran asked.

“Representing my family to pay respects is protocol,” Lance said. “Furthermore, anything involving you, I must be a part of.”

Lu Feiran nodded, accepting his kind intention, but kept looking at the tofu pudding. Suddenly, his appetite returned. He hesitated about taking it, then heard Lance say: “Can’t you eat it here?”

“…Not exactly.”

“Then take it, or I’ll feed you.” Lance made a gesture as if to take a spoon.

Lu Feiran had no choice but to take the bowl. At the same time, Lu Xingli’s gaze on the other side stabbed at him like a sword.

Lu Feiran placed the bowl on his lap and said, “If you’re hungry, go eat outside. Your mother has called you several times. Why are you comparing yourself to me? If I don’t eat, you won’t either? Are you worried people will call you unfilial if you eat one more bite than me? No matter how filial you are, the will has already been finalized.”

Lance bowed respectfully in the center of the mourning hall. Hearing Lu Feiran was still so articulate, he felt relieved.

Lu Xingli never gained anything good from Lu Feiran. Seeing Lance’s attentive care for Lu Feiran made him even more jealous. He stomped his foot and ran out.

Lu Feiran realized he was genuinely hungry. He finished the tofu pudding in a few minutes. He handed the empty bowl to Lance, saying listlessly, “Why are you everywhere?”

“I am omnipresent because I am pursuing you,” Lance admitted frankly. “I consider this said in front of your father.”

The sadness from a few hours ago was as faint as water, completely gone now. Lu Feiran only felt a little lost at the thought that he was truly alone from now on.

“He…” Lu Feiran’s eyes flickered. He wanted to say something, but felt it might be inappropriate to judge Lu Liye so soon after his passing, so he changed the subject: “The tofu is very good, better than at noon. Did the kitchen staff change?”

“I made it.” Lance’s eyes shone like emeralds in the light of the perpetual lamp. He smiled back, endless tolerance and affection surging towards Lu Feiran like a tide.

Lu Feiran was stunned for a moment, turned his gaze away, and lowered his head.

Lance sat down beside Lu Feiran. Lu Feiran caught his familiar scent, his nostrils twitching. He lowered his head further, shoulders hunched inward. The world, constantly ringing with tinnitus, finally quieted down.

He used to hate Lance’s omnipresence, but now, he couldn’t help but be grateful for it.

Lu Feiran realized he had the potential to be a scoundrel. He used Lance matter-of-factly when he needed him, and wished for him to leave when he didn’t. Just yesterday he had treated Lance so harshly, yet today he was eating the food he made.

This was a time when he temporarily needed Lance. The speed at which Lu Feiran’s psychological burden vanished was faster than finishing a bowl of tofu pudding. He tilted his head and rested it on Lance’s lap.

“Let me rest for a bit,” Lu Feiran said with his eyes closed.

Lance smiled widely, as if he had finally witnessed the dawn after the polar night. He gently rested his hand on Lu Feiran’s shoulder. The plain band ring on his finger shone startlingly in the light of the perpetual lamp.

He heard Lu Feiran say: “I just want to lie down for a moment.”

“Okay.” Lance didn’t expose him, responding with caution and restraint. Given the especially sensitive nature of the day, he didn’t make any other unnecessary moves.

Lu Feiran placed his hand on his chest. Ever since the doctor advised him to get a physical exam, he felt something was wrong with his heart. Sometimes it beat fast, sometimes slow, and sometimes it felt dull.

He didn’t want to die. He was still very young and had many things he wanted to do…

Lu Feiran opened his eyes, looking up at Lance’s lowered gaze. After a long hesitation, he asked: “If you knew you were going to die soon, what would you do?”

“Me?” Lance pondered, shrugging. “I’m sorry, but I would kidnap you. I’d spend every second of my remaining life with you.”

Lu Feiran rolled his eyes helplessly. He should have guessed what Lance would say, internally complaining about why Lance couldn’t focus his time and energy on something more meaningful.

He then asked himself the same question in his mind. The answer was that he, too, would seize the day.

The moment this thought emerged, all the anxiety caused by sleeping with Lance in the car a few days ago vanished. It was merely part of seizing the day.

If he truly inherited Lu Liye’s heart condition and would fall ill within a certain timeframe, then he would do everything that made him happy for the rest of his life.

Including, sleeping with Lance.