As a tearful, repentant Lei Zhengchen was led away, every eye in the hall locked onto Lei Zhengyang.
He casually took a seat, sipping tea with a savoring sigh. "No need to stare. Got questions? Fire away. I can't promise I'll answer everything."
Lei Yunbao studied his grandson, struck by the change. A year ago, Zhengyang would've quaked before him like a mouse before a cat. Now, despite his colossal blunder, he faced the patriarch with unnerving calm.
"Zhengyang, how'd you know about Zhengchen's idiocy? And where were you this past year?" Lei Qiuping, always the boldest, spoke first. As uncle and nephew, they'd once been close, their temperaments aligned.
Zhengyang shrugged. "This year? Think of it as a sightseeing trip through the South's mountains and rivers. As for Second Brother's mess, that's a secret. Sorry, Third Uncle, can't spill on that one."
How could he explain? Tell them a time machine from forty years in the future had dragged him to a hellish training camp where he'd died and revived dozens of times? Or that his mind now held four decades of memories? They'd lock him in an asylum.
Lei Yunbao finally spoke, his voice heavy. "Can you handle the Song situation yourself?"
"The Songs?" Zhengyang raised an eyebrow. "What situation? It's a misunderstanding. I only stripped a few clothes off Song Yingfei to mess with her—no rape. Someone set me up. I'll swing by the Songs, clear things up. Old Man Song's no fool—he'll get it."
The room gaped. No rape? Just teasing?
"Zhengyang, you're not lying to dodge blame, are you?" Lei Chunping frowned, skeptical. His son was a habitual fibber, but Zhengyang's serene demeanor showed no trace of deceit. Still, Chunping wasn't convinced.
"I believe him," Lei Qiuping said firmly.
Zhengyang grinned, grabbing a juicy apple and biting into it with gusto. "Damn, that's sweet. Been ages since I had fruit this good. Hey, where's the pomelos? Used to have those around."
The family stifled laughs, exasperated. Xu Nongli scolded, "Zhengyang, answer properly! The adults are talking. Later, I'll make your favorite grilled ham."
Wiping juice from his chin, Zhengyang chuckled. "I'm telling the truth. Don't believe me? What, should I drag Yingfei to a hospital to prove she's still a virgin?"
The room fell silent, stunned by his audacity. A year away, and he spoke fearlessly before the family's elders.
"You rascal, enough nonsense!" Xu Nongli said, half-laughing. "I believe you. I always knew my Zhengyang's a good boy, not capable of such evil."
The others exchanged looks. If Zhengyang was "good," then the world had no troublemakers.
Lei Yunbao, eyeing him sharply, asked abruptly, "About Zhengchen's situation—any thoughts?"
Zhengyang seemed to ignore the question, turning to Lei Xinping, who watched him with a warm smile. "Auntie, next month's my twenty-first birthday. Missed my twentieth, so let's make this one count—call it a do-over. Bring Little Bean and Uncle. Let's have a big family bash. Another year older, and damn, time flies—life's slipping by!"
The Leis stared as if he'd sprouted horns. The sun must've risen in the west—this little punk was threatening the patriarch!
The family's rejection of Lei Xinping's husband wasn't new. As long as Lei Yunbao lived, Wang Jiansheng was barred from the Lei estate—a taboo. Yet Zhengyang tossed it out casually, unafraid of sparking the old man's wrath.
"Any objections to my plan?" he added, almost daring them.
Hearts raced. Even Xu Nongli tugged his sleeve, signaling him to drop it. Angering the patriarch could bar even Xinping from future visits—a disaster.
But, shockingly, Lei Yunbao didn't erupt. A rare smile crossed his face as he looked at Zhengyang. "If you can satisfy me, it's no issue."
He agreed? Lei Xinping's hands twisted together, her face flushing with emotion. In that moment, she wanted to throw her arms around Zhengyang and sob, releasing years of pent-up grievances.
In the kitchen, Xu Nongli and Lei Xinping prepared dinner, their soft conversation filled with warmth. Both women radiated joy.
"Sister-in-law, I can't thank Zhengyang enough," Xinping said. "I never dreamed Father would agree. When Jiansheng hears, he'll be over the moon." Five years of marriage, from scraping by to building their company, hadn't broken them. But the Lei family's rejection was their deepest wound.
Without recognition, their happiness felt rootless, like a leaf adrift on water, ready to vanish.
Xu Nongli smiled. "Xinping, your hardships are finally paying off. I didn't expect Father to agree so readily either. They're in the study now—hope he doesn't backtrack."
"He won't," Xinping said confidently. "Father's old-school, but his word is iron. He won't renege. And congratulations, Sister-in-law. Zhengyang's grown—mature, thoughtful, caring."
Xu Nongli sighed, touched. "You're right. Xinping, you don't know how much I've poured into that boy. Seeing him turn his life around, standing tall, I can finally breathe. Of all the Leis, he's the one I've worried about most."
"Don't worry," Xinping reassured. "A dragon doesn't stay in a pond forever—when the storm comes, it soars. I always believed Zhengyang wouldn't waste his life. Look at him now, the prodigal son returned. You'll have your days of ease."
"Ease?" Xu Nongli gave a wry laugh. "My three sons—none let me rest. The eldest is a block of ice, holed up in the military, not home in over a year. The second's too clever for his own good, blind to how his smarts can backfire. This blunder of his? Catastrophic. And the third—well, you know his old ways. I never dared hope much for him, just wanted him safe. Safety was enough. But now, I'm scared they'll turn on each other."
Xinping nodded. "Sister-in-law, men are like that, driven by desire—power, women, you name it. It's up to their ability to seize it. Don't fret. Let them compete. As long as they don't betray the Leis, it'll push them to grow."
"I hope so," Xu Nongli murmured. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have had so many kids. Chasing a daughter, I got two more sons. Now they're collecting the debt."
In the study, Zhengyang faced a barrage of questions from his uncles. Lei Qiuping even suggested another sparring match to prove he wasn't outclassed—only for Lei Yunbao's glare to shut him down.
"Zhengyang, the Song matter could be minor or massive," the patriarch said. "If you've got a plan, act fast. The Leis don't fear the Songs, but we don't need to hand our enemies an edge. And those two you mentioned—are you sure it's them?"
Zhengyang nodded. "I'll visit the Songs tomorrow. Some things need a face-to-face. Don't worry. As for Second Brother's mess, those two set the trap. The photos are still with them. Send someone to tail them, and we can snatch the photos quietly."
Zhengchen was his brother, but Zhengyang seized the chance to push for Xinping and her husband. They'd given so much for the Leis—he owed them. His "birthday" was just a pretext for a deal with his grandfather.
"Second Son," Lei Yunbao commanded, "handle this. Make it clean, no slip-ups. As for Zhengchen, he's not going back to his post. Transfer him to a ministry for two years to grind down his arrogance. If he's still unteachable, no more field assignments."
In the Lei family, Lei Yunbao's word was law, his orders absolute.