Hidden identities of the AI Heiress

Chapter 345: Chapter 345: It Really Isn’t a Match
 

Qiao Yun did not answer, her lips slightly pursed, as she quietly watched Lu Shiran with her clearly defined black and white eyes.

Lu Shiran looked straight into Qiao Yun’s clear eyes, not needing her reply, and started to analyze on his own.

“I remember when I was a child, my aunt was not like this. At that time, her relationship with my mom wasn’t as tense as it is now. It all started after you went missing. My aunt seldom returned to the old house, and every time she did, she disagreed with my mom.”

His gaze firm, he said, “And the argument that happened at the dinner table earlier made me even more certain, your disappearance had something to do with my mom, right?”

He just didn’t want to get involved in family matters, but that didn’t mean he was foolish.

With a little thought, many things were guessable.

As Lu Shiran thought about this, he felt suffocated, everyone in the family was keeping secrets from him, telling him nothing.

Seeing that he had guessed, Qiao Yun didn’t keep him in the dark, and straightforwardly said, “Yeah, your mom took me out to play, and I got lost.”

With the guess confirmed, Lu Shiran felt completely disordered.

His sister had been lost by his mom!

He felt a surge of guilt and culpability, even though he hadn’t done it, but because she was his mom, as her son, what right did he have to let Qiao Yun call him brother.

Lu Shiran opened his mouth, and with difficulty, he said, “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

Yet, this apology seemed so feeble.

“It has nothing to do with you,” Qiao Yun knew Lu Shiran would react this way.

Lu Shiran’s eyes reddened again, and with a hoarse voice, he said, “It does matter, she is my mom, she did something wrong, I can’t just ignore it.”

He was wholly consumed by self-reproach, not daring to look at Qiao Yun for the moment.

For some reason, seeing Lu Shiran like this, Qiao Yun felt a bit stifled, and softly comforted, “You’ve been very kind to me, so don’t blame yourself, it was your mom who was wrong, not you.”

Lu Shiran clearly couldn’t convince himself , and feeling conflicted and distressed, he hesitated for a moment, then asked with difficulty, “My mom… did she do it on purpose?”

Qiao Yun was slightly stunned, clearly not expecting him to doubt his own mother.

In the whole Lu family, only Su Mian had questioned if Qin Huan had intentionally lost her.

When Lu Shiran asked this question, his heart was torn in two, he didn’t want to suspect his own mother, but no one knew her better than he did.

In front of his father, she was tender and gentle, and in front of his grandparents, she was submissive and insecure.

Only in front of him would she revert to her true self.

Once the seed of doubt was planted, his thoughts became uncontrollable.

“I don’t know how to answer that.”

Qiao Yun didn’t tell Lu Shiran outright, as she didn’t want to see him break down.

Though it was only delaying the inevitable.

Lu Shiran’s face turned pale, and he said with a hint of self-mockery, “I always say I don’t deserve to be your brother, it turns out I really don’t.”

Qiao Yun pursed her lips, her voice gentle, “That’s not true.”

Lu Shiran’s heart felt heavy, and suddenly, he said, “I’m not participating in the competition anymore.”

He knew what his mother was thinking, so he decided to cut off her delusions at the root.

From today on, he would become a wastrel, a good-for-nothing.

If he became useless, his mother would no longer harbor those thoughts.

Qiao Yun didn’t understand Lu Shiran’s bizarre train of thought and, finding him giving up so easily, her expression sharpened, and for the first time, she sternly said to him, “Don’t give up, if you don’t give up, you’re still my brother.”

She could see that Lu Shiran wanted to quit because of her, and that was wrong.

No matter what Qin Huan did, he shouldn’t gamble with his future.

Lu Shiran’s heart clenched, he mumbled, “Do you not hate me at all?”

“I don’t hate you,” Qiao Yun said, “and you promise me, no matter what happens in the future, don’t run away.”

Lu Shiran looked at Qiao Yun’s serious expression, and those bizarre thoughts instantly dissipated.

He didn’t want his sister to be disappointed in him. Sniffling, Lu Shiran choked out, “Okay, I won’t run away, as long as you still think of me as your brother.”

Qiao Yun thought for a moment, then extended her pinky finger, “Promise.”

This was a method of making promises she had recently learned.

Lu Shiran hadn’t made such a childish gesture for many years, if anyone else tried to do this with him, he would have definitely been disgusted.

But this person was his sister, so he also extended his pinky finger, “Okay, promise.”

Qiao Yun was satisfied, hoping that when the time came, Lu Shiran could fulfill it.

…

Later that night, Lu Xian returned home.

He first chatted with Lu Rui for a while before going back to his room.

Qin Huan had been waiting for him already, her face adorned with a gentle smile, brimming from the corners of her eyes and eyebrows, nothing like her fierce demeanor facing Lu Shiran earlier.

“Why are you home so late, was work tiring?”

“It’s okay.”

Lu Xian, with his gentle demeanor and somewhat cold personality, was not very enthusiastic toward Qin Huan.

The two were not a loving couple, but they still respected each other.

Qin Huan mustered her emotions before saying, “Did dad tell you about letting Jingzhi go to the company to gain some experience?”

“Dad just told me,” Lu Xian smiled, “It’s good, someone to share the burden.”

Qin Huan’s eyes showed not a trace of a smile, though her voice remained gentle, “I was thinking it’s about time for Shiran to gain some experience too.”

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