Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 17

Liang Cheng hurriedly approached Lu Tang. “Brother Tang, how are you? I never expected you to rush out so enthusiastically to greet me. I didn’t know my status in your heart was this high after this incident!”

Lu Tang lifted his foot to kick Liang Cheng.

Liang Cheng nimbly dodged and grinned. “Brother Tang, after this calamity, all the brothers were worried about you. Zhao Chengfei booked a private room at the Fortune Tea House to celebrate your return.”

Zhao Chengfei, the youngest son of Magistrate Zhao, was now fourteen.

This Young Master Zhao typically looked down on their group of young ruffians. He usually played with the students from the academies.

Knowing what Lu Tang was thinking, Liang Cheng smiled and said, “It was Gu Changming who arranged it.”

Lu Tang immediately glared at Liang Cheng. “Have you eaten too much crap?”

Liang Cheng put his arm around Lu Tang’s shoulder. “Brother Tang, listen to me. Although Gu Changming and Zhao Chengfei have their own plans, the brothers have their own plans too. No matter what they intend, we just plan to get drunk and beat up Gu Changming!”

Lu Tang snorted with laughter, thinking of all the evil deeds Magistrate Zhao had done. “He’s not worth dirtying our hands.”

But for now, Magistrate Zhao was still in power.

As long as Magistrate Zhao remained in office, she couldn’t afford to offend him over something so trivial.

Bantering with Liang Cheng along the way, they headed to the Fortune Tea House.

When Lu Tang entered the private room on the second floor, it was already filled with people.

At a glance, all the faces were familiar, except for a stranger sitting beside Gu Changming.

The stranger looked refined. When Lu Tang glanced at him, he also looked at Lu Tang, but quickly lowered his head after just one look.

In that brief glance, Lu Tang felt the stranger was glaring at him.

Idiot! Anyone sitting with Gu Changming couldn’t be a good person!

Cursing in his heart, Lu Tang walked inside.

“Brother Tang!”

The brothers who usually hung out with Lu Tang greeted him loudly as soon as he entered.

At that moment, Lu Tang felt that even Qin Mo, the big boss, didn’t have her status.

“Sorry for the fright you endured, Brother Lu.” Zhao Chengfei was the first to stand up and greet Lu Tang with a shallow bow. “It’s truly distressing that such a bandit incident happened in my father’s jurisdiction. On behalf of my father, I apologize to you.”

Lu Tang hurriedly waved his hand. “No, no, if it weren’t for the Magistrate, I’d still be in the bandits’ hands. I should be the one thanking him.”

Liang Cheng lightly elbowed Lu Tang. “Your sister went to thank him early this morning. If we waited for you to thank him, the Magistrate would have finished his dinner.”

Everyone burst out laughing.

From start to finish, Lu Tang didn’t look at Gu Changming. Although Gu Changming felt uncomfortable, he still expressed concern. “Little Tang, were you scared?”

He called him Little Tang affectionately, as if there had never been any conflicts between their families.

Lu Tang ignored him.

Zhao Chengfei glanced at Gu Changming and laughed. “Today, I’m the host. Everyone is here to celebrate Little Tang’s return. No fighting and no upsetting anyone, or you’ll be disrespecting me!”

Though he said it to everyone, his words were meant for Lu Tang.

As they talked, the food and drinks were served. Zhao Chengfei raised his cup to Lu Tang. “On the day of your wedding, I went to the Gu family early, planning to drink with you until we were both drunk. But that incident ruined everything. Let’s make up for it today. In a few days, when the wedding happens, we won’t leave until we’re drunk.”

Lu Tang’s expression turned serious, as did Liang Cheng’s.

Lu Tang set his cup down. “Brother Zhao, what do you mean? Who’s getting married in a few days?”

Zhao Chengfei replied casually, “Of course, your sister and Brother Gu. A perfect match shouldn’t be delayed by bandits. I heard from Uncle Gu and your father that the date is set for the third day of next month. It’s only a few days away.”

A fire ignited in Lu Tang’s heart.

Under the table, Liang Cheng lightly nudged Lu Tang’s foot, reminding her to stay calm.

Lu Tang smiled but didn’t speak.

Zhao Chengfei breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew Lu Tang’s unruly nature and was worried that he might cause a scene since Gu Changming had asked him to probe Lu Tang. Now that Lu Tang was being sensible, Zhao Chengfei felt much better. “Come, let’s all toast to Young Master Lu.”

Following Zhao Chengfei’s lead, everyone at the table toasted Lu Tang. Soon, it was the turn of the person next to Gu Changming.

He raised his cup with a stern face. Gu Changming introduced him warmly. “This is Lu Yuchen, my classmate.”

Lu Tang raised an eyebrow.

Lu?

He scrutinized the person across from him.

The more he looked, the more Lu Tang felt this person resembled Lu Deren. And considering his closeness to Gu Changming, Lu Tang’s heart skipped a beat.

Could it be?

Was it just his imagination?

Thinking quickly, Lu Tang hesitated only a moment before taking out the cube-shaped detector.

Might as well use it.

He had to use it, or he’d be punished.

Raising his cup, Lu Tang walked over to Lu Yuchen.

Liang Cheng didn’t know what Lu Tang was planning, fearing he might poke Gu Changming in the eye with his cup. He quickly stood up to follow.

Zhao Chengfei, who had just relaxed, tensed up again.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

“Lu Yuchen? Which Lu, which Yu, and which Chen?”

As he spoke, he quickly placed the cube on Lu Yuchen’s head.

In an instant, the detector activated, disappearing and leaving a row of messages above Lu Yuchen’s head.

Lu Yuchen, male, fifteen, Lu Deren’s eldest son with his mistress.

Lu Tang glanced at the straightforward message. Despite his suspicions, seeing it confirmed left him momentarily breathless.

Gu Changming actually brought Lu Yuchen here!

Ha!

Did he think Lu Tang wouldn’t get angry?

Before Lu Yuchen could respond, Lu Tang calmly said, “Lu Deren’s Lu, right?”

Lu Yuchen’s lowered eyelashes twitched violently.

Gu Changming’s face changed drastically.

“Little Tang, he’s a quiet person. Don’t tease him.”

Ignoring Gu Changming, Lu Tang continued, “The Lu from ‘to seize’? Your name is interesting. What, you plan to seize my father’s surname? You can have it. No need to seize it. I’ll change my surname to Qiao, and the Lu will be all yours!”

Gu Changming’s face darkened. “It’s not seize, it’s Yu.”

But Lu Yuchen raised his head abruptly, looking at Lu Tang with disdain. “Really? Are you really going to change your surname, Young Master Lu?”

Lu Tang replied, “It’s just a surname. Only you would treat it like a treasure. I can change it easily. Everyone in Qingshui County knows my father is a live-in son-in-law. My mother gave him face, so we took his surname. If my mother is unhappy tomorrow, not only will the Lu surname be taken back—”

Lu Yuchen’s face turned pale. Lu Tang noticed his hand tightly gripping the cup, raised an eyebrow, and sneered. Lu Tang leaned back against the table.

“I know you. Not only do I know you, but I also know you have a sister named Yue Er!”