Ruan Ling’an patted the dirt off his clothes, looking a mess but entirely unbothered.
“I’ll defeat them sooner or later!”
It was a bit juvenile, but the butler was used to it by now. After all, the third young master had been using this phrase as his personal motto since he was little.
When he went to shower, the blood from his wounds mixed with dirt and made the bathroom a filthy mess. Hot water seeped into his injuries, but his expression didn’t waver in the slightest. One had to admit—Ruan Ling’an was indeed a ruthless person.
He was tough on others and even tougher on himself.
After his shower, he changed into fresh clothes and went downstairs, but the places where his wounds should have clotted kept bleeding. Washing off the dried blood only made the fresh, bright red blood flow even more freely.
The butler approached with some medicinal ointment and expertly bandaged him up.
During dinner, Ruan Xiao and Ruan Fengsi both stared at him. Ruan Shu was nursing a cup of milk juice, drinking slowly, and occasionally stealing glances at him.
“When you’re healed, go visit the Legion,” Ruan Xiao said. If he liked fighting so much, he might as well go there and get his fill.
Ruan Ling’an felt a little nervous. What was going on? It seemed like his dad was out to get him.
But he wasn’t about to back down. “Fine, I’ll go!”
After all, Ruan Ling’an was destined to replace his father as the marshal someday—there was no way he’d shrink back in fear.
Ruan Fengsi shot him a look that plainly said he thought Ruan Ling’an was an idiot. This fool. Just wait till he gets a beating.
“The court trial is set for tomorrow,” Ruan Xiao said, his face expressionless. But when he looked at Ruan Shu, his gaze softened significantly.
“Shushu, would you like to attend?”
Ruan Shu clutched her cup a bit tighter, then nodded. “I want to go.”
She knew exactly what her father was referring to. She had never once thought of that woman as her mother.
If, after she was born, that woman had shown her even the slightest kindness, perhaps Ruan Shu might have softened.
Of course, that softness would only extend as far as pleading for the woman to have a slightly better life in prison. But the legal consequences of her crimes were not something Ruan Shu could erase. She might be compassionate, but she was also a law-abiding child.
Xiao Yuanyi probably couldn’t imagine that Ruan Shu had been born with her memories intact.
From birth, she had gone hungry multiple times. Only when she wailed out of pure instinct did the woman grudgingly go out to buy formula. Even then, she hadn’t fed her properly.
Sometimes, the formula was too hot. A baby’s body is delicate, and while it hurt her, she preferred that to going hungry, so she often drank it through tears.
Other times, the formula was too cold, leaving her with an upset stomach.
To Xiao Yuanyi, she wasn’t raising a child at all; she was raising a “pet” she didn’t like but thought could eventually fetch a high price.
After Ruan Shu’s first transformation into her star beast form, Xiao Yuanyi’s initial excitement turned into disbelief and rage. She unleashed her fury on Ruan Shu, hitting, pinching, and even starving her for two days.
Eventually, perhaps out of reluctance or a last-ditch effort, she decided to continue raising her, but her attitude only worsened. From then on, Ruan Shu’s meals were always the cheapest nutritional supplements.
Xiao Yuanyi was somewhat cunning, perhaps concerned that any visible scars would be hard to explain if the Ruan family eventually took her back. Every time she lost her temper and beat Ruan Shu, she would apply high-quality ointment to the injuries afterward. So while Ruan Shu did have scars, they were minimal.
Ruan Shu never shared any of this with her father or brothers.
What she didn’t know was that Ruan Xiao had personally interrogated Xiao Yuanyi, learning about the abuse she had suffered. That’s why he had left the interrogation in such a rage, half-beating Xiao Yuanyi to death.
Since the case involved the marshal, it was now under the jurisdiction of the military tribunal.
Ruan Xiao had already prepared all the necessary evidence, including Xiao Yuanyi’s own confession.
On the day of the trial, Ruan Ling’an unexpectedly tagged along. Ruan Xiao and Ruan Fengsi merely gave him a glance without saying anything.
However, when he got into his father’s hovercar, Ruan Ling’an stared at the decor inside, wondering if something was wrong with his eyes.
“What is all this?” he asked, pointing at the plush toys, soft pastel cushions, and little blankets scattered around, wearing an expression that suggested his father might have entered the wrong car by mistake.
But the car model and license plate were unmistakably his dad’s.
Ruan Shu was lifted into the car, and she nestled comfortably onto the soft cushions, hugging a cat plushie as she looked at him. “Third Brother?”
Ruan Ling’an muttered, “I’ll go ride in Big Brother’s car.”
The look on his face clearly conveyed that he thought something was seriously off with his dad for filling the car with such childish items. If he had to have anything like this, it should at least be cool and flashy!
Ruan Xiao didn’t stop him and drove off with his daughter.
However, when Ruan Ling’an got to his big brother’s car and saw familiar items there, his eye twitched in disbelief.
“Ruan Fengsi, did a tiger eat your brain? Why are you putting all this childish stuff in the car?”
Ruan Fengsi gave him a sideways look, one hand resting on the steering wheel, leg propped up, and wearing a fierce expression. “Sit if you want. If not, get out.”
Ruan Ling’an grumbled, tempted to throw out the stuffed toys. How could he, a grown man, ride surrounded by such juvenile things?
“Just try touching one,” Ruan Fengsi warned.
Ruan Ling’an retorted, “What, you want to fight?”
Ruan Fengsi snapped, “If you’re not getting in, then get lost!”
Ruan Ling’an chuckled coldly, as if he had any desire to stay.
One minute later…
“I seriously think there’s something wrong with you and Dad. Maybe I should go check out Cousin’s car. Why would you pick stuff in these colors? And… why is everything so soft? Since when did you have such a girly taste? If it weren’t for that speeding incident that got me banned from driving for a year, you think I’d willingly sit in your car? My ride is way cooler than yours…”
As he kept talking nonstop, Ruan Ling’an absentmindedly picked up a plush ragdoll cat from the cushion, giving it a squeeze. He had to admit, the soft, fluffy texture was unexpectedly nice.
But that was one thing—there was also the pink cushion shaped like a cherry blossom, a fuzzy little blanket, and that jingling seashell charm hanging up front. What was going on here?
Wasn’t his brother always into black?
Of course, it was obvious who all these things were for.
Ruan Fengsi wasn’t about to indulge his nonsense. “If you don’t want to look, then close your eyes. And put that cat down!”
Ruan Ling’an’s mind lit up with realization as he raised the plush cat in his hand.
“A ragdoll cat?”
Ruan Fengsi shot him a sideways glance, saying nothing.
So that was it!
“So, our adorable little sister’s star beast form looks like this? And so small too? She really doesn’t look very useful. No scales or anything for defense? No wonder Dad asked me to watch over her. Like this? One punch and she’d be out cold.”
Ruan Ling’an assumed the plushie’s design was modeled after Ruan Shu’s star beast form, and he continued prattling on endlessly.
Thank you!