"Uncle, yes, I understand that if a family can't stay together, it will suffer, I'm aware of that."

Mu Leng interrupted Lu Cheng, "If you can't move forward, Xiao Shu said she can step back."

"I also respect her thoughts, but I hope you won't feel too concerned about saving face and find yourself stuck in an awkward position."

"Do you understand what your uncle means?"

Mu Leng's words made Lu Cheng feel a pang of bitterness in his heart, but also a sense of warmth.

This meant that Mu Nanshu had really had a good conversation with Mu Leng and the others, and her saying she could develop in a prefectural city was not a joke.

Lu Cheng nodded, "Uncle, I understand, thank you and Auntie for understanding and supporting us."

"To be more precise, back then, it wasn't that we were particularly immature; it was that Xiao Shu quarreled so fiercely that it was hard for her to stay."

"And I always wanted to prove that Xiao Shu's fight was not in vain, so I became somewhat prideful and stubbornly refused to try again."

"On this issue, I was indeed naive, a bit too concerned with face! But on deeper issues, I won't be particularly stubborn."

"In the beginning, I was the one who encouraged Nanshu to go abroad to study; we can't both just lie down in defeat because of my failures."

"To say something that might sound foolish to you, if anyone is to be stubborn, let it be me alone; Nanshu is innocent."

"But after all these years, the fact is that I was indeed very naive. I proved my own failure, and quite thoroughly."

After Lu Cheng finished speaking, he glanced at Mu Nanshu in the kitchen, "But there's one thing, Nanshu didn't let me down."

"Uncle, if there's truly no opportunity to seek outside, and if Xiao Shu is willing, coming back is also a very good choice."

Lu Cheng summed up what had happened back then.

Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu had planned to settle in Shanghai, of course aiming to pass Shanghai's graduate exams, but even though Lu Cheng aced the written exams, he failed the interview!

Can anyone blame Lu Cheng? Certainly not.

But Mu Nanshu and Lu Cheng surely felt indignant and got into a fight so bad that it became too hard for Mu Nanshu to hold her ground, leading to Lu Cheng persuading her to go abroad.

Lu Cheng himself, holding onto the remnants of that quarrel, has been stubbornly drifting through years…

Mu Leng thought for a moment and then decided not to ask more about past events.

He understood Mu Nanshu's character well. Back then, he was helpless too. What was his place to interfere?

Of course, what Mu Leng could do was use his wealth to support his daughter's choices.

He couldn't interfere with Lu Cheng's decisions.

Lu Cheng's considerations were well-founded and not exaggerated at all, which made Mu Leng believe him a bit.

Mu Leng then said, "If you need some financial support, your uncle here can help you."

"I heard from Xiao Shu that there are many advanced training courses for doctors, which will benefit you a lot."

Mu Leng also cared deeply for his daughter, but his mindset was relatively progressive; if he couldn't correct his daughter's choices, he thought about how to make her chosen person better.

Of course, this was also because Mu Leng knew Lu Cheng was a promising young man.

If Lu Cheng were just a loafer, he wouldn't hesitate to break Mu Nanshu's leg and lock her up.

"Uncle, no need, I've saved a lot over the years while working," Lu Cheng said.

Mu Leng's tone was gentle, "Look, being impulsive again, aren't you?"

"Some money should be used early to enjoy, you can borrow first and repay later. If you're truly confident in yourself, you wouldn't care about this bit of money, even if you count the interest."

"Unless you have no intention to progress yourself."

Lu Cheng was momentarily lost for words.

Lu Cheng had thought that Mu Leng might look down on him, or support him and Mu Nanshu, but he didn't expect such straightforward words from Mu Leng.

This caught Lu Cheng off guard.

Seeing Lu Cheng remain silent, Mu Leng continued, "Xiao Lu, some words shouldn't be said to you, but I just feel uncomfortable hearing them."

"Today, Xiao Shu went back home and met her uncle and aunt."

"It was another person from back home who made the call, and her aunt said that although our family is wealthy, Xiao Shu couldn't find a suitable partner nearby."

"Because those who know her know the past. There was an engagement, and now she's considered second-hand."

"Not many don't mind. Her cousin doesn't mind and has a good job… Hearing this just makes me feel suffocated…"

The weather was slightly cool, with a cold wind blowing through the open window, there was no need for air conditioning.

Lu Cheng was a bit stunned, "Isn't that so?"

"Uncle, is there some misunderstanding here? How could Xiao Shu's uncle and aunt say such unpleasant words?"

My God, Lu Cheng's thoughts were twisted by this.

Mu Nanshu's aunt was saying her cousin wouldn't mind her, since they were family and knew her well, implying she's not some problematic person???

What normal relative with ten years of brain problems would say such nasty words?

"Part of the reason is that I had a falling out with her second uncle before, another part…"

"Sigh, public opinion is terrifying."

"Whether you admit it or not, Xiao Lu, among rural folks, the girl is still at the losing end."

"Rumors are unavoidable," Mu Leng said helplessly.

Mu Leng was quite wealthy, but even money couldn't stop people's mouths.

To say Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu were quite 'bold' earlier isn't accurate; classmates going to school together and back is normal.

Mu Leng understood that Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu's relationship was a pure classmate one.

But others didn't understand that…

With both Mu Leng and his spouse absent from home, Lu Cheng often dropped by Mu Nanshu's house.

People said they were doing homework, but outsiders wondered if they were really doing study work as a lone boy and girl…

Of course, back then they were young, and such rumors wouldn't spread among junior high or high school students, unless they wanted to provoke Mu Leng to rage and go on the rampage.

But that was back in the day.

Mu Leng continued, "Of course, what angered Xiao Shu more was his relative saying Nanshu was picking up scraps, implying you, someone at County Hospital, couldn't compete with his wife's nephew in any regard…"

Lu Cheng covered his forehead.

Lu Cheng took a deep breath, then calmly said, "Uncle, don't get angry, we just have to avoid such people as we can't afford to provoke them."

"I also don't know how to comment on their mindset."

Lu Cheng himself had uncles and granduncles, but because there wasn't much wealth disparity, even the family with the shallowest ties didn't have any conflicts.

When meeting, they were always quite courteous.

"Xiao Lu, if not for hearing so much today, Uncle wouldn't call you."

"But, you know, Uncle feels uneasy about this." Mu Leng was quite familiar with Lu Cheng.

During Mu Nanshu's time abroad, Mu Leng often came to Lu Cheng's house to drink, becoming quite a familiar elder.

Therefore, Mu Leng's sudden revelations to Lu Cheng at this moment were understandable.

Lu Cheng thought for a moment and softly said, "Uncle, can you lend an ear to my little boast?"

"It won't take two years for all these rumors to vanish!"

Mu Leng thought for a moment before saying, "Xiao Lu, the importance is not in quelling the rumors, but in you young people choosing the right path."

"To speak candidly, over the years, I've figured out Lu Cheng's character meticulously."

"If you had a bad character, I'd have broken Nanshu's leg long ago!"

"However, your sense has kept me in a dilemma." Mu Leng finally said bluntly.

Mu Leng was also a local from Long County, with a bit of a roguish streak.

But roguish as he might be, he couldn't just act out irrationally.

With that, Mu Leng said, "Let's leave it at that for now… I'll find some time later to have a few drinks with your dad…"

"Alright, Uncle." Lu Cheng put down the phone, his gaze momentarily turning indifferent.