After speaking, he left with Jiaojiao, regardless of their reactions.

Lu Zishu lay on the ground for quite some time without responding. Ruan Feng crouched down to check and confirmed that he had just fainted, which relieved him slightly.

Afraid they would misunderstand, Yu Rou quickly pointed to Lu Zishu, who had been knocked out, and explained, "It’s not Jiaojiao and Duan Xi’s fault, it’s Lu Zishu who spoke too harshly! How could he talk about Jiaojiao like that, he deserved it!" After speaking, she glanced at Lu Xian, her eyes carrying a hint of reproach.

Yu Rou didn’t repeat what Lu Zishu had said, after all, those words were too hurtful. To recount them again in front of everyone would be a second injury to Ruan Jiaojiao.

Even though she didn’t say it, everyone else could imagine it; otherwise, Duan Xi wouldn’t have been pushed to suddenly turn hostile and act so forcefully, especially since she had looked at Lu Xian, everyone could understand the situation.

Besides, Lu Zishu’s mouth was indeed usually foul, and this time he must have gone too far.

Thinking of this, the faces of the Ruan brothers darkened, and Lu Xian’s expression wasn’t much better.

Without any pity, he dragged Lu Zishu up from the ground and pulled him toward the car, saying to the Ruan brothers as he walked, "I’ll take him to the hospital first and get back to you tomorrow with an explanation." Then he opened the car door and tossed Lu Zishu inside.

This time, Lu Zishu was truly badly hurt because Duan Xi had acted ruthlessly. There had been a time when he kicked Feng Nianian and broke several of his ribs; although Lu Zishu’s injury wasn’t as dramatic, he did fracture a bone — specifically, his nose.

Zhao Li rushed to the hospital upon receiving Lu Xian’s call and was almost unable to recognize Lu Zishu, whose face was covered in blood. She stood by, heartbroken, watching the nurse wipe the blood off his face, and anxiously turned to Lu Xian and asked, "What happened, did your brother faceplant into the ground?"

"It was Duan Xi who hit him," Lu Xian responded, standing by the hospital room door with his head lowered.

"Xiaoxi? Why?" Zhao Li was stunned. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Lu Xian lowered his eyelids, not answering the question but saying he needed to go smoke some cigarettes, and then turned to leave the room.

Lu Zishu woke up from the pain, and after waking felt somewhat confused. Seeing him awake, Zhao Li came over to ask, "Your brother said it was Xiaoxi who hit you; what happened exactly?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zishu recalled the earlier events but facing Zhao Li’s questioning, he dared not say a word, tightly pursing his lips with his eyes full of guilt.

Actually, he regretted speaking those words the moment they left his mouth. He, Duan Xi, Ruan Lei, and Ruan Jiaojiao had grown up together since childhood, and he knew better than anyone about the relationship between Ruan Jiaojiao and Duan Xi. However, Lu Xian is his brother, and although he never said it, he always admired his brother deeply.

Seeing him pained by his love for Ruan Jiaojiao and caught in a conflict with Ruan Chi and the others, he was somewhat angry at Ruan Jiaojiao. Besides, he got provoked at that moment, which led to his reckless words.

Watching Lu Zishu’s expression, Zhao Li narrowed her eyes and stopped asking, with some idea forming in her mind. After all, she had watched Duan Xi grow up and knew he wasn’t the kind to beat someone for no reason, whereas she understood her son’s personality very well — he had a foul mouth since he was young, never learning his lesson no matter how many beatings he received.

More than ten minutes later, Lu Xian returned after finishing his cigarette, and seeing the awakened Lu Zishu, he didn’t give him a second glance. Instead, he looked directly at Zhao Li and said, "Mom, I’m going abroad for study next month."