Seeing Lu Lijun pinching his nose bridge and mumbling something, Noah asked, "Did you say something?"
Lu Lijun shook his head.
"I'll make something to eat. Get fresh and come out," Noah instructed and stepped out of bed. He stopped near the door, "You can use his highness's clothes. If not, go to my room."
Lu Lijun nodded, and Noah left. Lu Lijun looked at Jake, who still looked cold.
"You should control your guy instead of glaring at me as if I'm stealing your girlfriend," Lu Lijun commented.
Jake frowned, "Need to break his legs and lock him up."
"That would be better," Lu Lijun replied.
Jake went to the wardrobe as he opened it, "Clothes are here. Get whatever you want."
Nodding, Lu Lijun went to freshen up, and Jake went to the kitchen where Noah was busy preparing the breakfast.
Jake stood there looking at the busy guy, and Noah noticed him.
Noah looked at Jake, "Staring at the food won't fill his highness's stomach. Care to help me," and resumed his work.
"Tasty food," Jake said, staring at Noah, who was busy to notice what Jake meant.
"I know what I cook is always tasty," said Noah, unaware of the intentions of the man standing around him.
'Idiot,' Jake frowned and went to help him, "What should I do?"
"Whatever you like," Noah said, busy mixing the eggs.
"I'm sure you won't like it," Jake commented; his words meant something else.
Noah sighed, "Just cut those vegetables and don't ask more questions."
Smiling, Jake started cutting vegetables, feeling happy to have Noah around.
"What are we making?" Jake asked.
"He didn't eat anything last night, thanks to those annoying people. Need to make something heavy." Saying, Noah put the pasta for boiling.
"Hmm," Jake agreed and turned silent.
Sensing the silence, Noah spoke again, "If it were you, I would have done the same."
Jake looked at him as those didn't seem just simple words.
Noah didn't look at him and said, "We three had done the same the for each other."
Jake just nodded to it.
In a while, Lu Lijun too stepped out of the room and sat at the dining table, not willing to disturb the two workings in the kitchen. He could sense the sudden silence around his two friends.
"It's all done," said Noah and noticed Lu Lijun sitting at the dining table.
Noah carried the food pot to the dining table and returned to the kitchen to get others while Jake started arranging plates on the table.
"Seems like you had a good time with your wife," Lu Lijun commented as he smiled.
Jake nodded, "But there's a third person to spoil that good time."
"Don't worry, I'll leave soon," said Lu Lijun and asked, "Did something happen?"
"What do you mean?" Jake asked as he sat in the chair opposite Lu Lijun.
"You look more comfortable around him. So I thought…"
"Don't think much," Jake stopped him, and Lu Lijun smiled.
Jake glared at him, "Let me know if that smile lasts till you go back home."
Lu Lijun turned silent, and Jake smiled.
Just then, Noah returned, and the two stopped talking.
"In the evening, should we go somewhere? It's been a while since we three had some fun together?" Noah asked.
"Hmm," the other two replied together.
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Lu Lijun returned home after breakfast. Lu Jinhai was in the living room along with his father and brother.
Lu Lijun greeted them, and Lu Jinhai asked him to sit with them.
"Are you fine?" Lu Jinhai asked.
Lu Lijun nodded as he sat on the sofa, and his sight wandered around to see someone who was not there.
"You should not worry about it," Lu Jinhai said, concerning the low tolerance of alcohol Lu Lijun had.
Lu Lijun nodded again, and elder Lu spoke, "Drinking is not the way to show a man's ability. It's just for fun," elder Lu asked.
"I don't care," Lu Lijun replied, and elder Lu said, "That's good."
Lu Feng, who came downstairs, went to them and looked at Lu Lijun, "Would you like to come to the garden?"
Lu Lijun stood up and followed Lu Feng while the elders didn't stop them.
Once they left, elder Lu spoke, "Good to see Lu Feng is always a good brother to him just like Lu Qiang."
Lu Jinhai agreed, "He is the one who can understand Lu Lijun better."
"Lu Feng always loved his brothers more than himself," said Lu Chen as it was the fact.
Elder Lu agreed and looked at Lu Chen, "You must have done something really great in a previous life to have a son like him."
Lu Chen nodded and smiled, "I can't always envy my elder brother for having good sons."
Lu Jinhai smiled back, "We are fortunate to have such kids."
Elder Lu smiled too, "I'm more fortunate than you two. I have such good sons and grandsons too."
The three laughed over it, feeling happy about everything they had in life.
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When Lu Feng and Lu Lijun reached the garden, Lu Feng spoke as they sat on the bench under the tree.
"What would you like to have as your birthday gift this year? Don't say you don't need anything."
Lu Lijun turned silent for a while as he started at the gazebo in front.
"I wanted to buy something on my own, but I want to take you out and get you what you want," Lu Feng informed and asked, "When should we leave?"
"Elder brother, I don't want you to buy me anything," said Lu Lijun, and Lu Feng looked at him.
Lu Lijun spoke again. "I want something else."
"What do you want?" Lu Feng asked, but he felt uneasy inside.
"Answer to my questions," Lu Lijun replied.
Lu Feng realized the weight of these simple words and asked, "What do you want to ask?"
"Not now, but soon I'll ask something, and I wish you to answer me everything," Lu Lijun replied.
"Hmm," Lu Feng agreed.
Lu Feng knew the day would come when Lu Lijun would ask him so many things, and he had to answer him. He thought it would be better if Lu Lijun got answers to his questions so it would help him get out of the cage he had built around him. It might also help him find the answer to some unspoken question that would make him realize the truth he wouldn't want to know or accept.