Chapter 92 "Poisoning Yourself?"
In the dining room of the Lu family's old house, a heavy mahogany table was covered with a pristine white tablecloth. Lu Yu's father, Lu Zhihui, sat at the head table, his face grave, his knuckles slightly white as he gripped his wine glass, clearly straining to suppress his surging anger. Next to him, Song Wanzhi, her face filled with worry, would occasionally glance at her son, Lu Yu.
Lu Yu sat next to Lu Zhihui, his deep eyes still calm. When his attention was on Lin Che beside him, he would pick up some food for Lin Che from time to time.
Lin Che, who was sitting next to Lu Yu, was quietly cutting the steak on the plate. He tried his best to reduce his presence, but his sensitive nerves were tense, and he felt every trace of hidden hostility on the table.
He could even clearly feel the sticky and cold gaze opposite him - Lu Chi hardly touched the food in front of him, and spent most of the time staring at him unscrupulously and with some kind of uncomfortable inquiry.
Lu Shengheng sat on Lu Zhihui's other side, a feigned smile on his well-maintained face. Qi Yingzhi sat next to him, her makeup delicate, trying to maintain the dignity of a lady, but her smile was stiff and calculating.
Most of the dinner lasted in an almost eerie harmony.
Finally, when the dinner was coming to an end, Lu Shengheng could no longer hold back and put down his knife and fork. He stood up, wiped the corners of his mouth elegantly with a napkin, and picked up the highball glass in front of him.
He cleared his throat, a wider smile appeared on his face, and his eyes looked around, finally landing on Lu Zhihui who was sitting in the main seat.
"Brother," Lu Shengheng's voice was filled with the deliberate emotion of a long-awaited reunion. "It's been so many years since we last met. To be able to bring Yingzhi and Xiaochi back with us, and to have a family meal together, I'm filled with... a mixture of emotions."
He raised his glass and said, "Come, let me toast you, Big Brother. I want to thank you and your wife for your hospitality, and also... to apologize to you for our family's ignorance back then."
He said "I apologize", but there was no real apology in his tone. Instead, he had a condescending attitude as if giving alms.
Lu Zhihui's face became even darker. He stared at the wine glass raised by Lu Shengheng and did not respond immediately. How could all the filthiness of the past be covered up with a simple sentence like "I was ignorant"?
Seeing that her husband didn't move, Song Wanzhi was afraid that the situation would become too awkward, so she was about to pick up her juice cup to smooth things over.
Lu Shengheng seemed not to notice Lu Zhihui's silence. He drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, then put the glass down with a smile on his face. But he suddenly changed the subject and said, "Brother, actually, the reason I came back this time, besides visiting my family, I also had something important to do."
Lu Shengheng's gaze became sharp, shooting straight at Lu Zhihui, and then vaguely glanced at Lu Yu, "It's about... the shares left by the old man."
The air in the restaurant froze instantly, and even the subtle sound of knife and fork hitting porcelain plates disappeared.
Lu Yu's fingers holding the red wine glass tightened slightly, and the deep red liquid in the glass swayed slightly.
Lin Che also stopped cutting the steak, his heart suddenly sinking.
It finally came.
Lu Shengheng's voice was remarkably clear in the silence, even carrying a hint of undue force. "The old man loved Xiao Chi the most during his lifetime, and everyone can see that. He passed away so hastily, but his will clearly states in black and white that he left Lu Chi 10% of the Lu Group's shares." He paused, emphasizing, "Lu Chi should have received this when he turned 18."
He leaned forward slightly, looking at Lu Zhihui with an oppressive gaze, "But back then... because of some misunderstandings, and Lu Chi's young age and incomprehension, he's been abroad all these years, so this matter has been delayed."
He paused deliberately and glanced at Lu Yu with a hint of subtle provocation, "Now, Lu Chi is grown up and will soon start a family. As a father, I have to consider him and take back what he deserves so that he can have a foundation to settle down. Don't you think so, brother?"
“Bang!”
A crisp sound broke the silence!
It was Lu Zhihui who slammed the wine glass in his hand onto the table! The red wine splashed out, staining the white tablecloth red like a pool of glaring blood.
Lu Zhihui stood up, his face livid, filled with unbelievable rage. "Lu Shengheng! You... you still have the nerve to mention shares?! What you did back then... you almost dragged the entire Lu Group into ruin! You angered the old man to death! How could he... how could he..."
"Dad!" Lu Yu's low voice sounded, instantly suppressing Lu Zhihui's almost out-of-control emotions.
Lu Zhihui suddenly stopped and looked at his son. Lu Yu shook his head imperceptibly, his eyes deep and calm.
Lu Yu's gaze turned to Lu Shengheng, without any ripples, but with a sharpness that penetrated people's hearts and a heavy pressure. The smile on Lu Shengheng's face froze unconsciously for a moment, and then he asked slowly, "Uncle, you said that the old man's will clearly stated that he would leave 10% of Lu's shares to Lu Chi?"
Lu Shengheng's heart skipped a beat when he saw him, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Of course! It's written in black and white, notarized by a lawyer!"
"Oh?" Lu Yu raised his eyebrows slightly, a sarcastic smile on his lips, "Then what year was the will made?"
Lu Shengheng's eyes flickered, and he stiffened his neck. "Of course, before the old man passed away! Is there any need to ask?"
"Really?" Lu Yu's voice grew even colder. "As far as I know, the last time the old man revised his will was the week after he became seriously ill and was hospitalized. You and external investors attempted to short-sell Lu's stock price, but were urgently stopped by the board of directors. The final will was kept by Lawyer Zhou personally and read out in public after the old man's death. The distribution of shares in it..."
Lu Yu looked at Lu Shengheng without concealing his gaze as he continued, "It only mentioned the incentive shares for my father, me, and several veteran contributors who have served the Lu family for over twenty years. There was no mention of Lu Chi's name."
Lu Shengheng's expression changed instantly! He stood up suddenly, the chair legs scraping harshly on the floor. "You're talking nonsense! Lawyer Zhou... he must have been bribed by you! The will is fake!"
"Lawyer Zhou was Grandpa's personal lawyer for thirty years and the sole executor of his will. His credibility and professionalism are evident throughout City A." Lu Yu's voice remained steady. "Your questioning of the authenticity of the will is questioning Grandpa's final wishes and the fairness of the law."
He leaned forward slightly, crossed his hands on the table, and fixed his gaze on Lu Shengheng. "As for that will you mentioned that 'clearly stated 10% was left to Lu Chi'... if it really exists, why not bring it out? We can have an authoritative agency authenticate it and investigate... under what circumstances and by which lawyer handled this will? Is its appearance related to the misunderstanding that nearly caused the Lu family's collapse?"
Every word Lu Yu said was like a heavy hammer, hammering down on Lu Shengheng's heart. His face turned from red to white, then from white to blue, his breathing became heavy, and his finger, pointing at Lu Yu, trembled violently. "You... you are slandering me! You are slandering me!"
"Slander?" Lu Yu sneered. "Need I remind you that back then, you embezzled funds from the group's overseas project to fill the hole in your personal investment, causing that project to almost fail and the group to lose hundreds of millions. Who filled that gap at the last minute and prevented things from getting out of hand? And who, out of Grandpa's last bit of kindness, simply 'invited' you abroad without pursuing legal responsibility, allowing you to live freely abroad relying on the Lu family's name?"
Lu Yu turned his gaze to Lu Chi standing beside him, his tone growing colder as he spoke word by word, "As for Lu Chi's 'unreasonable' spending during his years abroad... Uncle, regarding the large amounts of money flowing into your account from unknown sources, do you want me to ask Cheng Yi to print out the detailed information and place it on the dining table so that the whole family can have a good look at it? Let's see whose hard-earned money your son, who is about to start a family and build a career, has squandered?"
"boom--!"
Lu Shengheng's body swayed as if struck by lightning, and he suddenly covered his chest. The blood drained from his face, his lips trembled, and he couldn't say a word. Qi Yingzhi was also frightened and hurriedly supported him: "Shengheng! Shengheng, what's wrong with you?"
Lu Chi suddenly stood up and stared at Lu Yu, "Lu Yu! You——!"
"That's enough!" Lu Zhihui slammed the table. "Get out! Get out of the Lu family with all your dirty thoughts! From now on, I, Lu Zhihui, no longer have a brother like you! Never set foot in the Lu family's door again!"
Song Wanzhi also stood up. There was no trace of gentleness on her face anymore, only cold disappointment and alienation.
Lu Shengheng, supported by Qi Yingzhi, looked ashen and his lips trembled, but he could not make any decent sound. He could only glare at Lu Yu with resentment.
The only sounds in the restaurant were heavy breathing and traces of red wine slowly seeping onto the tablecloth.
At this moment, Lin Che's eyes accidentally swept across the almost untouched plate and wine glass in front of the seat where Lu Shengheng had just sat.
His gaze suddenly fixed on the edge of the wine glass used by Lu Shengheng - there seemed to be a subtle trace of... white powder left there?
Lin Che's brows furrowed in a frown, alarm bells blaring in his heart. He was a doctor, and possessed a professional sensitivity to the appearance of certain things. That mark... definitely didn't look like an ordinary food residue or wine stain!
"Uh... ho... ho ho..." A creepy, suffocating-like gurgling sound suddenly came from Lu Shengheng's throat.
He suddenly covered his chest, his body twitching violently, and then his eyes rolled back. He fell straight back like a piece of rotten wood that had been chopped off! His heavy body hit the ground with a dull thud.
"Shengheng!" Qi Yingzhi's scream tore through the dead silence of the restaurant, filled with real panic.
"Dad!" Lu Chi's face changed instantly and he rushed over.
Lu Zhihui and Song Wanzhi were stunned by this sudden change and stood there in a daze for a while.
Lin Che rushed over almost the moment Lu Shengheng fell, his movements were astonishingly fast.
His instincts and professionalism as a doctor instantly overwhelmed all his nervousness and discomfort. He pushed the panicked Qi Yingzhi aside and quickly knelt beside Lu Shengheng, his fingers precisely touching the artery on the side of his neck.
Lin Che pried open Lu Shengheng's mouth without hesitation, leaned in and took a sniff. A very faint but pungent smell of bitter almonds mixed with the smell of alcohol penetrated her nostrils.
Cyanide? Lin Che's heart sank.
This highly toxic substance has a very fast onset and a very high mortality rate! But he immediately denied it. Cyanide poisoning is usually accompanied by bright red skin and mucous membranes, while Lu Shengheng's face was a deathly pale. His eyes swept over Lu Shengheng's previous seat again, and the trace of white powder on the rim of the cup flashed through his mind.
Lin Che made a quick decision, "Call 120 immediately! Say they suspect drug poisoning, quick!"
He quickly unbuckled Lu Shengheng's collar and belt, ensuring his airway was clear, and then performed CPR. "Epinephrine... I need a defibrillator..." Lin Che calculated rapidly in his mind. Home first aid kits usually didn't have these, so he could only wait for an ambulance.
Time passed minute by minute, each second stretching out. The only sounds in the restaurant were Lin Che's steady count and the muffled click of his buttons.
The longer time went on, the more uneasy Lin Che felt. Beads of sweat covered his forehead, but he didn't dare to stop. He knew in his heart that if Lu Shengheng made any mistakes today and was left here, the media's attacks on the Lu Group would definitely be fatal.
"Cough... uh... cough cough cough..." Finally, just after Lin Che completed another set of compressions, Lu Shengheng let out a violent cough from his throat, his body twitched violently, and he actually recovered a trace of weak independent breathing.
Almost simultaneously, a shrill whistle approached from afar, stopping at the entrance to the old house. Lin Che briefly explained her condition to the doctor who took over. Qi Yingzhi followed him out, crying. Before leaving, Lu Chi turned back and gave Lin Che a complicated look.
Only after seeing Lu Shengheng off did Lin Che finally breathe a sigh of relief. Sweat streamed down his cheeks to his jaw. His knees were numb from kneeling on the ground for so long. He let out a long sigh, his tense nerves slightly relaxed, but his professional vigilance remained.
He walked over to Lu Shengheng's seat, carefully wrapped the wine glass with traces of white powder in a napkin, and handed it to Lu Yu, "Keep it. Don't clink the rim of the glass. The police or the hospital may need to do some testing."
Lu Yu took the wine glass handed to him by Lin Che, stretched out his hand to half embrace Lin Che in his arms, letting all his strength rest on him, "How are you?"
Lin Che leaned on Lu Yu's arms, wiped the sweat off his face, and shook his head: "I'm fine. But Lu Shengheng's condition is probably very dangerous. The type of poison must be identified as soon as possible and targeted treatment must be given. I suspect it's some kind of cardiotoxic drug, such as... a large dose of antiarrhythmic drugs such as procainamide or quinidine, deliberately taken in overdose or mixed with alcohol to cause poisoning, simulating a severe heart attack." He lowered his voice and expressed his professional judgment.
Lu Yu's eyes flashed: "Poisoned yourself?"
"To muddy the waters, gain sympathy, or..." Lin Che paused as he looked at Lu Yu's fierce gaze. "To create the illusion that he was persecuted to death by the Lu family, to exert pressure on public opinion, and to create leverage for the fight for shares. If he were to unfortunately die, or even be seriously injured and dying, and Lu Chi, the victim's son, produced that so-called will, whose side would public opinion be on?"
Lu Shengheng's move was extremely vicious. No matter whether he was dead or alive, as long as he was in the Lu family's old house and "something happened" after a fierce conflict broke out.
The Lu family, especially Lu Yu, will be thrust into the spotlight. The battle for shares will no longer be confined to the family, but will escalate into a conspiracy-filled public opinion storm affecting the entire group.
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