Instead, he looked at those glib big shots in the front hall, a trace of sympathetic smile on his face. “These pampered guys, is this all they can do when talking behind people’s backs? They really can’t even match half the level of those foul-mouthed widows in Haizhou. Compared to the neighbors on the trash planet, they’re just a bunch of third-rate country bumpkins.”

The big shots in the front hall, with their slightly sympathetic and mocking expressions, clearly had no idea that they had just been rudely called country bumpkins by this unremarkable fellow.

At that moment, the manor attendants leading Henry Lane, including the steward Andrew Thompson carrying the shabby wooden box, suddenly stopped in their tracks. Everyone looked at the boy who appeared at the other end of the corridor, their faces showing a hint of emotion.

He was a slightly chubby boy, about sixteen years old, wearing a beret and riding boots. He walked straight over, looking at Henry Lane with arrogance, snorting through his nose with no hint of politeness, “You’re here!”

Lord William Lane had another son by his legal wife, Howard Lane.

Before this, Henry Lane had imagined meeting his younger brother, but he hadn’t expected it to begin like this.

This was clearly an overbearing and spoiled brat.

No, it wasn’t that simple.

Henry Lane noticed that Howard Lane’s eyes flickered with cunning and cleverness beneath his slightly chubby face—it was obvious he wasn’t a stupid wastrel.

Since he wasn’t stupid, Henry Lane couldn’t understand why he would risk souring their future relationship as brothers just to offend him.

But what Henry Lane saw was Howard Lane, after saying those words, casting a subtle glance toward the crowd in the front hall.

He understood. This was meant to establish dominance over him in public.

Howard Lane’s disdainful voice sounded again in his ear, “So you’re the country boy they’ve been talking about. How’s life on Haizhou Star? I heard you survive by picking up trash. And you even have to support that sickly woman—must be tough… Well, now that she’s dead, you’re no longer burdened, and you’ve been brought here. You must finally feel relieved.”

He flared his nostrils and said with exaggerated intonation, “But let me make it clear—there are rules here. If you don’t follow the rules…”

Henry Lane frowned. He was very unfamiliar with this new environment, and that unfamiliarity made him wary. Out of instinctive self-defense for his dignity, there was no way he would let the other party put on airs and establish dominance in front of him.

So he simply reached out, grabbed Howard Lane… and pushed him aside.

The force of Henry Lane’s push carried the grit of someone who’d grown up fighting in the slums, so Howard Lane felt a chill in his heart. In a moment of surprise, he realized he couldn’t resist and was pushed to the edge of the corridor, pinned against the wall.

Then, as if he hadn’t even seen him, the man strode right past.

A surge of furious anger rushed to Howard Lane’s head. He could forgive the other’s indifference, but he would never forgive his attitude.

What was this? Did he know who he was? Did he mean that Howard Lane, a member of the Riverbank Star nobility, was nothing in his eyes?

Howard Lane’s innate arrogance flared up instantly. He stepped forward, jabbing a finger at Henry Lane, “Who the hell do you think you are, acting all high and mighty in front of me? You really think you’re my brother? You’re nothing but a bastard born of a whore!”

Uh!

Henry Lane’s well-proportioned hand closed firmly around his neck, gripping his throat.

Howard Lane’s words were cut off abruptly, like a goose being strangled.

A loud slap landed squarely on Howard Lane’s chubby face. His trembling cheek quivered under the wide-eyed stares of everyone in the front hall, the mark glaringly obvious.

Henry Lane’s expression remained calm, his demeanor upright—even as he gripped his throat and delivered the slap, he did it with composure.

Howard Lane’s little hat fell to the ground, his expression still haughty and aloof, but the red, swollen cheek and stiff gaze left him momentarily stunned.

The once noisy front hall fell silent. From the once quiet corridor came a slightly trembling voice, “This is an assault…” Then suddenly, a hysterical scream, “How dare you assault me… I’ll kill you!”

The people in the front hall were slightly shocked. They hadn’t expected that this seemingly harmless illegitimate child, who looked a bit uneasy in such a luxurious environment after coming from the trash planet, would actually dare to lay hands on the notoriously troublesome Howard Lane from the Riverbank Star’s noble circle!

The black-clad security guards surrounding Howard Lane turned pale. They all knew what kind of tough character Howard Lane was among the noble children of Ring Star District 2. And today, instead of putting the illegitimate child in his place, he’d actually been choked and slapped in return?

This was the first slap Howard Lane had ever received in his life. And it happened right when he was trying to establish dominance in front of so many people—how could he possibly endure the rage that exploded from his chest to his head?

Several of the black-clad bodyguards nearby looked murderous. One tall, thin man shouted, “Let’s talk this out!” but in reality, he was already lunging at Henry Lane, throwing a punch straight at his chest.