Chapter 225 Relentless Entanglement

Cheng Zhou opened his mouth, wanting to explain that he didn't mean it that way at all, and wanted to tell her that his attitude was completely different from his parents'.

But seeing Lu You's cold and aloof demeanor, all the words stuck in his throat.

It turns out that all his efforts and persistence were perhaps just a burden and a hassle in her eyes.

The light in Cheng Zhou's eyes dimmed little by little, until only a gloomy look remained.

He lowered his head, his voice hoarse: "I'm sorry to bother you."

After saying that, he looked away from everyone and silently turned and left the apartment.

“Cheng Zhou…”

Shang Wu hadn't expected things to turn out this way and tried to call out to him.

But Cheng Zhou had already left without looking back.

The door closed, and Shang Wu turned around.

Lu You's chest was still heaving violently, but he was clearly somewhat regretful.

Shang Wu sighed.

"Sister You, what you said just now was too harsh. Cheng Zhou didn't mean it that way at all. He's been trying so hard to get closer to you, and he even..."

"I know."

Lu You interrupted her, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible annoyance.

She said irritably, "I know he didn't mean it that way, I know he's done a lot for me, but Ah Wu, I just couldn't control myself just now. I feel really annoyed when I think about the attitude of his family."

Lu You sat down.

I shouldn't have lost my temper with him, I shouldn't have done that..."

Lu You buried her face in her hands.

She hated herself when she lost control of her emotions and spoke without thinking.

Seeing her like this, Shang Wu felt bad too.

She sat down next to Lu You and gently advised, "Cheng Zhou is truly sincere towards you. He gave you the crucial courage to make the decision to leave the Yu family. You can't take your anger out on him just because Cheng Keke's attitude is bad. That's not fair to him."

"Besides, by pushing him away like that, aren't you playing right into the hands of those who oppose you?"

Shang Wu's words were like a cool breeze, gradually bringing Lu You back to her senses.

Yes, what is she doing?

Using the most hurtful words to attack the person who supports her the most?

She clearly had feelings for Cheng Zhou, so why did she have to make things turn out like this?

After a moment of silence, Lu You raised her head, her eyes regaining their clarity.

"You're right, I shouldn't have done that."

She stood up, picked up her coat and phone: "I'm going to apologize to him."

Shang Wu watched her retreating figure and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She got up and prepared to return to her studio, thinking about Lu You and Cheng Zhou's situation, wondering if she could help in any way.

I'll pass by the law firm on my way to the studio.

As Shang Wu was driving past, he saw a young man wearing the uniform of a well-known florist carrying a huge, extravagantly bright red bouquet of roses as he walked in.

Shang Wu subconsciously slowed down.

The florist confirmed the address, then, carrying a large bouquet of what appeared to be ninety-nine red roses, walked into the law firm building.

Shang Wu parked his car and followed.

The receptionist was clearly bewildered by the commotion. Before she could even ask anything, the florist walked straight toward Lu Rang's office.

He called out, "Attorney Lu Rang! Here are your flowers! Please sign for them!"

The office door was open, and Lu Rang seemed to be discussing the case with Yan Yue.

He heard a noise, looked up, and saw a huge bunch of red roses that almost blocked the doorway.

"Who sent the flowers?" Lu Rang's voice was cold, showing no joy at receiving flowers, only displeasure and wariness at being disturbed.

He is now highly sensitive to any kindness from unfamiliar women.

The florist was startled by his cold expression and quickly checked the order card.

He read aloud, "Uh... it's a Ms. Cheng, Miss Cheng Keke. There's a sentence on the card that says, 'This is for the most handsome lawyer, Mr. Lu, as a token of my apology and admiration.'"

Cheng Keke?

Lu Rang's expression darkened.

Shang Wu silently held her forehead.

This Miss Cheng is truly a persistent ghost, and her methods are so childish and exaggerated.

"Take the flowers away." Lu Rang ordered without any politeness. "I don't know any Cheng Keke, and I won't accept her flowers. Take them away immediately."

The florist looked troubled: "Oh? Sir, I've already paid for these flowers. I'm just a deliveryman. Why don't you accept them and handle them yourself?"

"I'll say it again, take it out." Lu Rang's tone had taken on a sharp edge.

He stood up and walked towards the door.

The florist was so frightened that he backed away repeatedly, struggling to move while carrying the enormous bouquet.

Seeing that Lu Rang was about to reach him, he quickly said, "Sir, please don't be angry. I'll take it away, I'll take it away right away! Please don't complain about me!"

With that, he slipped away, carrying a large bouquet of roses.

The corridor was filled only with the strong, almost pungent, scent of roses, and Yan Yue behind him, suppressing his laughter but not daring to let it out.

Lu Rang stood at the office door, rubbing his temples, and said to Yan Yue, "If Cheng Keke comes again in the future, just have security escort her out. No need to notify me."

"Understood." Yan Yue nodded, suppressing a smile.

Shang Wu watched this scene with a mix of amusement and headache.

Cheng Keke is really good at causing trouble; after causing trouble for her own brother, she's now causing trouble for Lu Rang.

It seems that Lu You and Cheng Zhou's path is destined to be anything but smooth.

Shang Wu emerged from around the corner, a mocking smile on her face, deliberately drawing out her words:

"Wow, Attorney Lu, your charm hasn't waned at all! It's only been a few days, and you already have admirers coming to your door with flowers?"

The coldness on Lu Rang's face melted instantly when he saw Shang Wu.

He gave Yan Yue a wink, signaling him to leave.

After everyone left, Lu Rang reached out and pulled Shang Wu into the office, then closed the door.

"You're still laughing." He pulled Shang Wu into his arms, his tone tinged with complaint. "I don't know where this troublemaker came from."

Shang Wu lifted her head from his arms, "Cheng Keke, are you serious? You really like you?"

Lu Rang released her, picked up his phone with a look of disgust, and handed it to Shang Wu.

"Look for yourself, it's inexplicable."

Shang Wu took the phone and saw a text message from an unknown number.

[The most handsome lawyer, Mr. Lu: Thank you for contacting Sister Lu You today. I apologize for bothering you at the law firm. Here's a small gift to express my apologies and admiration. Please leave.]

Finally, I added a heart.

Seeing this, Shang Wu's smile gradually froze, and her brows furrowed.

She could tell that Cheng Keke was serious.

"How could Cheng Zhou have such a younger sister? What is she thinking? She's already infatuated with him after just one meeting? And she's sending him such ostentatious flowers. Doesn't she know you have a fiancée?"

"She knows it, which is why she's even more enthusiastic."

Lu Rang's eyes showed disgust.

This kind of spoiled young lady probably thinks the whole world should revolve around her.

"If I set my sights on something, I absolutely have to get it, regardless of what others think."

He pulled Shang Wu back into his arms, as if trying to draw warmth from her to dispel the nausea.

Lu Rang lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his tone firm: "Don't worry about her, she'll give up in a couple of days."

Shang Wu leaned against him, but felt a vague unease in her heart.

Given Cheng Keke's spoiled and seemingly incapable personality, would she really give up so easily?

As if to confirm her guess, the office door was suddenly pushed open without even knocking!

"Attorney Lu, I just saw the florist rushing downstairs in a panic. Did you not like the flowers when they were delivered? I..."

Cheng Keke's sweet voice rang out as the door opened.

However, her words caught in her throat halfway through.

She stared in disbelief at the two people embracing in the office.

Shang Wu's cheek was pressed against Lu Rang's chest, the two of them in an intimate pose.

On Lu Rang's face was a tenderness and doting she had never seen before, completely different from the coldness and aloofness he showed her.

Cheng Keke's smile froze instantly.

Lu Rang instinctively pulled Shang Wu closer behind him, his gaze turning icy as he looked toward the door.

"Ms. Cheng, didn't anyone teach you that you need to knock before entering someone's office?"

His tone was anything but polite.

Cheng Keke's face turned pale and then red from his words.

She tried to maintain her smile, but it became very forced: "I'm sorry, Attorney Lu, I was too anxious. I just wanted to ask if Hua likes it..."

Her gaze, however, involuntarily drifted toward Shang Wu, who was being protected behind Lu Rang, with scrutiny and comparison in her eyes.

Lu Rang was too lazy to play along with her and said coldly, "The flowers are beautiful, but my fiancée doesn't like them. Next time, I'll send her lilies; she likes lilies. If there's nothing else, please leave. I have work to do."

His words were absolutely devastating.

Cheng Keke's face fell completely, and she secretly dug her nails into her palms.

In all her life, she had never been rejected and humiliated so ruthlessly by a man.

But instead of immediately reacting or storming off, she seemed not to understand the sarcasm and rejection in those words. She forced a sweeter smile and walked in, her high heels clicking on the floor.

Shang Wu stared wide-eyed in surprise.

Still not giving up?

Cheng Keke casually tossed her expensive limited-edition crocodile skin bag onto the sofa, as if this were her territory.

Her gaze swept around the office before finally settling on Lu Rang, her eyes filled with eagerness.

"Actually, besides bringing flowers to apologize, I have another important matter to discuss with you."

She adopted an innocent yet slightly superior demeanor.

"I heard from my father that your law firm, Attorney Lu, has only recently opened and is at a crucial stage where you need to build up your client base and expand your network, right?"

Shang Wu narrowed her eyes, already guessing what she was going to say. She left Lu Rang's embrace without making a sound and turned to make coffee.

"Our Cheng family has many partners and friends, and we handle countless cases every year, such as economic disputes and commercial contract reviews!"

She looked at Lu Rang with sparkling eyes, her tone carrying a condescending allure.

"If Attorney Lu needs it, I can talk to my dad and get these cases introduced to you. That should be a great help to your career development, right?"

Shang Wu silently fiddled with coffee behind Lu Rang, utterly helpless.

Is this woman genuinely unable to understand good or bad advice, or is she deliberately pretending to be stupid?

Lu Rang's attitude was already so obvious, yet she still managed to continue acting on her own.

Does she think that everyone in the world should be grateful for her blessings?