Chapter 255 Like a Stranger

Lu Rang floored the gas pedal and sped home, the loud slamming of the door shaking the walls.

He ripped off his tie and slammed it onto the sofa, his chest heaving violently. All he could see in his mind's eye was the image of Shang Wu and Chen Chunzhi whispering side by side in the gallery.

That image is deeply etched into his heart.

So it turns out that her exhaustion and unhappiness stemmed from having a gentler person to confide in?

Then what kind of husband is he?

A ridiculous, superfluous, and even unpleasant stumbling block to her life?

On the other side, in the gallery.

Cheng Zhou was still foolishly waiting for Lu Rang to appear, but he waited and waited and no one came, and he didn't reply to his messages.

He walked over, puzzled, only to find that Shang Wu and Chen Chunzhi were already preparing to leave.

"Ah Wu, are you leaving?" Cheng Zhou asked.

"Yeah, I'm a little tired. I want to go back and rest." Shang Wu nodded, a hint of relaxation on her face after the conversation.

Chen Chunzhi smiled gently and said, "I'll take you back; it's on my way."

"No need to trouble yourself, Cheng Zhou has a car," Shang Wu politely declined.

But Chen Chunzhi insisted: "It's no trouble. It's been a long time since we last met. We can chat about that emerging artist's work on the way here."

Unable to refuse Shang Wu's hospitality, and finding that they indeed got along well, he nodded.

Cheng Zhou watched the two figures walk away side by side, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly called Lu Rang.

As a result, it shut down!

Cheng Zhou knew something was wrong and immediately called Lu You: "Sister You! Something terrible has happened! The plan has changed! A-Rang didn't come, and A-Wu was sent home by Chen Chunzhi! Lu Rang's phone is off!"

Lu You was completely bewildered when she heard this.

At home, the Cold War escalates.

Shang Wu was escorted downstairs by Chen Chunzhi, and after thanking him again, she went upstairs.

I opened the door to my house, and it was pitch black.

She turned on the light and found Lu Rang's shoes at the door, and a slight thought crossed her mind.

He's back?

She walked to the bedroom door and gently pushed it open.

Lu Rang lay on the bed with his back to her, seemingly asleep.

Shang Wu hesitated for a moment, then closed the door gently and went to the guest bathroom to wash up.

When she lay down on the bed, she tried to stay as far away from Lu Rang as possible.

In the darkness, Lu Rang's eyes were tightly closed, but his tense back revealed that he was not asleep at all.

For several days in a row, the two fell into a deeper cold war.

We live under the same roof, yet we're like strangers.

Lu Rang left early and returned late, trying his best to avoid running into Shang Wu.

Even when they meet, they remain expressionless and silent.

Shang Wu was already feeling down, and seeing Lu Rang's attitude made her even more disheartened, so she simply stopped speaking.

The atmosphere at home was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Lu You and Cheng Zhou were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

Lu You cornered Lu Rang at the law firm: "Lu Rang! How long are you going to be so stubborn? A-Wu isn't fully recovered yet, can't you be a little more understanding?"

Lu Rang sneered, finally unable to hold back his words, his tone bitter: "Me, magnanimous? How am I magnanimous? Watching her laugh and chat with other men, and then coming home to give me the cold shoulder? Am I supposed to applaud and congratulate her?"

"That was a misunderstanding!" Lu You said angrily. "Chen Chunzhi just happened to run into him!"

"You can have such a pleasant chat just because you bumped into her? And you can take her home?" Lu Rang wouldn't listen to a word. "Sis, don't worry about it. Since she doesn't like being with me, isn't it just what she wants if I stay away from her?"

Meanwhile, Cheng Zhou also went to find Shang Wu.

"Awu, please say something to Lu Rang. He's been working like a machine these past few days, and his face looks awful."

With red eyes, Shang Wu said aggrievedly, "What did I say? He looks at me like I'm his enemy. I didn't do anything wrong, why should I bow down?"

Cheng Zhou tried to persuade both sides, but was met with resistance from both; each side was more stubborn than the last.

Chen Chunzhi seemed to have sensed something.

He began to contact Shang Wu more frequently.

Sometimes it's sharing interesting art information, sometimes it's inviting her to some light cultural salons, ostensibly to help her change her mood and aid her recovery.

Shang Wu was going through a period of emotional emptiness and depression, and Chen Chunzhi's gentleness and thoughtfulness, as well as their shared interest in art, did indeed bring her some comfort and relaxation.

She would occasionally agree to go out for a coffee or briefly browse an exhibition.

Unbeknownst to her, these seemingly ordinary interactions were always captured by someone with ulterior motives, and the photos would inevitably circulate to Lu Rang.

Looking at the photos of Shang Wu and Chen Chunzhi chatting happily, Lu Rang felt as if a knife was being plunged into his heart every time he looked at them.

His expression grew increasingly cold, and he worked with even greater intensity, practically treating the law firm as his home.

That day, Shang Wu needed to go to the hospital for a follow-up examination.

She originally intended to take a taxi herself, but Chen Chunzhi called to inquire about her situation.

Upon learning this, Chen Chunzhi offered to drive her home, feeling more at ease with someone by her side.

Shang Wu hesitated for a moment, but thinking of Lu Rang's indifferent attitude, she steeled her heart and agreed.

After the follow-up examination, Chen Chunzhi considerately helped her out of the hospital, just as Lu Rang, who had come to the hospital to check on Shang Wu's condition, bumped into them.

Lu Rang's eyes turned icy as he looked at the hand that Chen Chunzhi was using to support Shang Wu's arm.

Shang Wu also saw Lu Rang, paused for a moment, and subconsciously tried to pull her hand back.

Chen Chunzhi seemed oblivious, and instead offered a more natural gesture of support, nodding politely to Lu Rang: "Attorney Lu, what a coincidence."

Lu Rang's gaze was fixed on Shang Wu's face, his voice sounding like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth: "Yes, what a coincidence. It seems I was just an unnecessary guest."

Shang Wu was stung by the coldness and sarcasm in his eyes, and said defiantly, "I wouldn't dare trouble Attorney Lu. Mr. Chen is enough to take me."

These words completely ignited Lu Rang's anger.

He turned abruptly and strode away without looking back.

This time, even Lu You and Cheng Zhou felt that things had really gotten out of hand.

As Chen Chunzhi watched Lu Rang's departing figure, and then looked at Shang Wu beside him, pale-faced and swaying, a complex light flashed deep in his eyes.

He said, "Come on, I'll take you home first."

Shang Wu nodded.

Back at the law firm, Lu Rang stared at his phone screen as time ticked by.

That familiar chat box still only had his single message, without any reply.

The light in his eyes dimmed little by little.

Finally, he put away his phone and called Yan Yue: "I'm going to a dinner party tonight to meet the client."

Lu Rang was unaware that shortly after he left home, Shang Wu, leaning on a cane, slowly came downstairs.

She actually heard Lu You and Cheng Zhou's visit, and she also heard Lu Rang leave.

The house was empty, leaving only her and the ever-present memories of the lost child.

She went to the kitchen, intending to make herself a cup of coffee as usual, but only after picking up the coffee can did she remember that her doctor had advised her to give up caffeine for the time being.

Shang Wu stopped moving.

As if possessed, she took out the brand of coffee beans that Lu Rang usually drank, carefully ground them, and boiled water.

He brewed a cup of black coffee step by step, according to his favorite concentration and temperature.

It's as if by doing this, I can feel a trace of his presence beside me.

Looking at the steaming black liquid in the glass, tears fell without warning.

Unbeknownst to her, the study door was not properly closed.

Cheng Zhou, who was sent by Lu You to check if Shang Wu needed anything, happened to arrive at the door.

He heard Shang Wu's suppressed sobs.

Cheng Zhou stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately did not go in. He simply turned around and went downstairs silently, his feelings complicated.

After thinking for a moment, he sent Lu Rang a message, saying that Shang Wu seemed to be in a low mood and that he should take care of her when he had time.

However, Lu Rang was having a meal at the time and did not see the message in time.

...

A few days later, a highly anticipated contemporary art exhibition opened at the Yecheng Art Museum.

Lu Rang remembered that Shang Wu used to really like this artist's work, so perhaps seeing the exhibition would cheer her up.

He clung to a sliver of hope and tried to invite her to break the deadlock.

Surprisingly, after a few seconds of silence, Shang Wu actually agreed.

Lu Rang felt a surge of excitement in his heart. He carefully prepared everything for her and drove her to the art museum.

When they entered the exhibition hall, Lu Rang tried to take her hand, but she subtly avoided it.

His heart sank, but he maintained a calm facade, staying by her side and gently explaining the artwork to her.

He wasn't particularly interested in art, but he crammed on related knowledge for her.

Shang Wu listened silently, nodding occasionally, but didn't say anything.

When she walked into a relatively quiet exhibition area, her eyes were drawn to an abstract painting with somber colors, and she stopped to look at it.

Lu Rang's phone just happened to vibrate; it was an urgent call from the law firm.

He glanced at Shang Wu, and seeing that she was looking at him intently, he lowered his voice and said, "I'm going to take this call, I'll be right back."

Shang Wu nodded.

Lu Rang walked to the corridor not far away to answer the phone.

However, when he returned a few minutes later after hanging up the phone, the scene he saw instantly chilled his blood.

Shang Wu was still standing in front of the painting, but there was a man beside her.

Chen Chunzhi.