Chapter 293 Making a Scene

Lu You coughed and quickly mumbled something to brush it off.

The dust settled, and soon everyone went back.

The noise from the press conference was kept outside the villa's main gate.

Shang Wu took off her high heels, stepped barefoot onto the soft carpet, and immediately headed for the nursery.

Yu Wu had just woken up and was being held by the nanny. Her little head bobbed up and down, and her big, dark eyes curiously looked around at the world.

Shang Wu reached out and gently took the soft little body into her arms. The familiar milky scent instantly enveloped her, as if it were the best comfort, washing away all fatigue and tension.

She lowered her head and gently rubbed her cheek against her daughter's delicate face, her voice softer than ever before.

"Yuwu, Mom is back."

Yu Wu seemed to recognize her mother's presence, letting out a satisfied gurgling sound, and unconsciously grabbed a strand of Shang Wu's hair that was hanging down.

Lu You followed her in, leaned against the door frame, and watched the scene unfold, her gaze softening involuntarily.

On stage, Shang Wu exudes a powerful aura, a queen who commands respect. But when she returns home and holds her child, her natural tenderness is equally captivating.

Cheng Zhou also stood to the side, his gaze fixed on Shang Wu and Yu Wu.

Watching the baby curled up in its mother's arms with complete dependence, and seeing the tender love almost overflowing in Shang Wu's eyes, she was somewhat lost in thought, and a trace of envy unconsciously showed in her eyes.

Lu You keenly caught that fleeting emotion in his eyes.

She didn't say anything, but waited until Shang Wu coaxed Yu Wu back to sleep and gently put her back in the crib before pulling Cheng Zhou to the living room's French windows.

Outside the window is the city's night view, with lights twinkling.

"Are you envious?"

Lu You got straight to the point, her voice low, with her usual frankness.

Cheng Zhou was stunned for a moment, then realized what she was referring to.

He quickly shook his head, reaching out to put his arm around Lu You's waist, his tone slightly ingratiating, "No, I just think Xiao Yuwu is quite cute."

Lu You gently pushed his hand away, crossed her arms, and looked at him calmly.

“Cheng Zhou, I made it very clear before we got married that I don’t plan to have children. Not now, but never.”

Her tone left no room for negotiation.

Firm and cold.

Cheng Zhou's smile froze for a moment, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

But soon, that emotion was overshadowed by a deeper tenderness.

He reached out again, this time firmly grasping Lu You's hand, his voice soft and gentle.

“I know Youyou, I remember everything. Don’t overthink it. I’m really not in a hurry. I’ll do whatever you say. If you don’t want it, then we don’t want it.”

Cheng Zhou looked at her with sincere eyes.

"Having you by my side is enough."

Lu You looked at him scrutinizingly. After a few seconds, her tense expression eased slightly, and she shook his hand back.

"Remember what you said."

At this moment, Shang Wu came out of the nursery, her face showing a slight weariness after relaxation.

"Sister You."

"Cheng Zhou".

"Stay for dinner tonight, I'll ask Aunt Zhang to cook a few more dishes."

Lu You immediately smiled.

"Great! This is a perfect occasion to celebrate how you utterly defeated those monsters and demons!"

The atmosphere relaxed again, and then Lu Rang received a phone call.

It was a call from a partner at the law firm; he needed to handle some urgent legal procedures following Luo Xue's case personally.

"I'm going back to the law firm."

He walked over to Shang Wu and then looked in the direction of the nursery.

"I'll be back soon."

Shang Wu nodded. "Be careful on the road."

Seeing this, Cheng Zhou also picked up his coat.

"Lu Rang, I'll get off here. My car is restricted from driving today."

Lu Rang nodded.

The two men left home together.

The car drove smoothly through the night, and the interior was quiet for a moment.

Looking out at the heavy night, Cheng Zhou suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible annoyance.

"My mom has been pressuring me to have a baby more and more lately."

Lu Rang was focused on the road ahead and simply gave a faint "hmm" in response.

Cheng Zhou rubbed his temples. "He calls every few days, and all he talks about is wanting a grandson, saying that the Cheng family line can't end, and that he's under a lot of pressure."

Lu Rang turned on his turn signal and merged the car into another lane.

His voice sounded particularly calm in the enclosed carriage.

"Pregnancy and childbirth place an extremely heavy physical and psychological burden on a woman, and the physical damage is irreversible."

He paused, his tone carrying a calmness based on facts.

"The final decision on this matter should be in Lu You's own hands. Whether she wants to have the baby and when she wants to have the baby should be her own choice based on her own wishes."

His gaze swept across Cheng Zhou's slightly tense profile in the rearview mirror, "Not because of anyone's urging, not even you."

Cheng Zhou fell silent, looking out the window with a complicated expression.

He knew Lu Rang was right.

He fully agreed intellectually, but the pressure from his family also made him feel conflicted.

The car arrived at the place where Cheng Zhou wanted to get off.

He thanked them, opened the door, and got out of the car. His figure disappeared into the night, looking somewhat somber.

Lu Rang watched his figure disappear before starting the car again and driving towards the law firm.

Some hurdles can only be overcome by the person involved.

...

When Cheng Zhou returned to his and Lu You's apartment, Lu You hadn't come back yet; she must have had dinner and was chatting with Shang Wu.

He breathed a sigh of relief, relieved that he wouldn't have to face her for the time being.

However, this peace and quiet didn't last long; the doorbell rang.

He looked through the peephole and his heart sank.

Standing outside the door.

This was the last person he wanted to see at that moment.

His mother, Madam Cheng.

Cheng Zhou took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, and opened the door.

"Mom, why are you here? You didn't even tell me beforehand."

Mrs. Cheng, with a well-maintained face and a look of displeasure, walked straight in and glanced around the living room.

"Where's Youyou? She's not home again?"

Cheng Zhou closed the door, speaking in as calm a tone as possible.

"She went to her brother's house; she has something to do."

Mrs. Cheng snorted and sat down on the sofa, her posture elegant, yet exuding an undeniable sense of oppression.

"I think she doesn't care about this family at all. She's always running around outside. What kind of behavior is that!"

Cheng Zhou suppressed his agitation.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Madam Cheng looked at him with an air of superiority.

"What else could I be doing? It's all about your kids! You've been married for so long and there's still no sign of a baby! My old friends' grandchildren are old enough to run errands already, I'm so embarrassed!"

She started repeating the same old clichés again.

"Let me tell you, Cheng Zhou, you must let me hold my grandson this year. Our Cheng family line cannot end with you!"

As Cheng Zhou listened to these words he had heard countless times, he felt his sun throb and a surge of fire rush to his head.

He abruptly interrupted Madam Cheng, his voice filled with barely suppressed frustration.

"Mom, please stop! It's not up to you to decide what happens to the child!"

Madam Cheng was taken aback by his sudden and forceful rebuttal, which then fueled her even greater anger.

"What kind of attitude is this? I'm your mother! Is it wrong for me to care about you?!"

Cheng Zhou was going all out.

He stared at Madam Cheng and said, word by word, "Lu You doesn't want to have children. She made it clear to me before we got married. I respect her decision, so I won't force her to have children."

"Give up on that idea."

These words struck Madam Cheng like a thunderbolt.

She suddenly stood up from the sofa, her finger trembling as she pointed at Cheng Zhou, her face deathly pale.

"What...what did you say?"

"She doesn't want to have a child? Aren't you going to force her?!"

Her voice suddenly rose, filled with disbelief and shock.

"She, Lu You, doesn't want to have children? Why shouldn't she? What's the point of marrying her? Does she expect our Cheng family to die out with her?!"

As she finished speaking, Madam Cheng's voice trembled with tears, and they welled up instantly.

She started crying and wailing.

"What kind of karma have I created?!"

"We've married a wife like this! She won't even have children. Our Cheng family line is going to end..."

Looking at his mother like this, Cheng Zhou felt a deep sense of helplessness.

He knew that the storm had only just begun.

...

When Lu You and Shang Wu returned to the apartment building, the streetlights were already on.

The two still had a relaxed air about them, as if they were having a casual chat after dinner.

The elevator doors opened, and before they even reached the door, a faint, tearful voice could be heard.

Lu You stopped in her tracks instantly.

The smile on his face vanished completely, and his brows furrowed.

Shang Wu heard it too, and she recognized it as Madam Cheng's voice, her heart sinking slightly.

It seems that Cheng Zhou's words about urging childbirth tonight were not unfounded.

Moreover, the situation now seems to have escalated.

Lu You took a deep breath, took out her key, and suddenly opened the door.

The scene inside the living room came into view.

Mrs. Cheng was sitting on the sofa, covering her face and weeping loudly.

Cheng Zhou stood to the side, his back to the door, his shoulders tense, radiating a kind of powerless restlessness.

Upon hearing the door open, the two people in the living room looked over at the same time.

Madam Cheng's crying stopped abruptly, replaced by an awkward silence and a rapidly igniting anger.

Cheng Zhou turned around and saw Lu You and Shang Wu. A hint of panic and even deeper exhaustion flashed across his face.

“Youyou…”

He was about to speak.

Madam Cheng suddenly stood up, pointing directly at Lu You who had just entered the room, her voice filled with excitement.

"Lu You, you're back just in time! Explain yourself: why won't you have a child for the Cheng family? What are you up to!"

Lu You was already in a bad mood, and being questioned like this made her anger flare up instantly.