Chapter 1: The Engagement - When shall we get married?

Chapter 1

Lu Baozhu was almost dazzled by the bustling city. When the bus passed by the sea, she was even more amazed by the beach and waves.

After getting off the bus, Lu Baozhu found a small shop where she could make a phone call, and all the surprise and awe she had felt about the big city were left behind.

It's 1996 now, and telephones are no longer as rare as they used to be, especially in a big city like this. Even in the small county where Lu Baozhu lives, some people have installed telephones for their own convenience.

Finally, she could make a phone call. Lu Baozhu dialed the number she knew by heart all along the way.

The call was answered after a long wait. Lu Baozhu gripped the receiver tightly, a slight blush on her fair face. "Hello, this is Lu Baozhu."

The man on the other end of the phone didn't answer Lu Baozhu immediately. He paused for a moment after hearing Lu Baozhu's introduction, then returned to normal and said, "Hello."

Lu Baozhu: "You know about our engagement, right?"

Xu Xing'an remained calm and composed. "I know."

The man's voice was very pleasant, clear and charming with the allure of a mature man, but it seemed to lack much intonation.

Lu Baozhu mustered her courage and said, "I can't endure hardship."

Xu Xing'an wasn't surprised. After Lu Baozhu called, he knew that she wanted to break off their engagement.

Or, to put it another way, Xu Xing'an knew from the beginning that he would not be able to marry Lu Baozhu.

Back then, one of them was the son of a landlord in the countryside, and the other was a rich and beautiful woman from the city. There was no possibility of them getting married long ago.

Now, Xu Xing'an has been betrayed by his friend and is at a low point in his career, making it difficult for him to move forward.

Xu Xingan: "Okay."

Lu Baozhu was pleasantly surprised, "Then...when are we getting married?"

This time, Xu Xing'an was truly stunned. After a long silence, he managed to utter a few words with difficulty, "We...get married?"

Lu Baozhu: "It's hard to explain over the phone, let's meet and talk."

Lu Baozhu deliberately found a location not too far from where Xu Xing'an lived to make a phone call to him. After hanging up, Lu Baozhu obediently stood in the same spot and waited for Xu Xing'an.

Originally, a relationship between Lu Baozhu and Xu Xing'an was impossible, until a week ago when Lu Baozhu got an opportunity.

This world is a romance novel. Lu Baozhu is neither the female lead nor the supporting female character. She is the fiancée of a powerful figure who is mentioned only briefly in the novel.

This villainous boss is Xu Xing'an, who just spoke to Lu Baozhu on the phone.

Xu Xing'an suffered hardships in his youth and later ventured out on his own. Betrayed by a friend, he remained silent for a period of time. After that, he became more composed in his actions, but also more aloof and taciturn.

He later became a renowned real estate tycoon, but remained unmarried and lived a solitary life.

He had thought of his former fiancée, with whom he was engaged, but during the time when he was betrayed by his friend, he received a call from his fiancée who wanted to break off the engagement. He readily agreed to the annulment without any resentment.

There is no further description of Lu Baozhu's storyline in the novel, and Lu Baozhu herself does not know what her fate will be.

Before she knew all this, Lu Baozhu was being forcibly taken by a powerful local man. Disliking him, Lu Baozhu gritted her teeth and went to find her fiancé.

The novel says she wants to break off the engagement, which means she must have been planning to get married before she wanted to break off the engagement with Xu Xing'an. What if the groom was that other man?

Lu Baozhu waited a while longer and then saw a tall, aloof man. He was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, and his expression was very cold.

Xu Xing'an walked up to Lu Baozhu and asked, "Lu Baozhu?"

Lu Baozhu lowered her head and whispered, "Mmm."

Lu Baozhu went home with Xu Xing'an. She had prepared herself for hardship before coming, but it didn't seem to be as she had imagined.

Xu Xing'an lives in a neighborhood that is considered quite nice by Lu Baozhu's standards. The greenery in the neighborhood is much better than the house Lu Baozhu lived in before. It has a good design and a large green area.

The only drawback is that it's a walk-up building.

Lu Baozhu lacked exercise, and her legs were slightly sore when she climbed to the fourth floor. She had taken a train for a day and a night, and after getting off the train, she took a bus and hadn't rested well. Now she was panting heavily.

Xu Xing'an turned to look at Lu Baozhu, who was looking at him with pitiful eyes.

Xu Xing'an: "I'm living on the fifth floor now."

You only need to climb one more flight of stairs.

Xu Xing'an remembered what Lu Baozhu had said on the phone: that she couldn't endure hardship. He paused for a moment and stretched out his arm. Without hesitation, Lu Baozhu grabbed Xu Xing'an's sleeve and pulled him up the stairs.

Even though Lu Baozhu tried very hard, her strength was negligible to Xu Xing'an, and her strength was somewhat weak.

From Lu Baozhu's perspective, it looked like Xu Xing'an was effortlessly carrying the suitcase and pulling her up the stairs with one hand.

It seems that the man's upright posture alone conveys the word "reliable".

Xu Xing'an opened the door, and Lu Baozhu finally saw Xu Xing'an's residence. It was a small house, but it looked exceptionally clean and tidy. Even if you told Lu Baozhu that it was a newly renovated house that no one had lived in yet, she would still be skeptical.

Lu Baozhu looked around and realized she had discovered signs of life here; there were many empty wine bottles on the terrace.

It seems that the novel's plot has now progressed to the point where Xu Xing'an has been betrayed by his only trusted friend. Lu Baozhu dares not speak and is even more cautious, worried that Xu Xing'an will be upset.

After Lu Baozhu sat down on the sofa, Xu Xing'an sat down opposite her and asked, "You've come to ask me to marry you?"

Xu Xing'an's voice was just like his personality, and Lu Baozhu couldn't guess what Xu Xing'an was thinking or what he was thinking.

Lu Baozhu emphasized, "We are engaged."

Xu Xing'an needed to find out, "What happened?"

Lu Baozhu was somewhat exasperated, but when she was angry, she sounded more like a coquettish girl, "Don't you want to marry me?"

Xu Xing'an was silent for a few seconds, then said, "No, it's just that I can't marry you right now."

Lu Baozhu, who had traveled a long way to fulfill her marriage agreement with Xu Xing'an, was rejected. This journey had been filled with hardship for Lu Baozhu, and now her heart was filled with bitterness and grievance.

She even thought Xu Xing'an's back view was reliable.

Anyway, she's not going back to marry that man. She'll just stay here and fend for herself. But before that, she has to give Xu Xing'an a piece of her mind before she can go back!

Thinking back to the original story, where she took the initiative to break off her engagement with Xu Xing'an, Lu Baozhu felt a little guilty and couldn't bring herself to curse him, but the grievances in her heart instantly took over.

Xu Xing'an said, "We need to save money for the wedding, and we also need a house." He was silent for a moment, then said, "Give me some time."

This man is reliable, Lu Baozhu is sure she won't misjudge him! She also has confidence in Xu Xing'an, he's a future big shot, isn't he?

Xu Xing'an: "I'll go tidy up the room. You should rest first."

The apartment was a one-bedroom unit, but it also had a small study. Xu Xing'an cleaned his room and replaced the bedding with new ones, while he put his belongings in the study.

Lu Baozhu has checked; there is a very small single bed in the study, which is suitable for sleeping.

After the room was tidied up, Lu Baozhu stood inside, stammering. Xu Xing'an looked at Lu Baozhu and assumed that she was somewhat dissatisfied with the place.

Xu Xing'an: "Please settle in first, and we'll get whatever you need."

Lu Baozhu wasn't complaining about the room; it was very clean, and because of the new bedding, there was a faint scent of soap.

Lu Baozhu lowered her head, clutching the hem of her skirt. "I want to take a shower."

The more he spoke, the softer his voice became.

Xu Xing'an has a bathroom here. Xu Xing'an took Lu Baozhu to the bathroom, which is also in Xu Xing'an's style. It is very simple. The only things for bathing are a bar of soap, shampoo, and a bath towel.

Xu Xing'an was looking for something in the bathroom, while Lu Baozhu stood outside without going in. After a while, Xu Xing'an found a new bar of soap and a bath towel.

Xu Xing'an: "Use this."

Lu Baozhu: "Thank you."

While taking a bath, Lu Baozhu couldn't help but think of Xu Xing'an. After all, this was Xu Xing'an's house, and Xu Xing'an always took baths here. However, she just couldn't hurry up. She didn't know if it was because the water was too hot or because she was a little embarrassed, but she felt that her cheeks were hot.

After finally taking a shower, Lu Baozhu felt much better. She cleaned up the bathroom and went to find Xu Xing'an, who was standing quietly on the terrace.

From afar, Lu Baozhu saw Xu Xing'an with a cigarette between his slender fingers. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair and shirt. Lu Baozhu didn't like men smoking, but surprisingly, she found Xu Xing'an's smoking quite attractive.

So it turns out she doesn't like other people smoking not just because of the smell of the cigarette, but also because of their faces?

Xu Xing'an turned around when he heard the sound. He stubbed out his cigarette. When Lu Baozhu saw this man who was very reliable to her, there was a trace of sorrow in her eyes. This sorrow was not like worry, but more like a sense of vicissitude and a dimness in her eyes.

Lu Baozhu stood there without moving. When she came to find Xu Xing, Lu Baozhu brought her own change of clothes. She was wearing a pink short-sleeved patterned nightgown and shorts, and a pair of pink slippers.

Xu Xing'an came out of the terrace but didn't get too close to Lu Baozhu, and Lu Baozhu also smelled a faint tobacco scent.

Lu Baozhu: "I'm done washing."

Xu Xing'an: "Okay, go and rest. We'll talk about the rest after you've had a good night's sleep."

Lu Baozhu, who was planning to go back to rest, suddenly didn't want to go anymore after hearing what Xu Xing'an said. She thought she would talk about it after she woke up.

A note from the author:

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May this article bring you good fortune!