Chapter 31 Chapter 31 The ground is cold, I’ll carry you over. …
bite!
The sound of the elevator reaching the basement brought her back to reality. She smiled calmly and said, "I didn't think too much about it. It was fake anyway."
After saying that, he quickly walked out of the elevator.
Wang Qian had already parked the car at the elevator exit. Lu Yanxiao opened the back door for her first, and after she got in, he closed it for her. However, just as the door was about to close, his hand paused. As if he had accidentally remembered something, he asked, "If it's true, do you like it or not?"
It was a light, airy remark, but the man's eyes were deep, locked on hers, as if demanding a response. The look was so alluring that Lin Mo couldn't avoid it. After a moment's reflection, she answered truthfully, "I don't know. Maybe he likes it."
"As long as you like it."
Lu Yanxiao curled the corners of his lips, and a hint of imperceptible joy flashed in his eyes.
After getting in the car, Lu Yanxiao's phone kept vibrating with WeChat messages and incoming calls.
Lin Mo listened to the general situation. They were all asking about his proposal and congratulating him. After replying a few of them, perhaps because he was annoyed, Lu Yanxiao simply turned off his phone, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.
Although the proposal was made with great fanfare, the two people belonged to different circles. In addition, no one was named at the proposal scene, whether it was a drone or a flower backdrop, and no one dared to spread any pictures or videos to the outside world. Therefore, Lin Mo was not affected at all, as if nothing had happened.
Tomorrow is the day they agreed to meet their parents. Just thinking about it makes her feel stressed. She needs to think carefully.
Looking at the street scenes passing quickly outside the window, she took out her cell phone and considered whether she should brainwash Lin Peng first so that he would stand on her side tomorrow. After all, Lin Peng was the only one in the family who had seen Lu Yanxiao in person and had a very good impression of him.
Thinking of this, Lin Mo opened the chat page with Lin Peng.
Just as I was about to type, a new message popped up on the top of the phone screen, from "Wei the One Who Flyes a Plane".
It’s Wei Wei!
Lin Mo was shocked and pounded her head in frustration. She had actually forgotten about Wei Wei!
Wei Wei's parents seemed to have a pretty good business. They had mentioned to her before that they and Lu Yanxiao were high school classmates, and their circles overlapped, so the news of Lu Yanxiao's proposal was very likely to reach Wei Wei.
Lin Mo nervously switched to the chat interface with Wei Wei, squinting her eyes slightly and not daring to look at the roaring questions from her best friend.
Wei, the pilot: [Lu Yanxiao couldn't have proposed to you, right? No way? Definitely not! It's just that our names sound the same, we look like you, and we have similar styles?]
No visual information was released, and no one knew the specific two characters of her name, but when this matter was spread, there must be some descriptions of her. As a close friend, combined with the fact that she had mentioned Lu Yanxiao to Wei Wei before, Wei Wei would naturally think of her.
Lin Mo frowned, and her mind raced over what Wei Wei had said by the Qinzhou Lake during the New Year.
She said, "Lin Mo, you'd better stay away from Lu Yanxiao. He is not a good person."
Since the Spring Festival holiday, Wei Wei has been on a business trip. Her work schedule is almost closed, making communication very inconvenient. Therefore, she hasn't had time, or more accurately, hasn't decided whether to tell Wei Wei the truth. So, she's been putting it off.
Lin Mo sighed secretly and replied: [It’s me~]
Wei who is flying the plane: 【!!!】
Lin Mo: [I'm with him right now, so it's not very convenient. I'll talk to you when you get back from your business trip.]
Perhaps she was too shocked. Wei Wei didn't want to wait even for a second, as if she was afraid that if she delayed for even a second, she would be kidnapped by the bad guys. She kept sending WeChat messages.
Wei, the pilot, said: "No, you've only known each other for a short time, and you're so eager to get married! Have you... not taken proper safety precautions?"
"Cough, cough, cough."
Seeing the words on the screen, Lin Mo coughed a few times in shock. She didn't care whether her face turned red or not. She looked to the side vigilantly. Fortunately, Lu Yanxiao didn't look at her. She paused, turned her body slightly towards the car window, and tried her best to block the phone screen.
Lin Mo: [No, it's not what you think.]
Wei, the pilot: [Then why are you so anxious? Do you understand him?]
Lin Mo thought seriously for a minute.
Wei Wei had a bad impression of Lu Yanxiao. If she'd told him about a fake marriage, given her personality, she'd definitely be afraid of hurting him and firmly oppose it. But she was clear-headed. A fake marriage is all about cooperation; there's always a trade-off. Just like today, because of Lu Yanxiao's identity, she'd had a tumultuous experience. Although she felt a little upset, honestly, she was confident she could handle it.
However, as a good friend, Wei Wei would inevitably be particularly worried.
After weighing the pros and cons, she decided to keep it a secret from Wei Wei for the time being, and told her everything from how they first met at the airport, fell in love with each other, and then decided to get married, avoiding the important points.
Lin Mo: [I didn't expect to meet him on a blind date. After just a few interactions, I really liked him (shy expression)]
Lin Mo: [I was the one who initiated the flash marriage proposal, and he was the one who accommodated me. He proposed to me today without telling me, and I think he's a pretty good person.]
Lin Mo: [You know my grandfather's health condition. Since I just happened to meet someone I really like, I wanted to get married quickly so that my grandfather can see it.]
Wei Wei on the other end of the phone was silent for a long time, and the message "The other party is typing" was displayed above the dialog box for a long time.
Lin Mo felt bad for deceiving her good friend. She pinched her fingertips and bit her lower lip, leaving a shallow tooth mark. After three long minutes, Wei Wei finally replied to the message.
Wei, the pilot: [Last time at Qinzhou Lake, remember I said we went to the same high school?]
Lin Mo: [Yes, I remember. You were three years older than him. You had just graduated when he enrolled.]
Wei, the pilot: [Yes, I happened to see him fighting one day.]
Wei, the pilot of the airplane: [It's not just a normal playful fight between classmates.]
Wei Wei sent a long string of text, describing what he had seen that year.
On a thunderstormy night during the summer vacation after graduating from high school, Wei Wei passed by an alley near the school and saw Lu Yanxiao tussling with a curly-haired boy. Lu Yanxiao's eyes were bloodshot, his face furious, and he swung a fruit knife around like a beast without reason. He slashed the boy's arm, and in the struggle, his own arm was also cut by the knife, bleeding profusely.
There was a loud thunderclap, and lightning illuminated the nearby ground, and the rainwater in the puddles was dyed red by blood.
Wei Wei, only eighteen or nineteen at the time, was terrified. With trembling hands, she pulled out her phone to call the police. Just then, Lu Yanxiao's family arrived. She didn't know how the situation unfolded, only that they were both taken away by Lu Yanxiao's family, and no police were called.
Wei, the pilot: [I still remember Lu Yanxiao's terrifying look at that moment, as if he was ready to kill someone. That curly-haired boy was two years below me and one year above Lu Yanxiao. His name seemed to be Cheng something. He was a sunny-looking junior and definitely not one to cause trouble. Lu Yanxiao was injured in his left arm, and there might still be a scar. You can verify it yourself.]
Lin Mo subconsciously glanced at Lu Yanxiao's arm.
Not long ago, when Lu Yanxiao went to the sports center to watch a basketball game, he was wearing a jersey with his arms exposed, but she didn't pay attention and was not sure if there were any scars.
At this time, the suit jacket was draped over her, and Lu Yanxiao himself was only wearing a thin shirt with his cuffs buttoned tightly, so that only the cold white skin of his hands and wrists could be seen.
Will there be scars?
Perhaps sensing her gaze, the man slowly opened his eyes and asked in a deep voice, "Are you done?"
He actually thought she was dealing with work matters, so not only did he not disturb her, but he also didn't even look at her to avoid suspicion.
Lin Mo shook her head: "Sorry, you may have to wait a while."
Wei Wei sent another message on the phone.
Wei, the pilot, said: "You might be in the thick of things with him right now, and my words might seem like a damp squib, but as a good friend, I have to tell you what I know. That incident happened over a decade ago. Maybe it was just a fluke. Fighting in youth is not uncommon, but what if it wasn't? What if he just has that unstable side to him?"
Wei, the pilot, said: "Honestly, I'm not sure, but he looked so scary back then, Lin Mo. I'm afraid it might be a disaster. You've known each other so briefly, and some men are great at disguising things. Marriage is a big deal; understanding it clearly will give you peace of mind. If you're truly anxious, at least ask him about the fight. Observe his attitude when he talks about it, and you'll be able to tell."
Wei, the pilot of the plane: [You are my best friend, I don’t want you to get hurt.]
Lin Mo replied: [I know, you are thinking about me. Thank you for telling me this. I know what is going on.]
Wei Wei would not lie to her, and there was no need to scare her with such things.
However, their marriage was a fake one. Did she have the right to ask for clarification?
Feeling the change in light outside the window, Lin Mo looked up and found that the vehicle had driven into the underground garage of the community.
The car stopped in a passage near the elevator. Lu Yanxiao got out first. He had the white fur coat draped over his arm. He walked around the back of the car and came over to help her open the door on this side.
"Take you upstairs?" Lu Yanxiao leaned forward and stretched out a hand towards the car.
He seemed to be in a very good mood, his peach blossom eyes were slightly curved, and the dim light from the basement fell, and his full brow bones cast a shadow between his eyes, making his dark eyes look softer.
It was difficult to ask at this moment, especially since Wang Qian was there.
"No, I can go up by myself."
Lin Mo took the fur coat from his hand and said, "Thank you. I'll wash the suit and return it to you."
Lu Yanxiao: "Okay."
Lin Mo: "See you tomorrow then."
Lu Yanxiao: "Well, see you tomorrow."
After taking two steps forward, Lin Mo turned around again, perhaps still feeling a little conflicted. Lu Yanxiao was still standing there, as if he wanted to watch her enter the elevator.
"Lu Yanxiao." The question seemed to be on the tip of his lips.
Lu Yanxiao looked at her, waiting for her next words.
"Well, you go first. It's very cold without a coat. Don't catch a cold." She finally didn't have the courage to ask.
The girl stood there with a gentle smile, waving goodbye to him. Lu Yanxiao was indeed in a good mood, so he obediently did not insist any further. He raised his hand to respond to her, then got into the car and drove out of the garage.
*
This busy day is finally over.
Lin Mo felt exhausted both physically and mentally. Even the clicking sound of her high heels seemed muffled in the empty basement. She took a long breath, wrapped her suit jacket tightly around her, and walked towards the elevator.
"Lin Mo!"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind the pillar.
Lin Mo followed the voice and saw that it was Xu Tingzhou!
Wasn't he getting engaged today? Why was he here? He was wearing a suit with a boutonniere. What was he doing here? To show off or provoke? What a fool!
A feeling of annoyance surged into her chest. Lin Mo frowned and chose to ignore the other person.
"Wait, Lin Mo!"
Xu Tingzhou chased after her, carrying a cardboard box. Lin Mo quickened her pace, but walking in high heels was too strenuous, and he easily caught up with her. "I'm here to return your things. You left them with me."
They hadn't progressed to living together before, so she didn't have many things at his place. Sometimes she left them in his car, or left them at his house and forgot to take them. So, she hadn't thought about it at all. She casually glanced into the box and saw nothing but trivial items, such as an umbrella, a pen, a notebook, a thermos, a scarf...
I don’t know what this person is singing about.
"Didn't you say you threw it away last time?"
Xu Tingzhou pushed the box in front of her and said in a cold and hard tone: "Throw away your own things yourself, so you don't have to come to me for it later."
“…”
Too lazy to even glance at this person, thinking of sending him away quickly, Lin Mo put the fur coat on her arm and reached out to take the box with both hands. However, when she touched the bottom of the box, Xu Tingzhou shrank back and held the box back in his arms, with no intention of giving it to her.
"What do you mean?" Lin Mo asked.
Xu Tingzhou snorted sarcastically: "Are you really going to marry Lu Yanxiao?"
Lin Mo was speechless. She remembered that Xu Tingzhou and Wu Xinyue also held their engagement ceremony at the Convention and Exhibition Center today. In addition, Wu Xinyue's family had some connection with the Lu family, so she knew it was her after a little inquiry. But she didn't understand why Xu Tingzhou, who was already engaged, came to harass her again.
"What does it have to do with you?" She let go of the box.
"I……"
Xu Tingzhou couldn't hide his impatience. After blurting out a word, perhaps realizing that he was in a bad mood, he paused for a few seconds, took a step forward, and stood in front of her, "Lin Mo, I, I actually like you."
Lin Mo: “…”
"Being with Wu Xinyue is just a temporary solution for me. You, you can't..." Xu Tingzhou's voice trembled, his eyes full of resentment and anger. "Wait for me, two years, at most, and I will definitely come back to marry you."
"Are you crazy? Go away."
Lin Mo's worldview was completely overturned. She didn't want to stay with this man for another second. She didn't care about those things. She walked around Xu Tingzhou and walked forward quickly.
Xu Tingzhou simply threw himself at it, chasing after her, saying excitedly as they walked, "I said those harsh words before because I didn't want to delay you. Today, when I heard you were going to marry Lu Yanxiao, I felt bad, and I also realized that I don't like Wu Xinyue at all, but her father is the boss, and they're a family business. If I don't think of a way, there's no way I can climb up. I just want to quickly climb to a high position, gain the right to speak, accumulate my own connections and resources, and once I achieve my goal, I'll leave immediately."
Xu Tingzhou stood in front of her again: "Can you wait for me? I love you, Lin Mo."
Lin Mo shook her head in disbelief, feeling nauseous inside. Ever since the breakup, she had never felt so deeply as at this moment that having been in a relationship with this man was a dark part of her history.
After listening to what Xu Tingzhou said, it is not difficult to analyze his bad mentality.
Love or not is all a lie.
He might have thought her job was respectable, her family was a good match for his, and her looks were decent enough, making her his ideal girlfriend. Later, he coveted the Wu family's assets and resources, but feared he wouldn't be able to pursue Wu Xinyue, so he lied to her while cultivating a relationship with her. Now, knowing she was marrying Lu Yanxiao, he was afraid he'd missed out on "the woman Lu Yanxiao liked," so he came to her and told her to wait for him.
To put it bluntly, you want both.
How can people be so shameless?!
"Xu Tingzhou, we're over. If you keep pestering me like this, it will only make me feel disgusted. If you don't want to give me the things, just throw them away yourself and don't come to see me again."
She pushed Xu Tingzhou away, stepped into the elevator, and quickly pressed the up button.
"Lin Mo, please give me another chance, okay? Since you're so busy with work, let's just assume that we've been working hard for the past two years. After two years, I'll definitely come back and marry you."
The inability to communicate makes people physically disgusted.
Lin Mo stopped talking and looked anxiously at the downward numbers above the elevator.
Xu Tingzhou continued to talk non-stop, "Don't think that proposing marriage will confirm anything. Lu Yanxiao isn't the kind of powerful people like us can reach. He's been so extravagant, it must have been a spur of the moment thing. If you take him seriously, be careful that you'll end up with nothing left."
"Be good and break up with him quickly."
"If you don't believe me, I can write you a letter of guarantee."
"Well, I'll take a step back and give you the betrothal money first. Just tell me how much you want. As long as it's not excessive, I'll go get the cash and send it to you right now."
"I've done this much, isn't it enough?"
…
Lin Mo was almost annoyed by the noise, which was like a fly. Finally, the elevator made a "ding" sound, giving her a glimmer of hope for escape.
"Did you hear what I said?" Xu Tingzhou persisted and wanted to follow her into the elevator.
Lin Mo was surprised and quickly pressed the elevator close button: "Go away, don't follow me."
"I'll take you upstairs." Xu Tingzhou immediately stretched out his foot to block the elevator door to prevent it from closing.
"No need. I have nothing to do with you anymore. If you don't leave, I'll call security."
Fearing that Xu Tingzhou would follow her up, she frantically pressed the elevator's close button with one hand and tried to press the call button with the other, but because her arm was covered with clothes, it was difficult to press the button. Xu Tingzhou grabbed her wrist and walked in.
"What are you doing?"
"Lin Mo, my patience is limited." Xu Tingzhou pulled her away angrily, stood on the right side of the elevator, and deliberately blocked the entire panel of buttons with his body.
"How are you any more noble than me? You're just attracted to Lu Yanxiao's money, and that's why you're so eager to marry him. You act like a pure and innocent girl in front of me, but if you met a rich guy, you would have already slept with him, right?"
Faced with Xu Tingzhou who no longer pretended, Lin Mo was anxious and afraid.
There is a huge disparity in strength between men and women. She cannot confront the other party head-on, and she cannot let Xu Tingzhou go up with her. What if no one gets into the elevator in the middle, and Xu Tingzhou goes up with her to the upper floors? The distance between the elevator and the door of her house is small, and if Xu Tingzhou wants to do something wrong, it will be difficult for her to escape, and she may even invite a wolf into the house.
"Let me go!"
Just as the elevator door was about to close, Lin Mo threw away her fur and tore it with all her might. She quickly blocked the elevator door with one foot. The elevator door hit her foot, opened and closed, and then opened again. She also took a half step outward, stretched out her body, and held the edge of the outer wall tightly with her hands.
"Come in, I'll go up with you and we'll go to your house and talk."
"Don't even think about it! Let me go!"
Xu Tingzhou was furious and stopped pretending. He madly threw the cardboard box against the elevator wall and pretended to come over to pull the person in. The things in the box were smashed into pieces. Lin Mo found the right moment and raised her foot in high heels. The other person was tall, and although she didn't kick him in the vital parts, she kicked him hard on the thigh.
"Ahhh—"
Xu Tingzhou cried out in pain, bent down with a grimace, and covered the painful area.
Lin Mo didn't dare to delay for a second and ran out of the elevator.
Afraid that Xu Tingzhou would catch up with her, she didn't dare to take the risk of taking another elevator. After exiting the elevator, she simply ran directly towards the garage exit. As long as she ran out of the garage and reached the crowded road, she would be temporarily safe.
The high heels were so tiring that she almost fell, so she simply took off her shoes. While taking them off, she looked back vigilantly and was almost scared to death. Xu Tingzhou caught up with her.
"Lin Mo, don't run, why are you running?"
Without even bothering to grab her shoes, Lin Mo broke into a run. As she passed the corner pillar, a blinding white light suddenly shone from the front. A car was coming towards her. The moment the light pierced her eyes, she felt dizzy. She paused briefly, only to catch her breath, before moving again, quickly dodging to the side of the passage and continuing to run.
At this moment, the car in front suddenly stopped, the door opened, and a tall and slender figure appeared in the backlight. It seemed that the figure had sensed the crisis on her side before getting out of the car, and after pushing the door open, he ran towards her.
It must be a neighbor in the community, we are saved!
"Help!"
Lin Mo shouted and ran towards the figure.
She was too frightened to see clearly in the whiteness. She only wanted to run, and she bumped into the man unexpectedly. The man had a better sense of balance than her, and although she hit him hard in the chest, he only took a half step back and held her steadily in his arms.
"Help, there are bad guys chasing me." Lin Mo looked back and saw Xu Tingzhou had already caught up with her.
"Don't be afraid."
A familiar voice sounded beside her. Lin Mo looked up in surprise. The moment she saw the man, for some reason, her eyes suddenly felt sore and unbearable. Her voice was inexplicably filled with a bit of grievance, "Lu Yanxiao, why is it you?"
"I saw his car when I was leaving." Lu Yanxiao was calm and composed, his gentle voice seeming to soothe the girl's emotions. "Are you hurt?"
Lin Mo shook her head: "No."
Lu Yanxiao nodded and gave Wang Qian a look. Wang Qian understood and knocked Xu Tingzhou to the ground in no time.
Xu Tingzhou really regretted it.
Lin Mo's neighborhood was an older one, poorly managed, with a high rate of vacant parking spaces. He'd been there a few times before and had a parking card. He'd thought if he could get into the house today, he'd just pick her up and park in the garage for more convenience. Unexpectedly, as he walked toward the elevator, he saw Lu Yanxiao bringing Lin Mo back. He could only hide behind a pillar and wait for Lu Yanxiao to leave before emerging.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yanxiao actually came back, and he came back only because he saw his car. If he had known earlier, he should have parked the car outside, went up directly from the first floor, and waited at her door.
But it's too late to regret.
Compared to the kick from Lin Mo's high heels, Wang Qian's punches and kicks were more ruthless. Xu Tingzhou fell to the ground, screaming in pain, and kept begging Lu Yanxiao for mercy.
"I, I came to give her something. I didn't intend to do anything else. It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."
Lu Yanxiao didn't even glance at him, and just said to Wang Qian indifferently: "Just watch and deal with it."
Wang Qian nodded: "Yes."
Lin Mo was stunned.
What to deal with? How to deal with it? Why does this sound so creepy?
"ah--"
While her mind was wandering, suddenly, a pair of strong and powerful arms passed through her legs and back. The next second, she was off the ground and was held in the man's arms. In a panic, she unconsciously grabbed the man's shoulders, her face flushed.
"You, what are you doing?"
Lu Yanxiao glanced at her bare feet and said, "The ground is cold. I'll carry you over."
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