Chapter 2 Overestimating One's Abilities
"You silly child, how could you not inform the family before you went back to China?"
The mother, who had brought Lu Zhenyu back, was both scolded and pleased. She led her into the bedroom, saying, "I had the servants clean this place as quickly as possible. Let's see if we need to buy anything else. I'll let..."
"Godmother," Lu Zhenyu called out from the doorway.
Mother Shen turned around with a smile, "What's wrong?"
The familiar girly bedroom came into view in the corner of her eye, but Lu Zhenyu was unusually serious. "I plan to divorce Zheng Yaozong."
"What did you say?"
The woman's smile froze instantly, but as Lu Zhenyu slowly revealed her collarbone, her pupils trembled, and she rushed over!
"He actually hit you?"
Zheng's son was of a wicked nature. On the day she married him off, Chen Jie knew that her daughter's life would be difficult.
But I never expected it to be this serious.
Lu Zhenyu pulled her collar up again, hiding her arms, which were only covered by a layer of skin, under the empty trench coat.
She smiled and said, "It's all over now, godmother, it doesn't hurt anymore."
This scene reminded Chen Jie of that stormy night five years ago, when a girl, soaking wet, ran away and then returned.
While shedding tears, she smiled and said to her, "Godmother, I'll marry you."
Chen Jie was instantly furious and slammed her fist on the table next to her!
"That rascal! He talked a good game before we got married, but it turns out he took you abroad right after the wedding because he had this hidden agenda!"
"Go ahead and get a divorce, Mom will support you a hundredfold. I'll call a lawyer for you tomorrow."
Lu Zhenyu originally thought that the Shen family would also be an obstacle for her in the matter of divorce.
The current attitude of her mother made her feel a lump in her throat.
Chen Jie tenderly grasped the hand beneath her sleeve, but then changed the subject, "Mom will help you with this, but just like before, you can't let Xiao Si know. You know his character."
The girl she raised was intelligent and perceptive; when talking to her, Chen Jie only needed to make a point.
As for Shen Jingsi, Lu Zhenyu certainly understood.
When the Lu family was at its peak, her face was the icing on the cake; but after the glory faded, all that remained was a curse.
Back then, many people in the capital harbored filth towards her after the Lu family fell apart, but in the end, they all met their end at the hands of Shen Jingsi.
Just like when she was eight years old, Zheng Yaozong kidnapped her on her way home from school and was about to bully her when Shen Jingsi arrived and beat her until she was barely alive.
At that time, the Zheng family patriarch was at the height of his political power, and the Shen family had no choice but to send him far away in order to protect their son.
In this vast capital city, who doesn't know that the young master of the Shen family dotes on the orphaned daughter of the Lu family?
But what about now...?
A bitter smile appeared on Lu Zhenyu's lips.
Shen's mother was about to contact the Shen family's lawyer when she was stopped.
"Godmother, I want to handle the divorce myself."
Chen Jie lived at home for a long time, but she was not a mediocre woman; she understood Chen Jie's concerns best.
After a long while, he took a deep breath and, holding back his tears, hugged the person tightly.
"Poor child, your understanding makes my heart ache."
As the mother and daughter embraced and talked intimately, a commotion arose downstairs.
Chen Jie wiped away her tears, her smile quickly returning. "It must be Xiao Si who's back. Come on, Mom will take you to greet them."
Lu Zhenyu was pulled downstairs, outwardly calm but inwardly pounding.
I've never been this nervous, not even when Zheng Yaozong was about to beat me to death. My palms, clenched tightly under my sleeves, were damp with sweat.
Before the person was even seen, the voice came first.
"Please handle this gently. It's a Mid-Autumn Festival gift for Aunt Chen. Please don't break it."
The servants readily agreed, clutching the vase with all their might.
As they were talking, Duan Xi'er, dressed as a princess in a Chanel-style outfit, hopped out first.
Wearing only a shirt and vest, with the cuffs half-rolled up, Chen Jingsi carried a suit jacket on his shoulder, his tie loose at the collar where two buttons were undone, and strolled leisurely behind.
"Are Xiao Si and Xiao Xi back?"
The mother's voice came from the stairs, and she met the two people who had just entered.
“Mother Shen is my mother…”
The "men" sound was drawn out, and Duan Xi'er, who had been jogging over, slowed her pace until she saw the person behind Chen's mother. Her smile froze on her face.
She wasn't the only one stunned.
Lu Zhenyu's gaze bypassed her and fell on that tall, slender figure.
The navy blue striped vest over the white shirt gave the man a somewhat profound look. Aside from the scorching light that was now focused on her, he stood there with one hand in his pocket, still as relaxed and carefree as ever.
Time has left no marks on his face, but it has in his eyes.
The look he gave me was cold and indifferent.
"Sister Zhenzhen, is it really you?"
That clear, gentle voice made Lu Zhenyu quickly avert her chaotic gaze and smile at Duan Xi'er, who was already standing in front of her, "Xiao Xi."
Yu Guangzhong and Shen Jingsi stared intently at her, their brows furrowed.
Was that look of disgust or hatred?
Or, "What are you doing back here?"
As the surroundings suddenly fell silent, those cold words, like thousands of sharp stones, hurled at Lu Zhenyu, binding her heart and making even simple breathing a luxury.
Seeing that things were not going well, Mother Shen laughed and tried to evade the issue by leading the people to the sofa.
Even after drinking half a cup of honey water, Duan Xi'er was still somewhat dazed.
"Sister Zhenzhen, why did you suddenly come back?"
While this may sound presumptuous of me to reply without being asked, it is not wrong.
It was indeed sudden.
Zheng Yaozong, who hadn't hit her for almost half a year, made a rare move, which gave her this chance to escape.
While Lu Zhenyu remained silent, someone spoke up for her.
"It is truly an honor for the Shen family that Madam Zheng has come to visit our humble abode as soon as she returned to the country."
Shen Jingsi smiled slyly, his long arm draped over the back of the sofa, his long legs crossed.
Lu Zhenyu met his mocking gaze and knew that no matter how a person changes, they can't lose what's in their bones, because their pride remains.
Unlike her, who sat before them, looking old and lifeless.
But weren't we already mentally prepared for all of this?
Why wallow in self-pity, and why care about the constant sarcasm that follows you wherever you go?
So, under the man's deep gaze, she simply said, "I missed my godparents, so I came back to visit."
Duan Xi'er grasped the key phrase, "Sister Zhenzhen, does this mean you're still leaving?"
In Shen Jingsi's peripheral vision, the woman smiled faintly and lowered her head, not directly answering the question, but rather seeming to tacitly agree.
He chuckled dismissively, then casually sipped his water. "If you're going to leave, leave now. The Shen family is too small to accommodate a big shot like Madam Zheng."
While Mrs. Shen was busy in the dining room, she didn't miss a single word of the conversation in the living room.
He rushed out at this moment, went to his son's side first, and poked his shoulder twice.
"You're almost thirty, and you still don't act like a proper older brother in front of your younger sister."
When she got to Lu Zhenyu's side, she hugged her protectively like a mother protecting her child, saying, "Do you think Zhenzhen wanted to come back to see your sullen face? It's because your mother was quick and intercepted her halfway!"
“That’s right.” Duan Xi’er, who had somehow sat back down next to Shen Jingsi, chimed in, “Sister Zhenzhen is now a daughter-in-law of the Zheng family, so she should go back to her in-laws’ house to offer them a cup of tea first. You should speak to me properly.”
Lu Zhenyu withdrew all her lingering gaze, picked up the now-cold water, and drank it down in a few gulps.
The weather in the capital is really dry. She only stayed for a short time, and her throat and eyes felt sore.
Shen Jingsi reverted to his carefree and irreverent manner, leaning lazily to the other side, inadvertently widening the distance between them, and said with a half-smile, "So understanding?"
"How so?" Duan Xi'er raised her chin arrogantly. "Do you think I'm like you, staying up so late to get off work? I'm starving while I wait."
"He's not dead yet."
"It'll be too late if you die!"
The two flirted and teased each other as if no one else was around, which made Chen's mother happy. She leaned close to Lu Zhenyu's ear and said, "Look at those two young people, they've always loved to bicker over the years."
The young couple.
Yes, they are indeed a young couple.
Chen's mother's beaming smile made it seem inappropriate for Lu Zhenyu not to smile as well. A slight upturn of her lips said, "That's wonderful."
Tired of arguing with Shen Jingsi, Duan Xi'er rubbed her stomach and looked over, "Aunt Shen, when are we going to eat? I'm starving."
"Is Xiaoxi hungry?" Mother Chen chuckled and slapped her thigh as she stood up. "Then let's eat now!"
Duan Xi'er hopped over like a rabbit, deliberately going around to the middle, grabbing Chen's mother's hand, and linking arms with Lu Zhenyu.
"Sister Zhenzhen, let me tell you, in the few years you've been gone, Aunt Chen's cooking skills have improved a lot. I bet you we'll have Shaoxing wine drunken crab, sesame-flavored abalone, and clear soup matsutake stewed bird's nest today!"
Duan Xi'er is only one year younger than Lu Zhenyu, but when the two stand together, the former is innocent and carefree, while the latter is dull and indifferent.
Feeling the ever-present gaze behind her, she pulled her collar tighter, loosened the hair behind her ear, and covered her profile.
After covering myself up tightly, the suffocating feeling in my chest gradually subsided.
In the restaurant, among the long table laden with sumptuous dishes, not a single one of the things Duan Xier had just mentioned was missing.
With a kind and gentle expression, Mother Shen pulled Lu Zhenyu to sit closer, while Duan Xier and Shen Jingsi naturally sat down opposite each other.
"Xiao Xi is the biggest eater, and today's meal was all prepared according to her tastes."
Duan Xi'er leaned forward with a grin, "Don't be jealous, Sister Zhenzhen. It's just that you came back so suddenly. These are all dishes that Shen's mother and I ordered a long time ago."
Chen's mother patted Lu Zhenyu's hand affectionately, "Next time you have time, Mom will make you your favorite salt-baked shrimp."
Jealousy is an exaggeration. The truth is, Lu Zhenyu has never fought for anything since she was a child.
She smiled wryly, "Godmother, no need to trouble yourself, I'm not a picky eater."
At this moment, Duan Xi'er across from Lu Zhenyu picked up a drunken crab, stretched her back, and placed it in Lu Zhenyu's bowl.
"Drunken crab is still crab, Sister Zhenzhen, just eat this for now. This is my favorite."
Mother Shen waved her hand helplessly, "You're such a thoughtful child. I'll get whatever your sister Zhenzhen eats. Just take care of yourself and don't keep getting up and fussing over yourself."
Duan Xi'er stuck out her tongue and smiled, her eyes crinkling. "It's okay. I'm happy to see Sister Zhenzhen back too."
Before she finished speaking, Shen Jingsi grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the chair. "Who was it that was yelling about being starving just now, and now they're not hungry anymore?"
When Shen's mother said that Duan Xi'er was all smiles, her face immediately darkened.
She turned her back to him and winked, "There are other people here, can't you give me some face!"
He casually leaned against the railing, glancing at her with a smile that, in Lu Zhenyu's eyes, held a hint of doting affection.
"You want to save face?"
"uh-huh?"
The walnut tips of the pure silver chopsticks pointed to the boiled shrimp on the plate, "Peel them."
Duan Xi'er: "..."
Duan Xi'er, who was inwardly complaining, took the shrimp from his plate, put on gloves, and peeled them little by little.
She had never peeled shrimp for anyone before, so her movements were naturally slow and clumsy.
Before I could even finish peeling them, two were already nestled in the plate.
She looked up with a "Hmm?" and Shen Jingsi, wearing gloves, gave her a disdainful look, "Miss Duan, you're so slow. Just eat your food."
Although she was making a sarcastic remark, Duan Xi'er blushed.
While verbally complaining, "You didn't poison me, did you?", their actions betrayed their words as they stuffed the two of them into their mouths.
Even when a pretty girl is eating heartily, it's a delightful and pleasing sight.
With her left ear filled with the playful banter of the two, and her right ear with her mother's smug smile, Lu Zhenyu, who was eating with her head down, shifted her gaze from the shrimp that Shen's mother had peeled on her plate to the glass of milk with osmanthus honey.
When she was very young, Lu Zhenyu loved drinking this beverage the most. On a whim, she wanted to plant osmanthus trees all over the back hill so she could enjoy them in September and harvest them in October.
After obtaining her mother's consent, the little girl got to work with great enthusiasm, planting dozens of saplings in one go.
But after year after year, the leaves kept growing and turning yellow, and in the end, it never bloomed.
After planting hope and reaping disappointment, Lu Zhenyu learned from the expert found by Shen's father that she had thought the tree only needed watering to grow.
She wasn't talking about her failed attempt to grow osmanthus; she was talking about herself.
That's incredibly overconfident.
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