Chapter 1 Returning Home
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is auspicious to return home, but inauspicious to get married.
Lu Zhenyu chose to come back on this day not to upset anyone, but because today was the only day she could have.
UA713, a direct flight from Los Angeles to Beijing, landed safely.
Travelers walked in through the long corridor.
She mingled among them, pulling her trench coat tighter and hiding her face, trying to get away from the crowd as quickly as possible.
Just as I was on edge, my body was stopped by the sudden vibration of my phone.
After hesitating for two seconds, she held the phone to her ear, swallowed, and said, "Lisa, your calling now makes me nervous."
The other party reassured him in calm Chinese, "Don't be nervous. Zheng Yaozong has been formally detained by the US police on charges of abuse. I just came to see if you landed safely."
Lu Zhenyu breathed a sigh of relief and started walking again. "That's good."
"I will keep you updated on the police situation. I hope your return home will be smooth sailing."
"Thanks, Lisa." The gratitude was heartfelt.
“Zhenzhen, no thanks!” Lisa said seriously on the other end of the line. “Without your support back then, there would be no Lisa today.”
Lisa added, "I heard today is your Mid-Autumn Festival, a reunion after five years. Enjoy this happy moment."
Will there be happy moments?
Lu Zhenyu's smile became forced, and a hint of sadness surfaced in her exquisite amber eyes.
Who knows? Perhaps some people will be disgusted by her return.
But then again, if Shen Jingsi could really hate her for five years straight, that would be great too.
At least he didn't completely forget about her, this heartless and fickle woman who was always chasing after wealth and status, just because a beautiful woman was by his side.
"Thank you, you too."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Zhenyu stood outside the airport and looked down at the city she had been away from for so long.
In the late autumn of Beijing, the sun still shines brightly, but in the corners where it doesn't shine, the autumn wind carries a biting chill.
She raised her hand to tighten her empty trench coat, then tilted her face up, took a deep breath of the cool air mixed with the scent of grass and earth after the rain, and gently curved her lips into a smile.
Even with thick concealer around her mouth, it couldn't hide her genuine joy.
"It's so good, Lu Zhenyu, you're back alive."
As soon as she finished speaking, two imposing figures pulled her back into the darkness.
"Miss Beizhen, Madam has asked us to take you home."
Without the warm sun, Lu Zhenyu opened her closed fox eyes and looked at the two burly men who were not exactly strangers.
This trip back to China was unplanned, relying entirely on the little luck I had left.
But her family found out anyway, and didn't even give her a chance to catch her breath.
"Did your godmother send you?"
The two men nodded.
Lu Zhenyu smiled helplessly, "Alright, please lead the way."
She was going to have to go back to the Shen family sooner or later; she needed to inform them first about her plan to sue Zheng Yaozong for divorce.
It only takes thirty minutes to get from the airport to the residence.
The year Lu Zhenyu left, it was the dead of winter, the flowers were withered, and the leaves had fallen from the branches.
Now, however, the phoenix trees are in full bloom and the garden is full of roses.
It seems he really did manage to support the Shen family.
“Zhenzhen.”
Lu Zhenyu, who was standing in front of the car, turned around when she heard the sound. Before she could see clearly, she was embraced by Shen's mother, who had come from the villa.
"Godmother."
The realistic touch made Lu Zhenyu close her eyes. After five years, she finally heard her say, "I'm back."
The woman could hardly contain her excitement. "It's good that you're back. Let Mom take a good look at you."
Although Lu Zhenyu was not her biological son, she had genuinely raised and educated him for over twenty years.
A pale, bloodless face, thin cheeks, and short, messy hair.
Without Lu Zhenyu needing to say anything more, Chen Jie's eyes were already red, and she raised her hand to cover her trembling lips, "Child, I'm sorry for all the suffering you've endured these years."
She smiled and gently patted her mother's back. "Godmother, I'm fine."
We've gotten through even the toughest times.
Lu Zhenyu is quite satisfied that she was able to come back alive.
-
The Shen Group, located in the most prosperous area of Beijing, has 98 floors.
With over a hundred businesses under its umbrella, it was a force that all the prominent families in the capital combined could hardly match.
The power one holds in one's hands is not enough, not even close.
The conference room door opened, and Shen Jingsi stepped out as everyone else stepped back.
His handsome face was solemn and stern. The second button of his million-dollar black and gold suit was fastened by his slender, strong fingers, fitting his perfect figure perfectly and highlighting the power and composure of the person in charge.
"President, Madam Shen just called and asked you to go home early tonight."
"Okay, get the car ready."
Upon hearing the sound, the secretaries on the desks on either side of the president's office quickly got up and went to push open the door.
Shen Jingsi walked in slowly but steadily.
As the door slowly closed, a charming figure darted out and tiptoed from behind, covering his eyes.
The girl, in a playful tone, leaned close to his ear and said, "Guess who I am~"
There was no need to guess. A slight smile curved Shen Jingsi's lips as the ancient fragrance wafted over. "Didn't they say that this Memoire is discontinued and unavailable?"
It's no fun that it was guessed so quickly.
Duan Xi'er let go of his hand, crossed her arms, and walked arrogantly to him. "It's discontinued, but some people are offering too much, so the designer redesigned it just for me."
As she spoke, she leaned forward, getting close to the handsome face that was smiling but not speaking, looking down at him with disdain.
After all these years, she still couldn't escape the moment when her heart raced and she lost her composure when she looked him in the eye up close.
The gaze was too intense, so Shen Jingsi looked away and sat back in his office chair. "You like it?"
Duan Xi'er replied, "Of course I like it."
She would always remember the day her mother secretly told her that Shen Jingsi had spent a fortune to find a reclusive designer, just to recreate her favorite perfume.
In Beijing today, this special treatment he gave her is unique.
Duan Xi'er turned around smoothly, walked around to his side, snatched the contract she was almost finished reading, and tossed it aside.
"Alright, you workaholic, don't you even look at the time? Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Aunt Chen is waiting for us to come home for dinner."
"Did she call you?"
"Of course, I am Mama Shen's darling."
Glancing at the time, Shen Jingsi stood up.
Duan Xi'er quickly grabbed the coat hanging next to her, afraid that if she was even a little slow, he might change his mind and sit back down.
Upon seeing the boss come out, the assistant stood up to greet him, "President, the car is ready."
Just as Shen Jingsi, who was carrying his suit jacket in one hand, was about to speak, a voice from the side rang out first.
"I'm taking your boss with me. Same as always, don't call him unless it's important, so as not to disturb our time together."
Wang Kai dared not neglect the eldest daughter of the Duan family, who was destined to become their president's wife sooner or later.
He nodded immediately, "Understood."
While the two were talking, Shen Jingsi had already walked two miles.
Duan Xi'er hurriedly followed.
-
With the addition of Lu Zhenyu, an uninvited guest, the servants of the Shen family are destined to be even busier this Mid-Autumn Festival.
While Chen's mother was busy preparing for the dinner party, Lu Zhenyu quietly slipped out of the villa.
The general layout of the Shen house remains unchanged.
The yellow roses looked vibrant and glistening because the maid had just sprinkled water on them.
It was so dazzling that Lu Zhenyu only stared at it for a few seconds before turning her gaze away and heading to the grove behind the Shen family's house.
Fortunately, the wooden house at the tree trunk is still there. It's less than five square meters, with an oil lamp on the wooden table and an easel leaning in the corner. It's not dusty, but the colors have faded.
Lu Zhenyu loved drawing and reading since she was a child, but Shen Jingsi always bothered her, so her father built her a secret base in the back mountain.
But Shen Jingsi eventually found him.
He stole her first kiss here.
That fool thought she was fast asleep, little did he know, he had just stolen a kiss from her 108 times.
Nestled once again in this small haven, amidst a rare moment of tranquility, Lu Zhenyu's breathing slowed and became deep.
Unfortunately, no matter how far you hide, you can't escape those voices.
"Hey, have you heard? Miss Beizhen is back."
"Hey, hey, you've got the wrong address. She's now the unapproachable Mrs. Zheng. Besides, whether she comes back or not has nothing to do with our Shen family."
"I mean, does her return prove that the young master and Miss Xi'er's marriage is really imminent?"
"That's normal. Our Madam and Young Master are both grateful people. Back when the Shen family fell into trouble, other aristocratic families avoided them like the plague, but Miss Duan was the only one who was loyal and devoted, staying by Young Master's side and even asking her maternal family for help."
"Yes, this kind of friendship is something that most people can't compare to."
Amidst the chatter, the servant lowered his voice and said, "Let's talk about the one who suddenly came back. The young master was so fond of her back then, and the madam and master treated her like their own daughter. But when disaster struck, wasn't she the one who flew away first?"
When Lu Zhenyu was mentioned, everyone else curled their lips and said, "That's just how cold-hearted people are. Otherwise, how could we show off the kindness and compassion of our future young mistress?"
As the sound of gossiping faded into the distance, Lu Zhenyu slowly opened her closed eyes.
This wooden house has remained unchanged for decades, able to accommodate her at eight years old, and also able to accommodate her at twenty-eight.
But people change.
Ultimately, it was the gossip and whispers of the capital that couldn't tolerate her.
-
Lightning protection:
This isn't a lighthearted story; it's even a bit heart-wrenching!
The female lead is already married, but she was forced into a marriage to save the male lead's family.
The male lead's confusing behavior in the early stages will be reversed later, so you can give him a little trust.
It's a story that leans towards growth, where both the male and female protagonists become stronger later on.
This is not a story where the male protagonist can turn the world upside down from the very beginning. The capital city in the story is more realistic, where every family, no matter how rich or powerful, is always in a precarious situation.
Don't be fooled by the facade the male protagonist presents to others. A friendly reminder: he's quite terrifying, and he'll stop at nothing to protect those he wants to protect and achieve his goals.
Both characters are virgins, and the process is filled with sweet moments followed by intense, agonizing twists and turns! There are frequent plot twists and turns.
Double torture: the female protagonist is tortured in the early stages (Little Bitter Gourd—a free-spirited and unrestrained great writer), and the male protagonist is tortured in the later stages (unruly—an insecure puppy).
The rules are listed here. If you can't accept the plot, please stop reading now and don't continue. I don't want anyone to waste their time and be unhappy.
Tomato has many excellent articles; if not this time, we'll meet again next time. However, creating content is hard work, so please refrain from malicious comments. Thank you very much for your understanding.
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