Chapter 224 Falling in Love at First Sight
Lu You has a strong sense of action.
In just two days, she found a quiet, upscale apartment complex and rented a spacious, single-level unit with a wide view.
Lu You quickly settled in, setting up a temporary office at the law firm, and handled important matters concerning the Yu family remotely via the internet and telephone.
She arranged everything meticulously, and Lu Zheng seemed to have tacitly accepted her departure, not sending anyone to provoke her or forcibly take her back.
After all, Lu You is still managing the family business efficiently and has not caused any substantial losses.
Even so, a cold, impersonal email was still sent to Lu You's inbox.
The message was concise and ruthless; it was a formal notice informing Lu You that because she refused to fulfill her obligations to the family through marriage, she would no longer be considered for the inheritance of the family's core businesses.
Lu You glanced at the email, gave a cold laugh, and casually closed the page.
She had expected this, and it wasn't surprising to her.
She can live a wonderful life just as well through her own abilities.
...
Just two days into the peaceful period, an uninvited guest shattered the tranquility.
That afternoon, a young woman dressed in the latest designer suit, carrying a limited-edition handbag, and with makeup as exquisite as a porcelain doll, appeared at the front desk of Lu Rang's law firm.
She looked to be in her early twenties, pretty and charming, but her eyes held a spoiled arrogance and curiosity.
"Hello, I'm looking for Miss Lu You." The girl's voice was sweet, but it carried an air of undeniable authority.
The receptionist politely asked, "Do you have an appointment?"
"She didn't make an appointment. But I know she's been getting close to my brother... uh, Cheng Zhou lately, so she'll probably come here, right?"
The girl tilted her head, guessing to herself, "Just tell me if she's here or not!"
Just then, Lu Rang came out of his office, on his way to a meeting with Yan Yue, when he was drawn to the commotion at the front desk.
The girl's eyes lit up the moment she saw Lu Rang.
Lu Rang was tall and slender, wearing a black overcoat over a stern suit. He was imposing and aloof, exuding the air of an elite lawyer.
He perfectly matched her girlish fantasies.
She immediately changed her target, quickly walked up to Lu Rang, and her smile became even sweeter.
"You must be Attorney Lu Rang? I've heard so much about you! I'm Cheng Keke, Cheng Zhou's sister."
Lu Rang was stunned for a moment. Cheng Zhou's sister?
He nodded slightly, his attitude both distant and polite: "Miss Cheng, hello, is there something you need?"
"Actually, I wanted to visit Sister Lu You."
Cheng Keke blinked her big eyes, but her gaze was fixed on Lu Rang's face. "But I can't find where she lives. I heard she might come here. Lawyer Lu, could you take me to find her? Or just tell me where she is?"
As she spoke, she unconsciously moved closer.
Lu Rang was incredibly perceptive and immediately noticed the girl's subtle movements.
He frowned, not wanting to cause any more trouble.
But since she is Cheng Zhou's sister, it wouldn't be appropriate to refuse her outright.
He took a step back to create some distance and patiently said briefly, "My sister didn't say who she wanted to see, so I won't arrange a meeting without her consent. If Miss Cheng wants to see her, she can contact Cheng Zhou directly."
After saying that, he glanced at his watch, indicating that he had to go to a meeting.
Cheng Keke, however, seemed not to understand the order to leave and instead took a step closer.
She said sweetly, "Attorney Lu, are you going out? You can give me a ride if you're going that way! Or, could you leave me your contact information? I can thank you when I find Sister Lu You."
The intention couldn't be clearer.
The receptionists nearby were all dumbfounded.
Lu Rang's face darkened, and he was about to refuse coldly when his phone rang.
It was Lu You calling, asking about a document from the Yu family.
Lu Rang gave a brief reply and hung up the phone.
Cheng Keke, however, had sharp ears and heard Lu You's voice.
She immediately said, "Is that Sister Lu You? Lawyer Lu, please tell her for me!"
Unable to bear her pestering him any longer, Lu Rang just wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible, so he said something to Lu You on the other end of the phone.
"Sister, Cheng Zhou's younger sister, Cheng Keke, is at the law firm and says she wants to see you."
Then, she handed the phone to Cheng Keke.
Cheng Keke took the phone, spoke a few words with Lu You, and obtained her current address before finally returning the phone to Lu Rang with satisfaction.
"Thank you, Attorney Lu! See you next time!"
Lu Rang remained expressionless, turned around and left without wanting to stay for even a second longer.
Following the address, Cheng Keke found Lu You's apartment.
Lu You opened the door and saw the pretty girl with a scrutinizing gaze. She immediately sensed something was wrong.
The way this girl looked at people was completely different from the tone she used when she spoke to Lu Rang on the phone earlier.
Alarm bells rang in Lu You's mind.
This girl was so enthusiastic towards Lu Rangnian, but now she's acting like a spoiled young lady who's not to be trifled with. I bet she's interested in her brother.
Lu You calmly invited Cheng Keke into the house.
As soon as Cheng Keke entered the room, she looked around and commented with a mix of naivety and deliberate intent.
"Sister Lu You, do you live here alone? The environment is okay, but it's a bit small, much smaller than the apartment Dad bought for me."
Lu You didn't bother arguing with her and asked directly, "What does Miss Cheng want with me?"
Cheng Keke then looked away, sat down on the sofa, and adopted a negotiating stance.
"Actually, my parents asked me to come."
She pretended to be mature and said, "Sister Lu You, I know you and my brother have been getting quite close lately. But my brother is a soft-hearted person who easily sympathizes with others. You, on the other hand, are not young anymore and have such complicated experiences. You are actually not a good match for our family."
Cheng Keke paused, looking at Lu You's expressionless face, and continued, "My parents mean that they hope you can stay away from my brother. After all, you two are from different worlds, and forcing yourselves to be together won't lead to anything. Of course, if you need any compensation..."
"Are you done talking?" Lu You finally interrupted.
Her voice was calm and even, but those who knew her well knew that this was the calm before the storm.
Lu You's hands, resting on her knees, had nails digging slightly into her palms.
Cheng Keke felt a little guilty because of her calmness, but she still forced herself to say, "Speak, I'm done. I'm doing this for your own good."
"For my own good?"
Lu You chuckled softly, but there was no warmth in her laughter.
She stared at him coldly.
“Miss Cheng, firstly, your brother and I are just friends; there’s no question of one of us distancing ourselves from the other. Secondly…”
Her gaze suddenly turned cold as she coldly swept over Cheng Keke: "Before you care about others, take care of yourself first. My brother Lu Rang already has a fiancée, and they are very much in love. Some unrealistic fantasies."
Cheng Keke's smile vanished; she clearly hadn't expected her to bring this up.
"I advise you to face reality as soon as possible, don't make a fool of yourself, and don't embarrass your brother."
Cheng Keke's thoughts were exposed, and she blushed instantly, feeling both ashamed and angry.
"You... what nonsense are you talking about! Who has any fantasies about him!"
"I have other things to do, so I won't see you out." Lu You stood up and directly gave the order to leave, exuding an aura of authority.
Cheng Ke was intimidated by her cold aura and dared not say anything more. She snorted and turned to leave.
Not long after the person left, Lu You's doorbell rang again.
She thought it was Cheng Keke returning, and opened the door irritably, only to find it was Cheng Zhou.
Cheng Zhou looked anxious and guilty.
"Sister You, I'm so sorry! I just found out that Coco came to see you! Did she say something nasty? She's been spoiled by her family and doesn't think before she speaks, so please don't take it to heart."
Shortly after, Shang Wu also came to visit Lu You, bringing some fruit and snacks, and they happened to meet at the door.
The three entered the house, and Lu You irritably repeated what Cheng Keke had just said.
Upon hearing this, Shang Wu frowned deeply: "Cheng Zhou, your sister is too..."
She couldn't find the right words for a moment, and just felt pretty upset.
Just as Lu You was escaping the pressure of an arranged marriage, her suitor's family started causing trouble again, and they even started eyeing her younger brother.
Cheng Zhou was so angry that his face turned pale, and he felt extremely embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, Sister You, Awu. I'll definitely talk to her properly when I get back! I'll also talk to my parents. How could they do this!"
Seeing Cheng Zhou sweating profusely with anxiety, Lu You's anger subsided somewhat.
But more than anything, it's a feeling of powerlessness.
She waved her hand, her voice weary: "It's none of your business, I'm just feeling a bit annoyed."
Seeing the lingering irritation between Lu You's brows, Shang Wu felt uneasy as well.
She sat down next to Lu You and gently put her arm around her shoulder.
"Sister You, don't get angry over that spoiled little girl. It's not worth it. If she dares to come again next time, just give her a piece of your mind."
Shang Wu looked at Cheng Zhou: "Tell her that you are not only friends with her brother, but you may also become her sister-in-law in the future. Tell her to show some respect, and see what she can say then?"
Cheng Zhou smiled and immediately gave her a thumbs up, indicating that she was a good friend.
He chimed in, "Awu is right! Don't take my sister's words to heart. She's just a spoiled brat from home, she doesn't know any better and speaks without thinking. On behalf of her and my parents, I sincerely apologize to you. I'm sorry."
Cheng Zhou's attitude was sincere, even somewhat humble.
However, her explanation that she was just a child and that she was immature did not comfort Lu You at all.
She abruptly raised her head, staring coldly at Cheng Zhou.
"Immature? Cheng Zhou, she's over twenty, not two. Doesn't she have basic respect and manners?"
"Apologize on behalf of your parents? Ha, your family thinks I'm too old and have too many complicated experiences, and that I'm not good enough for the prestigious Cheng family. Is it really just a simple matter of apologizing?"
"Or is that what you really think?"
As Lu Youyue spoke, he became increasingly angry, and all the pressure and humiliation he had accumulated over the past few days erupted at Cheng Zhou.
She jumped up.
"Since your whole family is so opposed to me and thinks I'm a nuisance, what are you doing here? Are you here to laugh at me? Or to show your sympathy?"
Lu You stood up.
"Cheng Zhou, stay away from me. I don't want to see you again. Also, please keep your family in check and stop bothering my life."
The color drained from Cheng Zhou's face instantly, and his eyes changed from anxious to incredulous and hurt.
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