Chapter 268 A Firm Choice
Cheng Zhou's gaze was deep, churning with undisguised desire and deep affection.
He lowered his head, his forehead touching Lu You's, his nose brushing against hers, their breaths mingling.
What do you think?
His voice was muffled and indistinct, yet possessed a deadly allure.
Looking at the handsome face so close to hers, and seeing her own flushed cheeks reflected in his eyes, Lu You's mind went blank, leaving only her heart pounding like a drum.
She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering gently, like a silent invitation.
Cheng Zhou no longer hesitated and lowered his head to kiss her lips precisely.
This kiss was different from the one in the car last night; it lacked the drunken haze and tentativeness, and instead possessed a more sober passion and certainty.
He kissed her deeply and forcefully, as if he wanted to devour her whole, yet with endless tenderness and affection.
The foam in Lu You's hand quietly slipped away.
She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, responding to him with a mix of awkwardness and passion.
Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the two people embracing and kissing, stretching their shadows long and intertwining.
The kitchen faucet was still dripping water, making a crisp sound...
...
A few days later, one evening.
Lu Rang and Shang Wu arrived at Cheng Zhou's apartment.
As soon as the door opened, they saw Cheng Zhou and Lu You standing side by side in the doorway.
Lu You wore a relaxed smile, and Cheng Zhou's hand naturally rested on her waist, a silent intimacy flowing between them.
"Come in."
Cheng Zhou stepped aside.
Lu Rang raised an eyebrow and glanced at his older sister, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
"It seems some people are in an exceptionally good mood," he said meaningfully.
Shang Wu also smiled and looked at Lu You, her eyes filled with inquiry and blessing.
Lu You felt a little embarrassed by their stares.
He gently nudged Cheng Zhou beside him with his elbow.
"Stop talking nonsense and come in."
Cheng Zhou received the signal, greeted them with a smile, and spoke in a tone that was more cheerful than ever before.
The group entered the living room and sat down. The apartment felt much more lived-in than when they last visited.
A shawl belonging to Lu You was casually draped over the sofa, her water glass and a half-read book were on the coffee table, and several of her clothes were even drying on the balcony.
Lu Rang and Shang Wu exchanged a glance, both seeing relief in each other's eyes.
The shadow cast by the Lin Ruan incident has completely dissipated.
The relationship between Lu You and Cheng Zhou has also clearly taken a big step forward.
"Is everything settled?" Lu Rang took the water that Cheng Zhou handed him.
"Mm." Cheng Zhou nodded.
After Lin Ruan was formally charged, he and Lu Rang used their connections.
All potential problems were addressed, including the doctor who provided the medication and Lin Ruan's cousin, who were both dealt with accordingly to ensure that no further trouble would arise.
"That's good." Shang Wu looked at Lu You softly, "Sister You, now you can rest assured."
Lu You leaned against the armrest of the sofa next to Cheng Zhou, smiling with relief.
"I wasn't too worried to begin with; that woman can't cause any trouble."
As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Rang subconsciously, "But some people were being unnecessarily jealous before, which made the atmosphere tense. Has that been resolved?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Rang tightened his grip on Shang Wu's waist. "As long as A-Wu gets too close to that Chen Chunzhi, I won't be jealous."
His tone still carried a hint of lingering resentment.
Lu You rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "You stingy little thing!"
Watching the interaction between the two, Cheng Zhou and Shang Wu couldn't help but laugh.
Shang Wu realized that Lu You no longer cared about what had happened before, and the two of them were no longer awkward with each other, and they understood each other's feelings.
The atmosphere was perfect, and everyone was enjoying themselves.
Lu You suddenly realized that being with Cheng Zhou wasn't as complicated as she had imagined.
Just as her thoughts were drifting away, Cheng Zhou's phone, which was on the coffee table, suddenly rang at an inopportune moment; it was a video call request.
Cheng Zhou glanced at the screen.
He frowned slightly.
The word "Mother" was prominently displayed on the screen.
Lu You saw it too, and her heart tightened instinctively.
The Cheng family's wife.
She almost reflexively wanted to get up and avoid it.
"I'll go check the fruit in the kitchen..."
As she was about to stand up, Cheng Zhou suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Cheng Zhou's strength was not great, but it carried an undeniable determination.
"sit down."
Cheng Zhou looked at Lu You with a calm, reassuring gaze.
"There's nothing to avoid. I won't make you face any uncomfortable relationships."
Lu You was pressed back to her original position. She glanced at her still-ringing phone, then at Lu Rang and Shang Wu beside her.
Lu gave her a reassuring look, and Shang Wu nodded slightly in response.
Cheng Zhou took a deep breath and pressed the answer button a second before the call was about to hang up automatically.
"mom."
His voice returned to its usual calm and steady tone, revealing no emotion.
On the phone screen appeared a woman dressed exquisitely and adorned with jewels.
The background of Mrs. Cheng's photo suggests she is in a luxurious living room. She is looking at Cheng Zhou on the other side of the camera with a smile on her face.
"Xiao Zhou, are you busy? Why did it take you so long to answer the phone?"
Her gaze seemed casual, but it quickly swept over the environment behind Cheng Zhou and the figure beside him that was clearly a woman. Her eyes paused for a moment, and her smile seemed to fade slightly.
"It's nothing, I'm just with friends."
Cheng Zhou spoke in a flat tone, showing no intention of going into detail.
Madam Cheng seemed not to hear his evasion. Her gaze lingered on Lu You, who was partially visible but not yet shown, with scrutiny and inquiry.
"And this young lady is?"
Her voice remained gentle, yet carried an invisible pressure. "You look somewhat familiar."
Lu You's heart jumped, and her body stiffened.
She could feel the scrutiny in Madam Cheng's eyes, a gaze that assessed the value of the goods, which made her very uncomfortable.
Cheng Zhou could clearly feel the tension in the people around him.
He gripped Lu You's hand slightly to support her, then looked up calmly at his mother on the screen.
"mom."
His voice rang out clearly, not loud, but with a solemn declaration, "Let me formally introduce myself to you."
Cheng Zhou turned his head to look at Lu You, his eyes instantly softening and becoming serious.
"This is Lu You."
"my girlfriend."
He paused, then added, word by word, "We are dating."
After he finished speaking, there was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.
Mrs. Li's smile froze slightly on the screen, and her eyes became complicated.
Lu You was completely stunned. She hadn't expected Cheng Zhou to announce their relationship to his family so directly and without warning.
She could even feel the encouraging, smiling looks from Lu Rang and Shang Wu.
Cheng Zhou didn't give his mother much time to process or question.
He continued, his tone still calm: "I called you to let you and Dad know about this. Youyou is fine, and I'm absolutely certain she's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."
He looked at the screen, his eyes sharpening.
"You don't need to worry about me at home anymore, and you certainly don't need to..."
Cheng Zhou deliberately slowed his speech, emphasizing, "Don't interfere in our affairs."
"I hope you can respect my choice, and also respect hers."
These words were clear and direct, without any roundabout means, completely blocking any possible opposition or probing.
Mrs. Cheng on the other end of the phone was clearly not expected her son to be so firm. Her expression changed several times, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she maintained her composure.
She gave Lu You a deep look.
His gaze was complex and difficult to decipher.
"Since it's your choice... of course, Mom wants you to be happy. How about bringing Miss Lu home for a meal sometime?"
Her tone was devoid of emotion. "I have something to do here, I'll hang up now."
After finishing her sentence, Mrs. Cheng quickly ended the video call.
A brief silence fell over the living room.
Lu You was still in shock and hadn't come to her senses.
Did Cheng Zhou just confront his family like that?
For her?
Cheng Zhou put down his phone and turned to look at her. Seeing her somewhat dazed expression, he reached out and gently pinched her cheek.
"What's wrong?"
His tone was relaxed, with a hint of mockery, "Scared?"
Lu You opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say. She felt shocked, touched, and a lingering worry.
Why did you say that?
She murmured, "Your mother, she..."
What she thinks is unimportant.
Cheng Zhou interrupted her, looking intently into her eyes.
"What matters is how I think."
“The important thing is…” he squeezed her hand, “what we think.”
"Lu You".
He called her by her full name, his tone more serious than ever before.
"When you're with me, all you need to think about is whether you like me or whether you're happy. Leave all other issues to me, including my family."
Cheng Zhou's promise was resounding.
Lu You's heart was stirred. Looking into his firm eyes and at his posture of shielding her from all the storms, all her previous hesitation and unease seemed insignificant at this moment.
Wow.
A teasing voice, tinged with amusement, came from the side.
"Cheng Zhou, I didn't realize that."
"So responsible?" Lu Rang also smiled and looked at Lu You with gentle eyes. "Sister You, Cheng Zhou's attitude is very clear. He is worth your serious consideration."
"Yes, sister, it's not easy to find a man who can protect you like this, who is also clear-headed and knows how to handle family relationships."
Shang Wu spoke up for him.
"you……"
Lu You's cheeks flushed from their words, but her heart felt incredibly at ease and warm because of Cheng Zhou's words and the support of those around her.
She looked up and met Cheng Zhou's smiling yet earnest gaze, and finally slowly revealed a relieved and sweet smile.
She gripped Cheng Zhou's hand tightly in return and whispered, "I know. Stop nagging."
Although Lu You did not give a direct answer, the light in her eyes and the tightly clasped hands said it all.
Cheng Zhou looked at her smile as she finally let her guard down, and the corners of his mouth also turned up.
He knew he had won.
He won back her heart.
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