Chapter 272 What's Coming Is Here
After leaving the Cheng family's old house, Lu You and Cheng Zhou did not go straight back to their apartment.
They drove the car to the riverbank.
The night breeze from the river, carrying moisture, dispelled the oppressive atmosphere that had just accumulated at the dinner table.
The two leaned against the railing, gazing at the dazzling lights on the opposite bank, and remained silent for a moment.
"You really don't regret it?" Lu You turned her head to look at Cheng Zhou's profile, which was particularly clear under the neon lights.
Despite her resolute demeanor, she ultimately did not want to cause him to be completely severed from his family because of her.
Cheng Zhou turned his head, his eyes shining brightly in the night.
He didn't answer directly, but instead reached out and pulled her into his arms, his voice low and firm: "I regret not taking you away sooner. In my heart, no one and nothing is more important than you."
"If that home only brings you grievances and scrutiny, then it's better to leave. From now on, wherever you are is my home."
Lu You leaned against him, feeling the strong heartbeat from his chest, and her last trace of unease vanished.
She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, responding softly.
"good."
...
The next day.
Shang Wu received a call from Lu You and learned about everything that happened at the Cheng family last night.
She and Lu Rang immediately rushed to Cheng Zhou's apartment.
As soon as they entered, the two saw Lu You directing Cheng Zhou to organize several unopened cardboard boxes in the living room.
Those were personal belongings that Cheng Zhou had someone pack up from the Cheng family's old house overnight after they returned last night.
"Sister, Cheng Zhou, are you alright?" Lu Rang frowned slightly.
Although he often bickers with Cheng Zhou, he never fails to support him in crucial moments.
Shang Wu walked to Lu You's side, gently took her hand, and looked at her with heartache and understanding.
"Sister You, you've been wronged."
Lu You looked at them and smiled. The smile was tinged with relief and a hint of weariness, but her eyes were clear.
"It's alright, it was resolved more thoroughly than I expected."
Lu Rang punched Cheng Zhou on the shoulder.
"Cheng Zhou, you were decisive this time."
Cheng Zhou rubbed his shoulders, grinned, and showed a hint of relief after going all in.
"That's right, you have to follow our Youyou."
Touched by what she saw, Shang Wu said softly, "Actually, you really don't need to care too much about whether you have your parents' approval."
As she spoke, her gaze unconsciously drifted to Lu Rang beside her.
Lu Rang was also looking at her, and the two smiled at each other.
Lu Rang picked up the conversation, his tone calm: "Just like me and A-Wu, didn't we also not get the Yu family's full approval at first? Especially in the beginning. But now, aren't we doing just fine?"
"Life is a partnership between two people. As long as you trust each other and your hearts are aligned, the voices from the outside world are not that important."
His words were both a comfort to Lu You and Cheng Zhou, and also a reflection of their own experiences along the way.
Regardless of differences in status or past entanglements, these were all stumbling blocks on their path.
But it is because they have always held each other's hands tightly that they have come this far.
Upon hearing this, Lu You and Cheng Zhou both nodded seriously.
Cheng Zhou held Lu You's hand tightly and said solemnly, "From now on, it's just the two of us walking this road. As long as Youyou is by my side, nothing else matters."
"We don't need anyone's approval; it's enough that we approve of each other."
At this moment, Lu Rang absentmindedly raised his wrist to check his watch several times, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he was worried about the time.
"What's wrong? Is there an emergency at the law firm?" Shang Wu noticed his subtle movements and asked softly.
"No."
Lu Rang snapped out of his daze and gave a forced smile. "I just met up with a friend to discuss some business matters. It's almost time, so I have to go now."
As he spoke, he picked up his coat from the sofa, his movements hurried.
"What kind of business is so mysterious that you need to negotiate it in person?" Lu You asked casually, somewhat curious.
Since her younger brother settled down with Shang Wu, he rarely brings work into the weekends, especially not in this somewhat urgent way.
Lu Rang replied vaguely, "It's just an investment project. The details haven't been finalized yet. I'll tell you when they're confirmed."
He leaned down and kissed Shang Wu on the forehead.
"Awu, I'll be back later, don't wait for me for dinner."
"Okay, be careful on the road."
Shang Wu smiled and nodded, a knowing glint flashing in her eyes, but it was so quick that no one noticed.
After Lu Rang left and the door closed, Cheng Zhou stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Lu Rang seems to be acting a bit mysterious lately. Could he be doing something bad behind your back?"
He half-jokingly said to Shang Wu
Lu You chimed in, "Yes, the way he looked just now clearly showed that something was on his mind."
Shang Wu couldn't help but laugh when she saw their curious yet slightly worried expressions.
She walked to the window, watched Lu Rang's car drive away downstairs, then turned around, a sweet smile on her face.
Shang Wu lowered her voice and said, "He's fine. He's secretly planning his wedding."
"A wedding?!" Lu You and Cheng Zhou exclaimed in unison, both stunned.
"Shh, keep your voice down!"
Shang Wu put her finger to her lips, her smile deepening. "He thought I didn't know, but I found out a long time ago."
"He had a lot of information about wedding venues stored on his computer in his study, and he even secretly measured my ring size. I guess he was thinking of giving me a surprise."
As she spoke, a blush rose to her face: "So, you all have to keep this a secret for me, pretend you know nothing, and then we'll treat it as a huge surprise."
Lu You and Cheng Zhou looked at each other, seeing the same bewildered expression in each other's eyes.
Cheng Zhou couldn't help but shake his head: "My God, if Lu had known that his secret operation had been exposed long ago, I wonder what his expression would be. He would definitely feel that all his preparations were in vain."
Lu You smiled too.
She looked at Shang Wu with warm eyes, "I look forward to your wedding."
Shang Wu nodded: "That's why I need to cooperate with him even more and let him enjoy the process of preparing the surprise."
She checked the time. "Alright, I have to go to the studio now. The new product launch is imminent, and there are still many details to finalize."
...
The following days were spent in quiet busyness.
Cheng Zhou was busy opening a restaurant.
Lu You helped him come up with a renovation plan.
Lu Rang was busy preparing surprises and dealing with matters at the law firm.
Shang Wu then devoted herself entirely to her design studio.
Preparations for the new product launch have entered the final sprint stage.
She practically lived in the studio, checking design drafts and finalizing processes with her team over and over again.
As her capable assistant, Aying was busy running around, handling various tasks efficiently.
The press conference was a grand and successful event.
Shang Wu's jewelry collection, themed around love and incorporating Eastern Zen aesthetics, has won unanimous praise from the industry and the media.
The studio was overwhelmed with orders after the show, its reputation soared, and sales skyrocketed.
Shang Wu began to frequently appear in interviews with major fashion magazines, participate in industry forums, and share her design concepts.
With the boost from her career, Shang Wu's complexion became rosy day by day, and her eyes became brighter and more determined.
Amidst all this busyness, she carefully guarded the secret about the wedding.
Whenever Lu Rang worked overtime in the evenings or had appointments to discuss matters on weekends, she would always express her understanding and never ask any questions.
Lu Rang was completely immersed in the surprise he had meticulously planned, and he wanted to personally oversee every little detail.
He thought he had concealed it well, but in fact, Shang Wu had already seen through it all.
Shang Wu simply played the role of an unsuspecting fiancée, enjoying his clumsy yet sincere love.
On the other hand, Cheng Zhou felt relieved to be free from the constraints of the Cheng family.
He used his connections and funds accumulated over the years to restart the restaurant project.
Instead of continuing down the high-end route, he opened a restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere that focuses on creative fusion cuisine, named Zhouyou.
Lu You used her strengths in management and interpersonal skills to help him manage the restaurant's operations and promotion.
Without family interference, the two worked together seamlessly and ran their small restaurant with great success.
That afternoon.
Shang Wu had just finished an online interview and was revising design sketches for the next quarter in her studio when her phone suddenly rang urgently.
It was Lu Rang.
She answered the phone, her tone as usual: "Hello? Are you done with your work?"
On the other end of the phone, Lu Rang's voice sounded noticeably weak.
"Awu, can you come to the Blue Moon Hotel now? I'm not feeling well at work here."
Shang Wu's hand holding the paintbrush paused, and her heart skipped a beat.
She wasn't worried; she had a premonition that it was finally coming.
The Blue Moon Hotel was something she had seen by chance in Lu Rang's computer browser history.
It was one of the wedding venues he had repeatedly researched and compared, and it was the one located by the sea.
She tried to make her voice sound appropriately anxious and concerned: "Stomach ache? What happened? Is it serious? I'm coming right away!"
"I don't know either. It just suddenly hurts a lot. Please come and take care of me." Lu Rang's voice was still in pain, even with a pitiful tone.
"Okay, hang in there, I'll be right there." Shang Wu hung up the phone and couldn't help but chuckle to herself.
This fool, he can't even fake being sick convincingly.
Who would specifically emphasize the hotel name when they have a stomachache?
She put down her paintbrush and nodded to Aying, who was looking over curiously.
"Aying, I have something urgent to attend to and I need to go out for a bit. You can handle the rest of the business."
"Yes, Mr. Shang, don't worry."
Shang Wu picked up her bag and car keys, walked to the mirror, and tidied her hair and makeup.
She looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes smiling and her complexion rosy.
One of the most important moments of her life is about to begin today.
Shang Wu took a deep breath, composed himself, and drove to his destination.
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