Chapter 298 See you at the Civil Affairs Bureau
Cheng Zhou's drunkenness vanished instantly, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
He hurriedly helped Lu Rang up, his voice trembling, "Lu Rang, are you alright?"
"I won't die." Lu Rang covered his eyes, his voice trembling with pain.
He pushed away Cheng Zhou's hand that was trying to help him up and stood up on his own, but the pain between his brows was obvious.
The bar's security guards surrounded them.
Lu Rang waved his hand, indicating that nothing was wrong; the troublemakers at that table had already slipped away in the chaos.
He took out his phone and calmly made a call to have someone handle it.
The atmosphere in the car on the way back was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Cheng Zhou looked at the glaring bruise on Lu Rang's cheekbone and his swollen eyes. He opened his mouth several times, but found that he couldn't even utter a complete apology.
Lu Rang simply leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, his other intact eye also filled with exhaustion.
He didn't blame him, but this silence only made Cheng Zhou feel even more ashamed.
The car smoothly drove into the villa's garage.
Only a warm yellow wall lamp was left on in the living room. Shang Wu was gently pacing around the living room, holding the somewhat crying Yu Wu, and humming a lullaby softly.
Hearing the door open, she turned around with her child in her arms. Just as she was about to ask why it was so late, her gaze was fixed on Lu Rang's bruised face.
"Lu Rang!" Shang Wu exclaimed in surprise, rushing forward with the child in her arms, her voice trembling with anxiety, "What happened to your eyes?!"
Yuwu, nestled in her arms, seemed startled by her mother's sudden increase in volume; her little mouth trembled, and she cried even louder.
"It's nothing, just a small accident." Lu Rang tried to downplay it, reaching out to take the child. "What happened to Yu Wu?"
"Don't move!" Shang Wu dodged his hand, glaring at him anxiously and angrily. Then, looking at Cheng Zhou beside her with his head down and a face full of regret, she immediately understood seven or eight parts of the situation.
She suppressed her anger and gently coaxed her daughter in her arms, "Yuwu, don't cry, Mommy's here..."
She gently patted the child's back while giving the two troublesome men a glare before carrying the child upstairs to the nursery.
After finally coaxing Yu Wu back to sleep, Shang Wu quietly closed the nursery door, her gentle expression instantly replaced by anger.
She walked down the stairs and saw Lu Rang trying to apply an ice pack to his eyes, while Cheng Zhou stood frozen in the middle of the living room like a schoolboy who had made a mistake.
"Tell me, what exactly happened?" Shang Wu stood at the top of the stairs with her arms crossed, her voice as cold as ice.
Lu Rang sighed and briefly recounted what had happened at the bar, describing it only as a misunderstanding and a shoving incident.
Upon hearing this, Shang Wu's chest heaved violently. She suddenly turned to Cheng Zhou, unable to contain the anger that had been building up all night, as well as her disappointment in the couple's lack of ambition.
"Cheng Zhou! Look at the state you're in! Drunk and fighting! You even caused Lu Rang to get hurt. Do you know you almost injured his eye?!"
Her voice wasn't particularly agitated, but every word struck Cheng Zhou's heart: "Do you only know how to run away from problems? Using going abroad as an excuse to delay, do you think that will solve the problem? Lu You is determined to divorce you, and you're here living a life of debauchery and causing trouble, do you think you can make her change her mind?"
Cheng Zhou was so scolded that he couldn't lift his head, his hands clenched into fists.
He knew Shang Wu was right to scold him; he was just running away. He was afraid to face Lu You's cold eyes and afraid to hear her bring up divorce again.
“I…” His throat was dry, his voice hoarse, “I don’t know what to do, I saw her like that…”
"Don't know what to do?" Shang Wu interrupted him. "Then face it and communicate! Clearly express your thoughts, your reluctance and regret, and even your grievances."
"Instead of hiding away like a coward, numbing yourself with alcohol, and dragging those around you down, show some responsibility!"
Cheng Zhou was terrified by the scolding.
Shang Wu's words shattered his facade of strength, revealing the fearful, helpless man who deeply loved Lu You inside.
He looked up, his eyes reddening, and finally stopped trying to hold back: "...I understand, I'll go talk to her tomorrow."
Seeing him like this, Shang Wu's anger subsided by half, leaving her with nothing but helplessness.
She sighed and rubbed her aching temples: "Alright, it's so late tonight, just stay in the guest room for the night and don't go back."
After she finished speaking, she looked at Lu Rang and said, "You, come upstairs with me."
Lu Rang silently put down the ice pack and followed Shang Wu upstairs.
In the master bedroom, Shang Wu took out a first-aid kit and ordered sternly, "Sit down!"
Lu Rang sat down by the bed as instructed.
Shang Wu took out disinfectant swabs and ointment, but her movements were not as gentle as usual, and she was clearly angry. When the swabs were pressed on the wound, Lu Rang couldn't help but hiss.
"Now you know what pain is?" Shang Wu glared at him, annoyed. "You can't control Cheng Zhou, and you even join in his nonsense! How old are you? Still acting like a young kid fighting?"
Looking at her puffed-up face, clearly angry yet still carefully applying the medicine to him, Lu Rang felt both warm and guilty.
He reached out and gently grasped her busy wrist, whispering, "Awu, don't be angry, I know I was wrong." He paused, deliberately inhaling sharply, his brows furrowing, "...It really hurts."
Shang Wu paused, looking at his bruised, swollen eye that was almost impossible to open, and her heart softened instantly.
She pulled her hand away from his and continued applying the medicine, but her movements were noticeably gentler. She still couldn't help but scold him, "Serves you right! You tried to be tough! Next time you do this, see if I'll even care about you!"
Looking at her slightly furrowed brows and distressed eyes, Lu Rang felt a surge of emotion. He wrapped his other, intact arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace with a little force.
Caught off guard, Shang Wu gasped and nearly dropped the ointment in her hand.
"What are you doing! The medicine hasn't been applied yet..." Before she could finish her sentence, Lu Rang had already lowered his head and attacked her with pinpoint accuracy.
The kiss carried an undeniable force, yet was also filled with apologetic tenderness, cleverly silencing all of Gang Shangwu's unfinished nagging and complaints.
Shang Wu initially struggled symbolically for a moment, but in Lu Rang's familiar scent and warm embrace, her body quickly softened, and her arms involuntarily wrapped around his neck, responding to his kiss.
When the kiss ended, both of them were a little out of breath.
Lu Rang pressed his forehead against hers, his voice deep and sexy: "Aren't you angry anymore?"
Shang Wu blushed slightly and glared at him reproachfully, but it had little effect.
Lu Rang chuckled and picked her up in his arms: "You reek of alcohol. Come with me to take a bath."
"Oh no, let go! Your eyes are still injured..." Shang Wu exclaimed.
"It won't affect anything." Lu Rang carried her towards the bathroom when, as if timed perfectly, Yu Wu suddenly burst into loud cries in the nursery next door.
Shang Wu immediately struggled to jump off his arms: "The baby is crying!"
She straightened her slightly disheveled clothes and gave Lu Rang a reproachful look, "Be careful when you wash yourself, don't touch the wound!"
After she finished speaking, she hurriedly went to see the child.
Lu Rang watched her retreating figure, sighed helplessly, rubbed his still throbbing temples, and muttered to himself, "I'll go find a reliable postpartum nanny tomorrow."
Cheng Zhou, however, spent the entire night without sleep in his hotel room.
He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Shang Wu's scolding and Lu You's resolute face replaying in his mind. He finally drifted off to sleep as dawn approached.
He was awakened by a series of urgent doorbell rings after some time had passed.
Cheng Zhou sat up abruptly, checked the time, and saw it was only a little past seven in the morning.
He thought it was Lu Rang who ordered breakfast or the property management. He rubbed his throbbing temples, wearing a wrinkled shirt and slippers, and walked groggily to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, the cool morning air rushed in, and what came into view was Lu You's cold face, tinged with a hint of surprise.
Lu You came to see Shang Wu. She was carrying a paper bag, which looked like a small dress for Yu Wu.
She stared in disbelief at Cheng Zhou, whose hair was disheveled and who reeked of alcohol from the previous night.
Didn't he say he was going to see Cheng Keke on the plane last night? How come he's here? And looking like this?
After a brief moment of shock came the nausea of being deceived.
The color drained from Shang Wu's face, her eyes sharpened, and without saying a word, she abruptly turned to leave.
"Youyou!"
Cheng Zhou instantly snapped out of his daze and rushed out without thinking. Just before Lu You stepped into the elevator, he grabbed her wrist.
"Let go!" Lu You struggled violently, her voice icy.
"Let's talk!" Cheng Zhou gripped her hand tightly, his tone filled with unprecedented urgency and pleading.
He looked into her bright, angry eyes and said, word by word, "Right now, let's have a proper talk."
Cheng Zhou gripped her wrist tightly, his strength carrying an unwavering resolve that left no room for escape.
Lu You turned around abruptly, glaring at him with anger burning in her eyes, feeling deceived and fooled.
"Talk? What's there to talk about between us? Cheng Zhou, stop with your tricks! Let me go!"
"I won't let go!" Cheng Zhou almost roared.
His eyes, bloodshot from a sleepless night, were now filled with a desperate panic. "Youyou, just ten minutes, no, five minutes! Give me five minutes! After that, if you still insist on leaving, I... I will never bother you again!"
His voice trembled slightly, a fear of losing everything.
Looking at his almost humble and pleading appearance, Lu You was completely different from the Cheng Zhou she remembered who always had a bit of a cynical attitude.
Her struggling movements stopped, not because she felt sorry for him, but because she wanted to see what other tricks he could pull.
She coldly shook off his hand, crossed her arms, and raised her chin slightly: "Fine, I'll give you five minutes. Say it right here."
Cheng Zhou took a deep breath, as if drawing on all his courage. He looked at Lu You's cold profile, a thousand words vying to burst forth.
"I... I didn't go see Coco. I drank too much at the bar last night and got into a fight. Lu Rang injured his eye trying to break up the fight, so I had no choice but to stay here for the night."
It was wrong of me to lie to you. I just didn't know how to face you, and I didn't know how to keep you from leaving me..."
Even though his words were incoherent and even somewhat rambling, the pain he felt was very real.
Lu You frowned as she listened.
When she heard that Lu Rang was injured, her eyes flickered slightly, but quickly returned to their cold expression.
She snorted coldly: "Finished? Your sob story and apology won't work on me. Cheng Zhou, there's never been just this one problem between us. Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau, I hope to see you. Don't make me look down on you."
After saying that, she gave Cheng Zhou no further chances and abruptly pressed the elevator button.
The moment the elevator doors opened, Lu You stepped inside without hesitation.
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