Chapter 216 Make a Mark
Lu Rang rushed back to the photography studio.
"Ding—" The elevator doors opened.
The floor where the photography studio was located was brightly lit, yet unusually quiet.
Most of the staff appear to have left.
Lu Rang frowned slightly, walked towards the only area that was still lit, and suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Shang Wu was standing in front of the backdrop, tilting her head slightly to listen to the photographer's last few suggestions.
She nodded occasionally.
Mark stood not far from her, leaning against a prop table, holding a bottle of water, but did not come closer.
But his gaze remained fixed on Shang Wu, his eyes focused and appreciative, which Lu Rang found extremely irritating.
Only the three of them and the photographer's assistant, who was packing up equipment, remained in the studio.
Lu Rang lifted his foot and walked over.
Hearing footsteps, Shang Wu and Mark turned around at the same time.
"Lu Rang?"
Shang Wu was a little surprised, "Why are you back again? Have you finished your work?"
She looked a little tired, but she still smiled gently when she saw him.
Mark straightened up, a smile quickly spreading across his face, a hint of surprise and understanding flashing in his eyes.
He took the initiative to explain, his tone natural and appropriate: "Lawyer Lu arrived just in time. I had just finished work. I felt bad for making Shang Wu wait so long, so I stayed to keep her company until the end. I was just about to see her off."
This explanation was reasonable and made him seem very gentlemanly.
But Lu Rang didn't believe a single word.
His gaze lingered on Mark's face for a second, but he didn't respond at all, as if Mark didn't exist.
The next second, Lu Rang walked directly to Shang Wu, very naturally took her hand, his grip a little tight.
"Go home when it's over."
His voice was low and emotionless.
But Shang Wu could sense the subtle low pressure emanating from him.
"Okay, sure."
Shang Wu nodded and politely said goodbye to Mark: "Mark, that's all for today. Thank you for your hard work. See you tomorrow."
Mark's smile remained unchanged: "See you tomorrow, take care on the road."
His gaze swept over Lu Rang's hand, which was tightly gripping Shang Wu's, and a faint trace of regret flashed deep in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
Lu Rang completely ignored him, took Shang Wu's hand, and left the photography studio without looking back.
They remained silent the entire way.
Once inside the car, Lu Rang locked the doors.
The enclosed space instantly shut out the outside world, leaving only the sound of their breathing.
Shang Wu blinked, turned her head, and looked at him.
Lu Rang's profile appeared somewhat cold and hard in the flowing light and shadow outside the car.
Shang Wu couldn't help but reach out her other hand and gently place it on the back of his hand that was gripping the steering wheel.
Her voice was gentle: "What's wrong? Are you upset again? It's really just normal work, Mark..."
She didn't finish her sentence.
Lu Rang suddenly turned to the side and leaned over without warning, placing one hand on the back of the chair next to her ear, trapping her between the seat and his chest.
His eyes were dark, churning with undisguised possessiveness and a hint of grievance.
"I know it's work."
He interrupted her, his voice hoarse, "But I just don't like the way he looks at you, I don't like him making any excuses to stay by your side, not even for a second longer!"
Lu Rang's tone carried an almost childlike obsession.
Shang Wu's heart softened suddenly. Looking at his jealous expression, she realized that he was becoming more and more childish and adorable.
She raised her hand and gently stroked his furrowed brow: "You're getting more and more stingy."
A dark glint flashed in Lu Rang's eyes. He lowered his head and his warm lips precisely covered her slender neck, giving her a light but firm kiss on that fair skin.
"you……"
Caught off guard, Shang Wu gasped, her body trembling slightly.
Lu Rang did not continue, but left a clear yet ambiguous red mark there to mark his existence.
After doing all this, he raised his head and looked at the mark, seemingly somewhat satisfied, but his eyes remained stubbornly fixed on her.
"That way, I won't be angry anymore."
Shang Wu was both amused and helpless, touching her slightly hot skin with her fingertips: "I have to be on camera tomorrow, I don't even know if the concealer will be enough to cover it up."
She said that, but there was no real blame in her tone.
Shang Wu leaned forward and kissed the corner of his tightly pursed lips.
She teased in a low voice, "Okay, if you can't cover it up, I'll just say it was my dog that bit me. Let's go."
Lu Rang's tense expression relaxed, his ears turned slightly red, and he realized that his behavior just now was a bit too childish.
He sat back in the driver's seat and started the car again.
Throughout the journey, he held Shang Wu's hand tightly with his right hand, their fingers interlocked, never letting go for a moment.
The next morning.
The atmosphere at the dining table was warm and cozy.
Lu Rang, in a good mood, served Shang Wu a fried egg.
Shang Wu rubbed her aching back and gave him a stern look.
Lu Rang smiled and said, "When I was about to go to sleep around 2 a.m., you were the one who kept bothering me. In the end, we stayed up for more than an hour. Let's go home early today and I'll give you a massage."
Shang Wu blushed with embarrassment and then talked about Lu You going downstairs.
She had changed into a smart business suit, her makeup was exquisite, and her expression was normal, as if the drunkenness had never happened.
"morning."
Lu You greeted him naturally and sat down to eat breakfast.
"Sister You, are we going to the law firm today?" Shang Wu asked.
Lu You took a sip of milk and said calmly, "No, I have some work to take care of here. I have an appointment with someone, and I'll go straight back over there as soon as I'm done."
"Leaving so soon?" Shang Wu was somewhat surprised.
"Yes, there's a lot to do," Lu You said succinctly.
At that moment, the screen of Lu You's phone, which was on the table, lit up.
A new text message preview popped up.
The sender was an unknown number, and the message read: "Ms. Lu, the forecast predicts rain tomorrow. Would you like to move lunch to an indoor restaurant? I can arrange the location."
Shang Wu was sitting next to him when she inadvertently glanced at the message and was instantly stunned.
She looked up at Lu You, her eyes filled with surprise: "Sister You, you, you're still in contact with other people?"
She subconsciously thought of Cheng Zhou.
Lu You picked up her phone, glanced at the text message expressionlessly, and casually swiped it away.
She spoke with a deliberately nonchalant tone: "Oh, you mean this? My father introduced us. We just met. Is that so strange?"
Lu Rang frowned and looked at Lu You.
"Didn't you refuse to accept blind dates arranged by your family?"
Lu You put down her milk glass, picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth, looked at them, and smiled a seemingly carefree smile.
"You guys don't really think I'm serious about dating a young guy like Cheng Zhou, do you? I have a lot of work pressure, and I can occasionally look for something new and exciting to play around with, but when it comes to marriage, it has to be someone of equal social standing who can benefit the family, right? That's the reality."
She spoke so matter-of-factly, as if someone else was the one with the emotions.
Shang Wu stared at her blankly, keenly sensing the insincerity in Lu You's words.
If it's just for fun, why emphasize matching social status?
If it was just for fun, why did you get angry and drink yourself into oblivion last night because of Cheng Zhou's backing down?
She was clearly using the most hurtful words to wrap herself up, and also pushing away any genuine feelings that might exist.
"Sister You, you..." Shang Wu wanted to ask further.
Just then, Lu Rang's phone rang.
Shang Wu pursed her lips.
Lu Rang answered the phone and looked at Lu You: "Sis, what time are you leaving? I have a very urgent case today, do you want the driver to take you?"
Lu You immediately stood up, picked up her bag, and said, "No need, the car I booked has arrived, I'll be going now."
She was almost impatient to escape.
Shang Wu could only swallow her words and get up to see her to the door.
Watching Lu You walk towards the waiting car, she couldn't help but step forward, grab her wrist, and look worried in her eyes.
Lu You asked, "What's wrong?"
Shang Wu looked at her and said, "No matter what you think, don't make a decision you'll regret."
Lu You froze for a moment.
But she simply withdrew her hand, opened the car door, and casually said, "I'm leaving."
The car sped away.
Shang Wu stood at the door, her heart heavy, feeling that Lu You was hiding something important from them.
Something was wrong with her.
However, less than half an hour after Lu You left, another figure appeared at the door.
It was Cheng Zhou.
He dressed up specially today, wearing a crisp white shirt and casual trousers, his hair was carefully styled, and he was carrying an elegant paper bag, inside which a dessert box could be vaguely seen.
he
"Ah Wu, good morning! Is Sister You up yet? I made a new flavor that she might like last time, so I brought it for her to try!"
Shang Wu looked at Cheng Zhou, who was completely unaware of the situation, and was speechless for a moment, feeling a pang of regret for him.
She spoke with difficulty: "Cheng Zhou, Sister You just left."
"Gone?" Cheng Zhou's smile froze, and the light in his eyes dimmed at a visible speed, turning into astonishment and disappointment. "She... why didn't she tell me?"
He seemed to remember something, and his voice lowered, carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance and panic.
Is she angry with me? Or has she forgotten the kiss from yesterday?
Shang Wu stood there, looking at the flustered Cheng Zhou in front of her, and recalling Lu You's heartless words and the mysterious dating text message that morning, feeling completely confused.
Things seemed to be far more complicated than she had imagined.
"Go back now."
Shang Wu didn't know what to say to Cheng Zhou, nor how to reveal that Lu You was going on a blind date.
Cheng Zhou left the dessert behind and departed.
Shang Wu felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on her heart.
She returned to the empty living room, her mind replaying Lu You's cold and deliberate words from that morning.
Something's not right, something's really not right.
Based on her understanding of Lu You, she was definitely not the kind of person who would casually have intimate relationships with others, especially after kissing, and then immediately act as if nothing had happened and go on to have a business marriage.
Her remarks about casual relationships and matching social status sounded more like a self-destructive exile.
Shang Wu grew increasingly anxious. She picked up her phone and opened her chat with Lu You. Her finger hovered over the screen for a long time, deleting and rewriting, before finally sending a message.
Sister You, no matter what you are facing or what decisions you have made, don't forget to ask your heart what you truly want. Life is short, so don't do things you will regret in the future.
If you need help, or just want someone to talk to, I'm always here. We can work together to find a solution; it's always better than carrying the burden alone.
The message was sent successfully.
Shang Wu held her phone, hoping to get some response.
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