On the other side.
Lincheng.
Inside a private room of a high-end restaurant.
Lu You barely touched her lunch.
She stared expressionlessly at the young master of the Zhao family across from her.
The other person was around thirty years old, wearing an expensive handmade suit and a priceless watch, but the sense of superiority in his eyes was almost overflowing.
From the moment he sat down, the conversation revolved around the family business, personal connections, and requirements for a future partner.
What is required is to be sensible and understanding, able to assist in managing family affairs, and preferably to give birth to an heir as soon as possible.
In his speech, he occasionally revealed that he was very generous and did not mind that Lu You was just an adopted daughter.
"I heard that Miss Lu has been running her own company outside? It's good for a girl to have some ambition, but after marriage, she should still prioritize her family."
“You can focus on the Yu family business, and I will also help you. As for the daughter-in-law of the Zhao family, she doesn’t need to be too in the public eye. Of course, your company can be managed by a professional manager or merged into the Zhao family, which will also reflect your value.”
Zhao Lu spoke fluently and matter-of-factly.
Lu You's fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the water glass, her knuckles turning white.
She felt like a commodity being sold, its use value and added value being evaluated.
This atmosphere, devoid of any respect, suffocated her.
At that moment, the phone vibrated on the desktop, and the screen lit up, showing a message from Shang Wu.
Lu You glanced at it subconsciously and saw those lines of text.
Ask yourself honestly, so you won't regret it.
What does she really want?
Lu You twitched her lips.
Does she still deserve it? From the day she was adopted, her life seemed destined to be spent repaying this kindness and maintaining the family's dignity.
Freedom and authenticity are luxuries for her.
Shang Wu's concern made her feel incredibly warm, yet also even more powerless.
How could she bring herself to say it? Was she going to tell them that she needed to use her marriage to get her father to completely let go of Lu Rang and to achieve temporary peace within the family?
Talking about such sacrifices is pointless, except to increase their sense of guilt.
And what Lu You needs least is pity.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the stinging in her eyes, and did not reply to the message.
She didn't even dare to look at it a second time, and quickly slammed the phone screen face down on the table.
This subtle action, however, provoked dissatisfaction from the other side.
Zhao Lu frowned slightly, his tone tinged with displeasure: "Miss Lu, shouldn't we be more focused when we're talking? It seems you're used to being carefree and don't quite understand the rules of a large family. You need to adjust that in the future."
His condescending, almost master-like tone completely ignited Lu You's long-suppressed anger.
Lu You suddenly raised her head, all her previous pretense and composure instantly crumbling.
Her beautiful eyes flashed with a chilling light, and a sarcastic sneer curled at the corner of her lips: "Rules? Mr. Zhao's so-called rules are to objectify women, treat marriage as a business, and treat wives as tools for procreation and management?"
Zhao Lu was taken aback by her sudden outburst, and his face immediately darkened: "Miss Lu, please watch your words! I'm doing this for your own good, and I'm just stating the facts. If it weren't for you managing the Yu family's status, even if you were the Yu family's daughter, you would already be..."
What is it?
Lu You suddenly stood up, picked up the almost untouched glass of ice water in front of her, and splashed it on the man's face without any hesitation!
"Ah!" Zhao Lu exclaimed in surprise, his face was splashed with water, and his expensive suit was also soaked, making him look extremely disheveled.
He stared at Lu You in shock and anger, "You! You dare..."
"What do I have to be afraid of?" Lu You looked down at him, her voice icy cold, carrying a sense of triumphant resignation.
“Mr. Zhao, listen up! Even if I never marry, I will never marry a jerk like you who is arrogant and treats disgusting things as a sign of superiority! Eating with you makes me feel nauseous! This meal is on me, consider it a way to calm your nerves!”
After saying that, she grabbed her bag and phone, without even glancing at the trembling man, straightened her back, and strode out of the private room.
As soon as she stepped out of the restaurant, the cold wind blew on her face, and Lu You felt a sense of lingering fear and exhaustion.
Was she too impulsive just now? She's completely messed things up, especially with her father...
As if to confirm her idea, the phone immediately rang sharply.
The words "Lu Zheng" appeared on the screen.
Lu You took a deep breath, walked to a deserted corner next to the restaurant, and answered the phone.
Sure enough, as soon as the call connected, Lu Zheng's questioning almost shattered her eardrums: "Lu You, what have you done? The Zhao family even called me! Saying you're ill-mannered and behaving like a shrew! I sent you to this arranged marriage, not to make enemies! Do you even care about this family? Do you even care about me, your father?!"
Lu You silently moved the phone further away, listening to the blame on the other end, her face expressionless, only a desolate weariness deep in her eyes.
She couldn't even be bothered to explain.
After Lu Zheng finished scolding her, she spoke calmly, without revealing any emotion: "I'm sorry, Father, I messed up. I'll be more careful next time."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, as if they hadn't expected her to admit her mistake so readily.
Lu Zheng concluded in a deep voice, "I will explain to the Li family. If there are any more problems, you know the consequences. You chose to sacrifice your marriage. Life doesn't allow you to have it all."
After saying that, Lu Zheng hung up the phone.
Hearing the busy tone on her phone, Lu You finally couldn't hold on any longer and slowly squatted down, burying her face in her knees.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
