Lu Rang floored the gas pedal and sped home, the loud slamming of the door shaking the walls.
He ripped off his tie and slammed it onto the sofa, his chest heaving violently. All he could see in his mind's eye was the image of Shang Wu and Chen Chunzhi whispering side by side in the gallery.
That image is deeply etched into his heart.
So it turns out that her exhaustion and unhappiness stemmed from having a gentler person to confide in?
Then what kind of husband is he?
A ridiculous, unnecessary, and even detrimental obstacle to her life?
On the other side, in the gallery.
Cheng Zhou was still foolishly waiting for Lu Rang to appear, but he waited and waited and no one came, and he didn't reply to his messages.
He walked over, puzzled, only to find that Shang Wu and Chen Chunzhi were already preparing to leave.
"Ah Wu, are you leaving?" Cheng Zhou asked.
"Yeah, I'm a little tired. I want to go back and rest." Shang Wu nodded, a hint of relaxation on her face after the conversation.
Chen Chunzhi smiled gently and said, "I'll take you back; it's on my way."
"No need to trouble yourself, Cheng Zhou has a car," Shang Wu politely declined.
But Chen Chunzhi insisted: "It's no trouble. It's been a long time since we last met. We can chat about that emerging artist's work on the way here."
Unable to refuse Shang Wu's hospitality, and finding that they indeed got along well, he nodded.
Cheng Zhou watched the two figures walk away side by side, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly called Lu Rang.
As a result, it shut down!
Cheng Zhou knew something was wrong and immediately called Lu You: "Sister You! Something terrible has happened! The plan has changed! A-Rang didn't come, and A-Wu was sent home by Chen Chunzhi! Lu Rang's phone is off!"
Lu You was completely bewildered when she heard this.
At home, the Cold War escalates.
Shang Wu was escorted downstairs by Chen Chunzhi, and after thanking him again, she went upstairs.
I opened the door to my house, and it was pitch black.
She turned on the light and found Lu Rang's shoes at the door, and a slight thought crossed her mind.
He's back?
She walked to the bedroom door and gently pushed it open.
Lu Rang lay on the bed with his back to her, seemingly asleep.
Shang Wu hesitated for a moment, then closed the door gently and went to the guest bathroom to wash up.
When she lay down on the bed, she tried to stay as far away from Lu Rang as possible.
In the darkness, Lu Rang's eyes were tightly closed, but his tense back revealed that he was not asleep at all.
For several days in a row, the two fell into a deeper cold war.
We live under the same roof, yet we're like strangers.
Lu Rang left early and returned late, trying his best to avoid running into Shang Wu.
Even when they meet, they remain expressionless and silent.
Shang Wu was already feeling down, and seeing Lu Rang's attitude made her even more disheartened, so she simply stopped speaking.
The atmosphere at home was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Lu You and Cheng Zhou were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.
Lu You cornered Lu Rang at the law firm: "Lu Rang! How long are you going to be so stubborn? A-Wu isn't fully recovered yet, can't you be a little more understanding?"
Lu Rang sneered, finally unable to hold back his words, his tone bitter: "Me, magnanimous? How am I magnanimous? Watching her laugh and chat with other men, and then coming home to give me the cold shoulder? Am I supposed to applaud and congratulate her?"
"That was a misunderstanding!" Lu You said angrily. "Chen Chunzhi just happened to run into him!"
"You can have such a pleasant chat just because you bumped into her? And you can take her home?" Lu Rang wouldn't listen to a word. "Sis, don't worry about it. Since she doesn't like being with me, isn't it just what she wants if I stay away from her?"
Meanwhile, Cheng Zhou also went to find Shang Wu.
“Awu, please say something to Lu Rang. He’s been working like a machine these past few days, and his face looks awful.”
With red eyes, Shang Wu said aggrievedly, "What did I say? He looks at me like I'm his enemy. I didn't do anything wrong, why should I bow down?"
Cheng Zhou tried to persuade both sides, but was met with resistance from both; each side was more stubborn than the last.
Chen Chunzhi seemed to have sensed something.
He began to contact Shang Wu more frequently.
Sometimes it's sharing interesting art information, sometimes it's inviting her to some light cultural salons, ostensibly to help her change her mood and aid her recovery.
Shang Wu was going through a period of emotional emptiness and depression, and Chen Chunzhi's gentleness and thoughtfulness, as well as their shared interest in art, did indeed bring her some comfort and relaxation.
She would occasionally agree to go out for a coffee or briefly browse an exhibition.
Unbeknownst to her, these seemingly ordinary interactions were always captured by someone with ulterior motives, and the photos would inevitably circulate to Lu Rang.
Looking at the photos of Shang Wu and Chen Chunzhi chatting happily, Lu Rang felt as if a knife was being plunged into his heart every time he looked at them.
His expression grew increasingly cold, and he worked with even greater intensity, practically treating the law firm as his home.
That day, Shang Wu needed to go to the hospital for a follow-up examination.
She originally intended to take a taxi herself, but Chen Chunzhi called to inquire about her situation.
Upon learning this, Chen Chunzhi offered to drive her home, feeling more at ease with someone by her side.
Shang Wu hesitated for a moment, but thinking of Lu Rang's indifferent attitude, she steeled her heart and agreed.
After the follow-up examination, Chen Chunzhi considerately helped her out of the hospital, just as Lu Rang, who had come to the hospital to check on Shang Wu's condition, bumped into them.
Lu Rang's eyes turned icy as he looked at the hand that Chen Chunzhi was using to support Shang Wu's arm.
Shang Wu also saw Lu Rang, paused for a moment, and subconsciously tried to pull her hand back.
Chen Chunzhi seemed oblivious, and instead offered a more natural gesture of support, nodding politely to Lu Rang: "Attorney Lu, what a coincidence."
Lu Rang's gaze was fixed on Shang Wu's face, his voice sounding like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth: "Yes, what a coincidence. It seems I was just an unnecessary guest."
Shang Wu was stung by the coldness and sarcasm in his eyes, and said defiantly, "I wouldn't dare trouble Attorney Lu. Mr. Chen is enough to take me."
These words completely ignited Lu Rang's anger.
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