Chapter 5: Breakup Was Inevitable
Although Lu's mother complained, her tone was full of affection and doting when she mentioned Lu Zhao.
"His dad was furious last time and said he wouldn't give him any resources, hoping to make him give up. Guess what happened?"
He didn't say a word and went to sign with a little-known entertainment company. Now it seems he's even managed to get into a trainee program that's pretty hard to get into.
Honestly, we didn't even give him any resources, yet he managed to climb the ladder on his own..."
What appears to be a complaint is actually imbued with a sense of Versailles.
Mother Li played along with her performance, praising, "Oh my, I heard that the competition in those talent shows is fierce these days. The fact that he was able to get in on his own means he's really capable and has a lot of drive!"
In contrast, Lu Yan, who was just mentioned praising the school and his good grades, was only mentioned briefly at the beginning of the conversation and then seemed to become a background figure.
He sat there quietly, his eyelashes lowered, his handsome face expressionless, only the fingers gripping the water glass unconsciously tightened slightly, making it impossible to discern the specific emotions in his eyes.
Ling Wei took in everything.
It's understandable, really. Lu Yan had only recently returned to the Lu family. Although his parents felt guilty towards him and wanted to make amends, compared to Lu Zhao, who had been carefully nurtured and raised by them for over twenty years, their relationship was different, and their subconscious behavior would definitely be different.
The saying "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" actually stems from the parents' problematic approach...
Amplified marketing account voice suddenly appeared.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Ling Wei quickly apologized and turned the volume down.
Mother Lu: ...
She quickly changed the subject to Lu Yan, who was still there.
"Ayan is so sensible. He hasn't caused me much trouble since he came back."
Children who are too well-behaved are often those who lack care and attention...
"My phone... what's wrong with my phone?" Ling Wei muttered to herself, holding up her phone.
Others at the table: ...
Is this ever going to end?!
"Pfft—" This time, Riemann couldn't help but burst out laughing. She quickly covered her mouth and her shoulders trembled.
Mrs. Lu took a deep breath and tried her best to maintain a kind smile: "Well, Xiao Ling, if you're hungry, you can have some snacks first. It's okay, you don't need to wait."
Ling Wei raised her face, her expression incredibly obedient and sincere: "It's okay, Auntie, I'm not hungry, I'll wait for everyone."
Lu's mother: ...Then can you please stop looking at that stupid phone of yours that's always playing on speakerphone?!
Fortunately, Ling Wei seemed to hear her thoughts and smiled as she placed her phone face down on the table.
Then, she turned to Lu Yan, her face showing a worried expression. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for everyone at the table to hear clearly: "Yan, are you hungry? You were so busy preparing for that international competition this morning that you didn't even have time to eat properly."
You almost had a hypoglycemic attack last night because you stayed up late, you can't push yourself now..."
Upon hearing this, the adults at the table became concerned and pushed the beautifully presented cold dishes that were originally arranged on the table and spinning around the turntable toward Lu Yan.
"If Ayan is hungry, eat something first to fill your stomach."
"That's right, come on, everyone start eating first. Xiaoling, Manman, you guys eat too, don't wait for that brat Azhao!"
"We clearly told him the time! He still arrived so late! It's outrageous!"
"Waiter, the food is ready!"
Mr. and Mrs. Lu simply told the waiter to start serving the hot dishes.
Just as Lu Yan was about to explain that he wasn't hungry, Ling Wei swiftly stuffed a small piece of delicate creamy mashed potatoes into his mouth.
As Ling Wei worked, she continued to nag in a pained and worried tone, "If you keep going like this, you'll get a stomach ache again. I know you've been under a lot of stress and have trouble sleeping lately, and you don't have a good appetite, but you still have to eat something, otherwise your body can't take it."
Within minutes, Lu Yan, who had been labeled with a series of symptoms of a delicate and domineering CEO—"hypoglycemia," "stomach problems," and "insomnia and anorexia"—was left speechless: "???"
He originally intended to explain to his parents that he was in good health and did not have these ailments.
But as soon as he opened his mouth, Ling Wei naturally offered him another crisp cucumber strip dipped in sauce.
He watched as the girl winked at him rapidly, her eyes filled with slyness and a "go along with me" message, and mouthed, "I'm hungry."
In the end, he obediently lowered his eyes, opened his mouth and took the cucumber strip, chewing it silently, and actually tasted a hint of sweetness.
When Ling Wei leaned closer again, she whispered in his ear, "Ayan, you'll have to eat by yourself from now on."
Lu Yan suddenly realized that he had just accepted her hand-feeding him very naturally, and even... without feeling any discomfort or rejection.
This realization made him slightly flustered, and he hurriedly picked up the chopsticks in front of him, a faint blush rising to his ears.
System: "Tsk tsk tsk..."
Its inherent characteristics make it quick to learn.
Ling Wei: "Don't be too happy yet. After this meal, we will definitely break up."
The system was shocked. "Why? Didn't you two get along quite well?"
“The reason for the breakup wasn’t about how well we got along.” Ling Wei, in high spirits, picked up a piece of glistening, crispy-skinned, and tender roast goose and savored it with relish, while analyzing in her mind for the system, “Lu Yan asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend in order to avoid the possibility of being arranged into a marriage by his family.”
But after today's interaction, you've seen that the marriage alliance is completely out of the question. His parents are very open-minded, the Li family parents have no interest in it, and Li Man herself has absolutely no interest.
She had just deliberately provoked him a little, and his parents were surprisingly tolerant. This was clearly not because they were impressed by her personal charm, but because they respected the "girlfriend" their son had brought.
He shows such affection for everyone he likes, which doesn't seem like the kind of person who would forcefully dictate his life.
Lu Yan had just returned to the Lu family and was not yet familiar with his parents' personalities and the family atmosphere. In addition, his parents' possible unconscious favoritism towards his younger brother made him feel insecure, mistakenly believing that if a marriage alliance was needed, he would be the one pushed out.
Therefore, finding her to pretend to be his girlfriend became his way of expressing resistance and fighting for autonomy.
Lu Yan himself is observant and intelligent. After all this observation and manipulation, he should already have a good idea of what kind of people his parents are.
Therefore, if the threat of marriage doesn't exist at all, then there's naturally no need for her, this fake girlfriend, to continue existing.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com