Chapter Five
In the early morning, a thin mist lingered, and the temperature in Chanjing had dropped two degrees overnight.
Xing Bei didn't want to get out of bed at all, but a colleague at the company suddenly took sick leave, and the work that should have been his business trip fell on Xing Bei's shoulders.
After that incident, she was depressed at home for a long time. Her parents couldn't stand it and planned to arrange for her to work in their company. She didn't want to be controlled by her parents, so she randomly applied to a company on a job search website.
She had planned to just slack off for a couple of years, but little did she know that the boss of the company she applied to was a senior she knew from university, who was determined to cultivate her into a promising talent.
She works hard, but this boss is incredibly stingy; she hasn't received a raise in the three years she's been with the company.
If someone takes leave, the work will definitely fall on her shoulders, and you can't keep taking advantage of her forever.
Around 10 p.m., she had just returned to her hotel after dropping off a client when she received a video call from Lu Runxu.
The man in the video was wearing a dark blue bathrobe with the collar slightly open. His messy hair covered his eyebrows and eyes, and water droplets dripped down his hair.
Half of his face was in shadow, but the yellow light above him gave him a faint golden glow. His eyes were slightly upturned, and he exuded an austere beauty.
Whether intentional or unintentional, her dark blue nightgown slipped down, revealing her fair and delicate collarbone, and her Adam's apple bobbed slightly on her slender neck.
Oh my god!
Such stunning beauty can only be seen on screen, making people itch with desire.
She couldn't stand it; this man was definitely seducing her.
"It's almost eleven o'clock, why aren't you back yet?" The man's cold voice escaped his lips.
Before she could explain, his face suddenly came close to the camera again, a dark glint in his eyes.
Staring at Xing Bei's face, he said with a hint of warning, "Although we are only legally married, we are still protected by law. This is adultery, and you will be punished by law."
He rattled off a long explanation, even giving her a legal lesson, leaving Xing Bei no chance to explain. Speechless, she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Stop, be quiet."
"You actually yelled at me?"
At that moment, she finally understood the true meaning of the phrase "making a fuss over nothing."
Xing Bei took a deep breath and met the pair of dark, inky eyes in the video.
Having known him for so long, how come she never realized that Lu Runxu was such a troublemaker? It really refreshed her understanding of Lu Runxu once again.
Xing Bei turned her phone camera around and scanned the room, explaining patiently, "I didn't yell at you. I forgot to tell you because I had to go on a business trip."
Lu Runxu coughed awkwardly, "Then why didn't you say so just now?"
Xing Bei was so angry at his words that she laughed. She rolled her eyes at him and said, "Did you even have a chance to talk to me? You just started chattering away without saying anything, and you've already come up with all sorts of random thoughts in your head."
Lu Runxu's eyes flickered: "I'm just afraid you'll forget that we're married. I'm just kindly reminding you that having an affair during marriage is illegal."
Xing Bei: "..."
He really is a law-abiding citizen.
Seeing that his hair was still dripping wet, and thinking about how the weather had been getting colder these past few days, she reminded him helplessly, "Remember to dry your hair later. The weather is getting cooler now, be careful not to catch a cold."
The sudden show of concern made the person opposite her eyes light up; she was clearly pleased and nodded, forcing a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Lu."
Xing Bei noticed that he was becoming more and more adept at calling her "Mrs. Lu" lately.
They can speak freely anytime, anywhere, without feeling embarrassed at all.
*
Fortunately, this wasn't a big client. After Xing Bei finished the main tasks, she handed the rest over to another colleague.
Xing Bei opened the door, pulling her suitcase. The whole room was filled with a faint sandalwood scent, the same scent Lu Runxu wore.
Did he spray perfume all over her room?
It smells quite nice, though.
Xing Bei casually placed her suitcase next to the sofa and plopped down on it. She was quite picky about her bed and hadn't been able to sleep well for several days while staying in hotels.
It's definitely more comfortable at home.
As night fell, the warm yellow light inside the house came on, and Xing Bei smelled a rich aroma of food in her sleep.
The person lying on the sofa opened their eyes groggily, a thin mist covering their beautiful eyes. Xing Bei sat up, rubbed the corners of her eyes, and looked towards the brightly lit kitchen.
Lu Runxu had just brought the corn and pork rib soup to the table when he saw the person on the sofa. The person's shoulder-length short hair was messily plastered to their face, and they seemed to still be half asleep, looking at him with dazed eyes.
The girl's blank expression was actually quite cute, and the orange-yellow halo above her head shone on Xing Bei, making everything around her seem to be warmed at that moment.
He took off his apron, walked over and tidied her messy hair. His warm fingertips touched her ear, and Xing Bei paused, instantly waking up.
Lu Runxu took her hand and led her to the dining room: "Today I made your favorite spicy braised fish and corn and pork rib soup."
Xing Bei looked at the hand being held by Lu Runxu. The man's palm was large and slender, gently enveloping her hand, and his clear voice lingered in her ear.
Perhaps because she wasn't fully awake, Xing Bei felt that they had the vibe of an old married couple.
As soon as Xing Bei sat down, the man opposite her placed a bowl of fish meat with the bones removed in front of her, and then served her a small bowl of corn and pork rib soup.
Lu Runxu handed it over, his eyes fixed on the person opposite him: "Have a sip of soup to soothe your throat first."
Xing Bei looked into those bright, sparkling eyes, and her hands, which were hanging down on her thighs, involuntarily curled up.
She really didn't understand why there was no need to take a charade so seriously.
Does this young master have some kind of fetish for serving others?
"Lu Runxu," she whispered his name.
Lu Runxu looked up and met her unreadable eyes, then pulled back the chopsticks he was about to use to serve her food.
Oh no, I momentarily forgot about their current relationship.
“I was used to serving Ms. Ji at home before.” Lu Runxu’s lips curved into a handsome smile as he earnestly tried to justify himself. “Mrs. Lu, you should also get used to my habit of liking to serve others.”
Xing Bei looked at him without saying anything, picked up the exquisite ceramic bowl next to her and took a small sip of the pork rib soup.
Forget it, even if you ask him, he'll just spout nonsense to cover it up.
After dinner, Xing Bei wanted to go for a walk. Lu Runxu was working on the sofa, but upon hearing her words, he immediately put down his computer and went out with her.
It was late autumn, and the wind blowing on my face was biting cold. Withered leaves drifted in the wind, and there were few pedestrians on the road. The bustling streets during the day seemed rather desolate at this moment.
They sat on a park bench for a while, and Xing Bei noticed that the person next to her was staring at her fingers with a preoccupied expression.
Having known Lu Runxu for so long, Xing Bei still understood his habits. She casually asked, "You're being so attentive today. Tell me, is there something you need my help with?"
Lu Runxu turned his head, his expression suddenly becoming serious: "My mother called today and said she wanted to see you. I don't know if you're free this weekend."
Xing Bei's eyes widened in surprise, completely unprepared for this: "Meeting the parents so soon, isn't that a bit too fast?"
Lu Runxu's eyes curved slightly at the corners: "It's getting late."
He originally wanted to bring her home on the day they got their marriage certificate, but he postponed it for so long because he was afraid of scaring her.
Xing Bei looked at him and remained silent for a while before finally agreeing: "Then what do you need me to do?"
To be honest, she had thought about meeting the parents, but she was still quite nervous about it being brought up suddenly.
Lu Runxu took her hand and intertwined their fingers: "Like this, let's stay in love."
Xing Bei looked down at their tightly clasped hands. Lu Runxu's hands were warm, and the warmth from his palms flowed down her arms and into her heart.
A strange feeling floated in her heart, and Xing Bei gently frowned.
To avoid being dragged into work on weekends, Xing Bei hasn't been slacking off at the company these past few days, and her colleagues are teasing her for suddenly changing her personality.
--
On the weekend, Xing Bei got up early and spent more than an hour in her room picking out clothes.
These past few days, Xing Bei thought she was ready, but she didn't expect that she would still be nervous when the day actually came.
This feeling is no less intense than discovering you forgot your exam admission ticket during the college entrance exam.
Looking at the pile of clothes on the bed, she couldn't find a single suitable outfit, so she closed her eyes and randomly picked one.
When Lu Runxu passed by her room, he saw her bewildered actions and chuckled softly.
Xing Bei finally chose a relatively casual outfit: a yellow-green lamb wool coat paired with a white long dress, which had a Korean style and was one of the few gentle styles in her wardrobe.
She finished packing, and two hours had passed. Lu Runxu had already finished packing and was sitting on the sofa waiting for her.
When Xing Bei came out of the room and saw Lu Runxu's outfit, her eyes lit up instantly.
This scoundrel really knows how to surprise people at any time.
Lu Runxu looked up at her, his eyes full of smiles. His fox-like eyes stared straight at her, and combined with the smile on his face, he looked particularly innocent.
His features are particularly striking, with thick eyebrows and thin lips, and he is especially charming when he smiles.
And today he's wearing a limited-edition skin—a simple white hoodie.
She paired it with light-colored jeans, and her hair was slightly permed and curly, making her look like a college student on campus, full of youthful energy.
When I was with Zhou Xuzhe before, he was always very old-fashioned. Even though he was not that old, he gave people the feeling of being old-fashioned, dignified and steady, but also boring.
She always thought she liked the "daddy" type of boyfriend, but now, seeing Lu Runxu's outfit, she realized how wrong she was.
What about the "daddy-type boyfriend" type? Isn't this guy with curly hair more appealing?
That smells so good! What did she used to eat?
Moreover, Lu Runxu often appears cold and aloof, giving the impression of a celestial fox from a snowy mountain, abstinent and untouchable.
That feeling made Xing Bei want to pull him into the mortal world and let her defile him.
In addition, the combination of a hoodie with a curly-haired little brother, and the stunning contrast from Lu Runxu, made her love him even more.
However, Lu Runxu does seem to be a year younger than her.
Sure enough, the younger brother is better.
Then I don't know if the life will be good or not.
Noticing the smile on Lu Runxu's lips, Xing Bei realized she had been somewhat out of line, and hurriedly looked away, clearing her throat lightly: "Let's go."
As they passed the mall, she called out to Lu Runxu to stop and asked, "Should we buy some gifts? We can't go empty-handed."
"No need." Seeing how seriously she took it, Lu Runxu reached out and ruffled her hair. "Our family really isn't that particular."
Xing Bei shook her head: "That won't do."
Finally, with both of their hands full, Xing Bei returned to the car satisfied, her heart pounding all the way.
Knowing they were coming back today, Lu's mother got up early to pack, as she couldn't be careless about meeting her daughter-in-law for the first time.
In the living room, Old Master Lu sat on a sandalwood chair, having adjusted his collar countless times.
Mr. Lu looked at his father and smiled helplessly: "Dad, it's just meeting a granddaughter-in-law, why are you so nervous?"
Old Master Lu glared at him and looked at the nearly empty teapot on the table: "Hmph, how dare you say that to me? I just brewed a pot of tea, and it's almost empty again."
The woman sitting to the side looking in the mirror chuckled silently, "Ah Xu is moving pretty fast. I never heard him mention it before the wedding. He rushed into it. What will the girl think of our Lu family?"
Mr. Lu paused, put down his teacup, and said, "Ji Yun is right. Although they met through a blind date, it is still impolite to rush into getting a marriage certificate. It will be difficult to explain to the in-laws later."
Old Master Lu also became serious, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest of the sandalwood chair. His face, which was extremely similar to Lu Runxu's, was now full of disdain, clearly indicating his disapproval of Lu Runxu's actions.
When she learned that her grandson, who had been widowed for many years, was getting married, she was so happy that she forgot about these basic etiquette rules.
Grandpa Lu sighed helplessly, got up and went upstairs. Everyone in the room looked up at him.
"Dad, what are you doing?" Mrs. Lu asked, puzzled.
Grandpa Lu waved his hand: "Go pick out some gifts for your granddaughter-in-law. You don't need to guess to know that brat hasn't prepared anything."
Back in his room where he kept his antiques, he took out a large wooden box from the pearwood cabinet, inside which were sandalwood boxes containing many decorative items.
Because someone comes to clean it regularly, there wasn't a speck of dust on it. Grandpa Lu casually picked one and opened it.
The pink peony hairpin gleamed under the light, just like a real peony flower. Grandpa Lu withdrew his gaze with satisfaction and looked towards the door. "Old Lin, come in."
As soon as Uncle Lin entered, he saw the familiar wooden box, especially the peony hairpin in the old man's hand, which was the token of love between the old man and his wife.
He paused for a few seconds, then asked cautiously, "Sir, are these all gifts for Miss Xing?"
Grandpa Lu smiled with narrowed eyes, not seeing anything wrong with what he said: "Old Lin, do you think these things are too little? Won't the young lady think we're too stingy?"
Uncle Lin looked at Old Master Lu, then his gaze returned to the peony hairpin in his hand. He twitched his lips, unsure how to answer the question.
Most of the decorations in this room were left by Madam Lu. Many of the jewels are worth double the current market price, and anyone who knows their value would not think it's stingy.
Now that Old Master Lu has given all of these away, he feels that it is no longer just a simple gift for meeting Mrs. Lu, but a complete recognition of Mrs. Lu's status.
Grandpa Lu shook his head with his hands behind his back: "Old Lin, don't think I'm exaggerating. That brat is our family's only son, but the girl has also been pampered since childhood. Since she's come to our family, she can't be wronged. These jewels aren't worth much."
Uncle Lin naturally understood what the old man meant; he realized that the old man's perspective was too narrow.
"Take them down first," Old Master Lu waved his hand. "They can come up and choose the others when they arrive later."
Inside the courtyard, when Lu's mother saw a black Maybach slowly approaching, she immediately composed herself.
Lu Runxu got out of the car first, opened the passenger door, and the two of them talked for a while before Lu Runxu led the passenger out of the car.
A pair of brown leather shoes landed on the white pebbles. The girl, wearing a yellow-green lamb's wool coat, pursed her lips, brushed her fingertips through the stray hairs ruffled by the breeze, and wore a faint smile.
Originally, Lu's mother planned to play the role of a meticulous and wicked mother-in-law from a novel today, but when she saw Xing Bei come down, all that was left on her face was a smile.
When she saw her son's WeChat Moments, she suddenly remembered that she had seen Xing Bei on her son's phone a long time ago.
Back then, the little girl hadn't fully grown up yet, and her face still held a childish smile. Now, she has grown into a graceful and beautiful young woman, as lovely as a painting.
She has a small, delicate oval face, a straight nose, slightly upturned peach blossom eyes, and a faint smile on her lips. She looks gentle and charming. You can tell from her features that she is a stunningly beautiful and mature woman.
She had always thought her son would like the gentle, graceful women of Jiangnan, but perhaps only a radiant beauty like this could keep Lu Runxu in check with his personality.
Xing Bei followed Lu Runxu with a faint smile. When she saw a young and elegant lady in a cheongsam standing at the door, she guessed that she must be Lu Runxu's mother.
As expected of someone from a wealthy family, she looks like a young woman in her twenties, much like Ms. Shi.
Xing Bei greeted Lu's mother with a standard professional smile: "Hello, Auntie."
Mrs. Lu was extremely satisfied. She grabbed her hand and led her inside, leaving Lu Runxu outside.
Lu Runxu had told her about his family situation beforehand. Although the Lu family was large and wealthy, they rarely visited each other. To avoid making her nervous, he asked Lu's mother not to tell those annoying relatives.
As soon as he entered, Lu Runxu saw the old man and his father on the sofa and twitched his lips speechlessly.
Grandpa Lu usually prefers quiet and spends most of his time drinking tea in the back mountain. He also practices Tai Chi while wearing his Tai Chi uniform.
It was rare to see him dressed so formally, in a gray Zhongshan suit, his gray hair neatly combed back, making him look both serious and kind.
Mr. Lu was also dressed in a black suit, his hair styled with hair gel, and he sat upright on the sofa, like a company holding its annual meeting.
Even his aunt, who's rarely home, came back today. You don't need to guess to know she's back to watch the show.
The woman sitting on the sandalwood chair peeling an orange looked up, a moment of amazement flashing in her eyes, and a bright smile spread across her beautiful face.
No wonder I've kept thinking about it for so many years and can't forget it.
Ji Yun slowly walked towards them and extended her hand to Xing Bei: "Nice to meet you. My name is Ji Yun, and I am A Xu's aunt."
Xing Bei knew her; she was the queen of the film industry, winning awards left and right. Xing Bei loved every single one of her movies, and had even visited her in person a few times.
I never imagined that one day I would become family with a movie queen.
She's really accomplished in this life.
Xing Bei quickly extended her hand, her gaze fixed on the other person: "Hello, my name is Xing Bei."
After a brief interaction, Lu's mother smiled and took her arm, introducing the people around her one by one: "This is A-Xu's grandfather."
Grandpa Lu, sitting to the side, had his eyes narrowed into slits with a smile.
Xing Bei smiled and nodded slightly, saying softly, "Hello, Grandpa."
"Good, good, hello." Old Master Lu held his cane, his voice filled with undisguised joy.
I never expected Ah Xu to like this type. No wonder he didn't like any of the many young ladies from his family that I had chosen for him before.
If he hadn't heard Lu Baiwen say that he had already obtained a marriage certificate, he would have suspected that his grandson had a problem with his sexual orientation.
A person reading a newspaper nearby coughed lightly, and Mrs. Lu immediately understood, smiling as she introduced, "This is A-Xu's father."
Xing Bei looked at the man whose features were almost identical to Lu Runxu's and greeted him politely, "Hello, Uncle Lu."
"Hello." Lu Baiwen nodded, the words he had prepared instantly turning into these two concise "hello"s as he spoke.
The Lu family's genes are truly outstanding. Mrs. Lu and Mr. Lu are both exceptionally good-looking, and Lu Runxu inherited their best features; his face is practically flawless.
Those fox-like eyes were perfectly replicated. Mr. Lu's eyes, weathered by time, were full of stories, like a clear spring that brought peace to people.
Lu Runxu's eyes were like the cool moon in the sky, yet they also carried a captivating and wicked charm, inspiring a desire to explore them.
Old Master Lu glanced casually at her and immediately noticed the simple plain ring on her hand. He looked at Lu Runxu with displeasure and said, "You brat, your company went bankrupt, and all you can do for your wife is prepare such an ordinary ring? I think you're tired of living."
Xing Bei looked at her left hand, then looked at Old Master Lu with some suspicion.
ordinary?
She had this plain ring custom-made by a famous international designer, and it took her more than half a year to get a chance to wear it. To say that a ring worth millions was just ordinary was making her feel terrified.
Lu Runxu looked at the person beside him, his thin lips curving into a handsome smile: "Grandpa, please forgive me. This is just a temporary measure. The custom-made ring will be delivered to China a few days later due to some special reasons."
Grandpa Lu gave a light "humph," not believing Lu Runxu's words at all.
She rolled her eyes at him, then smiled and came to Xing Bei's side: "Sweetie, we've spoiled A-Xu since he was little. Don't mind him. Come with me. A-Xu's grandma prepared a wedding ring for him in advance. I just don't know if you'll like it."
“That’s right, Ah Xu is too careless. I’ll find you the best designer and make you the most beautiful diamond ring in the world.” Mrs. Lu echoed Mr. Lu.
The two were so enthusiastic that they didn't give her a chance to refuse. Each of them took one of her hands and led her upstairs. Lu Baiwen glared at them and followed them up.
Downstairs, only Lu Runxu and Ji Yun remained. He put down what he was holding and glanced indifferently at his aunt, who was full of gossip.
"Auntie, feel free to ask me anything," Lu Runxu said calmly.
Ji Yun quickly moved closer, a cryptic smile on her face: "Ah Xu, she's that girl, isn't she?"
She remembered how nervous he looked and how cold his eyes were when she accidentally dropped his phone into the water; just thinking about it now made her break out in a cold sweat.
She didn't understand why an old cell phone was so precious until one day she saw that photo on his phone, and then it all became clear to her.
It turned out that there was someone important in his phone; this little girl named Xing Bei was his precious darling.
Lu Runxu remained expressionless, his dark eyes fixed on the upstairs, without uttering a sound.
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