Chapter Thirty-Five
The night was warm and the dark sky was filled with countless stars. The moon climbed to the treetops, casting its bright light.
Secretary Lin, accompanied by security, took the items back to the hotel. Lu Runxu finished his work and had just turned on his phone when he was bombarded with group messages.
—I never would have guessed, Ah-Xu, that being in love is just like King You of Zhou.
—Just to make my wife smile~
—Are you all idiots? Can't you see that Ah Xu is secretly asking his sister-in-law for a title? The pink diamonds worth a few million have jumped to tens of millions.
—But this trick is really good, I'll give it a try.
—Mu Rong, I heard you've been sleeping in the study for another week. How does it feel to be neglected?
—Who was it that confidently declared that Miss Su was not his type?
—You guys don't know anything. I was blind back then.
—Forget it, there's no point in arguing with you guys who don't have wives.
—However, I have a feeling that Lu Runxu might be in some trouble lately.
—This made Mrs. Bo laugh, so why is there any trouble?
—Ah Yi, is your sister filming in Jiangcheng recently?
—Oh dear, I forgot about this little princess.
—Looks like Ah-Xu is going to have to open his wallet again.
Shang Yichen then remembered that he hadn't had a chance to tell her that Lu Runxu was already married.
This little princess has liked Lu Runxu since she was little. If she sees him trending on social media, she'll probably cry for days.
Shang Yichen sighed inwardly, hoping not to provoke Lu Runxu, otherwise Lu Runxu would definitely get revenge on him.
Recently, the temperature has been gradually dropping, and a thin layer of mist has formed on the windowsill, adding a touch of hazy beauty to the originally transparent glass.
At this moment, Xing Bei, who had just finished a comfortable hot bath, was lazily lying on the incredibly soft bed.
On the bedside table, a pale blue vase held several brightly blooming white camellias, with a few drops of water clinging to their petals, making the camellias appear even more delicate and vibrant.
On the cool-toned bed, the girl rested her chin on her slender arm, while casually swiping her phone screen with her other hand.
She was only wrapped in a fluffy bath towel, her wet hair was casually scattered on the pillow, and water droplets occasionally slid down her hair and dripped onto the sheets, leaving a small, faint water stain.
The rose-pink skirt swayed gently with her legs, like a spring breeze rippling across the water.
A matching coat hung lazily on her shoulders, seemingly slipping down to reveal her delicate collarbone. Against her fair skin, a red mole was clearly visible on her collarbone, near her heart.
The screen's light illuminated her delicate face as she intently read the private messages from her fans.
Those shimmering peach blossom eyes were slightly upturned, like delicate peach blossoms blooming in spring. Between the movement of her eyes, it seemed that a thousand tender feelings were contained within them, making people unable to help but fall in love with her.
Since taking on the role of Yin Qiu, Xing Bei has been regularly checking Weibo posts and incorporating feedback from fans, which gives her inspiration for her artwork.
After summarizing the latest set of notes, she was about to browse Weibo when a new trending topic popped up on her screen. She clicked on it and immediately sat up in bed.
The smooth fabric slid down her fragrant shoulders to her arms, and upon closer inspection, one could see red marks on her snow-white breasts.
Her bright eyes were now filled with shock as she continued scrolling down; the trending topics were almost entirely dominated by Lu Runxu.
#The Cold and Alluring CEO Lu is Married
#Mrs. Lu's First Love
#The president of the Lu Group is married
#The president of the Lu Group is suspected of angering his wife, and he only wanted to make her happy by wearing expensive jewelry.
#Mrs. Lu Runxu
Xing Bei randomly clicked on an entry, and what she saw were screenshots of jewelry from live streams. Putting aside the price, every item in the pictures was the type that Xing Bei liked.
Especially that set of conch pearl jewelry, which she had previously bought from someone else at a high price, but unexpectedly Lu Runxu directly bought the whole set.
And that set of blue diamonds, like dazzling stars in the night sky, emitted a mesmerizing light under the soft lamplight, directly striking Xing Bei's heart.
Most of the comments on the internet were digging up information about Mrs. Lu. Many people discussed all the socialites in the circle who met Lu Runxu's criteria for choosing a partner, based on what had been discussed in the circle before.
—What an amazing husband! He makes his wife angry, so he just gives her jewelry.
I'm tired of saying the word "envy".
—Do you guys still remember that playboy from Lingcheng who gave his wife a limited-edition sports car to win her over? I heard he's good buddies with President Lu.
—No wonder they're from the same circle, they're all incredibly generous when it comes to wooing their wives.
—I heard that there's a young lady in the business who fits Mr. Lu's criteria for a spouse. Do you think it might be Miss Shang Er?
—It's possible. I heard that her brother and President Lu grew up in the same compound, and their families might be considering a marriage alliance.
—Childhood sweethearts are even more adorable.
Xing Bei had already fallen for those gorgeous jewels, and of course she knew what the phrase "to win a smile from Mrs. Bo" meant.
It wasn't for nothing that she spent so much time fussing over in front of the full-length mirror that day. If she were given these kinds of jewelry every time, she would be willing to come more often.
She wanted to take a few more glances when a message suddenly popped up on WeChat.
Mr. Lu: Mrs. Lu, do you like it? (Photo: jpg)
Miss Camellia: I like it, I like it.
Miss Camellia: Honey, I love you to death.
Lu Runxu looked at the name that was rarely used, his thin lips curving upwards slightly, indicating that he really liked it.
Mr. Lu: Mrs. Lu, it's more appropriate to use that title when you're face to face.
Xing Bei knew exactly what he meant. Her face flushed instantly. Looking at the nickname she had changed to a few days ago, she realized he truly lived up to his name.
Miss Camellia: Lu Runxu, don't push your luck.
Mr. Lu: It seems Mrs. Lu doesn't really want this gift.
Damn it, that jerk is threatening her.
The moment I thought of those jewels, I instantly stopped being angry.
It's just a sacrifice, but she's willing to do it for such a beautiful baby.
Miss Camellia: Honey, that's the best! How can you bear to watch your beloved wife play with the little pearl?
Miss Camellia: Since my husband likes me calling you that, I'll call you that a hundred times when we get back.
Mr. Lu: Okay.
Lu Runxu's smile deepened, while Secretary Lin stood to the side, feeling both happy and a little apprehensive.
Actually, what he said to the media was all made up on the spot. His wife would definitely be happy if she knew that sentence, but he didn't know whether President Lu would be happy or not.
Lu Runxu put his phone face down and looked at Secretary Lin beside him, his tone revealing a hint of smugness: "Secretary Lin, your year-end bonus is doubled."
Secretary Lin paused for a moment, suppressing a smile, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Lu."
Wow, double the year-end bonus! It seems what they said online was right; Mr. Lu is giving himself a formal title.
Buying gifts not only pleases his wife, but also subtly tells everyone that he is married.
President Lu's strategy is really good.
The brightly lit Lu Group building, watching the ever-increasing popularity, momentarily forgot its own job and joined netizens in gossiping.
Lu's Eight Trigrams Group.
When did President Lu get married? How come there was no word of it in our company?
—It must have been when everyone received the flowers last time.
—That's why I kept saying the boss seemed so kind; turns out he has a wife.
—Just who is Mrs. Lu? Making her smile costs billions; she's not someone an ordinary person can afford to do that.
—I saw that the most popular comment online is about Shang Ruixing, who is said to be childhood sweethearts with the boss.
—Shang Ruixing, then it's not surprising.
—Handsome man and beautiful woman, childhood sweethearts, a smile worth billions—isn't that the plot of a novel?
—@Secretary Lin, as the boss's right-hand woman, who exactly is the boss's wife?
Secretary Lin was bombarded with news in the short time it took to take a sip of water. Seeing everyone gossiping, she smiled.
—I'll only reveal a little bit to you.
—Mrs. Lu is not Shang Ruixing at all, nor is she her childhood sweetheart. She is also someone in the industry, and the boss personally pursued Mrs. Lu to win her over.
—As for the rest, we'll find out when the boss reveals it himself.
—Secretary Lin, if you reveal just a little more, we promise we won't say a word.
-impossible.
Secretary Lin quelled their gossip with a single sentence: he had just received a reward and it was impossible for him to lose his beloved year-end bonus because of such a small mistake.
*
Work in Jiangcheng is more important, and Lu Runxu won't be able to return to Chanjing for a few more days. Xing Bei stays at home, eagerly anticipating her little darlings coming home every day.
On the other hand, just after finishing her scenes as Shang Ruixing, she opened Weibo to post new content, only to see the trending topic "The president of Lu's Group is married" as soon as she opened the page.
Shang Ruixing rubbed her eyes in disbelief, then opened the trending topics list, which was full of entries about Lu Runxu.
No, she's only been on set for three months, how could Lu Runxu already be married?
She quickly exited Weibo, clicked on a familiar number, and the other party answered almost instantly, as if they had been waiting for her.
"Brother, is it true that Brother Lu is getting married?" Shang Ruixing asked anxiously.
"Really, I forgot to tell you because you were too busy before."
"Brother, isn't our family the most suitable marriage partner? Why would Brother Lu marry someone else?"
“Rui Xing, it’s not an arranged marriage. She’s someone your brother Lu has liked for a long time, and he finally managed to win her over.”
"I don't believe it, I'm going to find him."
"Rui Xing, don't do anything reckless."
At that moment, she couldn't hear anything else; all she wanted to do was find Lu Runxu. How could the person she had liked for so long suddenly get married?
Shang Yichen knew that he was destined to make some sacrifices this time, so he quickly called Lu Runxu. When no one answered, he sent Lu Runxu a message.
After finishing the meeting, Lu Runxu turned on his phone and was bombarded with messages from the two siblings from the business. He rubbed his temples.
—Ah Xu, I forgot to tell my sister about your wedding. Now she's coming to see you, so I'll have to deal with her.
Shang Ruixing sent him a location directly.
—Brother Lu, I have something important to discuss with you, and I hope you can come over.
Lu Runxu felt somewhat helpless. He treated Shang Ruixing like a younger sister. Ever since he learned that this girl liked him, he had never been to Shang's house again.
Unless it was a mask created by Shang Ruixing herself, he tried to avoid her as much as possible.
After thinking it over, I decided to go and explain everything to avoid any unnecessary trouble.
In the coffee shop, a girl wearing a Miu Miu striped long-sleeved T-shirt sat by the window, looking at her phone with a worried expression.
She slowly raised her eyes, her gaze passing through the crowd, and inadvertently caught sight of a figure that was all too familiar.
In that instant, her previously dull and lifeless almond-shaped eyes seemed to be ignited, instantly becoming bright and dazzling.
She quickly tidied her hair and smiled sweetly, "Brother Lu."
The girl's voice was soft and sweet. The words "Brother Lu" seemed to carry a hint of sweetness when uttered by her, like the enchanting fragrance of flowers blooming in spring, captivating all who heard them.
Lu Runxu frowned slightly and said in a cold tone, "I think your brother has already told you that."
She hadn't expected Lu Runxu to be so direct. When she met his cold eyes, Shang Ruixing felt as if her heart had been stabbed several times, and the pain extended to her brain.
He had such amorous fox-like eye, yet when he looked at her, he was as cold and indifferent as snow that never melts.
Shang Ruixing was unwilling to accept it: "Brother Lu, your marriage to that woman is an arranged one, right? You don't like her, do you?"
Lu Runxu met Shang Ruixing's expectant gaze and ruthlessly shattered her illusions: "No, she is the person I love, the person I have liked for a long time, and the person I will marry in this life."
Thinking of Xing Bei, a smile involuntarily appeared in Lu Runxu's eyes, and even the faint sense of aloofness on his body lessened, as if he were surrounded by the warmth of spring.
She used to think that Lu Runxu was indifferent to her because that was just his personality.
In her eyes, Lu Runxu was like a snow-capped mountain that never melts, cold and unattainable.
Nevertheless, she kept telling herself that as long as she gradually adapted to this indifference, everything would be fine.
Only today, witnessing firsthand the expression on the face of the person she had liked for so long when talking about the person he liked, did she realize that all these years she had been deluding herself.
When Lu Runxu mentioned the person he loved, the tender, doting, and affectionate look on his face made her feel as if her heart was being torn apart.
It turns out that the snow-capped mountains aren't immune to melting; they just refuse to melt for her sake.
When Shang Ruixing came out of the coffee shop, she was completely distraught, her eyes were already red and swollen, as if tears would burst out at any moment.
After watching her get into the car, Lu Runxu still sent a message to Shang Yichen. He didn't want to treat a girl so coldly, but if he wasn't ruthless, he would leave room for her to have illusions.
Back at the hotel, Shang Ruixing didn't eat anything and just hid under the covers and cried. Unexpectedly, she fell asleep while crying.
When she woke up, she realized the sky had fallen. She had forgotten to wear a mask when she went out today, and paparazzi had followed her when she met with Lu Runxu.
It's already trending on social media. Looking at the hashtag, my first thought is that Lu Runxu will be angry.
#Mrs. Lu makes an appearance
#Confirmed, Mrs. Lu is Shang Ruixing, the second daughter of the Shang family.
Shang Ruixing quickly called her agent, but before she could speak, her agent interrupted her.
"Rui Xing, don't worry about this. We just need to wait quietly for now."
Shang Ruixing clearly disagreed.
"Sister Li, this will make Lu Runxu angry."
"No, when they ask, just say you're filming and don't know anything. We need to capitalize on this wave of popularity."
"No, I don't need this kind of attention at all. It will make Mrs. Lu angry."
The person opposite sighed softly: "Rui Xing, you've had too few resources lately, and several of your roles have been snatched away by others. If this continues, the company will abandon you."
"But…"
"No buts, think about your future."
After hanging up the phone, Shang Ruixing sat on the bed, staring blankly at the night view outside, feeling a pang of sadness.
Netizens are all waiting for the official announcement from both sides.
—A cold and aloof fox spirit paired with a sweet and innocent little rabbit, childhood sweethearts—this is just too sweet to ship!
—But one picture can't prove anything, right? What if they only see Shang Ruixing as a younger sister?
—How can it not be proven? Look at President Lu's eyes, they're so tender they could drown water. It would be strange if there wasn't a problem.
—Exactly, have you ever seen a brother look at his sister like that?
—And look at Shang Ruixing's earrings, they seem to be a set with a necklace from the jewelry that President Lu bought. Could it be that Shang Ruixing is Mrs. Lu?
—Maybe not. What if they have the money to buy it themselves? Don't force yourself to ship every pairing.
—Let's wait for the official announcement from the person in charge, otherwise if it turns out to be fake, the real Mrs. Lu will be very angry.
—That's right, we should wait for President Lu's official announcement.
However, many fans of the Shang-Lu couple were not satisfied and tried to get to the point by focusing on their childhood sweetheart relationship.
As the buzz grew, and neither party made a statement, more people assumed the story was true.
When Shang Ruixing saw the comment about the earrings, she instantly understood why Sister Li insisted that she wear such an expensive item.
As the popularity of the show grew, Shang Ruixing felt a vague unease.
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