Chapter 85: He and she kissed behind the door.
Not far away, reporters who were still working overtime on New Year's Eve were randomly interviewing passersby and tourists in the airport.
As a coastal tourist city, many people have been spending the Lunar New Year here in recent years, so airport interviews on New Year's Eve have become a tradition.
This year was a little different, though, because the reporter saw two people who looked familiar.
She wasn't a journalist in the entertainment industry, so she didn't know much about Lu Xuan.
However, he was very familiar with Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu.
Those familiar with the news industry know that often, a few brief mentions of certain companies in the news are actually a barometer of economic development in the near future.
Therefore, as the president of the Lu Group, Lu Jinzhi is someone who cannot remain hidden from the public eye. Many official media outlets are familiar with him and occasionally interview him.
In addition, the Lu family has been making many big moves recently, and Qiao Wu's poverty alleviation fund of over one billion yuan in Heqian Village has been repeatedly mentioned.
To run into these two at this time, especially since it seems to be a private trip, means her business targets must have skyrocketed today!
It's New Year's Eve.
These two actually spent the holiday together?
The reporter, suppressing his excitement, stepped forward with his camera.
Nowadays, news is often broadcast live on several platforms simultaneously, especially during the Spring Festival. Even if few people watch these broadcasts, the sheer population size means that the combined viewership is not insignificant.
As soon as the camera captured a few people who stood out in the crowd, the number of comments in the live stream rooms on various platforms suddenly surged.
Wait a minute, who did I just see? Lu Xuan?
My eyes are so busy with this, I don't know who to look at first, haha.
[Wonderful! Lu Jinzhi and Lu Xuan, are they family? And Qiao Wu is...?]
[They say they're childhood sweethearts, so what's so strange about spending the New Year together? lol.jpg]
[Hilarious! I originally thought Lu Xuan and Qiao Wu had a good relationship, but judging from this scene, Lu Xuan seems to be the one who's all alone.]
[I initially thought Lu Xuan's beauty was flawless, but seeing this family together suddenly made me realize that the entire Lu family are genetic powerhouses! How can someone combine good looks and wealth all at once! Damn Nuwa!]
[Just wondering, can childhood sweethearts spend Chinese New Year together?]
So the other two are other members of the Lu family? They rarely appear in public.
As the traffic surged, the reporter arrived in front of the group.
"Hello everyone," she said, taking the initiative. "We're currently doing interviews for a special Spring Festival program. I was wondering if it would be possible to interview you as well."
Qiao Wu stopped when he saw the central control sign on the equipment.
For personal reasons, it is indeed permissible to refuse.
But both Lu Jinzhi and Lu Xuan are public figures, and they cannot refuse these matters, as they represent their personal and corporate image.
The others also stopped in unison.
Their eyes all turned to Qiao Wu and Lu Jinzhi.
[You can clearly tell who's in charge in this family, haha.]
[Over the years, all these peripheral news reports about the Lu family have suggested that the brothers didn't have a good relationship, but this doesn't seem like it.]
[It's no coincidence. Everyone has to put on an act in front of the camera. Just look at the Lai family in Minato Ward; who knows what kind of fighting they're going through behind the scenes.]
[I don't know about others, but it's true that Lu Xuan and Qiao Wu have a good relationship. Click here to watch Lu Xuan's video of vying for Qiao Wu's affections.]
Lu Yingchi and Lu Ning have rarely appeared in public interviews, so even though they are used to this kind of thing, they are not very interested in participating. Moreover, it is a relatively official live broadcast that the whole country is watching. If they say something unpleasant, they will be dealt with by Qiao Wu when they get back.
So they tacitly remained silent.
As for Lu Xuan, he had only ever been interviewed by entertainment media before. Since he started working seriously, he hadn't had many proper interviews and didn't have much experience. Besides, he had just embarrassed himself, and who knew if he had been photographed by someone in some corner? He didn't want to talk right now.
After all the twists and turns, even if one usually has some opinions about Lu Jinzhi, one has to admit that at this moment, only Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu are the most suitable to appear on camera and speak.
This is a rare moment of unity for the Lu family.
The reporter followed their gaze and looked at Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu. Then, the reporter saw the two nod at the same time.
Noticing the actions of the people around him, Lu Jinzhi smiled silently and took a step back half a shoulder's distance, which was visible to everyone, and looked to the side.
"Waaah."
Lu Ning immediately perked up her little ears.
Why is Uncle calling for Wuwu at this time? Wuwu is home today.
Lu Xuan and Lu Yingchi were stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Qiao Wu.
The latter naturally understood Lu Jinzhi's meaning and nodded slightly to the reporters without much hesitation: "Hello."
The reporter originally thought that Lu Jinzhi should be the one in charge among this group, because no one had a bigger background than him. Even though Miss Qiao was their friend, Lu Jinzhi should be the one in charge.
But something seems off about this scene.
But the reporter quickly realized what was going on and followed the routine: "Are you all a family?"
In other circumstances, Qiao Wu would say yes.
However, Lu Xuan and Lu Jinzhi's identities are rather sensitive, and some things cannot be said ambiguously. Even though she is the Lu family's housekeeper, she cannot say it at this time.
Because for many curious people, this profession might lead to some unnecessary and absurd speculations about the Lu family.
So she smiled and nodded tactfully, saying, "Our two families have a very good relationship. This year, I came here with some elders for a holiday to celebrate the Chinese New Year."
"What are your plans for the Lunar New Year?"
Qiao Wu said gently, "Like many others, we came together to pick up our friends who are on holiday, then we went to buy some toys for the children, and later went home to have New Year's Eve dinner with our elders, watch the Spring Festival Gala and fireworks."
"Is there anything in particular you're looking forward to?"
Qiao Wu paused for a few seconds, then his smile deepened: "If anything is special, it's that it's been many years since we've sat down together to have a proper New Year's Eve dinner like this."
Apart from Lu Jinzhi and the immature Lu Ning.
Lu Xuan and Lu Yingchi's previously somewhat nonchalant expressions became more complex at this moment.
Over the past few days, many subtle emotional shifts have been buried in their hearts, and they haven't paid attention to them. But as a balloon grows bigger, it also becomes more and more fragile. It only needs the right opportunity, even if it's just a tiny fuzz, to burst it in an instant.
Then those things that have been ignored will suddenly burst forth, engulfing those who are unprepared and caught off guard.
Just like now.
It was a very simple sentence, but it made Lu Xuan and the others feel as if someone had grabbed their faces and forced them to confront the absurd times of the past. There was no way to avoid it, and they could only struggle to breathe between those unbearable memories.
They had to confront the reality that had been deliberately ignored, find themselves in it, and grow from the details.
Everyone knows that the concept of family reunion is actually quite rare in the Lu family.
Since the passing of his mother, elder brother, and sister-in-law, no one else has mentioned it much.
Natural disasters and man-made calamities are unavoidable, and they didn't really want to blame anyone. It's just that Lu Jiang, being a domineering and autocratic person, always likes to run into trouble, so the younger generation would unconsciously vent their resentment and dissatisfaction with their father on him.
Qiao Wu was right when he said something: if it weren't for Lu Jiang, they wouldn't have bothered breaking into other people's safes.
Because he is the father.
Before they grow up, the word "father" is always a mountain, and they subconsciously project their uncertainty about the future and their dissatisfaction with reality onto this mountain.
But Shan is too old-fashioned and can't speak.
Gradually, they grew bigger and bigger, and the mountain became shorter and shorter under their weight. Finally, one day, the little ones had enough strength and stamina to climb the mountain.
Then they discovered that the mountain was actually just like that, not very high or very steep, so they acted with impunity.
It must be said that the Lu family shares the same blood, and therefore also has the same shortcomings. They do not like to admit their weaknesses, nor do they like to bow their heads.
Before, I had my mother, or at the very least, my older brother and sister-in-law.
Later came Qiao Wu.
These people are like sponges, softening their sharp edges so they don't collide so sharply.
But as these people left one by one, when they were looking forward to the future yet had no way to make it happen, all their paths were blown up, leaving only a vast expanse of white.
So, influenced by their father and others, they parted ways at the foot of the mountain, each going their own way, stumbling and falling, getting hurt all over, and finally climbing up the mountain covered in dust.
When they reached the mountaintop, they saw the people who had set off together with them.
But so much time has passed that they are no longer familiar with each other, let alone what the other person has gone through and what they have become.
My only thought was that we came from the same place, and we even spoke to each other back then.
As complete strangers, they remained unrelated to each other, yet together they bounced around on the silent mountaintop for a long time.
Looking back now, they realize that only by standing on the mountain can they see the distance and the evidence of how they grew up.
They also understood that only a few of them could climb this mountain, and that it was only for them to climb.
But Shan remained silent.
They wanted to go back to the past, but they had no way to do so, so they were stuck in this stalemate.
Indeed, apart from Qiao Wu, no one else mentioned that they hadn't sat down together for New Year's Eve dinner or had a proper chat for many years.
That's why, despite saying they were annoyed, they still ended up showing up together here to have dinner tonight.
But what about all these years?
how so.
Since his relationship with Qiao Wu soured many years ago, Lu Xuan has rarely used his brain seriously.
But lately he's been a bit absent-minded.
He was in a daze, wondering why they had started together from the foot of the mountain, but in the end, only they had reached the top.
Where did Qiao Wu go?
She seems to always be there, yet she also seems to be nowhere.
When he came to his senses, she seemed to be standing on the mountaintop again, as if she had been waiting for them for a long time, so he couldn't wait to grab her.
Lu Xuan stared intently at that person.
She said, "My expectation is that tonight's New Year's Eve dinner will be delicious."
Do you have any blessings for your friends and family?
Qiao Wu didn't think much of it and said softly, "I hope we're both doing well."
Remember to point the microphone at Lu Jinzhi, who hadn't spoken yet. It's not really appropriate to put such a big star here.
His gaze had been fixed on Qiao Wu ever since the beginning, and even now that the microphone was in front of him, he didn't look away.
He smiled when Qiao Wu looked over as well, saying, "This is fine."
No need to do anything else, even just like today.
He thought it was pretty good.
[No, is that look really innocent?]
I always thought Qiao Wu and Lu Xuan were a couple, but it seems like things are even more off with Lu Jinzhi.
What interests me is that they had New Year's Eve dinner together many years ago, so Qiao Wu wasn't just childhood sweethearts with Lu Xuan, but also with other people.
If these two are alright, I'll eat shit while doing a handstand.
【Xuan, stop spacing out. Get some eye drops and put some on your eyes first. I think you might cry even more later.】
Because it was a live broadcast, the camera time was limited. No matter how much the reporter wanted to conduct more interviews, they couldn't delay other procedures, so the reporter only said a few words and then said goodbye.
Qiao Wu and Lu Jinzhi were normal; after the event, the two headed towards the parking lot first.
Lu Xuan and Lu Yingchi were still standing there, not quite recovered from their shock.
"Let's go!" Lu Ning tugged at Lu Yingchi's ear and asked curiously, "How did our family celebrate the New Year in the past?"
In her memory, they had never eaten New Year's Eve dinner together.
It must have been when she was very young.
Lu Yingchi patted her hand, put her off his back, and frowned slightly: "Just live like that."
There will be lucky money from the older brother, but none of them are short of money and don't really understand the concept of money. So the red envelopes don't actually hold much; a few tens of thousands of yuan is just for good luck.
So they spent all that money that night.
He and Lu Xuan would put the red envelopes together, one for each of them, and stuff them all into Qiao Wu's hands so that Qiao Wu could play with them.
But now there's no more New Year's money.
And they were very poor.
Lu Yingchi turned to look at Lu Xuan and asked cautiously, "How much money did you get for signing this contract?"
Lu Xuan: "..."
For the first time, his complex emotions were interrupted by Lu Yingchi's idiotic question.
This is also the first time I've looked down on Lu Yingchi's intelligence from a high latitude.
"Stop thinking about cracking walnuts for Lu Ning all the time."
Lu Xuan scorned him, "Give yourself a good talking-to too."
Lu Yingchi sneered: "Only a superstar can speak with such confidence."
"Are you looking for a beating?"
"Aren't you leaving yet?" Lu Ning stood between the two. "We're going to lose them."
The other two immediately looked up; Qiao Wu and Lu Jinzhi had already walked quite far side by side.
Lu Xuan patted Lu Ning on the head: "What good things have you photographed with this camera?"
"It's nothing." Lu Ning remembered that he said to keep a close eye on her second uncle's affairs, and said honestly, "Don't worry, they are all normal. We usually eat together and go out for walks and play together."
Lu Xuan: "?"
Is this what you call normal?
Is Lu Jinzhi the kind of person who would sacrifice his rest time to go out and have fun?
He's incredibly lazy!
But when he arrived at the parking lot and saw Lu Jinzhi still sitting in the driver's seat and Qiao Wu sitting in the passenger seat, his worldview was once again reshaped.
This wasn't the first time Lu Jinzhi had personally driven to pick him up.
This person is terrifying.
In comparison, it seems perfectly normal for him to go out and have fun.
The group drove to buy fireworks before returning to the hotel.
To accommodate the hotel staff, Qiao Wu moved the New Year's Eve dinner time forward a little.
So it was still light outside after we finished eating.
But since it was a holiday, even without being reminded, no one went upstairs after dinner; instead, they all sat downstairs doing their own thing.
The fireworks they bought were moved back and forth by Lu Ning and Lu Yingchi, just so they could rush out and set them off as soon as possible at night. They were dissatisfied with every option, complaining that one place was too damp and another too bright.
In the end, Lu Xuan couldn't stand it anymore and pressed the two of them against the door: "Keep grinding, you two have worn the fuse off."
Lu Ning then left her fireworks display, turning back every few steps.
Why isn't it dark yet?
It gets dark so late here.
When I got to the sofa, I saw Grandpa and Grandpa Qiao sitting upright, looking very serious, as if they had back problems.
What's so interesting about the evening news program?
In fact, both Lu Jiang and Qiao Zhiyi had a habit of watching the news, so they also watched the live broadcast of the Spring Festival special at home.
Since the matter of the two children hadn't been brought to the forefront, they could turn a blind eye.
But this is different from seeing it with your own eyes.
For a moment, I didn't even know how to get along well with my future in-laws.
Lu Jiang felt that no matter what, he had to be nice. He couldn't let the duck that was already in his mouth fly away, otherwise no one would be able to control the second son when he went crazy.
Qiao Zhiyi felt that since his daughter had this kind of relationship with the second young master, he naturally couldn't just say whatever he wanted like before. He had to show some backbone in front of Lu Jiang and not embarrass his daughter.
So the two of them didn't say a word to each other, and from morning until now, they've been seriously arguing like this.
"Grandpa, I'll show you something even better." Lu Ning said, holding her camera and laptop. "A scene of superstars being greeted at the airport. It's like a grand celebration with drums and firecrackers. My second uncle has certified it. It's better than the Spring Festival Gala."
Seeing Lu Ning bending over and operating the machine, Lu Xuan knew exactly what she was about to say.
His eyelids twitched, and he stepped forward, kicked her, grabbed her ponytail, and pulled her up: "Is today your last New Year's celebration?"
The two, one big and one small, were making a ruckus in front of them, which made Qiao Zhiyi and Lu Jiang less stiff.
Lu Jinzhi didn't want to watch elementary school kids fighting amongst themselves, and he wasn't very interested in so-called news.
Actually, the Lunar New Year is just like that; you can't be alone anyway.
This is the biggest drawback.
If he's unhappy, no one else will be happy either.
"Lu Ning." Lu Jinzhi tossed a bulging red envelope onto the table. It was one he and Qiao Wu had bought together. "One red envelope for every half hour of video chat. Earn it yourself."
Lu Xuan: "???"
Lu Ning: "!!!"
The two people in front of the television started fighting again.
Lu Jinzhi leaned lazily against Qiao Wu, their bodies almost touching.
He glanced at the pillow Qiao Wu was hugging, and openly slipped his hand inside, slowly finding her hand under the pillow, and then perfectly covering the back of her hand.
Qiao Wu looked up at him, and using the cushion as cover, patted the back of his hand.
Lu Jinzhi smiled, flipped his wrist over, and took the opportunity to intertwine his fingers with hers.
He tilted his head slightly and whispered in her ear, "Today's payment."
No one was paying attention to this at the moment, so Qiao Wu went with him.
Lu Yingchi, who had just entered the room after arranging the large fireworks he had bought, saw the two whispering to each other.
He stopped, and the inexplicable feeling that had been lingering in his mind came rushing back.
Qiao Wu kept reminding him that men and women are different, but the distance between Lu Jinzhi and her completely exceeded the normal distance between men and women.
He stared at the screen for a long time until his phone rang, at which point he frowned and looked away.
The group is currently having a video call.
Everyone was joking: "Lu Yingchi, I never expected to see you on TV during the Chinese New Year. I told my relatives that you're my friend. Do you know how awesome that is!"
Lu Yingchi asked absentmindedly, "What TV?"
"The news? Didn't you know you and your family were on the news live today?" Ye Liang said. "Your brother is really handsome. Can I get an autograph? I can show off later!"
Lu Yingchi scoffed and, referring to the airport incident, said, "He's already been pretentious enough."
But he didn't expect that his classmates would laugh non-stop after hearing about it, and even think that Lu Xuan was cute.
You're crazy, your eyes must be acting up.
"Second brother is very handsome too, can I get his autograph?"
“No,” Lu Yingchi said. “He only signs the documents.”
Lu Jinzhi's signature is precious in every sense of the word.
Everyone gave up, and Fei Jingming sighed, "To be honest, I only briefly met your second brother that day. But as the older brother, he has the right to be one. No one can overpower your brother's aura except for Sister Qiao Wu."
Lu Yingchi thought to himself that Lu Jinzhi's pretentiousness was actually not much worse than Lu Xuan's.
Moreover, it is even more so.
The main reason is Lu Jinzhi's status; if he didn't have some capital and presence, he wouldn't be able to control people.
While listening to everyone's nonsense, he opened the group chat to see what he would look like on TV.
Friends took screenshots of their appearances in the news, and some even screen-recorded them.
It was very short, just a few sentences.
The screenshot includes those bullet comments.
Lu Yingchi flipped through the pages for a while and saw that they were all comments praising the Lu family's genes. His eyebrows rose, and he felt a sense of pride.
Indeed, the Lu family members all have his kind of appearance.
And it's not just the Lu family; the Qiao family also has excellent genes.
If he were there, he would definitely have added more of his own comments.
No one else is as good-looking as Qiao Wu.
He was in a good mood as he scrolled through the pages until he saw a picture of Qiao Wu and Lu Jinzhi on the same screen.
Just like his recent perception, the distance between the two seemed to remain the same, appearing normal, but actually very close compared to others.
What truly made him stop was that comment on the screen.
Is that look really innocent?
If that strange feeling that had always been there were explained in a different way, Lu Yingchi would suddenly understand.
He straightened up, but his hands trembled uncontrollably.
He was furious when Fei Jingming told him that someone was pursuing Qiao Wu, and he wanted to tear that person to pieces on the spot; when he heard Shen Yan say that he liked Qiao Wu, he almost jumped up and started a fight with him.
But what if the other party is Lu Jinzhi?
Qiao Wu had clearly never mentioned Shen Yan's name, nor did she take him seriously. She didn't even show up when Shen Yan came to dinner that day.
But Lu Jinzhi arrived.
Not only did they come, but they also arrived early and spent a day outside with Qiao Wu.
Qiao Wu once said that there was someone pursuing her.
If it weren't for the fact that Shen Yan had no chance at all, who would be the person she would notice?
Lu Yingchi didn't know how he clicked on that screen recording. As long as the camera was on Lu Jinzhi, his gaze never strayed from Qiao Wu.
That was the look he never gave anyone else.
She was even more naked than Chen Caiwen was back then.
A clear idea surfaced in Lu Yingchi's mind, which seemed absurd to him, but when all the possibilities were laid out before him, he couldn't ignore them.
How could it be Lu Jinzhi?
If it were anyone else, he would have rushed over and told them they weren't good enough for Qiao Wu and to get lost.
But that was Lu Jinzhi.
No matter how arrogant he was, Lu Yingchi never had the right to deny Lu Jinzhi's abilities.
He looked up at the sofa. The two of them were still sitting together, at the same distance, but Lu Yingchi knew clearly that Qiao Wu would not allow anyone else to be so close to her.
During the video call, others noticed something was wrong with him: "What's with that expression? What's wrong with you?"
Lu Yingchi felt a burning pain in his throat, unable to utter a single word, and his mind went blank.
He didn't know how to respond and hung up the video call in a flustered manner.
The farce in front of the television had come to an end. Although Lu Jiang still hadn't seen the video, he thought the scene had been quite entertaining.
At least he was relieved.
However, he didn't prepare any red envelopes, while the second son was quite thoughtful this time.
Turning my head again, I saw the second brother sitting next to Qiao Wu, practically clinging to him openly.
What kind of behavior is this!
"Cough cough cough!" Lu Jiang coughed heavily a few times. "If you have nothing better to do, come and play mahjong with me."
"Xiao Wu," he called out emphatically, "come here."
Qiao Wu immediately pulled his hand away and stood up.
Lu Jiang saw with his own eyes that his good-for-nothing son made no attempt to hide his impatience.
You have absolutely no tact! Why don't you write a big-character poster and put it outside? The whole country will see it!
"What are you standing there for?" Seeing Lu Yingchi looking somewhat absent-minded by the window, Lu Jiang called out, "Come here."
He didn't prepare any red envelopes; he figured he'd just give the kids the money he lost playing mahjong as New Year's money.
Qiao Zhiyi didn't know how to fight, so he sat next to Lu Jiang.
“Playing mahjong with your second uncle.” Lu Ning didn’t understand, but she was very clear-headed. “Why bother during the New Year?”
Who could win at mahjong with someone as brainless as my second uncle?
Lu Jiang: "He's not included."
Lu Jinzhi didn't intend to fight. He casually pulled over a chair, landed lightly next to Qiao Wu, and sat down naturally.
Upon seeing this, Lu Yingchi, who was standing opposite, twitched his eyelids and slammed his stool down, making such a commotion that everyone looked over.
"It's okay." Lu Ning thought he was disappointed and offered, "I have New Year's money, I'll invest it in you."
Lu Yingchi, unusually, did not answer her, but stared straight at Lu Jinzhi: "Lu Jinzhi."
Lu Jinzhi raised his eyes indifferently.
“I don’t know how to play,” Lu Yingchi said. “Teach me.”
Lu Jinzhi didn't move, but kicked Lu Xuan's chair with his toe: "Switch with him."
Lu Xuan was puzzled.
Does it matter where you sit? Why bother with feng shui?
Before he could speak, Lu Yingchi erupted, stubbornly declaring, "I want to sit here!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Jinzhi's gaze lingered on him for a few more seconds. Suddenly, he leaned back, seemingly not intending to move, and said slowly, "Then sit there and lose."
In other words, he won't go there either.
Lu Xuan was caught in the middle and inexplicably felt that the atmosphere was a bit tense.
Qiao Wu didn't think much of it at first, because she had told Lu Yingchi that she could rely on her family members appropriately.
But when Lu Yingchi emphasized the seating arrangement, she vaguely understood something.
She looked up at Lu Yingchi for a while and saw that his gaze was fixed on Lu Jinzhi.
Lu Yingchi was just playing mahjong casually during the Chinese New Year. He wasn't someone who cared much about money, otherwise he wouldn't have exchanged his beloved car for only 5.2 million yuan with Lu Jinzhi.
Even if he loses all night, he won't feel anything. He can be so generous to strangers, so he naturally won't care about winning or losing with his family.
They wouldn't be so fixated on one position.
On the contrary, according to his usual thinking, he should stay away from Lu Jinzhi as much as possible, because being close to him would only bring bad luck.
So his purpose might just be... to see if Lu Jinzhi would leave her.
What she could think of, how could Lu Jinzhi not think of?
Therefore, Lu Jinzhi gave Lu Yingchi the answer very decisively through his actions.
Qiao Wu sighed silently, but finally stood up and walked behind Lu Xuan: "I'll switch with you."
Lu Xuan was focused on something different today, so he didn't feel strange sitting there. Losing a little money was no big deal; he could just bet 50 cents at most.
So he readily changed his position.
After Qiao Wu sat down, he glanced at Lu Jinzhi beside him and said, "Come here."
Lu Jinzhi raised his eyebrows and smiled. This time he was very easy to talk to and readily sat down between her and Lu Yingchi.
Seeing this scene, Lu Yingchi understood everything.
All the guesses came true at this moment, as Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu told him in person, openly and honestly.
Lu Yingchi couldn't quite describe how he felt right now.
I feel scared, angry, panicked, as if a huge rock is pressing down on my chest, suffocating me, and I feel helpless and lost.
So in this situation, he has no idea who to talk to or what to say.
Just sitting down next to these two people had exhausted all his strength; all his movements were purely instinctive.
Lu Jinzhi's voice was as calm as ever, falling on his ears in stark contrast to his chaotic thoughts: "Two of Bamboo."
Lu Yingchi searched his hand three times before finally finding out what the two of bamboo was.
After one round, he definitely had the best chance of winning.
Seeing the chips placed in front of him, Lu Yingchi turned around in a daze: "I won?"
During the shuffling time, Lu Jinzhi moved back closer, and the distance between them, which was already quite close, was now very close to Qiao Wu.
Lu Yingchi saw Lu Jinzhi naturally organizing Qiao Wu's chips. Faced with his question, he simply raised an eyebrow and said, "Didn't I ask you to teach me?"
Lu Yingchi was speechless.
He assumed that Lu Jinzhi would let Qiao Wu win under any circumstances.
But the next second, Lu Jinzhi moved Qiao Wu's chips in front of him.
"New Year's money," Lu Jinzhi said.
Lu Yingchi's heart skipped a beat.
He used all his strength.
He looked at the chips in front of him. Even if he was slow to understand, once he got the hang of it, everything became simple and clear. He hated that he understood the meaning of that sentence so clearly for the first time.
As the youngest person at the table, Lu Jinzhi said he was truly teaching him and wouldn't let him suffer any losses.
So this token was also a New Year's gift from Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu, given to him in different ways.
It was also telling him that he was the younger brother.
From childhood to adulthood, even during the more than ten years he had not received New Year's money, Lu Yingchi had never felt as unbearable as he did now.
For the first time, Lu Xuan, who was sitting opposite him, did not argue with him about money, but this time his New Year's money was not used to buy Qiao Wu.
Instead... it was something Qiao Wu used to coax him.
Even though he had so much more than when he was a child, it wasn't what he wanted.
Why couldn't we have waited for him a little longer?
If that person is Lu Jinzhi, he is helpless and has no way to deal with it.
Lu Yingchi remained so quiet throughout that even the usually oblivious Lu Xuan and Lu Ning noticed something was amiss.
"It's getting dark." Lu Ning walked to his side. "The fireworks show will start soon, how about we go set off some fireworks?"
Lu Yingchi opened his mouth, but found it difficult to speak because he hadn't spoken for so long.
He grabbed a glass of wine from the table, poured himself a drink, and gulped it down. As he put the bottle down, his hand trembled, and he accidentally dropped it. The dark red liquid shattered along with the glass, splashing onto Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu, who were closest to him.
At that moment, Lu Yingchi's defenses suddenly crumbled, and he stood up abruptly, suppressing his anxiety: "Let's not fight anymore."
He looked at Lu Ning: "Weren't you going to set off fireworks? Go and bring them out."
Lu Ning nodded blankly: "Oh."
After the two walked out, Lu Jinzhi, who had been sitting in his chair without moving, called out, "Lu Xuan."
Still clueless, Lu Xuan: "Huh?"
Lu Jinzhi produced another red envelope from who-knows-where and threw it in front of him, then stood up and said, "Pack it up."
"..."
Lu Xuan looked at the red envelope in front of him with a strange expression.
Damn, has Lu Jinzhi been possessed?
Is this a way of giving him New Year's money?
They didn't send anyone over to work overtime on New Year's Eve, so Lu Jinzhi naturally used a New Year's money to make Lu Xuan clean up the mess.
Anyway, he was happy to wash Qiao Wu's cups back then.
Lu Jinzhi pulled Qiao Wu up from the chair: "Change your clothes."
Qiao Wu turned her gaze away from Lu Yingchi and said, "Mm."
After leaving the hotel, Lu Yingchi did not stay in their area, but walked to a more distant beach so that he could be away from the two men and clear his head. Not far away, hotel staff were preparing to set off fireworks.
To achieve a better effect, the lights on the beach were not turned on today.
The darkness amplified his emotions. He crouched down, buried his head in his arms, and let out a low growl.
"Lu Yingchi?"
Hearing the voice behind him, Lu Yingchi paused.
He turned around and, using the light from the house behind him, could see Chen Caiwen and the young man beside her.
"It really is you." Chen Caiwen stepped forward. "We came to see the fireworks, why are you the only one here?"
Lu Yingchi stood up: "They'll be out in a bit."
He steadied himself before stepping out of the darkness a little, and could barely make out the appearance of the person who came with Chen Caiwen.
It wasn't that he was truly narcissistic, but rather that this person was indeed somewhat ordinary compared to him.
Noticing his gaze, the young man politely extended his hand: "Hello, my name is Ma Yao."
Chen Caiwen introduced him, saying, "This is my boyfriend."
"Hello." Lu Yingchi shook hands with him. "Lu Yingchi."
He wasn't in the mood to watch the young couple enjoy the fireworks, nor did he want to be a third wheel, so he decided to leave.
"Thank you for today." Ma Yao took out his phone and said, "Wenwen told me that we were able to get in because of you. Would it be convenient to add each other's contact information? I'll make up the difference in hotel prices for you."
"No need," Lu Yingchi said emotionlessly. "If you want to transfer it, just transfer it to her directly."
Chen Caiwen also gently tugged at her boyfriend's clothes.
Ma Yao handed over another bag: "This is a little gift we prepared for you. Happy New Year!"
This time, Lu Yingchi accepted it.
He thought to himself, "This person may not be as good-looking as me, but he has a decent temper."
The bag contained some carefully prepared small items, which were very well packaged.
"Sister Qiao and Xiao Lu Ning also have their share," Chen Caiwen added. "Could you please hand it to them later?"
Upon hearing Qiao Wu's name, Lu Yingchi's mood, which had eased somewhat, immediately became a complete mess again.
He stared at Chen Caiwen's face for a long time, but he couldn't see even a trace of the special feelings he used to have for her.
It seems they really don't care anymore.
"It hasn't started yet." Lu Yingchi said, carrying a bag, his mood inexplicable. "Could we have a few minutes to talk alone?"
Chen Caiwen nodded happily: "Sure."
She turned to her boyfriend and said, "Go wait for me on that chair over there."
Ma Yao: "Okay."
After everyone left, Chen Caiwen asked, "You seem to be in a bad mood. What's wrong?"
These are words that are difficult to say.
Lu Yingchi also felt that he was being unfair and that he shouldn't bring up the past, but he had no one to talk to. At this point, he really couldn't care less. If he couldn't resolve the issue, he really wouldn't be able to hold back.
So he chose to offend Chen Caiwen.
"I apologize first." He licked his dry lips. "These words may be a little offensive."
This was the first time Chen Caiwen had ever seen him so hesitant, and she chuckled, "Go ahead."
Lu Yingchi simply stopped beating around the bush: "I heard from them today that you used to have a crush on me."
This question was indeed a bit sudden. Chen Caiwen was taken aback for a moment, then nodded frankly: "Yes."
He added, "But you don't need to worry about it, I've already let it go."
"Why?" Lu Yingchi asked urgently, "Why can you suddenly let go? How can you let go?"
How can you just stop liking something you like?
Although he never said it, he was actually able to come to his senses to some extent during the time Fei Jingming was talking to him.
He had known Qiao Wu for so many years that he knew her inside and out, and he was used to following in her footsteps.
No one dislikes someone like her.
But he knew he wasn't capable enough and didn't deserve her, so he always felt that it was enough for him to just stay by her side.
But when that day actually came, he still couldn't convince himself to accept it.
She doesn't belong to him, nor should she belong to anyone else.
What will he do if he really finds someone else?
Seeing Lu Yingchi's anxiety, Chen Caiwen remained silent for a while before figuring something out. She smiled and said, "It's probably because I don't actually like you."
Lu Yingchi was stunned: "What?"
“Lu Yingchi, you don’t have a very clear understanding of yourself,” Chen Caiwen said. “At our age, it’s not strange that many people like someone as handsome, rich, and loyal as you. Besides, you do have a very good and straightforward personality.”
“But there are many kinds of liking. I thought about it later, and a large part of the reason why I was so infatuated with you during that time was because of the suspension bridge effect.” She said very seriously, “The way you jumped into the water to save me when we went on the autumn outing was so cool, so I was very moved. If I could date someone like you at that time, that would indeed be a great thing. But if we couldn’t be together, I don’t feel too disappointed. After all, you are not in the same social class as me. It’s just as satisfying to treat you as an idol and a friend.”
As she spoke, she glanced back at her boyfriend who was waiting for her and said, "But look at Ma Yao. He has a completely different personality from you. He's not as handsome or rich as you, and he even has a lot of minor flaws. But when I look at him, I feel completely different from when I look at you. I like being close to him. Seeing him makes my heart flutter in a way that's completely different from when I look at you."
“When I liked you, it was probably more like being a fan. If someone else had helped me that day, or was as dazzling as you, I might have been chasing after someone else,” she said. “But he is my lover. I can accept being friends with you, but I can’t be with him. He can only be mine. His love and affection can only be given to me. It can’t be with anyone else.”
Lu Yingchi frowned.
Looking at his expression, Chen Caiwen tried asking, "Are you upset because of Sister Qiao?"
Lu Yingchi was taken aback: "Is it obvious?"
“Hmm.” Chen Caiwen nodded. “When I went to your house before, your attitude towards her was very obvious. I always thought that you liked her.”
That's why she was able to see things clearly and let go so quickly back then.
Lu Yingchi: "What do you mean by 'think'?"
"Because the fact that you asked this question today means it's not about liking her," Chen Caiwen said with a smile. "If it were love, you wouldn't want to give her up."
Don't you want to give up?
Lu Yingchi never even considered possessing it.
He grabbed a handful of hair and spun around like a headless fly.
What are your thoughts about her?
"I found out today that she might be with someone else."
Chen Caiwen understood: "It's your second brother, isn't it?"
Holy crap.
Lu Yingchi stared in disbelief: "You can even tell that?"
“Hmm.” Chen Caiwen recalled the scene from the interview, “Your brother’s gaze towards her was very obvious, and last time we were at your house, he quickly came and took her away. Actually, love should be like your brother’s, with an absolute possessiveness, not leaving any chance for others, as long as the person belongs to you.”
She looked at Lu Yingchi: "Lu Yingchi, I can tell that Sister Qiao is very special to you, but I have never seen the same kind of emotion in your eyes as your brother."
A strong sense of possessiveness, and a lustful desire to see one's lover.
“Sister Qiao is to you what you are to me,” Chen Caiwen said. “She is so outstanding, it’s understandable that you like her, and I like her too.”
Lu Yingchi stood there, stunned, for a long time.
Chen Caiwen: "You can think about it, is her existence more important, or is her love for you more important?"
The word "love" is too heavy, so heavy that the moment it appears, Lu Yingchi reflexively wants to reject it; he can't bear it.
Chen Caiwen left quickly after finishing her speech.
Lu Yingchi was left staring blankly at the dark sea.
Does he like Qiao Wu?
like.
But he loves her?
He knew perfectly well that he couldn't afford to love.
Qiao Wu was a guiding light for him, the direction he was heading. It was enough for her to just stand there.
He never dared to dream of having her all to himself, so he wouldn't compete with his family for her affections.
In the past, when he heard that someone was pursuing Qiao Wu, he panicked, was afraid, and angry because he was afraid that Qiao Wu would leave because of those people.
He never wanted her love.
What I want is her approval, her presence.
So that's... the suspension bridge effect.
Lu Yingchi's mind was racing today, and he was a little overloaded, feeling like he was on fire.
It took a long time before an absurd thought vaguely surfaced in my mind.
But Lu Jinzhi isn't worthy either!
What's so good about that monkey besides being a little better looking, a little richer, and a little smarter?
Wait a minute.
These two wouldn't kiss if they were dating, would they?
Can Qiao Wu endure this? Won't he be poisoned to death?
Depend on!
In the distance, Lu Ning and Lu Xuan carried out the fireworks but couldn't find anyone. After searching for a while, they finally found Lu Yingchi here. Standing in the dark, they tried to scare him: "Lu Yingchi, the fireworks are here! Come on over!"
Lu Yingchi responded and walked closer with the gifts, tossing the bag into Lu Ning's arms: "These are from Chen Caiwen."
"Oh!" Lu Ning, making sure his mood wasn't as bad as before, looked down and said, "Thank her for me."
Because they wanted to watch the fireworks, even Lu Jiang and Qiao Zhiyi came out. Lu Yingchi looked around but didn't see the monkey or Qiao Wu.
He immediately became alert.
"Where are Qiao Wu and Lu Jinzhi?"
“You knocked over the bottle,” Lu Ning said. “They went to change their clothes.”
Lu Yingchi: "Do we need to go together to change clothes?"
Lu Ning: "...Is it possible that they live on the same floor?"
Oh.
Same floor.
Qiao Wu must have been smuggling in his own agenda.
Lu Yingchi is in a bad mood right now, not only because these two are doing something big behind everyone's back, but also because Lu Jinzhi, that monkey, means nothing to him.
He rolled up his sleeves: "I'll go take a look."
Qiao Wu had just changed her clothes, and her hair was still damp with alcohol, so she washed it again. Before she could even dry her hair, there was a knock on the door.
She walked over and opened the door. Lu Jinzhi was standing outside, dressed even more elegantly than he had during the day, with a gemstone pinned to the collar of his black shirt.
She let go of the doorknob and let her in, then leaned against the nearby table and smiled, "It's blooming again. Any plans?"
Lu Jinzhi closed the door behind him. "It's been so long since I watched fireworks with Wuwu."
"Only you still have the mood," Qiao Wu said, drying his hair. "Lu Yingchi must be furious with you."
Lu Jinzhi made no attempt to hide his selfishness and intentions, taking the towel from Qiao Wu's hand and gently wiping her head: "It's time to grow up."
Qiao Wu lowered his head to make his movements easier, and from this position, Lu Jinzhi's collarbone and Adam's apple came into view.
He is indeed very lazy and rarely goes out to sunbathe, so his skin tone is a bit paler than Lu Xuan and Lu Yingchi.
The blue gemstones looked absolutely stunning against his skin.
She stared at it for a while: "What if he can't accept it?"
Lu Jinzhi: "No."
Qiao Wu looked up: "So sure?"
"Hmm." Lu Jinzhi gently wrapped the towel in his hand around her ear and rubbed it, then met her gaze. "Otherwise, I would have flipped the table earlier."
After thinking about Lu Yingchi's personality, Qiao Wu realized that it was indeed true.
When Shen Yan appeared, they immediately surrounded her and bluntly expressed their disagreement without beating around the bush.
She was lost in thought, but Lu Jinzhi was repeatedly kneading her earlobe. He placed one hand behind her head and gently lifted the towel, forcing her to look up.
"It's his own business now," Lu Jinzhi chuckled. "Why don't you think about me instead?"
What am I thinking about?
"Think about what New Year's gift I'll give you."
Qiao Wu was past the age of receiving red envelopes, so she didn't make any plans or expect to receive a New Year's gift. She looked at Lu Jinzhi curiously.
His clothes and pants pockets couldn't hold much either.
She asked curiously, "What?"
Suddenly, her earlobe was gently tugged.
Something, still warm from her body, landed where she usually wore her earrings.
She's been on vacation lately and hasn't been wearing those things much, so her ears are empty.
Lu Jinzhi did not put it on her immediately. Instead, he opened his palm, which had been slightly closed, and on it was a blue gemstone star-shaped earring, the same color as his collar.
It was a deep blue color; she was right, it was indeed very mysterious and beautiful.
Lu Jinzhi asked in a low voice, "Should I wear it?"
"You didn't even bring the box," Qiao Wu saw through his thoughts. "You just want me to wear it, right?"
Lu Jinzhi chuckled softly. He put down the towel, leaned closer, and gently placed the earring on his soft earlobe.
“It looks good,” he said.
There was a full-length mirror by the door, and Qiao Wu could see the earrings on his ears by looking over his shoulder.
Lu Jinzhi has always had good taste, and she really liked him.
"Such a beautiful New Year's gift, looks like I'll have to give you a big red envelope tonight."
Lu Jinzhi said, "I don't lack money."
His hand remained behind her ear, teasing and touching her repeatedly: "Use something else to resist?"
Qiao Wu turned her gaze away from the mirror and looked up at him.
Meeting those dark, deep eyes, she suddenly realized: "Lu Jinzhi, you planned this all along, didn't you?"
Lu Jinzhi smiled, a smile more beautiful than the jewels on his collar.
He lowered his head to her ear, as if kissing her earring, but also as if kissing her earlobe.
He whispered in her ear, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "If you say so, then so be it."
Although I dried my hair with a towel, it still felt damp to the touch.
Lu Jinzhi's fingertips were still carrying the scent of shampoo, and he gently touched her ear with the tip of his nose: "Mmm, it smells so good."
Qiao Wu was glad that she was leaning against the table, otherwise she would have been a little unsteady on her feet.
She grabbed Lu Jinzhi's clothes: "The fireworks are about to start, let's go down first."
No rush.
His warm lips moved from her ear to Qiao Wu's cheek, and then to her eyelids.
Qiao Wu was so provoked that he instinctively closed his eyes.
She heard a soft laugh.
The warm touch reached the tip of her nose, and Qiao Wu's fingertips tightened suddenly. This feeling of almost touching her nose made her very uncomfortable.
She was about to speak when she suddenly heard a knock on the door.
It wasn't her door; it was Lu Jinzhi's door.
She suddenly opened her eyes.
Lu Jinzhi obviously heard it too, but his expression didn't change at all, and his fingertips continued to tease her behind her ear.
Qiao Wu saw directly the intense desire and love in his eyes. She pursed her lips slightly and said, "Lu..."
As if he had been waiting for a long time, the moment she opened her lips, Lu Jinzhi instantly closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against hers and penetrating her without giving her any chance to resist.
Qiao Wu let out a soft hum, caught off guard.
Lu Jinzhi lowered his eyes, his gaze darker than usual, seemingly brimming with moisture. His kisses were slow yet forceful, leaving no room for escape.
He kissed her deeply and passionately, while using his other hand to pull her from the table into his arms. As the footsteps outside the door grew closer, he turned her around and pressed her against the door.
The door slammed shut behind them.
Their bodies were pressed tightly together.
She and he kissed behind the door.
The moment the door was knocked, Lu Jinzhi bit her lip and thrust in deeply again, silencing all her sounds.
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