Chapter 86 The Princess Doesn't Need to Know
At that moment, Qiao Wu's heart pounded like a drum. She leaned against the door, and the knocking outside made the door tremble.
In front of her was Lu Jinzhi, who was pinning her down and preventing her from escaping. At that moment, her heartbeat seemed to merge with the knocking on the door and Lu Jinzhi's voice.
She rarely felt so confused and helpless. She wanted to push Lu Jinzhi away, but he clung to her even more tightly, making her weak in the knees, yet she dared not utter a sound.
Lu Yingchi's voice came from the doorway: "Qiao Wu?"
Startled, Qiao Wu grabbed Lu Jinzhi's clothes, which elicited a low, deep laugh from him.
This sound did not awaken Lu Jinzhi's conscience; instead, it made him hold the person even tighter without restraint. Breathing sounds and kissing sounds mingled together in that instant, and Qiao Wu's consciousness became blurred.
Lu Yingchi called for a long time but no one opened the door for him. He thought he had missed Qiao Wu and the others, so he gave up and turned to go downstairs.
Without any reservations, Lu Jinzhi became gentler, just like he usually is, gently pecking and lingering on her lips, his breathing becoming more pronounced and heavy than ever before.
He said in a hoarse voice, "It smells really good."
Qiao Wu's mood fluctuated wildly. At this moment, he simply stopped struggling and let himself lean against the door, being held by Lu Jinzhi by the waist.
He took a few light breaths to give himself some time to catch his breath: "Lu Jinzhi, you are really rotten."
Lu Jinzhi, who had been scolded, accepted it with a smile and repeated the words he had uttered at the airport: "Waaah, did you think I was some kind of good person?"
Suddenly, the sound of fireworks bursting through the air came from outside the window. Qiao Wu saw colorful and dazzling fireworks blooming in the night behind Lu Jinzhi.
She reached out and grabbed Lu Jinzhi's ear, pulling him back a little as he tried to continue, and turned his head around: "Look, it's New Year's, Lu Jinzhi."
The fireworks show has already started, and the view from here is excellent.
Lu Jinzhi led her to him and took her to sit on the sofa on the balcony. It was the same single sofa, but this time Qiao Wu sat on his lap. He hugged her from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and looked at her profile illuminated by the fireworks amidst the explosions. He said softly, "Wuwu, Happy New Year."
The phone on the table lit up briefly.
It was a message from Lu Yingchi. He couldn't find anyone anywhere, so he could only send a message to ask.
We can't make phone calls either, because it's too noisy outside and we can't hear people talking.
Qiao Wu picked up the keyboard and typed a reply: "I'm looking at it, I'll come over in a bit."
After a long silence on the other end, a few more words came through: "Are you with Lu Jinzhi?"
Qiao Wu glanced at the hand on his waist and replied with an "Mm".
Lu Yingchi: "What's so good about him?"
Lu Yingchi: "Do you really have to do this?"
However, both messages were quickly retracted, and then the message kept showing "typing". Qiao Wu guessed that he had a lot to say, but probably didn't know how to organize his thoughts.
It was indeed a bit abrupt that Lu Jinzhi was giving him such a blatant hint today.
So she thought it over and typed a message to Lu Yingchi before he finished writing his essay.
"Good and bad are subjective. The way I see him is different from the way you see him, so no one can make a decision for the other person from their perspective, right? But Lu Yingchi, no matter what happens between me and your brother, it won't affect my relationship with you."
He added, "Thank you for your restraint today. Happy New Year, Lu Yingchi."
Lu Yingchi was actually not very happy.
But when he saw the fireworks blooming and falling in the sky, some tiny remnants landed on his head, carrying a strong smell of gunpowder, and the rustling sound completely shattered his emotions.
He thought the world would collapse, but it didn't.
This person still spoke to him politely as before; apart from Lu Jinzhi, there was no difference in anyone else.
Gunpowder ash seeped into his eyes, causing both pain and itching. He could only rub them haphazardly to suppress the stinging sensation.
From the moment he learned that the person was Lu Jinzhi, he had no intention of making a scene in public.
Not only because of Qiao Wu, but also because it was Lu Jinzhi.
No matter how much he slanders Lu Jinzhi, he can't deny the fact that Lu Jinzhi is his second brother, even though he has never called him "brother".
The reason he could be so unrestrained at the age of eighteen was largely due to Lu Jinzhi's tolerance.
Although they exchanged those so-called beloved cars for money with Lu Jinzhi, ultimately the money to buy the cars was given by Lu Jinzhi.
From Lu Jiang to Lu Jinzhi, no matter who was in charge of the company, they all received dividends from Lu's shares.
So even though he was still on Lu Jinzhi's blacklist, he was never bullied by anyone else except for Lu Jinzhi's petty squabbles.
He is not an ingrate.
Therefore, they have no right to stop Lu Jinzhi or Qiao Wu from making any choices.
That's fucking ridiculous.
He also wanted to be an ingrate for once.
What a pity.
"Happy New Year." Lu Yingchi typed after a pause. "That monkey also blocked me. Please tell him."
After a while, she said again, still unwillingly, "One thing at a time, don't be intimate in front of me, I'm afraid I'll get a sty."
After receiving the message, Qiao Wu was happy for a while, then handed the screen to Lu Jinzhi to see.
Lu Jinzhi glanced at it briefly and then put the phone back on the table.
You could say he has some brains, but not many.
The other two don't know, but only he does. If we don't tease him, who should we tease?
Are you still worried?
Qiao Wu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and shook his head.
Of course I'm worried, but I also understand that they're all adults and can't always live in her ivory tower.
She used to say that this was to let them be more independent, but in reality, she never really let go so readily.
But after all this commotion, she suddenly realized that she was the one who was actually holding herself back, and that she could indeed be bolder.
Lu Yingchi is alright, but what about Lu Xuan?
He's more of a headache than Lu Yingchi.
Seeing that she was starting to drift off again, Lu Jinzhi turned her head back to him: "Think about me now."
Qiao Wu had his back to him.
In this position, he can only press his other cheek against hers, and she has to turn her head to receive his kiss.
Gentle and tender, it's captivating.
He pressed his nose against hers, kissing away the natural moisture at the corners of her eyes, then moved back, not giving up at all.
Indeed, all her thoughts and senses were now focused on Lu Jinzhi.
Qiao Wu did not resist intimate contact such as kissing. For her, once the relationship changed, such contact would only make her feel that she needed each other both physically and mentally. Whether it was physical or psychological attraction, neither could be lacking.
It's clear that her past ideas about love only existed in her ideals.
Lu Jinzhi is a pragmatist. Besides the age difference, his innate intelligence in learning anything always leaves her completely overwhelmed and unable to think straight.
The only option is to blindly follow his instructions.
When Qiao Wu came to her senses again, she had already changed her position and was sitting face-to-face with Lu Jinzhi, forehead to forehead, on his lap.
She had no strength left, not even enough to hold on with her hands, and was completely held tightly by Lu Jinzhi.
"I won't kiss you anymore." She gently pressed her lips against Lu Jinzhi's.
It's a bit damp.
Even his face seemed a little wet.
I don't know if it was sweat or moisture from her half-dry hair.
This time, Lu Jinzhi was unusually agreeable: "Mm."
He gently kissed the tips of his fingers, raised his hand to cover the back of her head, and pressed her forward to lean against his shoulder. His other hand patted her back soothingly, finally resting on her waist.
"Slowly, softly."
Qiao Wu rested his eyes on his shoulder for a few seconds, then called out, "Lu Jinzhi."
"Um?"
"Tone it down a bit."
The breath beside her seemed to pause for a moment, then Lu Jinzhi turned his head and buried his head in her shoulder, laughing. The two were pressed together, and even the trembling of their laughter was almost at the same frequency, making it perceptible.
This made Qiao Wu even more uneasy.
She tried to stand up, but Lu Jinzhi held her waist firmly.
He smiled and said, "Isn't this one of the rights?"
Qiao Wu: "..."
"Have you forgotten?" Lu Jinzhi whispered in her ear, "I told you that day at the hotel that I like you, and that my liking is based on love and lust."
He pronounced the last two words very slowly, reminding Qiao Wu that all his reactions at this moment were normal.
But it's not exactly normal either!
Qiao Wu suddenly had a bad feeling. Lu Jinzhi never knew how to use the word "tact".
Sure enough, the next second Lu Jinzhi kissed her ear, then moved down and gently bit her shoulder through her clothes: "You'd better get used to it quickly."
This was the first time in Qiao Wu's life.
I almost blurted out a curse word at Lu Jinzhi.
The two of them couldn't stay upstairs for too long, otherwise either Lu Yingchi would come up, or other people would come up together.
Qiao Wu left Lu Jinzhi behind and went to the bathroom to dry her hair.
When he came out again, Lu Jinzhi had returned to his original respectable self, without a trace of the lust he had just whispered in her ear.
She really is a master of self-regulation.
When they arrived at the beach, the fireworks show prepared by the hotel had already ended. Lu Xuan and Lu Yingchi led Lu Ning to the fireworks they had bought, trying to find the fuse.
Lu Yingchi was busy making video calls to his friends. He glanced back at the two of them, then turned his head back as if nothing had happened.
He discovered this himself. If Qiao Wu and Lu Jinzhi hadn't told him, he wouldn't have told anyone else either, lest that idiot Lu Xuan cause a world war.
She's definitely not as mature as him.
"It takes so long to change clothes?" Lu Xuan had just received a large red envelope from Lu Jinzhi, so he wasn't too bothered with him this time. Instead, he beckoned to Qiao Wu, "Which one do you want to put down first?"
Qiao Wu walked over and said, "Either is fine."
Even if these things were safe, she didn't dare touch them much, just keeping them in her pockets and looking at them.
Lu Xuan, who was squatting on the ground, looked up at her and suddenly felt that the scene was familiar.
Boys all like these things; I used to buy some for Chinese New Year when I was a kid.
But only he and Lu Yingchi played the game the whole time. Lu Yingchi was too young to touch it, and Lu Jinzhi would only watch from afar. Qiao Wu would be curious, but he would just squat down and watch carefully without making a move.
Winters in the north of the city are very cold. She was wrapped up like a cotton ball, her hands tucked into her purse like a soft cotton doll.
Even though she's grown up now, she still does the same little things as before.
Lu Xuan suddenly asked, "How long has it been since we set off fireworks together?"
Qiao Wu was still watching intently, and to prevent Lu Ning from hurting him later, he subconsciously answered, "Twelve years."
Twelve years.
Another twelve years have passed.
Actually, there was a plan to release them together one year later, but when he saw Qiao Wu like that, he didn't want her to be too close to him.
That person is too noisy and loud.
They said they wanted to go out together, but their faces were full of dissatisfaction and impatience with the cold air.
That year, Lu Xuan set off all the fireworks by himself.
The matter was never mentioned again after that.
Thinking of this, all the doubts that Lu Xuan had been suppressing resurfaced, but he had no clue what to do about them.
"Aren't you going to let go?" Lu Ning asked from the side. "My legs are going to go numb from squatting."
"You've got some nerve." Lu Yingchi pushed Lu Xuan aside. "I'll do it."
Lu Xuanshun shifted to the side with the force of the movement, stood up, and looked down at Qiao Wu's profile, feeling that he had overlooked something.
The lighter's flame shot out and ignited the fuse. The instant Lu Ning screamed, she ran back.
Seeing that Qiao Wu also stood up and was about to turn around, Lu Xuan subconsciously wanted her to stand behind him.
But then Qiao Wu ran up to Lu Jinzhi's side in a few steps.
She wasn't as afraid as before; she simply used half of Lu Jinzhi's body to shield herself and looked up at the dark sky.
Lu Xuan blinked somewhat slowly.
In the end, Lu Yingchi pulled her away.
The instant the fireworks shot into the sky and exploded, he turned to look at Qiao Wu, but was completely blocked by Lu Jinzhi's body.
wrong.
There is a difference.
Twelve years ago, Qiao Wu wouldn't have run to Lu Jinzhi's side.
In any case, Lu Jinzhi will never be a reliable support for her.
But now her movements are so natural, as if she hasn't thought about it at all; subconsciously, she feels that she can rely on that place.
Lu Ning was shouting and yelling on the side, and the sound of the fireworks couldn't drown her out.
Happy New Year to all of us!
There were too many people, so she didn't call them all over.
Qiao Wu, on the other side, revealed himself, turned his head, his gaze lingering on each person for a moment, and said with a smile, "Happy New Year."
Lu Xuan couldn't quite hear her voice clearly, but it seemed like he heard it too.
Just as he imagined.
He suddenly felt very satisfied, and his tense shoulders relaxed: "Happy New Year."
In the midst of a busy schedule, I took two days to come over for a meal, meet a few people, and watch a fireworks display.
Compared to the wasted time of the past, it's much better now.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Xuan, who hadn't even warmed his bed yet, was woken up by a phone call from Meng Xingxing, who told him to hurry up and join the crew.
Because a snowfall occurred at the filming location, the crew decided to take this opportunity to finish filming the winter scenes from the script. Such a scene is rare and a very auspicious sign.
Lu Xuan went downstairs still sleepy and found that everyone else was already awake and eating breakfast.
His schedule was very tight. After returning yesterday, he had to fight with Lu Ning for the camera, have New Year's Eve dinner, play mahjong, and set off fireworks. He was so busy that he could only think during fragmented moments.
My mind was finally clear for a moment, but I felt the atmosphere in the restaurant was a bit disjointed.
The old man and the old butler spoke side by side, completely disregarding the old hierarchy.
Across from them were Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu, who were talking about something while eating, their heads tilting to the side every now and then.
Don't you know that one should not speak while eating or sleeping?
As for Lu Ning and Lu Yingchi, one was engrossed in eating, while the other glared resentfully at the two people in front of him, almost as if he wanted to stab them with his knife and fork.
Lu Xuan suddenly had a strange feeling.
After being away for a while, he seems to have fallen behind the pace of life at home.
Did something happen that he didn't know about?
"You're awake?" Qiao Wu asked when he saw him. "I'll take you to the airport after breakfast."
Lu Xuan's expression immediately turned ugly: "Still giving it away?"
He was terrified that they would put up some banner and throw a farewell party for him again, and take pictures of it, making him the laughing stock of everyone while he was away.
He wasn't very willing when Qiao Wu gave him a ride the first time.
“We’re leaving too,” Qiao Wu said. “We’re about to start work after the New Year holiday, and we need to go back to prepare some work in advance. It’s on our way.”
Lu Yingchi put down his cutlery: "You? When did you decide this? How come I didn't know?"
"What do you know about this?" Lu Jiang said irritably. "You have work to do too?"
"Yes, I need to go back and check the information," Lu Yingchi said matter-of-factly. "I'm going to participate in the provincial competition too."
If he doesn't go back, only Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu will be in that house.
These two might not even know what heaven and earth are anymore.
Absolutely not!
He had thought his words would intimidate Lu Jinzhi, but Lu Jinzhi seemed to be in a good mood, smiling as he asked, "So you really want to go?"
"hold head high!"
"Go ahead," Lu Jinzhi said with a half-smile. "Just don't regret it."
Lu Yingchi frowned.
"Why don't you reconsider?" Lu Ning felt she understood her second uncle well now. She gently tugged at Lu Yingchi's clothes and whispered, "I think his smile is really wicked."
indeed.
But Lu Yingchi couldn't understand what would make Lu Jinzhi happy if he went back.
It wasn't until after the plane landed, when he sat in the co-pilot's seat and saw the two people holding hands behind him, that he finally understood.
He gritted his teeth: "Do you think I don't exist?"
"Didn't you want to see?" Lu Jinzhi raised an eyebrow. "Now you can openly and honestly see as much as you want."
Lu Yingchi: "!"
Depend on!
Lu Jinzhi was a bit more restrained at the hotel, but here he wasn't even going to pretend anymore!
Knowing that Lu Jinzhi was intentionally lowering Lu Yingchi's bottom line, Qiao Wu pulled her hand away from his and stopped Lu Yingchi from going berserk: "I'm very busy lately, don't cause me any trouble."
She took out her phone to check if Lu Xuan had landed safely.
But what she saw was that Lu Xuan sent her a message, which he then deleted.
She typed: "?"
The other end quickly replied: "It's okay, I've landed and am on my way to the film set with my assistant."
Qiao Wu: "Okay, be careful."
Lu Xuan typed for a while, then stopped, and finally a phone call came in.
Qiao Wu sensed that he had something to ask, so he answered the call.
"What's wrong?"
There was a two-second silence before the other person spoke: "Last time I went to the library to tutor Lu Ning, I saw a lot of books with many sticky notes inside. You and Lu Jinzhi left them, right?"
Those things had been there openly and honestly for many years, so Qiao Wu didn't feel there was anything wrong with admitting it: "Hmm."
"You..." Lu Xuan paused, then asked, "Have you been like this with him all along?"
"No," Qiao Wu said. "Didn't we go abroad later?"
Lu Xuan gripped her phone, her throat tightening: "What about before I went abroad? I always thought you two weren't very close."
“We weren’t that close before,” Qiao Wu said truthfully. “These are all things left over from when we were kids, only these things remain.”
"When I was little?"
Qiao Wu responded softly and smiled, "Twelve years ago, I think."
It's been twelve years since then.
Lu Xuan didn't say anything more.
"Any more questions?" Qiao Wu asked.
“No.” Lu Xuan’s voice was very low. “I always feel that some things are strange, but I don’t know where to start. You are strange too.”
In fact, Qiao Wu probably knew what he was struggling with.
Lu Yingchi and Lu Ning were probably still young at that time, so their understanding was somewhat superficial, and they were always ambiguous about her changes.
But Lu Xuan was someone she grew up with. Although he wasn't as smart as Lu Jinzhi, it was reasonable for him to find clues from some minor details.
She said gently, "If you can't figure something out, don't dwell on it. It'll only bother you. Maybe you'll understand someday."
Although she didn't want to deliberately hide it, it was clear that Lu Xuan wasn't ready to accept this answer yet.
She was worried that he wasn't feeling well, so now wasn't a good time to bring it up.
"Shall we start working on it slowly after you get back from work?"
Lu Xuan had no choice but to agree.
After hanging up the phone, he opened the car window, letting the cold wind help him wake up.
He hadn't thought about any of this before boarding the plane, but he met someone on the plane who he had previously wanted to blacklist from the entertainment industry.
Cui Sitong.
Cui Sitong clearly recognized him, so he sat down and greeted him.
Lu Xuan was originally looking at the script and didn't really want to talk to this person, but as soon as he thought about how important this person was in Qiao Wu's eyes, he couldn't help but take a few more glances.
He even proactively asked, "Are you very familiar with Qiao Wu?"
Cui Sitong nodded and then shook his head: "We're not very familiar with each other. We've met a few times for work."
"You two still have work-related interactions?" Lu Xuan asked. "Going to her company?"
"No." Since it wasn't a private matter, Cui Sitong didn't hide anything. "President Qiao wanted to know some things about the studio. It seems she wants to set up a studio."
Lu Xuan had never heard of it before and was taken aback: "A studio?"
"Well, he said he has a friend who is also an artist, so he wanted to know more about it so that things would go more smoothly for his friend in the future." Cui Sitong couldn't help but laugh when he said this. "Actually, it's not a big deal. President Qiao even gave me a watch and bought a lot of things in my name because of this."
After he finished speaking, he didn't hear any sound from next door for a while, so he turned around in confusion.
They found Lu Xuan standing there, completely stunned.
"Teacher Lu?"
Cui Sitong was stunned for a moment after shouting.
He himself developed his career through web dramas, so he has always paid close attention to online trends. He also watched the variety show that Lu Xuan participated in after he had some free time from work, not only to learn, but also to understand which new generation has potential stars.
So he also remembered that Lu Xuan and Qiao Wu seemed to have grown up together.
Cui Sitong tried asking, "Is the friend that President Qiao mentioned you?"
Lu Xuan wanted to say no.
But he had no reason to deny it.
There was no other artist around Qiao Wu who was worth such a big effort from her.
Not even that bird.
He understood very well that although Liao Liao was a friend to Qiao Wu, it was just someone he could help out whenever possible, within the scope of his work and abilities.
Now, Liao Liao is an artist in her company. All she needs to do is do her job well, assess the value and ability of each artist, and give Liao Liao the resources and treatment she deserves. Everything else depends on Liao Liao's efforts.
Qiao Wu is not an impulsive person. When she wants to do something, she will make arrangements and plans well in advance. If she is asked to go beyond the work relationship, she will make plans and put in a lot of effort well in advance.
A few are far from enough.
Therefore, Qiao Wu never mentioned asking him to work at her company.
It's because she had planned from the beginning to set up a studio for him in the future.
She has no shortage of money, nor does she lack ability.
There's no need for someone to partner with Qin Tianrui to open an entertainment company.
Because she has virtually no knowledge of this industry, if she wanted to start a company, she could easily find a field she is good at, which would greatly reduce time and work costs.
So why did she choose the entertainment industry?
"It's me." Lu Xuan squeezed out the two words almost in a trembling voice, then repeated them in a murmur, "It's me."
just me.
It can only be me.
Unbeknownst to him, long ago, perhaps from the moment they first met after he returned to China, in the parking lot when she expressed her hope for his success, she had already been planning for his future.
Even so, even though he felt very tired, she never mentioned it once, and even thought that he could give up if he wanted to.
How could there be such a person?
The assistant, watching him being exposed to the wind, panicked and scrambled to catch his breath, saying, "Brother, you'll catch a cold if you keep this up."
"Know."
Lu Xuan's voice was a little hoarse. He leaned back as if exhausted and raised his hand to cover his eyes.
Even so, he didn't dare to ask Qiao Wu a question when they were talking.
The only option is to withdraw.
He was rather slow to understand certain things, so he subconsciously wanted to trust Lu Jinzhi.
That's when he remembered the notes in the library. He wanted to see Qiao Wu from Lu Jinzhi's perspective.
Lu Jinzhi would not want to maintain contact with a hypocrite for so many years, much less keep such a person by his side and treat her so specially.
But Qiao Wu said that those things were left behind twelve years ago, when she and Lu Jinzhi were not very familiar with each other.
A feeling of lingering fear suddenly welled up from the bottom of Lu Xuan's heart.
"Brother, are you alright?"
Lu Xuan said in a hoarse voice, "Something has come up."
I think I made a big mistake.
Qiao Wu said she would talk to him slowly when she got back. What would she say?
This was the first time Lu Xuan had ever been so afraid of seeing Qiao Wu.
-
Qiao Wu and Lu Jinzhi have indeed been very busy lately. Although they go out and come back together every day, they don't get home until very late.
Lu Yingchi's initial goal of preventing the two from having close contact did not succeed.
He found it hard to imagine that anyone could have a relationship like Lu Jinzhi and Qiao Wu's. Was it a relationship with work or a relationship with a lover? It was utterly inexplicable.
He was still a little unaccustomed to the fact that the huge Lu mansion was now only occupied by him and the servants.
Ultimately, I decided to get down to business and went to the library to prepare competition materials.
The library was only useful to him for its professional materials; he had no interest in other literary classics and had never looked at them. When he entered, he saw the books from Lu Ning's recent reading list on the table and paused in his tracks.
He's too lazy to even look at this stuff, so why does that elementary school loser Lu Ning watch it so enthusiastically every day?
Having been mocked by Lu Jinzhi for supposedly exchanging his leg for a Bodhisattva's help in getting into university, he was a little unconvinced. He pulled out a chair, sat down, and started flipping through Lu Ning's books, wanting to see what kind of beauty and wealth lay inside.
Sure enough, he lost interest after reading a few pages.
Just as I was about to close it, I suddenly realized that the book's thickness was a bit off.
He flipped through the pages haphazardly and found many small sticky notes inside.
When he first saw the handwriting that he had painstakingly copied, he was stunned. It wasn't because of Qiao Wu's mark, but because of Lu Jinzhi's handwriting on that piece of paper.
When his friends asked for autographs, he said that Lu Jinzhi's handwriting was very valuable, not only because of the contracts Lu Jinzhi signed, but also because his handwriting was indeed beautiful.
It's so beautiful that you can recognize it at a glance.
Although he hadn't read the entire book, Lu Yingchi could tell that every word and sentence was a dialogue between the two of them.
He frowned and opened another book.
Every single one of them is like that.
Those conversations and insights, some deep and some shallow, all proved to others that this was a unique exchange of information and a resonance of souls between them.
Qiao Wu said that everyone sees each other differently, and you can't judge based on your own subjective opinions.
So this is how she and Lu Jinzhi see each other?
Who is worthy of Qiao Wu?
Only those whom Qiao Wu approves of deserve it.
She had accepted Lu Jinzhi a long time ago.
This realization shocked Lu Yingchi so much that he couldn't recover for a long time. He spent almost the entire day in the library, looking for evidence of the two people's previous conversations as if he were searching for treasure. Every word and phrase was not from a single day or night, but from year after year.
Qiao Wu got home early today and didn't wait for Lu Jinzhi to pick him up.
She received a call from Lu Yingchi, who said he had something to tell her and asked her to come back on her own first.
Before the driver's car had even stopped, she could see Lu Yingchi leading the princess to stand at the entrance of the main house from afar.
She quickly got out of the car and went forward: "What is it?"
Lu Yingchi handed the horse's reins to her: "Would you like to ride the princess?"
"What?"
Qiao Wu was stunned for a moment.
Riding a horse in this cold weather?
“I’ve taken good care of it.” Lu Yingchi didn’t withdraw his hand, nor did he just say it casually as he used to. Instead, he looked at her intently. “Give it a ride.”
Qiao Wu asked uncertainly, "You let me come back on my own, so you want me to ride the princess?"
"Yes," Lu Yingchi said frankly, "I don't want Lu Jinzhi's cavalry to be defeated."
Qiao Wu: "..."
Actually, given your brother's lazy nature, he really wouldn't endure this hardship in this weather.
Although she didn't quite understand, seeing how insistent Lu Yingchi was today and how big a fuss he was making, she didn't refuse. She took the reins and gently patted the princess's back.
She exclaimed, "It's really beautiful."
“That’s right,” Lu Yingchi said. “That’s all I did.”
Over the years, it seems he hasn't accomplished anything.
They took very good care of the princess, though.
When he was in kindergarten, he would give his little red flower to Qiao Wu.
But now, this is all he has left.
He turned his head, his eyes filled with obvious expectation: "Let's go up."
"good."
Qiao Wu mounted the horse. This was the second time she had ridden the princess; the last time, she hadn't paid much attention because of the emergency.
This time, sitting down and riding such a beautiful horse felt pretty cool.
"Where to?" she asked.
Lu Yingchi smiled and said, "Whatever." Considering that Lu Yingchi was walking and that riding a fast horse in this weather would be really cold, Qiao Wu did not speed up but walked slowly forward. "How about we go for a stroll?"
"good."
Lu Yingchi walked beside her, holding the rope for her.
Qiao Wu lowered his eyes and asked, "I've always wanted to ask, why do you call it princess?"
Lu Yingchi hooked the rope and said softly, "Because she's beautiful."
Qiao Wu nodded.
That's true.
Lu Yingchi, standing on his horse, could occasionally look up and see Qiao Wu's contented expression.
This was the scene he had envisioned when he was raising a princess. The princess was beautiful, and his princess was beautiful too. He was still the one holding the leash, but it wasn't the scene he had imagined.
He once thought he would be the princess's knight.
But in reality, the princess doesn't need knights; she needs warriors who walk alongside her.
All his past self-righteousness was just delusion; nobody needs it.
So, he raised the princess for so many years, and only he felt that she was irreplaceable and very important. In reality, no one else knew his purpose; only he himself was moved by her.
But when he saw Qiao Wu praise its beauty and rode the horse, he felt it was all worth it.
Even if it's just for this brief moment.
Although Qiao Wu thought riding a fast horse might be cold, after she had actually ridden for a while, she was no longer satisfied with the speed.
It's cold, so be it; as long as you're happy.
Upon arriving at the horse farm, she asked, "Shall I take a ride?"
Lu Yingchi loosened the rope: "Okay."
Three seconds after he finished speaking, the man in front of him let out a soft shout and rode off like an arrow.
A light drizzle fell in winter, accompanied by a thick white mist.
It was definitely not a good day for horseback riding.
Lu Yingchi stood outside and saw her black hair flowing freely in the wind, and felt relieved.
Everything depends on the right timing, location, and people.
Good weather is unpredictable.
So many days have passed since summer, with countless good days and countless thoughts, but each time he was interrupted by something or a thought, and he never managed to send it out successfully.
It's not the weather's fault, it's his.
Not everything can go as planned, but getting on the same path is the best outcome.
He will have many better things in the future, more money, and many different gifts for her.
But it's different for princesses; princesses can only be given gifts at this time.
Qiao Wu, who was in the distance, had already completed a lap and returned. She stopped the horse and controlled its speed. Her eyes shone brightly in the hazy mist, and the warm breath she exhaled seemed to warm one's heart as well.
“Lu Yingchi!” Qiao Wu lowered his eyes and smiled, “It’s amazing.”
Lu Yingchi raised an eyebrow: "Do you like it?"
"like."
"Then it's yours."
Qiao Wu's smile faltered for a moment, tinged with confusion: "Give it to me?"
“I want to raise a different horse,” Lu Yingchi said, tilting his head back. “So this one is for you.”
“Raising other horses doesn’t conflict with raising a princess,” Qiao Wu said, dismounting from his horse. “You’ve raised them for so long and they’re so well-cared for.”
“But I can only raise one horse at a time,” Lu Yingchi said. “I won’t be willing to give you the horses I raise later.”
Qiao Wu didn't understand his logic: "You're really willing to part with the princess?"
What kind of horse can he keep for another ten years or more?
Lu Yingchi looked at her and said, "I'm willing to give it up."
Qiao Wu originally wanted to refuse, but after seeing Lu Yingchi's eyes, he didn't speak rashly.
In her heart, Lu Yingchi had always been a younger brother who needed to be taken care of. He often took care of these immature and naive children, and his rebellious temper was hard to control, but she could accept it.
But the Lu Yingchi of today gives her a sense of seriousness that comes with a maturity beyond his years.
This made her realize that this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, nor was it the impulsive act of the past, but rather the result of his long-term consideration.
"Why?" she asked.
Lu Yingchi touched the princess and gently licked his lips: "This is the most successful thing I have done in all these years. Like a little red flower, this is the last little red flower I have in these eighteen years."
Qiao Wu's heart stirred.
She used to receive many little red flowers from Lu Yingchi, and they are still neatly pasted in her notebook.
In the past, whenever Lu Yingchi accomplished something and wanted her praise, he would give her a little red flower in exchange.
“The little red flower used to be for Qiao Wu,” Lu Yingchi said in a low voice, lowering his eyes. “From now on, Lu Yingchi’s little red flower will be for himself.”
He always followed behind Qiao Wu, but the result was that he could only ever be behind her.
But his original intention was to walk with her.
He wanted to become an independent person, like Lu Jinzhi, with his own thoughts, and not be restricted or coerced by anyone, so that he could stand on the same side as Qiao Wu and Lu Jinzhi.
"I want to go with you."
Qiao Wu rarely felt flustered when facing Lu Yingchi, but she definitely felt that way now.
She looked up and realized that even in this posture, Lu Yingchi was indeed much taller than her.
She had never had this perception before; she only thought of him as a younger brother.
"Lu Yingchi," she called softly.
"Um."
Qiao Wu raised her hand and touched his hair, which was wet with the drizzle: "I have kept all the little red flowers you gave me before."
Lu Yingchi was slightly taken aback.
Qiao Wu lowered his hand and smiled, "So I will take good care of the princess as well."
Lu Yingchi tilted his head.
He laughed too.
When Lu Jinzhi returned, he heard from the servants that Qiao Wu was at the horse farm.
When he arrived at the horse farm, only Qiao Wu was there; she was carefully grooming the princess.
Where is Lu Yingchi?
Qiao Wu turned around and smiled, "Now the princess is mine."
Lu Jinzhi raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
He remembered that when Lu Yingchi was a child, he cried and begged to raise a horse, and he almost slept with the horse in his arms. He took better care of the horse than he took care of himself, and he even skipped his own meals to look after his princess.
He hummed in agreement: "What did he say?"
Qiao Wu said a few words briefly, then added, "Maybe he's grown up?"
Lu Jinzhi neither agreed nor disagreed.
He raised his hand and gently patted the princess's head, then chuckled, "He doesn't like fairy tales."
Qiao Wu paused slightly and turned to look at him.
What boy in the family likes fairy tales about princesses and princes? Lu Yingchi even prefers stories with intense battles.
But he enjoyed listening to Qiao Wu tell stories.
Qiao Wu could only tell him the fairy tales of princesses and princes that she had in her mind.
So why would Lu Yingchi name a horse "Princess" when he was a child? If he were to name it, it would be "King" or "Armored Warrior".
Her pupils contracted slightly.
So Lu Yingchi had another reason he didn't mention.
This little red flower was prepared for her from the very beginning.
It wasn't that she had any other misconceptions; she simply felt that this sentiment was too heavy.
Her eyes stung terribly: "I don't know."
“That’s his business.” Lu Jinzhi withdrew his hand, gently wiped the corner of her eye, and kissed it. “The princess doesn’t need to know, because she is indeed very beautiful.”
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