Lu Mingcheng paused for a moment, then, after a few seconds of silence, said, “Tomorrow evening, we’ll have dinner at the old house. I’ll come back to pick you up after work.”

Hearing this, Jiang Qiuyi opened her eyes to look at him. “Do you have something tonight?”

Lu Mingcheng gave a soft “Mm.” “There’s a final discussion about the resort project, followed by a dinner meeting afterward.”

“In the evening?” Jiang Qiuyi asked.

Lu Mingcheng nodded.

Lu Mingcheng noticed the subtle shift in Jiang Qiuyi’s expression and casually asked. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

Jiang Qiuyi smiled faintly and added. “Hope you enjoy your dinner.”

Lu Mingcheng: “…”

He wasn’t foolish, so he immediately sensed something off in her words.

After a brief pause, he asked quietly. “I heard from Liu Dong that you ran into someone at the hotel today?”

Jiang Qiuyi replied with a simple “Mm.”

She hesitated for a moment, then lifted her eyelids to meet his gaze. “What do you want to ask?”

Lu Mingcheng looked at her steadily. “He mentioned that Miss Xu from the other company greeted you. Do you know each other?”

“….”

Jiang Qiuyi stared at him and realized that when he asked the question, his expression was completely calm and natural, with no hint of suspicion or discomfort.

She thought for a moment and found his question reasonable.

Since they hadn’t officially met before, there was no reason for her to feel guilty or uneasy.

After a few seconds of silence, Jiang Qiuyi replied coldly. “I don’t know her.”

Lu Mingcheng nodded. “Got it.”

Jiang Qiuyi: “?”

She was about to ask him what he meant by that, but before she could speak, Lu Mingcheng suddenly changed the subject. “Are you tired?”

Jiang Qiuyi froze for a moment, staring at him in confusion.

Before she could process what was happening, he took hold of her wrist. Almost immediately, he leaned in closer to her.

…

By the time Jiang Qiuyi registered what was going on, her nightgown had already been tossed aside.

The heat of his breath washed over her, overwhelming her thoughts.

The night was deep, and the lake’s surface mirrored the gentle ripples of a small boat seemingly drifting in the distance.

Jiang Qiuyi suspected that Lu Mingcheng had done it on purpose, taking advantage of her drowsy, half-conscious state in the middle of the night.

And yet, by the end, she found herself somewhat enjoying it.

As she drifted off to sleep afterward, her thoughts wandered in a hazy daze.

If it weren’t for what would happen a year later, she actually quite enjoyed the physical aspect of their married life with Lu Mingcheng.

He was skilled, attentive to her emotions and needs during intimacy, and ensured that she, as a married woman with physical desires, was thoroughly satisfied.

More importantly, he had an excellent physique and striking looks.

Having the privilege of sharing a bed with such a handsome man—who wouldn’t find that enjoyable?

In this regard, it wasn’t so much that Lu Mingcheng was “having” her, but rather that they were mutually fulfilling each other’s needs.

Of course, the premise for this arrangement was simple: as long as he wasn’t fooling around outside, Jiang Qiuyi could grudgingly continue to “make do” with him.

The next morning, when Jiang Qiuyi woke up, Lu Mingcheng was already gone.

She lay in bed for a while, allowing her body to recover before reluctantly getting up.

After having breakfast, Jiang Qiuyi noticed several WeChat invitations from her contacts.

Following the events of last night, many people in the industry began to believe that her status and position in the Lu family had changed, and they were eager to get closer to her.

Jiang Qiuyi automatically filtered out invitations for parties, gatherings, and shopping, then replied to a message from Li Miao.

Li Miao mentioned that there was a fashion show in the city that evening and asked if Jiang Qiuyi wanted to go.

Jiang Qiuyi: [Sure, what’s the theme?]

Li Miao: [It’s a Chinese-style theme. It should be pretty good. I’ll send you the link so you can take a look.]

Although Li Miao loved luxury brands, she was also very supportive of niche clothing brands, especially those with unique cultural elements.

Jiang Qiuyi clicked on the link Li Miao sent and discovered that it was from a brand that wasn’t particularly popular. The founder was Chinese, and the designs leaned heavily into traditional Chinese elements, showcasing distinctive cultural features.

The designs had a delicate, ethereal quality, but with a unique twist.

Jiang Qiuyi: [It’s really beautiful.]

Li Miao: [Right? But their profits aren’t very high. This show is happening because they managed to secure some sponsorship.]

Jiang Qiuyi: [They’re short on money?]

Li Miao: [? What do you have in mind?]

Jiang Qiuyi: [Is it still possible for me to sponsor them now?]

Li Miao: [It might be too late for sponsorship, but we could buy a few more pieces and help promote the brand later.]

Jiang Qiuyi: [No problem.]

Spending money was something she was quite good at lately.

In the afternoon, Jiang Qiuyi met up with Li Miao. They first went for a spa treatment, then had their makeup done at a salon. After changing into a new dress, they headed to the fashion show.

The fashion show wasn’t crowded, and there were very few familiar faces in their circle.

Jiang Qiuyi watched the event and began to form an idea.

She turned to Li Miao and asked. “I looked at quite a few of their designs this afternoon. Do you think the owner would be open to investment?”

Li Miao: “…”

She paused, then looked at Jiang Qiuyi, amused and speechless. “You want to invest?”

Jiang Qiuyi raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”

Li Miao thought for a moment before replying. “It’s possible, but the style is quite niche. The consumer base is limited, and the prices aren’t cheap.”

Jiang Qiuyi lifted an eyebrow. “If you promote it on your WeChat or Weibo, I’m sure no one will complain about the price.”

Li Miao chuckled, looking at her. “Wouldn’t it be more fitting for the wife of Mr. Lu to do the promotion?”

Jiang Qiuyi’s eyes sparkled, as she indeed had that intention.

She could use her current status as the wife of Mr. Lu to promote the brand. She could even find a number of people willing to help advertise the brand for free.

“After the show, let’s talk to the founder,” Li Miao said, getting intrigued by her idea. “Maybe it could really work.”

“Great.”

The fashion show featured a variety of distinctive outfits.

There were designs inspired by blue-and-white porcelain, bright red wedding gowns, and delicate white tulle skirts that seemed to float, exuding an ethereal charm. The traditional Chinese landscape prints gave off a fantasy vibe, making one feel as though they were stepping into a dream of immortals.

Everything, from the artistry to the details, was just perfect, providing a stunningly beautiful show for everyone.

After the show, Jiang Qiuyi felt even more confident in her plan.

Once it ended, she and Li Miao headed backstage.

Without hesitation, Jiang Qiuyi selected more than a dozen outfits she absolutely loved.

The staff on one side was momentarily stunned, looking at her in surprise. “Which ones did you want?”

Jiang Qiuyi smiled and pointed. “The ten or so sets over there, I’ll take them all.”

Staff member: “….”

While Jiang Qiuyi was finalizing the paperwork for her purchases, Lu Mingcheng was still at the dinner.

He had been drinking quite a bit and went to the bathroom.

When he returned, his phone vibrated.

He glanced down at it—it was a notification for a payment.

His wife, the thrifty Mrs. Lu, had just racked up another bill of several hundred thousand.

Lu Mingcheng chuckled softly, about to put his phone away when a woman’s voice came from the side.

“Mr. Lu.”

Lu Mingcheng lifted his eyelids and looked at the newcomer.

It was Xu Wanbai, the lead designer from the construction company.

He nodded. “What’s the matter?”

Meeting his gaze, Xu Wanbai seemed slightly uneasy.

“I’d like to discuss the design proposal with you again. When would be a good time for you?”

Just as Lu Mingcheng was about to respond, his phone vibrated.

It was a message from Jiang Qiuyi.

Jiang Qiuyi: [Can I borrow your lawyer for something?]

Lu Mingcheng: [What’s it about?]

Jiang Qiuyi: [Of course, it’s about investment. Do you think it’s about divorce?]

If she was asking to borrow his lawyer for a divorce, does he think she plans to walk away with nothing and ask him to cover her legal fees afterward?

Jiang Qiuyi wasn’t stupid.

When Lu Mingcheng saw her message, his brow twitched involuntarily.

He paused for a moment before replying: [When do you need him?]

Jiang Qiuyi: [Tomorrow.]

Lu Mingcheng: [I’ll have Xu Chen arrange it for you.]

Jiang Qiuyi: [Alright. Are you coming home tonight?]

Lu Mingcheng furrowed his brows, feeling that her question was a bit odd. [Yes.]

Jiang Qiuyi: [Oh, I’m going out with Miao Miao tonight, so I won’t be coming back. Have the lawyer come to the hotel to find me tomorrow.]

Lu Mingcheng: “…”

=^_^=

Author has something to say: Lu Mingcheng: “? Who exactly is the one who might be divorced and leave with nothing?”

Author: “In the novel, it’s Qiuyi, but here… it might be you.”

Qiuyi: “I’ll be spending even more money tomorrow. Get ready.”