Chapter 4 – Does This Still Count?

Lu Cheng accidentally met Xu Shan’s gaze, and she immediately gave him a fawning smile. The sight made his stomach turn.

He couldn’t understand—what had his mother been thinking back then?

Why did she insist on arranging a marriage for him with a countryside girl?

“Lu Cheng, you said before that you needed time to think about it. A week has passed now—have you made up your mind?” Lu Huaizheng finally spoke, his voice calm but laced with unmistakable authority.

Lu Cheng raised his eyebrows and glanced at the woman across from him. The disgust in his heart resurfaced. “Not yet. I still need more time.”

His mother, Cheng Wanying, was pacing around the room with a toddler in her arms, trying to soothe the child. Hearing her son say again that he still needed time, she immediately understood that he was clearly unhappy with the engagement.

“Fine, you want more time. But how much longer do you need?”

The engagement had been arranged by her and Xu Nuo’s mother years ago. Cheng Wanying had personally signed the agreement. Now that Xu Nuo’s mother was gone and Xu Nuo had come with the contract asking them to honor the engagement—no matter what, the marriage should go through.

“I don’t know,” Lu Cheng said irritably, tugging at the collar of his uniform.

“Speak properly! You can’t just leave Xu Nuo hanging here waiting for you, can you? How is that right?” Cheng Wanying was starting to lose her temper.

After all, when “Xu Nuo” came to the Lu residence with the engagement letter, everyone in the military compound heard about it.

If the Lu family were to back out of the engagement just because of the girl’s background or appearance, people would talk. It would ruin their reputation and bring shame to the family.

It wasn’t just her who wouldn’t agree to that—Old Lu definitely wouldn’t, either.

“Maybe a month, maybe a year. If it takes longer to decide, then maybe three to five years!” Lu Cheng said with a cold laugh.

How could Xu Shan not understand Lu Cheng’s attitude?

It was obvious—he looked down on her and didn’t want to marry her!

If it were any other girl with a thinner skin, she might’ve run off crying by now. But Xu Shan? She had traveled all this way just to get married. Leave without getting what she came for? No way.

Look at him—this man was tall, handsome, and had just been promoted to company commander!

That woman Erhua from her village? Her husband was only a squad leader in the army and already got a hefty monthly allowance. Every month he sent money back home from the base.

A company commander had to make more than a squad leader, right?

And Lu Cheng’s father—he was a big official, rumored to be a major general or something like that… Just look at the place they lived in: a spacious two-story building, even the floors were made of concrete.

And inside? Fancy furniture everywhere, a sewing machine, a radio, a television, even a record player… Their dining table had fish and meat every day, and they even had a maid hired just to cook.

And when the old man went out, he had a driver with a military rank pick him up.

Marrying into this family—was she coming here to be a daughter-in-law? No, she’d be living like a rich young mistress!

That Xu Nuo must have had great karma in her past life to be matched with such a good family!

Too bad her luck ran out. In the end, wasn’t this juicy piece of “fat meat” going into her mouth instead?

So no matter what, Xu Shan was determined to stay!

“Auntie Cheng, I can tell Lu Cheng doesn’t like me! Yes, I’m from the countryside, and I’ve never seen much of the world. I’d embarrass him if he took me out! If your family really can’t stand me, then I’ll just leave,” Xu Shan said, playing the victim in a clever move to retreat in order to advance.

“Leave?” Lu Cheng’s eyes lit up, thinking this was finally over. “Do you have anywhere to go? If not, I can help you find a job—or maybe introduce you to one of my buddies?”

Xu Shan pulled a bitter face. “No need. If I go back, I’ll just go find my mother.”

“Didn’t your mom already…”

“Mhm. But there’s no point for me to keep living in this world,” Xu Shan cut in, tears streaming down her face. “Instead of being sold by my uncle and aunt to that fool in our village, I might as well bash my head and end it all for some peace!”

Lu Cheng let out a long breath and leaned back into the sofa. “I knew it would end up like this!!”

Lu Huaizheng knew there was no point continuing the conversation. After all, Lu Cheng was his son.

“I’ve decided—Lu Cheng will marry Xu Nuo! Wanying, pick a suitable date for them to register their marriage. A promise is a promise, and we can’t go back on our word! A commitment must be honored!”

Seeing that his father had made the final call, Lu Cheng instantly became furious.

He shot up from the sofa. “I won’t marry her! Just look at her—can you honestly say she’s a good match? I don’t get it. Why out of all the decent girls, you had to pick her for me?!”

As soon as he said that, Xu Shan burst into loud sobs.

Lu Huaizheng’s face darkened, and he slammed his hand onto the coffee table with a loud smack. “Lu Cheng, what nonsense are you spouting?! Do you even hear yourself? And you call yourself a soldier? Is this how the military taught you to speak?!”

Lu Cheng looked aggrieved. “Yes, I’m a soldier! I’m willing to shed blood for the country. But that doesn’t mean I have to accept injustice! For example—this marriage! Someone just crawls out of nowhere, and you expect me to marry her? Just like that?!”

“You ungrateful brat!” Lu Huaizheng roared, his rage boiling over.

He stood up, raised his hand, and looked ready to slap Lu Cheng across the face.

Just then, a voice came from the doorway: “Chenchen’s back! Oh, and who’s this young lady…?”

The moment Lu Cheng heard that Lu Chen was back, he quickly shouted, “Dad, Dad—my big brother’s back! Didn’t you say you had official matters to discuss with him? Maybe you should talk to him first, and we can deal with my issue later!”

He didn’t even wait for a response—he dashed up the stairs in a flash.

“You little rascal, get back here!” Lu Huaizheng bellowed. “We’ll deal with your issue first! I’ll talk to your brother later!”

Lu Cheng: “…”

Lu Chen strode into the room with long, confident steps. His eyes fell directly on Xu Shan the moment he entered.

Xu Shan suddenly felt nervous. Lu Chen’s features were even more striking than Lu Cheng’s, but his gaze was sharp, cold, and intimidating—like he could see right through you.

Being under the same roof with him made the atmosphere feel strangely oppressive—so much so that she had the urge to run.

“Dad, Mom,” Lu Chen greeted them as he took off his military jacket and hung it neatly on the coat rack. He rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt. “You’re discussing Lu Cheng’s engagement?”

Cheng Wanying nodded slowly, her expression a little troubled. But she quickly composed herself and asked, “Did you pick him up?”

“No,” Lu Chen replied. “I didn’t pick up Wu Yue—but I did bring someone else back.”

“Who?” Everyone turned their eyes toward Lu Chen.

He had come in alone—so who was the “someone else”?

Lu Chen stepped aside.

His tall frame, at least a full head taller than Xu Nuo’s, had completely shielded her from view. All anyone could see was his broad back and strong shoulders.

Once he moved, Xu Nuo’s line of sight suddenly opened up.

The first person she saw was Xu Shan, sitting on the couch. Xu Shan spotted her at the same time, and her eyes immediately widened in shock. She was completely thrown into a panic, like a bug on a hot griddle.

Xu Nuo didn’t look at her directly, nor did she start arguing. She simply introduced herself to the room:

“Hello, everyone. I’m Xu Nuo. My father was Xu Guanshan, and my mother was Yang Peiying. They both passed away ten years ago, and I’ve been raised by my grandmother ever since. A week ago, she also passed. Before she died, she told me my mother had arranged a childhood engagement for me and asked me to come to Beijing to find out—does that engagement still count?”