After the start of the school year, time passed quickly.

In Lu Nian’s second year of high school, many things happened.

Under Lu Zhihong’s leadership, the Lu family successfully went public that year, and their stock price soared.

In Ancheng and even throughout the entire southern region, they seemed to be the dominant force in their industry.

However, in the latter half of the year, due to an emergency hospitalization of Lu Zhihong, it triggered internal power struggles within the board of directors, and controversies arose over the future heir of the Lu family.

As a result, the skyrocketing Lu family stock from the first half of the year finally fell back to normal levels.

Lu Nian remembered the plot from the original book.

During this time, the Lu family indeed prospered continuously.

However, later on, due to Lu Zhihong’s stubbornness, frequent decision-making mistakes, and an unexpected financial crisis, a few years later, the Lu family found themselves on the brink of bankruptcy, with the entire company on the verge of collapse.

In the original book, it was Qin Si who saved the declining Lu family.

But at the cost of this, Lu Zhihong made a deal with the devil and ultimately destroyed the entire Lu family.

This should have happened when Qin Si was twenty-three years old, five years later.

By then, he had returned to the Lu family and had become a devil obsessed with revenge, cold-hearted and ruthless.

With his meticulous mind and innate extraordinary talent, no one in the Lu family could match him anymore.

He kept climbing up and eventually stood above everyone else.

And now… she didn’t know what would happen.

Qin Si was still Qin Si, but this time, she had forcibly cut off a lot of his connection with the Lu family.

For example, the torture and abuse he had suffered in the Lu family, which he was about to encounter later on, had been avoided by Lu Nian after she arrived.

And after he left the Lu family, he didn’t go to No. 13 Middle School, thus embarking on a path of decadence.

Qin Si’s life trajectory had changed.

So he wouldn’t be so obsessed with seeking revenge on the Lu family, and naturally wouldn’t step in to save the Lu family from the brink of bankruptcy at that time.

What consequences would the crisis of the Lu family several years later bring?

In the original book, by this time, Lu Nian had already died.

To be honest, although she was still alive now, Lu Nian was completely ignorant of managing a company and didn’t feel she had the talent for it.

She didn’t think she had the ability to single-handedly save the Lu family.

Such things also required talent; it wasn’t something anyone could do just by saying they wanted to.

However… there were too many changes in her life this time around.

As for the future, she really couldn’t say.

Take Nan Qiao for example.

The original book only mentioned this place briefly, describing how Zhao Yayuan had once recuperated there as a child, but it had nothing to do with Lu Nian.

But the photo she found in the hidden compartment, knowing she had lost her memory before, knowing about the location of Nan Qiao, and even discovering that Zhao Yayuan might have known her from before…

It was like unlocking a hidden main storyline while playing a game.

In fact, Lu Nian had a faint resistance.

She didn’t know if it came from her original body’s resistance.

Logically, after discovering the photo in the hidden compartment that day and learning some truths related to Nan Qiao from Zhao Yayuan, she should have actively started investigating.

However, in the latter half of the year, after Lu Zhihong was discharged from the hospital, his surveillance on her became even stricter and all-encompassing.

When she was at the Lu family’s residence, she was practically under surveillance every moment, her actions, even her daily mood changes, were reported to Lu Zhihong by ubiquitous informants.

Especially after Lu Zhihong mentioned the psychologist to her several times, she felt particularly eerie.

She would occasionally go to Zhao Yayuan’s place, but only for some peace and quiet, to temporarily leave the Lu family and Lu Zhihong.

It was the only place where she could find a moment of tranquility now.

When Lu Nian was at Zhao’s house, she basically didn’t study.

Zhao Yayuan didn’t spend much time at home either; he was busy after going to college, often not at home, leaving only Zhao Yayuan alone at home, and he had sent away quite a few of the servants from the Zhao family.

But this also made it convenient for Lu Nian.

Under the guise of tutoring Zhao Yayuan, she actually didn’t teach at all.

Most of the time, she freely painted, treating Zhao Yayuan as a decoration and Zhao’s house as a hotel.

That day, the painting she was making for Qin Si was still only in the sketch stage.

The reason wasn’t that she didn’t want to continue… It was because the model was no longer there, so she couldn’t continue.

After that incident, she felt embarrassed to actively arrange another meeting with Qin Si.

Qin Si was in his senior year now, his time was even tighter, and he didn’t have the extra time and energy to play this kind of game with her.

Moreover, with Lu Zhihong’s recent surveillance on her, she didn’t dare to act rashly anymore.

Zhao Yayuan was absentmindedly working on a math test paper.

Seeing that she was immersed in drawing again and ignoring him, he couldn’t sit still, and pulled out a report card from his bag.

“I’ve been improving lately.”

He proudly presented the report card to Lu Nian.

“Oh.” Lu Nian glanced at it. “It’s still not better than mine. Keep working hard next time.”

Zhao Yayuan: “…”

“Do you want me to catch up to your grades in just one semester?” he exclaimed. “Are you kidding me?”

“My grades aren’t that great either,” Lu Nian replied.

Qin Si could be called someone with good grades.

After entering the second year of high school, her grades had declined somewhat, to around 150th place in her grade, but she found that this was already a good result from her talent development.

Qin Si’s grades, on the other hand, were getting better and better, consistently ranking first.

Occasionally passing by the honor roll for the year, she often saw his name or heard various discussions about him.

Next year, he would probably leave.

He would get into a top university, and then naturally leave Ancheng, heading towards a bright future.

For some reason, her mood plummeted suddenly.

Lu Nian pursed her lips, closed the unfinished painting, and picked up her phone, logging into Hai Tu.

Last time she was at Zhao’s house, she remembered posting a new sketch, which was based on the unfinished sketch she made for Qin Si.

Actually, up until now, she’s been painting very freely.

Basically, most of the males she draws are modeled after Qin Si, while the girls are quite diverse.

There are also some landscape paintings and cute animal drawings.

Lu Nian was startled by the red dots and notifications.

You see, she suddenly opened this account, and usually, it doesn’t get much attention, with only a few followers here and there.

The likes and comments under this post surprised her. The number of her followers increased by more than ten times.

Lu Nian hurriedly checked it out carefully, no wonder… it seems it was reposted by a quite popular blogger.

She painted a picture of a young man in ancient style, under the evening sun.

The young man wore sturdy clothes, had a slim waist, long legs, black hair tied up in a bun, and a pair of cold, slightly upturned phoenix eyes, gazing calmly ahead.

The brilliance of this painting lies in the expression of the young man. At first glance, it seems cold and aloof, proud to the bone.

Surprisingly, there were quite a few comments below.

“Ah ah ah! The color matching is so beautiful!”

【Encounter Deer】: Thank you, I posted the coloring method in a previous post!

“Wow, I’m so moved!!! Can I use it as my profile picture, dear?”

【Encounter Deer】: Of course you can.

“Dear, what software do you usually use?”

Lu Nian openly mentioned the software she used.

“Dear, your painting is so sensual!! Clearly it looks super reserved, but there’s this sensual feeling that’s so captivating!”

Lu Nian: ???

As she scrolled down, she was filled with question marks by this comment.

A sensual feeling?

Where could that be seen? Clearly, she made him dress very conservatively, nothing revealing.

Yet she suddenly remembered the time she painted, when she forced Qin Si to take off his outer garment.

Under the thin sweater, the contours of the young man’s back muscles were faintly visible, his bones and proportions were all clear, and his slim waist and long legs were all laid bare.

And his expression at that moment when he was forced to take off his outer garment.

Lu Nian suddenly felt a bit guilty.

Lu Nian replied, “It was painted according to a prototype, there’s absolutely no sensual feeling!!”

Unexpectedly, replies flooded in instantly, several in a row.

“There’s actually a prototype?!!”

“Dear, are there any handsome guys to check out?!!”

Lu Nian: …

That’s definitely not the case.

She had never taken any photos with Qin Si, let alone his photos.

Of course, even if there were, she wouldn’t give them to anyone.

Lu Nian stopped replying and was about to log out of Hai Tu, when someone behind her asked softly, “Who did you draw?”

Lu Nian was startled.

Zhao Yayuan didn’t know how long he had been watching it.

He stared at the painting, “Prototype… do you like this guy?”

Lu Nian hesitated, then shook her head firmly.

Why would she like Qin Si? She didn’t want to humiliate herself.

After all, from Qin Si’s attitude towards her…

Besides, based on her current understanding of Qin Si and the descriptions in the original text, he probably just thinks that women are annoying, and doesn’t have any feelings for anyone.

But Zhao Yayuan didn’t know Qin Si well either, and this painting was obviously artistic, not an exact replica.

She didn’t think Zhao Yayuan would recognize him.

Zhao Yayuan asked, “Since you like painting so much, why not become an art student in the future?”

Lu Nian replied, “That’s impossible.”

There was nothing more to say about this; Lu Zhihong would never agree.

“The time’s up for today.” Lu Nian stood up. “I’m leaving.”

They had developed a kind of tacit understanding.

Lu Nian came here to seek refuge and to accompany him, but she never asked about anything related to Nan Qiao.

At first, Zhao Yayuan found it intriguing, but now, after so long… Lu Nian’s calmness made him increasingly uneasy.

“Hey, are you free during the winter vacation?” Zhao Yayuan stopped her. “Want to go out with me?”

“Where to?” Lu Nian packed her bag absentmindedly, asking without much interest.

“Nan Qiao.”

Lu Nian’s hand paused as she packed her bag, her expression indifferent. “Maybe next year.”

After she graduates.

She would eventually have to go there once.

She couldn’t avoid it.

But not now.

Lu Nian’s seventeen-year-old self arrived late.

She was very famous in school because of her family background, and even more so because of her looks, which she found unbelievable herself.

Although it wasn’t what she hoped for.

To be honest, Lu Nian would rather restore her previous cute and lovely appearance than the eye-catching one she had now.

Especially when she walked with Zhao Yayuan on campus, they complemented each other, and many people privately speculated that the Zhao and Lu families had long had that intention, so they tacitly allowed their current close relationship.

But whether it was Zhao Tingyuan or Zhao Yayuan, there was still some debate.

This year, Qin Si turned eighteen.

Lu Nian rarely saw him anymore. Occasionally she sent a text, either receiving no response or just a few words.

However, there was always one thing on Lu Nian’s mind.

After school one day, during the big break, Lu Nian finally caught up with Qin Si under the teaching building.

After so many days apart, he seemed to have grown taller, and his features seemed even more profound, though there was a hint of weariness between his handsome brows.

“Qin Si.” Lu Nian called his name, her voice clear and crisp.

The young man remained expressionless and didn’t speak.

Looking past her, he raised his gaze to someone not far away, Zhao Yayuan, who had come over with her.

Lu Nian ran over panting, but before she could say anything, Zhao Yayuan also caught up.

“I say, when are you coming to my house again?” He tried to hook Lu Nian with ease, but she dodged.

Zhao Yayuan felt a bit aggrieved.

“I have something to do.” Lu Nian was annoyed with him. “Talk to me later.”

“What’s the rush? What’s going on?” Zhao Yayuan asked.

Lu Nian pushed him away, feeling like she wanted to explain to Qin Si, but she didn’t know what to explain. “He’s Zhao Ting… “

“Zhao Tingyuan’s brother.” The boy’s voice was as cold as ice. “How many times do you want to say it? Are you trying to show off that you’re close?”

Lu Nian was speechless.

She felt confused inside but couldn’t articulate it.

In fact, she wanted to confirm something with him.

She remembered Qin Si’s eighteenth birthday was this weekend.

She had thought for a long time and finally came up with a way to temporarily evade Lu Zhihong. She wanted to go and celebrate with him.

But now, looking at Qin Si’s attitude, her heart was in turmoil, and she couldn’t say anything.

The young man remained silent, then turned and walked away, leaving Lu Nian standing there alone, feeling lost.

“Tsk.” A clear voice sounded behind her. “He doesn’t have feelings for you, stop daydreaming.”

Lu Nian glared at him.