Chapter 009: Take This Money and Leave My Daughter

Lu Jingshan sat on the sofa while Fang Yimeng lounged casually beside him, scrolling through Weibo, checking what new rumors or gossip about her had made it to the trending list.

After a round of interrogation that felt more like filling out a household registration form, Fang’s father had already tossed his newspaper aside. He leaned forward, asking Lu Jingshan, “What is it that you do, Xiao Lu?”

“I work in tech promotion and application services.”

“What kind of job is that?” Fang’s mother didn’t understand and tugged on her daughter’s sleeve, whispering the question.

Still lost in her phone, Fang Yimeng didn’t respond.

Lu Jingshan slightly turned toward Fang’s mother and patiently explained, “It’s similar to internet-based cultural activity services, though broader. Eventually, it will also involve talent management and entertainment booking.”

Fang’s father frowned at the response. Glancing at his daughter slouched like that, he stood up.
“Yimeng, come with me to the study. I need to talk to you.”

Urged by her mother, Fang Yimeng reluctantly put her phone away and walked a few steps before looking back at Lu Jingshan, clearly uneasy about leaving him alone.

Lu Jingshan, sipping his tea, missed the silent signal from her eyes.
Seeing the man not respond at all, Fang Yimeng sighed helplessly.

Fang’s mother noticed her daughter’s subtle gestures and then glanced at Lu Jingshan, who remained calm and aloof.
She suddenly remembered something Madam Chen next door had once said during the New Year:

“When they’re kids, you push them to stick ‘fortune’ characters on the wall. When they grow up, they stick themselves to others.”

She sighed inwardly—she had only herself to blame. She had pushed Yimeng to paste too many fortune characters.

“Xiao Lu, you come with me too,” said Fang’s mother, standing and gently patting his shoulder before leading him to the meeting room on the first floor.

She sat down in a plush chair, adjusted the small glasses on her nose, and elegantly pulled a black card from her pocket. She placed it in front of Lu Jingshan and lifted her chin slightly with pride.

“This is three million. The PIN is Yimeng’s birthday. Take it and leave my daughter.”

Lu Jingshan’s gaze fell to the solitary black card on the wooden table. A subtle, unreadable smile played in his deep eyes.

A low chuckle rumbled from his throat.
He praised her first, “Auntie, you’re very generous.”

Fang’s mother’s hands, resting on her knees, tightened slightly. A wave of unease rose in her heart.

“What? Too little?” she asked, fixing him with a sharp look.

“Not at all,” Lu Jingshan shook his head, then leaned forward and pushed the card back toward her. “Giving away three million without a transfer agreement—if you later accuse me of illegally profiting and report me to the police, wouldn’t I end up losing both love and money?”

Fang’s mother had picked up a lot of tricks from Madam Chen about testing “sons-in-law” in rich families.

She hadn’t expected this young man—only twenty-two—to be so cautious and sharp.
Her dream of playing out a rich-family soap opera scenario collapsed under his quiet logic.

…

Meanwhile, Fang Yimeng kept glancing back toward the living room every few steps, all of which her father noticed.

They had barely reached the bend in the staircase when he stopped.

“How did you meet Xiao Lu?”

“Didn’t I tell you yesterday? At a bar. We just… clicked,” she scratched her head and answered vaguely.

Her father snorted, “That man seems like a calm, serious type. You said you wanted to support his career. We thought about it last night—this might work.”

“Great then,” Fang Yimeng nodded and turned to leave.

Her father’s voice stopped her. Seeing her so eager, he chuckled coldly and asked, “Do you know why we agreed?”

“Of course. I offended Li Jincheng. The Li family has been suppressing the Fang family in S City for years. Now you’re just trying to nurture a new rising star to protect the Fang family’s interests—make sure we don’t get wiped out all at once.”

Fang Yimeng waved her hand lazily, then quickly turned and rushed back downstairs.

She made her way to the window outside the meeting room and pressed her ear against it.

Before she could hear anything clearly, the curtains inside suddenly whooshed open.

Startled, she ducked down, covering her ears—but her mother, standing by the window, saw her little stunt immediately.

“Twenty-five years old and still acting like a child! Come in here and talk properly!”

Inside, Lu Jingshan was lounging comfortably in his chair, hands clasped, looking at her with amused eyes.

Fang Yimeng pouted and stepped into the house. Moments later, she pushed open the meeting room door.

She was just about to sit beside Lu Jingshan to “have his back,” when her mother suddenly said:

“My daughter is a deeply affectionate person. If you leave her halfway… well, I’m sure you’ve heard some of the rumors about how she once pestered President Li.”

Fang Yimeng: “???”

What kind of threat is that? Why does it sound so weird?

Lu Jingshan nodded slightly and cast a slow glance at Fang Yimeng. His voice was low and gentle:

“In this relationship, it’s always been me hopelessly clinging to Yimeng.”

Take Two – Fang Yimeng: “???”

Did I miss something? You shouldn’t be a CEO—you should be an actor! You’d make way more money!

Once her mother was satisfied with his level of “devotion,” she got busy arranging a formal suit for Lu Jingshan to wear to the evening banquet. After all, his invitation had only come in last night.

As the tailor took his measurements, Fang Yimeng impatiently dragged him off to her room before the tape could even be put away.

The door opened, and a light floral scent wafted out. Lu Jingshan hesitated for a moment at the threshold.

“Oh, stop pretending. We’re way past that. Who are you trying to impress, standing all hesitant at my door?”

Fang Yimeng, holding a stack of contracts from her desk, turned and teased him.

Lu Jingshan smirked and walked in without hesitation, casually closing the door behind him and rolling up his sleeves.

He looked down and said lightly, “Miss Fang, I’m a normal man with normal desires. For a man, restraint is the highest form of respect toward a woman.”

Fang Yimeng: “…”

She stared at him, speechless.
“Okay, fine, you’ve got desires. I’m noble and pure, alright? Now take a look at this contract. If it looks good, let’s sign. I don’t trust verbal agreements. Black and white on paper gives me peace of mind.”

Lu Jingshan couldn’t help laughing at her twisted logic.
He skimmed through the contract and raised an eyebrow.

“What does this clause mean—‘If either party deems the goal fulfilled, the contract becomes void’? Are you trying to trick yourself or me?”

Fang Yimeng quickly hid her hands behind her back and kicked off her slippers, mumbling, “I just felt like it!”

Lu Jingshan chuckled, “You’re the type who’d happily count money for the person who just sold you.”

He walked to the desk, picked up a black pen, and signed his name boldly under “Party B.”

Two copies. Black ink. White paper.
Deal sealed.