Looking at the young man sitting across from him, although his expression was somewhat cold, he was like a beautiful jade tree, elegant and refined.

The more Lu Zhihong looked at Qin Si now, the more satisfied he felt. He just wished Lu Nian would relent tomorrow, so he could rightfully become the father-in-law of the owner of Ning Sheng.

“Xiao Qin,” Lu Zhihong said, “I’ve always had high hopes for you. Since the time you were interning at my company, it’s lucky for Lu Nian to marry you.”

The young man didn’t raise his eyes, his voice indifferent. “So, did she agree?”

Lu Zhihong felt somewhat embarrassed. “Lu Nian is still young and immature, always opposing her parents.”

“She hasn’t had any boyfriends all these years,” Lu Zhihong said. “That Zhao boy, back then, it was only talk of an engagement, nothing substantial.”

He was afraid Qin Si would mind these details and want to call off the wedding.

“You stay in your appropriate position,” the young man across from him stood up, his dark phoenix eyes revealing no emotion. “Don’t go talking nonsense to Lu Nian again.”

…

Walking out of the Ning Sheng building, Lu Zhihong felt agitated, like there was a fire burning inside him that he couldn’t extinguish, the more he thought about it, the more restless he became.

He directly dialed Lu Nian’s number.

Lu Nian was painting when she received the call. She was taken aback by the barrage of questions. “What do you want from me?”

“You’re already living with someone else, so why bother with all this?” he said.

“What’s the point of being so pretentious? What’s wrong with him?

If you wanted to marry Zhao Yayuan, you could have. What’s wrong with him compared to Zhao Yayuan?

After I’ve raised and educated you for so many years, you still don’t understand anything.”

Lu Nian was dumbfounded by the sudden onslaught.

After reacting, she became angry.

“Don’t interfere with my freedom anymore,” Lu Nian said. “I’m not your puppet. I’ll decide who I marry.”

“I can take care of myself. Why do I have to climb high branches?” she said. “If you want to force me, go find another daughter to marry him.”

She hung up the phone directly.

Hearing the busy tone from the other end, Lu Zhihong felt so angry that he felt pain in his chest.

After hanging up, Lu Nian couldn’t suppress her anger.

She threw away her paintbrush and couldn’t continue painting.

So she called for the driver to come.

She had agreed to go to Qiu Li’s house today.

But the driver didn’t start the car.

Lu Nian asked, “What’s wrong?”

The driver nodded nervously. “Miss, the master said that if you go out today, you have to wait for him to come before you go.”

Master?

Lu Nian came to her senses and understood that he was referring to Qin Si.

“Okay.”

She didn’t say much and sat down in the living room.

This home was already his.

It was only natural.

She thought indifferently, fortunately, she still had a place to go, the ability to support herself.

Otherwise, what would be the difference between her life now and her life as a canary for more than ten years?

It didn’t take long for him to return.

Seeing Lu Nian’s subdued mood, he didn’t say much.

Naturally, he wouldn’t say much.

The driver started the car and headed towards Qiao Li’s house.

Qiao Li was cooking at home.

Zhao Yayuan was waiting outside the kitchen, occasionally helping out.

“Haven’t seen Lu Nian for so long…” Qiao Li said, “I wonder how she’s doing now.”

“Just the same,” Zhao Yayuan said casually, “Locked up.”

“You should ask her to stay here,” Zhao Yayuan said. “Her old man is disgustingly useless. You’re her only family now.”

Qiao Li ignited the stove in silence.

Indeed.

He respected Lu Nian’s wishes, but, from a selfish perspective, he hoped Lu Nian could stay here and live with him.

“How’s your family been lately?” he asked Zhao Yayuan.

“My brother and my sister-in-law are getting married soon,” Zhao Yayuan said with a slight smile. “My nephew will be born soon too. Everyone is happy.”

“We’ve cut off all business ties with the Lu family,” Zhao Yayuan said. “Now, my brother is actively seeking cooperation with the Su family.”

It was obvious whose idea it was.

“That woman is really something,” Zhao Yayuan said.

Since she became pregnant, she appeared gentle, but in reality, she was ruthless and cunning.

Zhao Yayuan couldn’t outsmart her.

“They shouldn’t think they can bypass me,” Zhao Yayuan said.

Qiao Li worriedly said, “Xiao Ya, don’t be too aggressive.”

“I know my limits,” Zhao Yayuan said.

The doorbell rang, and Qiao Li put down the spatula. “It should be Lu Nian.”

“I’ll go and open it,” Zhao Yayuan said.

Lu Nian opened the door and wasn’t surprised to see Zhao Yayuan.

“You look fine,” Zhao Yayuan carefully scrutinized her from head to toe.

Then, she looked past her and saw the cold-faced man behind her.

“What are you doing here?” Zhao Yayuan asked.

Qin Si’s voice was icy. “Why can’t I come?”

“I’m here to visit my friend’s house,” Zhao Yayuan said. “What’s your relationship with Lu Nian? Why would she invite you?”

The young man said indifferently, “Whatever your relationship is with her, it’s the same with me.”

Zhao Yayuan, “?”

Lu Nian, “…”

“I’m her creditor,” she said. “I’ve come to have a meal once and see if I can offset a hundred-odd yuan debt.”

Qin Si pursed his lips and said nothing more.

Qiao Li had finished cooking the meal.

Lu Nian had mentioned to him before that Qin Si might come along, so Qiao Li prepared a meal for four.

The atmosphere was very heavy.

Qiao Li knew Lu Nian’s taste.

They sat together, and Qiao Li occasionally served Lu Nian dishes.

Zhao Yayuan watched. “Give me a piece of corn, I can’t reach it from here.”

So Qiao Li served him a piece of corn.

He remembered something and said to Qin Si, “Mr. Qin, if you want anything, feel free to serve yourself, no need to be restrained.”

The young man’s face remained expressionless, looking indifferent.

Lu Nian chewed on her chopsticks, not saying a word.

The three of them often gathered at Qiao Li’s house.

Zhao Yayuan and Qiao Li had a good relationship, chatting and laughing, but it seemed like he was the only outsider who had intruded.

She felt it wasn’t quite right, but she couldn’t articulate what was wrong.

So, while Zhao Yayuan called Qiao Li over to serve him food, both of them left their seats.

She also picked up a piece of radish and tossed it into his bowl.

He moved his chopsticks, seeing a small bite mark on the semi-transparent radish, apparently just bitten off not long ago.

He paused for a moment, his expression unchanged, and ate the radish.

Qiao Li happened to return.

The two of them sat far apart, eating their own food without any communication.

After dinner, they cleaned up a bit, and Qiao Li asked Lu Nian to go to his room.

He wanted to have a private conversation with her.

Qiao Li first asked about her recent situation.

Lu Nian said everything was fine and then recounted the incident where she was attacked and how Qin Si had saved her.

“You owe him another favor,” Qiao Li said quietly.

Lu Nian sighed.

She owed him a lot indeed.

Qiao Li asked Lu Nian, “Are you sure you want to marry him?”

From his observation, they didn’t seem very intimate, not as close as Lu Nian used to be with Zhao Yayuan.

“If not, Lu Nian, you can come back to live here. I can support you,” Qiao Li hesitated for a moment. “We can slowly repay the favors. You don’t have to marry him for this. I don’t want to see you being wronged.”

Lu Nian pursed her lips. “Xiao Li, it’s not as bad as you think.”

“I just don’t quite understand him,” her eyelashes trembled. “Anyway, this period is like a probationary period.”

“We’ve known each other for a long time,” she said softly. “But, we used to quarrel all the time, and then he suddenly left for many years.”

“If he tells me what happened in these years and is sincere about it, and then proposes to me, I’ll accept,” Lu Nian smiled.

Qiao Li still looked worried.

Lu Nian said lightly, “If not, we don’t have to get married. We can paint and live happily ever after.”

“I’ll come to rely on you then.”

Now that things with Lu Zhihong were resolved, Lu Nian no longer needed to worry about repaying him for his care over the years.

Seeing Lu Zhihong’s good health now, she could live her life without worrying about him anymore.

Afterward, she would live for herself.

Freely doing what she wanted, nobody could restrain her.

“After this, you won’t have to hide anymore,” Lu Nian said. “You can go wherever you want.”

“If you still want to visit the Lu family, you can come with me,” Lu Nian said.

Indoors, the siblings were talking.

Outdoors, the two men remained silent, with no communication throughout.

Zhao Yayuan had no good feelings toward him.

In his eyes, he was just taking advantage of the situation.

Moreover, the deal Qin Si made with him in his youth was still vivid in his memory.

He felt that this man was a schemer, ruthless, and valued career much more than love.

He didn’t think Qin Si’s feelings for Lu Nian were genuine; perhaps he just wanted to try something new.

Qiao Li’s house wasn’t big, with only a few rooms.

There was no study because they couldn’t afford it at the time, so they could only afford a house this size.

Lu Nian had a small bedroom.

Today, she felt like staying here for the night.

She glanced at Qin Si.

He was sitting in the living room, seemingly sending an email, and showed no intention of leaving.

Zhao Yayuan and Qiao Li were both there too.

Lu Nian thought it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss this in front of these people.

“Come over for a moment,” she called him.

Qin Si stood up and followed her.

With nowhere else to go, Lu Nian could only open her bedroom door and ask him to come in for a talk.

The bedroom wasn’t very big, with just a bed and a small desk.

A few cushions were scattered on the wooden floor, and posters she had painted herself were posted on the walls.

It had her scent, giving it a warm and cozy atmosphere, quite different from the bedroom at Lu’s house, more practical.

He pursed his lips, standing at the door without stepping inside.

Lu Nian closed the door.

“I want to stay here tonight,” Lu Nian said straightforwardly.

He didn’t say anything.

“There’s no room here,” Lu Nian said. “You should go back. It’s safe for me to stay with Xiao Lo.”

His mood seemed off.

“Xiao Li?” he said coldly, his eyes cold. “Are you sure you want to stay here for him?”

Lu Nian, “?”.

“Are you trying to spend more time with your sweetheart?” he said icily.

Lu Nian finally caught on, who did he mean by ‘sweetheart’?

Could it be… jealousy? A thought popped into her head.

When he had a cold expression, he seemed particularly cold and aloof.

Indoors, he was only wearing a thin black sweater with a high collar, covering the delicate beauty spot she liked.

As a result, he looked even colder, with his clear phoenix eyes drooping slightly, giving off an aura of pride and aloofness.

He resembled more and more the proud and aloof teenager from her memories.

Her heartstrings were tugged.

“Yes,” Lu Nian deliberately said, “after all, we haven’t seen each other for so long, and you’ve never let me go out.”

The man clenched his lips tightly, his expression becoming more similar to what it used to be.

“But, I want to spend some time with you first,” Lu Nian sat down on the bed, tilting her head and smiling at him, her almond eyes curved, “then I’ll go find my sweetheart.”

His expression became colder. “Do as you wish.”

In theory, after she said this, he should have turned and left.

However, he couldn’t say a word, and his body seemed to be fixed in place.

With a soft arm, Lu Nian suddenly hooked him.

Caught off guard, his fingers were soft and thin, not very strong, but with just a little force, he felt completely controlled by her, with no resistance at all.

The bed sank slightly.

“Lu Nian?” Qiao Li’s voice came from outside.

“Where’s Lu Nian?” he asked Zhao Yayuan.

“Inside the room,” Zhao Yayuan said casually.

The house wasn’t big, so they could hear these sounds.

Only a wall away were her brother and her ex-fiancé, the one she liked.

And now, she was in his arms.

Just thinking about this fact, he couldn’t help but tighten his embrace, using a bit more force this time, holding her even tighter.

It was a response, different from his stubbornness earlier.

Lu Nian suddenly moved, not letting him stay still. “Why are you dressed so tightly?”

“I want to kiss you,” she said casually as her soft fingers grazed his cheek, not making contact, as if it was just a casual remark, “it’s cute there, much cuter than you.”

He pursed his lips tightly, saying nothing, his ears turning red, and it seemed like all the blood in his body was rushing upward.

“Lu Nian?” Qiao Li’s footsteps seemed to be getting closer. “Are you there?”

Lu Nian liked to see him go from cold and aloof to completely melting for her, revealing another side of himself.

She tilted her face up slightly and gave him a peck on the cheek. They were very close, breathing each other’s air.

She was pressed down on the bed, and her slipper, which was barely hanging on her delicate ankle, fell off completely.

She also noticed the knocking at the door and the conversation just a wall away.

She also felt his reaction, which seemed more intense than ever before.

He wasn’t being stubborn now, but his body was being honest.

Did he like this? Did he like this feeling?

Her face turned a little red, but her almond eyes were very bright.

She whispered in his ear, “Qin Si, you’re such a pervert.”

He felt embarrassed and awkward, but he couldn’t control his reaction.

Lu Nian turned over, propping her chin up, looking down at the man beneath her, “Do you know? I used to like you.”

“Before you left Ancheng, for a while, I really liked you,” she said softly.