The Zhao family’s wedding ceremony was grand.

When Lu Zhihong received the invitation, he simply had his secretary take it away.

However, Su Qingyou later called him personally to invite him, showing a very respectful attitude, addressing him as “Mr. Lu” as if unaware of his loss of power.

After all, it had been a long time since he had received such an invitation since he became a puppet at Ning Sheng.

Lu Zhihong enjoyed attending such banquets; high-end social gatherings were always his cup of tea.

Even during his marriage to He Tian, it was mostly about showing off her youth and beauty, which brought him a lot of face.

Now, with nothing much to do at home since He Tian left, he was never short of female companionship.

He didn’t visit the Lu residence as freely as before, especially now that it was owned by Qin Si.

Although life was carefree, there was still a hint of loneliness.

So, after a brief hesitation, Lu Zhihong decided to attend.

The wedding was luxurious and exquisite.

From Lu Zhihong’s perspective, it was only of average standard, but given his current situation, he thought, thankfully, Nian Nian had found Qin Si.

In the future, their wedding arrangements would surely not be inferior to this, ensuring that he wouldn’t lose face.

After the wedding, the bride came to toast.

Lu Zhihong didn’t sit with the Zhao family but with his previous business partners.

The Su family and the Lu family hadn’t been on the best of terms in the business world, but they still maintained a certain level of civility on the surface.

The matter between Lu’s daughter and Qin Si was slowly spreading within a small circle, so these people still maintained a superficial respect for Lu Zhihong.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, it was soon the bride’s turn to toast.

“Uncle Lu, we are honored by your presence at our wedding,” Su Qingyou toasted him. “Both Tingyuan and I feel very honored.”

“Uncle, you flatter me,” Zhao Tingyuan smiled.

“Regarding Nian Nian…” Su Qingyou seemed nonchalant as she brought up the topic. “Is there good news on your side as well?”

Bringing up this matter at the Zhao residence made Lu Zhihong feel a bit embarrassed.

No matter how thick-skinned he was, he couldn’t boast about it here, especially since Lu Nian had never given her consent.

He couldn’t go out and flaunt it; all he could do was be vague.

“Father has always said that Uncle is very capable, starting from scratch and establishing such a large company,” Su Qingyou said. “It’s just unfortunate that you were betrayed due to your poor judgment in people. It’s not your fault.”

This statement flattered Lu Zhihong quite a bit.

After a few words, the newlyweds had to go to another table to toast.

Zhao Tingyuan said, “Here’s a small gift we’d like to give to Uncle Lu.”

It was an envelope containing a thick stack of something, seemingly photographs.

Lu Zhihong was puzzled.

He opened it and was initially surprised.

Most of the photos were of a young couple, obviously taken secretly.

But as he looked closer, his face gradually changed.

He stared at Zhao Tingyuan with a livid face and asked sharply, “What do you mean by this?”

“Uncle Lu, we can talk about it later,” Zhao Tingyuan just smiled, then handed him a note before leaving with Su Qingyou.

…

Most of the guests had already left.

Now, with the sunset casting its glow, the scenery, and the man in front of her did indeed look magnificent.

However, Lu Nian’s current mood was simply indescribable.

…Satisfy her.

In bed.

He actually said such a thing?

Was this still the same Qin Si who would react strongly to even the slightest flirtation from her?

Lu Nian couldn’t help but blush.

She shook her head, trying to shake off those unhealthy fantasies.

She hadn’t been so foolish as to lose her head because of that sentence.

She hadn’t forgotten what Qin Si said earlier.

What was up with his proposal? If this was his idea of proposing, being so arrogant about it, was she supposed to just accept it?

Lu Nian couldn’t help but smile, biting her lip slightly. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never tried it. How would you know if you can satisfy me?”

She teased, her lips curling mischievously like a little fairy.

He loosened his grip on her slightly, speechless.

He clenched his lips, trying to restrain himself.

To him, saying that much was already pushing his limits.

Turning the tables, Lu Nian continued casually, “And besides, who said I’m desperate? Just because I’m supposedly desperate, do I have to come looking for you?”

He lowered his eyes, his face pale.

“Qin Si, I did like you, and I liked you a lot,” Lu Nian said. “But I also think your attitude right now is a problem.”

Speaking to her like this, and trying to propose with this tone.

And he still hadn’t explained where he had been for those few years.

“Anyway, I don’t necessarily have to get married now,” Lu Nian said. “There are thousands of good men out there. I don’t have to hang myself on one tree.”

She stood on tiptoe, suddenly wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him down, and sealing his lips with her own.

His breath quickened involuntarily, his entire body responding to her touch.

Under the setting sun, their shadows intertwined slowly.

She took the lead, but just that slight movement already made him blush deeply, unable to say anything.

His clear, straight spine appeared somewhat disheveled.

She smiled, her slender fingers gently wiping away the moisture at the corner of her lips.

Under the setting sun, her face was so stunningly beautiful, carrying a touch of charm that was even more captivating than her youthful innocence, like a delicate orchid in the garden.

She pulled away from his embrace gracefully. “I have something to do tonight, so I’ll be leaving.”

“I have work, and I don’t lack men.”

…

Ming Ge and Xiao Qu sent Huang Mao to the bridal chamber and didn’t return until late.

“Exhausted!” Ming Ge stretched his arms, yawning. “That guy actually got married for real.”

“It’s been a long time,” Xiao Qu chuckled.

Of course, they were both happy for Huang Mao. They could see that he and his wife truly loved each other.

They opened the door to the bar, but halfway through Ming Ge’s yawn, he suddenly saw the silhouette of someone sitting inside, so startled that he stopped halfway.

“Holy shit, you scared the hell out of me.”

The man was cold and silent, having sat there in the darkness for who knew how long.

There was no strong smell of alcohol; he simply sat there quietly.

Ming Ge felt a chill run down his spine.

He could tell this guy had probably hit a wall with Lu Nian again.

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Qu asked cautiously. “Qin Ge, did you have another argument with Lu Nian?”

“I proposed,” he said coldly. “She rejected me.”

Just those few words.

He loosened his collar, leaned back, and furrowed his brows, stretching out his long legs casually, looking like a painting, lost in thought.

“You proposed?” Ming Ge was dumbfounded. “Are you kidding me?”

He met Qin Si’s icy gaze and swallowed back his words.

He couldn’t believe it.

Qin Si had actually proposed, and Lu Nian had rejected him.

Xiao Qu shrank his neck and boldly asked, “Qin Ge, could you, uh, recount how you proposed?”

He coldly recounted the scene of his proposal.

Ming Ge and Xiao Qu were speechless.

This was beyond belief.

They had just witnessed Huang Mao’s sweet marriage, and now this?

If someone’s sister was proposed to like this and then insulted with accusations of being desperate, not resorting to slapping was already showing a lot of restraint, let alone accepting it.

“Couldn’t you, uh, lower your noble head a bit?” Ming Ge said. “Show a little humility.”

“You guys have known each other for so long,” Ming Ge said. “Have you ever taken her out, confessed your feelings, or asked her out? None of that, and you think you can jump straight to marriage?”

What a joke.

Seeing Qin Si’s expression, Ming Ge swallowed back his words.

He coughed. “You see, proposing is a big deal. You should find a more romantic setting, say some nice words.”

“And also, even though you’re living together now, you’re not officially together. At least start as boyfriend and girlfriend.”

The man remained silent, his head down.

Start as boyfriend and girlfriend.

He remembered Lu Nian’s words.

…I did like you, and I liked you a lot.

His ears felt hot at the mere thought of this fact.

He bit his lips tightly, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and stood up abruptly.

Ming Ge followed from behind. “What are you doing?”

He knew. He had to go find Lu Nian, no matter what.

…

Lu Nian did have something to do tonight.

She had arranged for Qiao Li to come over and take a look at the Lu Mansion.

Lu Zhihong no longer lived there, and Lu Nian was now forced to live with Qin Si.

She rarely went back to the Lu Mansion nowadays.

But now, she could come and go as she pleased.

So, it was effortless to bring Qiao Li over.

Qiao Li didn’t have classes tonight, and he hadn’t been back to this mansion in a long time.

He followed Lu Nian, looking at the mansion hidden in the night, his gaze complicated.

How many years had it been since he last came here?

Qiao Li didn’t have many fond memories of this place.

But at the same time, it was a place he couldn’t let go of, a place where he needed closure.

Lu Nian took him to Cheng Mingying’s room.

“I occasionally come over to clean,” Lu Nian said.

Cheng Mingying’s portrait was placed in the center, and the offerings below were obviously newly replaced.

The woman was very beautiful, with a stunning and vibrant aura, not the gentle type.

Qiao Li and Lu Nian shared her features, but their auras were not quite similar.

Qiao Li remained silent as he lit a stick of incense for Cheng Mingying.

“Mom was very good to us,” Qiao Li said softly. “She used to sing lullabies to us and put us to sleep.”

Even though he was very young, Qiu Li still had some memories of Cheng Mingying from his childhood.

After her sudden departure, Lu Nian’s personality changed drastically, and when He Tian entered their lives, everything changed.

“Our old house,” Qiao Li asked, “is it still there?”

Lu Nian nodded. “It used to be locked up, off-limits to everyone.”

She smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly. “Everyone kept it from me. All traces of you were removed. If it weren’t for Ya Yuan, I probably wouldn’t have found you again in my lifetime.”

Qiao Li smiled faintly.

With a firm push, Lu Nian opened the door to the children’s room, which had been sealed for so long.

On one side, there was a small elephant-shaped slide, a seesaw, a teddy bear for little girls to play with, and a toy train for little boys.

“I remember, this used to be my favorite,” Qiao Li crouched beside the toy train.

No matter how hard Lu Nian tried to recall, her memories remained a chaotic blank, as if something was suppressing her, forcibly preventing her from remembering.

Her head began to ache, and Lu Nian pressed her lips together, her face turning pale.

She didn’t want Qiao Li to notice, so she put on a smile. “It’s out of battery now, otherwise, it could still run.”

After looking around for a while…

“Our mother died when we were three years old,” Qiao Li suddenly said.

“Later, people from Grandma’s family came and had a big fight with Lu Zhihong,” he said. “And then, they had someone beat up Lu Zhihong.”

A shadow passed over the boy’s eyes.

Being precocious, he remembered it vividly.

His sister cried heartbreakingly at the time, and he held her hand, watching everything with fear.

Lu Nian was speechless.

Indeed, she had no memory of any relatives from the Cheng family, including her grandparents, uncles, aunts, or cousins.

She had asked about them before, but Lu Zhihao had said they were all dead.

The Cheng family had never contacted them, and since they weren’t in An City, Lu Nian had never seen what any of the Cheng family members looked like.

“Lu Zhihong told me back then that he was the one who caused Mom’s death.”

Lu Nian looked at him in shock.

Qiu Li smiled self-deprecatingly. “Years of neglect, domestic violence, infidelity… Although not directly, he still bears responsibility for Mom’s death.”

After giving birth to them, Cheng Mingying’s health deteriorated rapidly, compounded by her emotional turmoil.

She left this world when they were still very young.

After Cheng Mingying’s death, Lu Zhihao showed no signs of grief.

He soon married He Tian and didn’t care about the two children left behind by his deceased wife, leaving them to fend for themselves.