Chapter 3

Lu Jiu raised her hand to touch the mirror, studying her reflection with a sense of both familiarity and unfamiliarity.

She was dressed in a white princess dress that reached her calves, with long, straight black hair down to her hips, and the current trend of heavy, straight bangs. The look was sweet and demure.

It was beautiful, in a way that matched Li Ze’s aesthetic, but it lacked her own unique character.

And she was a spirit. Even as a plant spirit, she shouldn’t be so submissive.

Lu Jiu pressed her lips together, took a headband, and pushed her bangs back. She then turned on the faucet and washed off her makeup. Once her smooth forehead and clear, doe-like eyes were revealed, she felt a bit more satisfied.

After a while, she moved her gaze to her slender, graceful fingers, wondering… could she still cultivate?

“Peony? Did you take a shower yet?”

A knock on the door interrupted Lu Jiu’s thoughts, and she turned to open it.

Fang Wenyi asked, “If you haven’t showered, why didn’t you answer Xiao Ze’s call? He ended up calling me.” After speaking, she glanced up and down at her daughter’s face. Though she didn’t see any signs of distress, she still asked with concern, “Did you two have a fight?”

Oh right, she had been so caught up in marveling at finally having a human form that she had completely forgotten about Li Ze.

And apparently, according to her memories, she had even gone through a phase of becoming dark and twisted in her quest for her fiancé’s love?

Thinking of this, Lu Jiu raised a hand to pinch her brow, unsure what expression she should wear.

Chapter 02

“Did you really have a fight?” Fang Wenyi was amused when her daughter didn’t respond immediately.

Lu Jiu replied, “You know we had a fight, and you’re still smiling like that?”

Fang Wenyi rolled her eyes, not very elegantly. “How is this my fault? You’ve always been like dough, letting everyone mold you since you were little.” When you were a child, your sweet and gentle nature was adorable, but now that you’re an adult, it’s worrying.

Now that she finally had a bit of a temper, of course, Fang Wenyi was pleased. “Alright, go take your shower. I’ll check on the dinner preparations.”

As she saw her mother humming a tune and walking away, Lu Jiu followed her to the hallway. “Aren’t you going to ask what the fight was about?”

Fang Wenyi turned back with a dismissive look. “Like I’ve never dated anyone? I’m not interested in hearing about a couple’s squabbles.”

Lu Jiu pressed, “Really not curious?”

This time, Fang Wenyi didn’t even turn her head.

Alright then, it’s not like she didn’t want to talk.

Lu Jiu chuckled and went back to her room to shower.

When she came out of the bathroom, wearing pajamas and with her hair wrapped in a towel, her phone started vibrating again.

Lu Jiu glanced at the purse on the table, hesitated for a few seconds, and then unzipped it.

The number on the screen was one she knew all too well, but she no longer felt the joy she once did.

Dough-like temper?

Not anymore.

“Hello, Peony?” As soon as the call connected, Li Ze asked anxiously.

“It’s me.”

Finally finding her, Li Ze let out a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair. “Why did you take so long to answer?”

Lu Jiu rolled her eyes, turned the volume up, and began patting toner on her face as she sat down at the vanity. “My phone was on silent, so I didn’t hear it.”

Li Ze frowned. “Why was it on silent? And weren’t we supposed to have lunch together? I thought something happened to you.”

“The car broke down on the way, and I got my clothes dirty.”

“Broke down? Are you okay?”

Lu Jiu paused her movements and looked at the phone with a somewhat complicated expression. The man’s concern was genuine.

Looking back now, if her spirit hadn’t taken control of her thoughts, she might indeed have stubbornly clung to this man.

After all, they’d known each other for so long.

From babbling as a toddler to growing into a graceful young woman, Lu Jiu had always been the one protected and cherished.

Twenty years of affection… it wasn’t fake.

“Hello? Hello? Why aren’t you saying anything again? Peony? Can you hear me?”

Lu Jiu snapped back to reality and continued applying her face cream. “I hear you. The signal might have been bad just now. I’m not hurt, don’t worry.”

Li Ze loosened his tie, a bit exasperated. “As long as you’re not hurt. So, are you going to switch to another car, or should I come pick you up?”

Lu Jiu didn’t want to see him again anytime soon. While tightening the lid on her skincare product, she responded casually, “Maybe another day. My sister’s coming back soon, and you know how busy she is. I haven’t seen her in a while.”

Thinking of Lu Jun’s( Lu Jiu sister) strong personality, Li Ze’s handsome face showed clear displeasure. “What about the birthday gift I worked so hard to prepare for you? Don’t you want it?”

There was no need for any birthday gift; she was already planning to break off the engagement.

However, since the two families were old friends, breaking off the engagement didn’t mean they would cut all ties. The Lu family needed to maintain the moral high ground.

At the very least, evidence of Li Ze’s infidelity had to be laid out.

With this in mind, Lu Jiu, not wanting to alert him just yet, was about to make some more excuses when she heard a soft, delicate female voice on the other end of the line.

“Brother Ze, the documents you requested are ready.” Han An’an,(Li Ze’s secretary) dressed in a white lace outfit, walked in with a stack of papers.

Li Ze, feeling guilty, instinctively covered the phone with his hand.

Realizing how foolish that was, he shot an annoyed look at his secretary before clearing his throat and continuing the conversation with his fiancée. “Peony, where were we?”

Such a perfect chance to escape the conversation, Lu Jiu didn’t bother to come up with more lies. “We were talking about the gift. I’ll come to get it in a few days. You’re busy with work, so I won’t keep you. I’m hanging up now.”

“Uh, okay… Peony, happy birth—” Before he could finish, the call was disconnected. Li Ze looked at his phone and chuckled, shaking his head. “That girl.”

Han An’an felt a sharp pang at the sight of the smile on his face.

She didn’t understand. Brother Ze said he liked girls like her, and that he only saw his fiancée as a little sister.

But his expression just now didn’t seem like he was thinking of a sister.

Feeling uneasy, she curled her fingers, trying not to dwell on it. Fighting back tears, she placed the documents on his desk. “Manager, I’ll just leave these here.”

Li Ze didn’t notice the change in how she addressed him. He tossed his phone aside and picked up the papers, giving them a quick scan. “Not bad. You’re pretty quick.”

Receiving the compliment, Han An’an’s nose stung, and tears began to spill from her eyes.

Seeing this, Li Ze initially didn’t want to get involved. After all, picking her up when she twisted her ankle that morning had been an impulsive act.

But watching her silently cry, looking so vulnerable and dependent on him, he found it hard to just ignore her.