Chapter 36

The next day, Lu Yan and Qi Yuzhi were out shopping.

When Lu Zhen heard about it, he insisted on following them.

The two girls walked ahead, while he trailed behind them, bored out of his mind, like a bodyguard escorting them.

Lu Yan’s appearance was becoming more and more radiant and beautiful, drawing the attention of boys who would glance back at her as they walked. Lu Zhen would frown and, in a displeased tone, warn the guys, “What are you staring at? Be careful you don’t run into a light pole.”

“Still staring, huh?”

“Want me to gouge your eyeballs out?”

—

Qi Yuzhi asked Lu Yan, “Why is he following us?”

Lu Yan shrugged. “He’s just bored.”

They entered a clothing store, and Lu Yan and Qi Yuzhi began trying on clothes. Lu Zhen, with his blunt sense of aesthetics, insisted on giving unsolicited advice. Lu Yan and Qi Yuzhi ignored him, not bothering to listen to his ridiculous comments. They were happy as long as they were enjoying themselves.

Qi Yuzhi looked at one of the outfits and said, “This is pretty good, but it’s from early 2000s. Still, after some adjustments by Lu Yan, it looks more modern and stylish.”

Seeing that the two girls weren’t paying him any attention, Lu Zhen simply sat down on a bench near the store entrance, waiting aimlessly.

Lu Zhen thought that accompanying his daughter while shopping was one of the basic skills for a “good dad.”

Just then, a tall and slender girl entered the store, immediately catching his attention.

She was wearing a black leather jacket paired with tight black leather pants, hugging her slim hips and thighs, giving off a biker-punk, rock-and-roll vibe.

Her long, straight hair cascaded down to her waist.

Her long, tight legs instantly made Lu Zhen feel a rush of electricity up his spine.

Lu Zhen inherited his father’s taste in aesthetics and had no resistance to beautiful legs.

The reason he had originally  taken an interest in Shu Mengfei was because of her dance training and her well-shaped legs.

But compared to the legs in front of him, Shu Mengfei’s legs seemed completely unremarkable.

Lu Zhen’s gaze moved upwards as he looked at her.

Her skin was very fair, with a pale, somewhat sickly hue. Her lips were dark, painted with deep matte lipstick. Her almond-shaped eyes were slightly upturned, giving her a classical Chinese beauty.

This girl’s personal style was so strong that Lu Zhen immediately memorized her appearance.

“Ah Yao, that guy over there, he’s been staring at you.”

Her friend nudged her and pointed at him, so she turned around and gave Lu Zhen a casual glance.

Lu Zhen immediately uncrossed his legs and sat up straight, pretending to look at the ceiling.

His heart inexplicably raced a little faster.

She briefly withdrew her gaze and said in a low, sensual voice, “Let’s go.”

When Lu Zhen caught the disdain in the girl’s eyes, he finally understood what his daughter meant when she said that both boys and girls should always dress well when going out, no matter what. You can’t be lazy because you never know if true love might be around the next corner.

At this moment, Lu Zhen looked down at his outfit—a low-key, worn-out work T-shirt paired with pineapple-patterned beach shorts and flip-flops…

He felt like his whole life had fallen apart.

The girl had already left the clothing store, and Lu Zhen’s gaze followed her until Lu Yan came out and patted his shoulder, “What are you looking at? Did you lose your soul?”

Lu Zhen snapped back to reality and muttered, “Fairy.”

Qi Yuzhi raised her eyebrow, “Where’s the fairy?”

“Definitely not you two.”

Lu Yan teased Qi Yuzhi with a smirk, “After all, your ideal type of ‘pure goddess’ is Shu Mengfei, that world’s most innocent girl.”

Lu Zhen narrowed his eyes, annoyed, “Can we not talk about her? It’s ancient history. Keep making jokes, and I won’t take you both out for a barbecue tonight.”

“No more mentioning her!” Lu Yan quickly reassured, wrapping her arm around his shoulder, “I’m starving! Let’s go, go, go, eat barbecue.”

However, just as they arrived at the barbecue stall, Lu Zhen received a call from Lu Jian, telling him to bring Lu Yan home immediately because important guests had arrived, and they both needed to be there to greet them.

Lu Zhen wasn’t fond of social gatherings and had planned to decline outright. However, Lu Yan immediately tugged at his sleeve and gave him a look.

Even though Lu Zhen wasn’t the sharpest, he could still tell that Lu Yan didn’t want him to refuse Lu Jian’s request.

The little girl always hoped that he and Lu Jian could reconcile, and naturally, she didn’t want him to make things difficult over a small matter like this and upset their father.

“Sorry, Yuzhong, something came up at home. I can’t take you for barbecue today. We’ll make it up to you next time!”

Qi Yuzhi waved it off with a smile, “It’s fine, we’ll arrange for another time.”

The father and daughter, Lu Zhen and Lu Yan, bickered and joked as they made their way home.

Their noisy voices could be heard from quite a distance.

Lu Jian gave an awkward smile to the guest sitting next to him, “These two, when they’re together, they can’t stay quiet for a second. They’re always at it.”

The middle-aged man sitting on the side of the sofa waved his hand casually, “At this age, it’s better if kids are a bit noisy. Our Jiaqi is too quiet, no youthful spirit.”

Lu Jian looked toward the young man next to the middle-aged man. The boy, about the same age as Lu Zhen, was dressed in a white shirt and black pants, his face bearing a polite, composed smile, exuding calm and poise.

Lu Jian couldn’t help but like him more the more he looked at him. Compared to Lu Zhen, Ye Jiaqi seemed like the perfect son in his eyes.

It’s often said that other people’s food tastes better, and naturally, other people’s children seem better too.

When Lu Yan entered the house, Lu Zhen was still ruffling her hair. She swatted his hand away and softly said, “There are guests at home, don’t make a fuss.”

Lu Zhen finally lifted his head, glanced at the living room, and when he saw Ye Jiaqi, his expression suddenly changed.

“Ah, what are you doing here?!”

Ye Jiaqi stood up to greet him, smiling politely, “Lu Zhen, long time no see.”

Lu Yan looked at the young man, who was about the same age as Lu Zhen. Under the living room lights, his skin looked especially pale, and his eyes were dark. He looked quite handsome, with a clean and delicate appearance that gave off an impression of being… well-groomed.

“Dad, who is this?” Lu Yan tugged at Lu Zhen’s sleeve, whispering, “Wow, he’s so handsome!”

Lu Zhen pulled his sleeve away and said irritably, “Someone else’s child.”

Since childhood, Ye Jiaqi had practically become Lu Zhen’s shadow and nightmare. Every time Lu Zhen made a mistake, Lu Jian would say, “Look at Ye Jiaqi, how successful and capable he is. At such a young age, he’s already traveling the world with Uncle Ye, learning about business, gaining experience, and then look at you—just messing around all day.”

Although Lu Zhen didn’t often meet Ye Jiaqi, he had heard his name so much that his ears had practically developed calluses.

Ye Jiaqi smiled at Lu Yan and said, “Little Yan, hello.”

“Uh…”

Suddenly being addressed by the handsome guy, Lu Yan felt a bit shy. She smiled at him awkwardly and said, “Hello.”

Ye Jiaqi said, “I heard a few years ago that you went missing, and I was really worried. I’m so glad you’re back now.”

From what Ye Jiaqi said, it seemed like he had known Lu Yan through his aunt in the past. That made sense, as he knew Lu Zhen, he would naturally know his aunt too.

Lu Yan was surprised to find that Shi Ya had returned as well. She was sitting upright on the side sofa, facing Ye Jiaqi.

Compared to the casually dressed Lu Yan, Shi Ya was dressed much more formally, in a small cocktail dress, with her hair carefully styled and light makeup applied.

While picking up chopsticks in the kitchen, Lu Yan whispered to the family maid, Aunt Li, “Why is Shi Ya back?”

“She hasn’t moved back, but your Aunt Shi pleaded with Mr. Lu, and he finally agreed to let her come back home for dinner.”

“For dinner?” Lu Yan was puzzled. “Why did they specifically invite her back?”

Aunt Li’s face showed a particularly disdainful expression as she said, “Isn’t it because the young master of the Ye family is back? Looks like… they’re rushing to get a good look at him.”

Lu Yan’s eyes widened, and she lowered her voice, gossiping, “Is she here for a blind date?”

“Of course,” Aunt Li replied, “Just look at her outfit.” Aunt Li had been working as a maid for the Lu family for over ten years and looked down on Shi Ya and her daughter’s behavior.

Over the years, Shi Xuexian had been racking her brains, all to create a great marriage opportunity for Shi Ya. Using the Lu family as a stepping stone, she wanted to marry her daughter into a wealthy family and have her become a young mistress.

The Ye family’s influence in Beicheng was second only to the Lu family, and they had a good relationship, with many business collaborations. Ye Jiaqi, the only son of the Ye family, was highly capable, making him Shi Xuexian’s ideal choice for a son-in-law.

Lu Yan pursed her lips, thinking that Shi Xuexian’s plans were too deep. Shi Ya was only 17, and her mother was already trying to pick a husband for her. If it were Meng Zhining, she’d probably call the police right away!

After dinner, Shi Xuexian intentionally arranged for Shi Ya and Ye Jiaqi to sit together, with Lu Yan and Lu Zhen sitting at the end. The two of them sat together, and Ye Jiaqi sat opposite Lu Yan.

At such a family gathering, the two didn’t have much to say. Lu Zhen buried his head in his food, occasionally picking up fatty meat for Lu Yan’s bowl, but Lu Yan didn’t eat fatty meat, so she picked it out and returned it to him.

Shi Xuexian, assuming the role of the matriarch, reminded them, “Lu Yan, Lu Zhen, there are guests. Don’t be so rude.”

Lu Zhen didn’t understand what was rude about picking food for his daughter, and was about to argue when Lu Yan tugged at his sleeve under the table, signaling for him to keep quiet.

No matter whether it was rude to pick food or not, if he started an argument with Shi Xuexian at the table, that would definitely be rude. At this point, Lu Jian would definitely blame him.

Lu Yan glanced at Shi Ya, who was holding herself with proper posture. Her plate was almost untouched, and she kept her dignified demeanor throughout the meal, like a proper young lady from a prestigious family.

Just eat your food properly, why act so prim? Does that make you less rude?

Lu Yan pouted and said to Lu Zhen, “Brother, eat your food properly. Eat more vegetables and less meat.”

“Oh.” Lu Zhen casually picked up a piece of green vegetable and stuffed it into his mouth.

Ye Jiaqi smiled and said, “Lu Zhen, you really listen to little Yan, huh?”

Lu Zhen retorted bluntly, “What’s it to you?”

Lu Jian scolded, “Jiaqi was just making a casual remark, why are you so sensitive?”

He turned to Ye Jiaqi and said, “Don’t mind him. Lu Zhen’s like this, no matter how you teach him, he never learns.”

Ye Jiaqi smiled and indicated that he wasn’t offended. His gaze lingered on Lu Yan for a moment before quickly moving away.

Lu Zhen felt uncomfortable. Ye Jiaqi was the type of kid who acted all obedient in front of the adults, but he was so fake. Didn’t he know what kind of person Ye Jiaqi was behind closed doors? He was rotten to the core.

When they were kids, Ye Jiaqi had convinced Lu Zhen to go to an arcade with him, only for them to get caught. The adults all said it was Lu Zhen who had led Ye Jiaqi astray, and it was all Lu Zhen’s fault.

Lu Zhen couldn’t explain, no one believed him, and from that moment on, he kept his distance from Ye Jiaqi.

A smart, skilled, and fake man was just a “white lotus bitch” among children. He couldn’t provoke him, but he certainly wasn’t going to back down either.

Fang Ya asked, “Jiaqi, are you going back to the United States after this trip?”

“No, I’m not going back.” Ye Jiaqi replied, “I plan to study at a university in China and focus on preparing for the ^[1]Gaokao (高考), or National College Entrance Examination, is China’s highly competitive and standardized exam for high school students. It determines admission to universities across the … Continue readingGaokao this year.”

“Wow, the high school curriculum in the U.S. must be very different from here. Jiaqi, are you really only preparing for the Gaokao for one year?”

“Yeah, the knowledge is all connected, and my English is an advantage.” Ye Jiaqi said, “I’ve heard that the senior year in China is all about reviewing high school knowledge, so I should be able to keep up.”

“Jiaqi, you’re really amazing!”

Lu Yan looked at Shi Ya, who was flattering Ye Jiaqi, and thought that she truly resembled Shi Xuexian in how she tried to please. But in the end, Shi Xuexian wanting to matchmake Shi Ya and Ye Jiaqi had nothing to do with her.

As long as Shi Xuexian didn’t touch Lu Zhen’s interests, Lu Yan couldn’t care less, even if Shi Xuexian tried to push Shi Ya to the sky.

Ye Jiaqi’s father said, “In the future, Jiaqi will inherit the Ye Group. It’s helpful for him to return to China and understand the local market and economic conditions.”

Lu Jian nodded, “Yes, Jiaqi is a very smart kid. He’ll never disappoint you. For this Gaokao, aim directly for Tsinghua or Peking University.”

Ye Jiaqi’s father smiled and said, “Oh, no, you flatter me. Getting into a key university would be fine. It really depends on his own willingness.”

At this point, Shi Xuexian added, “Old Ye, you’re really fortunate. Your son is so accomplished. Unlike our family’s second-generation heir, he’s already in senior year, and his focus is still not on studying. Tsk, his father is so worried.”

Lu Yan looked at her father’s frustrated expression and felt uncomfortable. She put down her chopsticks and said, “Lu Zhen is studying hard too. His foundation isn’t that strong, so he’s reviewing past knowledge with me. His grades have improved a lot. If he works harder this year, he’ll definitely get into a key university.”

Shi Ya chuckled, “Him? A key university?”

What a joke.

Lu Yan shot a sharp look at Shi Ya, making her feel uneasy. Shi Ya mumbled, “Did… did I say something wrong? He can barely get into an average university.”

Lu Yan steadied her voice and said, word by word, “I will make sure Lu Zhen gets into a key university.”

Shi Ya sneered, “Don’t say such things so confidently.”

Lu Yan didn’t even bother to respond to this clown. She looked at Lu Jian and said, “In his final year, I will make sure Lu Zhen gets into a key university. If he does, you have to promise me one thing.”

Under the table, Lu Zhen kept tugging at Lu Yan’s sleeve, trying to stop her from making such bold claims. Getting into a key university? He didn’t even believe it himself… with his failing grades, what key university could he get into?

Lu Jian was extremely fond of his precious daughter. He didn’t care whether she was talking nonsense or not. With a loving smile on his face, he asked, “Yanyan, what do you want Daddy to promise?”

“If he gets in, you’ll apologize to him.”

Upon hearing this, the smile on Lu Jian’s face faded, and Shi Xuexian’s face immediately darkened. “What? You want your father to apologize to this brat? Apologize for what? I think you, young lady, are becoming more and more unruly.”

Lu Jian waved his hand to stop Shi Xuexian’s reprimanding and patiently asked Lu Yan, “What do you want me to apologize to him for?”

Lu Yan said loudly, “I know, even though you love Lu Zhen, sometimes your words and actions, though unintentional, do hurt him. You all think Lu Zhen is useless and won’t get into a good university. If he does get in, you should apologize to him. After all… the two words ‘I’m sorry’ could bring a heavy acceptance letter. Wouldn’t you be willing to make such a sacrifice for your son?”

After Lu Yan said this, the whole table fell silent. Ye Jiaqi’s gaze toward Lu Yan subtly shifted.

Lu Jian was even more shocked, he had never known that his silly daughter had such thoughts and eloquence.

Now, even Lu Zhen was silent. The thing he had always most desired throughout his years of growing up was probably for Lu Jian to admit his mistakes and apologize to him.

Lu Jian looked at Lu Zhen and asked lightly, “Lu Zhen, can you do it? Work hard this year and get into a key university?”

Before Lu Zhen could speak, Lu Yan suddenly held his hand under the table. Her palm was soft and warm.

He looked at her, and in her sincere eyes, there was a kind of unshakable determination.

It’s possible. He can do it!

He wanted Lu Jian’s apology. As long as he apologized, he would forgive everything that had happened in the past, forgive all the wrongs.

“I… I can.” Lu Zhen finally nodded, “I can do it.”

“Good!” A smile finally appeared on Lu Jian’s face, and for the first time, he looked at Lu Zhen with admiration. “Just like my son, working hard with your sister. I’ll wait for the good news from you a year from now!”

Lu Zhen was suddenly a bit overwhelmed. All these years, everything he had done, even those seemingly absurd things, weren’t they all for the sake of getting his father’s approval?

But he had been too foolish and messed everything up.

Although he had little confidence in getting into a key university, he would still try his best. A man must follow through on his promises. Besides, just thinking about the idea of getting his father’s apology was already satisfying.

During the rest of the meal, Ye Jiaqi’s father seemed to sense Lu Yan’s intentions and spent the entire time praising Lu Zhen to Lu Jian. He said that Lu Zhen was cheerful, lively, and had the adventurous spirit of a young man. He really had the same boldness Lu Jian had in his youth, which made Lu Jian feel proud.

“No, no, he’s not as good as you say.”

“Lu Zhen is a good kid, I can tell he’s going to amount to something.”

“Don’t praise him too much, he’ll get arrogant.”

“What’s wrong with being arrogant? Young people should be proud!”

“My son may always be getting into trouble, but he’s really ambitious, just a bit slow.”

“That’s not called stupid, that’s called being honest and steady. In business, one should be like this. You wouldn’t want him to become a sly, cunning person in the future, would you?”

“That’s true.”

—

Lu Yan smiled as she looked at Lu Zhen.

The excessive compliments made Lu Zhen feel awkward, and his face turned red. He had never been treated like this in his life.

Meanwhile, Shi Xuexian’s face grew darker because she noticed that Ye Jiaqi’s father seemed particularly fond of Lu Yan, almost like a mischievous old man. He exchanged glances with Lu Yan several times and kept defending Lu Zhen.

On the other hand, he was very cold toward Shi Ya. It seemed that after she questioned Lu Zhen earlier, Ye Jiaqi’s father had seen through her character.

If Ye Jiaqi’s father was interested in Lu Yan as a daughter-in-law, Shi Ya had no chance at all. How could she not be anxious? She kept trying to signal Shi Ya to speak more and present herself better.

But, sometimes, the more someone tries to show off, the more obvious their intentions become. It turned into an awkward situation for everyone, and in the end, Lu Jian directly told her that if she was done eating and had no other business, she should go back to her uncle’s house.

Not long after Shi Ya left, Shi Xuexian, disappointed, also excused herself from the table. She clearly couldn’t eat anymore, her heart full of resentment and anger.

After the meal, Lu Zhen took Lu Yan back to his room. At the washbasin in the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face.

He had been overwhelmed by the compliments earlier, feeling like he was in a dream, but now that he was awake, the situation seemed more serious than he thought.

“What were you thinking?”

He raised his handsome face, still wet with droplets of water, and asked Lu Yan, “A key university? You really said that, huh? Why didn’t you just say I should aim for Tsinghua or Peking University?”

Lu Yan leaned against the door, her toes drawing circles on the floor. With a mysterious look, she replied, “Dad, it’s time to tell you the real truth.”

“The real truth?”

“Actually… you and Shen Kuo are going to the same university.”

“What???”

Lu Zhen looked utterly disbelieving. “Me… and him? Same university?”

“Yep.” Lu Yan nodded seriously. “That’s right, you and he are applying to the same university.”

Lu Zhen almost thought he was hearing things, unable to believe it. “I… I could actually have that ability?”

Shen Kuo’s grades were almost unbeatable. Not only was he ranked first in his grade, but he was also 50 points ahead of the second-place student. What kind of genius student was this? He was practically a devil!

For Lu Zhen to score on par with him—he couldn’t believe it.

“Is this for real? Dare you swear an oath?”

“Why not? If I’m lying, I’ll go bald.”

Lu Zhen’s expression shifted. “…That’s a brutal oath.”

Lu Yan said seriously, “So, you’ll never know just how much potential you have when you go crazy. You’re not any dumber than Shen Kuo, and you’re not worse than him. If he can do it, you can definitely do it!”

Lu Zhen, as if energized by a shot of adrenaline, immediately pulled out his dusty high school textbooks from the shelf and began studying at his desk.

“Just watch… How could I possibly do worse than Shen Kuo! If he can get into a top university, so can I!”

Lu Yan looked at Lu Zhen’s determined back and felt a little guilty.

Actually, she wasn’t lying. Shen Kuo had gotten into the best electronics and technology university, Q University, while Lu Zhen had applied to a newly established independent third-tier college under Q University.

Round it off, and they were essentially attending the same university. No problem there, so no need to worry about going bald… yeah.