The Lu family found it novel; the family group chat exploded as everyone wanted to see what kind of man Lumi was pursuing. Her aunt was quick to snap a photo of Tu Ming and sent it to the group: “This one.”

“Isn’t this the kid who helped Lumi fight?” Lu Guofu looked at Tu Ming and remembered how skillfully this fierce young man had moved that night. People who had been police officers tended to appreciate those who knew some martial arts: “Little Lumi is doing well! Your uncle approves!”

“How old is he? Where is he from?” Lu Guoqing asked.

Lumi watched the family group chat fill with messages and said to her aunt: “It’s not even a done deal yet, and you’re already moving so fast! Just by your speed, I think you can work for another ten years!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Her aunt chatted with Lumi while saying: “Your aunt is just being sentimental. I was just thinking, Lumi came to help your aunt out of kindness, but it turns out she’s here for a man. Sigh!”

“Hehe.” Lumi chuckled and watched Tu Ming make a beautiful shot, clicking her tongue in appreciation.

Recently, Lumi realized something: you can’t judge a man’s toughness by his appearance. If you went by looks, someone like Zhang Xiao would seem the toughest, but Tu Ming appeared so refined, yet he fought like a beast. Lumi liked beasts.

She finally placed an order for her gear, determined to infiltrate Tu Ming’s circle of friends. As long as she did her homework, she didn’t believe Tu Ming could escape her again.

“You’re wrong, Lumi.” Shang Zhi Tao suddenly sent a message: “You’re not just looking to sleep with him and be done with it, are you?”

“Look at what you’re saying, as if I’m some kind of animal!”

“Dating?”

“Just a bit.”

“A woman chasing a man?” Shang Zhi Tao followed up: “It can be exhausting if you don’t get a response.”

Lumi felt a bit heartbroken and wanted to say something to Shang Zhi Tao, but in the end, she didn’t. Instead, she joked: “It’s fine, I’ve never chased anyone before, so it’s all an experience. Running off after sleeping together is also an option. You know, Lu Family at first sight, forgetting righteousness for Lu Family.”

Shang Zhi Tao sent an “You’re the best” emoji.

Lumi stayed until they finished playing tennis, watching the countdown to the time Da Liang would come looking for her. Sure enough, after packing up his gear, he came over: “Let’s go, have dinner together.”

“Sure!” Lumi cheerfully agreed and turned to her aunt: “I’m leaving, Aunt. See you at dinner tomorrow!”

She walked beside Da Liang with her luxury bag, exuding an air of expensive taste. Da Liang glanced at her, thinking this girl was really something. Then he looked at her bag, as if he had found a way in. But in the underworl, one had to know how to hold back. He looked again, and Lumi caught him. Lumi thought his gaze was quite amusing and casually asked: “What’s wrong? Captain Liang wants to buy me a bag?”

This was too direct and caught the old hand off guard. The old hand hadn’t yet decided how much this matter was worth and didn’t know how to respond appropriately.

“It’s fine, you can discuss it with me before buying a bag. I have plenty at home, just make sure it’s not a duplicate.” Lumi’s retorts were like child’s play, and Da Liang’s gaze was impolite, which she didn’t like.

After saying that, she raised an eyebrow at Da Liang and quickly walked over to Tu Ming: “Boss, teach me how to play tennis. I’ve bought the gear.”

“Captain Liang is better at it; ask him.” Tu Ming felt that the frequency of his chance encounters with Lumi was too high and prepared to avoid them intentionally. It was inevitable to see her during work hours, but seeing her in private would create psychological pressure.

“I’m not close with him; I’m close with you, Boss.”

“We… aren’t that close either, are we?” Tu Ming asked her back.

“We’ll get there, nobody’s close from the start, right?” Lumi smiled at him and got into the car.

Tu Ming checked his phone in the car and only then saw Wumeng’s message. She said: “Boss, the online onboarding process is complete. I can see you next Monday; don’t worry!”

“Welcome to Ling Mei, looking forward to your integration into the team.”

“Yes, yes! I’ll remember your teachings, Boss! I happened to meet someone from the Ling Mei market department, named Lumi. She’s very nice; can I ask her to be my mentor?”

Tu Ming’s eyebrows furrowed, feeling that today’s encounter was not a coincidence. So he asked Wumeng: “Do you chat with Lumi a lot?”

“It’s okay. It’s just casual chat, about your hobbies, work at Ling Mei, and she also knows I’m about to start working.”

“Alright, congratulations again. See you on Monday.”

Tu Ming put away his phone and watched Lumi’s car drive off. He followed in his car. After parking at the restaurant, he walked in and saw that Lumi had arrived first.

He sat across from her, contemplating how to speak to her without embarrassing her. His hesitation seemed new to Lumi, so she rested her chin on her hand and waited for him to speak. After a while, she asked: “Do you have something to say, Will? Just say it directly; it’s uncomfortable to hold it in.”

“I know today wasn’t a coincidence. Don’t do this again in the future. You know, I’ve recently divorced and don’t plan to remarry, at least not in the short term. If you’re just curious about what it’s like to be with me or just want to sleep with me once, there’s no need. I don’t have any feelings for you, and I’m not the kind of person who plays around. I hope I’ve made myself clear.” In Tu Ming’s limited emotional world, directly rejecting a girl like this was a first, and he even felt a bit guilty. Seeing Lumi’s eyes blink, shimmering as if she might cry, increased his guilt.

Goodness. Lumi thought, what a steel-hearted man, speaking without any tact, truly amazing.

“Did I hurt you by saying these things? I apologize if I did. I just don’t want us to waste time on something that won’t lead anywhere.”

Lumi’s mouth pouted: “Indeed, I went to great lengths to play with you, but before we even started, you’ve given me a death sentence. It’s so sad.”

“If you really like playing tennis, you can join the activities. That’s your choice; I can’t control it.”

“Won’t you feel awkward? Won’t you quit the team because I’m coming to play tennis?” Lumi felt that she was quite suited to play the villainess in a TV drama, pretending to be pitiful just to satisfy her sudden curiosity and interest in the person in front of her.

“No.”

“Then thank you.” Lumi smiled at him.

Da Liang and the others arrived. There were dozens of people in this tennis team activity group, and eight people were participating today. They gathered around a long table for a barbecue.

Lumi sat across from Tu Ming. She thought that a heartbroken woman shouldn’t talk too much at this time; talking too much would reveal her fox tail. So she quietly ate, occasionally nodding in response to others’ conversations, a stark contrast to her usual queenly demeanor.

Lumi received a message and picked up her phone to look at it. Wumeng asked her: “Did you get to play tennis with the boss? I just told the boss I know you.”

Lumi might seem silly, but she wasn’t really. Wumeng’s behavior, trying to curry favor, was quite distasteful to Lumi, so she put her phone aside without replying.

Da Liang asked Lumi from the side: “Will you join us for the activity next week?”

“I won’t be coming for a while.”

Tu Ming’s words, “I won’t be coming for a while,” made him glance at Lumi. He felt that his earlier speech seemed to have hurt the proud Lumi’s pride, so there was an apology in his gaze. Lumi, playing her role to the fullest, said to Da Liang: “I’ll hire a private coach first.”

“Private lessons aren’t cheap. Why not play and practice with us?”

“I have money.” Lumi still couldn’t quite hold back and inadvertently flaunted her wealth.

This “I have money” drew everyone’s attention to her, but she acted as if nothing had happened and continued: “I don’t mind the cost of private lessons; I just want to learn well and not hold the team back.” Finally, she added: “That’s the Ling Mei style.”

Lumi endured through the meal, and when it was time to leave, she hurriedly said goodbye. In Tu Ming’s eyes, she looked like someone who had been wounded in their pride, fleeing in defeat. She ran back to her car and finally couldn’t help but laugh.

Tu Ming’s reaction was too amusing; why should he feel guilty for rejecting someone? How could he be so silly! Living for over thirty years in vain!

Lumi’s good mood lasted the entire weekend. During the family dinner, her aunt imitated how Lumi had kept her eyes on Tu Ming the day before, describing it like this: “Her eyes were glowing green; I was worried for that young man, afraid that our little Lumi might swallow him whole.”

“Our Lumi is certainly capable of such things.”

The family members joked around while eating mutton ribs. Grandma’s lips were shiny with oil, and her mind was particularly sharp today: “Are you talking about that boss of yours we saw last time?”

“Grandma’s memory is really sharp!” Lumi gave Grandma a thumbs-up, with a piece of mutton still stuck to her disposable glove, which she ate in one go.

Lu Qing, who was sitting next to her, said: “Didn’t you say your boss doesn’t get along with you? Didn’t you say he’s obsessed with checking your clock-in and clock-out times?”

“So what if he checks? It’s not like I’ll lose a piece of meat.” Lumi’s tough attitude was on full display, and the whole family could see she was serious. They all cheered her on: “Go for it, Lumi! Don’t embarrass us!”

That’s just how unconventional this family was.

When Yao Luan’s call came in, Lumi had just taken off her disposable gloves and stepped aside to answer: “Hello, Teacher Yao.”

“Want to go for a mountain run?”

“Are you there?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go!”

People who love to play don’t need unnecessary chatter; they just go. Before leaving, Lumi asked Lu Qing: “Are you coming? For a mountain run?”

“No, I’m scared.” Lu Qing was such a quiet girl; riding a motorcycle was like risking her life. She also didn’t like the howling wind, which made her dizzy. Staying at home reading a book was much better.

“Look at how you’re acting! Come with me!” Lumi pulled Lu Qing along, saying as she dragged her: “What’s the point of reading all the time? Go up the mountain, feel the breeze, see some handsome guys, and then go home to read. That’s a much more fulfilling life!”

It’s said that even dragons have nine offspring, each with their own unique traits. Lumi and Lu Qing, despite being cousins, were even more different. Lu Qing was quiet; the only time she had ever stood up for herself was during her divorce. Lumi rode motorcycles, which Lu Qing opposed; Lumi went to nightclubs, which Lu Qing also disapproved of.

The Lu family members all hoped Lu Qing would go out and have fun, so they urged her: “Go on, we’ll play by ourselves later. We old folks don’t like hanging out with you youngsters; there’s a generation gap!”

Lu Qing had no choice but to sit behind Lumi on the motorcycle and follow her to the foot of the mountain. Along the way, she kept hugging Lumi’s waist, yelling at her to slow down. The big motorcycle was already cramped with two people, and Lu Qing’s fear made the ride quite stressful for Lumi.

From a distance, they saw a stylish group of motorcycles, parked by the roadside, with the owners chatting. Yao Luan noticed Lumi and waved at her.

“This is my cousin.” Lumi introduced Lu Qing, and the two of them got off the motorcycle.

“Nice bike.” Yao Luan complimented Lumi. Not many girls rode Ducatis; the Ducati’s quick start was too much for people with slow reactions.

“It’s okay, I practiced for a while before switching. Safety first.”

“Yes, safety first. Where are you riding today?” Yao Luan asked her.

“At the back, I guess.”

Lumi pointed at Lu Qing: “My cousin thinks I ride poorly. Can you take her instead?” Finally, she managed to get Lu Qing off her hands.

“Sure.”

“No, it’s not appropriate.” Lu Qing refused.

“What’s inappropriate about it? You’re just being old-fashioned!” Lumi dragged Lu Qing to Yao Luan’s motorcycle: “Get on!”

Yao Luan had taken many girls on his motorcycle, but this was the first time someone screamed as if they were on a roller coaster from the back seat. Lu Qing occasionally let out a scream from behind, giving Yao Luan a headache. He looked at Lumi through the rearview mirror; she was focused and serious about riding, genuinely enjoying the motorcycle.

When they stopped at the scenic overlook to drink water, Lu Qing’s legs were too weak to get off Yao Luan’s bike. Yao Luan said to her: “Sorry about this.” He put his arm around her waist and helped her down.

Lumi was laughing so hard she could barely stand, and she even took out her phone to take a picture of Lu Qing: “Lu Qing! Look at yourself!”

Everyone laughed.

“Your personality is going to drive Tu Ming crazy.” Yao Luan suddenly said.

“I’m not living with him; why would he be angry?” After a while, she added: “Living together is fine too, but I have to test him first.” She was joking around without any seriousness.

“You’ll never sleep with him if you’re not serious.” Yao Luan said.

“How do you know I want to sleep with him?” Lumi found it strange. She hadn’t done anything, so why did the whole world know she wanted to do something with Tu Ming?

Yao Luan pointed at her face: “It’s written all over your face!”

“Nonsense!”

Lumi looked at herself in the motorcycle mirror. Her face was clean and pretty; how could it show that she wanted to sleep with Tu Ming?

“I bet you won’t be able to sleep with him.”

“What are we betting?”

“A top-of-the-line riding suit.”

“I don’t believe in superstitions, and I don’t like losing.” A mischievous glint flashed in Lumi’s eyes.