Chapter 15

Shen Hongxing told Xu Shuangshuang and the others to go home and went to the recruitment office.

“Excuse me, I’d like to see Chief Lu Jiaoyang. I’m his relative, Shen Hongxing. It’s urgent. Could you let him know?” she asked the guard outside the recruitment office.

The guard scrutinized her before calling the chief’s office. He returned. “Sorry, Chief Lu is in a meeting.”

“I’ll wait.”

Shen Hongxing waited. An hour, then two hours passed. The guard suggested she return the next day.

She refused. Tonight was the day she was severing ties with her family. To prevent them from causing trouble, she needed witnesses with official positions, but she didn’t know anyone, so she sought Lu Jiaoyang’s help.

Finally, at six o’clock, Lu Jiaoyang came out. His driver was waiting. “Chief, please get in.”

Fearing he’d leave, Shen Hongxing called out, “Chief Lu! Chief Lu…”

Lu Jiaoyang and the driver turned.

“Chief, it seems to be your niece…” The driver, Old Zhang, stopped, intimidated by Lu Jiaoyang’s gaze.  Lu Jiaoyang said, “She’s not my niece-in-law!” He quickly walked towards the gate.

They were separated by the door, but under the lights, he looked pleased. “Why are you here?”

“Chief Lu, I need your help,” Shen Hongxing said softly, fearing rejection.

“How long have you been here?” Lu Jiaoyang ducked under the gate without waiting for the guard to open it.

“For a while,” she replied. He stood before her, his tall figure overshadowing her.

She remembered him holding her in the car, her face flushing.  Lowering her head to hide her blush, she nervously fiddled with her clothes. “Chief Lu, could you please help me?”

Lu Jiaoyang looked at her, her shy demeanor resembling a little wife. The ice in his eyes melted.

His voice softened considerably.  Without directly agreeing, he asked, “What is it? Tell me.”

“Tonight, I’m severing ties with my family. I’m worried they’ll cause trouble, so I need someone with authority to witness it and stamp the document. That way, I won’t be implicated if they cause problems later.”

So, she needed his help with this. He leaned in, whispering in her ear, “Do you think I’m suitable?”

“You…” Shen Hongxing looked up in surprise, meeting his intense gaze. Her heart pounded. She’d never seen such deep emotion in someone’s eyes.

“What? Am I not suitable?” Lu Jiaoyang’s voice rose slightly when she didn’t answer.

Shen Hongxing quickly averted her gaze. “No, of course you are. It’s just… Chief Lu is very busy…”

“Conveniently, my father asked me to come home for dinner,” Lu Jiaoyang said, walking towards his waiting car. He opened the door. Shen Hongxing hesitated before running to the car and getting in.

They sat facing each other.  Shen Hongxing noticed a curtain had been added between the front and back seats. The atmosphere felt strange. She didn’t dare look at Lu Jiaoyang or speak, nervously picking at her nails.

Lu Jiaoyang broke the silence. “I’m helping you this time. How will you repay me?”

Repay? Shen Hongxing considered. “I can give you some money.”  Money was her most valuable possession.

Lu Jiaoyang laughed. “Taking money from you would be bribery.”

Shen Hongxing realized her mistake. “Sorry, Chief Lu. I forgot about your job. I didn’t mean to!”

Why did she get so flustered around him? Was it his position that made her lose her usual cleverness?

“Consider it a debt. We’ll talk if I need something later.”

Shen Hongxing patted her chest. “Chief Lu, you can count on me. I’ll do anything for you!”

Lu Jiaoyang chuckled. “Good. You said that. Don’t try to run away later.”  How could he possibly let…

He wouldn’t make her climb mountains of knives and walk through boiling oil.  At most, he’d make her marry him.

…

Meanwhile, Shen’s parents and Shen Jiaojiao were waiting in the main room.

“Mom, do you think Sister won’t come tonight? I told the director I’d give him the second half of the script tomorrow!” Shen Jiaojiao worried.

“If she doesn’t come, she doesn’t come,” Shen’s mother said, secretly pleased.  No matter what, Shen Hongxing was her daughter, and she didn’t want to sever ties.

Shen Jiaojiao was unhappy.  “Mom, I finally got this great job. I don’t want to lose it!”  Many people wanted to join the drama club, but Shen Hongxing, with just half a script, had gained everyone’s approval, and the director had personally invited her. Shen Jiaojiao had been incredibly jealous.

Why did Shen Hongxing get everything so easily?  Her status as the factory director’s daughter, her beauty…  No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t surpass Shen Hongxing.  She could only cry to her parents, play the victim, and use underhanded tactics to get what she wanted.

“Jiaojiao, don’t worry. Mom will help you!”  Her mother was easily swayed. “If that girl doesn’t come for the script, I’ll go get it myself. If she refuses, I’ll get Grandpa involved.”

Grandpa Shen was closest to Shen Hongxing, always saving the best food for her.  He was also her biggest weakness.  Whenever Shen Hongxing caused too much trouble, they used Grandpa to control her a tactic that always worked.

“Mom, you’re the best…” Shen Jiaojiao, satisfied, snuggled into her mother’s arms.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

“Mom, it must be Sister!” Shen Jiaojiao ran to open the door.  It wasn’t Shen Hongxing but Lu Jiaoyang, followed by his driver and a guard.

“Uncle?” Shen Jiaojiao, seeing Lu Jiaoyang at their home for the first time, was both excited and scared.

Lu Jiaoyang ignored her and entered the house.

“Oh, what a rare guest!” Shen’s father greeted him with a smile. Shen’s mother rushed over.

Since Chief Lu is here, please come in and have some tea!