Chapter 14 – Your Fiancée’s About to Go Big

She came for a simple meal and walked away with a surprise love rival? Totally not on the bingo card.

Jiang Miaomiao’s piano performance was smooth and elegant, truly captivating. When she finished, the restaurant burst into applause. Even Lu Cheng had a smile tugging at his lips as he joined in clapping.

She really was good. Xu Nuo wasn’t petty—she clapped for her too.

Jiang Miaomiao returned to the table, basking in the compliments, and turned to Lu Cheng, asking, “How was it? Not bad, right?”

Lu Cheng gave her a thumbs-up. “Fantastic. Really.”

Jiang Miaomiao’s smile grew even brighter. “You really mean that?”

“I do,” he replied.

Then she turned to Xu Nuo. “Do you play?”

Xu Nuo shook her head. “I don’t.”

“Oh,” Jiang Miaomiao smiled, but didn’t stop there. “I haven’t asked yet—are you from the military compound too? How did you and Lu Cheng meet?”

Xu Nuo didn’t answer. Instead, she looked at Lu Cheng.

Jiang Miaomiao followed her gaze, then raised an eyebrow. “What? Did I ask something wrong?”

Lu Cheng spoke up, flatly: “She’s my childhood fiancée—arranged by my mom when we were kids. A rural engagement. But I’m not okay with it. I’m telling my family tonight I want out.”

He said it so bluntly, not sparing Xu Nuo any dignity.

Jiang Miaomiao’s expression turned complicated. Clearly, she hadn’t expected that twist.

The mood at the table turned awkward in an instant. Lei Ming, ever the peacekeeper, scrambled to break the tension. “Right! I almost forgot—it’s my birthday today! Shouldn’t I be getting some birthday blessings?”

Silence.

Lei Ming wanted to dig a hole and crawl in.

Then Jiang Miaomiao suddenly lit up. “Perfect! Since it’s your birthday, let the two lovely ladies at the table give you a performance!”

She turned to Xu Nuo. “Come on, Xu Nuo—I’ll play piano, you sing. Let’s give Lei Ming a proper birthday surprise!”

Before anyone could object, she was already dragging Xu Nuo toward the piano.

Lei Ming turned pale, realizing she was probably trying to make Xu Nuo look bad. “Lu Cheng… I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Lu Cheng sighed. “It’s fine. Honestly, this might even be for the best. Let her realize we’re from different worlds—I can’t marry her.”

Lei Ming nodded, a bit guilty on Xu Nuo’s behalf.

“But this stays between us. If word about me and Xu Nuo spreads around the compound tomorrow, I’ll know which one of you leaked it—and I won’t let it slide,” Lu Cheng warned, sharp.

The guys immediately raised their hands in surrender. “We won’t say a thing!”

At the piano, Xu Nuo turned to the dining guests and called out confidently, “Today is my friend’s birthday. We’d like to offer him a special musical gift here in this lovely setting. I hope you’ll all join us in giving him a round of applause and your best wishes!”

The guests clapped warmly in response.

Jiang Miaomiao sat at the piano and looked up at Xu Nuo with a gentle smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll just play something random. You can sing however you want—just improvise.”

That sounded sweet and considerate…
But improvise?

That wasn’t something you threw at someone lightly. Jiang Miaomiao clearly wanted to trip her up.

Too bad for her—Xu Nuo had no intention of playing along.

She snapped her fingers and called over a waiter. “Excuse me, do you happen to have a violin I could borrow?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

In no time, the waiter returned with a violin and handed it to Xu Nuo. She took it with ease and began tuning it calmly and expertly.

“Holy—!” Lei Ming nearly jumped out of his seat. “Lu Cheng! Your fiancée is really going for it!”

“A violin? She knows how to play that?!” Yang Pan looked like his eyeballs were about to roll out of their sockets. He’d already been stunned multiple times today.

Even quiet Lin Chuan couldn’t help but mutter, “Lu Cheng, are you sure she’s from the countryside? ‘Cause… she really doesn’t seem like it.”

Lu Cheng was just as stunned as the others—his eyes fixed squarely on Xu Nuo.

“You know how to play the violin?” Jiang Miaomiao was visibly surprised.

Xu Nuo gave a modest smile. “Mm, a little. Not much. Go ahead—you start, I’ll improvise along with you.”

Jiang Miaomiao froze for a few seconds. “…Okay.”

The piano began again—this time more passionate, more dynamic than before. Then the violin joined in, layering in harmony. The two instruments complemented each other seamlessly, their melodies weaving into a rich and moving performance.

The diners sat in a trance, mesmerized.

When the piece ended, the restaurant erupted in applause—even the restaurant manager was drawn out by the music.

Lei Ming clapped until his hands turned red, practically shouting with praise, “That was incredible! I’ve never heard such an amazing performance in person—unbelievable! Seriously impressive!”

“Didn’t expect that from someone raised in the countryside,” Jiang Miaomiao said coolly.

Xu Nuo smiled gently. “There’s a lot more you wouldn’t expect.”

“Heh.” Jiang Miaomiao gave a short laugh and didn’t pursue it further. She pulled out her chair and resumed eating her steak.

Originally, she’d wanted to show off a little—but it backfired. The woman across from her had stolen the moment.

“A little violin”?
If that was “a little,” then what would full proficiency look like?

Xu Nuo stood up, her tone graceful and direct. “Jiang Miaomiao, thank you for your hospitality. I have something else to attend to, so I’ll be leaving early. Sorry to excuse myself mid-meal—hope you all enjoy the rest of dinner!”

As she turned to leave, Jiang Miaomiao looked over at Lu Cheng. “Aren’t you going to walk your fiancée out?”

“No need.” Xu Nuo flashed a breezy smile in Lu Cheng’s direction. “Acting’s exhausting, isn’t it? Anyway, your plan worked—congratulations.”

With that, she turned and walked off, cool as ever.

Lu Cheng: “…”

Lei Ming muttered under his breath, “What a fine girl. Shame about that mouth of hers…”

That soft tone of hers? Lethal. Every word landed like a blade.

If she ever decided to casually drop a few lines in front of Old Master Lu, Lu Cheng was going to have a very bad time.

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By the time Xu Nuo stepped outside the restaurant, the sky had grown even darker. She quickened her pace, trying to find a bus stop.

But after only a few steps—whoosh—the heavens opened, and torrential rain poured down, soaking her in an instant.

Well, if she was already drenched, might as well keep walking.

But after a few more steps, the discomfort hit. It was summer, sure, but having cold rain soak into her clothes made her feel utterly miserable.

She decided to find shelter.

Xu Nuo rushed to a nearby building and huddled under its overhanging eaves, hoping to wait out the worst of the downpour. But before long, lightning cracked across the sky and wind began to whip the rain sideways, splattering her anyway.

She shivered, hugging her arms tightly as she stared into the curtain of rain, silently willing it to let up.

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Just then, a military jeep with a license plate bearing the army insignia slowly drove down the road.

In the front seat, driver Xiao Wei drove cautiously. The windshield wipers swung back and forth in a blur, barely holding back the sheets of rain.

“Colonel, the rain’s intense. We won’t be home too quickly,” he said.

In the backseat, Lu Chen—recently reunited with Wu Yue after years apart and still carrying a light buzz from their drinks—was reclining with his eyes closed, resting.

He cracked one eye open at Xiao Wei’s words and looked out the window.

And in that moment, he saw her.

A lone figure curled under the eaves, arms wrapped around herself. Her white blouse clung to her body, completely soaked, the rain tracing her silhouette with startling clarity.

The wet shirt had gone nearly sheer.

With his razor-sharp 2.5 vision, Lu Chen could even tell what style of underclothes she was wearing under that blouse.

His eyes darkened slightly.

“Stop the car,” he ordered.

“Sir? Right here?” Xiao Wei was confused.

“Yes. Pull over. Stop.”

Xiao Wei carefully pulled to the curb and hit the brakes.

The back door opened. Lu Chen stepped out, unfurling an umbrella. He splashed through the puddles toward Xu Nuo without hesitation.