“Mr. Lu.”

Xu Wanbai softly called out to Lu Mingcheng, noticing his absent-minded expression.

Lu Mingcheng snapped out of his thoughts, turned off his phone screen, and shifted his gaze toward the woman standing beside him.

Xu Wanbai looked stunning as always. In the midst of late autumn, she wore a cream-colored blazer paired with a matching off-the-shoulder slip dress. The outfit was both sophisticated and alluring.

Her blazer hung open, revealing her swan-like neck and delicate collarbones.

Meeting Lu Mingcheng’s gaze, Xu Wanbai didn’t flinch or avoid it. Instead, she smiled at him, calm and composed.

Lu Mingcheng paused briefly, his eyes skimming over her face, and replied coldly. “Schedule it through my assistant.”

Hearing this, Xu Wanbai was momentarily taken aback. Then, she quickly recovered with a soft laugh. “Understood. Sorry for bothering you.”

Lu Mingcheng let out a brief “mm” before heading straight back to the private room without lingering.

Only after the man disappeared around the corner did Xu Wanbai retract her gaze.

She paused briefly, then walked toward the restroom.

Sitting on the toilet, Xu Wanbai began reflecting on the events of the past few days.

She furrowed her brows, puzzled.

Why was Lu Mingcheng’s attitude toward her not as warm and attentive as described in the novel? And his wife didn’t seem as timid as she had expected based on her knowledge.

[System A, are you sure this Lu Mingcheng is supposed to be my male lead?]

Xu Wanbai questioned the system that had silently resided in her mind for as long as she could remember.

More than two years ago, Xu Wanbai wasn’t the person she was now.

Back then, she was just an ordinary college student on the verge of graduation, with nothing particularly remarkable about her abilities.

One day, she woke up to an unfamiliar voice in her head.

That voice claimed to be her personal system, promising to help her rise above everyone else in this world.

Whether it was work, life, or relationships, as long as Xu Wanbai followed System A’s instructions, she would succeed.

And so far, System A had proven itself trustworthy.

When she applied for a position at Guangdiao, her resume was far from impressive. However, that day, System A instructed her to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

At the stairwell, she happened to encounter the director of Guangdiao, who was experiencing a bout of low blood sugar. By sheer luck, Xu Wanbai had some candy in her bag.

During the interview, the director served as the lead interviewer.

Xu Wanbai’s answers to the questions were flawless, and she was effortlessly accepted into Guangdiao.

Once inside, with the help of the system, she successfully handled several noteworthy projects.

As a result, Xu Wanbai’s status at Guangdiao steadily rose, and she was entrusted with increasingly significant projects.

Not long ago, System A revealed the reason it had been helping her: Xu Wanbai was the designated female lead of this novel world.

However, due to a previous malfunction in the system, her earlier life had not gone as smoothly as it should have.

But now, everything was on track. As long as she followed the novel’s storyline, she would undoubtedly get what she wanted in the end.

After reading the novel provided by the system, Xu Wanbai became the lead designer for the Lu Group’s resort project and successfully orchestrated a chance encounter with him at the airport.

Tonight marked their second meeting.

However, Xu Wanbai couldn’t shake the feeling that Lu Mingcheng wasn’t as attentive to her as he was portrayed in the novel.

System A: “Of course. Who else in this world could possibly be the male lead besides him?”

Xu Wanbai thought about it and conceded that was true.

She frowned slightly. “But his attitude toward me is so cold.”

System A: “This is only your second meeting. Once you spend more time together, his attitude will naturally change.”

Xu Wanbai mulled it over and found the reasoning sound.

With her current appearance and charm, she refused to believe she couldn’t win over Lu Mingcheng.

Suddenly, Xu Wanbai thought of something important. [Was my encounter with Jiang Qiuyi at the hot spring hotel an unexpected situation?]

In the novel she read, this chance meeting wasn’t part of the story.

System A: [Regarding Jiang Qiuyi, I’m not entirely sure. It might be due to the earlier malfunction that caused me to miss a lot of information about her.]

Xu Wanbai fell silent.

System A: [Don’t worry. She won’t cause much trouble. As long as you follow my guidance, you’ll become the well-known Mrs. Lu Mingcheng—the wife of the Lu Group’s president.]

Hearing this, Xu Wanbai smiled. [Of course.]

Initially, she was interested in Lu Mingcheng only because of what the system told her. But after getting to know him, Xu Wanbai had fallen for him deeply.

Now, she was determined to make him hers.

As for Jiang Qiuyi, she had no idea about any of this drama.

Her current goal was simple: to maximize her own happiness.

After greeting Lu Mingcheng, Jiang Qiuyi didn’t bother to care whether he was pleased or not. She simply hung up the phone.

Li Miao watched her actions and couldn’t help but laugh. “What did Mr. Lu say?”

Jiang Qiuyi replied. “Nothing much.”

Even if he had, she wouldn’t have listened.

She sprawled out on the sofa and turned her head to gaze outside. “I never realized how beautiful the night view looks from here.”

Outside, the city lights sparkled like countless fireflies, bright and dazzling.

The light reflected on the lake’s surface, creating shimmering ripples, as if something was swimming beneath the water.

Above, the night sky held a scattering of stars, twinkling faintly.

Li Miao glanced at her and teased with a smile. “Regretting not coming out with us sooner, aren’t you?”

“I am.” Jiang Qiuyi admitted with a laugh. “From now on, I’ll make sure to come out and enjoy myself more often.”

Li Miao couldn’t help but laugh.

“I have to say, you’ve changed so much all of a sudden that I’m struggling to keep up.”

Hearing this, Jiang Qiuyi raised an eyebrow. “Then you’d better adapt quickly.”

“Alright,” Li Miao replied with a grin.

The two of them were staying in the presidential suite on the top floor. With a breathtaking night view, a few glasses of wine, and lighthearted conversation, their evening felt indulgent and carefree.

As they chatted, neither noticed when they eventually dozed off.

…

The next morning, Jiang Qiuyi was awakened by the sound of her phone ringing.

Still half-asleep, she picked up and mumbled. “Who is this?”

Lu Mingcheng remained silent for a moment.

He glanced briefly at Xu Chen, who was standing in front of his desk, and then spoke in a low voice. “Just woke up?”

“Mm.”

Jiang Qiuyi recognized his voice and replied in a muffled tone. “What is it?”

Hearing her groggy tone, Lu Mingcheng pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. “Weren’t you asking me for a lawyer?”

He added. “The lawyer is already waiting in the hotel lobby.”

“…”

Jiang Qiuyi was momentarily stunned as her mind cleared up a little. “Oh.”

She climbed out of bed. “Tell him to wait for me in the hotel restaurant. I’ll head down after getting ready.”

Lu Mingcheng responded. “Alright.”

After hanging up, Jiang Qiuyi pulled Li Miao out of bed. The two quickly got ready and headed to the third-floor restaurant.

The lawyer Lu Mingcheng had arranged for her was Yan Xu, a prominent attorney from the Lu Group.

As soon as the two arrived, Yan Xu immediately stood up to greet them.

“Madam.” Yan Xu greeted Jiang Qiuyi, then glanced at Li Miao and added. “Mrs. Huo.”

Jiang Qiuyi nodded and gestured. “Please, have a seat, Attorney Yan.”

Yan Xu sat down.

Jiang Qiuyi wasted no time and went straight to consulting him about investing in niche fashion brands.

She explained that she had already spoken with the brand’s founder the previous evening. While they were open to receiving investments, there were quite a few conditions attached.

After listening to her, Yan Xu paused, visibly surprised.

It was unexpected for Jiang Qiuyi to show interest in this kind of investment.

“Madam, what made you suddenly decide to pursue investments?” he asked.

Jiang Qiuyi gave a light laugh and replied, “I’ve been bored at home, so I thought I’d find something to do.”

Yan Xu nodded thoughtfully. After a brief moment of consideration, he said. “This might require a manager to conduct a detailed analysis. Are you in a hurry?”

Jiang Qiuyi thought for a moment. “It’s not urgent, but the sooner, the better.”

Yan Xu nodded. “Don’t worry, Madam. I’ll have a manager analyze the details and draft a contract that maximizes your interests.”

Jiang Qiuyi smiled. “No need for that. Let the other party draft the contract, and you can review it for me later.”

“Understood,” Yan Xu agreed.

After confirming her requirements, Yan Xu left the hotel.

Jiang Qiuyi and Li Miao finished their meal before heading straight to meet with the brand’s representatives.

They had already arranged last night to meet for lunch today and discuss further.

The brand was called Nijin, and its founder, Sheng Qingni, was a strikingly beautiful and elegant woman.

Last night, they had only exchanged brief greetings, so Jiang Qiuyi hadn’t paid much attention.

Now, seeing her again, Jiang Qiuyi realized that Sheng Qingni exuded a unique and captivating charm.

She had a small, delicate face that gave off the aura of a refined young lady—elegant and beautiful.

As soon as they arrived, Sheng Qingni smiled warmly. “You’re here.”

Jiang Qiuyi returned the smile. “Have you been waiting long?”

“No,” Sheng Qingni glanced at the time. “I just arrived myself.”

The three women sat down. Sheng Qingni extended her hand toward Jiang Qiuyi and said softly. “Thank you, Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Qiuyi raised an eyebrow. “What are you thanking me for?”

She replied earnestly. “I bought those clothes because I genuinely thought they were beautiful.”

“That’s not it,” Sheng Qingni said. “The clothes are part of it, but I’m also really grateful for the promotion you did.”

She explained. “After you posted on Moments and Weibo last night, our sales both in-store and on the official flagship store have increased significantly, from midnight until now.”

Nijin’s offerings weren’t exactly mainstream—while they had some pieces in the hundreds, most of their items were priced in the thousands or even tens of thousands.

The sales of items priced in the hundreds had always been good, but the ones priced in the thousands or tens of thousands were more average.

However, after Jiang Qiuyi and Li Miao posted several videos from the fashion show on their Moments and Weibo last night, the sales of Nijin’s high-end pieces saw a significant increase.

As she spoke, Sheng Qingni turned to Li Miao. “I also want to thank Miss Li.”

Li Miao smiled modestly. “It was nothing.”

She added with a playful grin. “Besides, we do have an interest in your brand.”

Sheng Qingni chuckled softly, responding warmly. “You’re very welcome.”

She continued. “Actually, I’ve been looking for investors lately. The main purpose of this show was to attract them.”

Running a domestic brand was challenging, especially when it comes to high-end Chinese-style couture.

Most people tend to choose foreign luxury brands when buying expensive clothing.

This was perfectly understandable, but Sheng Qingni wanted to try something different. She wanted to promote fashion with distinctive national characteristics. That’s why, back in university, she founded Nijin, and now, five years later, the brand was still growing.

Jiang Qiuyi understood.

In fact, they were quite similar—both fond of luxury goods. She had to admit that, when it came to luxury items, other countries did tend to do them a bit better.

The three women hit it off immediately.

By lunchtime, they had already become quite familiar with each other.

After learning about Nijin’s current difficulties, Jiang Qiuyi was curious. “You mentioned there are issues with your physical store fronts?”

Sheng Qingni nodded with a wry smile. “Yes, the rent isn’t cheap, and some of the stores are planning to close down.”

“Which locations?”

Jiang Qiuyi hesitated, admitting. “I’m not too familiar with them.”

Sheng Qingni didn’t hide anything and directly mentioned. “Minghui Plaza, Jin’an…”

She listed several other locations.

Jiang Qiuyi paused for a moment, then nodded. “How much is the rent for a store like that, roughly?”

Sheng Qingni smiled. “Around 100,000 per month. Our store isn’t very large.”

Jiang Qiuyi did the math in her head and thought for a moment before saying, “That’s definitely not cheap.”

She paused, then softly asked. “Have you considered relocating the store?”

Sheng Qingni shook her head. “A more average location wouldn’t work, and anything higher-end would have even steeper rent.”

Jiang Qiuyi thought for a moment and then asked quietly. “What about Mingyu Plaza? Have you thought about it?”

Sheng Qingni laughed softly. “I wish I could afford it.”

She explained. “I’ve looked into the rent there. It’s nearly 3,000 per square meter.”

Mingyu Plaza was the largest shopping mall in Ning City, filled with luxury brands. Most of the shoppers there were affluent people.

Jiang Qiuyi raised an eyebrow. “Forget about whether you can afford it—just focus on whether you want it.”

Sheng Qingni looked at her in surprise. “Do you have a solution?”

Jiang Qiuyi winked at her and smiled. “I’ll try something first, and let you know once I’m sure.”

If she remembered correctly, Mingyu Plaza was owned by Lu Mingcheng.

The mall was a gift from his father for his coming-of-age ceremony, and it was entirely his personal property.

After finalizing things with Sheng Qingni, Jiang Qiuyi and Li Miao headed straight to Mingyu Plaza.

She planned to take a stroll and gather some information.

When Jiang Qiuyi arrived, Lu Mingcheng just happened to be there, doing a store inspection.

Lu Mingcheng’s company owned many malls, office buildings, and hotels, but he didn’t visit them all.

He came to Mingyu Plaza more often simply because the Lu Group headquarters was next door, and the mall was particularly important to them.

It was an accidental encounter between the couple.

Jiang Qiuyi glanced over and noticed that Lu Mingcheng was accompanied by a few assistants, bodyguards, and the mall manager.

When he saw her, Lu Mingcheng stopped in his tracks.

“What are you doing here?”

Jiang Qiuyi responded with an “Oh,” then pointed and said. “Just shopping. Miao Miao went to the restroom, so I’m waiting for her here.”

Lu Mingcheng nodded, his gaze lowering slightly as he looked at her. He asked in a low voice. “It’s three o’clock. Are you heading home afterward?”

Jiang Qiuyi blinked. “Home? To the old mansion?”

Lu Mingcheng nodded.

Jiang Qiuyi fell silent for a moment, then, with some suspicion, asked. “Aren’t you supposed to finish work at six?”

Lu Mingcheng raised an eyebrow, his tone calm as he asked. “Can’t you shop for three hours?”

“….”

Jiang Qiuyi blinked and, with a pointed look, said. “If I shop for another three hours, the shopping bill you’ll get should probably be multiplied several times.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingcheng made a sound of acknowledgment. “If you want to buy something, go ahead. The Lu family isn’t short on that.”

He paused for a moment and added. “If you’re done shopping, you can just come to my office.”

Jiang Qiuyi was about to respond when Li Miao came out of the restroom. She froze upon seeing the two of them, then greeted Lu Mingcheng before pulling Jiang Qiuyi aside and whispering. “Qiuyi, Huo Xun has a fever. I need to go home and check on him.”

Jiang Qiuyi was surprised. “Then go quickly. Let the driver take you.”

“Okay.”

After Li Miao left, Jiang Qiuyi and Lu Mingcheng’s gazes met.

Lu Mingcheng looked at her and asked calmly. “Huo Xun has a fever?”

Jiang Qiuyi nodded.

Lu Mingcheng gave a faint smirk, slipping one hand into his pocket. “Let’s go.”

“…?”

“Where to?”

Lu Mingcheng paused slightly, remembering what Huo Xun had said.

He looked at her for a moment before saying. “I’ll accompany you shopping.”

Jiang Qiuyi: “…”

With Lu Mingcheng, her boss, accompanying her, the trail of purchases she left behind was undeniable.

Shopping with Lu Mingcheng was quite dull. He didn’t offer any opinions, and when Jiang Qiuyi asked him if something looked good, he would only say “It’s fine,” never giving any compliments.

But the upside was, Jiang Qiuyi could buy whatever she wanted without even taking out her card—Lu Mingcheng covered everything.

After a while, Jiang Qiuyi glanced back.

The bodyguard behind Lu Mingcheng already had over a dozen shopping bags in hand.

She paused for a moment, thinking for three seconds, then asked. “Have I bought too much?”

Lu Mingcheng followed her gaze and, in a calm tone, replied. “It’s fine.”

Jiang Qiuyi: “Really?”

Lu Mingcheng nodded.

He estimated that she had spent around ten million.

=^_^=

Author has something to say:

Lu Mingcheng: “It’s not much.”

Qiuyi: “My small goal is to spend ten billion first.”

Lu Mingcheng: “…”

=^_^=