The hot spring hotel under the Lu Group had recently opened for business.

During the winter, a steady stream of people came to relax and enjoy the facilities.

The hotel was conveniently located, not far from the city center making it easily accessible.

The hotel also had different floor levels, with higher floors being more expensive.

Some of the hot spring rooms were privately owned by certain socialites or industry insiders and were not open to the public.

When Jiang Qiuyi and Lu Minghao arrived, the hotel manager was already waiting at the entrance.

“Young Master Minghao.”

He paused, then glanced at the elegant and refined Jiang Qiuyi, asking. “And this is…?”

Lu Minghao furrowed his brows and lazily lifted his eyelids, responding. “How are you even the manager if you don’t know her?”

The manager’s face turned pale with panic, and he bowed slightly, apologizing. “I’m sorry, there was a mistake in our information collection.”

Lu Minghao let out a cold snort and said. “My sister-in-law.”

The manager froze, staring at Jiang Qiuyi in shock. “Mrs. Lu?”

So, this was the elusive wife of Lu Mingcheng, the one who had never been seen in public?

Lu Minghao scoffed. “What, do you think I’d lie to you?”

The manager quickly shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean that.”

He stepped aside and, lowering his voice, called out. “Mrs. Lu, please, this way.”

Jiang Qiuyi smiled gently, not bothering to hold it against the manager.

In fact, not just the hot spring hotel manager, but even at the Lu Group’s headquarters, very few people knew her.

Thinking of this, Jiang Qiuyi couldn’t help but feel that, in the past, her life had been quite humble.

The manager immediately led Jiang Qiuyi to Lu Mingcheng’s exclusive private room.

After asking her preferences, the manager stepped out and called for the masseuse.

Lu Minghao didn’t follow her inside but cautiously asked at the door. “Sister-in-law, I’m going to hang out downstairs for a bit. Let me know when you’re done.”

Jiang Qiuyi nodded. “Alright, thank you.”

Lu Minghao waved his hand. “No need to be so polite, sister-in-law.”

After he left, Jiang Qiuyi pushed the door open and entered.

The design of this hot spring hotel under the Lu Group had a Japanese-style influence.

The lighting had a warm yellow tone, creating a cozy atmosphere. As she entered and passed the screen, the large hot spring pool came into view.

The pool was spacious, rectangular in shape, and could accommodate quite a few people.

As she walked forward, Jiang Qiuyi noticed that from this angle, she had a perfect view of a wide river beneath a distant bridge. The sunlight sparkled on the water, creating a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

Just as she was admiring the view, there was a knock on the door. The masseuse, arranged by the manager, had arrived.

Jiang Qiuyi shifted her gaze, glancing at the massage bed on the side raising an eyebrow slightly.

As she immersed herself in the hot spring pool, she realized how much she had missed out on.

The water in the hot spring was clean and warm, allowing her to relax both physically and mentally.

After soaking, Jiang Qiuyi asked the masseuse to relieve some tension in her sore calves.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the rare experience of this service, almost drifting off to sleep.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

Jiang Qiuyi opened her eyes and checked the caller ID.

It was Sun Xi.

She immediately hung up.

However, Sun Xi seemed determined to reach her and persistently called again.

Jiang Qiuyi remained silent, changing her position before answering the call.

“Hello?” Sun Xi’s voice came through. “Are you at the hot spring hotel?”

Jiang Qiuyi: “…”

Sun Xi repeated her name a few times, then muttered softly. “Jiang Qiuyi, are you listening to me?”

Jiang Qiuyi lifted her eyes slightly and asked calmly. “What did you call me?”

It was only now that she realized Sun Xi had never addressed her as “sister-in-law” and had always called her by her first name.

There was a pause on the other end before Sun Xi reluctantly replied. “Sister-in-law.”

Jiang Qiuyi responded with a quiet “Mm” and said indifferently. “Yes, I’m here. What’s up?”

“Wow, you’re really here.” Sun Xi continued. “I just bumped into Lu Minghao. He said you’re upstairs in the hot spring.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Qiuyi coldly replied. “And then?”

Sun Xi rubbed her nose awkwardly. “Aren’t you going to buy a car later? Can you take me with you?”

“…”

Jiang Qiuyi responded. “Ask Lu Minghao.”

“He told me to ask you. You’re the one with the final say,” Sun Xi said reluctantly. “You have to agree before he’ll take me.”

Hearing that, Jiang Qiuyi smiled lightly. “Oh, in that case, we’ll see.”

With that, she hung up the phone.

Sun Xi stared at the phone in disbelief and turned to Lu Minghao, her eyes wide. She blinked and asked. “…What’s going on with Jiang Qiuyi lately? Why is she acting so strange?”

Lu Minghao shot her a glance, his face cold. “What did you call her?”

Sun Xi awkwardly mumbled. “She doesn’t deserve to be the daughter-in-law of the Lu family anyway.”

Lu Minghao smirked, casually replying. “Why don’t you try saying that to your brother?”

Sun Xi fell silent.

Of course, she didn’t dare.

While Lu Mingcheng may not have had deep feelings for Jiang Qiuyi, he was very protective of his own.

Since he had married Jiang Qiuyi, she was now his wife, and he wouldn’t allow anyone to mistreat her.

Seeing her silence, Lu Minghao casually said. “You better control your temper, or you’ll end up the one losing out.”

Sun Xi snorted, not believing him.

…

After the hot spring and massage, it was almost lunchtime.

Jiang Qiuyi, too lazy to move, decided to stay and have a meal there after Lu Minghao’s recommendation.

Sun Xi showed up uninvited.

Jiang Qiuyi didn’t waste time on her and focused on her meal instead.

The chef at the hotel was skilled, and the food was just to Jiang Qiuyi’s taste.

Without realizing it, she ended up eating more than she had planned.

Sun Xi took a couple of bites and then put down her chopsticks. She had to maintain her figure, so she couldn’t eat too much.

Glancing at the person still eating across from her, Sun Xi couldn’t resist teasing. “Aren’t you afraid of gaining weight?”

Jiang Qiuyi didn’t even spare her a glance.

Sun Xi pouted and whispered. “You should eat less. Aren’t you afraid that if you gain weight, my brother will stop wanting you?”

Jiang Qiuyi paused for a moment, then lifted her gaze to look at her. “What did you say?”

Sun Xi hesitated, then looked away awkwardly. “I was just joking, is that not okay?”

Jiang Qiuyi gave a faint smile, curling her lips slightly. “I don’t like hearing jokes like that.”

Sun Xi almost choked on her words. Just as she was about to complain about her being “petty,” she noticed someone entering from not too far away.

She stared for a moment, then turned to ask. “Minghao, is that person over there my brother’s assistant?”

Lu Minghao looked up, and after seeing the well-dressed man not far away, he hesitated before replying. “It seems like it.”

Sun Xi nodded. “I thought so too. But who is the woman next to him?”

Lu Minghao shook his head, then called out. “Sister-in-law, is that person over there my brother’s assistant?”

Jiang Qiuyi listened to their conversation and turned to look in their direction.

Suddenly, her gaze froze.

There were four people not far away. One of them was Liu Dong, one of Lu Mingcheng’s assistants. The other… she didn’t know, but she had seen her before.

Jiang Qiuyi focused on the woman’s raised face for a moment, then recognized her.

It was Xu Wanbai.

The woman she had bumped into at the airport, and also the heroine of this novel’s world.

Jiang Qiuyi was surprised. In the novel, Lu Mingcheng and Xu Wanbai hadn’t run into each other again until three days after their meeting at the airport. So, what was going on now?

Had the trajectory of their relationship changed, or was it just that Lu Mingcheng hadn’t come today and had arranged for his assistant to handle things instead?

Lost in thought, Jiang Qiuyi didn’t notice her surroundings.

Lu Minghao called out. “Sister-in-law?”

“Hm?” Jiang Qiuyi snapped back to attention and raised a smile. “It’s your brother’s assistant, Liu.”

Lu Mingcheng had many assistants, and they hadn’t met all of them.

Lu Minghao nodded, his expression filled with suspicion. “So, are they discussing something? That woman is quite pretty.”

Sun Xi snorted, glancing over and saying, “Pretty? Where?”

She scoffed, “Do all of you men think every long, straight-haired woman is pretty?”

Lu Minghao: “……”

Sun Xi grumbled as she shoved a couple of bites of food into her mouth, speaking indistinctly. “I don’t think she’s pretty. She’s not as pretty as Jiang Qiuyi.”

“…”

Jiang Qiuyi glanced at her, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “Thanks.”

Sun Xi choked a little.

Jiang Qiuyi didn’t waste much time lingering near Xu Wanbai’s table. After finishing her meal, she left with the two of them.

As they walked out, they just happened to pass by Xu Wanbai’s table.

Upon seeing Jiang Qiuyi, Liu Dong immediately stood up. “Madam.”

Jiang Qiuyi gave a brief nod, her expression indifferent. “Assistant Liu.”

Liu Dong bowed his head and introduced her to the others. “This is Mr. Lu’s wife.”

He then said, “This is Manager Yu, along with the two staff members from the resort cooperation, Miss Xu and Manager Qin.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Qiuyi found herself unintentionally locking eyes with Xu Wanbai.

Xu Wanbai was indeed beautiful, with a petite face, round almond eyes, a small nose, and cherry lips — the kind of look that was both charming and endearing.

Jiang Qiuyi glanced at her briefly before looking away.

“Assistant Liu, you all continue with your work,” she said gently. “I won’t disturb you.”

Before she could finish with the words “disturb you”, Xu Wanbai suddenly spoke up.

She looked at Jiang Qiuyi with a smile. “Mrs. Lu, you’re really beautiful.”

She added softly, “No wonder Mr. Lu keeps his wife hidden away.”

Jiang Qiuyi’s smile faltered, and she glanced up at her.

Manager Qin, standing to the side, smiled and chimed in. “Yes, I heard that Mr. Lu didn’t want to bring his wife out because she’s too beautiful. I didn’t quite believe it, but now I see it’s true.”

She complimented Jiang Qiuyi, “Mrs. Lu is truly a breathtaking beauty.”

“….”

Jiang Qiuyi smiled slightly, her expression cool. “It’s all just rumors.”

She glanced at the slightly confused Liu Dong to the side, and said lightly. “I won’t disturb your discussion. I’ll leave now.”

After leaving the hot spring hotel, Sun Xi muttered. “That Manager Qin is way too flattering.”

Before Jiang Qiuyi and Lu Minghao could respond, she went on. “But that Miss Xu, up close, is indeed quite beautiful.”

Jiang Qiuyi remained silent.

Lu Minghao nodded. “Right? I’ve been saying she’s pretty. But we don’t really know who she is.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Xi casually said. “Just look her up, or ask my brother.”

“….”

Jiang Qiuyi listened to their conversation, feeling a strange sensation she couldn’t quite put into words.

Given her past experiences, she didn’t particularly like Xu Wanbai. But she had to admit, she was indeed attractive.

So this was the type Lu Mingcheng liked?

Jiang Qiuyi couldn’t help but compare herself. In terms of appearance, she was nowhere near as outstanding as Xu Wanbai. If she remembered correctly, in the novel, Xu Wanbai had been quite helpful to Lu Mingcheng in his career.

The two of them found common ground, which brought them closer.

Jiang Qiuyi was lost in thought and didn’t even realize when they arrived at the store.

“Jiang Qiuyi, we’re here.”

Sun Xi, without much tact, teased. “Were you daydreaming?”

Jiang Qiuyi shot her a cold glance before getting out of the car.

This time, Lu Minghao was heading to work so he was planning to buy a low-key sedan.

As soon as the three of them arrived, a manager came up to greet them.

They were at Ningcheng’s largest luxury car dealership, where many high-end car brands were on display.

As soon as Jiang Qiuyi entered, she saw the cars displayed in the center of the showroom.

She stared at them for a while and raised an eyebrow.

The salesperson, though not recognizing her was very enthusiastic since she had come with Lu Minghao. He asked politely. “Miss, would you like to take it for a test drive?”

He added, “This car just arrived, and there are only three in Ningcheng, two of which have already been reserved.”

Jiang Qiuyi listened, then asked indifferently. “How much is it?”

The salesperson paused for a moment, then lowered his voice and replied. “This model…”

Jiang Qiuyi wasn’t interested in hearing a long explanation. She glanced at him and asked directly. “Just tell me the price.”

“About 16 million.”

Jiang Qiuyi gave a slight nod and turned to Sun Xi. “What do you think?”

Sun Xi: “?”

She blinked as she said. “It’s alright. Why?”

Jiang Qiuyi crossed her arms and nodded. “Alright, I’ll take this one.”

Salesperson: “???”

Sun Xi: “?”

She looked at Jiang Qiuyi in disbelief, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her aside, whisperin., “Are you crazy?”

Jiang Qiuyi: “Can’t I buy a car?”

“That’s not it,” Sun Xi said, still stunned. “But… you don’t even drive.”

Jiang Qiuyi always had a chauffeur when she went out.

Jiang Qiuyi shrugged casually and replied, “So what?”

She added lightly. “Not driving doesn’t mean I can’t buy one.”

She ignored Sun Xi and turned to the still-standing salesperson, asking. “Is there anything else to recommend besides this one?”

The salesperson, seemingly snapping out of a daze, quickly replied. “Please follow me. I’ll have the manager introduce you to more options.”

He said. “We accept vehicle reservations, but the waiting period might be a bit longer.”

Jiang Qiuyi nodded in understanding. “That’s fine. If I like it, I can wait as long as necessary.”

The salesperson smiled brightly.

An hour later, under the manager’s guidance, Jiang Qiuyi reserved a custom yellow Bugatti Chiron.

Without a second thought, she swiped her card.

Sun Xi stood stunned for three minutes before sneaking out to call Lu Mingcheng.

As soon as the call connected, Sun Xi anxiously said. “Brother! Jiang Qiuyi has really lost it.”

Lu Mingcheng: “What did you call her?”

Sun Xi: “I said, my sister-in-law has gone crazy.”

Without catching her breath, she continued. “She just bought two luxury cars!”

Lu Mingcheng paused for a moment, glancing at the purchase details on his phone.

He gave a faint “Hmm” and calmly said. “She might not be in the best mood lately.”

Sun Xi’s brows twitched, and she exclaimed in panic. “Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

Lu Mingcheng was silent for a while, reflecting on how he had been treated over the past couple of days. His tone was leisurely as he responded. “I can’t do anything about it.”

Sun Xi: “…?”

=^_^=

Author has something to say: Lu Mingcheng: If I intervene, I might end up sleeping in the study.

Jiang Qiuyi: Spending money is so much fun TvT