The two of them settled in a 24-hour café near the school.

Lu Nian watched as Fang Deng swiftly fixed her computer and couldn’t help but ask, “I thought you guys must be closed by now, it’s so late… You guys must be working hard.”

Seeing someone around her age working so late, Lu Nian felt inclined to tip him more generously.

Fang Deng cleared the virus from her computer and optimized it from top to bottom. “We offer 24-hour service, ready to come whenever you call.”

Lu Nian said, “Huh?”

“I’m Fang Deng, from the Computer Science Department, one year ahead of you. I guess you can call me your senior,” the teenager said, closing the laptop and reaching out a hand to her, as if to shake hands.

But before Lu Nian could respond, he quickly retracted it.

He smiled at her, revealing his sharp little tiger teeth, making his baby face look even cuter. “If you need anything, just ask me. If your phone or computer has any problems, or if you need software installed…”

Lu Nian, “…”

Fang Deng hurriedly shut his mouth.

“It’s true,” Fang Deng said, “I’m at your service, ready to obey your commands anytime, anywhere, for anything.”

Now that the boss’s company was doing well, Fang Deng was also doing well.

He increasingly felt that he had not chosen the wrong person.

But he still had an important task: to look after her while she was at school and inform him of any accidents.

Although Lu Nian rarely needed his help, he was basically useless most of the time.

As for other matters, Qin Si had not instructed him.

But Fang Deng was proactive; he would pay attention to gossip around (through proper channels, as Fang Deng emphasized).

Lu Nian indeed hadn’t been looking for a boyfriend.

He happily thought that the boss was about to graduate, the company was doing well, and everything was going smoothly for Lu Zhihong.

Once everything was resolved, it would be perfect.

Seeing his unpredictable expression, Lu Nian felt that he was a good person, just a bit strange.

For the past two years, Lu Nian had been continuously receiving commissions.

With the rich teaching resources at Ancheng University, Lu Nian studied at a nearby art studio, and her skills had improved significantly compared to before.

Now her collaboration with “Star Impact” was basically stable.

By drawing in her spare time, Lu Nian could earn about ten to twenty thousand yuan a month on average.

Although she had been pampered as a rich girl for so long, she didn’t spend much.

Apart from being generous with buying paint and drawing tools, she wasn’t interested in luxury goods.

At most, she spent a little more money with friends to try out good food.

She had become close with her roommates, and those who knew about her background said she was the most down-to-earth rich girl they had ever met.

So, she had no problem supporting herself. Over the years, she had even accumulated a sum of savings.

Her secret personal small treasury was getting fatter and fatter.

After entering university, she had more freedom in her life, especially after her sophomore year.

She saw Lu Zhihong less and less now. Sometimes she heard him making anxious phone calls in the corridor, and his voice was even louder than usual, unable to contain his impatience.

It seemed like a turning point was approaching.

Lu Nian remembered that the Lu family’s decline had a crucial turning point, which was also the key moment when Qin Si took control of the Lu family, according to the original book.

After so long, her original memories had become vague, and she couldn’t remember the exact time.

She only remembered that with the crisis in the Lu family at that time, Qin Si took less than a year to completely control the real power of the Lu family.

He pulled the Lu family back from the brink of bankruptcy, and it even grew stronger than before.

Even Su Qingyou and Zhao Tingyuan, who were married at the time, couldn’t budge Qin Si.

However, it was his sudden death that ultimately brought the Lu family to collapse.

Even the cause of death was unclear, but it was speculated that it was most likely suicide.

She had no idea how things would develop this time.

She was basically out of touch with Qin Si now and didn’t know what he was up to.

According to Ming Ge, he hadn’t returned to Ancheng in the past two years.

However, sometimes when she dreamed at midnight, she often thought of him, still in his youth.

They walked home together on a night when fireflies filled a small path.

“Nie Nie, Zhao Shixiong is here to see you,” Ding Ying came up from downstairs and whispered to Lu Nian.

“Zhao Shixiong has been chasing after you for a long time, hasn’t he?” Xu Mengyao asked.

“Zhao Shixiong is handsome, gentle in character, and comes from a good family,” Ding Ying said. “Nie Nie, why don’t you just agree?”

Sure enough, it was Zhao Tingyuan.

Lu Nian looked at her phone message and felt helpless.

She didn’t know what Zhao Tingyuan meant.

The frequency of his visits had decreased a lot recently. There was a time when he used to try to see her almost every other day.

But if Zhao Tingyuan really meant what she thought, he had never confessed to her.

If she rejected him, wouldn’t that be too presumptuous?

She could only try to be as indifferent as possible.

Even so, she had to control the situation well, after all, it was related to Zhao Yayuan’s face.

After all, they were brothers.

Moreover, Lu Yang always talked to her about how good Zhao Tingyuan was, and from time to time, he would ask him to come over to the Lu family for dinner, making Lu Nian very uncomfortable.

After all, that was her home, not Lu Yang’s.

Lu Yang had officially started working at the Lu Corporation now, and it seemed like he held quite a significant position.

With Lu Zhihong being busy lately, Lu Yang increasingly regarded himself as the master of the Lu family.

As expected, Zhao Tingyuan was waiting downstairs.

He asked her, “Nian Nian, I don’t have class tonight, and I noticed you don’t have any on your schedule either. Do you want to go out for dinner? I’ve already made a reservation at a restaurant.”

Lu Nian shook her head. “I have a group discussion tonight.”

Zhao Tingyuan’s smile didn’t falter. “How about tomorrow then?”

“Brother Tingyuan,” Lu Nian bit her lip, “I’ve been really busy lately.”

Zhao Tingyuan’s expression remained gentle. “You lowerclassmen are indeed busier at the end of the term. How about later? After your final exams?”

Lu Nian remained silent.

She felt she had already made her feelings clear.

Zhao Tingyuan said softly, “I can give you time, but I hope you can give me a chance, like when we first met. You seem to be inexplicably rejecting me.”

Lu Nian shook her head. “…No.”

Zhao Tingyuan continued slowly, “Or is it that you want to go find Yayuan? I heard you guys bought a house together?”

In reality, that was the house where Qiu Li lived now.

Because she needed to take care of Qiu Lan near the hospital for an extended period, Lu Nian and Zhao Yayuan would visit there in their spare time.

Lu Nian’s expression turned unpleasant. “Did you send someone to investigate me?”

Zhao Tingyuan replied, “Yayuan is my little brother. Naturally, I have to fulfill my duties as his older brother.”

“If you really like Yayuan, it’s fine too. I’ll take the initiative to step back.”

“I heard some internal news recently, and it seems like things are not very peaceful at the Lu Corporation. If you really want to be with Yayuan, it’s best to do it sooner rather than later.”

Lu Nian was completely annoyed by his words.

“I don’t want to date anyone right now,” Lu Nian said coldly. “And as for the Lu Corporation, it’s none of your business. Even if you are his brother, I hope you won’t spread rumors or slander us outside.”

This conversation was extremely unpleasant and almost tore their relationship apart.

Surprisingly, Lu Zhihong came back home that evening.

His expression wasn’t very good.

He asked Lu Nian, “Did you have a fight with Tingyuan?”

Lu Nian was surprised that he found out so quickly and about such a matter.

“Our cooperation with the Zhao family,” Lu Zhihong said impatiently. “We’re at a crucial stage now, so why are you fighting with Tingyuan?”

His expression was quite unpleasant. “Let me tell you straight. From now on, you are going to marry into the Zhao family.

Whether it’s the older or the younger brother, you can choose for yourself.

But since you’ve fallen out with Tingyuan now, then it’s only Yayuan left.”

Lu Nian couldn’t believe her ears. “Dad, marriage is a lifelong matter. Yayuan may not even like me, and I don’t have that kind of feeling for him. Can we really get married just because the company needs to cooperate?”

“As long as you don’t dislike each other,” Lu Zhihong said, “feelings can be cultivated.”

He was impatient. “I’ve already given you both plenty of time.”

“When you were still in high school, every time you went to the Zhao family, it was because I allowed it,” Lu Zhihong said. “You’re not a child anymore. You have to learn to think about things, to ease your parents’ worries. And what’s wrong with Yayuan? Stop talking like a child.”

Lu Nian couldn’t digest this fact at all.

Her worldview had been shattered.

She recalled many previous details—the special treatment Zhao family received at their home, the visits from Zhao’s parents, the valuable gifts exchanged during festivals, and Zhao Tingyuan’s daily visits.

Was it all for this? Did Zhao Tingyuan and Zhao Yayuan both know about it?

She was the only one who had been kept in the dark like a fool.

Lu Zhihong had completely torn off the facade now, disregarding everything. “Miao Miao, watch Miss Nian and make sure she stays here and thinks about it.”

Miao Miao reluctantly agreed. “Okay.”

That night seemed exceptionally long.

Lu Nian’s phone was taken away, and she curled up in her room, her mind in complete chaos.

Lu Zhihong left the house.

But what she didn’t expect was that in the middle of the night, she was awakened by the sound of sirens.

There were so many police cars parked in the Lu family’s yard for the first time.

“Multiple senior executives of the Lu Corporation are suspected of financial crimes and have been arrested,” a tall officer showed his credentials. “As the legal representative, Lu Zhihong also needs to come with us for investigation.”

Everyone in the Lu mansion was awakened.

Lu Zhihong’s face looked grim as he reluctantly maintained the last bit of dignity and got into the police car.

The next day, news spread that Lu Corporation’s stocks had plummeted.

Lu Zhihong’s credit card, which had unlimited overdraft, and all bank cards under his name were frozen, including the one Lu Nian frequently used for transfers from him, were temporarily frozen.

Was this day finally coming?

Lu Nian was still in a state of mental haze.

Even though she had enough savings from her art to support herself, there was Xiao Qiu… with his poor health, Lu Nian was always afraid of some accident happening to him.

Plus, she had plans to leave the Lu family with him, and she had been diligently saving money for that purpose.

She had never expected that everything would happen so soon.

Everything seemed to be unfolding according to the original plot.

The next day, Lu Zhihong didn’t come back home.

He Hantian had already returned to her maternal home, taking all her valuable jewelry with her.

The Lu family was in chaos.

Lu Nian saw news about her family online, along with the scathing comments below, making her feel more and more confused.

She remembered that in the original story, it was Qin Si who took over Lu Corporation at this critical moment for revenge, ultimately helping them tide over the crisis.

But now, where was Qin Si? What was he doing now? She didn’t even know.

He seemed to have vanished into thin air.

His university classmates said he had already graduated early by completing his credits in advance.

But with their thin relationship, which couldn’t even be called a confession and an accidental kiss, would Qin Si be willing to come back and help her?

On the third day, Lu Zhihong finally returned from the police station, but then he suffered a heart attack and was directly hospitalized without even going home.

Lu Nian followed him to the hospital and saw Lu Zhihong’s pale and haggard face.

She despised Lu Zhihong and just wanted to break free from his control.

However, now that things had developed to this point, she found that she couldn’t feel happy at all.

She dared not spread these things, especially to Qiu Li; she was in a dilemma.

Lu Zhihong’s lips moved. “Go contact the Zhao family… Yayuan…”

He seemed weak, and Lu Nian could barely make out what he was saying, which made her feel even worse.

With the current situation, what was her position if she went to find the Zhao family?

Her phone rang at this moment, and Lu Nian saw the name on the screen.

Zhao Yayuan.

Holding the phone, she didn’t know whether to answer or not.

She remembered what Lu Zhihong had said three days ago, about marrying Zhao Yayuan, using their family’s money and influence to help Lu Corporation through the crisis.

And now, they hadn’t even given up on this idea.

She didn’t know how to tell Zhao Yayuan about this.

She answered the call.

The familiar voice came from the other end, asking concisely, “How’s your dad now?”

Lu Nian replied, “Not good… he’s still worrying about the company, wanting to go back, but the doctor said he has to stay in the hospital for at least a month, and the investigation hasn’t finished…”

Tears welled up in her eyes but didn’t fall.

She didn’t know why Zhao Yayuan happened to call at this time, but she finally said, “Yayuan, if my dad comes to find you or your family these days and says anything strange, don’t take it seriously, just refuse.”

Zhao Yayuan frowned.

“Are you talking about the engagement?” he asked directly.

Lu Nian was stunned.

“It has nothing to do with my family,” Zhao Yayuan said. “I’ve always liked you.”

Lu Nian’s tears still remained in her eyes, and she was completely stunned.

Zhao Yayuan had always said some nonsense to her, and Lu Nian knew his personality, so she had taken it all as jokes later.

“I assume that we’re already together. As for family matters, we don’t need to worry. My parents, your dad, Xiao Qiu, will definitely support us. And our personalities are quite compatible,” he said. “Look, I’m not ugly, am I? Maybe my personality is a bit lacking, but I can change in the future.”

Lu Nian’s mind was even more chaotic now.

“Yayuan…”

“If I want to help you, we can only get engaged first,” Zhao Yayuan said. “Otherwise, my parents won’t agree. Currently, my family’s company is not entirely under my control.”

Even now, he had to fight for the engagement.

The situation of the Lu family was indeed very dangerous.

Even if their family helped, their assistance would be limited, and they were basically powerless to turn things around.

Marriages between wealthy families were generally devoid of feelings; it was just that practical.

Once the interests were no longer relevant, everyone immediately became strangers.

However, his parents weren’t entirely malicious.

As long as Lu Nian was willing, there was still room for maneuvering.

Even if Lu Corporation collapsed, he could still protect Lu Nian well.

Lu Nian bit her lip.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to force yourself. Let’s just get engaged,” Zhao Yayuan said. “I’m not some lecherous guy who would take advantage of someone in distress.”

Hearing his tone, Lu Nian, who had been gloomy for so long, finally felt a bit relieved.

She said, “Don’t tell Xiao Qiu for now.”

“I might move in with him in the next few days,” she hesitated to say.

“Okay, anything else?” Zhao Yayuan asked.

Finally, Lu Nian said, “…Thank you.”

“Forget it,” Zhao Yayuan said. “So, have you agreed to the engagement?”

Lu Nian bit her lip. “When my dad wakes up, can you come and talk to him in person? Is that okay?”

There was a smile in Zhao Yayuan’s voice. “Of course, what’s wrong with meeting the future father-in-law? I’ll do it.”

Lu Nian remained silent.

“If you need anything these days, just call me directly,” Zhao Yayuan said.

Inside the Lu mansion, chaos reigned.

The master was in a coma in the hospital, the mistress had already left overnight, and the maids and butlers had all taken leave and gone home.

She was just a third-year college student, suddenly faced with these things, completely at a loss.

But now, she was the only one who could handle them.

Only Miao Miao was still there.

She didn’t know what to say to comfort Lu Nian.

Finally, she said, “It’s just an investigation, and the master is just implicated, not convicted. I believe he wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Unexpectedly, Lu Nian’s mind cleared up. “Let’s wait for the results.”

She said, “No one will live in this house for now. Miao Miao, I’ll temporarily dismiss all the remaining cooks and maids in the house. In a few days, someone will come to collect evidence.”

She had a house outside where she and Xiao Qiu could live.

It was a property purchased with her savings and contributions from Xiao Qiu, close to the hospital. Unexpectedly, it had now become their last refuge.

Lu Nian had always hoped to break free from the Lu family’s control, and she knew that a catastrophe awaited the Lu family in the future.

But she had never thought that when it really happened, she would feel like this.

The situation at Lu Corporation was explosive news in Ancheng.

Everyone in the business world was discussing it.

The Lu family’s courtyard was tightly sealed off.

A black car silently stopped at the gate.

“You can’t come in here,” said the middle-aged gatekeeper.

The courtyard already showed signs of dilapidation.

The bespectacled man didn’t bother to communicate with him.

He simply handed him a handful of banknotes, and the gatekeeper quickly opened the gate.

Amidst the rumbling thunder, the mansion was silent, and in the fine drizzle, it appeared even more desolate and bleak.

A young man got out of the car, holding a black umbrella, and silently stood in the yard.

The knuckles holding the umbrella were distinct, and he slightly tilted the umbrella upwards, looking towards the main house of the Lu family in the distance.

The curtains were drawn, and there was no light in any of the rooms, including that one room, which was now completely dark.

Under the umbrella, half of a handsome face was revealed, with pale pink lips.

His black hair was slightly wet from the rain, giving off a faint dampness. The whole person seemed exceptionally cold.