“I don’t want to go back to the Lu family,” Qiao Li said, “Not at all.”

“And I don’t want the identity of being Lu Zhuo anymore.”

In Nanqiao, though he lived in poverty, Qiao Li was very happy, free and easy, feeling the warmth from friends and family.

Moreover, now that he had reunited with Lu Nian, and she was willing to love him, Qiao Li was quite content with his current life.

As for Lu Zhihong, he had long stopped considering him as a father.

“Sister, you don’t need to dwell on the things from before,” Qiao Li said. “I won’t return to the Lu family, no matter what Lu Zhihong says.”

“I’ll support you,” Lu Nian said softly. “I’m on your side, no matter what you want to do.”

She would work even harder from now on. Whatever Qiao Li wanted to do, she would support him.

The room fell quiet.

Suddenly, Qiao Li said, “So, choosing a marriage partner is very important. It’s better not to marry a scumbag than to marry at all.”

Suddenly, while Lu Nian was caressing his soft black hair, Qiao Li, for once, acted wilfully, burying his head in her arms. “Otherwise, if Sister doesn’t get married, in the future, Yayuan and I can take care of you together.”

He knew that man really liked his sister.

But he didn’t want Lu Nian to get married like this either.

After all, he didn’t know how much Qin Si really liked Lu Nian, and how long that affection would last.

He was too strong-willed, cold, and ruthless.

He felt Lu Nian was no match for him.

“I’ll take care of you,” Lu Nian also smiled, her lips curved. “You just called me Sister, so I’ll say, I’m older than you.”

“Nian Nian,” he suddenly said.

Lu Nian also smiled, “I already know!”

The siblings were teasing each other.

Qiao Li rarely had such childish moments, and Lu Nian felt her heart lightened.

Now, she had a job she liked, family, and friends.

Compared to the past, she lived more firmly and freely.

As for a certain man.

Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket, Lu Nian ignored it.

The phone persisted in vibrating.

Lu Nian had to take out her phone and checked it.

“Are you coming tonight?”

This message and the missed call were both from one person.

Qiao Li saw that name and fell silent.

Lu Nian sighed, “He proposed to me.”

Qiao Li’s eyes widened.

Lu Nian thought about the proposal she had never experienced before. “…”

Well, she reluctantly wanted to save him some face.

She didn’t specify it.

“I’ll go find him, there are some things I didn’t explain,” Lu Nian said.

She smiled, ruffled Qiao Li’s head, “Don’t worry, I can take care of myself.”

Qingfeng Garden was a high-end villa area, with strict security systems outside.

Lu Nian got out of the taxi and saw a man wearing a black windbreaker standing at the gate from afar.

Lu Nian approached and said lightly, “I left my drawing tools here, I need to come get them. The sketches are still inside.”

The man pursed his lips, saying nothing.

They walked upstairs together.

Inside, it was cold and quiet.

Lu Nian went to the study and found her tablet and drawing board.

Recently, with the help of Meet Rabbit, Lu Nian had finally resumed the serialization of “Black and White.”

Moreover, her return had shocked all her fans.

“Black and White” series was back, and this time, it depicted the story five years later, when Black and White had grown up.

Black had left, and upon returning, he had transformed from a teenage wanderer into a general, wanting to take White away from the palace.

The first chapter didn’t have much content, just a glimpse of Black’s face in the last panel.

Readers were screaming wildly in the comment section.

“Forget about it, the little handsome boy has become a big handsome man!”

“I’m dying!”

“Is the madam starting a new chapter to coincide with next month’s release and signing event? I heard that the madam is going to hold a signing event, is it true?”

Lu Nian was still hesitating whether to accept the editor’s proposal.

She didn’t have much confidence in herself.

Because she had been weak since childhood, her grades were not outstanding, and she didn’t have a professional background in drawing.

She only relied on her love for it, wanting to depict her own story with her brush, so she had been drawing all the way till now.

This manga also contained a lot of her own emotions.

“You must do it, Madam.”

After reading the last comment, Lu Nian silently put away her phone, still feeling somewhat hesitant.

The door moved slightly.

Lu Nian packed up her things.

Outside, the night was deepening, but only a dim light was on in the living room.

The man sat on the sofa, his long legs slightly bent, his profile softened by the gentle light.

It was almost ninety-nine percent identical to the fleeting glance of his profile in the manga.

Lu Nian didn’t say anything.

“It’s late,” he said.

“It’s okay, Qiao Li can come pick me up,” Lu Nian replied.

The man lowered his eyes and stood up from the sofa, blocking her way.

Lu Nian wanted to bypass him, but he was tall and stubbornly silent, unwilling to let her go.

Lu Nian had no way to deal with it.

After a moment’s thought, she simply tiptoed and pecked him lightly on his thin lips, then looked satisfied at his reaction.

“Alright, can you let me go now?” She yawned slightly, “I still have to go back and finish my sketches tomorrow.”

Qin Si remained silent.

In the dim light,

“What are we exactly?” he finally asked, his eyes lowered.

She had rejected his proposal, but had also said she once liked him.

She said she didn’t lack suitors and wouldn’t settle for just anyone.

But now she could casually do such things to him.

Would she treat other men the same way?

Lu Nian frowned, “What are we, just ordinary friends?”

Just ordinary friends?

A faint shadow appeared between the man’s clear brows and eyes.

He grasped her wrist, causing a slight ache, and his voice was hoarse, “I wouldn’t treat an ordinary friend like this.”

“Nor would I let an ordinary friend do this to me.”

His voice was cold, but his eyes were hidden in the darkness, staring at her intently, “You’re the only one who’s kissed me, and I’ve only embraced you.”

Could these actions between them really be summarized with just “ordinary friends”?

They confronted each other, his palm unusually warm, tightly holding onto her, refusing to let her go.

Lu Nian contemplated for a long time, then suddenly realized, “Are you… looking for a formal relationship?”

His straight back looked somewhat embarrassed, but he didn’t deny it, his lips tightly pursed.

“If you don’t want to get married,” he finally said, trying to sound nonchalant, “but it’s okay.”

“We can try something else first…” He recalled Mingge’s words, trying to calmly repeat them, but still found it difficult.

He feared another ruthless rejection from her.

Lu Nian, “…”

In a sense, this could also be considered a tacit acknowledgment.

Forget it, let’s take it step by step.

She didn’t expect him to become soft-spoken overnight and shower her with sweet words.

After thinking for a while, she suddenly realized, “You don’t happen to want… a formal commitment?”

His well-defined features showed a hint of vulnerability, but he didn’t speak, his eyes lowered.

But his willingness was clear.

So straightforward?

Lu Nian thought there would be more resistance.

After her rejection of his proposal, she expected him to be aloof for a while.

But this time, he was so quick to agree.

Could it be the lingering effect of that never-ending kiss?

Since they were now boyfriend and girlfriend, even if it was just a trial period, he still didn’t think she valued him much.

But she had said it herself, willing to let him be her “boyfriend,” no matter what the nature or purpose…

He cleared his throat, closed his eyes briefly.

Lu Nian suddenly remembered something and looked at him with a mischievous smile.

“Do you remember, you promised me once to be my drawing model?” Lu Nian said, “But later, it was interrupted due to unfortunate circumstances.”

Now, as she resumed the “Black and White” series, he was the prototype for the teenage Black, and naturally, for the adult version as well.

So, she really needed his help now.

Qin Si naturally remembered.

That difficult experience from his teenage years, enduring her gaze for so long, those few hours were particularly agonizing.

Now, after all this time, do you still want to continue?

His initial reaction was resistance.

“Trial period,” Lu Nian propped her chin, seemingly indifferent. “If our cooperation is so unpleasant now, should we just end it?”

The man froze.

…

Finally, he said in a low voice, “As you wish.”

“But, I have to attend meetings at the company these days,” he said, “I don’t have time during the day…”

“Only at night?”

He lowered his lashes and nodded.

Lu Nian, “… Alright then.”

“In that case, I’ll stay a few more days,” Lu Nian said, putting down her luggage.

He noticed her relaxed expression and said nothing.

But Lu Nian’s next words made him stiffen in place, “Then tonight, can we start?”

“…Tomorrow,” he said.

This way, he could delay it for another day.

He wore a low-necked T-shirt today.

Occasionally, with his movements, you could vaguely see the beauty mark on his collarbone.

Maybe it was because he had made a promise to her, but he seemed more relaxed now.

Having lived alone for many years, Qin Si was quite independent.

He showered quickly, and when he came out with wet hair, he saw her still in the living room looking at her drawings.

He didn’t feel like sleeping yet, so he casually picked up some documents and sat down beside her.

Just after a shower, he appeared even more charming and clean.

The delicate beauty mark on his collarbone, wet with droplets, looked very attractive.

Lu Nian kept stealing glances at him.

Actually, she was quite impatient and wanted to devour him.

She also wanted to see more of his reactions.

But after holding back for so many years, she didn’t mind waiting a bit longer.

Seeing him so quiet, Lu Nian suddenly felt mischievous.

“I actually used to really like you before, I often sneaked glances at you,” Lu Nian whispered behind him.

“That time I asked you to model for me, it was because I liked you, so I wanted to draw you.”

He blushed furiously.

His hands had to stop moving.

Lu Nian, “…”

She chuckled mischievously, exhaling softly. “During this trial period, you should behave better.”

“Can I kiss you?” she asked softly, her voice sweet and gentle.

“You’re so sensitive,” she giggled softly.

With her clothes rumpled, he was pressed down on the sofa.

Before she finished speaking, his hands, which were holding her slender waist, tightened slowly.

With a thin blush on the corners of his eyes, he finally couldn’t resist and bit her lip.