Chapter 68: It’s Almost New Year Again

This ring seemed to melt much of the ice between Chen Qianqing and Lu Zhengfei.

Lu Zhengfei was overjoyed that Chen Qianqing was willing to wear the ring. Although it wasn’t placed on his finger by Lu himself, it signified Chen Qianqing’s willingness to try and accept him.

Chen Qianqing didn’t mind Lu Zhengfei’s misunderstanding. His hand was held tightly by Lu, yet he made no effort to pull away.

Lu Zhengfei gripped Chen Qianqing’s hand firmly, his face full of a contented smile, as if he were holding the entire world in his grasp.

After finishing their meal, the two drove back home.

Since Chen Qianqing had napped for most of the afternoon, he found himself unable to fall asleep while lying in bed.

Lu Zhengfei stayed in his study until midnight, attending to his work before finally climbing into bed alongside Chen Qianqing.

Chen Qianqing was watching television. A newly released documentary was playing, featuring fluffy, soft sea otters. On the screen, a baby otter was busily knocking a shell here and there. Its adorable antics made one feel like scooping it up and smothering it with kisses.

Drawn by the furry animals, Lu Zhengfei became interested and joined Chen Qianqing in watching.

Chen Qianqing glanced at Lu Zhengfei, who was engrossed in the documentary. “Aren’t you working tomorrow?” he asked.

“Of course I am…” Lu Zhengfei replied, his schedule packed for the next day.

“This documentary is two hours long,” Chen Qianqing said.

Lu Zhengfei looked pitifully at the clock, which already read half-past midnight, then at Chen Qianqing’s impassive face. Reluctantly, he burrowed into the covers and prepared to sleep.

Seeing Lu Zhengfei getting ready for bed, Chen Qianqing turned down the volume on the TV. Only after finishing the entire documentary did he lay down to sleep.

After living abroad for four years, Chen Qianqing seemed to have let go of certain burdens. While his sleep remained restless, the terrible nightmares no longer haunted him.

Using his arm to shield his eyes, Chen Qianqing slowly drifted into sleep.

The next morning, Lu Zhengfei was no longer by his side when he awoke.

After getting up, washing, and having breakfast, Chen Qianqing went for a jog. It seemed that Lu Zhengfei had noticed he wasn’t planning to run away, as he now permitted Chen Qianqing to go out. The condition, however, was that his men must follow him.

The air was chilly, stinging slightly as it filled his lungs. After a few laps at a slow pace, Chen Qianqing returned home, took a shower, and prepared to open his computer when he noticed a text message from Wang Wulin on his phone. It contained just two words: “Thank you.”

Chen Qianqing knew exactly what Wang Wulin was thanking him for. The information he had given was explicit enough. If Wang Wulin still didn’t act, then the fall of the Wang family would be no surprise.

Chen Qianqing deleted the message and went back to sorting through the timeline of past events. After ensuring there were no gaps, he resumed watching the documentary.

According to the events of his past life, the 30-year-old Lu Zhengfei would face many challenges. Chen Qianqing had no intention of warning him. He felt that the ripple effects of his “butterfly effects” had already been significant. Any further interference could lead to unforeseen consequences.

Over the following month, Lu Zhengfei’s visits home grew less frequent. It was clear he was busy.

Based on Chen Qianqing’s memory, this month would indeed be pivotal. The events that unfolded would directly affect the rise and fall of their family.

In politics, choosing sides can make or break even the most powerful. In his past life, Chen Qianqing had chosen correctly, allowing the Lu family to survive. The Wang family, however, backed the wrong side. After Wang Wulin’s grandfather passed away, the family quickly fell apart.

The higher you climb, the more enemies you make. When you fall, it’s even harder to rise again. Most people in this world prefer to celebrate success rather than offer help during hardship.

This time around, Chen Qianqing had provided Wang Wulin with some crucial information—intel that even Lu Zhengfei might not have known. As someone living his life over again, Chen Qianqing was crystal clear on these matters.

In doing so, Chen Qianqing felt he had fulfilled his duty as a friend. What Wang Wulin chose to do with this knowledge was no longer within Chen Qianqing’s control.

It was three months before Lu Zhengfei finally had some free time.

During these three months, a few trivial events occurred: for instance, a once-popular young idol, Ma Qiu, was suddenly blacklisted; Chen Xiaohui’s side job as a hostess was exposed at school, forcing her to drop out; and Lu Yiqin, who had been recuperating abroad for over a year, suddenly returned to the country.

Chen Qianqing’s feelings toward Lu Yiqin were complex. He had cared for his younger sister for over twenty years, only to have that affection slowly eroded by her actions.

When Lu Yiqin insulted Chen Qianqing, he had been furious. But when he learned that she had stabbed him in the back, the fury vanished, replaced by a cold indifference—as though all his feelings had been drained, leaving nothing but the detachment of strangers.

This version of Lu Zhengfei might still hold some sentiment for Lu Yiqin. However, Chen Qianqing was certain that ever since Lu Yiqin revealed Lu Zhengfei and Chen Qianqing’s relationship to Lu Zhonggan and Huang Yuping, Lu Zhengfei’s feelings for her had cooled significantly.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent her abroad to recuperate without so much as a visit or a word.

After her condition stabilized, Lu Yiqin somehow heard about Chen Qianqing and rushed back to the country.

But to her shock, her brother refused to let her anywhere near Chen Qianqing.

When Lu Zhonggan and Huang Yuping were still alive, Lu Yiqin could complain to them whenever she felt wronged. But now that they were gone, there was no one left to take her side.

With Lu Zhengfei treating her coldly, Lu Yiqin had no choice but to endure.

This stark contrast in treatment was enough to drive someone mad. She couldn’t understand why Lu Zhengfei was acting this way, and all her anger and resentment were directed at Chen Qianqing.

Chen Qianqing, meanwhile, was preparing to return home to handle the inheritance left behind by Liu Huamei and Chen Qingyang. He wasn’t one to forgive easily; he firmly believed in the saying, “Repaying evil with kindness—how, then, should kindness be repaid?”

Over these three months, Chen Qianqing and Lu Zhengfei had been intimate several times. Much to Chen Qianqing’s frustration, he found himself physically responsive nearly every time. The small sliver of hope he’d held onto was completely shattered, leaving him with an expression of utter despair after each encounter.

Lu Zhengfei pretended not to notice, instead holding Chen Qianqing close, caressing him. He loved every part of Chen Qianqing’s body—his fair skin, his long, toned legs, his furrowed brows as he gasped for air, and the soft, teasing hums that made Lu’s heart itch.

Xu Shaoren, a friend, later asked Lu Zhengfei about his progress in this area. Lu Zhengfei didn’t hold back and confidently declared, “My baby has finally started responding to me!”

Xu Shaoren’s face was one of utter disbelief. “You’ve been using medication—if there was still no response, that would be the real problem.”

Lu Zhengfei shook his head and proudly replied, “The most recent time? No medication.”

Seeing Lu Zhengfei’s smug expression, Xu Shaoren couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Chen Qianqing. He knew Chen Qianqing’s issue was psychological, but he hadn’t expected Lu Zhengfei to stumble into resolving it.

Well, to be fair, Xu Shaoren had played a role in this as well.

Chen Qianqing was unaware of Lu Zhengfei’s methods. If he ever found out… it’s likely that Lu Zhengfei’s chances for a happy intimate life would be severely jeopardized.

This year, the Lunar New Year came unusually late, falling in mid-February.

When Lu Zhengfei finally finished his work, it was just in time for the holiday. He asked Chen Qianqing if he wanted to return home for a visit. After some thought, Chen Qianqing agreed.

Because of Lu Zhengfei, he hadn’t visited the graves of Liu Huamei and Chen Qingyang in four years. Now seemed like the right time to pay his respects.

The itinerary was quickly set: they would return on the first day of the Lunar New Year, visit the graves, handle the inheritance matters, and then return promptly.

Lu Zhengfei’s grandfather also invited him home for the New Year. His favorite son had been Lu Zhengfei’s father, Lu Qiongqian, and now, having to bury his own child, it was impossible for the old man not to feel grief.

It seemed fitting—Lu Zhengfei’s grandfather became much more lenient toward this grandson, even going so far as to accept Chen Qianqing’s presence.

When Lu Zhengfei brought up the idea of bringing Chen Qianqing along for the Lunar New Year celebration, his grandfather sulked for a while but surprisingly agreed. Age had softened his heart, and thoughts of the tragic loss of Lu Qiongqian and Huang Yuping made it difficult for him to be harsh with Lu Zhengfei.

Lu Zhengfei hadn’t expected his grandfather to agree so easily. He had assumed that if his grandfather refused, he would simply spend the New Year with Chen Qianqing alone, which he thought would be just as nice.

But now that his grandfather had compromised and allowed Chen Qianqing to come home, it would be disrespectful not to follow through after bringing it up.

After some hesitation, Lu Zhengfei told Chen Qianqing about the situation, emphasizing that it was perfectly fine if he didn’t want to go.

To Lu Zhengfei’s surprise, Chen Qianqing calmly replied with a simple, “Okay.”

This made Lu Zhengfei reiterate more seriously: if Chen Qianqing didn’t feel comfortable, he really didn’t have to go. He was aware of the awkwardness of Chen Qianqing’s position and didn’t want him to face any hostility.

Chen Qianqing replied, “It’s fine. Let’s go back and take a look.” He also missed the old man. This grandfather, now over ninety, had shielded the Lu family through countless storms and had always shown him great affection.

Even though he wasn’t truly his grandson anymore, visiting would still bring him some peace of mind.

So, the plan was set: they would spend New Year’s Eve at Lu Zhengfei’s grandfather’s house and fly out on New Year’s Day to visit Chen Qianqing’s parents’ graves.

Lu Zhengfei joked that Chen Qianqing seemed like a bride marrying into the family. Chen Qianqing gave him a blank stare and said flatly, “Lu Zhengfei, next time you don’t let me be on top, we’ll go our separate ways.”

The smile on Lu Zhengfei’s face froze instantly.

In truth, Chen Qianqing didn’t find it difficult to take the lead. The reason he hadn’t pushed the issue was simple: he worried that if he looked at Lu Zhengfei’s face mid-act and faltered, Lu Zhengfei would hold it over him and laugh about it for the rest of their lives.

But now, that concern didn’t seem as significant anymore. Chen Qianqing began seriously considering whether it was time to fight for his rights.

Seeing Chen Qianqing’s blank expression, Lu Zhengfei inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine. He had no idea that he’d just dug a hole for himself—and happily jumped right into it.