Name: An Ning
Date of Birth: Unknown
Adopted by the An Zhizhong couple from the Sicheng Children’s Welfare Home at age 5.
In just one afternoon, Ji Cheng had managed to gather an exhaustive amount of information.
He even uncovered details such as An Ning attending Nan District No. 1 Primary School for elementary education, being the top liberal arts graduate in Sicheng City for high school, and her grades for every course during her four years at Sicheng University.
Lu Qingze’s gaze paused as it landed on An Ning’s part-time work experience.
A 25-year-old girl would normally have only three to five lines of work history.
But what Ji Cheng had found spanned several pages.
When she was younger, she collected cardboard boxes and bottles.
As she grew older, she bought balloons and small trinkets wholesale to sell at the entrances of parks and amusement parks.
By the time she entered university, working as a café barista, washing dishes in restaurant kitchens, and organizing books in the library for work-study programs had become routine for her.
During winter and summer vacations, she would juggle three jobs at once, working nonstop from morning till night.
Despite being so busy in her spare time, she still managed to receive scholarships for four consecutive years.
Even her student loans were fully repaid within two years of graduation.
The records also showed that the monthly allowance she gave to her family increased from 1,500 in her first year after graduation to 3,500 now.
And for the previous two-year engagement, the An family had received a bride price of 200,000 from the Zhao family.
Images of An Ning covering her face and sobbing in the car yesterday afternoon flooded Lu Qingze’s mind, and he seemed to have guessed why she was in such a hurry to enter a sham marriage.
The more desperately she wanted to escape that family, the tighter the An family would cling to her, right?
After all, someone hardworking and capable of earning money was the perfect tool for exploitation!
Even an engagement could fetch a good price of 200,000.
She was practically a walking ATM.
So, after breaking off the engagement in the morning, she had a new blind date lined up by the afternoon.
And that introverted 35-year-old IT engineer was another little cash cow the An family had their eyes on.
Snap!
Lu Qingze yanked open the drawer, shoved the folder inside, and slammed it shut as if venting his anger.
…
Lu Qingze didn’t sleep well all night.
As dawn broke, he faintly heard slight movements in the living room. Getting up and heading downstairs, he saw An Ning cooking in the kitchen.
In the faint morning light, the girl was busy with her back to him.
She was wearing the white T-shirt he had given her.
Her hair cascaded down her back.
The white T-shirt was loose and oversized, looking like a nightgown on her, yet it couldn’t hide the graceful curves beneath.
Tied with the apron strings, her waist appeared even more slender and delicate, as if it could be held with just one hand.
With just one glance, the restless feeling from last night resurfaced.
Turning away, Lu Qingze felt a sense of danger in his heart.
It was… the feeling of being on the verge of losing control.
When Lu Qingze went downstairs again, An Ning had already changed back into yesterday’s clothes and had even set breakfast on the table.
The Four Happiness Lion’s Head meatballs were fragrant and tender, melting in the mouth with a single bite.
The Baby Bok Choy in Superior Broth was refreshingly sweet and crisp.
The Luffa and Mushroom Soup was aromatic and savory.
Even the bowl of millet porridge was perfectly prepared, fragrant, sticky, and delicious.
“Is it good?”
Watching Lu Qingze eagerly, An Ning smiled with crescent-shaped eyes as he nodded. “Then your grandmother should like it too, right? Does it suit her taste?”
Lu Qingze nodded.
An Ning smiled even more happily. After finishing her meal in a few bites, she turned to pack the thermal lunchbox.
The girl hummed a tune as she worked busily, looking as though she was in a good mood.
Thinking that the reason for her good mood was simply because she hadn’t ended up on the streets last night and, moreover, she had found him—a marriage partner who could help her break free from the An family.
Even if it was a fake one, she would even have to pay a hundred thousand yuan for it.
Lu Qingze couldn’t remember the last time he had felt such simple happiness.
“An Ning…”
Hearing Lu Qingze call her, An Ning responded without even turning her head, “What’s wrong?”
But there was no further sound from behind.
An Ning turned around and saw Lu Qingze sitting at the dining table, looking at her with a serious expression as he said, “When do you have time? Let’s go meet your parents.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and almost instantly, she understood what he meant.
A look of delight spread across An Ning’s face. “You agreed to a fake marriage with me?”
“It’s marriage.”
Correcting An Ning’s mistake, Lu Qingze smiled as he saw her surprised expression. “I need a marriage partner, and you, from what I can see so far, are very suitable. So, I want to give it a try.”
Before coming to Sicheng, if someone had told him he would encounter his romantic destiny, Lu Qingze would have thought they were joking.
But on this sunny morning, watching An Ning busily working in the kitchen bathed in the morning light, with the insulated lunchbox beside him containing the breakfast his grandmother had been longing for, Lu Qingze suddenly felt an unprecedented and wonderful sensation.
Marriage didn’t seem as resistant to him as he had imagined.
Give it a try, just in case?
A voice whispered temptingly in his heart.
Lu Qingze looked at An Ning. “An Ning, what about you? Do you want to give it a try?”
The man’s expression was calm, his gaze earnest.
Looking closely, she could even see the tiny reflection of herself in his deep eyes.
An Ning saw that small reflection nod. “Okay.”
The sound of a car engine turning off came from outside. Knowing that Ji Cheng had arrived, Lu Qingze stood up.
He saw An Ning swiftly gather the bowls and plates and place them in the sink.
By the time he opened the door and returned, An Ning had already loaded all the washed dishes into the dishwasher and even wiped the counter until it gleamed.
“Let’s go.”
Lu Qingze picked up the insulated lunchbox and headed out.
Lu Madam was eagerly waiting. As the lunchbox was opened, she took the chopsticks and began eating while praising the food.
An Ning smiled and efficiently tidied up the hospital room.
In almost no time, the entire room looked brand new.
“Grandma…”
Returning after a brief absence, An Ning had already changed into her own clothes. “I’ve arranged with the nursing station. A new caregiver will be here shortly to accompany you. If you have any requests, just let her know.”
“I’ve set the TV to the opera channel for you. As soon as you turn it on, it’ll be there. Just press the red standby button in the upper right corner of the remote. Press the same button to turn it off.”
“I’ve washed all the fruits. If you want any, just ask the caregiver to cut them into small pieces for you.”
“I’ll come to keep you company as soon as I finish work. And think about what you’d like to eat—tell me tonight, and I’ll make it for you tomorrow morning!”
Every detail was thoughtfully and meticulously arranged.
Even Lu Qingze felt as comfortable as if he were basking in a gentle breeze, let alone the irritable and restless Lu Madam.
“Good, good…”
Lu Madam responded repeatedly, patting An Ning’s hand with a smile in her eyes. “Then hurry off to work now, don’t be late!”
“Okay, goodbye, Grandma!”
An Ning waved with a sweet smile and turned to leave the room.
Stepping out of the hospital entrance, An Ning’s phone chimed softly.
Taking it out for a glance, An Ning paused her steps and instinctively looked back toward the inpatient building.
On WeChat, Lu Qingze had transferred twenty thousand yuan to her.
[Lu Qingze: Nursing fee, refund if too much or top up if too little!]
Before An Ning could reply that it was too much, she saw him send another message.