Grandma was somewhat helpless. She felt that Su Tang simply was not proactive enough, which was why the two of them had made no progress after all these years.
Since Su Tang had put it that way, she could not force the matter any further.
“All right, Ah Zheng, sit down and eat first.”
After taking only a couple of bites, Grandma seemed to think of something and spoke up. “Tangtang is going to work at the group, but our old residence is in a rather remote location, far from the city center, so commuting back and forth will be quite troublesome.”
As soon as she said this, Lu Huai immediately chimed in.
“Grandma is right.”
Lu Huai glanced at the young woman beside him. “I’ll be stationed at a branch company starting next month, so I won’t be able to look after things at home. The old residence really is too far away. Once Tangtang starts working in the city center, commuting back and forth every day will waste too much of her time and energy.”
After a pause, he continued, “Big Brother’s private residence is right in the heart of the city, only a short distance from the Lu Group headquarters, so it’ll be convenient for her to get to and from work.
“Tangtang is just entering the workplace, so if there are any rules or procedures she doesn’t understand, or anything she needs help with at work, she can ask Big Brother at any time. With Big Brother looking after her, you can rest assured too, Grandma.”
His words covered every angle and sounded perfectly reasonable.
The more Grandma listened, the more satisfied she became. She put down her chopsticks and smiled. “That’s a good idea. Ah Zheng, what do you think?”
Everyone at the dining table turned their eyes toward the man who had remained silent from beginning to end.
Lu Zheng had not said a single word since the meal began. He had merely been eating in an unhurried manner.
Under Grandma’s gaze, he finally raised his eyes. His dark, deep gaze swept lightly over Su Tang, who sat there with her eyes lowered, looking docile and obedient.
His thin lips parted, and his voice was low and cool.
“Fine.”
The two simple words were decisive and straightforward, without the slightest hesitation.
He then looked at Su Tang, his tone calm yet leaving no room for argument. “Pack your things this afternoon. You’re moving in today.”
Su Tang’s heart skipped a beat.
She instinctively feared Lu Zheng.
But she had no money right now, nor did she have anywhere else to stay.
The old residence was indeed inconvenient for commuting, and it was obvious that Lu Huai wanted to draw a clear line between them.
As an outsider who was merely staying under the Lu family’s roof, what right did she have to refuse?
Thinking of this, she raised her eyes, her expression gentle and obedient, and nodded lightly.
“Okay, I’ll follow Grandma’s and both my brothers’ arrangements.”
Seeing how obediently she agreed, Lu Huai secretly let out a sigh of relief.
He had finally gotten rid of Su Tang.
His life of freedom was finally coming!
The afternoon sun was unbearably hot.
The servants at the Lu family’s old residence worked quickly and efficiently, helping Su Tang pack her few belongings.
Standing at the doorway, Su Tang watched the busy servants, her eyes clear and calm.
She had lived under the Lu family’s roof for ten years. Although she seemed like half a member of the household, in reality, she owned nothing.
Her wardrobe was filled with tasteful, demure clothes, all purchased to suit Grandma’s preferences.
There was only one box of clothes, along with a few everyday necessities.
Before long, everything she owned had been packed.
She picked up her small belongings and was just about to head downstairs when she saw a man standing at the foot of the stairs.
Lu Zheng walked toward her and reached out to take the things from her hands, his voice low. “I’ll carry them.”
Only then did Su Tang take a proper look at the man standing before her.
He was nearly six feet two inches tall, with broad shoulders and long legs, a high, straight nose, and deep-set features.
His entire presence radiated an oppressive aura that seemed to warn others to keep their distance.
Su Tang was stunned for a moment.
Then she handed him the bag in her hand. “Thank you, Brother Lu Zheng.”
The two of them then walked out of the old residence one after the other.
Watching their backs, Lu Huai could not help raising a hand to cover his chest.
Strange. Shouldn’t he be happy now that his little tagalong was gone?
Why did his heart feel so empty?
The car drove smoothly out of the old residence and headed toward the city center.
An hour and a half later, the car stopped in front of Lu Zheng’s detached villa.
Lu Zheng got out first and opened the front passenger door for her. “I’ll have Aunt Wang bring people to move your things upstairs. I have something to take care of, so I need to go to the company.”
Su Tang hurriedly got out of the car and nodded obediently. “I understand, Brother Lu Zheng. Go ahead and take care of your work. You don’t need to worry about me.”
The man gave her a deep look without saying anything more.
He then got into another black Maybach that his driver had prepared and drove away.
Su Tang stood where she was, looking around the courtyard.
The entire villa was decorated in an extremely minimalist, cool-toned style, with white and gray colors complemented by expansive floor-to-ceiling windows. The greenery in the courtyard had been trimmed with meticulous precision, and unlike the lively atmosphere found throughout the old residence, the entire villa was almost unnaturally quiet.
A gentle woman’s voice suddenly came from beside her.
“Miss Su Tang, I’ve been waiting ages for you to come.”
Su Tang turned her head.
It was Aunt Wang.
Aunt Wang had previously served Grandma, and several years ago, Grandma had sent her to take care of Lu Zheng.
Aunt Wang gestured for the servants behind her to move the luggage, then quickly stepped forward and warmly took the things from Su Tang’s hands, her eyes filled with surprise and emotion.
As she led Su Tang toward the villa, she chattered on. “Sir specifically called this morning to tell me that you would be moving in this afternoon. At the time, I thought I must have misheard him.”
Su Tang smiled but said nothing.
Aunt Wang continued, “Sir has never allowed outsiders to stay overnight in this house all these years, let alone allow anyone to move in the long term. In the past, even Young Master Lu Huai wanted to stay for just one night, but Sir refused.”
After saying that, she looked at Su Tang. “Sir has always been cold and distant since he was young, as though there’s always been a barrier between him and everyone else. You’re the only exception. I suppose he watched you grow up, so naturally, he has a soft spot for you. You’re the only person who could ever move into Sir’s private villa.”
Yet hearing such praise did not make Su Tang happy in the slightest.
What special treatment? What soft spot?
Wasn’t he still capable of getting rid of her just like that?
Aunt Wang did not notice what was going through her mind and led her upstairs to the second floor.
She pushed open the door to a spacious south-facing guest room with excellent natural lighting.
The room had everything she needed, including a wardrobe, dressing table, and soft bed, along with a private bathroom. The conditions were no worse than those of her room at the old residence.
Su Tang was genuinely surprised.
She had not expected Lu Zheng to agree to let her move in that very morning and have everything prepared for her by the afternoon.
She had to admit that his efficiency was remarkable.
“Miss Tangtang, Sir instructed us to prepare everything you might need in your room. If there’s anything missing, just let me know.”
After saying this, Aunt Wang gestured for the servants to put down the luggage before leading them out.
The enormous second floor was soon left with only Su Tang.
She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down.
After closing the door, she slowly organized all her belongings and silently set three rules for herself.
First, she would avoid going out as much as possible while at home. She would go downstairs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at different times from Lu Zheng to minimize their encounters.
Second, she would behave herself at the company, never take the initiative to approach Lu Zheng, and stay out of any discussions related to the Lu family.
Third, she would try her best to become invisible and absolutely avoid attracting Lu Zheng’s attention.
After finishing unpacking, a message from an unfamiliar number popped up on her phone.
It was from Lu Zheng, and the message was concise:
【Report to the Human Resources Department at Lu Group headquarters at nine tomorrow morning.】
Su Tang’s fingertips paused for a moment before she cautiously replied:
【Thank you. I’m sorry to trouble you, Brother Lu Zheng.】
After the message was sent, there was no further response.
She had expected as much. Lu Zheng had always been taciturn, and unless necessary, he never said an extra word.
The following morning, Su Tang got up an hour early, washed up, changed into a simple and elegant commuter dress, and went downstairs for breakfast.
The living room was empty, with only the servants tidying up the table. It seemed that Lu Zheng had already left for the company.
Su Tang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, quickly finished her breakfast, picked up her bag, and headed to the Lu Group.