Hua Rui blinked playfully. “Not yet! Uncle, you’re so busy, yet you still remember this?”
“I remember,” Lu Jianshen replied calmly. “Once it’s drafted early, I’ll have it framed and hung on the wall so I can see it every day.”
The little princess on the other end giggled.
Her soft, sweet laughter stirred ripples in Lu Jianshen’s heart.
“Uncle, I think I see a cat—meowing so pitifully! I’m going to check on it!”
If he were by Hua Rui’s side at that moment, he would have patted her little head. What a kind angel she was!
Lu Jianshen’s slender fingers twitched slightly, and his voice carried a hint of huskiness:
“Go ahead. It’s late, so don’t wander too far. Have the bodyguards follow you!”
“Got it, Uncle!”
The girl’s clear, sweet voice lingered in his ears. He couldn’t bear to hang up.
“Rui Rui…”
“Hmm?”
“Good night in advance, little angel.”
The man’s voice was deep and magnetic, like aged wine sealed in a jar—his cool tone carrying a hint of sandalwood.
A rosy blush spread across the girl’s fair face, making her look even more delicate and captivating.
A trace of sweetness welled up in her heart, softening her voice:
“Goodbye, Uncle!”
With bodyguards trailing behind her, Hua Rui walked resolutely toward the pure white kitten at the villa’s entrance.
The kitten seemed almost spiritual, meowing persistently at Hua Rui, evoking pity in anyone who heard it.
However, just as she was about to approach, the kitten suddenly darted to the side.
“Hey? Wait, it’s dangerous!”
In the direction the kitten ran, a black SUV was speeding over.
The SUV slammed on its brakes abruptly, and a moonlit spirit, as if descending from the heavens, brushed past the edge of the luxury vehicle.
Hua Rui cradled the frightened kitten, soothing it softly, when she suddenly noticed a tall, shadowy figure beside her.
“What are you doing? You scared the cat with your driving!” She lifted her small face, her deer-like eyes filled with anger.
The man stared at her for at least ten seconds before smiling faintly. “You running over scared me too!”
“Well, sorry then!” Hua Rui lowered her head, holding the kitten, and prepared to stand up and leave.
After taking only a few steps, she noticed the man walking toward the villa not far behind her.
With her bodyguards around, she wasn’t particularly worried, but she had a vague feeling that the man must be connected to one of the noblewomen in the villa.
Returning to the villa, she handed the kitten to a servant for sterilization, disinfection, and feeding, then went to bathe and change.
By the time she came out, the man was already seated with a group of young socialites.
Standing about 186 cm tall, the man appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He was handsome and refined, reserved yet intelligent, with phoenix eyes that exuded nobility and allure.
Madam Lu, Jiang Rou, called Hua Rui over. “Sweetheart, come meet the young master of the Cheng family from Shanghai, Cheng Qian.”
So this was Cheng Yun’s younger brother!
Hua Rui greeted him obediently. “Hello, Young Master Cheng.”
“Wuque’s younger sister, Hua Rui?” The man fixed his gaze on her captivating deer-like eyes.
“And your second brother’s fiancée!” Madam Lu added.
“Oh, congratulations,” Cheng Qian said flatly. “I happened to be abroad during my second brother’s engagement ceremony, so I entrusted my parents to convey my congratulations on my behalf.”
Madam Lu nodded in satisfaction, then glanced casually at Lu Xiaolu not far away.
There was a reason she had taken the initiative to introduce Cheng Qian.
Otherwise, given her status, she would never have stepped forward to introduce a junior on her own.
Hua Rui was the future daughter-in-law personally chosen by the Lu family, known throughout the nation, and they guarded her closely.
As for Cheng Qian…
If nothing unexpected happened, within the month, the heads of the Lu and Cheng families would meet to discuss the engagement between Cheng Qian and Lu Xiaolu.
Thus, Cheng Qian’s appearance this time was naturally arranged by the family elders.
The man was not talkative, sitting quietly to the side, frequently on the phone, appearing very busy.
When not on calls, he sat quietly beside Cheng Yun, listening to his sister Cheng Yun chat with Hua Rui and Lu Xiaolu, attentively refilling their snacks and tea.
Hua Rui often felt a faint gaze lingering on her, but when she looked up, there was nothing.
Until the gathering ended and everyone was leaving, a deep male voice suddenly came from beside her:
“Did I scare you earlier?”
Hua Rui turned to see the tall man not looking at her, his eyes politely bidding farewell to everyone.
But those words—had she misheard?
Just as she was about to leave, Cheng Qian glanced at her with his phoenix eyes: “Apologies! Until next time!”
The little princess politely said goodbye and walked into the Hua family’s private car with Madam Hua.
“Look away!” came Cheng Yun’s voice.
The man said nothing, his gaze sharpening slightly. His long legs, clad in suit pants, strode forward.
Cheng Yun quickly caught up: “Do you know the purpose of your presence here tonight?”
Cheng Qian stopped in his tracks: “If you were to marry Lu Jianshen, wouldn’t that make everyone happy?”
“You brat!” Cheng Yun’s face paled. Among the many who wished to marry the second young master of the Lu family, she had unfortunately become one of them.
No contact, yet she loved him deeply!
On the day Lu Jianshen’s engagement news broke, she cut off the long hair she had treasured for years.
She had asked her father to try, to negotiate with Lu Yuanting, the head of the Lu family.
After all, that childhood betrothal could be taken seriously or not.
Of course, it didn’t succeed!
After countless inquiries, the Cheng family found that the root cause of the failure lay not with Lu Yuanting but with the man involved in the childhood betrothal, Lu Jianshen, who refused!
He said he had to keep his promise to Hua Rui!
Since this marriage couldn’t happen, Lu Xiaolu, the daughter of the Lu family, and Cheng Qian, the son of the Cheng family, were of similar age and perfectly matched in every way.
Thus, after discussions between the family elders, the lifelong matters of these two young people were settled.
…
In the blink of an eye, a week passed!
Early in the morning, the Lu family’s private plane landed on the Hua family’s exclusive private runway.
The Hua family’s butler began transporting Hua Rui’s luggage one after another.
Her stay in France would be neither too long nor too short—one month!
Since it was her first time leaving the capital, her luggage, large and small, filled dozens of boxes.
Madam Hua personally took charge, packing enough clothes for Hua Rui to fill twenty suitcases alone.
“Teacher Xie, please take good care of Rui Rui while she’s away!” Madam Hua politely greeted the arriving Xie Mingchen.
“It’s my duty, Madam Hua. Please rest assured!”
Xie Mingchen stood to the side with a gentle smile, elegant and refined.
It was Lu Jianshen who had insisted he accompany Hua Rui on the private flight to France.
Since Lu Jianshen didn’t mind, refusing would make him seem petty.
Besides, he couldn’t rest easy letting that young girl travel so far alone for the first time.
As they prepared to depart, he saw the delicate, porcelain-like young girl.
Dressed in a layered princess dress, with chestnut-colored long curls cascading down, her soft, fair skin glowed under the sunlight, and the vibrant peach blossom petals stung his eyes, making him squint slightly.
A tenderness reserved only for her rose in his gaze.
He walked silently over to the young girl and casually took the delicate cat carrier from her hands. Inside, a pure white Persian kitten was sleeping soundly.
“Teacher Xie?” Hua Rui called out timidly.
Ever since she left his office last time, she hadn’t gone to his office alone again and had even skipped his once-a-week class.
Xie Mingchen said gently, “Let’s go!”
…