Hua Rui’s face flushed instantly, and she quickly glanced at Lu Jianshen.
The man looked straight ahead, his expression calm.
He was afraid the little one might feel awkward, but in truth, he was eagerly awaiting her answer.
“Who told you such nonsense? Tell me, and I’ll cut ties with them!” Hua Rui leaned against the window, lowering her voice.
“Is my second brother nearby?” Lu Xiaolu giggled.
“No!” Hua Rui pouted.
“I heard he even went to get styled today just to see you.”
Hua Rui hurriedly hung up the phone.
The voice was too loud, and in the quiet car, everyone could hear it.
So embarrassing!
Hua Rui pressed herself against the car window, pretending to admire the scenery outside.
Lu Jianshen wasn’t faring much better.
Already a man of few words, he now had no idea what topic to bring up.
He thought of his composed demeanor in various work settings, yet when faced with the princess in his heart, he didn’t know how to speak.
Even though that princess was already his fiancée!
Old Yang, the driver, was anxious!
He watched the two silent figures in the rearview mirror, feeling an inexplicable awkwardness!
This second young master of theirs had spent years focused solely on work, work, and more work! Either busy with work or on his way to work…
Asking him to pursue a woman was truly asking too much!
But it wasn’t as if he didn’t understand romance!
Back in the day, that whole box of sugar figurines was arranged by him for the eight-year-old Hua Rui.
Every year, at least a hundred photos of Hua Rui’s daily life were sent to Lu Jianshen’s phone. All of this was also arranged by him!
Not to mention his reputation as a famously abstinent man who never got close to women.
He even personally traveled to several countries to pick out an engagement ring for that little fiancée he barely interacted with…
The car slowly came to a stop—they had arrived!
The silence was finally broken.
The man’s pleasant voice rang out:
“Ruirui, we’re here!”
“Is this Uncle Lu’s business?”
Hua Rui looked up, taking in the opulent and magnificent decor.
In a prominent position was a sculpture of a luduan—a mythical divine deer—soaring through the clouds.
Every business under the Lu family had this emblem.
Lu Jianshen lowered his gaze slightly. “It’s our Lu family’s business. The barbecue here is North American style. I brought you here to try it and see if you like it.”
Our?
Hua Rui stole a glance at Lu Jianshen, only to meet his hawk-like eyes.
They were a pair of exceptionally beautiful irises, a light amber color.
“Uncle, are you wearing colored contacts?”
Lu Jianshen chuckled inwardly. “Do I look like someone who wears colored contacts?”
“But your eyes…”
Hua Rui was carefully studying those beautiful eyes.
Her bright and lovely face was now close at hand, her skin smooth and fair, with not a single pore visible under the sunlight.
Above it were extremely fine, faint hairs, making the young girl appear incredibly cute and soft.
Lu Jianshen’s breath nearly hitched!
This feeling unsettled him, and a sharp glint involuntarily flashed in his hawk-like eyes.
Hua Rui was startled by that glint and quickly jumped back a step:
“Uncle, I’m sorry, I’ve offended you!”
“No… not at all! Ruirui, I…” He stumbled over his words, filled with regret!
Shit! Lu Jianshen hardly recognized himself! When had he become like this?
He recalled Hua Wuque teasing him:
Alive and kicking in the business world, dead and buried among women.
Then, when encountering the world’s most beautiful, invincible, and incredibly adorable girl Hua Rui, it can be summed up in four words: utterly smitten!
Too brilliant!
“Little Uncle, it’s a bit sunny!” Hua Rui used her small hand to shield herself from the sun.
“Oh!” He immediately reached for his clothes, but he only had a shirt on—he couldn’t take it off!
Then… he pulled the much shorter little girl in front of him, using his tall frame to block the sunlight.
He also placed both hands in front of Hua Rui’s forehead, focusing on shielding her face from the sun.
“I’ll have someone buy a parasol. Let’s make do for now!” The man’s deep, pleasant voice sounded from behind.
Hua Rui covered her mouth and giggled, looking up at those warm, slender, artistic hands that had now become her temporary sunshade.
“Thank you, Little Uncle! Let’s go quickly!”
…
“Hurry, hurry, President Lu is here!”
“Is that President Lu? He’s insanely handsome! What is President Lu doing?”
The employees in the lobby watched as their imposing President Lu followed step by step behind a young girl, his hands carefully overlapping to shield the girl’s forehead…
“Is that President Lu’s fiancée? The daughter of the Hua family? Oh my! Is she even human? She’s so beautiful!”
“Are the two of them here on a date?”
“Don’t gossip carelessly. Be careful not to let President Lu hear. Quick, President Lu is coming in!”
As the employees saw Lu Jianshen enter, they all stood respectfully, bowing at a 45-degree angle to greet him:
“Good day, President Lu. Good day, Little Madam Lu…”
“Huh?” Hua Rui almost couldn’t walk anymore, her face flushed bright red.
The man behind her said calmly, “Head to the VIP elevator in front. Don’t mind them!”
…
Xie Mingchen was walking alone on campus, aimlessly. He didn’t know what to do.
Earlier, he had clearly seen from the classroom window Lu Jianshen picking up Hua Rui and meeting with the principal.
He saw Lu Jianshen carrying Hua Rui’s bag, the young girl smiling with crescent-shaped eyes.
When Lu Jianshen placed his arm around Hua Rui’s shoulder and introduced her with a smile:
“Hua Rui is my fiancée…”
Xie Mingchen silently looked away.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t brave; he simply never wanted to cause that young girl even the slightest bit of trouble!
Because, from birth, her fate had already been decided!
“Teacher Xie, want to play basketball?”
As he passed near the basketball court, a few male students called out to him.
“Sure!” He walked toward the court without hesitation.
“Teacher Xie, catch!”
“Nice, another three-pointer! Teacher Xie, you’re amazing!”
On the court, Xie Mingchen was exceptionally spirited.
The knot in his heart was briefly released on the sweat-drenched basketball court.
A circle of admirers had already gathered around the court, cheering for Teacher Xie with increasingly loud shouts.
He was a renowned talent at the university, a tall, elegant, gentle, and considerate handsome man!
He had received countless love letters, but among them, there was never the one he wanted.
During halftime, a slender figure approached:
“Teacher Xie, have some water!”
Xie Mingchen looked up and said “thank you” to the woman.
The woman was around his age, also a teacher at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, named Yue Jiao—a beautiful woman with a delicate face and a pure aura.
“Has Teacher Xie had lunch yet?”
“Not yet.” The man never lied.
“Such a physically demanding activity won’t do if you don’t eat!” Yue Jiao’s voice was clear and pleasant.
Xie Mingchen fell silent for a moment, saying nothing.
“How about we go try the new Sichuan restaurant that just opened at the entrance?” Yue Jiao bravely met his eyes.
Xie Mingchen thought for a moment. “Teacher Yue, I’m sorry, I already have plans!”
Plans? Yue Jiao pursed her lips.
That person, when he was watching Hua Rui by the window, she was also at the classroom door, watching him…