Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Meng Shuling reluctantly changed into her clothes, dragging her feet the entire time. She was a hundred times unwilling, but she still couldn’t go against Lu Yannan’s threat.
When the doorbell rang, she assumed it was the family driver. But when she opened the door, she saw a middle-aged man dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, with a refined and elegant demeanor.
He gave a polite bow and said respectfully,
“Miss Meng, I’m Uncle Fu, Mr. Lu’s butler. Mr. Lu is waiting for you at the hotel, and he specifically asked me to come pick you up.”
Meng Shuling froze for a moment, then muttered stubbornly,
“Pick me up? It’s not like we’re going on a date. Why make it sound so strange?”
But deep down, a strange feeling quietly surfaced.
She hadn’t expected Lu Yannan to send his butler personally to pick her up. The arrangements were so thoughtful and proper that there wasn’t even the slightest hint of him trying to make things difficult for her.
Uncle Fu maintained a gentle smile throughout. He thoughtfully opened the car door for her.
The temperature inside the car had already been adjusted to a comfortable level, and there was even her favorite fruit tea and some small desserts waiting for her.
Clearly, Lu Yannan had arranged everything in advance.
Sitting inside the car, Meng Shuling had no choice but to admit that although Lu Yannan appeared cold and distant, his thoughts were actually meticulous and considerate.
He was far more attentive than she had imagined.
At the same time, inside the private dining room of the presidential suite on the top floor of Jingyi International Hotel, warm lighting spilled softly over the exquisitely arranged tableware.
Lu Yannan stood by the window, one hand tucked into the pocket of his suit trousers and the other holding his phone.
Through the receiver came his mother’s endless nagging.
“Son, I’m telling you right now—when Shuling arrives later, you absolutely cannot put on that cold CEO attitude of yours. Do you hear me?”
Tan Linyin’s voice carried a hint of frustration.
“You need to be gentler with girls. Say some sweeter things. Show more concern for her. Don’t walk around with that icy expression all the time and scare away my future daughter-in-law!”
Lu Yannan looked out at the bustling traffic below. His voice remained calm as he corrected her indifferently.
“Mom, she’s not your daughter-in-law yet.”
“Not yet, but she will be sooner or later!”
Tan Linyin immediately cut him off, her tone filled with certainty.
“Your father and I have already made up our minds. This marriage is settled. You need to put in some effort and stop treating it like it’s nothing.
“You’re outstanding in every way—your looks, your family background, your abilities. Everything is top-tier.
“As long as you put your heart into it and say a few sweet words, you can easily win Shuling over.”
Lu Yannan raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond.
On the other end, Tan Linyin continued,
“Mom knows Shuling has someone she likes. Chen Jiarang, right?”
His fingers paused slightly.
The atmosphere around him grew colder, but he still remained silent.
“Listen, that’s not even a problem!”
Tan Linyin spoke confidently, full of faith in her son.
“Chen Jiarang is just an ordinary college student. He has no money and no influence. He’s completely incomparable to our family.
“Shuling is just young and inexperienced. That’s why she thinks that boy is clean and pleasant.
“Listen to your mother. When a man pursues a girl, he needs to lower his pride a little and be shamelessly persistent. You surpass him in every aspect. Are you really worried you can’t win Shuling over?
“Your mother believes in you one hundred percent. This will definitely work!”
Lu Yannan’s thin lips pressed together slightly.
The emotions in his eyes were impossible to read.
His voice remained indifferent.
“I’m hanging up.”
Tan Linyin immediately raised her voice.
“Don’t you dare hang up! I specially had my assistant prepare champagne roses and a customized necklace for you. Remember to personally give them to Shuling later. Girls love these little surprises. Don’t forget!”
Hearing that, Lu Yannan replied without any enthusiasm,
“I’m not giving them.”
Those four words instantly made Tan Linyin explode.
“Not giving them? Lu Yannan, you actually dare say you’re not giving them?!
“The biggest regret of my life is giving birth to three children like you! None of you are ever easy to deal with. All of you are determined to anger me to death!”
She continued scolding him, her disappointment obvious.
“Your younger brothers are hopeless when it comes to relationships, fine. But you? You’re just as clueless! I ask you to give a gift and you forget. Are you planning to stay single for the rest of your life?”
Lu Yannan listened to his mother’s endless complaints.
His brows furrowed slightly, but he didn’t interrupt.
He simply waited quietly until she finished.
After scolding him for a while, Tan Linyin’s tone softened.
“Forget it, scolding you is useless. When you meet her later, speak more sweetly and have a gentler attitude. Stop acting like an iceberg all the time, understand?
“If this marriage falls apart, don’t even think about coming home!”
Before Lu Yannan could respond, a soft knock came from outside the dining room.
Then Uncle Fu’s respectful voice sounded.
“Sir, Miss Meng has arrived.”
Lu Yannan’s eyes darkened slightly.
He said into the phone,
“I know. Goodbye.”
Then he ended the call without waiting for a reply and put his phone back into his pocket.
The dining room door opened gently.
Meng Shuling followed Uncle Fu inside.
Under the warm lights, Lu Yannan stood there wearing a perfectly pressed black suit. His white shirt was tucked neatly into his trousers, emphasizing his tall, straight figure—broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
The cold and noble aura surrounding him was even stronger than usual.
Even standing there quietly, he carried an intimidating presence that made people instinctively hesitate to approach.
He was completely different from Chen Jiarang’s bright, youthful warmth.
Meng Shuling’s heartbeat inexplicably sped up.
She lowered her eyes subconsciously.
Don’t be nervous.
Don’t lose your courage.
She silently scolded herself.
But another thought quietly appeared in her mind:
Where did I get the courage to sleep with Lu Yannan?
Lu Yannan had been watching her since the moment she entered.
His gaze was deep and unreadable.
Today, she was wearing a lotus-colored fitted qipao, something her mother had insisted she put on.
Her mother had said it was made from an old Suzhou embroidery fabric and altered specifically to fit her figure. Not wearing it would be a waste.
The qipao hugged her body perfectly, outlining every curve.
The gentle curve of her chest was delicately supported, her waist was so slender it seemed like it could be held with one hand.
Her hips curved gracefully downward, and the slit of the skirt revealed a glimpse of her stocking-covered calf whenever she moved.
Lu Yannan’s gaze slowly traveled from her face downward.
When it reached her impossibly slim waist, it paused.
That night, she had worn a similarly fitted dress.
He had pressed her against the floor-to-ceiling window of the hotel.
His hand had wrapped around her waist, and the softness beneath his palm had been almost unbelievable.
Her waist had been so narrow that he had wondered whether he could circle it completely with both hands.
When she had struggled, he had tightened his hold.
His thumb had pressed into the soft flesh at her waist.
She had bitten her lip, refusing to make a sound.
But her body had instinctively leaned away, only for him to pull her back.
She had been trapped in his arms, unable to escape.
His gaze lingered for a moment longer before he slowly looked away.
When he looked back at her face, the sight of her nervous yet stubbornly pretending to be calm made his eyes deepen.
He said nothing unnecessary.
He simply raised his hand toward the seat opposite him.
His voice was low and gentle.
“Miss Meng, please sit.”
“Thank you.”
Meng Shuling replied quietly and sat down.
After a moment of silence, she decided she didn’t want to continue this awkward stalemate.
She looked up at him.
Although she was still intimidated, she spoke directly.
“Lu Yannan, I know why you asked me here today. But I still want to make this clear—I already have someone I like. I won’t marry you.
“The things that happened before… just treat them as a misunderstanding. Let’s both move on and live our own lives.”
She spoke quickly.
She was afraid that if she hesitated even slightly, Lu Yannan’s overwhelming presence would leave her unable to say anything.
Lu Yannan showed no surprise.
He wasn’t angry either.
He simply looked at her calmly.
Like a predator that had been waiting patiently for its chosen prey to walk into its territory, his presence carried an undeniable sense of control and possession.
After a moment, he finally spoke.
His tone was calm, but his words struck directly at Meng Shuling’s deepest concern.
“The person you like… is Chen Jiarang?”
Meng Shuling froze.
Then she nodded, her voice carrying a hint of protectiveness.
“Yes. I like him. I only want to be with him.”
Lu Yannan raised his eyebrows slightly.
His calm expression carried the certainty of someone who had already seen through everything.
“I’d like to ask Miss Meng a question.
“Ever since the scandal about you and me at Jingyi Hotel became a trending topic, has he contacted you?
“Has he asked about your situation?
“Has he worried about you being hurt by the rumors and malicious comments online?”