After dropping her off at the school, he handed her an exquisitely packaged box.
“You didn’t seem to eat much today. If you feel hungry later, you can have this to replenish your energy.”
Shen Nanyin was about to refuse, but before she could say anything, she heard him continue.
“If you don’t want it, just throw it away.”
Faced with such words, she couldn’t bring herself to decline any further. Silently, she reached out and took the box, lowering her eyes as she whispered her thanks. “Thank you.”
Watching the girl’s slender, paper-thin figure disappear around the corner of the hallway, Lu Jingyan’s dark eyes dimmed slightly before he drove away.
In the prime, bustling district where every inch of land was worth a fortune, the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows captured the nightscape of the entire capital city.
The man emerged from the bathroom, casually grabbing a dry towel to wipe his hair. Water droplets from his hair dripped down along his tattoo.
His gaze fell on the bed.
The pillow was slightly indented—the spot where Shen Nanyin had lain.
The ringing of his phone interrupted his thoughts.
“Brother Lu, the new guy at the club is insane! He even knocked Old Liu down!” The voice on the other end was brimming with excitement. “Wanna come for a round?”
Lu Jingyan idly played with a lighter, his tone indifferent. “Not coming.”
“What the hell? It’s been ages since you last showed up. Don’t tell me you’ve really turned over a new leaf? Weren’t you always complaining about not finding a worthy opponent before?”
When he didn’t respond for a while, Qiao Chen pressed, “Seriously, not coming?”
“Hmm,” he replied lazily. “Not interested.”
The other end grew anxious and immediately raised his voice.
“Not interested?! Weren’t you the one so bored you nearly killed yourself? And now you’re not interested??”
After his outburst, his tone turned deeply regretful.
“Do you have any idea how ridiculous it is? People outside are even spreading rumors that you’re doing this for a woman…”
“It’s not a rumor.”
The voice on the other end abruptly stopped. “What?”
“Hanging up.”
Lu Jingyan mercilessly ended the call and tossed the phone onto the sofa.
With a click, the lighter ignited, its flame licking the tip of the cigarette, emitting a crimson glow.
At that moment, a faint, delicate fragrance, entirely different from the smoke, drifted into his nostrils—illusory, like a thin veil of mist.
It was the clean, refreshing scent from the girl, carrying the tart and astringent notes of freshly snapped green branches.
He extinguished the cigarette, not wanting the fragrance to be tainted, hoping to preserve it a little longer.
The night stretched on silently, softened by the gentle glow of the lights.
The room’s climate control system seemed to have malfunctioned, as both humidity and temperature began to rise.
Against the black bedsheets, the girl’s skin was dazzlingly pale.
Her face was flushed with fever, and her clear glasses were fogged with a soft haze from the heat.
“Lu Jingyan…”
The familiar, youthful fragrance enveloped him, spreading.
Then, the world began to sway inexplicably, shaking the delicate-framed glasses off her nose.
He met her excessively beautiful, cool eyes.
“Lu Jingyan…”
Breathing heavily, he opened his eyes. The time read five in the morning.
The climate control system was operating normally.
Yet, the tattoo on his collarbone remained persistently hot, burning.
Lu Jingyan took a deep, slow breath, got up, and walked into the bathroom.
Lingyue Group Headquarters.
After the meeting, Assistant Liu followed alongside Lu Jingyan.
“The Shen family from Jingbei has proposed a collaboration for the S2 land plot and hopes to meet with you.”
“The Shen family?” Lu Jingyan’s expression remained indifferent. “Which Shen family?”
“Mr. Shen from Yufeng.”
“Assistant Liu, I didn’t hire you to waste my time with companies that lack substance.”
Assistant Liu’s heart skipped a beat, but he steeled himself and said, “Mr. Shen said he’s prepared a big gift for you, one you’ll definitely like.”
“What kind of gift?”
“He said you’d know once you go…”
Assistant Liu hadn’t planned to report this, but the other party’s tone was so confident—what if it was related to a company project?
Lu Jingyan glanced at him indifferently and didn’t say anything more.
“The Shen family raised you with the best of everything, and this is how you repay them?!”
In the Shen family villa, Shen Dingguo angrily pointed at her and scolded.
“What did you do to Mr. Chen?! Do you even know who he is? It’s an honor that he’s willing to keep you!”
Shen Nanyin stood quietly, not uttering a word.
Shen Yan, sitting on the sofa, smirked maliciously. “That’s right, sis. It’s about the S2 land plot—you’re quite valuable.”
Shen Nanyin gave him a cold look. “You’re quite valuable too.”
His features had a somewhat delicate, feminine quality, and he had been the subject of unsavory jokes before.
Shen Yan caught her veiled sarcasm, his expression darkening. He grabbed a cup, ready to throw it at her, but Shen Dingguo stopped him.
“Stop causing trouble! Don’t ruin her face!”
Shen Dingguo began issuing orders again. “Go upstairs and change. You’re coming with me to meet someone later.”
Shen Nanyin’s face paled.
“Hurry up!” Shen Dingguo shouted sharply.
When she didn’t move, several maids came forward, ready to force her to change.
“Miss, sorry.”
The hatred in her eyes made Shen Dingguo’s heart skip a beat, but then he found it laughable.
Just a worthless daughter.
After the maids finished dressing her up, they brought her back downstairs.
Shen Dingguo inspected her with satisfaction. “Behave yourself later.”
The black Bugatti stopped at the entrance of the club.
Upon seeing the arrival, Shen Dingguo immediately broke into a wide smile and stepped forward. “Young Master Lu.”
Lu Jingyan leaned casually against the sofa, listening to Shen Dingguo’s exaggerated flattery before impatiently cutting him off.
“Get straight to the point. What do you think you can offer in exchange for the S2 project?”
Shen Dingguo smiled and pulled Shen Nanyin over, pushing her toward Lu Jingyan.
“Young Master Lu, this is my daughter, Shen Nanyin.”
Lu Jingyan paused.
Shen Nanyin stood before him with her head bowed, her dark, long hair cascading softly. She had been dressed up to look pure and innocent, like a delicate flower.
Her slender ankles peeked out from beneath her long dress, and the slightly fitted design deliberately accentuated her graceful figure.
He noticed her clenched, pale hands at her sides, and his gaze darkened.
Shen Nanyin hadn’t expected that the person Shen Dingguo wanted her to meet was Lu Jingyan.
After a moment’s thought, she quickly understood the reason.
Shen Dingguo was well-informed and knew that Lu Jingyan had helped her once, so he assumed Lu Jingyan was interested in her.
She found it somewhat laughable—what kind of woman hadn’t Lu Jingyan seen before?
“Mr. Shen, what do you mean by this?”
Lu Jingyan spoke calmly.
“When giving a gift, it naturally has to suit Young Master Lu’s taste.”
As he spoke, Shen Dingguo urged, “Yinyin, hurry up and pour Young Master Lu a drink.”
Lu Jingyan was always casual and detached, often looking at people with a faint, mocking smile. But now, there wasn’t a trace of expression on his face.
His tone was indifferent.
“Mr. Shen, you’re really doing a great job as a father.”
The air around them seemed to freeze instantly, filled with an oppressive tension.
Assistant Liu was breaking out in a cold sweat. If he had known the Shen family was here to offer a woman, he would never have relayed the message.