Lucian looked at Mei coldly.
“The Fu family contributed six hundred million yuan to the growth of the Zhao Group. Unless the Zhao family is prepared to return every single yuan, this marriage will proceed,” he said, his expression calm and unreadable.
Mei looked at him, sadness filling her eyes.
So she really had to marry this man.
Slowly, she raised her gaze towards Camille and Odessa.
The satisfaction hidden in their eyes was impossible to miss.
They were enjoying every moment of her pain, and the smiles on their faces made her chest tighten.
She wished she could wipe those smiles away forever.
Tears slipped silently down her cheeks.
“Sign the contract,” Lucian said as he placed a pen before her.
The room fell into silence.
No one had expected Lucian to settle the matter with a single sentence.
He had left the Mei with no room to refuse, and the marriage that had nearly fallen apart was instantly decided.
Mei lowered her eyes to the contract.
She did not want to sign it, but she no longer had a choice.
Tears continued to blur her vision, yet she knew no amount of crying could change what was happening or reverse her fate.
The only thing she could do now was endure it.
One day, when the opportunity came, she would find a way to divorce him.
Taking a slow breath, she wiped away her tears before picking up the pen.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she signed her name.
The moment the final stroke was completed, everything was settled.
She was now Lucian’s wife, officially Mrs Fu.
An Zhao’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
From this day onwards, the Zhao family had become the Fu family’s official partner.
The future he had long dreamed of was finally within reach.
“Now that the contract has been signed, it’s time to take Mrs Fu home,” Lucian said.
The colour slowly drained from Mei’s face.
Wasn’t it too soon?
They had not even collected their marriage certificate yet.
She wanted to say something, but the words remained trapped in her throat.
In the end, she could only look at him silently.
“Yes, First Young Master,” An Zhao replied with obvious excitement.
“What about her belongings?”
His tone made it sound as though he could not wait for Mei to disappear from the Zhao villa forever.
“That won’t be necessary. She’ll get new clothes,” Lucian replied.
He stood up and walked towards the door before stopping and turning back.
“Get up.”
Mei remained seated.
It felt as though all the strength had left her body.
Her legs refused to move, and her mind had gone completely blank.
Seeing that she made no attempt to stand, Lucian walked back without another word.
He bent down and slipped one arm beneath her knees while the other wrapped around her waist before lifting her effortlessly into his arms.
Mei instinctively wanted to struggle.
Every part of her wanted to push him away, yet her body refused to obey.
She remained stiff in his embrace, unable to move.
Everyone present stared in stunned silence.
None of them had expected Lucian to carry her himself.
From this moment onwards, she truly belonged to the Fu family.
Leon and Madam Lu quietly followed behind him without saying a word.
Camille watched everything unfold, her fingers digging deeply into her palms.
Watching her cry had filled her with satisfaction.
But the moment Lucian carried Mei into his arms, the smile on her face slowly disappeared.
A bitter jealousy quietly took root in her heart, that place should have belonged to her.
The woman in Lucian’s arms should have been her, not Mei.
Sooner or later, she would make Mei pay for taking what was rightfully hers.
Lucian carried Mei to the waiting car and gently placed her inside.
The moment he withdrew his hands, he calmly took out a white handkerchief and wiped his fingers as though he had touched something filthy.
Mei quietly moved into the corner of the seat, instinctively putting as much distance between them as possible.
Lucian noticed immediately.
For some reason, seeing her fear him so much left an inexplicable irritation in his heart.
Dominic silently entered the driver’s seat before raising the privacy partition between the front and back seats.
“To the villa.”
“Yes, First Young Master.”
The car slowly drove away from the Zhao residence.
Neither of them spoke.
Mei quietly watched the scenery outside the window as the familiar streets gradually disappeared behind her.
It felt as though everything she had known had been left behind the moment she signed that contract.
From time to time, Lucian’s gaze drifted towards her.
Looking at her delicate profile, a memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Jade Spring Pharmacy.
He finally remembered where he had seen her before.
She was the young woman Chen had praised so highly.
“What were you doing at Jade Spring Pharmacy?” Lucian suddenly asked, his deep voice breaking the silence inside the car.
His expression remained as indifferent as ever, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Mei’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
She immediately remembered that day.
She had gone to Jade Spring Pharmacy to buy medicinal herbs for her grandmother, but she had unexpectedly exposed the dishonest couple who had tried to deceive the pharmacy.
Chen had happened to witness everything and she had not seen him since then.
She had no desire to continue the conversation.
Every time she looked at the man sitting beside her, that unforgettable night flashed across her mind.
Even now, she could not stop wondering whether he remembered her as well.
“I went there to buy some herbs for my grandmother,” she replied softly, her tone courteous but distant.
Lucian looked at her quietly.
He could clearly sense the distance she was deliberately placing between them.
It was as though she wanted nothing to do with him, and for some reason, that feeling left him strangely dissatisfied.
The rest of the journey passed in silence.
Not long afterwards, the car slowly drove through the towering gates of Lucian’s estate before coming to a gentle stop in front of the mansion.
Lucian opened the door and stepped out first without waiting for her.
He walked inside with steady footsteps, and a moment later, the heavy doors closed behind him.
The sound made Mei jolt slightly.
She had almost drifted asleep during the journey.
Slowly, she stepped out of the car, but the moment both feet touched the ground, a wave of dizziness washed over her.
Her breathing became uneven, and an uncomfortable tightness spread across her chest as though something invisible was pressing against it.
Her anxiety was acting up again.
Closing her eyes for a brief moment, Mei reached into the small pouch hidden beneath her sleeve and quietly took out a slender silver needle.
Her movements were familiar and unhurried.
She found the Neiguan acupoint on the inside of her wrist, about three finger widths above her wrist crease, she carefully inserted the needle.
After gently rotating it a few times, she slowly removed it.
Within moments, the tightness in her chest gradually eased.
Her breathing returned to normal, and the dizziness slowly faded away.
The moment she stepped inside, she unconsciously slowed her pace.
The place before her hardly resembled a estate.
It looked more like an elegant manor.
The polished marble floor reflected the warm light pouring down from the magnificent crystal chandelier hanging high above.
A graceful curved staircase stretched towards the second floor, while every piece of furniture had been carefully chosen and arranged.
Nothing looked excessive, yet every corner quietly revealed the wealth and prestige of the Fu family.
As Mei quietly looked around, a middle-aged woman approached her with a warm smile.
She appeared to be in her fifties.
Her hair was neatly tied back, with silver strands woven amongst the black.
Gentle wrinkles rested at the corners of her smiling eyes, making her look kind and approachable.
“You can call me Aunt Momo,” the woman said warmly.
Before Mei could even greet her, Aunt Momo stepped forward and wrapped her in a gentle embrace.
“You’re even prettier than I imagined.”
Mei blinked in surprise.
She had not expected someone in the Fu family to welcome her so warmly.
Aunt Momo smiled happily.
“I’ve taken care of Young Master Lucian ever since he was born. I’ve served the Fu family for most of my life. The moment I heard he would be bringing home his wife today, I couldn’t wait to meet you.”
A hint of surprise flashed across Mei’s eyes.
So they had known all along that she would be moving into the estate today.
Aunt Momo naturally held Mei’s hand as they walked further into the manor.
Along the way, she happily shared one amusing story after another about Lucian’s childhood.
“When he was little, he hated drinking herbal medicine so much that he hid behind Old Master Fu every single time. No matter who tried to coax him, he refused to come out.”
Mei could not help smiling.
“Really?”
“Of course.” Aunt Momo laughed.
“Don’t let that cold face fool you. He has always been stubborn, but he’s a good child at heart.”
She continued chatting as though she had known Mei for years.
Listening to her gentle voice, Mei gradually relaxed.
The uneasiness that had weighed on her since leaving the Zhao family slowly disappeared without her even noticing.
Before long, she found herself responding naturally to Aunt Momo’s stories, and somewhere deep inside, she unconsciously began to see the older woman as the motherly figure she had longed for all these years.
As they continued walking through the manor, Mei noticed that every room followed the same colour palette – Black, White, Grey.
The entire place reflected Lucian’s personality, simple, restrained and cold lacking no warmth.
Aunt Momo noticed where her eyes had wandered and smiled knowingly.
“You’re the first woman Young Master has ever brought into this manor.”
Mei’s footsteps paused slightly.
She looked at Aunt Momo in surprise.
“The first?”
Aunt Momo nodded with certainty.
“Yes. Before today, no woman had ever entered this place as his mistress.” Those words quietly settled in Mei’s heart.
For some reason, she found them difficult to believe.
“Should I sleep downstairs tonight, Aunt Momo?” she asked after a moment.
She was exhausted.
After everything that had happened today, she only wanted a quiet place where she could rest alone.
Since arriving, she had not seen Lucian again, and she secretly hoped she would not have to see him until the following morning.
Aunt Momo looked at her before gently shaking her head.
“Oh no,” she said with a smile.
“Young Master and Madam naturally share the master bedroom.”
Mei’s expression froze.