The closer she got, the stronger that sense of familiarity became.
Why did he look more and more like the man she had randomly grabbed at yesterday’s engagement banquet… and impulsively married?
She remembered that he had the surname Lu as well.
Could it really be such a coincidence?
Lu Yanzhou shifted his posture, casually resting one arm on the railing.
He met her gaze without the slightest hesitation, amusement flickering in his eyes.
When she stopped an arm’s length away, he asked teasingly,
“Is there something on my face?”
Shen Shuhe shook her head.
“No. It’s just that you look very familiar, Mr. Lu.”
The moment she spoke, more memories from the previous day came flooding back.
To be precise…
He looked remarkably like the husband she had drunkenly married on a whim.
But she knew perfectly well that Lu Yanzhou couldn’t possibly be that man.
Handsome men often gave off similar impressions.
Besides, she couldn’t even clearly remember what her bargain-bin husband looked like.
When she was sober, he’d been wearing a cap and a face mask.
By the time he took them off while they were being intimate…
…she had already been pleasantly drunk.
And besides…
Even if they looked alike…
Even if they shared the same surname…
Even if, by some absurd coincidence, they even had the exact same full name…
She still wouldn’t suspect they were the same person.
How could someone as extraordinary as Lu Yanzhou possibly spend one reckless night with a woman he’d just met and then register a marriage with her?
Wouldn’t Old Master Lu break his legs?
Lu Yanzhou’s dark eyes deepened as the corner of his lips curved upward.
“Who do I resemble, Miss Shen?”
After sorting through the whirlwind of thoughts in her head, Shen Shuhe composed herself and replied casually,
“No one important. I’ve only met him once.”
If she actually told him he looked like the husband she’d married yesterday…
…that would be far too frivolous and inappropriate.
He would surely assume she was using an outdated pickup line to get closer to him.
That would only backfire.
Yet somehow…
Her answer didn’t seem to please Lu Yanzhou either.
The smile faded from his face.
“So…”
he asked meaningfully,
“Someone unimportant whom you’ve only met once…”
“…yet you’ve remembered him so clearly?”
Shen Shuhe decided to demonstrate a bit of emotional intelligence and smoothly turned it into a compliment.
“Mr. Lu possesses such an extraordinary presence and remarkable looks.”
“Anyone with even a fraction of your elegance would naturally leave a lasting impression.”
Lu Yanzhou chuckled softly.
But there wasn’t the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes.
Shen Shuhe remained calm while secretly analyzing the situation.
Was my compliment not sincere enough?
Or does he simply dislike flattery?
The brief silence was broken by the rhythmic clicking of high heels.
Lu Mingshu and Jiang Wanqing had come upstairs as well.
They really are impossible to shake, Shen Shuhe thought.
She had no desire to repeat the scene from downstairs and delay what she had actually come here to do.
Setting aside any attempt to figure out Lu Yanzhou’s thoughts, she quickly asked,
“Didn’t you say you had something to discuss with me, Mr. Lu?”
Lu Yanzhou lifted his eyes, glanced past her at Lu Mingshu and Jiang Wanqing, then said quietly,
“Come with me.”
Shen Shuhe immediately felt relieved and hurried after him.
Jiang Wanqing nearly ground her teeth to pieces.
Doing her best to suppress her emotions, she murmured sadly,
“Where is Brother Yanzhou taking her?”
“They’re going to be alone together?”
“Mingshu…”
“Is Miss Shen… Brother Yanzhou’s girlfriend?”
Just saying the words made her heart ache sharply.
Lu Mingshu immediately denied it.
“How could she possibly be my brother’s girlfriend?”
“I’ve never once heard him mention her.”
“Besides, my brother only returned to Beijing recently.”
She frowned, equally irritated.
“Forget about that for now.”
“Go change your dress first.”
“Then we’ll go find them and get a proper explanation.”
Lu Yanzhou led Shen Shuhe into the tea room on the second floor.
The moment they entered, the rich fragrance of sandalwood blended with the refreshing aroma of tea drifted toward them.
Compared with the bustling ballroom downstairs, the tea room was far more refined.
Two carved pearwood screens divided the room into three sections.
An elegant collection of tea utensils rested on wooden shelves to the right.
To the left was an elaborate indoor landscape featuring flowing water and miniature mountains.
Even Shen Shuhe, who had seen her fair share of luxury, couldn’t help feeling surprised.
As expected of Beijing’s foremost military and political family.
They had recreated an outdoor garden entirely indoors.
Lu Yanzhou led her to a tea table beside the window.
The kettle still held hot water.
With practiced movements, he began preparing tea.
Shen Shuhe watched his long, elegant fingers for a moment.
Before her thoughts wandered too far, she smiled and introduced herself.
“I haven’t properly introduced myself yet.”
“My name is Shen Shuhe.”
“My father is Shen Yanzhi, chairman of the Shen Group.”
Just as Lu Mingshu hadn’t known who she was, the chances of Lu Yanzhou recognizing her were practically nonexistent.
Maintaining her composure, she subtly laid the groundwork for the conversation she intended to have.
“Perhaps you’ve heard of the Shen Group?”
“We manufacture medical equipment in Beijing.”
“We’ve maintained extensive partnerships with both the military and top-tier hospitals.”
Lu Yanzhou simply hummed in acknowledgment.
His hands never stopped brewing the tea.
Seeing that he responded, Shen Shuhe felt slightly more confident about persuading the Lu family to invest in the Shen Group.
She deliberately avoided jumping straight to the subject.
She didn’t want to appear overly eager.
Instead, she spoke sincerely.
“Mr. Lu, thank you.”
“I know everything you said downstairs was to help me out.”
Whether the invitation was genuine no longer mattered.
Nor did the events that had led to her being targeted.
After all…
He was Lu Mingshu’s older brother.
Only after expressing her gratitude did she finally steer the conversation toward its true purpose.
“Actually…”
“I do have something important I’d like to discuss with you.”
By then, Lu Yanzhou had finished preparing a cup of tea.
He placed it before her.
“Careful. It’s hot.”
“Thank you.”
Accepting the teacup with both hands, Shen Shuhe said,
“Please give me ten minutes.”
Lu Yanzhou simply looked at her quietly, patiently waiting for her to continue.
Sitting upright, Shen Shuhe spent the first five minutes introducing the Shen Group’s business operations and core competitive advantages.
She used the next four minutes to explain the company’s current strategic plans and future growth potential.
Finally, during the last minute, she looked directly into his eyes and said firmly,
“I sincerely hope you’ll consider investing in the Shen Group and helping us through this crisis.”
“In the future…”
“The Shen Group will certainly reward you many times over.”
Lu Yanzhou made no immediate comment about whether he would invest.
He calmly took a sip of tea.
After setting the cup down, he finally spoke.
“You’ve misunderstood.”
Shen Shuhe’s heart immediately sank.
Was he about to refuse?
Keeping her composure as best she could, she frowned slightly.
“What have I misunderstood?”
Instead of answering about the investment, Lu Yanzhou unexpectedly returned to what she had said earlier.
“The things I said downstairs…”
“They weren’t merely to help you out.”
A strange sense of nervousness welled up inside her.
“Then…?”
“I really did have something important to discuss with you.”
His deep voice was steady.
“The results of the military security review concerning your Shen Group’s cooperation with the armed forces have come back.”
“We’ll need Miss Shen to cooperate with our investigation.”
His sharp, chiseled features appeared especially imposing when he wasn’t smiling.
The pressure radiating from him was overwhelming.
Raising an eyebrow, he said,
“This concerns classified military matters.”
“I hope Miss Shen understands the seriousness of the situation.”