She really did like the luxury apartments at Ruijing, but she wasn’t so interested that she had to tour one. Her earlier compliments had been partly sincere and partly an attempt to create a more harmonious atmosphere before their discussion.
After all, the survival of Shen Corporation—and the Shen family—depended entirely on whether the man before her was willing to lend a hand.
Naturally, she wanted to be as pleasant as possible toward him, especially since he had stood up for her at the birthday banquet.
At the moment, however, she had absolutely no desire to look around.
She had no interest in touring a house that consisted of nothing more than painted walls and finished flooring, with everything else completely empty.
As she bent down to change into the slippers, she smiled gracefully and replied tactfully,
“Mr. Lu’s taste is far more unique than mine. I wouldn’t dare show off in front of an expert. Once you’ve finished decorating, if you’re still willing to let me admire it, I’ll definitely come, rain or shine.”
Then she casually changed the subject.
“May I ask why you chose to meet here?”
Lu Yanzhou answered simply,
“Because no third person will know we’re meeting here.”
Shen Shuhe agreed.
No one would ever expect important discussions to take place in a half-finished apartment.
It seemed their meeting truly couldn’t be known by anyone else.
Perhaps even his so-called “vacation” was merely a cover to avoid attracting attention.
The thought made her expression grow serious.
The more confidential the matter, the bigger the trouble the Shen family must have landed in.
Unable to keep smiling, she went straight to the point.
“I’ve prepared all the materials, Mr. Lu. Where shall we talk?”
She looked around.
His living room was completely empty—not even a sofa.
Lu Yanzhou simply started walking instead of answering.
Shen Shuhe hurried after him.
Passing through the open-concept living area, he led her into the master bedroom.
He really was precise with his wording, she thought.
When he said the apartment wasn’t fully furnished yet, he had been telling the truth.
Because…
He had only furnished the bedroom.
Shen Shuhe knew Lu Yanzhou wasn’t the type of man to behave inappropriately, much less harbor improper intentions toward her.
Still, this was only their second meeting, and they were about to discuss highly classified matters.
Yet the meeting place was his bedroom.
It felt… strangely awkward.
She quickly looked around the room.
It was nothing like the elegant tea room in Xishan Villa where they had spoken before.
That tea room had been understated yet luxurious, obviously designed with great care and expense.
This bedroom, on the other hand—perhaps because the soft furnishings weren’t finished yet—embraced extreme minimalism.
There was only one bed.
Nothing else.
With complete composure, Lu Yanzhou explained,
“For now, this is the only room that’s finished. It’s also the only place with somewhere to sit.”
Shen Shuhe was speechless.
Sit… where?
On his bed?
That seemed completely unnecessary.
Her gaze swept across the bed before she forced a smile.
“It’s fine. I’ve been sitting in the office all day. Standing for a while is good.”
Lu Yanzhou didn’t insist.
Facing her, he naturally sat down on the edge of the bed.
His tall frame occupied the mattress with ease. His long legs stretched comfortably apart, and because she remained standing, he tilted his head slightly upward to look at her, casually bracing both hands behind him.
With one standing and the other sitting, the posture between them carried a subtle intimacy.
Looking down at his handsome face, Shen Shuhe couldn’t help noticing how his simple solid-colored T-shirt clung to his broad, well-built frame.
Though he was fully covered, she could almost picture the powerful lines of his chest and abdominal muscles beneath the fabric.
Honestly…
This man radiated masculinity from head to toe.
He was, in fact, very much her type.
Unfortunately…
He was Lu Yanzhou.
A man like him wasn’t someone she dared touch casually.
Especially now that she was married.
Forcefully pushing aside her wandering thoughts, Shen Shuhe focused on business again.
“I’ve prepared both printed and electronic copies. Which would you prefer, Mr. Lu?”
“Either.”
After a brief consideration, she took the printed documents from her tote bag and handed them to him.
Lu Yanzhou accepted them.
She then pulled out her laptop and opened it.
“Please give me thirty seconds, Mr. Lu. It’s just booting up.”
Given the room, their positions, and the lack of any table or chairs, it wasn’t practical for both of them to look at the same copy.
The printed version would be convenient for him to flip through while she followed along on the electronic version.
Lu Yanzhou’s dark eyes lingered on her as he asked quietly,
“Isn’t it heavy?”
Busy turning on the laptop and opening her folders, Shen Shuhe responded with a puzzled,
“Hm?”
His gaze rested on the laptop in her hands before drifting to her slender wrist.
Then he patted the space beside him on the bed.
“Put it here.”
She was wearing a modified beige qipao today.
Unlike the form-fitting style she had worn before, this one was looser and more elegant. The high slit revealed a white lace underskirt layered underneath.
Compared to the striking glamour of last time, today she looked especially gentle and graceful.
Shen Shuhe didn’t actually think the laptop was heavy.
The real issue was that without a table, it wasn’t easy to operate.
After only a second’s hesitation, she decisively placed the laptop beside him.
This was a matter of life and death for the Shen family.
Why worry about whether it was appropriate?
People who accomplished great things didn’t sweat the small details.
Having convinced herself, Shen Shuhe openly treated Lu Yanzhou’s bed as a makeshift desk.
She was just about to crouch down to operate the laptop when a notification sounded.
Beep—
It hadn’t come from her computer.
It came from the front door.
She looked toward Lu Yanzhou.
“Did Chen Lin come back?”
He had specifically said there couldn’t be a third person present.
Did his assistant count as that “third person”?
Should she close the laptop again?
“No.”
Lu Yanzhou frowned.
“He would ring the doorbell.”
His home used a fingerprint lock. Although Chen Lin knew the passcode, he would never enter without permission.
Seeing his expression, Shen Shuhe’s heart tightened.
“Then… who is it?”
Could someone have discovered they were meeting and come looking for them?
The next moment, the fingerprint scanner chimed.
The door opened.
A bright female voice echoed inside.
“Brother? You’re home, right?”
Shen Shuhe’s heart sank.
Lu Mingshu?
Although Lu Mingshu was Lu Yanzhou’s younger sister, she absolutely counted as an unrelated third party in this matter.
She wasn’t part of the military.
She had nothing to do with Shen Corporation.
More importantly…
She was Jiang Wanqing’s close friend.
Under no circumstances could Lu Mingshu find out she was here.
But in this apartment with its nearly bare walls…
Where could she possibly hide?
Lu Yanzhou remained calm.
Apart from a trace of displeasure between his brows, there wasn’t the slightest sign of panic.
Raising his voice slightly, he tried to send her away.
“I’m busy. You should leave.”
“Busy with what?”
Not only did Lu Mingshu show no intention of leaving, her voice grew closer.
“I need something from you. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
Never before had Shen Shuhe feared someone’s approaching footsteps so much.
For the sake of Shen Corporation—and the Shen family—
In desperation, she threw herself onto Lu Yanzhou.
The unexpected embrace cut off the words he had been about to use to drive Lu Mingshu away.
The familiar fragrance of flowers instantly surrounded him.
For a fleeting moment, it reminded him of several days earlier…
…when their necks had brushed against each other.
Shen Shuhe, however, had no room for such romantic thoughts.
The moment she landed on top of him, she grabbed the blanket and pulled it over both of them.
Lying face-to-face with him, she whispered urgently,
“Turn onto your side! Mr. Lu, if you lie on your side, you’ll be able to hide me!”
Lu Yanzhou’s broad shoulders and tall frame contrasted sharply with her slender figure.
If he lay with his back to the bedroom door, he could completely shield her from view.
Unless Lu Mingshu actually lifted the blanket, she shouldn’t discover her.
Yet Lu Yanzhou didn’t move.
Whether because he was unwilling or simply hadn’t processed what was happening, he remained perfectly still.
Lu Mingshu’s footsteps were almost at the door.
Shen Shuhe couldn’t wait any longer.
She wrapped an arm around his waist, trying to physically turn him onto his side.
Lu Yanzhou’s entire body tensed.
His breathing grew heavier.
Then, in one smooth movement, he rolled over—
And pulled her into his arms.