Well, this was perfect. Originally hoping for double happiness, he ended up empty-handed on both fronts.
Not only had he lost face in front of his daughter, but he had also completely exposed his shallowness to Lu Lingchuan.
Now, he had offended both sides…
His mind was in chaos, growing more regretful the more he thought about it.
Lu Lingchuan didn’t care in the slightest what he was thinking.
Calmly, he put away the Obsidian Card.
Then, he turned to Lou Qiyun.
“Where is your room?”
Lou Qiyun was still reeling from the shock of his identity.
She never would have imagined that this man, who had suddenly appeared and saved her life, possessed a background that even Wu Haifeng had to yield to.
“My room?”
She repeated softly.
Lu Lingchuan raised his hand, his fingertips brushing against her fair, delicate cheek.
His palm was warm, with a slightly rough texture.
“I saved you once. Helping you treat your wound while I’m at it isn’t too much to ask, is it?”
His hand slowly moved downward, grazing the slender cut on her face.
The wound wasn’t deep, but the edges were slightly red and swollen.
It hadn’t fully scabbed over yet, still glistening with traces of fresh blood.
With the slightest touch, the newly coagulated blood beads were squeezed out again.
Yet the woman’s expression remained unusually calm.
No flinching, no trembling—she simply watched him.
Even though she was in a passive position, held in the palm of a stranger’s hand, she seemed like a fox willingly offering its neck to the hunter.
Lu Lingchuan’s heart stirred faintly, as if lightly pricked by her gaze.
His hand continued its slow descent.
Just then, Lou Qiyun suddenly raised her hand, stopping his movement.
She cast a faint glance at Lou Tingwen, whose face was dark with anger.
“Sir, please show some restraint. I am, after all, betrothed to President Wu.”
“Don’t you agree, Dad?”
She tilted her head, her gaze settling on Lou Tingwen.
Lou Tingwen opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.
If he had a choice, Wu Haifeng was indeed the safest option.
Whether in terms of background, resources, or connections, he was the most compatible with the Lou Family, posing the lowest risk for collaboration.
But the man before him was of unknown identity and mysterious origins.
More importantly, his relationship with Lou Qiyun was ambiguous and unclear.
What if they actually ended up together?
If she got any ideas, entertaining thoughts she shouldn’t, and secretly manipulated the family’s decisions, would the Lou Family still remain stable?
The smile on Lu Lingchuan’s face faded bit by bit.
“There’s another solution to the Lou Family’s problems—straight-up bankruptcy.”
“Once the money’s gone, you won’t have to worry so much, no more scheming for connections, no more begging for favors. You’ll only need to think about how to survive.”
He chuckled lightly, a mocking curve lifting the corner of his mouth.
“I can make it happen with just a snap of my fingers—much easier than you exhausting yourself to beg Wu Haifeng. How about it?”
Lou Tingwen’s face turned pale.
He gritted his teeth.
“I’ll have someone show you to the room right away.”
This was the first time Lou Qiyun had seen him suffer such a great loss.
The father she had respected since childhood, always domineering in front of outsiders, was now forced to concede by a single sentence from Lu Lingchuan.
She lowered her head and nuzzled against the large hand holding hers.
Forget it, consider it a reward for him.
At least today, Lu Lingchuan was on her side.
Lu Lingchuan’s fingertips trembled slightly.
He turned and followed the servant into the house.
Lou Qiyun trailed behind, casually closing the door behind her.
With a soft click, the lock slid into place.
The room fell into instant silence.
Before she could speak, Lu Lingchuan’s gaze suddenly fixed on the space above the doorframe.
His eyes turned cold as they slowly swept over the top of the wardrobe in the corner.
There, a surveillance device with a black casing was quietly embedded in the wall.
Its red lens blinked intermittently, still rotating slowly.
Seeing this, his already foul mood sank straight to the bottom.
A trace of ferocity surfaced between his brows, his gaze so cold it seemed capable of freezing everything.
He reached out and snatched.
Two surveillance components were violently torn down with a crisp “crack.”
“I have no interest in having my private affairs spied on.”
As the words fell, he raised his hand and crushed them.
The plastic casing shattered instantly, wires snapped, and sparks flickered briefly.
The surveillance device was destroyed on the spot, its parts scattering.
Without a second glance, he tossed them aside.
The wreckage landed in the trash can in the corner with a dull thud.
Lou Qiyun stood to the side, watching the entire scene with great interest.
She even clapped her hands twice, the sound crisp and clear.
“So cool, full of presence, just like a villain in a movie.”
“Where’s my thank-you gift?”
Lou Qiyun raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling slightly.
Just as she was about to retort, Lu Lingchuan had already closed the distance in a few strides.
His tall frame cast a shadow over her instantly.
His palm pressed against her shoulder, pinning her firmly against the door.
The force wasn’t heavy, but it left her unable to move.
He leaned in close, his high-bridged nose almost touching her temple.
He blew a soft breath near her ear.
The wound tingled slightly.
Her heartbeat quickened involuntarily, her breathing growing slightly strained.
“If I hadn’t arrived early, the one following you into the room right now would be Wu Haifeng.”
Lou Qiyun tilted her face up, her expression calm.
As if completely unaware of how intimate their current position was.
“Let me think.”
She spoke slowly, her tone light and unhurried.
Her fingertip gently pressed against her lips, as if pondering, or perhaps deliberately stalling to keep him on edge.
Lu Lingchuan narrowed his eyes, his gaze scrutinizing her face.
This woman was deep and cunning.
Yet she had dared to openly play a funeral dirge at the banquet, throwing the entire upper-class circle into chaos.
It had even escalated to the point where her family had to dispatch a helicopter to retrieve her.
What was she really after?
And now, how would she repay this favor?
The next moment, a slightly cool hand gently rested on his wrist.
He didn’t pull away, allowing her hand to remain there.
Lou Qiyun immediately caught the flicker of interest in his eyes.
She curved her lips, quietly suppressing the triumph in her heart.
Then, she pressed one hand against his chest.
And shoved him hard.
Caught off guard, Lu Lingchuan stumbled backward, his spine hitting the soft bedding with a thud.
Before he could react, she agilely knelt on the edge of the bed with one knee.
In one fluid motion, she straddled his thighs, looking down at him from above.
One hand hooked his tie, yanking it upward sharply.
A low groan escaped from deep in Lu Lingchuan’s throat.
His eyes darkened abruptly.
“Those who are late don’t deserve a thank-you gift.”
Her voice was soft and low.
Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders like black silk, the ends lightly brushing against his collarbone.
From this angle, the lines of her collarbone were sharp and distinct.
Her eyes held a misty allure, her red lips slightly curved.
She exuded an irresistible charm that made it hard to look away.
Lu Lingchuan stared at her intently.
Her face was so close, her nose almost touching his.
His throat moved as he swallowed the burning breath, and he let out a low, incredulous laugh.
“So, is this punishment?”
His voice was low and hoarse, the interest in his eyes growing more intense.
Lou Qiyun gently tugged on the tie in her hand.
She tilted her head slightly, her red lips parting as she spoke in a soft, low voice.
“You can consider it the first step of our cooperation.”
Cooperation?
Lu Lingchuan let out a light hum, a trace of disdain curling at the corner of his mouth.
“Oh?”
He responded in a low drawl, dragging out the final syllable.