After calling out, she regretted it and lowered her head, not daring to look at him.
In the moonlight as gentle as water, she heard his cool and indifferent voice: "You’re overthinking it, Zhuang Heng is not that kind of person."
The small fla she had just suppressed in her heart suddenly flared up again. She lifted her head and looked at him angrily: "How do you know what kind of person she is?! She’s two-faced, not a good person!"
The moonlight remained like water, serene and hazy. Her cheeks, tinted with a thin layer of rosy color from anger, resembled the delicate juice of a flower.
He looked at her, as if a feather had gently stirred his heart, causing an uncontrollable ripple. He reached out to stroke her delicate cheek, explaining softly: "Xingyu, Zhuang Heng grew up with , I know her. A socialite like her knew from childhood she would marry soone who matched her family’s status. Who she marries doesn’t depend on love; it depends on suitability. She’s too smart to fall for anyone and beco trapped in a dilemma."
Su Xingyu, half-sitting on the bed, listened quietly to him speak, his fingers’ gentle touch distracting her slightly.
Lu Shifeng’s fingers moved from her smooth, porcelain-like cheek to her ear, then slowly played with her long, dark hair. "In fact, heirs like us from wealthy families don’t hold unrealistic fantasies about love. Our marriages are re exchanges of interests, followed by responsibility, familial affection, and a lifeti."
As for love? That’s just a useless, unnecessary, even nonexistent laughable illusion.
His last sentence abruptly snapped her out of the caress of his fingers.
Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at him: "What about ? What am I to you, a responsibility?"
Lu Shifeng’s hand continued to play with her hair, the faint scent enticed him: "Of course. You knew from the mont you married ."
Her long and dense eyelashes gently lowered, feeling she had asked an incredibly foolish question. Indeed, he married her just to prove to his family he didn’t need to rely on a wife’s family, nothing more. It didn’t matter if it was Su Xingyu or any other ordinary girl, he didn’t really care.
A cloud blocked the moonlight, darkening the bedroom.
"Sleep, get so rest," Lu Shifeng released her from his hand, undressing and getting into bed.
He pulled her into his embrace, and through the soft material of her nightgown, she could sll the faint male scent of him. His heartbeat was strong and steady, his arms encircling her waist securely, but she only felt cold. She no longer wanted to ask about Zhuang Heng; the problem seed to lie with her. Hearing him say "no one holds unrealistic fantasies about love," her heart unexpectedly sank.
How could this be?
She dared not think deeply, frantically warning herself internally, Su Xingyu, you must be clear-headed, and must stop before it’s too late.
That night, she didn’t sleep deeply.
In the morning, she woke up as soon as he moved.
He was lying on his side, looking at her in his arms, his voice slightly husky from sleep: "Awake? Is your stomach feeling better?"
She felt drowsily for a mont, seeming like it wasn’t hurting much anymore.
So he said, "Get up and get dressed to have breakfast with ."
She nodded, groggily got up, had breakfast with him, and wanted to say goodbye to go to work.
Lu Shifeng called after her: "Why are you taking the bus looking like this? Ride with ."
Su Xingyu said, "I can manage on my own." Last night’s conversation had startled her awake. She shouldn’t be sinking deeper into his whirlpool; why should it matter if Zhuang Heng liked him or sched to marry him? After all, the one Su Xingyu loves is not him—it absolutely cannot be him. She never wanted to fall for soone who didn’t love her again.
She needed to stay away from him, as far as possible, so that if she were ever kicked out, at least it wouldn’t be too painful.
Inside, there was Du Shuxian coldly rebuffing her, and outside, Zhuang Heng’s predatory gaze, yet Lu Shifeng remained oblivious. She truly felt like being kicked out might not be too distant a reality.
She turned to go upstairs and get her equipnt bag.
However, Lu Shifeng spoke: "That’s an order."
Her steps halted.
An order...
She rembered their agreent on mutual rights and obligations. Whenever he issued two orders, she could make one request.
Over ti, they had managed this well, maintaining a subtle balance, no longer at each other’s throats. She didn’t want to break this balance.
With a sigh, she gave up the thought of taking the bus and obediently rode in his car to the company.
Upon entering the photography center, she quietly adjusted the equipnt, communicated with colleagues about the latest projects, and organized data. This work was quite complex, mostly involving data research and reporting rather than photography. Although she hadn’t been there long, she had already beco proficient, and many colleagues who initially weren’t fond of her had started to acknowledge her ability and gradually ward up to her.
Of course, these people did not include Zhuang Heng or those close to her.
"Xingyu, analyze these photos for color differences and distortion rate," Mr. Yang ca over, assigning tasks and glancing around. "Isn’t Miss Zhuang here today?"
"Miss Zhuang?" Yun Xi’s voice was clear, laughter spreading across several seats, "Mr. Yang, Miss Zhuang just sent a text saying that Mr. Lu’s mother is in the hospital, and she’s accompanying her there, so she probably won’t make it to the company today. If anyone asks, she asked to pass the ssage."
Like a stone stirring up a thousand waves, the office buzzed with whispers: "Did you hear? Miss Zhuang is there to accompany Mr. Lu’s mother in the hospital, she’s already set to be the Lu family’s daughter-in-law!"
"Isn’t that right, not long ago there were rumors about Mr. Lu having a woman outside, but honestly, no woman could compare to the main wife."
"Yes, the main wife is the main wife, a noble socialite, dignified and unshakable in position, take that, howrecker, haha."
Su Xingyu slightly lowered her eyes, organizing a few photos in her hand, without a word.
Zhuang Heng wanted to perform, let her perform all she wanted. After all, her fate was like duckweed, marriage or divorce, all relied on Lu Shifeng’s whim. If Lu Shifeng didn’t want a divorce, no matter how perfectly Zhuang Heng perford, it wouldn’t matter, just as tearing her heart out would be useless if Lu Shifeng wanted to leave.
All she could do was keep herself clear-headed, nothing more.
Her heart planned this, but her work efficiency was low, and she analyzed only a few photos by the end of the morning.
At noon, Lu Shifeng called her to lunch, telling her at the table: "Mother woke up, no big issues, don’t worry."
Her hand holding the cutlery slightly stiffened: "Should I go visit her then?"
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