PBMM CH45

After returning home, Lu Linguan went straight upstairs to Lu Ren’s study.

He stood outside the door and knocked. A moment later, Lu Ren’s panting voice came from inside, “Come in.”

The refined young man pushed open the door. A disheveled young girl was hurriedly putting on her clothes in a panic. Lu Ren, however, was methodically buckling his belt, his face still bearing an unusual flush. “How did it go?”

“Zheng Chenke stopped me.” Lu Linguan lowered his eyes, avoiding his father’s disgraceful display. His voice was calm, completely lacking the feigned gentleness he showed He Qing. “I’ve already said everything you told me to say, and A-Qing believed it.”

“That’s good.” Lu Ren pulled a cigarette from the desk, took a deep drag, his eyes full of smugness. “He likes you, so coax him more. Get him to move into our house sooner.”

With his mind still on indulging in debauchery, Lu Ren began to usher him out. “Alright, if there’s nothing else, you can leave first. I have things to do.”

Looking at the plump man whose eyes were brimming with lust, a trace of disgust flashed through Lu Linguan’s eyes, yet on the surface, he nodded respectfully. “Yes, Father.”

——

“Linguan!”

The youth happily took out the agreement the man had prepared to show him. “Look, Zheng Chenke said that as long as you sign this, we can get married.”

Lu Linguan’s hand, reaching out to take it, froze for a split second, but he naturally took it under the youth’s expectant gaze. He carefully read the contents, asking with seemingly innocent confusion, “A-Qing, why do we need to sign this?”

The youth smiled and pushed the agreement forward. “Zheng Chenke said that as long as you sign this, he won’t oppose us being together. Don’t worry, Linguan, I read what’s on it. It just says you can’t touch my shares, nothing else. Hurry and sign it…”

He boasted to the refined young man with a bit of smugness, “Zheng Chenke even insisted you wouldn’t sign it. I know Linguan will sign it. Hurry up and sign, so I can go slap his face with it in a bit!”

Dimples appeared on He Qing’s smiling face as he looked expectantly at the young man. With Lu Linguan’s silence, time ticked away little by little. The smile on the youth’s lips became forced. He tried hard to maintain his smile, “Linguan, what are you spacing out for? Hurry and sign…”

The corners of the youth’s eyes began to turn red. Holding back his tears, he pushed the piece of paper further into the young man’s hand. Two cute little dimples were revealed; he was still smiling, but his voice choked. “I know you’re only with me because you like me, not because of some shares…”

Zheng Chenke’s words echoed continuously in his mind. The youth bit his lip, trying hard not to let the tears fall. His slender fingers pinching the agreement turned white from exertion. Lu Linguan stared blankly at the youth. As if possessed by a ghost, he said, “I’ll sign it.”

The moment Lu Linguan spoke, he realized something was wrong. He Qing, tears in his eyes, was looking at him with joyful surprise. Bracing himself, he continued, “A-Qing, of course I’m with you because I like you. But I’m afraid Zheng Chenke might be playing tricks. How about this: I’ll take this agreement back and have my lawyer take a good look at it. Once I’m sure there are no loopholes, I’ll sign it, okay?”

“Okay!” The youth agreed without a second thought. He had just been crying, but now he smiled, his two small dimples showing. His eyes were pitch-black and bright, looking so innocent it was adorable. A complex emotion flashed through Lu Linguan’s eyes. He patted the youth’s head, his voice gentle. “Rest assured, A-Qing, we will definitely get married once I sign this agreement, okay?”

“Mhm!” The youth smiled and nodded. “I’ll wait for Linguan.”

——

“What kind of garbage excuse is that!” Mo Chuyu slammed the table abruptly, her face full of indignation. She said angrily, “That guy Lu Linguan is clearly dragging his feet and refusing to sign! A-Qing, I’m not criticizing you, but he’s obviously aiming for the company’s shares. How can you still…”

“Chuyu!” Dragged into the infirmary, the youth, who had been keeping his head down and remaining silent, abruptly looked up. “Stop talking.”

The pretty girl was stunned, only then realizing the youth’s eyes were full of sorrow. She froze, an unbelievable thought rising in her mind. “A-Qing, don’t tell me… you know everything…”

Seeing the youth merely stay silent with red eyes, Mo Chuyu was truly shocked. “Could it be that you knew all along?”

“No…”

The youth’s voice was muffled. He blinked hard, trying not to let his tears fall. “It’s just, when I was stopped by Zheng Chenke and wanted to go to Linguan’s side, his eyes didn’t look like he liked me at all. Zheng Chenke said Linguan was after my shares. I didn’t believe it, but when he was looking at the agreement, I could feel that he simply didn’t want to sign it…”

It took Mo Chuyu a long moment to process that He Qing had clearly seen Lu Linguan’s true colors. Instantly overjoyed, she said, “A-Qing! Then what are you waiting for! Hurry up and break up with him. He doesn’t like you at all!”

“Chuyu…” No matter how hard he tried to suppress them, tears still slid down the youth’s fair face, dripping onto the floor. He Qing tried his best to hold back his sobs, but how could he possibly control them? “I know Linguan doesn’t like me. But… but I really, really like him…”

“Are you stupid!” Mo Chuyu, who was just immersed in joy, felt like she had been clubbed over the head. Feeling exasperated at his failure to live up to expectations, she scolded angrily, “It was one thing when you didn’t know before, but now that you clearly know Lu Linguan is using you, why are you still throwing yourself at him to be used! What’s the point of you liking him! He doesn’t like you at all!”

Even though she was so angry she wanted to hit someone, He Qing still persistently shook his head, saying stubbornly, “But I just like him…”

“I like him. As long as he hasn’t gotten together with someone else, I won’t give up. Chuyu, I know you’re doing this for my own good. Don’t worry, I will protect myself well…”

What is there to not worry about! With his foolishness, it would be a miracle if he could protect himself!

Mo Chuyu was infuriated. She rolled her eyes, wishing a hundred sandbags would appear right now for her to beat the crap out of. But looking at the once-proud little young master crying uncontrollably, the pretty girl reached out and patted his head, softening her voice to coax him. “Stop crying, stop crying. We’ll wait and see if he signs the agreement, okay?”

“Mhm…” The youth wiped his tears and nodded obediently.

Outside the infirmary door, Lu Linguan stared fixedly at the youth with red and swollen eyes, his expression incredibly complex.

[Ding! Lu Linguan favorability: 70]

[See, what did I tell you? This kind of noble virtue—never fighting back when hit, never talking back when scolded, and throwing yourself at someone even knowing they’re using you—is definitely Little Lu’s type. If I keep this up, 100 will be waving at me soon!]

[Host, do not forget there is another capture target.]

[Zheng Chenke, huh…]

The continuously crying youth reminded Mo Chuyu of the first time she saw He Qing. At that time, He Qing was still a chubby little boy, and just like now, he cried at the drop of a hat, cowering and fearful of people whenever anything happened. Later, Uncle He found a psychologist. Slowly, A-Qing was no longer as timid as before and became flamboyant. It was just that the more flamboyant and arrogant he became, the more Mo Chuyu’s heart ached.

She only hated why she hadn’t met A-Qing a few years earlier. Then A-Qing wouldn’t have turned out like this, refusing to let go even when he knew the gentleness was fake, pretending to know nothing even when he knew he was being used.

Didn’t he just want love? If Lu Linguan could do it! Why couldn’t she, Mo Chuyu!

She licked her lips. “A-Qing, I…”

“A-Qing!” Lu Linguan pushed open the door. Under the youth’s panicked gaze, he pulled the person into his embrace, asking him softly, “Why did you run off to here? I looked for you for a long time.”

Seeing him act as if he hadn’t heard the conversation between him and Mo Chuyu, the pale-faced youth breathed a sigh of relief. He clutched the hem of the young man’s clothes. “It’s nothing, Chuyu just needed to talk to me about something.”

“Why are you crying again?” Lu Linguan tapped his tender, smooth cheek that still bore tear stains, his tone full of heartache. “Come, I’ll take you to wash your face.”

From the moment Lu Linguan entered until the end, the youth’s eyes remained firmly fixed on the refined young man, never leaving for a fraction of a second. Even as he followed Lu Linguan out, he didn’t remember to turn back and spare Mo Chuyu a single glance. The pretty girl gritted her teeth in anger. After the two left, she slammed a heavy punch onto the desk!

Lu Linguan! Aren’t you just relying on the fact that you saved A-Qing once when you were kids! If it had been her back then, she could have done the exact same!

Subsequently, Mo Chuyu frowned. In the past, she always thought A-Qing liked Lu Linguan, merely deceived by his facade. But now, even knowing his true colors, A-Qing was still obstinately willing to be used. A-Qing was foolish, but she couldn’t just watch A-Qing be used.

She had to think of a way to stop Lu Linguan from harming A-Qing.

She frowned, recalling what He Qing had said. After a long while, her brows gradually smoothed out. She muttered to herself, repeating the words, “As long as he hasn’t gotten together with someone else… A-Qing won’t give up…”

Then, as long as Lu Linguan gets together with someone else, won’t A-Qing give up?