Chapter 63: You’ll Definitely Hate My Willfulness In The Future

Young Lady: 

[I have something tonight.]

In the bright, spotless meeting room, sunlight spilled across the floor.

Lu Huaiyan looked at the WeChat message, recalling her mention of meeting Xu Zhou today. He set down his phone and said to Zhou Qing, “Don’t cancel tonight’s dinner.”

“Yes, Young Master Lu,” Zhou Qing replied. “By the way, Old Master Lu called specifically to remind you to stop by the old residence after your evening engagement. He said Miss Guan brought you a gift, and it’s only proper for you to personally thank her.”

How could Lu Huaiyan not see through Old Master Lu’s intentions?

“Is Miss Guan at the old residence?” he asked calmly.

“Yes, when Old Master Lu called, it seemed he was about to take Miss Guan to the theater for a show.”

Lu Huaiyan lowered his head to flip through the documents in his hand, his tone devoid of emotion. “Order two servings of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (a famous, luxurious Chinese soup) from Treasure Pavilion to be sent to the old residence. At nine tonight, call Grandfather and say I’ve had too much to drink.”

Zhou Qing nodded and was about to leave to make the call when Lu Huaiyan added, “Make it three servings. Two for the old residence, and the third to be delivered to Xinhe Mansion after the dinner tonight.”

Old Master Lu loved Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, but before the two servings from Treasure Pavilion could even reach the old residence, the old man himself showed up at the Lu Corporation’s office building.

When Lu Huaiyan received Lu Xingqiu’s internal call, he couldn’t help but rub his temples.

No need to guess—Grandfather had definitely brought Guan Jiayi along.

Lu Xingqiu’s tone was grandiose: “Jiayi wanted to personally deliver the gift and take a look around Lu Corporation. I had nothing better to do, so I brought her over. After the tour, we’ll have a simple lunch at the employee cafeteria before heading to the theater for Kunqu opera. Don’t tell me you’re skipping lunch. Either join us at the cafeteria, or I’ll have food sent up to your office.”

The news of Old Master Fu’s serious illness had left Lu Xingqiu with a sense of melancholy—when you’re old, watching those around you pass one by one makes it hard not to feel wistful.

At his age, he felt he’d lived long enough. His only regret was Lu Huaiyan’s marriage.

Though Old Master Fu was ill, at least his son’s engagement to the Zhu family’s girl was set in stone. His own grandson, however, was still a lone wolf, without even the shadow of a female companion.

How could Lu Xingqiu not be anxious?

When the old man got stubborn, not even ten oxen could pull him back. Lu Huaiyan had no choice but to tell Zhou Qing to reserve a spot at the employee cafeteria.

The Lu Corporation headquarters’ cafeteria was famously affordable and delicious, always packed to the brim.

The appearance of both presidents, accompanied by a sweet-faced, refined young woman, was impossible to ignore.

The company’s gossip groups exploded, and within moments, someone dug up the young woman’s background.

The little princess of Hong Kong’s Guan family, a former soloist with the Royal Ballet in London, and, since the beginning of the year, the principal dancer at the National Ballet of China.

Next month’s performance of *Onegin* by the National Ballet would feature her as the lead.

With a prestigious background, undeniable talent, and a charming demeanor, Guan Jiayi’s social media following rivaled that of entertainment industry starlets.

Lunch was joined by a few of Lu Huaiyan’s assistants, but everyone’s attention was fixed on Lu Huaiyan and Guan Jiayi.

The collaboration between the Lu and Guan families was the subject of much speculation.

With the Guan family’s little princess traveling all the way from the UK to Beicheng, it was hard not to suspect a marriage alliance.

Messages and photos flooded the company groups at lightning speed. When Zhou Qing returned to the head office after lunch with the two bosses, he found the groups in a frenzy.

Frowning as he scrolled through hundreds of messages, he recalled the expression on Young Master Lu’s face when he spoke privately with Miss Guan. Zhou Qing sent a message to the group: [No rumors, no spreading rumors. Young Master Lu hates this kind of gossip the most.]

After sending it, he glanced at the closed office door, wondering if the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall order was still needed.

The gift Guan Jiayi brought for Lu Huaiyan was a bottle of men’s cologne.

Lu Huaiyan didn’t take it, saying lightly, “I don’t use cologne.”

The girl smiled brightly. “This cologne is custom-made, with the same agarwood scent you like.”

Lu Huaiyan replied, “I stopped using the agarwood at home. Grandfather likes that scent, so keep it for him. I’ll thank you on his behalf.”

“How could I not bring a gift for Grandfather Lu?” Guan Jiayi laughed softly, holding up two fingers playfully. “I gave him two bottles.”

Lu Huaiyan looked at her quietly for a moment before saying, “You shouldn’t have left the UK. This place isn’t worth staying for.”

“Who says it’s not worth it? I like Beicheng, and I like the National Ballet,” Guan Jiayi said, her gaze frank as she looked at him. “I have to step out and try. Daddy and Mommy support my decision, and even my second brother was convinced. Huaiyan, I don’t want to regret not giving my all for what I want when I’m old.”

Her second brother had told her that Huaiyan had someone he liked and advised her to give up.

But she didn’t want to.

Even if he wasn’t lying, she didn’t want to give up so easily.

This was the man she’d fallen for at first sight.

She’d loved him for ten whole years. Without throwing herself into the flames like a moth, she wouldn’t be satisfied.

The girl’s unwavering devotion didn’t stir the slightest ripple in Lu Huaiyan’s expression.

He nodded slightly and said, “Grandfather likes you very much. Since you’ve decided to build your career in Beicheng, I’ll make sure he bothers you as little as possible.”

—

As the black sedan drove toward Beicheng Grand Theater, Guan Jiayi was noticeably quieter than on the way over.

Old Master Lu smiled and asked, “Did our Huaiyan say something harsh to you?”

Guan Jiayi shook her head like a rattle. “No, Huaiyan was great. He’s just worried I won’t adjust to Beicheng and encouraged me to keep dancing.”

Seeing the girl’s protective stance, the old man chuckled kindly. “He’s right. More than anything else, you should focus on achieving your dreams. Our Huaiyan isn’t worth giving up your ideals or career for.”

Guan Jiayi grinned brightly. “Don’t worry, Grandfather Lu. I’m just a bit greedy—I want both my ideals and my dreams.”

The theater was in Beicheng’s art district. As the Lu family’s car passed the painting academy, Jiang Se had just reached the third floor.

Ji Yunyi was giving a lecture at the academy that afternoon.

By the time Jiang Se arrived, the lecture was nearing its end.

She didn’t take a seat, standing quietly in the back row, listening to Ji Yunyi discuss contemporary European figurative painting.

Almost the moment she entered, Ji Yunyi noticed her.

As soon as the lecture ended, she handed her notes and art books to her assistant and walked gracefully toward Jiang Se.

“What are you doing here?” Her voice was as gentle as ever. “I thought you’d never set foot in this place again.”

Jiang Se truly didn’t want to come.

Seven years ago, it was here that she witnessed her mother’s affair with a student, their paint-splattered bodies entwined—a scene that made her nauseous toward painting.

Her voice was flat. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with Madam Ji.”

Ji Yunyi stepped closer, studying her with a smile. “What could there possibly be to discuss between you and me, Miss Jiang?”

Jiang Se slowly slipped her hands into her coat pockets, meeting Ji Yunyi’s gaze with an equally gentle tone. “There is, of course. We’ve never talked about what happened seven years ago with you and your student.”

Her eyes flicked toward the bustling corridor. “Would Madam Ji like to talk here, or shall we find somewhere quieter?”

The smile on Ji Yunyi’s lips cooled. After a brief silence, she said, “My studio.”

“No, I’ll never go back to that place.”

The smile vanished from Ji Yunyi’s face entirely. She glanced at Jiang Se and said, “Then your old studio.”

Jiang Se’s former studio was on the second floor, right next to Ji Yunyi’s.

She hadn’t used it in years. Pushing open the door, the room was as empty as ever, containing nothing but a few easels and chairs.

Those easels and chairs were the same ones Jiang Se had used.

The studio looked exactly as it had when she left.

Ji Yunyi hadn’t let anyone else use it.

She pulled out a chair and sat down gracefully, legs crossed, and said to Jiang Se, “Go ahead, let’s hear what madness you’re stirring up about something from seven years ago.”

Jiang Se didn’t sit. Standing before Ji Yunyi, she looked down at her and said, “Did you and your student come to the painting academy every weekend for your affair? Which butler from the old residence drove you here each time? Who among the Cen family’s butlers might have known about you and your student?”

Ji Yunyi narrowed her eyes, her voice cold. “If you’re here to humiliate me—”

“There was a fourth person,” Jiang Se cut her off coldly. “In the kidnapping case seven years ago, there was always a fourth person, and I’m close to finding them. So rest assured, I’m not here to humiliate you.”

Ji Yunyi frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“There was a traitor in the Cen family’s old residence, someone colluding with the real mastermind behind my kidnapping, deliberately luring me to the painting academy that day to catch you in the act,” Jiang Se said. “They knew everything about your affair—when you’d meet, where you’d meet. I need to find that person now.”

Ji Yunyi pressed her lips together, silent.

Jiang Se glanced at her, the faintest smile tugging at her lips.

That expression again.

“I never told you what I went through during those three days I was kidnapped. Shall I tell you now?” Jiang Se smiled. “While you were busy dealing with your scandal, those two men reached for me, trying to tear off my clothes and drug me, saying it was worth dying to have a taste of a heiress like me.”

She pulled out a chair and sat across from Ji Yunyi, speaking word by word. “Do you need me to go into more detail? How they tried to rip the zipper of my skirt—”

“Se Se!”

Jiang Se’s expression didn’t change, her smile unwavering. “You can’t even bear to hear it, yet sixteen-year-old Cen Se lived through it for two days, until Zhao Zhicheng killed them. As their warm blood splashed on her face, as she thought she was going to die, do you know what she was thinking?”

“She was thinking that her father, mother, and brother would surely avenge her, that they’d find those people and make them pay,” Jiang Se said, staring into Ji Yunyi’s eyes. “After I was kidnapped, you abandoned me once. When I begged you in the hospital to find the real mastermind, you abandoned me a second time. Madam Ji, it was you who abandoned me first, and that’s why I abandoned the Cen family. Now, please think carefully—who could be the traitor in the Cen family? I’m going to avenge the sixteen-year-old Cen Se myself!”

Her voice was calm, her expression serene, not even the smile on her lips wavering in the slightest.

After her words, the studio fell into dead silence.

Ji Yunyi looked at Jiang Se, her tightly furrowed brow slowly relaxing. After a long pause, she said slowly, “When I married your father, there was no love. There was none after marriage either. After having you and your brother, our duty was done. He had his lovers, I had mine, and we didn’t interfere with each other. The old butlers of the Cen family knew about us, but the ones I relied on were only Butler Yu and Butler Hou. I liked meeting Kingston at the painting academy on stormy days, a habit they both knew. The day you were kidnapped, it was Butler Hou who drove me to the academy.”

Butler Hou had retired two years ago.

The only one who could have been involved in both the kidnapping seven years ago and the swapping of the rock sugar was Butler Yu.

No wonder, on New Year’s Eve, when she’d only exchanged a few words with Ji Yunyi and Cen Minghong, Butler Yu had hurried over to interrupt them.

“Thank you for your honesty.” Jiang Se stood slowly, smiling politely and elegantly. “Rest assured, this should be the last time we meet. I won’t bother you again.”

She turned and left.

As Ji Yunyi watched her back, just as Jiang Se touched the doorknob to open the studio’s wooden door, she suddenly called out, “Se Se.”

Jiang Se didn’t stop. With a “click,” she turned the knob and walked out without looking back.

—

It wasn’t yet four when she left the painting academy. Jiang Se returned to Xinhe Mansion, changed clothes, applied light makeup, and timed her trip to Shuangyue Lake Hotel.

She arrived at the hotel twenty minutes before seven. The manager, recognizing her, greeted her with a smile. “Miss Jiang, Mr. Fu is already waiting in the private room.”

The manager was the same one from before, familiar with Jiang Se. Even though she no longer bore the Cen surname, his attitude remained as respectful as ever.

Jiang Se nodded in thanks and followed him to the private room.

Whether by coincidence or design, the room Fu Yun had reserved was the same one they’d dined in before, with windows facing Shuangyue Lake.

They had once stood on the arched bridge in the lake’s center, watching Beicheng’s first snow of the year.

There was no snow in Beicheng today, only patches of lingering spring snow on the trees by the lake.

The ice on the lake had melted, and moonlight shimmered like liquid silver, floating on the gently rippling water, breaking into delicate rays.

Seeing her gaze out the window, Fu Yun smiled gently. “Want to take a walk there after dinner? Since the snow’s melted, the stone bridge should be accessible.”

Jiang Se turned to him. “Do you come here often?”

“Yes, the scenery’s beautiful, and it’s not as noisy as other hotels in Beicheng. When you’ve had too many business dinners, you start to appreciate a place like this—eating a quiet meal alone, then taking a quiet walk to enjoy the view.”

His speech was unhurried, his tone warm and courteous. When his clear eyes met hers, they carried a sincerity that felt like a genuine connection.

Jiang Se smiled. “Then let’s take a walk later.”

They hadn’t been seated long when a line of servers filed in with dishes, each one tailored to Jiang Se’s tastes.

Fu Yun’s dining etiquette was impeccable, his gaze always lowered, but whenever Jiang Se looked at him, he met her eyes promptly.

She’d always known he was a gentleman, but she hadn’t realized how perceptive he was.

After dinner, they took the elevator to the lake.

As the elevator reached the first floor and the doors opened, two reckless children barreled in, crashing into Jiang Se.

She stumbled, but the man behind her steadied her in time.

In the polished metal of the elevator doors, she saw Fu Yun’s hands on her waist, his gaze quietly resting on the top of her head. His long fingers stiffened briefly as they touched the fabric at her waist, and his Adam’s apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.

Jiang Se subtly watched the reflection, then steadied herself, withdrew her gaze, and turned to say, “Thank you.”

The night was windy, and snowflakes from the treetops fell in the chill.

Near the lake, Jiang Se stopped, smiling. “It’s too windy. Let’s skip the bridge today.”

She adjusted her coat. “I heard you and Zhu Mingli are getting engaged. When’s the banquet? I’ll send a gift ahead of time.”

“What, you’re not coming in person?” Fu Yun raised an eyebrow, smiling. “Father wants it done as soon as possible. Barring any surprises, the banquet will be mid-next month.”

Jiang Se’s tone was light. “Zhu Mingli and I don’t get along. She probably wouldn’t want to see me.”

“What’s that got to do with it? She came to our engagement, didn’t she?” Fu Yun said warmly. “Besides, I’m the one inviting you, not her. Whether you come or not, you don’t need to worry about her. Our friendship doesn’t end just because I’m engaged to her, Se Se—”

His smiling eyes grew serious. “I’ve said before, no matter what happens, you’re always a friend I hold dear. Our friendship doesn’t need to consider anyone else.”

He had indeed said those words before.

When they called off their engagement.

Jiang Se slipped her hands into her coat pockets, walking toward the parking lot casually. “We’ll see. I’ll be in Beicheng for the next few months, but I’ll be busy securing investments for the family’s winery.”

Fu Yun sighed helplessly. “Fine, if you don’t come, I’ll invite you out for drinks privately. You can’t make excuses then.”

Jiang Se didn’t commit, only smiling as she asked, “Didn’t you and Zhu Mingli set any ground rules?”

Fu Yun’s smile faltered. “Ground rules?”

“You forgot?” Jiang Se said. “When we were engaged, we agreed that unless we met someone we truly loved, we’d be loyal to each other and make the marriage work. Meeting someone of the opposite sex alone required at least a heads-up out of respect. Trust me, given my relationship with Zhu Mingli, you won’t want to meet me after your engagement.”

Fu Yun tilted his head to look at her. “My engagement to Zhu Mingli is different from ours.”

Jiang Se replied, “How is it different? We’re all just pawns in family alliances.”

“The two years we were engaged were the most special time of my life,” Fu Yun said, his clear eyes shadowed by the dark trees. “Before that, I was just the illegitimate son of the Fu family, barely acknowledged. Our engagement was the turning point in my life. So, Se Se, you’ll always be different to me.”

Jiang Se paused briefly, glancing at him. “When I left the Cen family, you said that if I wanted, you could convince Old Master Fu to continue our engagement. That wasn’t a joke?”

Fu Yun chuckled. “Of course not. But you didn’t want it, so I respected your choice.”

Jiang Se smiled faintly, unconcerned. “As a marriage partner, Zhu Mingli suits you better than I do. Whether I attend your engagement banquet or not, I’ll send my blessings.”

—

The parking lot was by the lake, a ten-minute walk.

After Jiang Se left, Fu Yun didn’t follow. Instead, he turned back to the stone bridge at Shuangyue Lake.

The bridge was silent, its shadows swallowed by the swaying trees.

Fu Yun walked to the center, pulling out a cigarette case and his phone to make a call. “No need to survey the old city area by Fuchun River anymore. I’m not planning to develop that land for now.”

The person on the other end agreed. “Yes, Mr. Fu. By the way, you asked me to check if Miss Jiang was doing business with someone named ‘Zhang.’ I did find a woman surnamed Zhang.”

A woman?

When Jiang Se had dinner with him, she’d taken a call from this “Boss Zhang.”

She’d been standing by the river, laughing happily.

Curious about who could make her smile like that, Fu Yun had asked someone to check if Boss Zhang was male or female and what business they were in.

Taking a cigarette from the case and placing it between his lips, he asked mildly, “In the winery business?”

“No, a qipao tailor named Zhang Yue.”

Fu Yun’s hand paused as he lit the cigarette. “Qipao?”

“Yes, this tailor’s embroidery skills are well-known in Tongcheng. She already had a qipao shop there.”

With a “snap,” the lighter ignited, the flame catching the cigarette’s tip, a glowing ember in the dark.

Fu Yun exhaled slowly.

When he’d gone to Jiangcheng to find Zhao Zhicheng, the man had been holding an embroidered piece.

“Check this Boss Zhang’s background,” he instructed politely. “When she came to Tongcheng, where she was before that—find out everything.”

—

As the red sports car pulled out of the hotel, Jiang Se didn’t stop until Fu Yun’s figure disappeared from the rearview mirror. Only then did she take a recorder from her coat and press stop.

Recalling the man’s hands on her waist in the elevator and the faint swallow as his Adam’s apple moved, her grip on the steering wheel tightened.

It was just past ten when she returned to Xinhe Mansion.

A sliver of dim yellow light spilled from the door’s crack—someone was inside.

Jiang Se entered the passcode and opened the door. Stepping into the foyer, she saw the man on the sofa.

He’d likely just showered, wearing a thin, dark V-neck sweater, holding a tablet, his fingertips occasionally swiping the screen.

At the sound of the door, he looked up, his gaze steady.

Jiang Se tossed her coat aside, kicking off her shoes and unzipping her dress.

The dress Fu Yun had touched slid to the floor as she walked toward the sofa. Barefoot, she stepped over it and sat on Lu Huaiyan’s lap.

He studied her face quietly, his Adam’s apple dipping. “Drinking with Xu Zhou?”

Jiang Se didn’t answer. She took the tablet from his hand, guiding his hand to her waist, her body softening as her chin rested on his shoulder.

“No drinking,” she said, closing her eyes and pressing her cool cheek to his neck. “Lu Huaiyan, hold me.”

As she nestled into his arms, nearly bare, Lu Huaiyan took a slow breath, his voice low. “Just a hug?”

“Yes, I’m exhausted. Hurry and hold me.”

Lu Huaiyan freed one hand to pull a blanket from the sofa, draping it over her. His hands then tightened around her waist, pulling her firmly into his embrace.

“Was it necessary to take off your dress for a hug?”

Jiang Se said, “The dress got dirty. I didn’t want to wear it.”

Her face was buried in his shoulder, and Lu Huaiyan couldn’t see her expression. He brushed his lips against her temple. “Don’t you think you’re getting more willful?”

Jiang Se didn’t deny it. “I’ve always been willful.”

Lu Huaiyan laughed. “Good. I like you this willful.”

The girl in his arms fell silent, her soft, fragrant breaths tickling his neck, warm and itchy. But Lu Huaiyan felt no stirrings of desire—he could sense her exhaustion.

The room was quiet.

After some time, when he thought she’d fallen asleep, Jiang Se murmured, almost inaudibly, “You’ll definitely hate my willfulness in the future.”

Her voice was so soft, it was like she was talking in her sleep.

But Lu Huaiyan heard it clearly. He chuckled, his low voice coaxing, “With your habit of digging up my old faults, I wouldn’t dare hate you, my dear Young Lady, even if I hated everyone else.”

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