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Facing the table full of food, Wen Tingli felt as if she had no idea where to start.

This is the dining room in the back building. After Lu Shicheng brought her here, the food was on the table within ten minutes.

Every dish looked so fresh and delicious, and every dish was so delicious that she couldn't miss it. She was overwhelmed and felt torn. Finally, she decided to start with the bamboo shoots closest to her.

When she first arrived at the Lu family tonight, she couldn't eat anything at all, but now, she was in a good mood enough to finish the whole meal.

While Wen Tingli was eating heartily, Lu Shicheng was watching her from the opposite side.

There was a large bowl of noodles in front of him. When Wen Tingli was halfway through her meal, he methodically finished the whole bowl.

Wen Tingli was very happy. It seemed that Lu Shicheng had a better appetite than her.

But she also noticed that it was a bowl of longevity noodles.

Tonight is Lu Shicheng's birthday. Apart from the guests, the elders of the Lu family are not present. No matter how lively the party is, Lu Shicheng will celebrate his birthday alone. But he is obviously used to it. She once again noticed the scar on the back of his hand. He had just survived a disaster not long ago, but the old man of the Lu family seemed indifferent to it.

Thinking of this, Wen Tingli suddenly felt a little tired. She gently put down her chopsticks, looked at Lu Shicheng very quietly and said, "I want to use the restroom."

There were only two of them in the dining room. Even Kuang Zhilin had tactfully avoided the dining room, claiming that he was entertaining guests from the front building. Lu Shicheng acted as both host and waiter. He stood up to help her pull out the chair, and then led her to the corridor, stopping in front of the bathroom.

When Wen Tingli came out and returned to the dining room, Lu Shicheng had already washed his hands and was drinking tea there.

Wen Tingli hid her hands behind her waist, walked to his side, took out the things and handed them to him with a smile.

Lu Shicheng paused. It was a long and narrow leather box.

I took it and opened it, and there was a pen inside.

[Give it to me? 】

He seemed a little uncertain.

Wen Tingli looked at him sincerely: "Happy birthday to you."

For a few seconds, Lu Shicheng didn't react at all.

Wen Tingli was a little nervous. Although she was angry that Lu Shicheng hadn't come to see her for several days, since she had agreed to attend his birthday party, she had to prepare a birthday gift for him.

This was bought at Yongxing Foreign Paper Shop on the way here. She specifically picked the most expensive one, but she was not sure whether it suited his aesthetic taste.

Lu Shicheng took the pen out of the box and rubbed it in his hand. The case was made of tortoise shell and the pen body was a calm black. After taking off the case, the tip of the pen sparkled with a unique silver light under the light.

That little light seems to be able to shine into people's hearts.

After looking at it for a few times, Lu Shicheng took out the pen he usually used from his suit pocket without hesitation and threw it aside, then put the new pen she gave him in it.

He did it so naturally.

Wen Tingli quickly turned her head to hide the smile on her face, then turned back quickly and opened her palm to Lu Shicheng: "Give it to me."

【What? 】

"Give me the pen."

【Hasn't it been given to me? 】

Wen Tingli laughed: "Give it to me first."

Lu Shicheng reluctantly took out the pen and put it in Wen Tingli's hand.

Wen Tingli unscrewed the cap of the pen and showed it to him: "I haven't filled it with ink yet. The boss said that he wanted to use German Luning ink. Do you have any here? I'll fill it for you, otherwise it won't work."

Lu Shicheng looked at her and smiled.

【Yes, follow me.】 He stood up.

The garden was full of people, and Lu Shicheng took Wen Tingli away from the crowd.

Wen Tingli then realized that there was an inconspicuous path in the garden. Every time she turned a corner, Lu Shicheng would subconsciously look back at her, as if he was afraid that she would not catch up.

The two men walked quietly from the small building in the west back to the front building, looking like thieves.

Wen Tingli just thought it was fun.

Walking to a door, Lu Shicheng turned the key and looked down at Wen Tingli.

【Come in. 】

Wen Tingli slipped in quickly, her body as nimble as a goldfish.

Lu Shicheng closed the door behind her and turned on the light above her head.

As soon as the lights came on, Wen Tingli felt that the furnishings in the room were strangely familiar. She had been here before. This was Lu Shicheng's study.

Last time she won the Yuying Award from Shishi Girls' Middle School, Lu Shicheng awarded her the medal in this room. She couldn't help but look back at him. It was very noisy outside, but the room was so quiet that only his and her breathing could be heard.

Lu Shicheng lowered his eyes and looked at her for a while, then walked straight to the desk and picked up something.

【This is Luning brand ink. 】

Wen Tingli didn't ask him why he didn't fill it himself. She walked over, took the pen, and sucked the ink into it in front of him.

"Give it a try." She half leaned over the desk, resting her chin on her hand and pointing at a stack of papers beside him.

Lu Shicheng stood beside her and wrote. The distance between them was so close, but Wen Tingli didn't even have the slightest intention of avoiding him. When she saw him write the first word with the pen she gave him, her heartstrings seemed to be gently touched. She felt a little palpitation and a little dizzy. She didn't even see what he wrote, but she knew that the pen was flowing smoothly.

[Thank you, I like it very much. ]

She saw him write this sentence.

"Oh." She looked away deliberately. Was "thank you" all he wanted to say?

Soon, she heard the rustling sound again.

【Forgive me.】

"Forgive what?"

[Forgive me for not being able to find you in time a few days ago because I was in a hurry to deal with the traitor in the Lu family. ]

Wen Tingli's heart seemed to be moved by a gentle breeze. She didn't move, but just looked at the desk. There was a crystal vase on the right side of Lu Shicheng, with a few flowers in it, but she didn't even pay attention to the shape of the petals. At this moment, her heart was completely filled with a joyful emotion.

She originally thought that after experiencing the incident just now, Lu Shicheng would first ask her why she would rather secretly follow Zhu Zihe than go with Kuang Zhilin. He must have seen that she did not trust him at the beginning when it came to Zhu Zihe.

Lu Shicheng was smart because he didn't ask her why she didn't trust him, but quickly figured out that the problem was with himself. He was honest because he didn't play the ambiguous game of guessing between men and women on this matter, but came straight to the point and apologized to her for his behavior a few days ago.

His sharpness and directness caught her off guard.

The moment she saw him write that sentence with her own eyes, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up.

"I didn't want to come tonight." She said bluntly and angrily, "I'm afraid I have misunderstood Mr. Lu for a long time..."

She didn't know that Lu Shicheng's heart was beating as fast as hers. He held his breath and took out a red brocade box from his arms.

"What is this?" Wen Tingli's voice was as light as a wisp of smoke.

【Your gift, open. 】

Wen Tingli's eyelashes trembled. Lu Shicheng had a pair of fair and slender hands, and the box was crabapple red. The two strong colors reflected together, inexplicably having a stimulating temptation. She had a premonition that it was not an ordinary thing, so she held her breath and reached out to take it. However, the box was much heavier than she thought, and she lost her grip.

Fortunately, Lu Shicheng was quick-witted and grabbed it in his hand.

Both of them calmed down, and Lu Shicheng handed the box to her again steadily.

This time Wen Tingli didn't ask what it was. She just took his hand and opened the package.

When a pink, crystal-clear jewel-like light appeared in her eyes, she was completely stunned.

It was a pink diamond necklace that was so beautiful that it took one's breath away.

The pendant is about the size of two thumbnails combined, and is inlaid with diamonds. The gemstone is a rare, crystal clear pink color, and the sparkling light is shocking.

The necklace was placed in a glittering pink pearl jewelry box with the word "Cartier" embossed in gold on the box. She knew this world-famous jewelry brand.

Her heart was beating so fast that it was about to jump out of her throat. She looked up at Lu Shicheng in surprise. He was observing her reaction without blinking. Although he looked so calm, the slight fluctuations in his eyebrows betrayed him. He was clearly concerned about her reaction.

Wen Tingli couldn't help but smiled sweetly while covering her chest. Even such a calm person can sometimes not be calm enough.
"I have to think carefully whether to accept this gift." She said breathlessly, and although her tone was reserved, she could not hide the joy in her voice. As she spoke, she began to walk around Lu Shicheng like a proud peacock.

Lu Shicheng couldn't help but smile and lower his head. When Wen Tingli moved to his right, he also turned his head to look to his right. When she walked behind him, he turned around slowly.

His eyes never left Wen Tingli for even a second. As he walked, Wen Tingli accidentally discovered something familiar on the bookshelf. It was the cat embroidered screen she had given him not long ago, placed in a very conspicuous position, so that when he was working behind his desk, he could look into the cat's eyes on the embroidered screen as soon as he looked up.

Her heart felt sweet and steady as if she had eaten a piece of candy. She turned around and asked Lu Shicheng solemnly, "Mr. Lu, before I answer you, you have to formally answer a question for me first."

Lu Shicheng seemed to have guessed what she was going to ask. Tiny ripples appeared in his clear eyes. He just stared at her intently. Wen Tingli did not avoid his gaze, but bravely took a few steps towards him.

His breath was hot, gently brushing against her forehead, causing her to shiver slightly. Her eyes were filled with intoxication, and she asked him softly, "Did you come to see me that night? If you did, what did you want to say to me?"

Lu Shicheng looked at her with increasingly dark eyes, his Adam's apple moved, and he pointed to his heart.

Suddenly, someone shouted from outside the door: "Who's in there?"

Wen Tingli sprained her foot.

It was an old voice, with a cold and sharp tone, like a knife with a cold glow. The key point was that the voice came from outside the secret door of the study. Normally, ordinary guests would not pass through such a secret passage.

Lu Shicheng reached out to steady Wen Tingli, but his expression had already darkened.

A hurried sound of footsteps came from outside: "Grandpa, aren't you going to be in Peking tonight? Damn it, I was busy sending Principal Zou back just now, and I couldn't--"

The old man interrupted Kuang Zhilin mercilessly: "Who is in Shicheng's study? Why does it sound like a woman's voice?"

Kuang Zhilin hurriedly said with a smile: "Master Cheng is a bachelor, how could there be a woman in his study? There are so many guests tonight, the sound might have come from the flower hall."

"Open the door!" The old man was obviously used to giving orders.

Wen Tingli looked at Lu Shicheng nervously. She had already guessed who the person outside the door was: Lu Shicheng's grandfather, the second generation heir of the Lu family, Mr. Lu Hongjun.

She was never afraid of dealing with people, but for some reason, the old man from the Lu family had such a cold voice that she was frightened.

Just when she didn't know what to do, Lu Shicheng had already pulled her behind him. Wen Tingli's heart suddenly settled down. Lu Shicheng's back was taller than she had imagined, as if he could withstand all wind and rain.

The door opened, and a tall figure walked in with a cane. The old man's appearance gave people a sense of intimidation. He was at least sixty years old, but his body was still as straight as that of a young man. He was not wearing a Western suit, but a dark blue Chinese gown, the fabric was thin and smooth, and the size was very suitable.

Wen Tingli grew up in a clothing store and knew how difficult it was to make a long gown to this level. Just by looking at the meticulous details throughout the gown, one could vaguely sense a kind of almost pathological strictness.

The old man didn't seem to like Western accessories - he didn't have a top hat, watch, or spring watch. He only wore a green jade ring on his thumb. It was the first time that Wen Tingli saw someone wearing such a huge ring without looking frivolous, as if that rich green was born to grow on the old man's knuckles.

At the same time, she secretly compared the appearances of the two men in her mind. Lu Shicheng did not look much like Mr. Lu. Lu Shicheng had a gentle and calm demeanor, while Mr. Lu's facial features were more rugged and his temperament was rather cold and hard.

At this moment, she felt a gaze coming towards her. The old man was staring at her, his eyes as sharp as two awls.

Fortunately, the old man did not make trouble after seeing these two glances. Instead, he nodded to Wen Tingli in a gentlemanly manner. "Cheng'er, is this your friend?"

Lu Shicheng just nodded to his grandfather as a routine, then escorted Wen Tingli out as if no one was around.

Wen Tingli took the opportunity to hastily bow: "Goodbye, Mr. Lu."

"Stop!" Old Master Lu shouted.

Lu Shicheng turned a deaf ear to it. It was obvious that Lu Shicheng had the final say in the Lu family now.

Old Master Lu raised his eyebrows and followed Lu Shicheng with a fierce look: "Do you still have me as your grandfather in your eyes?"

He covered his chest and gasped sharply. Kuang Zhilin and others hurriedly helped the old man to sit on a chair nearby. Unexpectedly, the old man pushed away the hands of the people behind him, pointed at Wen Tingli and said, "Her last name is Wen, right?"

Lu Shicheng paused and glanced at Mr. Lu. Mr. Lu signaled the servant to close the door. Then, he took the handkerchief handed to him by the servant and wiped the corner of his mouth. He said solemnly: "Qiuhua Company was caught in a public opinion storm for no reason a while ago. The reason was to help this Miss Wen out. Xili Pear Juice was looking for someone to shoot an advertisement, and it was Miss Wen who was found. Grandfather is just old, but not dead yet!"

He glanced at Wen Tingli, and his tone suddenly softened.

"Miss Wen, please take a seat - serve tea to Miss Wen." The attendants immediately went downstairs to prepare tea sets.

Wen Tingli didn't know whether to leave or stay, so she had to sit on a chair with gritted teeth.

"Thank you, Mr. Lu."

"I heard that your ancestral home is in Nanjing, and you studied at Xiude Girls' Middle School?"

Wen Tingli's blood seemed to have been drained out of her body. She could not describe the fear she felt at that moment. It was as if all her outer clothes had been torn off suddenly, leaving her body uncovered. She stood there naked, being whipped over and over again by the poisonous gazes shot from all directions.

The scene of being humiliated at the Qiao family came into her mind again. She could almost imagine the series of humiliations she would face next!

But she had already vowed that she would never let anyone trample on the dignity of her and her family again!
She suddenly stood up, bowed to Mr. Lu, and walked out without saying a word.

Old Master Lu said in boredom and indifference: "Show him away."

Wen Tingli took two quick steps and suddenly stumbled. It turned out that the heel of her left leather shoe was broken. She thought it was because she sprained her ankle when she was frightened by the voice of Mr. Lu outside the door. But she didn't care about that anymore and continued to walk out on the broken heel. She noticed from the corner of her eye that Lu Shicheng was chasing after her. Instead of stopping, he lowered his head and walked faster.

Just then, the attendants came in from outside bringing tea and bumped into Wen Tingli. Neither of them had time to stop, and a cup of scalding hot tea was about to spill all over Wen Tingli. At this moment, someone pulled Wen Tingli back, and the tea spilled all over the man's arm.

"Bang!" The teacup shattered to the ground under Wen Tingli's feet.

Wen Tingli's face changed: "Mr. Lu!"

Lu Shicheng didn't bother to look at his arm, he was busy checking whether Wen Tingli's feet were cut by the fragments of the teacup. Tonight she was wearing a pair of leather shoes with exposed insteps, and under her skirt was a pair of bare calves.

"Don't just stare at me." Wen Tingli stamped her feet anxiously, "Be careful not to get burned, take off your clothes quickly."

Lu Shicheng seemed to feel the heat only then and quickly took off his coat. Kuang Zhilin and others rushed over to help. They quickly helped Lu Shicheng unbutton the cuffs of his shirt and pull up his sleeves. Fortunately, his skin was only a little red, and it was obvious that there was nothing serious.

Kuang Zhilin still urged people to get ice cubes and medicine.

Wen Tingli stared at Lu Shicheng's arm with red eyes. The nightmarish experience brought to her by the Qiao family occupied her entire mind a moment ago. She had no other thoughts and only wanted to leave this place. But perhaps, after experiencing so many things, she could try to trust Lu Shicheng once.

She was so confused that she forgot to take her hand back. Lu Shicheng's eyes were filled with understanding and care, and he let her hold his arm tightly.

Mr. Lu's face was already covered with a layer of frost. "Invite Dr. Louis to come and check on Shicheng. Since Miss Wen is fine, send her out of the house immediately."

After that, he continued to control Lu Shicheng with his eyes, but his tone was a little more loving: "Well... Grandfather has always treated you as a child, but forgot that you are already twenty years old... The people from the Lou family and the Chen family are here tonight. The daughters of these two families are well-educated. I will ask someone to invite them over. Take this opportunity tonight for you to meet each other."

Lu Shicheng seemed to have reached the limit of his patience, and with a gloomy face he pushed away the new coat that the steward had brought for him.

【I have to take Miss Wen home. 】

He squatted down to check the broken leather shoes on Wen Tingli's feet, then stood up and put his unburned arm in front of Wen Tingli, motioning her to hold him up. This action was like a gentleman inviting a female partner to dance, both polite and decent.

Wen Tingli felt the stern gaze coming from the side, but this time, she put her hand on it without thinking.

Lu Shicheng looked at her and smiled. This smile was like the melting of ice and snow, making the whole room a little brighter.

Wen Tingli looked up at him and smiled.

Mr. Lu's face turned livid and he shouted, "Shicheng!"

Lu Shicheng had already taken Wen Tingli out. He walked slowly and steadily to ensure that Wen Tingli's feet would not wobble. When they reached the door, Wen Tingli hesitated for a moment, then turned back and bowed deeply to Mr. Lu.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Lu."

Kuang Zhilin chased out and stuffed the medicine bottle into Wen Tingli's hand.

As soon as I arrived at the hall, Gao Xiaowen and Yan Zhenzhen came over and asked, "What happened?"

Wen Tingli didn't know how to explain, so Kuang Zhilin said, "Just now, when Mr. Lu invited Miss Wen to dance in the garden, he accidentally stepped on Miss Wen's shoes. In order to make amends, he has to personally send Miss Wen home."

Then he said loudly to the guests in the hall with a smile: "Please forgive me, Mr. Lu, I am afraid I have to leave you for a while."

The guests looked at each other ambiguously. If someone stepped on someone's shoes and broke them, they could just compensate them with a pair on the spot. If one pair was not enough, they could just compensate them with ten pairs. Why bother sending them home personally? It can be seen that Miss Wen held a very special position in Lu Shicheng's mind.

Considering the influence of the Lu family in Shanghai, this was indeed a big news. The guests had different expressions, some were surprised, some were curious, and some were staring at Wen Tingli up and down.

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Lu Shicheng was as calm and composed as usual, but Wen Tingli was a little embarrassed. She saw Huang Yuanshan and Dong Qinfang in the crowd, and they were winking at her. Next to Huang Yuanshan stood a short-haired, round-faced lady with a funny expression, who had just been looking at her curiously. Wen Tingli had never seen this woman before, but judging from the intimacy between this woman and Huang Yuanshan when they were talking, the two should have a good relationship. Wen Tingli couldn't help but be a little curious about the identity of this middle-aged woman.

Soon they arrived outside the door and the Lu family's car was already waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

***
It was already past eleven when I got home.

Xiao Taozi had gone to bed early. Mrs. Zhou was wiping her face with a towel in the bathroom. When she heard some noise at the door, she poked her head out.

"I'm home."

Suddenly seeing a young man standing next to Wen Tingli, Mrs. Zhou's eyes widened.

"Master Lu!"

Lu Shicheng nodded politely to Mrs. Zhou, who stuttered and was unable to speak. Suddenly, she saw Wen Tingli holding a crabapple-red brocade box in her left hand, and her expression became even more confused.

"Mrs. Zhou, please make some tea for Mr. Lu first." Wen Tingli said cheerfully, holding Lu Shicheng's arm to take off the broken shoes on her feet, and then took the sunflower green soft shoes she usually wore at home from the shoe rack and put them on. She turned her head and said happily to Lu Shicheng, "I'll go into the house to put down my things, you wait for me in the living room."

(End of this chapter)