Five years without pregnancy means you're too weak; I remarried a powerful man and had triplets

Lu Zichuan has helped her too much.

If it weren't for him, she would never have known that Xu Zhesheng had secretly transferred assets during their marriage.

If it weren't for him, when the incident involving the general was exposed, she would have been branded with shame. Even if she was not at fault in name, no one would have stood up for her back then.

If it weren't for him, she might have been raped by Xu Zhesheng at the Xu family home that time.

There are also many other small, trivial things.

Those chance encounters, whether intentional or unintentional, and those acts of kindness—Shen Zhiyi remembered them all.

She owes him a lot.

For Shen Zhiyi, Lu Zichuan was never just a boss.

In her heart, she had long considered him one of her own.

At this moment, as she looked at his back standing in the moonlight, she had a more practical consideration in mind.

Although modern society is open-minded, if a scandal involving homosexuality were to break out in the Lu family, it would impact both Jiang Xing and the Lu Group's stock price.

Lu Zichuan is a good person, and she doesn't want to see him get caught up in this mess.

She was unwilling, both for public and private reasons.

Shen Zhiyi took a deep breath, extended her hand, and said softly, "Then, Mr. Lu, it's a pleasure to cooperate."

Lu Zichuan's gaze fell on the hand she extended.

Slender, fair-skinned, with a touch of coolness at the fingertips, like moonlight condensed.

His eyes flickered slightly, and then he reached out and gently took her hand.

His palm was warm, and his pressure was just right, completely enveloping her hand.

That handshake was brief, yet it carried a certain indescribable warmth.

He then released his grip, took a half-step back, regained his composure, and spoke with a barely perceptible gentleness:

"It's a pleasure doing business with you, Ms. Shen."

Moonlight streamed between the two, casting long shadows.

Shen Zhiyi looked at the hand that had fallen back to its side, the warmth of his palm still lingering on the fingertips.

She suddenly realized that this deal was more than just a simple transaction from the very beginning.

......

Once Shen Zhiyi's figure had completely disappeared at the end of the corridor, Pei Jin slowly strolled out from behind Lu Zichuan.

He pulled a lollipop from his pocket, tore off the wrapper, and casually popped it into his mouth, one cheek puffing out slightly. He squinted at Lu Zichuan's profile, his tone tinged with a playful curiosity:

"Mr. Lu, with your status, what kind of woman can't you find? Why go to all this trouble, even dragging me into this scandal?"

He clicked his tongue and added, "Aren't you afraid she'll take it seriously?"

Lu Zichuan had one hand in his pocket, and upon hearing this, his lips tightened slightly.

His gaze was still fixed on the direction Shen Zhiyi had left in; the wine-red skirt flashed by in the night before disappearing around the corner of the garden.

I don't feel very comfortable.

If he could, he certainly wouldn't want to use this method. But Shen Zhiyi was too cautious, as cautious as a wounded cat, retreating into its shell at the slightest disturbance.

He helped her so many times, but the moment he showed even the slightest hint of liking her, she would immediately back away, retreating to a place he couldn't reach.

He knew her too well. Better than she thought.

That's why we resorted to this desperate measure.

But he couldn't explain this to anyone.

Lu Zichuan turned his head slightly, glanced at Pei Jin, and said in his usual cold voice, "You only need to cooperate. The rest is not your concern."

"The money will be deposited into your account; you just need to receive it."

"Alright, fine then." Pei Jin shrugged indifferently, twirling a lollipop in her mouth. "So, is my scene finished for tonight? Can I leave now?"

Lu Zichuan nodded.

Pei Jin breathed a sigh of relief and strode towards the back gate of the manor.

Before leaving, he turned back and blew Lu Zichuan a kiss, calling out in a lighthearted tone:

"Bye-bye, my fake boyfriend~"

Lu Zichuan: "..."

He stood there, watching Pei Jin walk away humming a song, raised his hand to rub his temples, and let out a very soft sigh.

A night breeze blew by, carrying the sweet scent of night-blooming jasmine from the garden.

He looked down at his palm; when he shook hands with Shen Zhiyi just now, the coolness of her fingertips seemed to linger there.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

This play has only just begun.

He had already staked himself in as well.

Just as Lu Zichuan lifted his foot to turn back to the banquet hall, a dark red figure suddenly turned back from the shadows beside the pillar.

What book says this?

She returned, and the dark red cheongsam she wore just now shimmered softly in the moonlight, the phoenix embroidered on the fabric appearing and disappearing with her steps.

The fitted waist accentuated her slender figure, making her look several years younger than her actual age. Her high heels clicked silently on the cobblestones, clearly indicating that she had deliberately softened her steps.

Once she confirmed that Lu Zichuan was the only one left in the corridor, He Shuyun crouched down and quickly approached. Gone was the sharpness from their earlier confrontation; instead, her face was filled with curiosity, her eyes shining as if she had discovered some treasure.

"How's it going? Did it work? Did she believe it? What stage is your plan at?"

She bombarded him with a barrage of questions, and Lu Zichuan sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation: "Mom, you're asking so many questions, which one should I answer first?"

He Shuyun tapped his forehead with her fan, the force so light it was like a tickle: "You brat, can't you answer one by one?"

"Today I'm representing our whole family! Your mother's appearance fee is very high, and you don't even know how to appreciate it!" She closed her fan, poked his arm, and said, "Hurry up and explain everything to me clearly, or I won't cooperate with your acting next time."

Lu Zichuan shrugged, his tone somewhat nonchalant: "If you don't cooperate, then prepare to watch your son remain a bachelor for life."

He Shuyun's eyes widened, and she raised her fan again: "Hey, you're threatening me now, aren't you!"

"Speak quickly!"

Lu Zichuan then slowly recounted what had happened by the pavilion, the key point being that Shen Zhiyi had agreed to pretend to be his girlfriend.

After hearing this, He Shuyun let out a long sigh of relief, placing her hand on her chest, as if a weight that had been hanging over her head for most of the day had finally been lifted.

"I liked this girl the moment I saw her. She's beautiful and has a great figure. I even went back and watched the videos she edited; they're really good, her aesthetic sense and sense of rhythm are both excellent."

She paused, then waved her hand. "Even though she's been married before, it's fine. Our family doesn't care about those formalities. You better hold on tight to her; don't let her run away easily. I've decided on this daughter-in-law, understand?"

Seeing his mother looking even more anxious than he was, Lu Zichuan couldn't help but smile.

The smile was faint, yet it carried an unprecedented seriousness.

"Don't worry," he said softly, his gaze fixed on the direction Shen Zhiyi had left. His voice was gentle yet firm, "Now that I've started, I won't let anyone get away."

The night breeze swept through the corridor, carrying his words far away.

He Shuyun nodded in satisfaction, smoothed her hair, and her expression finally returned to its usual composed and elegant demeanor. She patted her son's shoulder, her tone slightly mischievous:

"That's good. Let's go back to the banquet hall, don't keep the young lady waiting."

Lu Zichuan: "...Mom, why are you more anxious than I am?"

"Stop arguing with me," He Shuyun glared at him, "Go now!"