Chapter 172: Chapter 172 Let’s Be Together
Xu Xi: “…”
Yes, she doesn’t understand.
Is the Jiang Family just naturally inclined towards romance?
Previously, her Fifth Brother chased after Lin Yueyue, and she chased after Lu Qingyan.
Unexpectedly, they were on the same wavelength.
Inside the performance venue.
Lu Mother’s lips downturned, her expression not showing much happiness.
“Why didn’t he play ‘La campanella’? I’m very dissatisfied with what he played this time, it didn’t highlight his own brilliance and excellence.”
Old Sir Lu had nothing to say.
Lu Mother had subjected Lu Qingyan to devilish training from the moment he could walk and talk, supposedly to make him far superior to his peers.
But in reality, it cast a dark shadow over his childhood.
The only thing he was grateful for was that Lu Qingyan, despite suffering for a few years, did not become introverted or depressed. He was like any normal person; cheerful, gentle, and sunny, sometimes even recalling memories from his childhood without issue.
Thus, regarding Lu Mother’s criticism, he refrained from getting involved to avoid a quarrel and embarrassing himself in front of others. Her control over Lu Qingyan was nearly insane, as if she had been brainwashed by the Shang Family after her own unfortunate escape from the Demon Cave, relentlessly helping the poor and even willing to sacrifice her own son.
Old Sir Lu’s gaze followed Jiang Nanshu as she walked towards Lu Qingyan.
She handed him a sunflower.
He thought the foolish lad would just throw it away, but unexpectedly, he accepted it and seemed to say something to her.
Little Miss Jiang then shyly snuggled into Lu Qingyan’s embrace.
Young Master Lu: “???”
Hadn’t they been apart just a few weeks? How had their feelings grown so fast?
They were already embracing each other, was marriage not far off?
Then he could put behind him that three-month broken engagement.
Old Sir Lu’s face showed satisfaction, thinking secretly that Lu Qingyan had finally come to his senses, knowing not to reject the young lady, showing some emotional intelligence. Not bad, not bad, this too followed from him, his grandfather.
His smile was genuine, but Lu Mother was not as happy as Young Master Lu.
Her gaze nearly pierced through Jiang Nanshu.
“Shameless! With so many people around, she’s rushing to throw herself at my son. If there weren’t an engagement, she wouldn’t even qualify to carry my son’s shoes!”
Yan Yidan’s gaze continuously followed Jiang Nanshu, glancing casually at Lu Qingyan—another decent person, but the one at his side seemed like a fairy.
“Yidan, what do you think of my son?”
Yan Yidan’s gaze fixed nakedly on Jiang Nanshu’s radiant face, her tone gentle: “Very good.”
Lu Mother finally relaxed and pulled Yan Yidan aside, lowering her voice.
“I’ve heard from your father that you are well-versed in many areas, and your tea brewing is the best. My son likes quiet, elegant girls, and I think you fit his aesthetic perfectly.”
Until Jiang Nanshu disappeared from view, Yan Yidan withdrew her gaze, her smile graceful: “Auntie, what do you need me to do?”
Lu Mother cleared her throat: “Love doesn’t care about who comes first. As long as they like each other, it’s fine. I’m planning to arrange for you to go to Jing University, to be closer to my son. It would be best if his engagement with the Jiang Family could be dissolved.”
Yan Yidan realized suddenly.
“Your meaning is to intervene in their engagement and take her fiancé?”
Lu Mother: “???”
Realizing her mistake, Yan Yidan smiled awkwardly, “Sorry, I misspoke, it’s to take Jiang Nanshu’s fiancé, right?”
Lu Mother nodded, her expression proud: “I don’t think Jiang Nanshu is worthy of my son.”
Yan Yidan glanced at her, her tone somber: “I also don’t think he’s worthy, so I disagree with this marriage. Auntie, I’ll definitely help you with this and bring your son back to you completely.”
Lu Mother was very pleased with her response, liking people who took her side: “Go ahead, after you succeed, you’ll be the next Lu Family Matriarch, and I’ll treat you like my own daughter. The cooperation between the Yan Family and the Lu Family is a match made in heaven.”
“Okay.”
Lu Mother’s satisfaction with Yan Yidan grew.
With that dignified air of a lady, she truly was incomparable to Jiang Nanshu, worthy of someone who had learned arts on a mountain.
And Jiang Nanshu? She just performed a well-calculated program; who knows how long she rehearsed—it did take much effort, indeed.
Although she also found it a bit stunning, it wasn’t enough to change her original impression of her.
The party was almost coming to an end at this point.
All that was left was for the host to say goodbye.
Jiang Nanshu chased after Lu Qingyan.
“Fuck, you took my flowers and hugged me, what more do you want, you’re so hard to get through to!”
“Brother Qingyan, wait for me.”
Lu Qingyan suddenly stopped, and Jiang Nanshu, unable to halt in time, bumped her head into him: “Ouch, why did you stop all of a sudden?”
She poked her head out.
Then she found that the way was again blocked by Su Ran.
“Oh shit, here we go again, I can handle this battlefield!”
Jiang Nanshu’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
She stepped forward, tilting her chin up and looking at Su Ran with an arrogant expression: “What are you doing here? Isn’t having that illegitimate child enough? Still trying to seduce my fiancé?”
Su Ran glanced coldly at Jiang Nanshu, her face full of embarrassment: “Ci Qiu and I have just a sibling relationship, don’t chew the fat here and tarnish other people’s innocence.”
“Ha.” Jiang Nanshu snorted lightly: “Already calling each other brother and sister, where’s the innocence in that,” she said, turning her head toward Lu Qingyan, her eyes sincere: “Right? Brother Qingyan.”
“Damn, I’m getting sick of calling him brother.”
Lu Qingyan’s gaze rested indifferently on Jiang Nanshu’s face for a moment before he softly replied: “Mhm.”
Affirmed, Jiang Nanshu provocatively looked at Su Ran: “Now move aside, I want to go home and sleep with him.”
At these words, Su Ran’s face turned pale.
Her normally rosy lips also lost their color.
Her eyes fixed on Lu Qingyan.
She was still not reconciled.
She was about to give up, but why did he have to play that piano piece that she once told him was her favorite?
It would give her hope again.
“Lu Qingyan, that piano piece, who was it for?”
She looked at him cautiously yet expectantly.
Jiang Nanshu’s heart sounded alarm bells.
This is the torture point of love triangles!
Was she about to hear Lu Qingyan’s answer firsthand?
Thus, she couldn’t decide between acting like a fool, going crazy, or being desperately in love to handle this scene.
Lu Qingyan sighed softly.
He looked down at the sunflower in his hand.
This might be the first flower he had ever received in his life.
He was used to praise, flattery, receiving countless love letters, and superficial expressions of affection from others.
None of it compared to the reality Jiang Nanshu brought him.
He had to admit, he was attracted.
Even if all she wanted was to get rid of him.
Lu Qingyan turned his head, his cool features softening: “Jiang Nanshu, why did you give me a flower?”
“Huh?” Jiang Nanshu looked up, somewhat confused.
She was still pondering how to handle the situation.
“No, man, your Bai Yueguang just asked you if you played the piano piece for her, how can you change the subject so awkwardly.”
“Cough.” Her gaze wandered between Lu Qingyan and Su Ran before she decided to go for broke: “Because I like you.”
“Tricking you a bit, hehe.”
Jiang Nanshu made her eyes look especially sincere, barely shimmering with a cold light, as if she might really start crying if Lu Qingyan rejected her.
Lu Qingyan stared at her face for a long time, finally breaking into a smile: “Let’s be together.”
Her statement struck like thunder, and Jiang Nanshu looked at him, his tender looks dumbfounding her, and she really cried…