"Have you ever been in a relationship?" Lu Lin suddenly asked, his voice magnetic, like a documentary narrator.
His question was abrupt, Yan Heqing stopped wielding his sword, tilting his head to look at him. His light pupils, reflected in the light and shadow, were like pools of clear water.
Have you talked about it?
Their eyes met, Lu Lin's gaze deep and unfathomable. "You love to ask questions." But she still replied, "No."
"I don't have any either." Yan Heqing's lips curled slightly. He used a knife to scoop up the beef cubes, put them in a bowl, added cooking wine, light soy sauce, and pepper, and mixed them well to marinate.
There's still so much to do, I don't have time.
"Is that why you rejected that boy?"
It took Yan Heqing a few seconds to realize that Lu Lin must be referring to his software engineering classmate Fu Helang.
When Lu Lin gave a speech at Beijing University, he ran into Fu Helang, who confessed his feelings to him.
"No."
The soup pot boiled, so Yan Heqing turned down the heat, turned around and put three eggs in. Next to it was a large bowl filled with ice cubes, which had melted halfway through after a while.
With her back to Lu Lin, she said, "It's because I don't like it."
Lu Lin remained silent for a moment before saying, "Aside from studying and fishing, I don't see any other hobbies you have."
After boiling the eggs for six minutes, Yan Heqing scooped them out and put them in ice water.
The egg fell to the bottom of the bowl with a crisp sound, and Yan Heqing's voice was equally clear, "Yes, I would also like to be friends with you."
*
Yan Heqing's planned embrace ultimately failed to materialize.
Lu Lin had just finished cooking instant noodles and making lychee honey water when he received a phone call and left without touching his chopsticks.
Yan Heqing overheard a sentence or two.
It sounded like a call from Lu Ruchan's nanny. Lu Changcheng and Lu Han were currently at Lu Ruchan's quiet villa.
The candles on the coffee table were half-burned, and a faint fragrance of osmanthus filled the air.
It turns out that the fragrance needs to be ignited and burned for a period of time to be released.
Yan Heqing did not blow out the candles. He opened the door and went out, and soon the room was lit again.
Back in his room, Yan Heqing slowly finished two bowls of instant noodles by himself.
The soft-boiled eggs were cooked exceptionally well, with a runny orange yolk; it's a pity Lu Lin didn't get to see them.
After finishing his meal, Yan Heqing rested for a while before getting up to weigh himself.
123.
Yan Heqing finished his instant noodles, and Lu Lin also arrived at the villa halfway up the mountain.
The living room was brightly lit, and Lu Changcheng's voice pierced through the door.
What good will it do you if my Lu Family ends in extinction?
Lu Ruchan looked extremely unwell, and the nanny taking care of her mustered up the courage to speak up, "Madam needs quiet; the doctor said she shouldn't make loud noises."
Lu Changcheng's face darkened, "You—"
Lu Han quietly nudged his shoulder, "Dad, A-Lin is here."
Lu Changcheng glanced at Lu Han, disapproving of his furtive behavior.
What a spineless wretch!
Lu Changcheng looked ahead, Lu Lin walked over.
Lu Ruchan's face was ashen, but when she saw Lu Lin arrive, she finally showed some signs of life. As soon as Lu Lin came over, she grabbed his hand tightly.
Lu Changcheng snorted, but then shut up and said nothing more.
Lu Lin felt Lu Ruchan trembling. He squatted down, stroked the back of Lu Ruchan's hand, and comforted her, "Go back to your room and rest first. I'll come and keep you company later."
Lu Ruchan asked in a trembling voice, "Aren't you leaving tonight?"
Lu Lin replied, "I'm not leaving."
Lu Ruchan stopped trembling and slowly released Lu Lin's hand. The nanny, being very quick-witted, immediately pushed Lu Ruchan back into the house.
Only Lu Lin, Lu Changcheng, and Lu Han remained in the living room.
Lu Han glanced at Lu Lin's face, which was calm, but his heart was still pounding.
His younger brother could become fierce without any expression on his face.
The day his grandmother passed away, she called him and asked him to visit her in the hospital. He had made plans to play golf, and when he arrived at the course, not wanting to trouble her, he casually said he would go later.
The old lady kept rambling on and on about wanting to see him one last time, but he got annoyed and hung up the phone.
Little did I know it would be the last time I saw him; he was engrossed in playing ball when he passed away.
Knowing he was in the wrong, he rushed to the hospital and admitted his mistake. Lu Changcheng didn't say anything, but Lu Lin, who was guarding the bedside, suddenly walked up to him and punched him.
No one could pull them apart.
That was the only time Lu Han had ever been beaten up, and it took him several months to recover.
He was afraid of Lu Lin, who usually acted like a top student but was more ruthless than a professional boxer when it came to beating people.
It wasn't his encouragement today; it's just that Lu Muchi hasn't caused any trouble lately, he's been going to work on time, and he's even landed a big project. Most importantly, he hasn't contacted Lin Fengzhi.
Lu Changcheng was pleased and happy. With nothing else to do, he started thinking about Lu Lin's marriage again.
If you can't listen to him, you should at least listen to Lu Ruchan.
Lu Changcheng came to the villa, and Lu Han, wanting to see Lu Lin a fool of himself, followed him.
Unexpectedly, Lu Lin returned halfway, Lu Han wanted to find an excuse to leave first to avoid being implicated.
Before he could speak, Lu Lin said calmly, "I like men."
Lu Han, momentarily forgetting his manners, stood there dumbfounded.
Lu Changcheng felt as if the sky had fallen and the earth had cracked. His vision went black for several seconds, and he would have fallen if he hadn't been leaning on his cane.
Lu Changcheng was furious. His younger brother liked men, and they were still dealing with that; now his older brother also liked men. If word got out, where would he put his face?
Lu Changcheng trembled all over, stamping his cane, "Say that again!"
He was threatening Lu Lin to change his story.
Lu Lin said expressionlessly, "I like men, and I will only marry him."
Lu Changcheng's blood pressure spiked to his face; this wasn't just that she liked men, she actually had a stable relationship!
The thought of the Lu Group's leader being exposed for having an affair with a man made his blood boil and he couldn't breathe.
"Rebel, rebel--" Before he could finish speaking, Lu Changcheng's cane slipped from his hand, and he clutched his chest, gasping for breath.
Lu Han then snapped out of his surprise, quickly stepped forward to support Lu Changcheng, and called for Lu Changcheng's accompanying doctor to come in.
A chaotic scene ensued, but Lu Changcheng was unharmed; he was just too excited and short of breath. Seven or eight cars arrived with a roar and then drove away in a grand procession.
Lu Lin went to wash his hands and change his clothes before going to Lu Ruchan's room.