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墨書 Inktalez
As for all the major projects of Lu Group, Lin Yue is a participant and also holds shares in Lu Group.
"Don't mention it; I've been his niece since birth, and I still don't know much about him," Lu Fu said seriously as he looked at me. "But after you told me that day, I specifically went to ask my grandparents about my uncle's situation."
"He has only a normal working relationship with Lin Yue and has never crossed any boundaries. Lin Yue is quite perceptive."
"Because my uncle had a white moonlight who passed away, he has a special room to commemorate her. That attic, I heard, even my grandparents are afraid to go there. He has locked his heart for so long, but for some reason, meeting you seems to have made him bloom like an iron tree."
Lu Fu sighed.
I sighed along with him.
Talking to Lu Jin was indeed quite interesting; during our online romance, he was completely like the Pure Love War God. He would swipe his card for me, play games with me, and even chat with me all night long. It felt like we had endless things to share. Even when we met in person, he seemed to be constantly changing.
Suddenly, something struck me, and I looked at Lu Fu. "By the way, if he bloomed like an iron tree, could it be because I resemble his deceased white moonlight?"
Lu Fu was silent for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. "Have you read too many novels?"
True enough. What are the odds of such a coincidence?
"Don't think too much about it; let me introduce you to a man."
Lu Fu made a phone call, and soon after, a tall man in a Captain's uniform walked out of the cabin. He began introducing himself: "I am the Captain of this flight; it's a pleasure to serve both ladies."
This Captain was handsome and sunny, with dimples appearing when he smiled.
"This Captain is six feet tall, has six-pack abs, and came in second in a marathon! He can fly planes too! He's one year younger than us—how about that? Doesn't he seem like a perfect match for you?" Lu Fu stood up and patted the Captain on the shoulder.
I pondered over this information and suddenly realized, "Oh, this must be Lu Miao?"
"How did you know?" both siblings asked in unison.
"I noticed you two look quite alike."
I forced a smile; I couldn't exactly say that all this information came from Lu Jin, could I?
"What do you think of my brother? Is he handsome? He's like a little puppy and single; I actually wanted you to be my sister-in-law," Lu Fu eagerly introduced.
I looked Lu Miao up and down. "He's quite handsome."
But damn it! After chatting with Lu Jin, I had lost interest in the little puppy!
"Well, just look at who my brother is. But Le Mian seems a bit haggard. Don't worry; I'll be flying you both on this flight."
Lu Miao really could talk a lot; he started introducing the travel itinerary even before takeoff. But looking at his face, all I could think about was Lu Jin.
"Sis, I've finished my explanation. I'm heading to the cockpit," he said as he turned to leave, but just then, the Co-Pilot rushed out of the cockpit in a panic.
"Not good! Not good! Someone's trying to intercept the plane!" he shouted.
"Huh?" I replied.
Lu Fu echoed, "Huh?"
Lu Miao laughed in anger, "I want to see who has the guts to do that!"
A Bentley pulled up in front of the private jet.
As Lu Miao opened the cabin door to confront the Bentley owner, he saw the car driving toward the door, followed closely by a Stair Truck.
In an instant, Lu Miao slammed the cabin door shut.
"What happened? Why aren't you yelling at him?" Lu Fu asked angrily.
"Sis, it's Uncle! And he's brought a ladder!" Lu Miao panicked. "He can't have found out that we stole his private jet, right?"
I was speechless. So this private jet belonged to Lu Jin.
"That shouldn't be it; it must be that we were caught stealing his wife," Lu Fu turned to me thoughtfully. "Lemian, you're our only hope!"
"Wait, Lemian is Uncle's wife? Sis, are you still planning to introduce me? Are you crazy?" Lu Miao shouted louder and louder. Just then, the cabin door opened.
Lu Jin walked in with a cold expression.
He wore gold-rimmed glasses, his face pale, and there were still some allergic marks on his neck that hadn't faded yet, adding a touch of fragility to his demeanor. Meanwhile, Lu Fu and Lu Miao were huddled behind me.
The quiet cabin was filled with an awkward silence as no one dared to speak first.
The tension lasted for about three minutes.
I finally couldn't hold back and spoke first, "Mr. Lu, what a coincidence! Are you planning to travel by plane?"
"No," Lu Jin replied. "I'm here specifically to find you."
His gaze locked onto mine, intense enough to feel like he could see right through me.
Lu Fu quickly nudged me. "Auntie, you should go with Uncle. There’s nothing that can’t be clarified between two people."
"Huh?" I said in confusion.
Lu Miao weakly added, "Yeah Auntie, if there's a misunderstanding, it needs to be cleared up; cold wars are useless."
Alright then, so this is how it’s going to be.
"Okay."
Lu Jin seemed quite satisfied with their responses. "You both should come back with us; Grandma and Grandpa said they miss you."
Lu Fu and Lu Miao nodded in unison. "Sure, as long as Auntie comes home with us, we'll go!"
Wait a minute, the parties involved haven't even agreed yet, so how did they end up being taken back to the old house?
...
This was my first time meeting parents.
Lu Jin's parents looked very much like intellectuals. His mother, though older, was elegant and amiable. Lu Jin's father was also slim but particularly spirited, always smiling.
Lu Jin didn't resemble his parents at all; he was cold and distant.
"This is the first time Xiao Jin has brought a girlfriend home."
"Oh my, she looks quite familiar."
Lu Jin's mother held my hand and smiled broadly. "Haven't we met somewhere before?"
A chill ran down my spine. Could it be that I resembled Lu Jin's deceased first love?
"Dear, don't say such things; you'll scare Xiao Jin's girlfriend away," Lu Jin's dad quickly shot her a warning glance.
Alright then. It seemed that my resemblance to his first love was more than just a guess.
During dinner, Lu Jin's parents enthusiastically served me food with chopsticks. Lu Jin sat beside me, also serving me dishes, and soon my small bowl was piled high with various foods.
The atmosphere at the table was excessively quiet.
Lu Fu and Lu Miao were as obedient as two little rabbits, eating without saying a word.
"Lu Fu, don't you love braised pork? Here, have some." I offered him a piece, but I saw Lu Fu hurriedly wave his hands in panic.
"What's wrong? Are you on a diet?" I continued to ask.
When I used to eat out with Lu Fu, we would chatter away while eating. The current atmosphere made me feel uneasy.
Lu Fu cleared his throat softly and reminded me in a low voice, "Lemian, we don't talk while eating or sleeping. This is a rule set by my uncle. Our dining table is quite strict; even Grandma and Grandpa have to follow it."
Lu Jin's parents looked at me and nodded in agreement.
"I'm sorry, I'll eat quietly," I immediately put down the piece of braised pork and sat up straight.
"Lemian."
Lu Jin turned his face towards me. His handsome face bore no expression, but his tone was unusually gentle. "It's alright; just be yourself."
Lu Fu: "?"
"!" Lu Miao exclaimed.
Lu Jin's parents remained silent.
After dinner, a heavy rain poured outside. I settled into the old house, assigned by the butler to stay next to Lu Jin's room. To avoid any awkwardness between us, I sought out Lu Fu. "I'll sleep with you tonight."
Lu Fu looked at me meaningfully. "That's not possible, Auntie. You need to clarify any misunderstandings with my uncle in a timely manner. There shouldn't be any lingering resentment between a couple."
She shouted at the top of her lungs, "If you two broke up because of Lin Yue, my uncle would be so heartbroken he'd shut himself away!"
As soon as she finished speaking, I followed her gaze and saw Lu Jin standing at the door.
Lu Fu pushed me toward the entrance and smiled, "Uncle came at just the right time! Auntie was just saying she wanted to have a long chat with you tonight."
She leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Lemian, your friend has control over my living expenses. Please say a few good words for me to Lu Miao."
Then her door slammed shut with a loud bang.
I found myself cornered against the door by Lu Jin.
"Can you add me back?" he asked, his tall frame looming over me, leaving me nowhere to escape.
"If it's about Lin Yue, I can explain my relationship with her," he continued when I didn't respond.
Seeing that I remained silent, Lu Jin added calmly, "Perhaps there are other things you want to know; I can tell you everything."
"It's not about Lin Yue; she's very responsible." I recalled how Lin Yue had taken care of everything when Lu Jin had his allergic reaction. She knew all of his needs. Not only was she responsible, but she also had feelings for him—feelings that were suppressed yet undeniably real.
I glanced at the red marks on Lu Jin's neck and sighed. "Why did you leave the hospital before fully recovering?"
He raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "Is it too late to wait until I'm completely better?"
But there was no question of timing between us. After pondering for a moment, I decided it was best to be straightforward. "Lu Jin, we haven't been together long, and it was all online; let's just forget about it... It has nothing to do with anyone else."
In that moment, an unreadable emotion flickered across Lu Jin's face before quickly vanishing.
I bit my lip, gathering the courage to break the stalemate once more.
Lu Jin's phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Lin Yue calling.
"Hello?"
Lu Jin answered, and the voice on the other end was clear in the quiet atmosphere, weak and strained: "Mr. Lu."
"What's wrong?"
"I have a fever," Lin Yue's breath was labored. "I can't get a cab. Could you come pick me up and take me to the hospital?"
"Okay, I'll be there right away."
Lu Jin hung up the phone and turned toward the door.
Lu Fu was right; Lu Jin and Lin Yue were comrades in arms, having gone through so much together. Even if Lu Jin didn't like Lin Yue, her position in his heart was undeniably special.
I couldn't hide my feelings of disappointment. Looking down at my toes, perhaps this had all just been a beautiful yet fleeting misunderstanding from the start.
But before I could process my thoughts, another pair of feet appeared in front of me.
I looked up to see Lu Jin standing before me again: "Lin Yue has a fever. She wants me to take her to the hospital; you should come with me."
He grasped my wrist firmly and led me to the car, which sped off down the road.
I sat in the passenger seat and received a message from Lu Fu:
"I heard everything you two talked about from behind the door! Mianmian, I feel like it’s not just about Lin Yue; there's also that dead white moonlight of my uncle's.
According to my grandparents, you might be that white moonlight's substitute.
I'm planning to risk it all and sneak into the attic! I suspect my uncle is keeping a shrine for his white moonlight up there."
I wanted to stop Lu Fu, but Lu Jin took my phone away.
"Le Mian, I need to talk to you," he said.
With one hand on the steering wheel, he kept his eyes on the road. The usually taciturn Lu Jin seemed like a bomb ready to explode as he spoke continuously:
"Lin Yue and I were college classmates; she helped me a lot during my early entrepreneurial days.
While I focused on researching and developing patents, she constantly sought out investments for me, staying by my side during my career's low points.
She knows me well; this understanding has built up over many years."
"So besides the Lu Group, I have given her shares in many companies related to her expertise, and there is one wholly-owned company that belongs to her alone.
"She isn't very willing to go to the subsidiary companies, which is why she has been with me at the Lu Group as the Secretary-General."
Outside, heavy rain was pouring down, with raindrops relentlessly pounding against the glass window, making a loud thudding sound.
I fastened my seatbelt, unsure how to respond to Lu Jin.
I slowly said, "I know you two are quite compatible."
"That's what the employees say privately," he chuckled lightly.
Lu Jin had a handsome profile, especially when he smiled, but he didn't smile often.
The car stopped in the underground garage of Lin Yue's villa. Lin Yue had been waiting there, but the moment she saw me, the smile on her face froze.
"What are you doing here?"
Lin Yue sat in the back seat with a stern expression. I saw her looking at me through the mirror: "Didn't you resign?"
"She resigned; she's no longer my employee. She's my girlfriend now."
Lu Jin smiled broadly as he introduced me and restarted the car: "I've been with Le Mian for several months now; we were together even before she joined the company."
The car moved forward.
The atmosphere inside fell to freezing point.
I remained silent.
Lu Jin also stopped talking.
After a long while, Lin Yue finally said, "You still like her."
Lu Jin simply replied with two words: "Like her."
Oh dear.
Why am I sitting in this car?
...
Lu Jin registered Lin Yue; she had a fever caused by acute gastroenteritis and needed an IV drip.
I opened my phone and found numerous messages from Lu Fu: [Are you at the City People's Hospital?]
[I’m coming over with Lu Miao right away; tell my uncle to wait!]
Previously, fearing that we might lose track of each other, Lu Fu and I had linked our location systems, so she knew where I was at all times.
Three minutes later, Lu Fu stormed into the hospital in a huff.
She practically charged up to Lu Jin.
Pointing at him, she said, "Uncle, I have always respected you, but this time I really find you disgusting!"
Lu Jin responded with a puzzled expression: "?"
Even Lu Miao let out a light scoff, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Uncle, we men can go our whole lives without finding a partner, but we can't ruin a girl's life forever!"
"What do you mean?" Lu Jin crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, glancing at Lu Fu and Lu Miao.
Lu Fu stepped in front of me. "Mianmian, let's go. It's better to avoid scum like my uncle!"
"What happened?" My intuition told me this had something to do with Lu Jin's deceased first love.
"My uncle is just using you as a substitute!" Lu Fu's eyes turned red with anger. "This is all my fault for pushing you onto him. I guessed right; he only wants to be with you because you look like his dead first love!"
As she spoke, she pulled out a photo. "This is from the attic. You and his first love not only look alike but seem to have come from the same mold!"
She placed the photo in front of me.
Lu Fu was so upset she was on the verge of tears. "I should introduce you to some boyfriends; my male models are all better than my uncle!"
I looked at the photo again and again, taking a deep breath. "This... this is me?"
There were over ten photos that Lu Fu brought out. I examined each one; every single one was of me. Eight years ago, when I was eighteen and just graduated from high school, there were even some taken at the school gate.
A few were from when my parents took me to the beach for a photoshoot. I looked more innocent back then, still chubby-cheeked.
One photo was taken when I was five years old—my birthday, no less. How could Lu Jin have that?
"This is you? This is my uncle's dead first love... it can't be you, right?" Lu Fu's face showed shock as she turned to Lu Jin.
"It is her."
Lu Jin rubbed his temples, looking helplessly at me. "I thought she was dead too until she added me and sent me her photos."
He recognized me instantly—the girl who had ghosted him eight years ago.
Eight years ago.
That year, when I entered university, I missed home and accidentally called Lu Jin instead of my dad, pouring out my heart until I calmed down and realized I had dialed the wrong number.
At that time, Lu Jin simply replied with a few words: "Don't cry."
Initially, it was just a wrong number, but later on, whenever I missed home or received a scholarship for exams, I would accidentally call him again.
It was simply because Lu Jin's phone number differed from my dad's by just one digit.
Over time, the frequency of our calls increased.
Later on, I realized that the Lu Jin on the other end of the phone was quite different from the Lu Jin I had met online.
We had been in and out of contact for two years before finally confirming our relationship. He was a good person. He remembered every time I was unwell and would transfer money to me—sometimes large amounts, like thirty to fifty thousand, but I never dared to accept them and returned the transfers instead.
Then, just as we were about to meet for the first time, Lu Jin disappeared. He was gone for a month. When he finally contacted me, he said he had been in a car accident and had been unconscious in the operating room for two weeks before he started to recover.
My roommate couldn't help but laugh when she heard this: "Do you believe it? This kind of trick is just to fool you; he’s just making excuses because he doesn’t want to meet you. A car accident right when you were supposed to meet? Come on, Le Mian, don’t let love cloud your judgment. You might end up losing everything!"
Her words struck me like a wake-up call, especially since my parents had just told me about a neighbor who had been scammed out of a fortune by an online boyfriend. I immediately broke up with Lu Jin.
I texted him: "Don’t ask why we’re breaking up; we’re not suited for each other. You had an accident, and I’m not well either—just consider me dead; I never existed!"
After deleting him from my contacts, I changed my phone number and returned to my normal life, focusing on my graduate studies and putting everything behind me.
Oh. It turned out he believed it; he really thought I was dead. So this Lu Jin was indeed the same Lu Jin!
I wondered why his name sounded so familiar.
"Le Mian, you’re really lucky," Lin Yue’s voice pulled me back to reality. She forced a smile and said, "He’s been looking for you everywhere, checking all the hospitals. He thought you were really going to die. Because aside from your supposed death, he can’t understand why you broke up with him so abruptly."
I looked at Lu Jin, who stood silently beside me. He had his head down, looking strangely like a puppy that had been abandoned.
"I recognized you the first time you came to the company," Lin Yue said, clutching her stomach and looking pale as she turned to Lu Jin. "Mr. Lu, with all the right timing and circumstances, why haven’t you confessed yet?"
I feel a bit sorry for Lin Yue. She has accompanied Lu Jin through so many storms over the years, knowing everything about him. She might really want to be with him.
"That's too cruel," even Lu Fu couldn't bear to watch. "Uncle, why don't you confess at the door?"
Lin Yue waved her hand. "No, no, no! You have to make him confess in front of me. I want to record it and show it to my girlfriend."
I was confused. "Huh?"
Lu Fu echoed my confusion. "Huh?"
Girlfriend? What girlfriend?
Lin Yue spoke angrily, "Le Mian, I really don't like you! Why are you trying to get together with him? After his accident, he was in such a bad state, and I have to comfort him every day, making my girlfriend think I like men!"
She endured the pain and took out her phone. "I'll record it right now to show her that Lu Jin has a woman he likes! That online relationship is real!"
"So that time in the hospital was intentional!"
"I just wanted Lu Jin to experience what it's like to be misunderstood!"
Lin Yue continued explaining, "But this time it's not a misunderstanding. My girlfriend is on a business trip, and I couldn't find anyone else, so I had to look for him."
I thought, well, this is actually quite good.
Lu Jin opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.
Lin Yue then held her phone out in front of me. "I have a video of him crying after the breakup due to the accident. Let me send it to you."
"Lin Yue!"
Lu Jin gritted his teeth and reached for the phone, but Lu Fu was quicker and brought it in front of me. "Auntie, let's watch together."
In the video, Lu Jin was lying on the bed crying. He looked haggard and troubled, with his leg in a cast.
"Does she think I'm a liar? How could she be dead? Did she not want to see me even if she died?"
"It must be that she's dead; otherwise, there's no reason for her to reject me."
"This is my first love; I like her so much! How could she just say she doesn't want me and that's it?"
Lu Jin raised an eyebrow and grabbed my hand. "Let's go; ignore them."
Behind us came Lu Fu's laughter. "Uncle, I didn't expect you to be this kind of uncle!"
...
In the old house.
Lu Jin took me to the small attic. Inside, it was filled with my photos, all sizes of them printed out by him. There were also many notebooks, each page filled with his thoughts of longing for me.
"Qing Le Mian likes sunny days the most."
"A storm is brewing; I wonder if Le Mian is scared?"
His childish longing and immature writing style were nothing like the mature person he had become. No wonder he recognized me at a glance after adding me and seeing my photos. Meanwhile, it seemed I had long forgotten about him.
"Le Mian, can you... add me back? I finally found you." He blushed as he shyly approached me. "Um, I... I'm still the same as before. From now on, I will always be here."
This was the second time I had deleted him. I hoped there wouldn't be a third.
I added him back and reached out to hug him. My Lu Jin had waited for me for a full eight years.
"Not bad, what I've learned from books is really useful," he said, his stiff hands holding me tightly.
"Books? What exactly are you reading?" I asked curiously.
He smiled shyly, "I Have a Date with a Rough Guy, His Sweetness Is Off the Charts; they’re filled with bossy quotes."
Wow. He was reading romance novels to prepare for dating.
"That's quite cheesy. Just be yourself from now on; no need to imitate. Little brother, if there's anything you don't understand in the future, your sister will teach you."
I stood on my tiptoes to cover his mouth with mine. He held my head and deepened the kiss.
In that small attic, it was just him and me. Just like eight years ago, in that tiny chat box, it was both of us then too. This time, it was us together.
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