Lu Xinyi stepped out of the cafe and hummed as she walked over the sidewalk and found Shen Yi’s figure leaning against the side of the building next to the cafe. He was holding an entertainment magazine on his hand, with their picture together at the Sun Corporation Anniversary party printed on its cover. It was a photo of them dancing together with her head tuck under his chin.
She could roughly guess that it was taken during the time he was singing to her. Who could have leaked these photos in public when the Sun family limited the media personnel inside the mansion?
Sun Feiyan. Lu Xinyi thought.
There could be no one else but her who could allow the media to publish it in public. Everything publicized about the Sun family affairs and parties would have to get Sun Feiyan’s approval.
But why? Why would Sun Feiyan establish her name as the third miss? This was something Lu Xinyi couldn’t understand.
Sun Feiyan’s mind worked differently from others, and Lu Xinyi was having a hard time reading her.
“What’s the matter?” Shen Yi asked when he noticed that Lu Xinyi’s silence. His wife shook her head in response and took a peek on the page he was reading on.
“What did they say?” she asked.
“Nothing much. Except they’re wondering when we will tie the knot,” he replied nonchalantly.
“Ahh, too bad they’re already late. We’ve already secured our marriage certificates.”
The two started to walk back to Yuan Jin’s studio. They’d been gone for almost two hours. Hopefully, when they arrive, the photoshoot had come to an end.
“This is bad; I ate too much. I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.” Lu Xinyi rubbed her slightly pudgy stomach.
“Do you need some help digesting it?” Her husband smirked at her.
Lu Xinyi stopped walking and sprinted towards him to smack his head.
“You! Why did I meet and follow a lecherous man like you?!”
“Hey! You weren’t complaining earlier!” Shen Yi retorted back. “So what did you tell him? Are you going to sue his ass for using your father’s recipes?”
At his question, Lu Xinyi calmed down, buried her hands on her pockets, and continued their walk.
“His previous company used to work with Redux Entertainment before. I need to find something that I can use against Xi Yunchuan.”
“You know I can do the job better than him,” Shen Yi reminded her.
Lu Xinyi glanced sideways and chuckled as she saw his sour mood.
“Ah, don’t tell me Hubby is getting jealous over it,” she teased.
Shen Yi looked away, refusing to admit that he was bothered that his wife would rather choose Gong Yijun’s help than his.
“Why would I get jealous? I just think that he might mess up and give you more troubles in the future.”
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say, darling.”
Meanwhile, Fu Rui and Jiao Jiao—who were following their mistress—stepped out from the dark to continue their task. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“Why are you sulking in the corner?” Fu Rui frowned as he tried to figure out what seemed to be the problem with his partner.
Jiao Jiao huffed and walked past him and eyed their mistress. Her heart was still troubled over the fact that Lu Feiran was Lu Xinyi’s alter ego. Ah, why was such a fate so unfair? Such a handsome and refined man ended up being a woman?
“Nothing’s wrong. Don’t slack off!” she muttered, keeping an eye on Lu Feiran.
As Lu Feiran and Shen Yi arrived at the studio, the atmosphere was calmer than before. It seemed that Zheng Yue was able to calm Wang Zhuyi’s nerves as the photoshoot continued.
“What was wrong with Wang Zhuyi?” Lu Feiran asked Yuan Jin when the photoshoot was over.
“Ah, the typical reason. She was too nervous and conscious about her look. Fortunately, Miss Zheng talked some sense to her.” Yuan Jin scoffed as he scrolled through the images he’d taken earlier.
“Go easy on her, Jin.” Lu Feiran smiled. “I can’t think of anyone suitable to pair with Zheng Yue but her.”
“I know, dear; but you need to understand we are in a rush. We have to stick to our schedules, or else we wouldn’t finish the campaign on time,” Yuan Jin said with frustration.
“This is so unlike you, Jin. Is something the matter?”
Yuan Jin pursed his lips and went silent. He shook his head and faced Lu Feiran. “I’m sorry, Xiao Xin. It’s just… Xiulan hasn’t called me since she left. I’ve been worried since then.”
“Xiulan?” Lu Feiran’s brows shot up, hitting his fringe. “Didn’t she say she’s going to visit her mom and dad?” she asked confusedly.
“That’s what she told you?” Yuan Jin replied in disbelief. Why did Lu Xiulan lie to her own cousin? Why did she tell Lu Xinyi about her impending marriage?
“That woman…” he muttered.
Lu Feiran suddenly held his arm to get his attention.
“What about it, Jin? Is there’s something I should know about Xiulan?”
How come Yuan Jin knew more about her cousin now than her? Lu Xiulan used to tell her everything. If they were living in the old times, their phone bills would skyrocket with the amount of time they spent on overseas calls. Now, advanced technology had made their communication easier.
After Lu Sibai’s death, Lu Xiulan’s family migrated to Country D. However, the short time they spent together was enough to establish a strong bond between them.
Lu Xinyi already lost Sun Qiushan. Her heart wouldn’t be able to endure it if something wrong happened to Lu Xiulan. Yuan Jin saw the panic on her eyes. He took both of her hands to assure her that her cousin was safe.
“I heard what happened to Sun Qiushan,” he said in a low voice, making sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation, “and I know how worried you are about Xiulan; but there’s nothing to be worried about her safety. Although—I must admit—I’m half-tempted to smack her head. She shouldn’t make decisions out of impulse and must think about what’s best for her.”
Lu Feiran blinked twice. Lu Xiulan hadn’t told her anything. What could be the reason why her cousin tried to hide this fact on her?
“What did she do?”
“Oh, nothing important. Just getting married to the man her family arranged for her,” Yuan Jin mentioned it casually.
“She did what?!” This wasn’t what she expected to hear from Yuan Jin.
Lu Xinyi’s reaction was within Yuan Jin’s expectation. Any sane people would think that Lu Xiulan would be making a wrong decision in her life.
“Oh, so she didn’t have the guts to tell you. She did say that the last campaign we worked together will be her last. I thought she’d at least informed you about her marriage. Xiulan invited me to attend.”
“Lu Xiulan! You left the country without bidding goodbye to me in person!” Lu Xinyi released Yuan Jin’s arm in favor to take her phone and dialed her cousin’s number. When the other party didn’t answer her call, she stomped her feet and walked out of the studio to find her husband.
