Aren't you tempted?

Who could refuse a cute and pleasant secretary? Lu Han certainly couldn't find any reason to say no. Without much thought, he agreed to Lu Xue's request.

After enjoying their barbecue, the two returned to the Lu family estate. As they walked in laughing and chatting, they noticed Lu Ming sitting on the sofa in the living room, clearly waiting for them.

"Xue'er, I need to talk to you," Lu Ming said, standing up and giving Lu Han a meaningful glance, indicating he wanted to speak with Lu Xue alone.

"Actually, I also have something to discuss with you," Lu Xue replied, reluctantly letting go of Lu Han's arm.

"You two go ahead and talk," Lu Han shrugged, heading back to his room.

"Let's take a walk while we talk," Lu Ming suggested, walking outside. He noticed that Lu Xue kept a slight distance from him, which irked him.

Why was it that Lu Han, who had only been back for less than a month, received so much affection from Lu Xue—hugging his arm, even kissing him today—while Lu Ming, who had lived with her for nearly ten years, never enjoyed such treatment?

Despite his frustration, Lu Ming tried to keep his tone calm. "Xue'er, have you thought about what I mentioned earlier?"

"You mean about being your secretary?" Lu Xue asked, hands behind her back, looking up at the bright moon. "Funny you should ask because I wanted to talk about that too."

"I'm sorry, Second Brother, but I've already decided to be Lu Han's secretary, and he has agreed. So, I must decline your offer."

In the past, Lu Xue would have been more tactful, not wanting to hurt their nominal sibling relationship. But Lu Han's words had enlightened her: if she didn't like something, she shouldn't feel compelled to consider others' feelings at her own expense.

"Why?" Lu Ming stopped abruptly, questioning her. "Why are you so close to Lu Han?"

"Because he's my brother!" Lu Xue replied, puzzled. "He's been through so much. Shouldn't I treat him well? Besides, I swore at Mom's shrine that I'd take care of him when he came back."

"He's your brother, but am I not your brother too?" Lu Ming's long-suppressed emotions finally boiled over. "Lu Xue, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You know Dad feels guilty about him and will compensate him, probably giving him more of the family fortune, maybe even mine. That's why you're siding with him, right?"

"Hmph, I didn't realize I was so despicable in your eyes," Lu Xue sighed. She realized she had good reasons to dislike Lu Ming, not just because his mother was a mistress but also because of his unstable mental state.

"Do as you please, but Second Brother, considering our shared upbringing, I advise you to stay in your lane. Otherwise, you'll end up with nothing, and don't blame me for not warning you."

With that, she turned and walked away, unaware that Lu Ming's face had twisted into a grimace of rage.

Lu Ming stared at her retreating figure, a manic smile forming on his lips. "If I can't have you, then I won't let you or Lu Han have anything!"

### Lu Han's Day After

Lu Han wasn't privy to the conversation between Lu Ming and Lu Xue, but he felt more trust towards Lu Xue now compared to when he first returned to the Lu family.

After showering, he picked up his phone and saw several WeChat messages. With his new number, his contacts were limited to around a dozen people, none of whom included Lu Ming. Regardless of his father's wishes, Lu Han had no intention of fostering a relationship with his half-brother.

Lying in bed, he opened WeChat. Apart from Shen Luoyan asking if he was asleep, the rest were from Chu Ruoyan, who had sent three consecutive photos of herself in seductive lingerie. Since the first time she sent such pictures, this had become a daily occurrence. Lu Han was curious how long she could keep it up.

Ignoring all messages, he browsed some short videos before going to sleep.

The next morning at 9:30 AM, Lu Han parked his car outside Feicui Garden and messaged Su Qingli. Within ten minutes, she appeared.

Today, the weather was mild, around twenty degrees Celsius. Su Qingli wore a white long-sleeve blouse and tight denim shorts, paired with white sneakers instead of her usual high heels, accentuating her long legs clad in black stockings.

"Where are we going?" she asked, getting into the passenger seat and subtly angling her legs towards Lu Han, hoping for some attention.

However, Lu Han seemed oblivious, focusing on driving. This disappointed Su Qingli, who had carefully chosen her outfit to be both comfortable and alluring.

"There's a photo studio on Renmin Road that specializes in ID photos. I've already made an appointment," Lu Han explained, noticing her disappointment.

"Why did you suddenly want to watch a movie with me?" he asked.

"Why, don't you want to spend time with me?" Su Qingli teased, raising an eyebrow, trying to hide her growing attraction to Lu Han.

"How could I not? You're Jiang City's top beauty. It's an honor to accompany you," Lu Han replied flatteringly.

Su Qingli hummed dismissively, ignoring his compliments.

After a moment of silence, she revealed, "Your childhood friend called me yesterday."

Observing Lu Han's reaction, she found his expression unchanged. 

"Oh, you mean Shen Luoyan," Lu Han said casually. "What did she want?"

"She said she wanted to talk to me," Su Qingli responded, her tone complex. "Don't tell me you didn't notice she sees me as a rival. All your past romantic entanglements are causing me trouble."

"That's hardly trouble," Lu Han shrugged. "Just ignore her."

Su Qingli bit her lip, testing him. "You really don't feel anything for her?"

Lu Han smirked, countering, "Are you hoping I do?"

...

...