The greed of men

Lu Han spent a full five days with Shen Luoyan before returning to the Lu family estate. As soon as he changed into slippers, Lu Xue came running out, having heard him come in.

"Brother, you're back?"

The girl didn't ask where Lu Han had been or why he hadn't returned for several days. Adults have their own private lives, but the faint scent of perfume on him suggested he had been with another woman. It probably wasn't Su Qingli, though. Girls are usually very sensitive to perfumes, and Lu Xue could tell this wasn't the one her future sister-in-law used.

Lu Han grunted in acknowledgment, thinking how good life was now. He could tease Su Qingli without consequences, enjoy the company of the ever-compliant Shen Luoyan outside, and return to the Lu estate where Lu Xue greeted him so sweetly.

As for Chu Ruoyan, she had sent a WeChat message a couple of days ago saying she had been discharged from the hospital, followed by a more explicit photo. The woman lay flat on the bed, her bare legs particularly striking, wearing only black lace underwear on the bottom and nothing on top, covering her chest with one hand in a teasing manner. This was clearly an attempt to continue her flirtatious behavior. It was hard to understand what she was thinking—so proud before the breakup, now shameless afterward. Was this the legendary "love-chasing funeral pyre"? Lu Han still couldn't figure out what game Chu Ruoyan was playing.

Late love is cheaper than grass; forgiveness was impossible. However, if she wanted to push from behind while he led the way, it might not be too bad. Chu Ruoyan, if you truly regret your actions, then use your entire life to atone. As the saying goes, don't miss out on good women, and don't waste time on bad ones. Of course, the prerequisite is that she remains pure; Lu Han had no interest in picking up someone else's leftovers.

Lu Xue, dressed in a cartoon pajama set and bunny-themed slippers, looked every bit the charming young girl. She tugged at Lu Han's arm, saying, "Come, let's go to my room."

Lu Han felt a bit uneasy, knowing they weren't blood-related, but since the girl didn't mind, he decided not to overthink it. This was his first time entering Lu Xue's bedroom, which was primarily decorated in light pink and white, showing her cleanliness and tidiness. The room smelled distinctly of a long-term female occupant.

Several evening dresses were laid out on the bed. Lu Xue pouted, looking troubled. "Brother, which one should I wear for your engagement party?"

Lu Han realized that it was indeed four days until October 10th, the day of his engagement ceremony with Su Qingli. Looking at the various colored dresses, he noticed there were none in white. "Aren't you fond of white? Why isn't there any here?"

"Silly brother, Sister Qingli will definitely wear white. If I wore white too, wouldn't that look odd?" Lu Xue scolded playfully, thinking that Lu Han hadn't even considered this, which seemed disrespectful to Su Qingli.

Lu Han nodded in agreement and pointed to a moon-yellow dress. "Then choose this one. It suits you well."

"Wait a moment, I'll try it on."

Lu Xue gave him a shy glance before heading into the bathroom. As she took off her pajamas, the thought of Lu Han just on the other side of the wall made her feel a bit embarrassed. The sliding door couldn't be locked from the inside. What if he came in? But she quickly dismissed such thoughts; Lu Han was a gentleman, after all.

Unaware of Lu Xue's internal struggle, Lu Han sat on the bed and glanced at a photo frame on the desk—a woman in her thirties holding a girl around seven or eight years old. Without a doubt, it was their mother when she was younger and a young Lu Xue. Lu Han picked up the frame; the girl's smile was bright, and their mother looked kind, though a hint of sadness lingered in her eyes.

After some rustling in the bathroom, Lu Xue emerged. Seeing Lu Han staring at the photo, she felt a mix of anxiety and guilt. He had been away for over twenty years, missing out on the maternal love that she had taken for granted. Would this become a source of resentment?

"Brother, do I look good?" Lu Xue mentally scolded herself for not putting the photo away beforehand. She feared that seeing it might create distance between them.

Lu Han put down the frame and turned to look at her. Lu Xue found a pair of lotus-pink high heels and showed off her outfit by spinning around.

"You look beautiful," Lu Han nodded, adding a touch of admiration. The outfit perfectly balanced youthful innocence and mature elegance, making her irresistibly attractive. Had Su Qingli not been the main attraction at the engagement party, Lu Xue's appearance might have stolen the show.

"Then I'll wear this one." Lu Xue opened a safe and pulled out some jewelry Lu Han had given her earlier, treasured not for its value but for the sentiment. She chose a sapphire necklace and asked, "Brother, can you help me put this on?"

Lu Han helped her fasten it, but Lu Xue wasn't entirely satisfied when she checked in the mirror. After trying different combinations, she finally settled on one she liked.

With Lu Xue's outfit sorted, Lu Han had no reason to stay longer. However, as he left the room, he ran into Lu Ming, who had just returned.

Seeing Lu Han exit Lu Xue's room, Lu Ming remained outwardly calm but internally seethed with anger. That was Lu Xue's room, a place he had never been allowed to enter freely, despite living under the same roof for over a decade. He had only glimpsed inside through cracks in the door.

"Lu Han, we need to talk?" Lu Ming narrowed his eyes, knowing they were alone.

"Now?" Lu Han raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, now."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time right now."

Lu Han called out, "Xuexue, my shoulders are a bit sore. I'm going back to take a shower. Can you give me a massage later?"

Lu Xue's melodious voice came through the door, "Sure, I'll come to see you in twenty minutes?"

"OK, waiting for you. By the way, those grapes you fed me last time were delicious. Do you have more?"

"Yes, I'll wash some and bring them over."

Lu Han shrugged at Lu Ming. "You see, I really don't have time."

"Then let's talk after dinner tonight," Lu Ming said, taking a deep breath to suppress his anger as he entered his room. He told himself to endure a little longer. Once Lu Han got married and moved out, he and Lu Xue could return to their previous closeness. Perhaps there would be a chance then. 

Lu Ming truly didn't want to resort to underhanded methods to win the heart of the woman he loved. Men are greedy, and he wanted both Lu Xue's affection and her heart.

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