Damn reserve

In the evening, the siblings gathered together again. Even the servants in the villa knew that Miss Lu Xue was particularly attached to her newly returned brother, Lu Han. Whenever Lu Han was home, they spent almost all their time together, except for sleeping.

This wasn't surprising; Lu Xue had been raised by her adoptive mother, and Lu Han was her only son. Their close relationship was perfectly normal.

"Xuexue, Lu Ming likes you," Lu Han said suddenly, looking at the girl who was scrolling through her phone while lounging on the sofa. "Not as a sister, but as a man liking a woman."

He thought it was better to inform Lu Xue about this, so she wouldn't be blindsided.

"I know," Lu Xue replied without even lifting her eyes, her slender fingers scrolling through an article titled "Practical Tips for Corporate Secretaries."

She was preparing to start working at Su Corporation with Lu Han and wanted to get a head start on some theoretical knowledge before diving into practical experience.

"You knew?" This time, it was Lu Han's turn to be surprised.

Lu Xue nodded, still not taking her eyes off the screen. "Someone like Lu Ming wouldn't waste his time on someone who doesn't reciprocate his feelings."

"I'm not his real sister, and I've always been indifferent towards him. Why would he still treat me so well?"

"If it were just for show in front of Dad, I could understand, but he acts the same way privately. That's not normal."

"So what does he want?"

"When you think about it, the answer is obvious."

Women's intuition can be remarkably accurate, especially for Lu Xue, who always felt somewhat out of place in the Lu family. While she could afford to be a bit spoiled given the love from her adoptive parents, she still had to tread carefully.

But Lu Xue couldn't help wondering why Lu Ming was interested in her. Was it because he saw her as unattainable and thus more desirable?

"Alright, as long as you're aware of it," Lu Han said, intending to give Lu Xue a heads-up. "I thought you might find it disgusting."

Lu Xue continued browsing her phone, not responding to that comment.

Disgusting? There was no blood relation between them, so why should it be disgusting?

Feeling a bit thirsty, Lu Xue picked up a cup from the coffee table and drank from it without caring that it was one Lu Han had used.

...

The next morning, a group of relatives descended upon the Lu estate, all related to Lu Han's mother's side of the family. After brief pleasantries, they began complaining about various hardships—poor market conditions, struggling businesses, and difficulties finding jobs for their children.

They didn't ask how Lu Han had been or where he had been all these years. Instead, they hinted that as family, he should naturally take care of them.

After lunch, they finally managed to send off these shameless relatives. Just as Lu Han was breathing a sigh of relief, he received a call from Su Qingli.

"Lu Han, do you have time this afternoon?" Su Qingli's melodic voice came through the phone. "The design company has finished the plans. Let's go take a look."

They had spent days visiting several properties and ultimately decided on Villa No. 6 at Yihé Biyuan. The only downside was that Lu Han refused to add his name to the property deed.

Su Qingli didn't press the issue and contacted the design company after completing the paperwork. As a partner closely associated with Su Corporation, the company worked overtime to finalize the design.

Lu Han, having nothing else planned, agreed. "Sure, where are you? I'll come pick you up."

Half an hour later, he parked his car outside Su Corporation. Sending a quick WeChat message, Su Qingli soon appeared, dressed in a tight business suit with black patent leather high heels. Her stunning appearance immediately drew the attention of passersby.

"Lu Han, what have you been up to these past few days?" Su Qingli got into the passenger seat and naturally angled her legs toward him.

Actually, she had worn trousers to work but changed into thick tights and a skirt before coming down. Sure enough, as soon as she adjusted her seating, Lu Han placed his hand on her leg.

Comfortable now, Su Qingli felt herself becoming hopelessly smitten with these little moments of affection from Lu Han.

Lu Han casually replied, "Just eating and sleeping at home. I feel like I've put on a bit of weight."

"Oh," Su Qingli responded, feeling a bit disappointed.

That dog of a man, he could have called or messaged her if he had nothing to do at home...

How inconsiderate!

Su Qingli sighed inwardly, regretting her previous scheme. It seemed increasingly difficult to maintain the pretense of a fake engagement with Lu Han.

Perhaps... she should be direct. But she quickly dismissed the idea. It had only been a month. How could she explain going from indifferent to infatuated with Lu Han? Not even she believed it herself.

If she confessed directly, how would Lu Han react? Would he think she was after the Lu family's power or backing out of their deal due to the difficulty of earning 3 billion in two years?

Women in love often overthink things. Despite being hailed as Jiangcheng's top beauty, Su Qingli wasn't immune to these insecurities. Especially since Lu Han was her first true love.

"What are you thinking about? You seem distracted," Lu Han asked as he started the car, noticing her contemplative expression.

"Oh, nothing," Su Qingli pretended nonchalance. "Just feeling a bit sentimental. I haven't had a proper romance, and now we're heading straight for engagement and marriage. It feels like something's missing."

"Why don't you pursue me?" she joked. "Even if it's just pretend, it would satisfy my vanity a bit."

How many sincere words are spoken in jest? Su Qingli used to laugh at April Fool's Day confessions, but now she found herself in a similar situation.

It was hard to describe the feeling, but it was a strategy nonetheless. Maybe if Lu Han pursued her, he might actually fall for her.

"That's too much," Lu Han remained unmoved. "You proposed the arrangement and drafted the prenup. It didn't include such games."

"And it's unfair to expect me to chase you. I don't know how to court women."

Su Qingli wanted to say she was easy to woo, but held back.

Ah, this cursed pride.

"By the way, there's something I need to tell you," Lu Han glanced at Su Qingli. "For the engagement party invitations, I need to add one more."

"To whom?" Su Qingli asked curiously. Each family usually sends their own invitations. Who did Lu Han need to invite separately, and why did he mention it?

Lu Han paused briefly before saying softly, "Shen Luoyan also wants to come."

...

...