Chapter 20: Life is Great, I'm Dying

Xu Xuejiao didn't know why she was so angry.

She just was.

This person... makes no sense!

Who just gives away over ten billion like that?

Lu Chengwen was also confused.

[What's wrong with her? Didn't you ask me for the shares?]

[It's fine if I give you all the shares. Better to lose money than face disaster. Stay away from me in the future, and I might live a few more years.]

[You can go ahead and follow the normal plot, become part of the harem. I'll just stay in the North and live quietly as a rich man. Let's not bother each other.]

[Perfect.]

Xu Xuejiao was even angrier.

Over seventeen billion, 51% of the shares of the Ninth Pharmaceutical Factory, just to... get rid of me?

Just because you hate me and want me out of your life?

Do you really hate me that much?

Xu Xuejiao felt like she had never been so insulted in her life.

A man would rather give up nearly twenty billion in assets just to cut ties with you.

What does that mean?

It means that in his eyes, you're nothing but a ghost!

This is the ultimate level of disrespect!

Tears welled up in Xu Xuejiao's eyes.

Seeing Xu Xuejiao upset, a few people nearby came over.

Xu Xuejiao's team anxiously asked, "Boss Xu, what's wrong? Why are you... crying?"

Lu Chengwen said, "She just made over ten billion. She's emotional."

Xu Xuejiao said, "Go away."

"Oh... okay, we'll be over there if you need us..."

"Go away!" Xu Xuejiao shouted.

The secretary quickly left.

Xu Xuejiao looked at Lu Chengwen: "Do I annoy you that much?"

"Huh?" Lu Chengwen was completely baffled by her.

[Are you crazy?! Are you out of your mind!?]

[You just made over ten billion off me, lady! Go dance with that money!]

[If you gave me your shares, I'd even kowtow to you! I've already transferred everything to you, and you're... still mad?]

[Don't you think this little tantrum of yours is utterly absurd?]

"I... I'm a bit confused," Lu Chengwen said. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

Xu Xuejiao grabbed the contract and tore it to pieces.

Now it was Lu Chengwen's turn to be shocked.

"Xuejiao..."

"Lu Chengwen, I'm not like you. Every penny I earn is through ethical and legal means.

I've never used patients' lives to threaten others in business. You can keep these shares."

"Oh." Lu Chengwen still didn't get it. "Are you... okay?"

"Am I that annoying?"

"Not at all." Lu Chengwen scratched his cheek. "You're actually quite cute."

"Then why do you always want me to disappear?"

[Is it that obvious?]

Lu Chengwen felt a pang of guilt.

"That's not the case, it's just... well, since we were kids, haven't you always disliked me?

Shouldn't you be happy if I disappear?"

Xu Xuejiao took a deep breath. "I've changed my mind. I want to get to know you better."

Xu Xuejiao, like a master of facial expressions, wiped away her tears and instantly flashed a bright smile:

"From today on, I'm going to be with you every day. The more you hate me, the more I'll stick around. I'll annoy you to death!"

Lu Chengwen wasn't afraid of much, but this scared him.

He looked at the female lead in horror.

"Why!?"

Lu Chengwen said, "This makes no sense! What's wrong with all of you!? Leng Qingqiu's like this, and now you're like this too. What's going on? She looks down on me, thinks I'm a spineless loser. You've always thought I was shady, and we've barely spoken in years. What's happened to you all in the past couple of days? Can't you let me live?"

"Are you going to get engaged to Leng Qingqiu?"

"Engaged to her? No way!" Lu Chengwen was agitated. "I want to live a few more years!"

Xu Xuejiao looked at Lu Chengwen: "Good, then get engaged to me."

Lu Chengwen had just taken a sip of coffee and spat it out upon hearing this.

He choked and couldn't speak for a while.

Xu Xuejiao just frowned at him.

Lu Chengwen patted his chest and wiped his clothes, busy for a while: "Sis, don't scare me. I'm not cut out for this. That's not a joke you should make."

Xu Xuejiao rested her arm on the table, propping her chin with one hand, smiling as she looked at Lu Chengwen.

"Chengwen, I think you've changed a lot over the years."

"Huh? Have I?"

"I don't know what's gotten into you recently, but I think you're a pretty good person."

Lu Chengwen sighed: "I've got things to do. I'll head out first."

...

Sitting in the back seat of the car, Lu Chengwen silently looked out the window.

The direction things were going was getting a bit weird!

I can't keep sealing Long Aotian anymore.

Either seal him forever or not at all. Sealing him day by day is driving me crazy.

I need to release him soon, let him deal with the harem of female leads.

Otherwise, why are all these girls always circling around me?

First, Leng Qingqiu suddenly agreed to get engaged yesterday, and today she tried to kiss me.

Now Xu Xuejiao seems to be looking at me differently too, even suggesting we get engaged.

Even if it was a joke, I can't afford to joke like that.

If this keeps up, I'm bound to slip up sooner or later.

No, I need to... make them dislike me, find me annoying, and want to stay as far away from me as possible.

I've run into too many female leads today. I need a break.

Chen Moqun called, saying his grandfather wanted to see Lu Chengwen.

Lu Chengwen didn't want to go at first, but then he thought, there's still a long time until noon tomorrow. If I wander around outside, I might run into another female lead.

Fine! I'll go to the Chen family, drink with Chen Moqun until dawn, then sleep until after noon. That should do it, right?

Brother Aotian, you really need to pick up the pace. Hurry up and take care of these female leads. I'm living like a thief here.

When he arrived at the Chen family, after chatting with Chen Qiushou for a bit, he dragged Chen Moqun to his floor.

The two of them sat on chairs on the balcony, watching the sunset, drinking red wine, and smoking cigars.

Chen Moqun said, "How's it going with Leng Qingqiu? Did you seal the deal?"

Lu Chengwen laughed: "Seal the deal? I sent her away as soon as she woke up."

Chen Moqun was shocked, then gave a thumbs up: "Nice! You've got willpower! I, Chen Moqun, have never admired anyone in my life, but I admire you."

"You're not getting any younger. Find something to do. You can't just idle around all day."

"I heard you saw my sister?"

"Yeah, I saw her."

At that moment, Chen Mengyun happened to walk into the hall.

She had come to argue with Chen Moqun over some expenses, but as she entered the hall, she saw, besides her brother, a familiar figure sitting on the balcony smoking a cigar.

Chen Moqun said, "I suggest you break things off with Leng Qingqiu and come back to pursue my sister. My sister hasn't had a boyfriend since she broke up with you. If you didn't take her virginity, then it's still there."

"You sure about that? Her butt looks pretty full. Might not be the original model."

Chen Mengyun was furious.

These two were birds of a feather, partners in crime.

Whenever they got together, nothing good ever happened!

To talk about her like that behind her back—one was her first love, the other her own brother. They should have been the closest people to her, but instead, they spoke of her with no respect, just... that tone.

Chen Moqun said, "My sister is 100% original! After breaking up with you, she threw herself into work, often working over ten hours a day, like a madwoman."

"Half a year later, she took over the management of a subsidiary, and became even more unapproachable. All she cared about was work."

Lu Chengwen said, "I know. Is she still pushing herself that hard?"

"Not anymore, she doesn't need to." Chen Moqun said, "She's already got a firm grasp on the group's operations, and her skills are well-honed. She doesn't need to work as hard now. So this is the perfect opportunity! If you just show half the enthusiasm you did for Leng Qingqiu, I guarantee my sister will be your little white horse, ready for you to ride."

Chen Mengyun was livid.

What kind of brother talks about his sister like that? It was disgusting!

But then Lu Chengwen suddenly said something serious:

"Hey, hey, hey, please don't talk about your sister like that anymore. She's your sister, show some respect."

"I'm not saying this to outsiders, you're one of us! I'm telling you, while my grandfather is still alive, if you want to win over my sister, no one in the family will dare to oppose it, especially with me on your side!"

Lu Chengwen looked at the setting sun and smiled wryly: "It's too late. It's impossible between us now."

"Why? It's just because of what happened back then. That's nothing! Which rich second-generation hasn't done something crazy? As long as you treat my sister well from now on, our family will fully support you."

Lu Chengwen thought to himself, you have no idea what's really going on. This isn't just about the two of us. There's a male lead in the middle of all this.

I'm not a saint, but there's some meat I just can't touch, not even look at!

Lu Chengwen laughed: "You should worry about yourself. Maybe you should settle down. Having family responsibilities can help you mature."

Chen Moqun sighed: "It feels... unrealistic."

"Why?"

Lu Chengwen turned to look at Chen Moqun: "Let me tell you, the essence of life is family—a wife, kids, and a warm home. Imagine having someone who truly loves you. Just seeing her warms your heart, and she smiles when she sees you. Isn't that wonderful?"

"For love, you take care of each other during the day, and at night, you get under the covers and have no shame. That's true happiness."

"When you have kids, you see a little life come into the world, and the two of you are busy raising them. When they call you 'Daddy,' that feeling is a million times better than fooling around with a bunch of vixens in some nightclub!"

Chen Mengyun was stunned.

This guy, who usually spouts nonsense, actually said something profound?

Chen Mengyun couldn't help but smile.

Chen Moqun looked at Lu Chengwen as if he were seeing a completely different person.

"Damn! How did you... suddenly get so deep? Dude, you're a shady businessman. Why do you sound like some wise sage now?"

Lu Chengwen sighed: "The right path in life is full of hardships. The flashy world can be overwhelming. A real man should stay true to himself, no matter how chaotic or glamorous the world gets. Don't be vain, don't depravation, don't go with the flow, don't lose yourself. Hold onto what truly matters in life. That's what makes a man."

Not only was Chen Moqun stunned, but even Chen Mengyun behind them smiled.

This guy, isn't he quite insightful?

These two troublemakers actually have sharper minds than anyone, but they just refuse to use them for good.

Back in school, they were always competing to see who could be the bigger troublemaker.

Chen Moqun looked at Lu Chengwen and shook his head: "Have you been through something recently? Is your brain okay?

From what you're saying, are you really going to turn over a new leaf?"

Lu Chengwen laughed: "I'm not turning over any new leaf. A man's gotta have his fun."

Chen Moqun suddenly realized: "Oh, so you've got a new target? How does she compare to my sister?"

"Your sister..." Lu Chengwen deliberately paused. "She's got a killer body. Speaking of which, has her chest gotten bigger? It looks like those two treasures are about to burst out of her clothes any second."

Chen Mengyun was instantly furious.

These two idiots! Just when they start saying something sensible, they immediately go back to being inappropriate!

"Hahaha!" Chen Moqun laughed. "Tell me the truth, did you ever seal the deal with my sister back then? Swear it!"

"No!"

"I don't believe you!"

Lu Chengwen smirked: "Let me tell you, that day everything was set. Your sister was all cleaned up and ready, lying there waiting for me to have my way."

"Damn, you finally admitted it!"

"But you know what happened next?"

"You... didn't... just finish, did you?"

"No!" Lu Chengwen gritted his teeth and pinched Chen Moqun's cheek. "You got into a fight and called me. I had to pull up my pants and rush out!"

"Was that... the fight with Bao Lao Liu?"

"Exactly!"

"Hahahaha..."

The two troublemakers burst into laughter.

Despite the absurdity, recalling their youthful misadventures after so many years brought them a sense of nostalgia and joy.

Chen Mengyun walked over with a stern face: "Do you want more wine?"

"Yeah, open another bottle."

Chen Moqun replied naturally.

Lu Chengwen leaned closer to Chen Moqun, grinning mischievously: "You have no idea how much you ruined for me that day! Your sister was blushing like a monkey's butt, lying there completely naked, shyly biting the corner of the blanket, not resisting at all. I was just about to..."

Chen Moqun was intrigued: "Go on! Tell me, tell me!"

Lu Chengwen slowly turned his head and saw Chen Mengyun standing there, glaring at him coldly.

[I'm dead.]