CH 21
Chapter 21: Don’t Dislike Me
Lu Junting was still very busy. He only came out to accompany Lin Xiyu for a maternity checkup for half a day, and after eating and sending Lin Xiyu home, he went to the company again. Lu Junting held a meeting in the afternoon, he sat on the back seat and pressed his eyebrows with his fingers. The car started to drive for a while and then suddenly stopped. Lu Junting’s face was slightly sinking and asked, “What’s wrong?”
The driver pointed to the front, Lu Junting looked up and saw that there was a person in front of the car. At this time, in the underground garage of Changheng Group, Shen Jimei recognized his car and deliberately waited for him there.
The car stopped, Shen Jimei went to the back window and knocked. Lu Junting rolled down the window, and the cold face was like telling the visitor that his patience was limited.
“Need something?” Lu Junting asked her.
Shen Jimei knew how hateful Lu Junting was when he was impatient with a person, so she simply said straight to the point: “Why does your wife look like me, is she the stand-in you are looking for? You’re in love with me, right?”
“Stand-in? Does Miss Shen take herself too seriously?” Lu Junting frowned slightly, and his expression became more and more obvious, making people subconsciously afraid, and he opened his mouth lightly and said, “She is not anyone’s stand-in.”
Regarding Lu Junting’s ex-girlfriend, Lin Xiyu forgot about it within a few days, that is, she was uncomfortable for a while when she learned that she was being used as a stand-in.
Maybe she had a good feeling about Lu Junting because he was the father of her child, because he was considerate and caring, but she knew that she and Lu Junting were not in the same league. They were not each other’s type, and her good feeling on him was not out of like or love, it was just for the same reason—— Hoping for the child to be born smoothly.
Lin Xiyu was quite thoughtful, as long as everyone was at peace with each other until the child was born.
That afternoon, Lin Xiyu had just finished drinking the soup to protect the fetus when she received a call from old madam Lu, who said that she wanted to introduce someone to her.
“She is the grandnephew’s wife from my maiden family, who also just had a baby, a little princess, chubby and adorable. You guys can share the experience when you get to know each other. She is a very humorous person, very amusing.”
Lin Xiyu was worried about knowing too few pregnant women to communicate to share experience, and when she heard this from old madam Lu, she did not think long before agreeing.
Old madam Lu said, “Then you take the time to come back, come to the house to get to know each other first. If you can talk, then add contact information to each other.”
After Lu Junting came back from work, Lin Xiyu told him about it, and Lu Junting had no reason to object, saying. “I’ll send you back this weekend.”
“It’s okay, just let the driver take me back.”
Lu Junting said, “I happen to have something to discuss with grandpa.”
Alright then, Lin Xiyu did not reject it any further.
On the weekend, both of them went back to Lu’s house together, and old madam Lu pulled Lin Xiyu to chat for a while. Lu Yuan happened to be home as well, and joined them to have a chat with Lin Xiyu.
Old madam Lu saw that the time was almost up, and ordered the maid to wait for Miss Sun at the door, so that she could receive her in as soon as she arrived.
Shen Jimei knew that Lu Junting had a place to live outside, but she did not know the exact address, but she knew the address of Lu’s house. One of her friends and Lu Junting’s friend was a couple, and she also knew Lu Junting through this friend. That friend had told her the address of Lu’s house.
It was not easy to see Lu Junting, it was even more difficult to see Lu Junting and her wife appear together. Shen Jimei originally only wanted to try her luck and wait on the road not far from Lu's house, but she did not expect to really see Lu Junting’s car. He should have taken his wife with him when he returned to the Lu family, right?
Shen Jimei drove the car to the door of Lu’s house and stopped. From the outside, she could only see the majestic roof of the Lu family’s house, there was a maid standing at the door. Shen Jimei took a deep breath, holding the prepared documents. She knew that it was not easy to enter Lu’s house, and was about to pretend to be Lu Junting’s assistant to come and deliver something, who knew that she had not yet opened her mouth, and the maid smiled at her. “You are Miss Sun, right? Come in with me, everyone is waiting for you.”
Shen Jimei did not know who Miss Sun was, but since he had the opportunity to enter Lu's house, she would temporarily impersonate Miss Sun. To Shen Jimei’s surprise, she really entered Lu’s house smoothly.
In the living room, everyone was sitting together and laughing. The maid came in and said, “Miss Sun is here.”
Everyone looked up and saw a girl coming in behind the maid. Lin Xiyu looked at the girl who came in and could not help but be surprised. She had an impression of this girl, wasn’t this Lu Junting’s ex-girlfriend? How could she be Miss Sun?
Old madam Lu looked at the girl who came in and doubted. “This is……”
The maid was also surprised, “Isn’t this Miss Sun?” The maid had never seen Miss Sun, and the person admitted that she was Miss Sun after she asked her.
Shen Jimei walked up and greeted old madam Lu politely, “Hello grandma Lu, I’m Lu Junting’s ex-girlfriend, my name is Shen Jimei.”
The surrounding suddenly fell silent, and all eyes fell on Lu Junting’s face. Old Mr. Lu was the first to come back to his senses and said in a cold voice, “Lu Junting, what’s going on here?”
Lu Junting’s face was cold, and he asked Shen Jimei, “What are you doing here?”
The warning in his tone was too obvious, even if his voice was not loud, but the words mixed with his aura. So, the sound of his words could not help but shake people’s hearts.
Shen Jimei tried to keep herself calm, and said, “Don’t misunderstand. Lu Junting and I have broken up. I just came here to get my things back.”
“Your things? Why don’t I know that you have something here?”
Lu Junting sat back in his chair. His face had returned as usual, and he asked slowly and logically, but with a full sense of oppression.
Shen Jimei took a deep breath and said, “The drawing I sent you. The drawing depicts the two of us. When I was a little girl, I sat next to you to blow the wound for you. Do you remember this drawing?”
Shen Jimei’s eyes showed a little provocation, her gaze swept over towards Lin Xiyu. and she wondered if this woman had seen that drawing, the one that Lu Junting had protect as an apple of his eyes.
Lu Junting’s perfomance was calmer than she thought, or maybe this person was originally this unfathomable. His tone did not even have much ripple, “Then you should tell me what brush you used, and what kind of paint is it? I’ll see if it’s the one I know.”
“It was a long time ago, I forgot.”
Lu Junting had no patience to deal with her, “Don’t mess around here.” He gestured at the maid, “Send this person out.”
Shen Jimei had come to Lu’s house with great difficulty, she had not finished her words. Seeing the maid coming towards her, she had to seize the time to say what she wanted to do. She looked at Lin Xiyu and sneered, “I don’t know what your name is, but seeing that you are younger than me, I will call you sister. Little sister, you are young, but don’t be deceived by Lu Junting, don’t you find that we look a bit alike? Lu Junting uses you as a stand-in!”
This remark did not make Lin Xiyu react much, but Lu Yuan, who was sitting next to Lin Xiyu, exploded. “Where does this crazy woman come from ah? What nonsense are you talking about?” Lu Yuan was about to stand up after saying that, but Lin Xiyu hurriedly pulled her back.
Old madam Lu was obviously irritated, and she reprimanded. “You came to my house without permission, and I’m not arguing with you, so what nonsense are you babbling about now? What are you still standing there for, get this person out of here.”
Old madam Lu was usually kind, but when she got angry, she was quite scary.
A few maids went up together, directly dragged Shen Jimei to the door rudely. Shen Jimei was not willing, and turned back to Lin Xiyu and said, “I kindly remind you. Lu Junting may only think of you as one of the stand-ins, you have to pay good attention.”
Old madam Lu coldly glanced at Lu Junting and said, “Your business, you go and solve it yourself.”
Lu Junting got up and went outside. This time old madam Lu hurriedly said to Lin Xiyu, “Xixi, don’t take that woman’s words to heart, what about this stand-in or not, it’s been years since Junting and that woman dated. She just doesn’t have a good heart and is deliberately giving you a hard time. If you get angry about it, you’ll fall for her plan.”
Lin Xiyu smiled, and comforted old madam Lu instead, “Grandma, don’t worry, I don’t take it to heart.”
Old madam Lu was relieved to see that she really did not look angry, and said, “I will let Junting give you an explanation for this matter, and we won’t let you suffer this grievance in vain.”
Shen Jimei was brought outside the gate by the maid, and followed by Lu Junting. Shen Jimei tidied up her clothes that were rubbed and shoved by the maid, and smiled mockingly at Lu Junting. “Do you believe it or not, your wife must have started to suspect now that you are really using her as a stand-in, and this doubt will follow her for the rest of her life from now on.”
Lu Junting’s expression did not have much of a wave, he looked at her so calmly. The look in his eyes made her feel like he was looking at a trivial jumping clown.
This made Shen Jimer a little frustrated.
After a moment of silence, Lu Jutning suddenly took out his mobile phone and made a call.
“Lawyer Zhang, have you collected all the evidence of Shen Jimei’s embezzlement of the company’s public funds that I asked you to collect last time? Very good. Now, you help me get this evidence to the money prosecutor. And also… Use all the methods you can use to deal with this matter well, and it’s best to let Shen Jimei go to jail.”
After Lu Junting said this calmly, he hung up the phone, but Shen Jimei’s complexion changed, “Lu Junting, what do you mean?”
“Get paid to do a job and leave when it’s done. Why do you want to make trouble in front of my family? Are you really taking yourself seriously?”
She and Lu Junting did start with a deal. At that time, there were some not-so-good rumors about Lu Junting, such as the rumors that he was gay. His family was worried when they learned of these rumors. Presumably to reassure them and so he could use his energy on his word without worrying, and it just so happened that they had just met at that time, so he offered to have her pretend to be his girlfriend and he would pay her. She and Lu Junting knew about this matter, and she was known to the public as Lu Junting’s girlfriend.
At that time, she was very confident, thinking that he could fall in love with her. She wanted to retreat to advance, and deliberately mentioned the breakup, but she did not expect that he did not take it seriously at all. Instead, she kept thinking about him for a long time, making herself good for him and often going to his favorite restaurants just to have a chance encounter with him.
Shen Jimei was considered a well-off family, but she had always spent a lot of money, and her family could not help her pay all the bills. She entered a company as an accountant after graduation, using her position to embezzle a lot of money from the company to meet her own consumption. Although the embezzled money would also be made up later, the embezzlement of public funds did exist.
What she was shocked about now was not just why Lu Junting knew about it, but why Lu Junting was investigating her, why he wanted to get evidence of her embezzlement. It was obvious that he had not just started today, he had had someone prepare for it a long time ago.
Shen Jimei was angry. “Lu Junting, why are you investigating me?”
Lu Junting said slowly, “Are you not clear? The best thing I can do is plan ahead.” His gaze turned cold, but his tone remained slow, “To prevent people like you who aren’t sensible.”
“Good luck, Miss Shen.”
After he said this, he turned and left.
Things were developing too fast, completely out of Shen Jimei’s expectation. The anger that Lu Junting would even send her to jail has outweighed everything, Shen Jimei suppressed her anger and rushed to his back, “Lu Junting, you won't really let me go to jail right?”
Lu Junting ignored her, and left without looking back.
Lu Junting returned to the living room, and only old madam Lu and Zhang Yao were there. Seeing him, old madam Lu glanced at him and asked in a deep voice, “Is it resolved?”
Lu Junting said, “All solved, where did Xixi go?”
Old madam Lu said, “She went to the tea room with Lu Yuan to eat snacks.”
The tea room was a water pavilion inside the Chinese garden of the Lu family’s backyard, built on the waterfront and connected by winding corridors on the three sides.
“Why do you think that woman is so shameless ah, it’s been so long since they broke up. She knows my eldest brother is married and still comes to provoke. Why did you just stop me> I have no place to vent my anger, I’m dying of anger.”
Lu Yuan hammered the table and Lin Xiyu felt that she was going crazy.
“Okay, the person is gone, what’s the point of thinking so much?”
Lu Yuan glanced at her, the beef jerky was quite good, she was chewing quite happily. Lu Yuan looked angry, “Why didn’t you say a word just now ah? Didn’t you hear her say you were a stand-in? What a big face ah, and a stand-in, who does she think she is. You should stand up and kill her directly.”
Lu Junting walked outside the water pavilion, the soundproofing was not very good, the sound of talking inside came out clearly, the movement he was about to knock on the door paused when he heard the conversation inside.
Lin Xiyu shrugged her shoulders when she heard this, and said indifferently, “Maybe I’m really a stand-in.”
Lu Yuan’s angry expression froze for a moment, and she stared at Lin Xiyu’s face for several seconds and asked, “How do you know?”
Lin Xiyu said, “She’s right, I do look a little bit like her, maybe that’s why brother Junting didn’t hold back that night.”
“It can’t be right?” Although Lu Yuan said this, she also had a little doubt on her face, “If my eldest brother really uses you as a stand-in, then he is a bit of a bastard.” Lu Yuan was afraid that she would affect Lin Xiyu’s mood as she was pregnant, she was about to comfort her, but she saw that Lin Xiyu looked as if nothing was wrong. She had been chewing beef jerky since she entered the tea room, and she was eating quite vigorously. She knew Lin Xiyu very well, usually when she was in a bad mood it would affect her appetite, in other words, when she had a good appetite, her mood not too much of a problem, Lu Yuan asked with a puzzled look, “You just don’t care at all?”
“Care about what?”
“My eldest brother is using you as a stand-in ah.”
“What’s there to care about, it’s not like you don’t know about my situation with brother Junting. It’s just a short-lasting relationship with a child that forced us to get married.”
“But you’re his wife after all ah.”
Lin Xiyu simply replied, “What about being his wife? I don’t like him, what he thinks, it has nothing to do with me.”
The door made of wood was not soundproofed well, and Lin Xiyu’s words naturally reached Lu Junting’s ears, who was standing outside the door at this moment.
As soon as Lin Xiyu’s voice fell, she heard a knock on the door that was not light or heavy. Lu Yuan responded, and the door was pushed open. Lu Junting came in from outside.
He seemed to be covered with the autumn coldness. As soon as he walked in, the room was suddenly several degrees colder.
Upon seeing him come in, Lu Yuan stood up like a mouse seeing a cat and said, “That, I have something to do so I’ll leave first, you guys take your time and talk.” After speaking, she slipped away and ran.
Lin Xiyu did not expect Lu Junting to come over, she was holding a piece of beef jerky in her hand. As soon as he came in, she subconsciously put it back. There was still some in her mouth that she had not swallowed, this beef jerky was very chewy and she could not chew it after a long time. Lu Junting swept a glance towards her, Lin Xiyu was a bit embarrassed and covered her mouth to swallow the beef jerky with a few hard chews. She greeted him with a dry smile, “Brother Junting.”
Lu Junting sat down in the position where Lu Yuan had just sat. The two of them were separated by a tea table, and he glanced at her. Since he came in, the girl had been sitting upright, just like a student who saw a teacher enter the classroom for inspection.
“Is the beef jerky delicious?”
“It’s delicious.” Lin Xiyu said honestly.
“If it’s delicious, just continue to eat it.”
“No more, I just ate quite a lot.”
The two fell silent. The tea room was not large, the surrounding environment was secluded, and the silence made the place cramped. Lu Junting’s presence was too strong, and this self-repelling aura made Lin Xiyu quickly fidget.
“This matter is something I didn’t handle well, and I’m sorry. But, you don’t have to take Shen Jimei’s words to heart.” Lu Junting suddenly spoke, “I’ve already broken up with her for many years, and I have never contacted her again after the breakup. You are not anyone’s stand-in, you are yourself.”
Was he afraid that she would be overly concerned, and he deliberately explained it to her? Lin Xiyu did not want him to feel that she took this matter to heart and felt guilty. She hurriedly made her attitude clear and said, “It doesn’t matter brother Junting, I don’t take it seriously. Even if you really treat me as a stand-in, there is nothing to be sorry for, you are already good enough for me. There is nothing you owe me, anyway, we’ll separate after the child is born, the stand-in doesn’t really matter, you don’t need to feel guilty or anything. We’ll just get along like before.”
Lin Xiyu had thought that her explanation would make Lu Junting breathe a sigh of relief, but there was no expression of relief on his face. Upon hearing her words, his gaze suddenly fell on her. She could obviously feel that the aura around him turned cold, and there was a little anger in his eyes when he looked at her.
A person like Lu Junting was the best at hiding his emotions, but now, she could clearly feel that he was angry.
Lin Xiyu felt inexplicable. She carefully tried to ask, “Brother Junting, what’s wrong?”
Her trembling eyes held an inquiring look, like a small animal facing a threat, fear clearly etched on her face. Lu Junting turned his head back, his face quickly returned to normal as he stood up and said, “Nothing, let’s go back first.”
Lin Xiyu was slightly relieved, she got up and left with him, but as soon as the door of the water pavilion was pulled open, Lu Junfeng was standing outside the door.
The weather in the autumn was more severe. There was no sun today, the sky was cloudy and the wind was blowing, adding a little coolness. Dyed with the depression of autumn, Lu Junfeng’s face was also gloomy.
“What are you doing here?” Lu Junting asked.
Lu Junfeng’s hands on his side clenched into fists, and he said, “I heard everything you said, you weren’t together before you got married, right?”
Lin Xiyu’s face changed drastically, how could she let Lu Junfeng know by such a coincidence.
Lu Junfeng went on. “I once knew the date of Xixi’s pregnancy from Yan Yutong, and I calculated that it should have been conceived near the day she graduated. I remember that day Xixi was drunk, and I asked my eldest brother to find a female assistant to pick her up, and then I asked the hotel manager that the person who picked her up that day was you. I had my doubts, but I’m now sure that you had sex on that day, and you took advantage of Xixi’s drunkenness to force her, right?”
Lu Junfeng’s words were not polite at all, Lin Xiyu was startled and broke out in a cold sweat as she hurriedly said, “It’s not what you think, you can’t blame brother Junting for what happened that day.”
Lu Junfeng had been suppressing his anger, and upon hearing Lin Xiyu’s words, he finally could not hold back, “Why are you still speaking for him? It’s because you were drunk that he took advantage of someone and was such a jerk to use you as a stand-in for his ex-girlfriend.”
Lin Xiyu was about to speak, but Lu Junting blocked her back, completely isolating her from Lu Junfeng’s line of sight.
“Lu Junfeng, it’s not your turn to interfere in my personal affairs.”
Lu Junting’s tone was calm, but he was full of aura, and the words carried a majesty and warning.
Lu Junfeng was now angry. How could he not be angry? He was the one who asked Lu Junting to pick up Lin Xiyu. This matter was brought about by him by mistake.
Where did the people in anger control his anger? He said angrily. “I believe in you so much, let you help me pick up Xixi, but you took advantage of her drunkenness. Say, if I tell this matter to our grandparents, would they do justice for Xixi?”
Lin Xiyu was startled, she looked at Lu Junting. His expression did not change much, and there was no wave in his tone, “If you want the two elderly people to fall to the ground because of a stroke, you can go and tell them.”
Lu Junfeng’s eyebrows jumped violently, he took a deep breath to calm himself down, then he rushed to Lin Xiyu again. “Xixi, I know you don’t like my eldest brother, you married him for the sake of the child. Don’t worry, I will always wait for you, I have already broken up with Yan Yutong, and will not be reconciled in the future.”
Lin Xiyu was speechless. Why did Lu Junfeng still say this at this time?
Lu Junting’s body turned colder, and she could even feel a forceful killing intent, just like a sharp sword out of the scabbard, waiting to be washed with blood.
Lin Xiyu was frightened by this thought, but Lu Junting’s expression was still calm. Those eyes were dark and deep, but they were dyed a little gloomy by the autumn.
“Lu Junfeng, you’d better not be delusional.”
A few heavy words, with a warning directly hitting straight to the heart.
Lu Junfeng clenched his fists, glanced at Lin Xiyu. He did not say anything more, and turned away.
A cool autumn breeze struck, Lin Xiyu shivered, and Lu Junting tilted his head slightly and said, “Let’s go.”
Back in the living room, Lu Junfeng was absent, and Miss Sun finally arrived late. It turned out that she was stuck in traffic on the road. Miss Sun just gave birth to a child, her figure was somewhat plump, but she was cheerful and humorous. Lin Xiyu chatted with her for a while, affected by her humor and talkativeness, her worried mood gradually disappeared.
Staying at Lu’s house for dinner at night, Lu Junfeng still was not there, and Jiang Lisu told everyone that he was unwell and did not eat. Upon hearing this, Lin Xiyu was inexplicably relieved, what she was most afraid of was that Lu Junfeng would poke things out in public and it would not end well.
After dinner, Lin Xiyu and Lu Junting sat in the car together. In the evening, Lu Junting drank some wine, the two got into the car and sat in the confined space. Lin Xiyu quickly smelled the wine that permeated him.
He took off his coat and wore only a shirt on his body, which looked more textured and more dignified in the dim light. He leaned back in his chair, probably too much wine making him uncomfortable, and he rubbed his fingers over his brow. When Lin Xiyu saw this, he hesitated for a while and asked, “Brother Junting, are you okay?”
“It’s okay.” There was a sligh huskiness in his wine-stained voice, which was stained away by the night and actually seemed particularly magnetic.
When he finished, one arm suddenly crossed over the back of the chair, his arm was long and reached directly behind Lin Xiyu. His body was lazy, and his arm was probably just trying to relax.
Lin Xiyu’s body froze for a moment, and subconsciously moved away a little to distance herself from his arm. However, as soon as she turned her head, she met Lu Junting’s gaze that looked over.
In the dimly lit car, because of the wine, his eyes were flushed underneath, not very bright, revealing a kind of confusion, yet when he looked at people, his sight seemed to have a penetrating power. Lin Xiyu did not dare to make eye contact with such a look at him at all, and hurriedly avoided it.
“Do you dislike me that much?” He suddenly opened his mouth, his voice deliberately lowered, with a sense of heaviness.
Lin Xiyu looked at him in doubt, and Lu Junting said again, “Not even willing for me to get close to you a little?”
Was he saying that he just reached his arm out and she just subconsciously avoided it? Lin Xiyu said, “I was afraid of pressing your hand and wanted you to sleep comfortably.”
“You don’t dislike me?” He asked.
“No.”
“Then, sit here.”
“......”
There seemed to be a smile under his eyes, a smile with a mockery, as if he was mocking her for telling lies, certain that she would not sit there.
Lin Xiyu adjusted her breathing and moved a little closer to his side. The gradually strong smell of alcohol soon enveloped her nose, vaguely carrying a cold scent of his body.
“Come over a little more.”
Lin Xiyu bit her lips. She did not know what Lu Junting was going to do. Did he misunderstand that she disliked him, so he was teaching her a lesson?
She sat stiffly a little further over, and she was about to get close to his body, so close that it felt ambiguous.
He leaned his head against the back of the chair and tilted his head to face her. His warm breath floated on her face, a strong smell of wine came over her, and she felt her body burning. He approached, and the heat of his body rushed towards her. She was wrapped by this hot air that her body was starting to burn.
Lin Xiyu lowered her head and asked him, “Brother Junting, are you drunk?”
“I’m fine.”
As he spoke, an even hotter breath blew on her face, and Lin Xiyu shivered, her eyes flickered a few times.
She only saw him frown suddenly and tug at his tie a few times casually, as if that would make him more comfortable. He leaned his head on the back of the chair. Originally, he just tilted his head like he was closing his eyes, but after a few breaths he suddenly turned his head sideways to her. They were already sitting close together, and by turning his head sideways, they were even closer, yet he moved a little further towards her, his lips almost coming close to her ear.
In the silence of the car, he suddenly asked her with his lowered husky voice, “Are you going to run away with Lu Junfeng after you’re giving birth?”
Lin Xiyu: “......”
Lu Junting was still very busy. He only came out to accompany Lin Xiyu for a maternity checkup for half a day, and after eating and sending Lin Xiyu home, he went to the company again. Lu Junting held a meeting in the afternoon, he sat on the back seat and pressed his eyebrows with his fingers. The car started to drive for a while and then suddenly stopped. Lu Junting’s face was slightly sinking and asked, “What’s wrong?”
The driver pointed to the front, Lu Junting looked up and saw that there was a person in front of the car. At this time, in the underground garage of Changheng Group, Shen Jimei recognized his car and deliberately waited for him there.
The car stopped, Shen Jimei went to the back window and knocked. Lu Junting rolled down the window, and the cold face was like telling the visitor that his patience was limited.
“Need something?” Lu Junting asked her.
Shen Jimei knew how hateful Lu Junting was when he was impatient with a person, so she simply said straight to the point: “Why does your wife look like me, is she the stand-in you are looking for? You’re in love with me, right?”
“Stand-in? Does Miss Shen take herself too seriously?” Lu Junting frowned slightly, and his expression became more and more obvious, making people subconsciously afraid, and he opened his mouth lightly and said, “She is not anyone’s stand-in.”
Regarding Lu Junting’s ex-girlfriend, Lin Xiyu forgot about it within a few days, that is, she was uncomfortable for a while when she learned that she was being used as a stand-in.
Maybe she had a good feeling about Lu Junting because he was the father of her child, because he was considerate and caring, but she knew that she and Lu Junting were not in the same league. They were not each other’s type, and her good feeling on him was not out of like or love, it was just for the same reason—— Hoping for the child to be born smoothly.
Lin Xiyu was quite thoughtful, as long as everyone was at peace with each other until the child was born.
That afternoon, Lin Xiyu had just finished drinking the soup to protect the fetus when she received a call from old madam Lu, who said that she wanted to introduce someone to her.
“She is the grandnephew’s wife from my maiden family, who also just had a baby, a little princess, chubby and adorable. You guys can share the experience when you get to know each other. She is a very humorous person, very amusing.”
Lin Xiyu was worried about knowing too few pregnant women to communicate to share experience, and when she heard this from old madam Lu, she did not think long before agreeing.
Old madam Lu said, “Then you take the time to come back, come to the house to get to know each other first. If you can talk, then add contact information to each other.”
After Lu Junting came back from work, Lin Xiyu told him about it, and Lu Junting had no reason to object, saying. “I’ll send you back this weekend.”
“It’s okay, just let the driver take me back.”
Lu Junting said, “I happen to have something to discuss with grandpa.”
Alright then, Lin Xiyu did not reject it any further.
On the weekend, both of them went back to Lu’s house together, and old madam Lu pulled Lin Xiyu to chat for a while. Lu Yuan happened to be home as well, and joined them to have a chat with Lin Xiyu.
Old madam Lu saw that the time was almost up, and ordered the maid to wait for Miss Sun at the door, so that she could receive her in as soon as she arrived.
Shen Jimei knew that Lu Junting had a place to live outside, but she did not know the exact address, but she knew the address of Lu’s house. One of her friends and Lu Junting’s friend was a couple, and she also knew Lu Junting through this friend. That friend had told her the address of Lu’s house.
It was not easy to see Lu Junting, it was even more difficult to see Lu Junting and her wife appear together. Shen Jimei originally only wanted to try her luck and wait on the road not far from Lu's house, but she did not expect to really see Lu Junting’s car. He should have taken his wife with him when he returned to the Lu family, right?
Shen Jimei drove the car to the door of Lu’s house and stopped. From the outside, she could only see the majestic roof of the Lu family’s house, there was a maid standing at the door. Shen Jimei took a deep breath, holding the prepared documents. She knew that it was not easy to enter Lu’s house, and was about to pretend to be Lu Junting’s assistant to come and deliver something, who knew that she had not yet opened her mouth, and the maid smiled at her. “You are Miss Sun, right? Come in with me, everyone is waiting for you.”
Shen Jimei did not know who Miss Sun was, but since he had the opportunity to enter Lu's house, she would temporarily impersonate Miss Sun. To Shen Jimei’s surprise, she really entered Lu’s house smoothly.
In the living room, everyone was sitting together and laughing. The maid came in and said, “Miss Sun is here.”
Everyone looked up and saw a girl coming in behind the maid. Lin Xiyu looked at the girl who came in and could not help but be surprised. She had an impression of this girl, wasn’t this Lu Junting’s ex-girlfriend? How could she be Miss Sun?
Old madam Lu looked at the girl who came in and doubted. “This is……”
The maid was also surprised, “Isn’t this Miss Sun?” The maid had never seen Miss Sun, and the person admitted that she was Miss Sun after she asked her.
Shen Jimei walked up and greeted old madam Lu politely, “Hello grandma Lu, I’m Lu Junting’s ex-girlfriend, my name is Shen Jimei.”
The surrounding suddenly fell silent, and all eyes fell on Lu Junting’s face. Old Mr. Lu was the first to come back to his senses and said in a cold voice, “Lu Junting, what’s going on here?”
Lu Junting’s face was cold, and he asked Shen Jimei, “What are you doing here?”
The warning in his tone was too obvious, even if his voice was not loud, but the words mixed with his aura. So, the sound of his words could not help but shake people’s hearts.
Shen Jimei tried to keep herself calm, and said, “Don’t misunderstand. Lu Junting and I have broken up. I just came here to get my things back.”
“Your things? Why don’t I know that you have something here?”
Lu Junting sat back in his chair. His face had returned as usual, and he asked slowly and logically, but with a full sense of oppression.
Shen Jimei took a deep breath and said, “The drawing I sent you. The drawing depicts the two of us. When I was a little girl, I sat next to you to blow the wound for you. Do you remember this drawing?”
Shen Jimei’s eyes showed a little provocation, her gaze swept over towards Lin Xiyu. and she wondered if this woman had seen that drawing, the one that Lu Junting had protect as an apple of his eyes.
Lu Junting’s perfomance was calmer than she thought, or maybe this person was originally this unfathomable. His tone did not even have much ripple, “Then you should tell me what brush you used, and what kind of paint is it? I’ll see if it’s the one I know.”
“It was a long time ago, I forgot.”
Lu Junting had no patience to deal with her, “Don’t mess around here.” He gestured at the maid, “Send this person out.”
Shen Jimei had come to Lu’s house with great difficulty, she had not finished her words. Seeing the maid coming towards her, she had to seize the time to say what she wanted to do. She looked at Lin Xiyu and sneered, “I don’t know what your name is, but seeing that you are younger than me, I will call you sister. Little sister, you are young, but don’t be deceived by Lu Junting, don’t you find that we look a bit alike? Lu Junting uses you as a stand-in!”
This remark did not make Lin Xiyu react much, but Lu Yuan, who was sitting next to Lin Xiyu, exploded. “Where does this crazy woman come from ah? What nonsense are you talking about?” Lu Yuan was about to stand up after saying that, but Lin Xiyu hurriedly pulled her back.
Old madam Lu was obviously irritated, and she reprimanded. “You came to my house without permission, and I’m not arguing with you, so what nonsense are you babbling about now? What are you still standing there for, get this person out of here.”
Old madam Lu was usually kind, but when she got angry, she was quite scary.
A few maids went up together, directly dragged Shen Jimei to the door rudely. Shen Jimei was not willing, and turned back to Lin Xiyu and said, “I kindly remind you. Lu Junting may only think of you as one of the stand-ins, you have to pay good attention.”
Old madam Lu coldly glanced at Lu Junting and said, “Your business, you go and solve it yourself.”
Lu Junting got up and went outside. This time old madam Lu hurriedly said to Lin Xiyu, “Xixi, don’t take that woman’s words to heart, what about this stand-in or not, it’s been years since Junting and that woman dated. She just doesn’t have a good heart and is deliberately giving you a hard time. If you get angry about it, you’ll fall for her plan.”
Lin Xiyu smiled, and comforted old madam Lu instead, “Grandma, don’t worry, I don’t take it to heart.”
Old madam Lu was relieved to see that she really did not look angry, and said, “I will let Junting give you an explanation for this matter, and we won’t let you suffer this grievance in vain.”
Shen Jimei was brought outside the gate by the maid, and followed by Lu Junting. Shen Jimei tidied up her clothes that were rubbed and shoved by the maid, and smiled mockingly at Lu Junting. “Do you believe it or not, your wife must have started to suspect now that you are really using her as a stand-in, and this doubt will follow her for the rest of her life from now on.”
Lu Junting’s expression did not have much of a wave, he looked at her so calmly. The look in his eyes made her feel like he was looking at a trivial jumping clown.
This made Shen Jimer a little frustrated.
After a moment of silence, Lu Jutning suddenly took out his mobile phone and made a call.
“Lawyer Zhang, have you collected all the evidence of Shen Jimei’s embezzlement of the company’s public funds that I asked you to collect last time? Very good. Now, you help me get this evidence to the money prosecutor. And also… Use all the methods you can use to deal with this matter well, and it’s best to let Shen Jimei go to jail.”
After Lu Junting said this calmly, he hung up the phone, but Shen Jimei’s complexion changed, “Lu Junting, what do you mean?”
“Get paid to do a job and leave when it’s done. Why do you want to make trouble in front of my family? Are you really taking yourself seriously?”
She and Lu Junting did start with a deal. At that time, there were some not-so-good rumors about Lu Junting, such as the rumors that he was gay. His family was worried when they learned of these rumors. Presumably to reassure them and so he could use his energy on his word without worrying, and it just so happened that they had just met at that time, so he offered to have her pretend to be his girlfriend and he would pay her. She and Lu Junting knew about this matter, and she was known to the public as Lu Junting’s girlfriend.
At that time, she was very confident, thinking that he could fall in love with her. She wanted to retreat to advance, and deliberately mentioned the breakup, but she did not expect that he did not take it seriously at all. Instead, she kept thinking about him for a long time, making herself good for him and often going to his favorite restaurants just to have a chance encounter with him.
Shen Jimei was considered a well-off family, but she had always spent a lot of money, and her family could not help her pay all the bills. She entered a company as an accountant after graduation, using her position to embezzle a lot of money from the company to meet her own consumption. Although the embezzled money would also be made up later, the embezzlement of public funds did exist.
What she was shocked about now was not just why Lu Junting knew about it, but why Lu Junting was investigating her, why he wanted to get evidence of her embezzlement. It was obvious that he had not just started today, he had had someone prepare for it a long time ago.
Shen Jimei was angry. “Lu Junting, why are you investigating me?”
Lu Junting said slowly, “Are you not clear? The best thing I can do is plan ahead.” His gaze turned cold, but his tone remained slow, “To prevent people like you who aren’t sensible.”
“Good luck, Miss Shen.”
After he said this, he turned and left.
Things were developing too fast, completely out of Shen Jimei’s expectation. The anger that Lu Junting would even send her to jail has outweighed everything, Shen Jimei suppressed her anger and rushed to his back, “Lu Junting, you won't really let me go to jail right?”
Lu Junting ignored her, and left without looking back.
Lu Junting returned to the living room, and only old madam Lu and Zhang Yao were there. Seeing him, old madam Lu glanced at him and asked in a deep voice, “Is it resolved?”
Lu Junting said, “All solved, where did Xixi go?”
Old madam Lu said, “She went to the tea room with Lu Yuan to eat snacks.”
The tea room was a water pavilion inside the Chinese garden of the Lu family’s backyard, built on the waterfront and connected by winding corridors on the three sides.
“Why do you think that woman is so shameless ah, it’s been so long since they broke up. She knows my eldest brother is married and still comes to provoke. Why did you just stop me> I have no place to vent my anger, I’m dying of anger.”
Lu Yuan hammered the table and Lin Xiyu felt that she was going crazy.
“Okay, the person is gone, what’s the point of thinking so much?”
Lu Yuan glanced at her, the beef jerky was quite good, she was chewing quite happily. Lu Yuan looked angry, “Why didn’t you say a word just now ah? Didn’t you hear her say you were a stand-in? What a big face ah, and a stand-in, who does she think she is. You should stand up and kill her directly.”
Lu Junting walked outside the water pavilion, the soundproofing was not very good, the sound of talking inside came out clearly, the movement he was about to knock on the door paused when he heard the conversation inside.
Lin Xiyu shrugged her shoulders when she heard this, and said indifferently, “Maybe I’m really a stand-in.”
Lu Yuan’s angry expression froze for a moment, and she stared at Lin Xiyu’s face for several seconds and asked, “How do you know?”
Lin Xiyu said, “She’s right, I do look a little bit like her, maybe that’s why brother Junting didn’t hold back that night.”
“It can’t be right?” Although Lu Yuan said this, she also had a little doubt on her face, “If my eldest brother really uses you as a stand-in, then he is a bit of a bastard.” Lu Yuan was afraid that she would affect Lin Xiyu’s mood as she was pregnant, she was about to comfort her, but she saw that Lin Xiyu looked as if nothing was wrong. She had been chewing beef jerky since she entered the tea room, and she was eating quite vigorously. She knew Lin Xiyu very well, usually when she was in a bad mood it would affect her appetite, in other words, when she had a good appetite, her mood not too much of a problem, Lu Yuan asked with a puzzled look, “You just don’t care at all?”
“Care about what?”
“My eldest brother is using you as a stand-in ah.”
“What’s there to care about, it’s not like you don’t know about my situation with brother Junting. It’s just a short-lasting relationship with a child that forced us to get married.”
“But you’re his wife after all ah.”
Lin Xiyu simply replied, “What about being his wife? I don’t like him, what he thinks, it has nothing to do with me.”
The door made of wood was not soundproofed well, and Lin Xiyu’s words naturally reached Lu Junting’s ears, who was standing outside the door at this moment.
As soon as Lin Xiyu’s voice fell, she heard a knock on the door that was not light or heavy. Lu Yuan responded, and the door was pushed open. Lu Junting came in from outside.
He seemed to be covered with the autumn coldness. As soon as he walked in, the room was suddenly several degrees colder.
Upon seeing him come in, Lu Yuan stood up like a mouse seeing a cat and said, “That, I have something to do so I’ll leave first, you guys take your time and talk.” After speaking, she slipped away and ran.
Lin Xiyu did not expect Lu Junting to come over, she was holding a piece of beef jerky in her hand. As soon as he came in, she subconsciously put it back. There was still some in her mouth that she had not swallowed, this beef jerky was very chewy and she could not chew it after a long time. Lu Junting swept a glance towards her, Lin Xiyu was a bit embarrassed and covered her mouth to swallow the beef jerky with a few hard chews. She greeted him with a dry smile, “Brother Junting.”
Lu Junting sat down in the position where Lu Yuan had just sat. The two of them were separated by a tea table, and he glanced at her. Since he came in, the girl had been sitting upright, just like a student who saw a teacher enter the classroom for inspection.
“Is the beef jerky delicious?”
“It’s delicious.” Lin Xiyu said honestly.
“If it’s delicious, just continue to eat it.”
“No more, I just ate quite a lot.”
The two fell silent. The tea room was not large, the surrounding environment was secluded, and the silence made the place cramped. Lu Junting’s presence was too strong, and this self-repelling aura made Lin Xiyu quickly fidget.
“This matter is something I didn’t handle well, and I’m sorry. But, you don’t have to take Shen Jimei’s words to heart.” Lu Junting suddenly spoke, “I’ve already broken up with her for many years, and I have never contacted her again after the breakup. You are not anyone’s stand-in, you are yourself.”
Was he afraid that she would be overly concerned, and he deliberately explained it to her? Lin Xiyu did not want him to feel that she took this matter to heart and felt guilty. She hurriedly made her attitude clear and said, “It doesn’t matter brother Junting, I don’t take it seriously. Even if you really treat me as a stand-in, there is nothing to be sorry for, you are already good enough for me. There is nothing you owe me, anyway, we’ll separate after the child is born, the stand-in doesn’t really matter, you don’t need to feel guilty or anything. We’ll just get along like before.”
Lin Xiyu had thought that her explanation would make Lu Junting breathe a sigh of relief, but there was no expression of relief on his face. Upon hearing her words, his gaze suddenly fell on her. She could obviously feel that the aura around him turned cold, and there was a little anger in his eyes when he looked at her.
A person like Lu Junting was the best at hiding his emotions, but now, she could clearly feel that he was angry.
Lin Xiyu felt inexplicable. She carefully tried to ask, “Brother Junting, what’s wrong?”
Her trembling eyes held an inquiring look, like a small animal facing a threat, fear clearly etched on her face. Lu Junting turned his head back, his face quickly returned to normal as he stood up and said, “Nothing, let’s go back first.”
Lin Xiyu was slightly relieved, she got up and left with him, but as soon as the door of the water pavilion was pulled open, Lu Junfeng was standing outside the door.
The weather in the autumn was more severe. There was no sun today, the sky was cloudy and the wind was blowing, adding a little coolness. Dyed with the depression of autumn, Lu Junfeng’s face was also gloomy.
“What are you doing here?” Lu Junting asked.
Lu Junfeng’s hands on his side clenched into fists, and he said, “I heard everything you said, you weren’t together before you got married, right?”
Lin Xiyu’s face changed drastically, how could she let Lu Junfeng know by such a coincidence.
Lu Junfeng went on. “I once knew the date of Xixi’s pregnancy from Yan Yutong, and I calculated that it should have been conceived near the day she graduated. I remember that day Xixi was drunk, and I asked my eldest brother to find a female assistant to pick her up, and then I asked the hotel manager that the person who picked her up that day was you. I had my doubts, but I’m now sure that you had sex on that day, and you took advantage of Xixi’s drunkenness to force her, right?”
Lu Junfeng’s words were not polite at all, Lin Xiyu was startled and broke out in a cold sweat as she hurriedly said, “It’s not what you think, you can’t blame brother Junting for what happened that day.”
Lu Junfeng had been suppressing his anger, and upon hearing Lin Xiyu’s words, he finally could not hold back, “Why are you still speaking for him? It’s because you were drunk that he took advantage of someone and was such a jerk to use you as a stand-in for his ex-girlfriend.”
Lin Xiyu was about to speak, but Lu Junting blocked her back, completely isolating her from Lu Junfeng’s line of sight.
“Lu Junfeng, it’s not your turn to interfere in my personal affairs.”
Lu Junting’s tone was calm, but he was full of aura, and the words carried a majesty and warning.
Lu Junfeng was now angry. How could he not be angry? He was the one who asked Lu Junting to pick up Lin Xiyu. This matter was brought about by him by mistake.
Where did the people in anger control his anger? He said angrily. “I believe in you so much, let you help me pick up Xixi, but you took advantage of her drunkenness. Say, if I tell this matter to our grandparents, would they do justice for Xixi?”
Lin Xiyu was startled, she looked at Lu Junting. His expression did not change much, and there was no wave in his tone, “If you want the two elderly people to fall to the ground because of a stroke, you can go and tell them.”
Lu Junfeng’s eyebrows jumped violently, he took a deep breath to calm himself down, then he rushed to Lin Xiyu again. “Xixi, I know you don’t like my eldest brother, you married him for the sake of the child. Don’t worry, I will always wait for you, I have already broken up with Yan Yutong, and will not be reconciled in the future.”
Lin Xiyu was speechless. Why did Lu Junfeng still say this at this time?
Lu Junting’s body turned colder, and she could even feel a forceful killing intent, just like a sharp sword out of the scabbard, waiting to be washed with blood.
Lin Xiyu was frightened by this thought, but Lu Junting’s expression was still calm. Those eyes were dark and deep, but they were dyed a little gloomy by the autumn.
“Lu Junfeng, you’d better not be delusional.”
A few heavy words, with a warning directly hitting straight to the heart.
Lu Junfeng clenched his fists, glanced at Lin Xiyu. He did not say anything more, and turned away.
A cool autumn breeze struck, Lin Xiyu shivered, and Lu Junting tilted his head slightly and said, “Let’s go.”
Back in the living room, Lu Junfeng was absent, and Miss Sun finally arrived late. It turned out that she was stuck in traffic on the road. Miss Sun just gave birth to a child, her figure was somewhat plump, but she was cheerful and humorous. Lin Xiyu chatted with her for a while, affected by her humor and talkativeness, her worried mood gradually disappeared.
Staying at Lu’s house for dinner at night, Lu Junfeng still was not there, and Jiang Lisu told everyone that he was unwell and did not eat. Upon hearing this, Lin Xiyu was inexplicably relieved, what she was most afraid of was that Lu Junfeng would poke things out in public and it would not end well.
After dinner, Lin Xiyu and Lu Junting sat in the car together. In the evening, Lu Junting drank some wine, the two got into the car and sat in the confined space. Lin Xiyu quickly smelled the wine that permeated him.
He took off his coat and wore only a shirt on his body, which looked more textured and more dignified in the dim light. He leaned back in his chair, probably too much wine making him uncomfortable, and he rubbed his fingers over his brow. When Lin Xiyu saw this, he hesitated for a while and asked, “Brother Junting, are you okay?”
“It’s okay.” There was a sligh huskiness in his wine-stained voice, which was stained away by the night and actually seemed particularly magnetic.
When he finished, one arm suddenly crossed over the back of the chair, his arm was long and reached directly behind Lin Xiyu. His body was lazy, and his arm was probably just trying to relax.
Lin Xiyu’s body froze for a moment, and subconsciously moved away a little to distance herself from his arm. However, as soon as she turned her head, she met Lu Junting’s gaze that looked over.
In the dimly lit car, because of the wine, his eyes were flushed underneath, not very bright, revealing a kind of confusion, yet when he looked at people, his sight seemed to have a penetrating power. Lin Xiyu did not dare to make eye contact with such a look at him at all, and hurriedly avoided it.
“Do you dislike me that much?” He suddenly opened his mouth, his voice deliberately lowered, with a sense of heaviness.
Lin Xiyu looked at him in doubt, and Lu Junting said again, “Not even willing for me to get close to you a little?”
Was he saying that he just reached his arm out and she just subconsciously avoided it? Lin Xiyu said, “I was afraid of pressing your hand and wanted you to sleep comfortably.”
“You don’t dislike me?” He asked.
“No.”
“Then, sit here.”
“......”
There seemed to be a smile under his eyes, a smile with a mockery, as if he was mocking her for telling lies, certain that she would not sit there.
Lin Xiyu adjusted her breathing and moved a little closer to his side. The gradually strong smell of alcohol soon enveloped her nose, vaguely carrying a cold scent of his body.
“Come over a little more.”
Lin Xiyu bit her lips. She did not know what Lu Junting was going to do. Did he misunderstand that she disliked him, so he was teaching her a lesson?
She sat stiffly a little further over, and she was about to get close to his body, so close that it felt ambiguous.
He leaned his head against the back of the chair and tilted his head to face her. His warm breath floated on her face, a strong smell of wine came over her, and she felt her body burning. He approached, and the heat of his body rushed towards her. She was wrapped by this hot air that her body was starting to burn.
Lin Xiyu lowered her head and asked him, “Brother Junting, are you drunk?”
“I’m fine.”
As he spoke, an even hotter breath blew on her face, and Lin Xiyu shivered, her eyes flickered a few times.
She only saw him frown suddenly and tug at his tie a few times casually, as if that would make him more comfortable. He leaned his head on the back of the chair. Originally, he just tilted his head like he was closing his eyes, but after a few breaths he suddenly turned his head sideways to her. They were already sitting close together, and by turning his head sideways, they were even closer, yet he moved a little further towards her, his lips almost coming close to her ear.
In the silence of the car, he suddenly asked her with his lowered husky voice, “Are you going to run away with Lu Junfeng after you’re giving birth?”
Lin Xiyu: “......”
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