Chapter 3: Sold

"Lu Lu, when did you buy a house in Mingxia Manor?!"

As she watched the nanny car slowly approach the Mingxia Manor’s gates, Xie Yun almost screamed in excitement.

Lu Qingzhuo massaged her temples, amused by Xie Yun’s over-the-top reaction. Not that she could judge—just half a month ago, she had been in a similar state, shrieking like a wind-up squeaky toy.

"I just bought it."

A two-year contract of servitude came with it.

"Oh my god, Lu Lu, what other surprises are you hiding from me?!"

Still feeling a little lightheaded, Lu Qingzhuo pulled off the blanket draped over her. A mysterious smile played on her lips. When the nanny car stopped in front of the tallest villa in the manor and the door slid open, a poised and elegant Beta woman stepped forward to greet her.

"Madam, you're finally home."

Xie Yun, with one foot still inside the car, froze. She stared at the scene before her, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

Madam?

Was she talking to Lu Qingzhuo?

"Hmm, I’m going to take a bath," Lu Qingzhuo said, casting a glance at the stunned Xie Yun before turning to instruct Butler Qin. "By the way, this is my assistant, Xie Yun. Arrange a room for her—she’s been running around with me all day."

"Understood."

"Lu Lu, just now…"

Xie Yun swallowed hard, her legs feeling weak. Walking up the smooth staircase felt like stepping on clouds, the whole experience dreamlike.

Following Lu Qingzhuo into the villa, the first thing that caught her eye was a small bar. The wall-mounted liquor cabinet displayed an array of unfamiliar bottles, but even if she didn’t recognize the brands, she was certain that pooling her entire lifetime’s salary wouldn’t be enough to afford a single one.

"Miss Xie, please follow me. Your room is this way."

Still in a daze, Xie Yun trailed behind Butler Qin, sticking close as if afraid she’d get lost in the vast villa.

Lu Qingzhuo slipped off her coat, which a maid promptly took from her. As she sat down on the sofa, she absentmindedly scratched her temple, feeling a slight itch. Immediately, someone stepped forward to give her a massage.

After a while, she closed her eyes, meditated for a moment, and then dismissed everyone, locking the door behind her as she entered the bathroom.

She still wasn’t used to being waited on hand and foot. Maybe this was what people called "being spoiled."

But for now, she might as well enjoy it while she could. In two years, this kind of life would no longer be hers.

Lu Qingzhuo had already rehearsed in her mind countless times what it would be like to leave this place after the divorce. She believed that, no matter what, one should always part ways with dignity.

An hour later, Lu Qingzhuo stepped out of the bathtub. Her long, slender legs were concealed beneath the hem of her robe, with glimpses of fair skin peeking through. Her bare feet landed on the marble floor.

Lu Qingzhuo’s hands and feet were exceptionally elegant—model-worthy, even. Standing before the mirror, she admired her feet for a moment before deciding to give them a little extra attention with some nail polish.

Her hair was only half-dried. She never liked drying it completely after a wash—she preferred the slightly damp, half-dry state.

The wet strands clung to her porcelain-white skin, as soft and smooth as silk. Under the cool lighting of the living room, the sight was particularly mesmerizing.

She changed into a handcrafted silk robe, deep wine-red—her favorite color. Even the nail polish she was about to apply matched it perfectly.

Wine red against creamy white.

Bold yet smooth.

Xie Yun had stumbled around countless times, nearly resorting to using her phone’s navigation, when she somehow found herself in the living room—completely by accident. There, she saw Lu Qingzhuo gracefully applying nail polish.

She had applied for the assistant position purely because she liked that face.

Unable to resist, Xie Yun took out her phone and snapped a slightly blurry photo. Flushing with excitement, she quickly took a few more.

Oh my god, how could someone look so breathtaking just painting their own toenails?

A series of camera clicks echoed through the room. Lu Qingzhuo looked up, but instead of seeing Xie Yun, her gaze landed on someone behind her—the cold, expressionless Omega wife who stood motionless.

Tailored high-fashion suit, slim black trousers that accentuated long, toned legs, and a pair of understated gold-rimmed glasses that exuded an air of restraint and detachment. Just looking at her was enough to make one's heart race, but Lu Qingzhuo knew—this was not someone she should be longing for.

She greeted Fu Yumian with a practiced, business-like smile. “You’re here.”

“Yes, I—”

Xie Yun had just started speaking when the faint scent of red wine brushed past her. Instinctively, she turned her head, only to see the tall and elegant Omega gliding past her without sparing a single glance.

Moments later, Han Tian, who hadn’t been seen in a while, appeared before Xie Yun. Smiling, she gestured for her to leave.

Xie Yun, utterly clueless about the situation, glanced at Lu Qingzhuo with a hint of concern. That cold Omega just now… looked absolutely terrifying.

Then, Han Tian’s usual indifferent expression returned as she extended a hand toward Xie Yun. “Give me your phone.”

Confused, Xie Yun scratched her head, dazed, and handed it over while watching Han Tian curiously. “Wait, are you… going to delete my photos? But I didn’t take anything inappropriate…”

Han Tian remained expressionless. “President Fu ordered it.”

Xie Yun’s mouth twitched. She hesitated, recalling the Omega she had been too intimidated to make eye contact with earlier. “…But she didn’t say anything?”

Under Han Tian’s icy stare, Xie Yun wisely shut her mouth. She carefully took back her phone and made a swift exit.

Lu Qingzhuo had only painted half her toenails. Since the polish wasn’t dry yet, she couldn’t slip her feet into her slippers. But leaving just one foot bare looked oddly out of place, so she simply kicked off the other slipper as well, standing barefoot on the carpet.

Sure enough, Fu Yumian’s gaze swept over her polished foot, and her delicate brows furrowed slightly.

Lu Qingzhuo: “…”

If you don’t like it, just say so. Why act all reserved?

The awkward silence stretched between them. Lu Qingzhuo had no idea what Fu Yumian was thinking, but her toes were practically digging holes into the plush wool carpet.

“President Fu, why the sudden return? Weren’t you on a business trip in Manhattan?”

Lu Qingzhuo lifted her gaze and accidentally met Fu Yumian’s sharp eyes. She twitched the corner of her mouth involuntarily.

Behind those gold-rimmed glasses, Fu Yumian’s eyes were keen and piercing. The upward slant of her phoenix eyes carried an almost magnetic pull—most people wouldn’t dare meet them head-on.

But Lu Qingzhuo had been in the entertainment industry long enough. She had learned to keep her composure in situations like this.

“It’s already finished,” Fu Yumian said blandly, her voice so devoid of emotion that Lu Qingzhuo couldn’t even decipher the underlying tone. “I came back because I have something to tell you.”

“There was no need to make a special trip just for me, was there? That’s a bit too much of a disruption to your work.” Lu Qingzhuo put on an expression of feigned surprise and even thoughtfully offered a suggestion. “Actually, you could have just told me online, like the first time we met.”

Their first meeting had been when they signed their marriage contract. However, that had only been a virtual encounter. Fu Yumian had appeared on a computer screen for less than five minutes before logging off.

During that brief interaction, Lu Qingzhuo had been too nervous to look directly at her. She spent the entire time avoiding her gaze, never realizing that Fu Yumian, from the other side of the screen, had caught every single flicker of her anxious expressions.

This was only the second time they had met in person. Lu Qingzhuo was nervous, but Fu Yumian—Fu Yumian was intrigued.

The moment she stepped into the villa, she had spotted an unfamiliar Beta holding up a phone, seemingly taking photos. Then, shifting her gaze, she saw someone curled up on the sofa.

Wrapped in a wine-red silk robe, the Alpha sat in a relaxed, almost lazy posture, meticulously painting her toenails, completely unaware of being photographed—let alone noticing Fu Yumian silently entering the room.

The slight arch in her back was as smooth as cream, and her damp, jet-black hair clung to her skin, catching the light in a way that momentarily dazzled Fu Yumian’s eyes.

At this moment, Lu Qingzhuo didn’t seem any different from before. But Fu Yumian knew—this Alpha didn’t like her. In fact, she seemed to want nothing to do with her.

Perhaps this was the best arrangement. Lu Qingzhuo seemed content with maintaining boundaries, and since their marriage, she had never made any excessive demands. Everything was progressing in the right direction.

Lu Qingzhuo’s fingers unconsciously curled slightly. Seeing that Fu Yumian remained silent, she cautiously probed, “So… what exactly did President Fu come back to tell me?”

Come on, she hadn’t done anything outrageous! It was just that the entertainment industry had been a hotbed of gossip lately, and she had simply gotten caught in the storm.

Could it be that she had come back to confront her?

But their marriage wasn’t public knowledge. No one in the industry even knew that Lu Qingzhuo had managed to marry into the wealthy Lu family.

If not that, then what else could it be?

Could it be something even more serious… like a divorce?

No way! They had only been married for less than a month!

She wasn’t about to make such a loss-making deal!

Lu Qingzhuo quickly came up with over a dozen reasons in her head to appease Fu Yumian, but before she could say anything, she heard something so shocking that it left her utterly speechless.

“What’s wrong? Do you not want to see me?”   

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