Chapter 66: Don't Say That About Her!

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=7288969
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

Jun Youyue's words were almost drowned out by the surrounding noise.

But Lu Xici still heard it.

Like fireworks bursting, her mind went blank for a moment before she reacted. “Me, me too..."

Jun Youyue just casually said it, then went back to helping Lu Xici pick out the cilantro.

Lu Xici's voice was even quieter.

Jun Youyue almost instinctively noticed Lu Xici speaking and looked at her.

"Hmm?" Not understanding why Lu Xici didn't repeat herself, Jun Youyue made a puzzled noise.

Lu Xici's face turned red.

She had struggled so hard to squeeze out those words, and Jun Youyue didn't even hear them?

Actually, not just Jun Youyue, Lu Xici herself didn't hear what she said.

Lu Xici turned her face away, leaving Jun Youyue with a blushing ear.

Her little deer was shy, so cute.

Jun Youyue wanted to reach out and pinch Lu Xici's blushing earlobe, but considering her fingers were oily, she just lightly brushed the faint redness with her knuckle.

The faint red turned into a deep crimson in an instant.

Lu Xici covered her ears, feeling a bit annoyed and embarrassed, she turned her head away.

Her attempt at a fierce expression was interrupted by Jun Youyue's offering.

Lu Xici had no choice but to munch on the potato slice handed to her by Jun Youyue.

The force was so strong that even the barbecue skewer trembled.

She looked especially like a kitten pretending to be a tiger.

Jun Youyue's face lit up with a smile, a rosy hue appearing, as she pulled the sulking Lu Xici back.

"I love you too," Lu Xici said, staring at that smile in a daze.

She then realized that such confessions didn’t require effort or even courage.

When feelings were strong enough, words of love would come out naturally.

This time, Jun Youyue heard it clearly.

Her smile deepened.

It was rare for an iceberg to smile so genuinely.

Lu Xici suddenly wanted to learn photography. Or painting.

Such a scene, etched in her mind, was destined to never fade.

But she also wanted to capture every detail, to place it where she could always see it. Like a screensaver.

So, before they even ate much barbecue, the two started taking selfies.

Lu Xici had taken plenty of selfies when working.

She wasn't bad at it, but now, no matter how she took them, she was unsatisfied.

"I blinked, let's do it again."

"This angle isn't right."

"My smile looks stiff, one more time."

Her OCD took over. She kept finding flaws in her own appearance, feeling she wasn't in a good state.

Jun Youyue patiently took photo after photo with her.

Of course, Jun Youyue's smile wouldn't be as genuine. At most, she could tug at the corners of her mouth for Lu Xici.

Not far away, a group of college students were celebrating the end of midterms.

They were chatting enthusiastically, not noticing the celebrity and her assistant in the corner.

But eventually, they had moments of silence while eating.

"Wait a minute, look over there. Am I seeing things?" One of the observant students noticed Lu Xici being fed by her girlfriend.

“Just a lesbian couple, what's the big deal?" another student said as the others turned around, seeing Lu Xici already putting on her mask and preparing to leave.

"No, that's Lu Xici! I'm sure of it! I swear on my five years in the fandom!"

Seeing her friends' disbelief, the first speaker became anxious.

“Mm-mm, sure, if I drink a few more bottles, I might see Lin Ni over there too," her friends teased, looking at her as if she was drunk.

She swallowed the rest of her words.

However, Lu Xici hadn't taken enough precautions during this outing, and some observant and sharp-eyed individuals captured interactions between Lu Xici and Jun Youyue.

No one behind the scenes stirred things up, so the matter didn't immediately start to ferment.

It wasn't until a few days later that the topic "#EncounteringLuXici" began to gain traction.

Many people posted photos taken of her in restaurants, malls, and dessert shops over the past few days.

In the photos, besides the vaguely recognizable Lu Xici, there was another person who shadowed her closely, displaying intimate behavior.

Judging by the clothing, hairstyle, and height, it was clear that the person in the photos was the same.

Who is she?

Lu Xici's fans put on their magnifying glasses.

[It's that assistant from before, right? It must be her, right? I don't agree, Qingxi is my wife, wuwuwu—]

[I knew they were real! Mom, I've made it, I shipped a real couple! I'm going to pop champagne in the Chaohua!] Exclaimed a level-ten CP fan.

[Firstly, don't spread rumors. Secondly, don't talk nonsense. Lastly... I can't make this up anymore. This is definitely that assistant. Congrats to our baby on finding new love.]

By this time, it had been two months since the news of "Lu Xici's divorce" broke, and most fans were supportive.

However, quite a few felt that if it was just an assistant, their statuses might not be equal.

Some might even think that an assistant isn't worthy of Lu Xici and weren't optimistic about the relationship.

It wasn't until the official Lu (陆) family account liked the most popular "Nine-grid collage of Lu Xici sightings" post on Weibo and revealed Jun Youyue's full name that the topic truly exploded.

Many onlookers joined in, and the comments section gradually became chaotic.

[If the Lu family says so, then this is solid proof.]

[Jun Youyue? Who is that? Is there a prominent family with the surname Jun in the capital?]

[Love is love. If they don't care about gender, why should you care if they're well-matched?]

[I remember lxc just got divorced, right? Or maybe she hasn't? We only heard rumors before, nothing confirmed.]

[She's been in trouble a lot lately. I'm sick of seeing her. If there's nothing wrong, how could she be trending every day? Mark my words, this is definitely cheating. If not, I'll wash my hair upside down.]

[Waiting for you to wash your hair upside down. How many times has Baby Lu proved you wrong and you still don't learn?]

[To be honest, her relationship history is really strange. She was openly "secretly married" for a long time, and her spouse never showed up. After the divorce, she quickly found a new lover. It's hard not to think there's something fishy.]

[Isn't it possible that the divorce was just a rumor?]

[I think the surname Jun sounds familiar, but I'm not sure. Let's wait and see.]

[You're not alone. I also feel like I've heard it somewhere.]

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=7288969
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

While netizens were heatedly discussing, Lu Xici was being blocked in a secluded spot not far from the set.

Her driver and bodyguard protected her, and her watch automatically sent a message to Lu Tingyi.

Jun Youyue was not present.

Today was the day she would hand over the project to Cheng Xu, so she had to return to the research institute.

Although they had anticipated this situation a few days ago when discussing countermeasures, if Cheng Xu was associated with the Lu family and intended to trouble Jun Youyue, the best time would be this project handover day.

However, Lu Xici didn't expect Lu Jinghua's people to actually come for her.

Lu Xici looked at the group in front of her with a stern expression.

"If there's something, just say it." Lu Xici now wanted to rush to Jun Youyue's side.

Lu Jinghua would definitely not let Jun Youyue go, and Lu Xici didn't know if the people staying with her were enough.

"Miss Xici." The leader was a middle-aged man.

Lu Xici didn't recognize him, naturally unaware that he was also a member of the senior management of the research institute.

"Mr. Lu asked you to come home." This person's attitude was exceptionally respectful.

But Lu Xici could tell that his respect for her stemmed entirely from Lu Jinghua.

"My only family is Lu Tingyi." Lu Xici was on guard, her bodyguard was looking for a way out.

This group of people didn't carry weapons, which was a bit strange.

If they wanted to force her back to the Lu family, Lu Xici thought, that old man should have come up with something more forceful.

"Please reconsider, Miss Xici." The middle-aged man was very firm.

"I think I've made myself clear enough. I've expressed my attitude before."

Lu Xici was referring to the previous hot search where she mercilessly confronted Lu Jinghua's actions.

That incident had quite an impact. Under Lu Tingyi's deliberate manipulation, the Lu family's stocks plummeted for quite a few days, and the market shrunk.

Lu Jinghua didn't seem to care much about managing his online image.

Various interpretations emerged from Lu Xici's remarks, but only slightly more than half were favorable to Lu Jinghua.

"Mr. Lu said that the previous incident could be regarded as Miss Xici's youthful indiscretion, just playing around. As long as Miss Xici is willing to return to the Lu family, this matter can be settled."

Lu Xici was somewhat puzzled.

She didn't think she held much value to the Lu family.

She hadn't shown exceptional talent in management, nor did she have any expertise in computer-related fields.

Could it be that she was seen as a crucial intermediary for Lu Jinghua to bring back Lu Tingyi?

After all, logically speaking, if the daughter returned to the Lu family, there was a high probability that Lu Tingyi could once again be useful to Lu Jinghua.

And as for Lu Tingyi's talents, anyone over thirty in the elite circles in the capital could easily find out.

Or perhaps Lu Jinghua truly harbored the idea of manipulating Jun Youyue into becoming a puppet of the Lu family, using Lu Xici's hand to accomplish this.

Regardless of which scenario it was, Lu Xici could not agree.

Not to mention the numerous disgusting things she had heard about Lu Jinghua before.

"I'm twenty-four years old, my brain has long finished developing, I know exactly what I'm doing, and I won't change my mind because of your words."

Lu Xici's tone was unpleasant as if mocking the middle-aged man for persistently asking her questions as if his brain hadn't fully developed and he couldn't understand her meaning.

The middle-aged man understood, his expression changing slightly.

Actually, Lu Xici had misunderstood. Lu Jinghua was only forcing her to make a choice.

"Mr. Lu also said, if Miss Xici is willing to return to the Lu family, you can receive the treatment of the legitimate eldest lady for your entire life, enjoy wealth and glory, and have the right to sequential succession."

The middle-aged man's earpiece picked up all of Lu Xici's words, relaying them in real-time to Lu Jinghua and conveying his demands.

"Sequential? Not the first?" Lu Xici began to understand Lu Jinghua's meaning.

But the sincerity behind this offer seemed lacking.

"The first position belongs to the young master, Lu Manman. However, Miss Xici is allowed to rank ahead of Lu Shaoning."

The middle-aged man responded mechanically, one question, one answer.

Lu Xici nearly chuckled.

In Lu Jinghua's eyes, she and Lu Shaoning were perennially second-rate, easily disposable when necessary. What was there to dispute about this order?

Just a few days ago, during her analysis with Lu Tingyi, she mentioned this Lu Manman, who was still just a child.

Simply because Lu Manman was a boy.

Regardless of his talent, regardless of his ability.

He was born with a higher position in the right to succession than Lu Shaoning, and "Lu Xici".

Just like Lu Zhiheng to Lu Tingyi.

Everyone knows that the Lu family has produced a talented genius, who has never been out of the top ten in grades from childhood to adulthood and entered Peking University with the highest score in the province.

Everyone knows that there is also a useless playboy in the Lu family, who got a report card full of zeros in middle school and got a diploma solely from the Lu family's money.

In the end, the one who still inherited the company's ownership rights is the arrogant, self-willed, and delusional young master.

"Decades have passed, yet your Lu family is still so decadent." Lu Xici's refusal grew more resolute.

"Get lost, go back to your dynasty zombies, if you bother me again, I'll beat you back to your era."

"This is a great opportunity, isn't it? Why are you as stubborn as your mother?" The middle-aged man temporarily ignored those dirty words he didn't understand.

If Lu Xici returned to the Lu family, she could have anything she wanted. Even if she wanted to enter the entertainment industry, the Lu family could use top resources to promote her.

Who wouldn't want to live a life of luxury without working hard?

He forgot that he himself was the type who would rather work hard and be in power than lie down and rest.

Although he was extremely respectful, he never considered himself and Lu Xici to be the same kind of people.

In his eyes, Lu Xici was just a delicate young girl, unworthy of coveting power.

"My mother was the most capable of her generation. But how did you treat her? You kept her confined, tried to clip her wings, and turned her into a vase, pairing her with a good husband so she could live a life revolving around her husband and children. And you thought you were treating her well."

Recalling Lu Tingyi's casual recounting of the past a few days ago, Lu Xici was still extremely angry.

"Isn't that kind of life good for a girl? Besides, she could have assisted Young Master Zhiheng in expanding the family business, just like her mother did after marrying into the Lu family," the middle-aged man expressed genuine confusion.

Lu Xici felt genuine disgust.

The people Lu Tingyi sent had arrived, and she no longer wanted to speak with this man.

At that moment, the middle-aged man's face changed dramatically after hearing something.

He wanted to leave with his people, but Lu Xici wouldn't allow it.

"Arrest them all. We'll need him in a few days," Lu Xici ordered, and the people sent by Lu Tingyi moved.

"You have no right to arrest me! Lu Xici, don't go too far! I show you respect for the sake of Mr. Lu, otherwise, what are you? It's one thing for you to act recklessly, but don't you think about your wife still in the research institute?!"

Held back by a group of people in white clothes who seemed to appear out of nowhere, and seeing them pull out a dust-covered sack, the middle-aged man finally couldn't hold it in and began to curse.

Hearing him mention Jun Youyue, Lu Xici's expression changed, and she became panicked.

Seeing her panic, the middle-aged man inwardly sneered at her lovesick mind and became even more relentless, showing his confidence in winning.

"If you agree with Mr. Lu, she has a slim chance of survival. Otherwise, she will die at Mr. Lu's hands just like her two self-righteous mothers!"

"What did you say?" Lu Xici was an actress, capable of displaying any emotion effortlessly.

But this time, she didn't even want to act.

"I said today is the day the Jun family dies, ah—!" Before he could finish, Lu Xici slapped him hard across the face.

"Don't speak about her like that! Don't speak about them like that!"

Lu Xici could tolerate the middle-aged man's condescension toward her.

She could barely tolerate his pitying attitude toward Lu Tingyi.

But hearing him maliciously judge two deceased heroes and curse the Jun family, who had made countless contributions, was unbearable for Lu Xici.

"Miss," a bodyguard stopped Lu Xici.

Lu Xici's eyes were bloodshot due to excessive agitation. 

She looked at the bodyguard in confusion. 

The bodyguard wasn't there to stop Lu Xici from hitting the man.

The bodyguard stepped forward and slapped the middle-aged man's unbruised left cheek.

Her strength far surpassed Lu Xici's. Though it seemed like she used little force, the man screamed like a pig being slaughtered.

"I'll handle it. You have a scene tomorrow. Don't hurt your hand, Miss Jun would worry."

Lu Xici finally calmed down.

She closed her eyes and no longer paid attention to the middle-aged man.

"Go to the research institute, quickly!" Lu Xici ordered after getting into the car, clutching her phone.

She was far from as calm as she appeared.

Her palms and back were covered in cold sweat, and her breathing became rapid as the scenery outside the window flew by.

Author's Note:

There are still 2 days until the end of the main text~

Today is another day of midterm review, so there's only one update, but it's four thousand characters, which is quite a lot.

The pace may be a little fast, so it is recommended to read this chapter more slowly.

The unclear parts will be explained later, such as what countermeasures they discussed a few days ago, why Lu Tingyi was kicked out of the Lu family, and what Lu Shaoning wanted with Lu Tingyi...