Autumn came extremely fast this year.
The streets were filled with falling golden leaves, presenting a desolate scene. The chill pierced the bones. The cobblestone paths were covered with golden fallen leaves, along with tiny water droplets and a damp frostiness.
Yan Xia got out of the car. Her bare arms felt icy cold. She frowned, not realizing that late autumn had come so quickly. She exhaled hot air into her palms and rubbed her arms.
Wen Liang held an umbrella and accompanied her all the way, protecting her from the side.
The floor of the hotel was covered with burgundy carpets. She stopped in the quiet corridor and felt the just - right temperature in the room.
The door opened. Yan Xia paused at the door for a moment, hesitating. She glanced at Wen Liang, who just gave her a reassuring look and then lowered his head.
Even when she stepped into the room, Yan Xia still felt nervous.
Although Lu Qianzhou had arranged the identity of the Third Master Lu's adopted daughter for her, in fact, she had only met the Third Master a few times. Sometimes, they just met to deceive others.
This kind - looking elder never actually put any pressure on them. He had kind eyes and a gentle expression. But for some reason, Yan Xia always had an inexplicable fear of the Third Master Lu.
This was a suite. The outer room came into view first. Behind the screen was the dining room, with elegant wooden tables and four wooden chairs. Inside was a meeting room with several groups of gray sofas, as well as a large bay window and an outdoor balcony. There were a swimming pool, sunshades, and lounge chairs on the balcony, and the water was sparkling.
Yan Xia went straight to the inner room behind the screen and stood beside the sofa.
Not far away, there was a small fish tank on the table. A man in a black long - gown from the Republic of China era, with slicked - back hair, was standing in front of the table, sprinkling fish food into the tank.
He seemed to be very interested, making soft sounds as if teasing a small animal. The little goldfish in the water ignored him and just spat bubbles, not moving at all.
"Third Master," Yan Xia called out. "You wanted to see me?"
"Look at these little guys. No matter how much you feed them, they're still greedy and never know contentment. They have ambitions that others can't even imagine, and no matter how you feed them, they won't get close to you," he said with a soft laugh. "Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover, and you can't measure the sea with a dipper."
Yan Xia stepped forward. "No matter how ungrateful they are, they're just pets. They'll always be in your palm."
Only after throwing all the fish food in his hand did the Third Master Lu turn around and look at her.
There was a faint scar on his left cheek. Perhaps because it hadn't been carefully treated, if you looked closely, you could see that there had once been a hideous scar there.
But a person in his position took excellent care of himself. Although he was nearly sixty, he looked like a handsome young man in his thirties. However, his steady and reserved temperament was a mark of his life experience that couldn't be erased.
The Third Master Lu suddenly laughed heartily. "That's right. No matter how capable a brute is, it's just a pet and will always be in people's hands."
Seeing the Third Master Lu sit down on the sofa, Yan Xia then sat down with him.
His voice was always deep. "You and that rascal Qianzhou don't come back to see me often. What new tricks have you been up to lately? I've heard so many rumors these days. I feel like all the fame I've built up over the years is almost ruined by you two."
In this regard, the Third Master Lu was quite similar to Lu Qianzhou. They both seemed to be rather proud. They never bothered to voice their spiritual needs and just let others guess.
The Third Master Lu had been single for many years and had no children. However, his relationship with Lu Qianzhou had always been harmonious in the past.
Yan Xia smiled sweetly. "Brother San and I have been busy with the Xinghai Bay project recently. With those rumors a while ago, we have to be more careful than before. Sometimes, we can only use your name to get out of trouble."
The water in the kettle boiled with a gurgling sound. The tea leaves tumbled around and unfurled.
The Third Master Lu lowered his head to pour himself a cup of tea and said,
"I heard he's also negotiating several international projects recently."
Yan Xia said, "Probably."
She never paid attention to Lu Qianzhou's movements. Moreover, it wasn't her place to interfere in Lu Qianzhou's affairs.
"Well, his temper can't stay calm. He's just like his father. Busy all day long, but I don't see any real achievements," the Third Master Lu said.
Yan Xia had seen the way Lu Qianzhou and the Third Master Lu got along. The Third Master Lu had absolute authority in front of Lu Qianzhou.
She even thought that compared to Lu Qianzhou's biological father, the Third Master Lu was more like a strict father, teaching and influencing him greatly.
The Third Master Lu picked up the tweezers to rinse the tea and finally poured a cup of tea for Yan Xia.
"You mustn't learn his temper. You should be decisive and make up your own mind. Know how to choose and when to advance or retreat."
The two sat quietly in the room. Faint sounds of running water could be heard.
Yan Xia felt extremely uncomfortable sitting there. Her palms were covered in dense sweat. She always knew that she couldn't hide her emotions. She was like an innocent child. In front of those scheming people, she was almost transparent.
Yan Xia's voice was low and steady.
"I don't have any grand vision. I just hope to make my enemies receive the punishment they deserve and take back what originally belonged to the Cheng family. Brother San has a different status and naturally has greater responsibilities. He's different from me after all."
The Third Master Lu turned the teacup in his hand, his eyes lowered. "I'd like to hear your opinion on the Xinghai Bay project."
Yan Xia said, "At present, nothing has been finalized. Getting the approval for the sea - reclamation project is the top priority."
"I heard that Fang Jiangyi wants you to show your sincerity with the Xinghai Bay project. What do you think? Are you going to follow his words?" the Third Master Lu's voice remained steady.
Yan Xia quickly analyzed the meaning behind his words in her mind. What answer did he want to hear? Or was he testing her for Lu Qianzhou?
After a moment, she said, "No matter what I choose to do in the end, I will always prioritize the interests of Changling. So..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the Third Master Lu suddenly reached out to interrupt her, seemingly not agreeing with her words.
He shook his head. "You're wrong."
Yan Xia frowned. "What do you mean, Third Master?"
"At any time, you should prioritize your own interests. You shouldn't be indecisive, considering both sides," the Third Master Lu's deep eyes locked onto Yan Xia's face. "You should know that for Changling, losing the Xinghai Bay project isn't a big deal. At most, it's just losing some profit and a bit of face. But for you, it's losing an excellent opportunity."
She was even more confused.
The Third Master Lu and Lu Qianzhou should be on the same side. So, the Third Master Lu should first consider Lu Qianzhou's interests. But what he said now was rather ambiguous and hard to figure out.
He took a sip of the fragrant tea and said, "Qianzhou has been too busy. It's time for him to take a good rest. Let Fang Jiangyi do the Xinghai Bay project. I'm relieved to let you handle this matter."
Yan Xia was shocked.
"But Third Master, you should know that Lu Qianzhou values this project very much and has put a lot of effort into it. Why..."
Did Lu Qianzhou know that this was what the Third Master Lu meant regarding this project?