Lu Qianzhou let out a soft laugh. "Okay, I'll wait for you then."
Although the words were spoken by herself and he hadn't said anything, she blushed and her heart raced uncontrollably.
After hanging up the phone, she grabbed her belongings and headed straight for Lu Qianzhou's mansion.
These days, because of Cheng Hua's opposition, even Lian Wenliang had been reassigned back to Lu Qianzhou's side. But Lu Qianzhou had always arranged for someone to secretly protect her safety, and Yan Xia was well aware of it.
She drove to see him on her own. Before she even reached the gate, she saw Lu Qianzhou standing by the clear - water lake in the villa area. He was holding some bread and tossing it into the lake to feed the swans. Wenliang was standing beside him, reporting something.
The afterglow of the setting sun enveloped his tall and slender figure.
Yan Xia's heart skipped a beat. She got out of the car and strode towards him. As if sensing something, Lu Qianzhou suddenly turned around and caught sight of Yan Xia, who was tiptoeing up behind him.
He didn't smile, but there was a faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes. His amber irises seemed to sparkle.
Caught in the act, she walked up to him sheepishly and was taken by the hand by Lu Qianzhou.
Lu Qianzhou gave his final instruction. "That's how it should be arranged. Remember, on no account should the old man find out."
Wenliang nodded. His look towards Yan Xia was rather meaningful, but he said nothing and left obediently.
After Wenliang left, Yan Xia bit her lip and asked, "Why are you out here?"
Lu Qianzhou smiled. "It's a rare day with a beautiful sunset. I wanted to take a walk with you."
Yan Xia felt a warm current in her heart. He always managed to surprise her in unexpected ways, the kind of surprises that every little girl adored. She let Lu Qianzhou lead her along the lakeside. After hesitating for a moment, she finally mustered up the courage to ask.
"Third Brother, the thing about you wanting to marry me, was it just because of the pressure from my father? Does the Lu family... know about your decision?"
Even though there was no need to seek the Lu family's opinion, what Cheng Hua wanted was an open and transparent marriage, so that everyone could see her status as the legitimate wife at a glance.
Maybe her state of mind was similar to those girls who believed that marriage was the destination and stabilizer of a relationship.
"I don't need to seek their opinion for my decision." Lu Qianzhou answered straightforwardly. "As for the marriage, haven't I already explained it to you?"
Since he had already decided that she would be his unwavering wife in the future, he might as well exercise his rights in advance.
Yan Xia hesitated, on the verge of speaking.
"But you and I both know very well that you're not an ordinary person. You know how much of a stir your marriage will cause in the entire capital. This isn't a decision that can be made on a whim. I don't think you really understand what it means for you to marry me."
Lu Qianzhou looked down at her. The two of them were walking on the roadside, and the setting sun cast their shadows long.
Even though it was the first time they were walking like this under the sunset, Yan Xia had the illusion that she had accompanied him through half a lifetime.
Lu Qianzhou said, "When did you become so indecisive and insecure?"
Yan Xia had been looking down at their shadows on the ground. She was a bit unsure of herself. She had been thinking too much recently and was almost lost as to what she really wanted.
"Because it's about you." She hesitated slightly. "Third Brother, you don't need to worry about my father. Even if he doesn't agree, I won't marry someone else. If you don't really want to marry me, I'd rather not have such a marriage."
Lu Qianzhou laughed and reached out to pinch her cheek.
She hadn't exercised much recently, and her face had gained some flesh, making it very pleasant to pinch.
"What's the difference? It's going to happen sooner or later anyway. Now, I'm just advancing my original plan." The smile in his eyes suddenly faded. "Moreover, there's a Fang Jiangyi eyeing you covetously."
Securing the ownership of something earlier was the most fatal blow to the competitor.
Yan Xia was speechless. To be honest, Fang Jiangyi's true feelings for her were really unexpected. Because of her sister, she always felt a strange sense of guilt.
Lu Qianzhou said, "Leave your father's matter to me. I'll go to your home with betrothal gifts to propose marriage another day."
Yan Xia looked up at him and nodded obediently.
"We also need to take wedding photos."
Yan Xia continued to nod. She was so looking forward to it that her eyes sparkled like stars.
"But before that, there's one more thing we need to do."
Yan Xia was confused. "What?"
Lu Qianzhou smiled.
"Do you plan to spend the rest of your life with a face that resembles the real Lu Sheng by 50%? I don't mind. After all, loving someone means loving their soul rather than their appearance. But you want to be back as Cheng Yanxia. Won't you mind?"
Yan Xia was stumped by his question. Yes, she had almost forgotten about the face - changing.
She had never seen Lu Sheng, yet she had been living under her identity for so long. However, from what others had said about Lu Sheng, she could tell that Lu Sheng was truly the happiest one.
She was as lively as fire and as free as a butterfly. She was unrestrained and had nothing to worry about.
She suddenly let out a bitter laugh. "I've almost forgotten. I've never even seen what Lu Sheng looks like. Third Brother, you must have a photo of her. I want to see what she looks like."
Lu Qianzhou showed her a photo of him and Lu Sheng on his phone.
In the photo, Lu Sheng had long, beautiful blond - brown hair, fair skin, and extremely delicate features that looked like those of a mixed - race person, full of exotic charm. She was wearing a long black dress and had a big, happy smile.
She and Lu Qianzhou were standing on a path covered with maple leaves. The path seemed to stretch into infinity, like a desolate wilderness far from human habitation.
And Lu Qianzhou beside her was expressionless, but his face was gentle, not as serious as usual.
Yan Xia's hand brushed over Lu Sheng's face in the photo. Her eyes were full of emotion, and the emotions in her heart were very strange. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
This was the real Lu Sheng, not someone like her, living in a world full of plots and schemes every day.
"Lu Sheng loved freedom, the wild, adventure, and exploring and researching every plant. She was a very simple person. If she were to come back to the Lu family, she might not even live to inherit Uncle's legacy."
"Actually, I'm quite envious of Lu Sheng."
Once upon a time, she too had been a free, simple, and happy person.
"Envious of what about her?" Lu Qianzhou asked.
Yan Xia said, "I'm envious that she had such a great father like Lord Lu San and an elder brother like you who cared about her. Moreover, you've known each other for so long, and it seems like you've really done a lot of things together over the years."
Lu Qianzhou reached out and pulled her into his arms. Against the light of the setting sun, he looked down into her eyes. "Xia Xia, do you know what it means to gain something and lose something? For Lu Sheng, it means losing something to gain something."
Yan Xia was extremely infatuated with the warm embrace of Lu Qianzhou, but she felt a bit sad. They could have lived in a simple and harmonious environment, so why did it have to end up in such a life - and - death struggle?