Lord Lu should not be very wary of her. He probably just thinks that she came to him to take revenge on Lu Qianzhou.
However, it might be that he didn't think she had such great ambition or ability, or perhaps he simply disdained her. A powerless little girl couldn't stir up much trouble these days. Moreover, he didn't need to worry about this at all, as Lu Qianzhou would always keep an eye on Yan Xia's movements.
Lord Lu smiled faintly. "Currently, Fang Jiangyi has the actual control of Shengshi. Do you think he'll be willing to give it up?"
Judging from his tone, he seemed to know nothing about the entanglement between Fang Jiangyi and Yan Xia. In fact, shouldn't he know everything?
"If I can come here to talk to you, it means I'm fully confident. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. I hope Lord Lu will seriously consider whether to cooperate with me. I'll be waiting for your message at any time."
Yan Xia pushed a piece of paper with a phone number and a name on it across the table. It had her current contact information.
Just then, a message came in, and Lord Lu's phone screen lit up. Yan Xia caught a glimpse of the background photo on Lord Lu's phone screen, which was a group photo of him and Lu Sheng. She didn't expect that a man as decisive as Lord Lu could be so girly. It seemed that he really doted on his adopted daughter, Lu Sheng.
She was really a bit envious of Lu Sheng. With Lord Lu's love, Lu Qianzhou's constant concern, freedom, and dreams, she could fulfill her own wishes.
Those were all things that Yan Xia yearned for but were out of reach.
However, Lu Sheng didn't plan to inherit Lord Lu's family business, and Lord Lu was alone. He would have to make some plans for this huge family business in the future.
Yan Xia couldn't help sighing. "I really envy Miss Lu. She can do what she likes without having to consider anything."
Lord Lu lowered his head to reply to the message and curved his lips.
"Everyone makes different choices."
Yan Xia withdrew her gaze. "Actually, Lord Lu should consider the future. You're managing such a large family business alone. And Lu Qianzhou has his own business. Sometimes, having a trustworthy person to share the burden might not be a bad thing."
While talking to Lord Lu, she also kept an ear out for the voices in her earpiece. However, so far, Shangguan Yao hadn't said a single word. She wondered if he wanted her to handle it on her own.
Lord Lu smiled and picked up the piece of paper with her phone number on it, squinting at it.
"If you want to cooperate with me, I wonder if you've done your homework in advance and if you can bear the corresponding consequences."
Yan Xia naturally knew that Lord Lu owned many underground casinos in the capital. These gray industries had never been shut down because they had powerful backers.
Yan Xia said, "I can bear any consequences. Nothing is more important than getting back what belongs to me."
Finally, Lord Lu nodded approvingly. He took out a cigarette but didn't light it immediately. Instead, he asked Yan Xia first.
"Do you mind if I smoke?"
Yan Xia smiled. "Lord Lu, feel free."
So the smoke from the tobacco curled up. Yan Xia looked at Lord Lu through the hazy smoke. He hadn't given a definite answer yet. She wondered if he was weighing the pros and cons or thinking about how to decline her.
After a moment of waiting, Lord Lu said, "You also know that Qianzhou and I have a special relationship. If things really come to that in the future, I may need him to talk to you about some of my business, or you still can't let go of your hatred and want to take revenge on him. Then you'll have to make a choice. I'd like to know what you're thinking."
Yan Xia knew that she would face this test sooner or later, but she didn't expect it to come so soon.
She didn't answer immediately. Then Shangguan Yao's voice came through the earpiece, clearly into her ear.
"Don't lie. Lying at this time will be exposed immediately." It would be better to give an ambiguous answer.
Yan Xia looked at Lord Lu's expression. There was no change in his expression. After confirming that he really couldn't hear Shangguan Yao's voice, Yan Xia said.
"You're you, and he's him. You're my benefactor, while he's my enemy. I can tell the difference. If it's about your interests, I'll never let your interests be damaged. I'll solve my grudge with Lu Qianzhou on my own and will never involve you."
After saying this, she smiled again.
"Moreover, you also know that I have nothing now. With my ability, I can't do anything to Lu Qianzhou. The future is so long. Maybe before I go to settle accounts with him, he suddenly has a change of heart, confesses everything to me, and then this possibility will no longer exist."
It was indeed an ambiguous answer.
Yan Xia didn't know if her answer was appropriate.
Lord Lu took a puff of his cigarette and was silent for a moment. The white smoke and his words came out of his mouth together. He reached out and snuffed out the cigarette butt.
"Go back first. I'll send someone to contact you."
In the end, she still didn't get a definite answer.
Yan Xia knew very well that nothing could be achieved overnight. Pushing people too hard wasn't a good thing.
So she obediently nodded and stood up. "Then I'll go back first. I won't bother you anymore."
Lord Lu nodded and said seemingly casually, "Please be more understanding about Qianzhou's matter. He's also having a hard time."
Yan Xia picked up her handbag and smiled. "Actually, it's never been me who has been making things difficult for him. It's him who has been making things difficult for me. If he had told me why earlier, maybe things between him and me wouldn't have come to this."
Lord Lu didn't say anything else.
Although he didn't say much, he knew many things clearly.
The reason why Lu Qianzhou didn't defend himself was that some things couldn't be said. Maybe they were too dark and disgraceful, his shame and his heartache, too hard to talk about.
After leaving the teahouse, Yan Xia finally let out a sigh of relief.
She waited until she got in the car before trying to contact Shangguan Yao.
"Shangguan, are you there?"
Shangguan Yao's voice came through the earpiece again.
"I've been here all the time."
"You heard all the conversation between Lord Lu and me just now." She bit her lip and thought deeply with worry. "I think Lord Lu might ask me to do something I shouldn't do to test my sincerity. If he really asks me to do it, should I agree or not?"
If it was an illegal thing, she had to discuss it with him.
Shangguan Yao said, "Agree first. Things always have their priorities. We'll cooperate with you in the specific implementation. You should gain his trust first."
With his words, Yan Xia felt more confident.
She and Fang Jiangyi had already discussed it. After she went back this time, she could take the position of vice president under the identity of Cheng Yanxia.
To be honest, before, she had stayed in Shengshi for a long time under the identity of Lu Sheng. Everyone knew Lu Sheng, but not many people knew Cheng Yanxia. This was a good thing for her. The new identity could avoid many conspiracy theories.
At the same time, Lu Qianzhou also received a message.
There were photos sent to him, from Yan Xia's arrival at the teahouse for Lord Lu's appointment, to the two of them sitting by the window talking, and then to Yan Xia's departure from the teahouse.
Actually, he could guess Yan Xia's intention, but he wasn't flustered at all. He even automatically blocked out the words of the people around him.