We were just talking, and you laugh at your sister?" Mrs. Lu turned to look at him, her eyes reproachful yet brimming with pride and reliance. "You're not young anymore. When do you plan to get married?"
It was a worn-out topic. Lu Tingzhou frowned, his full lips pressing downward, clearly unwilling to engage.
He sat there coolly and aloofly, his presence undeniable—broad shoulders, narrow waist, high brows. A black suit wrapped his tall frame, exuding an indescribable cold nobility. His gaze fell elsewhere, hands clasped before him, looking harmless. "Mm, I won't laugh anymore."
"Will Xiaoxi be mad at her brother?"
His eyes drifted back to Cheng Buxi's tense, silent profile.
Cheng Buxi's eyelids twitched at the word 'marriage,' and she was hit by the boomerang question. She quickly answered, "N-no..."
She was visibly nervous.
Men like Lu Tingzhou were surrounded by the sharpest minds—the youngest executive chairman and COO in AMH Group's history, dealing year-round with a pack of old foxes who devoured people without spitting out bones. Those as powerful as him weren't as young; those as young lacked his decisive ruthlessness. He was revered, formidable, and meticulous.
If this had been when she was a child, Cheng Buxi might not have been so intimidated, but now it was entirely different.
"Why are you scaring her again?" Mrs. Lu glared at him reproachfully.
Lu Tingzhou was unfairly accused of scaring his sister, and with an added 'again.' Darkness flickered in his eyes, mixed with a trace of helplessness. He just wanted to talk to her, like before—that was all. But when he actually tried, he realized that something that once belonged to him had quietly changed over time. The clingy little sister Xiaoxi was gone forever.
He knew it had all shattered after New Year's Eve three years ago.
With an almost imperceptible sigh, Cheng Buxi keenly sensed his mood shift. She glanced sideways, afraid of offending him again. After all, she had made a grave mistake back then. Being allowed to stay all these years was already plenty of leeway.
Mrs. Lu finished scolding him and took Cheng Buxi's hand, kneading it gently. "Koukou, we'll talk, ignore him."
"Your brother's grown up now. He's got stiff wings, dares to talk back to me." Though she said it with a laugh, it was more teasing.
Cheng Buxi nodded on the surface, but how could she truly ignore him? She had grown up under his watchful eye. He knew every little thought she had. The moment her eyes shifted, he knew what she was thinking. There was no way she wasn't afraid of him.
---
Mrs. Lu came from a noble background, the daughter of a southern oil tycoon. She had doted on Cheng Buxi since childhood, treating her like her own. She rubbed her small hand—it wasn't as cold as before—then tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing two beautifully shaped ears.
Cheng Buxi had a good foundation. As a child, she looked like a jade dumpling, lovable to all. Now grown, she was bright-eyed and graceful. The more Mrs. Lu looked, the happier she felt. It was time for marriage.
"Koukou, did Professor Shen say anything on the way back?"
Though it sounded like a casual question, her gaze was meaningful. Cheng Buxi sensed something unusual.
"N-no, nothing much," she answered cautiously. "Auntie, Professor Shen had a full day of classes. He was very tired."
She implied that there was nothing improper between her and Shen Xiushi—just a teacher-student relationship.
But Mrs. Lu was not convinced. "That can't be. Little Shen is a renowned talent, the eldest son of the Shen family. He's refined in every way and handsome too. I don't believe he'd let the conversation fall flat. You must have talked."
But the truth was they hadn't said much. Cheng Buxi regretted taking his car.
She stole a glance at her side. The man looked utterly indifferent, but she could tell from the position of his toes that he wasn't interested.
Mrs. Lu pressed on, "You've got one year left until graduation. You should start thinking about your future. Is there anyone at school you like?"
Cheng Buxi shook her head.
It didn't really matter whether she answered yes or no. Even if she said yes, Mrs. Lu had ways to break them up.
Seeing she had no one in mind, Mrs. Lu nodded in satisfaction. Then, "So, Koukou... what do you think of Professor Shen?" She cut to the chase.
So that was her intention—to set her up with Shen Xiushi. Cheng Buxi opened her mouth but couldn't form a word. She didn't know what expression to put on. Smile? She couldn't. It would only be uglier than crying, like the most obedient bird in a cage being pinned by the neck, gasping for air.
The tea she had just drunk was supposed to be sweet, but now it tasted endlessly bitter on her tongue.
Lu Tingzhou silently looked out the window at the evening greenery, saying nothing. But the last trace of a smile faded from his lips, replaced by a deep, sharp coldness.
"Professor Shen is a very good person. He's always been kind to me."
"He teaches us without any airs. My classmates all admire him."
"He... I..."
After stringing together five or six sentences, she couldn't go on. She shot a pleading look at the person beside her.
Today her hair was down, much longer than the last time they met—shoulder-length, plastered to her ears. Probably because of the rain, it looked misty, with a damp strand curling at her temple.
She hadn't changed much, but she was clearly thinner than the last time. She must not have been eating well again.
Lu Tingzhou understood her, cared for her, and sided with her. He cleared his throat and stood up. "Didn't you say there was a family dinner? Xiaoxi hasn't changed yet."
This sudden interruption disrupted Mrs. Lu's plans. She frowned. "What's the rush? I'm thinking about Koukou's future. If she can't get married, you, as her big brother, are to blame!"
At the mention of marriage, Lu Tingzhou didn't even hesitate. "With the Lu family behind her, how could she not get married?"
"Go change your clothes." He said coldly, without looking back.
"Tingzhou!" Mrs. Lu shot up.
Something was wrong. The air felt like gasoline, ready to explode. Cheng Buxi was dazed.
Marriage alliances were one thing, but Mrs. Lu's obsession was real. She wanted grandchildren, or even to be a grandmother, anything was better than nothing. But none of her children were worry-free.
"You're 29 this year. When are you going to settle down?"
"When your father was your age, Siyu was already half-grown. If you don't start a family, your sister will have to. You and Siyu—one of you is off filming for days on end, the other busy with work for years. Koukou is grown now. I'm anxious."
"How old is she? Mother, there's no need for this." Lu Tingzhou's eyes were icy, like a net. "I'll be the one to decide if she's suitable."
"Absurd! Can those mediocre men compare to the Shen family? If Koukou can become a daughter-in-law of the Shen family, that would be her blessing!"