I froze for a second, then nodded. "Yes, Mr. Lu?" "Your translation at our last meeting was exceptional, Ms. Tang," he said, looking at me with a faint smile. "Have you considered a long-term position at Lu Corporation? I can assure you, our compensation is more than generous." I was stunned, almost flattered. For someone in my position, his offer was nothing short of a lifeline. Composing myself, I extended my hand without hesitation. "In that case, thank you, Mr. Lu." A warm smile spread across his face as he shook my hand. "I look forward to working with you." After a brief farewell, I got out of the car. I’d only taken a few steps when his voice stopped me. "Tang Li!" It was the first time he’d used my given name, and I turned back, confused. He was leaning against the car, his expression turning serious. "Gu Zhizhou and Ke'er's wedding is approaching," he said. "I hope you can both get back to your own lives." His words were veiled, but we both knew exactly what he was implying, which made the subtlety of it all the more humiliating. I looked at him, and it took a moment before I could force out a single word: "Fine." The endgame was clear: he wanted to ensure I wouldn't be a stumbling block on the path to Lu Ke'er's marital bliss. A man that young, that powerful—he was no fool. We had only met twice, we barely even knew each other. Yet, he had taken me in yesterday and was now delicately offering me a job, all orchestrated flawlessly to serve his purpose. Hearing my answer, he offered a gentle smile. "Thank you." I couldn't quite name the feeling that churned inside me, but I forced a smile back. "Ms. Lu is very lucky to have a brother like you, Mr. Lu." He just smiled and said nonchalantly, "Looks like it's going to rain. I should get going." I didn't have many friends left in Jingcheng. In all my years with Gu Zhizhou, I’d been so careful about everything that I'd lost touch with most of my friends from college. The only one I'd stayed close with was Chen Yun. And now, she was the only person I could turn to. When she saw me at her door, Chen Yun, with her few-month-old baby in her arms, quickly pulled me inside. She thrust the baby into my arms, saying, "You're finally here! Lunch has gone cold. Here, you hold Doudou while I go heat it up." Holding the soft little baby, I felt my troubles melt away for a moment, and I couldn't resist planting a kiss on his cheek. As she heated the food, Chen Yun said, "I asked about an apartment this morning. There’s one for rent just downstairs. The landlord is coming this afternoon so you can take a look. If it's suitable, you can rent it. So, what are your plans now?" "I might be working at Lu Corporation," I said, bouncing the baby in my arms. She seemed surprised. "Wow, really? The pay at Lu Corp is great, the environment's good... people are dying to get in there." I managed a small smile. "Lu Yi arranged it." She was so shocked she leaned against the kitchen doorway, spatula in hand, her voice rising. "Lu Yi? The young CEO of Lu Corporation?" I just nodded. "Mmm-hmm." "But why would he—" "Gu Zhizhou's fiancée is Lu Yi's sister." Chen Yun already knew about my history with Gu Zhizhou. The corner of her mouth twitched. Then she scoffed. "Damn, that Lu family is something else. Most people would just throw money or threats at you to get you to disappear. But they're clever. They stick you right under their noses. That way, you can't pull anything even if you wanted to." Graceful in advance and retreat, a velvet glove over an iron fist—you couldn't find a single fault in their approach. No wonder Fang Hui was so desperate for Gu Zhizhou to marry Lu Ke'er. With a young master like that at the helm, it was only a matter of time before the Lu family's star rose to its zenith. That afternoon, Chen Yun got the landlord to come over. The apartment was perfect, so I took it. By the time I finished tidying up, night had fallen. Lying in bed, my thoughts drifted to my mother and Tang Chen. I clutched my phone, my thumb hovering over their number several times. But I was terrified of hearing her drive me away again, of hearing that resentment in her voice. In the end, though, my worry won out, and I dialed my mother's number. The phone was answered after just two rings. My heart leaped into my throat. "Mom," I began tentatively, "are you—"