38. Candor

At exactly six o’clock in the evening, Pei Huan picked up her bag and left her desk. She never worked overtime at the office; even if she had only finishing touches left on a task, she would rather resolve it at home. She refused to stay at the company a second longer than necessary. Fortunately, their company did not enforce the hellish rule of after-hours meetings.

While waiting for the elevator, Pei Huan stood beside a male colleague from her department. He stole several glances at her, pondering how to strike up a conversation, when the elevator arrived. As the doors opened and Pei Huan was about to step inside, she froze for a brief moment upon seeing who was within.

Inside stood Lu Feng and Lu Yinghuai—both addressed as President Lu. Weighing her options, Pei Huan looked to Lu Yinghuai and nodded slightly. “President Lu.”

Even if he hadn’t met Lu Yinghuai in person, her colleague had seen his face countless times in the news or on financial magazines. The name Lu Yinghuai was legendary—a man of influence standing right before him. The colleague swallowed hard and managed, “President Lu.”

Lu Yinghuai’s gaze swept coolly over both of them. He gave a perfunctory sound of acknowledgment and said nothing more.

Pei Huan entered the elevator. The male colleague hesitated for a fraction of a second, and the elevator doors closed on him, leaving just Pei Huan, Lu Yinghuai, and Lu Feng inside. Pei Huan remembered she had a work matter to discuss with Lu Feng, and now was as good a time as any. She turned to Lu Feng. “President Lu, I have some work-related questions for you.”

Caught off guard, Lu Feng felt Lu Yinghuai’s icy stare land on him, but could do nothing but steel himself and step forward. “What is it?”

Pei Huan succinctly explained her issue. Lu Feng, seeing it was nothing difficult, resolved it for her in a few words. Pei Huan’s face lit up in sudden understanding. She smiled. “Thank you, President Lu.”

“No need,” Lu Feng replied with a slight smile.

Lu Yinghuai suddenly let out a cold snort. Both sets of eyes turned to him, but he stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge them. Lu Feng’s expression was complicated.

Was that jealousy in the air?

When the elevator reached the ground floor, Pei Huan walked out first, the brothers following a few steps behind. Lu Feng watched Pei Huan’s retreating figure for a few seconds, then glanced at his older brother. “Brother, if you still have feelings for her, you’d better act fast. To my knowledge, there are at least dozens of people in this company interested in her.”

Lu Yinghuai shot him a chilly look. “Do I need you to remind me?”

Lu Feng wisely shut his mouth.

Pei Huan reached the company entrance and was about to hail a cab when a man approached. “Excuse me, are you Miss Pei Huan?”

“Yes, I am. How can I help you?” Pei Huan was momentarily confused.

“It’s like this,” the man explained, “Madam Lu would like to meet with you. I wonder if you have time now?”

Though he didn’t specify which Madam Lu, Pei Huan instantly guessed. She had a vague sense of what this was about and was about to agree when Lu Yinghuai’s voice came from behind. “Don’t go.”

Lu Yinghuai’s cold gaze shifted to his assistant. “Why does she want to see Pei Huan?”

“I’m not sure. I’m just following orders. Please don’t make things difficult for me, Young Master Lu.”

Though his words were polite, the assistant’s tone was neither servile nor overbearing. Even facing Lu Yinghuai’s imposing aura, he remained calm and composed.

The air grew tense. As Pei Huan was about to step forward, Lu Yinghuai seized her wrist. He looked at her, his gaze restrained. “Don’t go.”

Pei Huan turned, her eyes gentle as they met his. “Let me go. It’ll be fine. I’m an adult now; she can’t do anything to me.” As she spoke, she gently brushed his hand from her wrist.

“You can’t avoid this forever. Sooner or later, I’ll have to face it. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to me,” she reassured him.

Lu Yinghuai stared at her, emotions surging just beneath the surface, on the verge of breaking out. But seeing Pei Huan, he held himself back. Watching her walk away, his expression grew so cold that no one dared approach.

Lu Feng stepped forward, speaking cautiously. “Brother, let’s go home?”

Lu Yinghuai ignored him and walked off. Lu Feng, rebuffed, scratched his nose and left as well.

The assistant led Pei Huan to a café. It was nothing like the one from seven years ago; this place was empty, clearly reserved in advance. The assistant led her to a booth, then discreetly withdrew.

Madam Lu glanced at Pei Huan, her tone indifferent. “Sit.”

Pei Huan sat across from her, and for a moment, the scene seemed to revert to seven years ago. She had sat like this across from Madam Lu then, only she had been an ordinary high school senior, whereas now she was a twenty-five-year-old adult, with enough confidence to face such an encounter.

Madam Lu had hardly changed in seven years—no new wrinkles, still the same poised elegance. She sipped her coffee, and as before, made no move to speak first. This time, Pei Huan was even more composed, her expression tranquil as she waited.

After a long pause, Madam Lu finally asked, “When did you return?”

“Not long ago,” Pei Huan replied.

Only then did Madam Lu’s gaze settle on her face, silently appraising her for a long moment.

The woman before her was clearly not the same as the naïve, inexperienced girl she remembered. Pei Huan was more beautiful than before, her presence far more mature and assured. Madam Lu narrowed her eyes slightly. “Didn’t you say you’d never contact Lu Yinghuai again?”

“Work requires it. We had to meet,” Pei Huan replied with a faint smile.

“So should I take this as the result of your calculated efforts?” Madam Lu pressed.

“Do you have proof?” Pei Huan shot back.

“What?” Madam Lu was momentarily nonplussed.

“Before you accuse someone, shouldn’t you have evidence, Madam Lu?” Pei Huan’s tone was unhurried, her aura undiminished. “I’ve been away for seven years. All I want now is to settle down in Lingcheng.”

Madam Lu recovered, letting out a dismissive snort. “You’re slick-tongued. You’ve already broken your earlier promise.”

“Is that so?” Pei Huan raised an eyebrow.

“Do you think just because your brother, Pei Yan, has some standing in Lingcheng, you can do as you please? If I wanted to deal with you, I have plenty of ways.” Madam Lu’s tone was soft, but the threat was unmistakable.

Pei Huan took a sip of her cappuccino—her long-time favorite. She set the cup down slowly.

“I think you should discuss this with Lu Yinghuai first. Or is it that you can’t handle him now, so you’re coming after me instead?” she asked, her words striking right at Madam Lu’s heart. The woman’s mask of composure cracked for an instant. “You—!”

“Threaten me all you like, I welcome it. I only have this one life anyway—let’s see who lasts longer.” Pei Huan refused to back down.

She took another sip of coffee, then stood and smiled lightly. “If there’s nothing else, Madam Lu, I’ll be going.”

Without waiting for a reply, she left. Madam Lu watched her departing figure, her anger finally breaking through as she slammed her coffee cup down on the table.

Only after leaving the café did Pei Huan’s nerves relax. Her body sagged with exhaustion. Turning her head, she was startled to see someone beside her, but when she recognized Lu Yinghuai, she patted her chest in relief. “Are you trying to scare someone to death, standing here?”

Lu Yinghuai looked at her, a trace of amused interest flickering in eyes usually devoid of expression. “You were rather bold just now.”

The way she had faced Madam Lu reminded him of how, back in high school, Pei Huan had always stood up for her classmates. He couldn’t quite remember whom she’d defended, but the look on her face was the same as before—changed, yet unchanged.

“So you saw?” Pei Huan gave an awkward laugh.

“Yes. That woman was quite furious,” Lu Yinghuai said blandly.

They fell silent. As Pei Huan was about to say she’d take a taxi home, Lu Yinghuai spoke first, insisting on driving her. She had no choice but to agree.

The atmosphere in the car was quiet, the earlier lightness at the café entrance gone as if it had never existed.

When the car stopped in front of Pei Huan’s apartment complex, neither of them moved. Lu Yinghuai’s expression was as calm as still water. After a few seconds, his clear but slightly hoarse voice broke the silence.

“Pei Huan, I haven’t been doing well at all.”

His tone was calm, his gaze fixed on the night beyond the windshield, his face betraying nothing, but Pei Huan could sense a subtle loneliness emanating from him.

She lowered her eyes, saying nothing.

Lu Yinghuai didn’t wait for her response and continued, “After I lost contact with you, I cut ties with my family completely.” His narration was steady. “In the first few days, my parents froze nearly all my bank cards, hoping I’d bow my head and admit fault. That was the hardest time of my life.”

He had even called Pei Yan to ask why Pei Huan had suddenly disappeared, only for Pei Yan to mock him and tell him to ask his own mother, then hang up. Lu Yinghuai stared at his phone in sorrow, unable to speak for a long time.

Though his voice was even, Pei Huan could imagine the helplessness and despair of those days.

“They came looking for me many times, but I refused to see them. Soon after, I moved to another place—had little money, so I lived in a damp, dark basement. To make ends meet, I worked like crazy, taking any job I could find, no matter how dirty or exhausting. I’d get home in the middle of the night, sleep for a few hours, then get up for class again.”

Lu Yinghuai laughed at himself, his voice full of bitterness. Pei Huan had nothing to say.

“During that time, I searched for you everywhere, like a madman. But you, Pei Huan—I don’t know how you managed to harden your heart enough to change all your contact information and shut me out completely.”

At this point, his voice trembled. Tears welled in his eyes, and his hands clenched tightly on his lap. “Pei Huan, you were truly ruthless.”

“I wasn’t,” Pei Huan murmured in protest.

She knew how feeble her denial sounded.

On the day she severed all contact, she admitted she was heartbroken, but she didn’t want to hold Lu Yinghuai back, so she did as Madam Lu demanded.

Lu Yinghuai withdrew his gaze, looking at Pei Huan’s downcast face, his voice grave. “Just tell me one thing, Pei Huan. All these years—have you ever thought of me?”

At this moment, Pei Huan wanted to say no, but she couldn’t bring herself to lie. She took a deep breath and uttered a single word. “Yes.”

Not just once. Every day and night since he left, she had thought of him.

Hearing this, Lu Yinghuai finally smiled with relief. “That’s enough.”

Knowing she had thought of him—that was enough.