Melody introduced Lu Jiaying to a boy from her Uncle Lu Qingxu's family. He was the youngest cousin, also 26 years old.
His family owned several pharmaceutical companies and was very wealthy.
Although he was a bit goofy and playful, his personality and character were quite good.
Melody had met him a few times at family gatherings and quite liked him.
Since he was close in age to Lu Jiaying, she had kept him in mind.
Lu Kai was the youngest in the Lu family. All his older cousins were married with children, and he was still single. Being pressured by elders to marry at various events had become a daily occurrence.
He used to dismiss it, but as his friends gradually got married and the number of people he could casually meet dwindled, he started thinking about settling down.
However, he hadn't met anyone he truly wanted to marry.
Upon meeting Lu Jiaying today, whether it was out of respect for Lu Qingxu and Melody or for some other reason, he felt an instant spark of attraction.
Honestly speaking, Lu Jiaying wasn't the most beautiful, the best-figured, the kindest, the most adept at social interactions, or the one with the most outstanding family background among all the girls he had met.
But she possessed a unique, natural charm.
Whether she was talking or not, she radiated a captivating aura that was uniquely hers.
Lu Kai hadn't felt this impulsive in a long time; he was utterly smitten.
After dinner, Melody asked him to drive Lu Jiaying home, but he was reluctant to part with her.
"How about we find somewhere else to sit for a while? What do you like to drink? If you don't drink alcohol, I'll treat you to tea."
Lu Jiaying said she still had work to do and had a strict sleep schedule, rarely going out at night. Lu Kai had no choice but to take her home.
At the same time, seeing her self-discipline only deepened his positive feelings for her.
Back home, he messaged Lu Jiaying, frankly stating that he felt their vibes were very compatible and that he was genuinely looking for someone to marry. He asked if she would be willing to date him with marriage as a precondition.
It was too fast.
Lu Jiaying had just gone through a major event, and her heart hadn't fully settled before facing a second one. She couldn't make a decision.
Moreover, she had only known Lu Kai for a few hours.
Besides knowing his name and that he was the vice president of his family's pharmaceutical company, she knew nothing else about him.
As Lu Jiaying was drafting a polite way to reject him, Jiang Jingyu called.
He said he would be at work on time tomorrow. What did he mean by that?
Was he trying to tell her that he didn't intend to let that absurd incident go unnoticed?
Lu Jiaying didn't know what he was planning to do, but she had a bad feeling about it.
Boys his age were often rash and impulsive. What if he did something unbelievable?
No. Lu Jiaying couldn't afford to lose face like that.
Nor could she afford to let down so many people who had helped her.
She had to nip his impulsiveness in the bud.
Therefore, after hanging up Jiang Jingyu's call, she changed her mind and replied to Lu Kai's message.
"Sorry, I just took a call. I think it's okay."
Lu Kai was overjoyed.
From childhood, with his looks, personality, charm, wealth, and status, he had never failed to pursue a girl he desired.
He had never been dumped; it was always him who got bored over time and initiated the breakup.
He also had an impressive track record.
His girlfriends typically wouldn't wait more than a week to become intimate with him.
It seemed he would soon get what he wanted again.
The next day, Lu Jiaying, mindful of her work and having slept more than usual, was restless and went to the company early.
Jiang Jingyu was in a similar situation. Hearing that she had started dating, he would only be more anxious.
He also woke up earlier than usual, eager to leave.
Jiang Nan Fang found it strange, "Why are you so early today?"
"I had some unfinished business from the weekend break. I'm doing it quickly before the supervisor arrives to avoid getting scolded."
Jiang Nan Fang was pleased with her son's explanation and gave him a car key.
"Yesterday, your father and I discussed it. Since you plan to work at the company for the next few months, it's more convenient to get you a car."
"With your current status, the family cars aren't suitable. He specially arranged for a Volkswagen for you to use for now. Once these months pass perfectly, your father and I will give you a significant reward."
Jiang Jingyu was ecstatic. He kissed her on the cheek and dashed off.
He arrived at the company more than 40 minutes early, only to find Lu Jiaying already there in the marketing department.
It was good that she was early; with just the two of them, it was convenient to talk.
Jiang Jingyu pushed the door open and saw her familiar face, her hair neatly pulled back, engrossed in her work on the computer.
After just three days apart, he felt a long-lost sense of reassurance.
Forgetting his restless night of tossing and turning, his heart was filled with pure joy.
He suppressed his excitement and knocked on the door.
"Good morning, Ms. Lu. Why are you here so early?"
His tone and demeanor were natural, and one could even detect a hint of happiness.
Lu Jiaying couldn't help but inwardly mock herself.
He was a man. As they said, men, regardless of age, were fundamentally the same.
Perhaps this incident meant nothing to him, merely a novel experience.
Coupled with his background and looks, he had always been surrounded by admirers, so he was clear about his future and wouldn't take it seriously.
She had truly been overthinking things.
With this thought, Lu Jiaying relaxed considerably and replied with her usual expression.
"A lot of work has piled up in the past couple of days, so I came early to get it done to avoid delaying progress. Why are you here so early too?"
Jiang Jingyu couldn't say he was here for her, so he paused.
"My mother gave me a car, and I was excited to take it for a spin, so I left early. I haven't had breakfast yet, how about you?"
Lu Jiaying hadn't eaten either, but she wouldn't admit it.
"I've eaten. There's still time. It's okay, you go eat breakfast first."
"Oh." Jiang Jingyu paused again, staring at her face.
"The sushi you bought last time was delicious. Where did you get it? I want to try it again."
Lu Jiaying certainly couldn't tell him where she bought it, as it wasn't on special offer. If she did, wouldn't that expose her previous lie?
"It's downstairs in my residential complex. It's too far, you should eat something else."
"Alright. Then, Ms. Lu, is there anything you like to eat? I can get it for you."
"No need. I just ate. I'm not hungry."
Jiang Jingyu walked over to get her teacup. "Then I'll make you a cup of coffee."
Lu Jiaying reflexively didn't want him to get close and quickly pushed the cup aside.
"No need. As I said, I just ate. I'm not hungry right now. You go ahead."
Her expression was normal, and she answered his questions without refusing to communicate.
Jiang Jingyu thought things weren't as bad as he imagined.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one else had arrived yet, he quickly went to a well-regarded bakery near the company and bought two food items.