"No, you misunderstood... I was just joking with her..." Su He finally came to her senses as she was carried towards the bedroom.
"Ah Miao doesn't want to have children with me?" Lu Yanbei put on a pitiful smile.
"Well, it's not that... I just feel it's not the right time yet..." Seeing his expression, Su He's heart softened immediately. "After all, we haven't had our wedding yet, and I still want to wear a beautiful wedding dress to the ceremony!"
Lu Yanbei wasn't truly upset; he just wanted to tease her. "Alright, then we'll have a baby after the wedding."
With that, he threw her onto the bed and pinned her down.
"Didn't you say you were going to nap with me?" Being apart for a while made their reunion passionate. Su He felt a flush of desire mixed with shyness.
"Am I not sleeping with you right now?" The noun she spoke of became a verb in his mouth.
The little rabbit was no match for the big bad wolf, and was eventually devoured.
By the time Su He fell into a deep sleep, it was already late afternoon.
She lay in Lu Yanbei's arms, one hand resting on his chest. The position was both intimate and secure.
Lu Yanbei gently stroked the hair by her ear, his gaze lingering on her sleeping face, reluctant to look away.
After a while, his sleepiness grew, and he embraced her, sinking into dreams together.
*
Lu Yanbei stayed in the seaside villa with his wife for several days, not venturing out.
Manager Qian, seeing no action from his boss, assumed he was merely there to relax and became even more arrogant. He kept calling back to the head office, urging them to release funds. He argued that the handover was imminent, and if the renovation lagged behind, it would damage the company's reputation.
The head office quickly relayed the information to Lu Yanbei.
"Mr. Lu, about this matter..." The finance department manager asked for instructions with a troubled expression.
"Just say the process is underway and ask him to wait a few more days." Lu Yanbei saw Su He sleeping soundly and went outside to take the call.
"Do we really not need to intervene? According to whispers, he's been frequently meeting with people from rival companies. What if he leaks any commercial secrets..."
"Someone is watching him at the branch office. What's there to fear?" Manager Qian had his eyes fixed on Lu Yanbei, oblivious to the others who had followed. He had no idea if anyone was missing from his group. Meanwhile, those concealed in the shadows had already infiltrated the branch office and taken control of several key personnel.
This Mr. Qian was merely a clown, not worth worrying about.
"Yes, Mr. Lu."
Hearing this reply, everyone felt reassured.
The day Mr. Qian was making the exchange with the head of the rival company, holding a USB drive, several bodyguards in black suits descended from the sky and caught them red-handed.
Shortly after, Lu Yanbei appeared in the branch manager's office and, with lightning speed, announced several appointments, completely sidelining Mr. Qian and his cronies, thus regaining control of the company.
"No wonder Lu Group keeps growing stronger. This Lu Yanbei is truly not to be underestimated!"
"How could he have been chosen by Old Master Lu as his successor without some real ability?"
"Lu Group is nothing compared to Sifang Group! Several of their companies are listed, with market capitalization in the hundreds of billions, no less than Lu Group!"
"How can he manage two groups simultaneously?"
Lu Yanbei's actions in Nancheng quickly spread to those in the know.
Su Chen also heard about it.
His own family was greatly surprised. While they admired Lu Yanbei, they also remained vigilant, wary of him encroaching on their territory.
"I heard you're related by marriage to this Mr. Lu?" Su Chen's biological father, Qi Siyuan, called to ask.
Su Chen replied calmly, "And if I am?"
"What is his purpose in coming to Nancheng? Go find out," Qi Siyuan commanded in an elder's tone.
Su Chen's eyes darkened. "I don't know him well."
"Isn't your adopted sister married to Lu Yanbei?" Qi Siyuan asked.
"She is she, and I am I," Su Chen's voice was extremely cold. "I have no connection to Lu Yanbei."
"How can you not have a connection? He's your brother-in-law!" Qi Siyuan's voice involuntarily rose.
"That's if he even acknowledges it," Su Chen said, impatiently pursing his lips. "If they truly valued the Su family, why wouldn't there be a wedding!"
At his words, Qi Siyuan suddenly recalled that there had indeed been something like that. He heard the wedding was suddenly canceled close to the date, and no explanation was given to the public.
Could it be that that girl, Su He, was truly not recognized by the Lu family?
Qi Siyuan was skeptical but still unwilling to give up. "The Qi family is hosting a banquet at a hotel tomorrow. Send an invitation to Lu Yanbei."
Su Chen couldn't help but sneer inwardly upon hearing this.
Did these people think Lu Yanbei was easy to deal with, that he would go if they asked him to?
Truly overestimating themselves!
"I'm busy with company matters lately and don't have time." Su Chen flatly refused. "There are so many people in the Qi family; surely you can find someone to deliver an invitation."
With that, he hung up the phone.
Seeing Su Chen's defiance, Qi Siyuan's heart ached with anger. "What sin did I commit! To have given birth to such an unfilial son!"
Madam Qi, hearing his complaints, silently rolled her eyes.
Already bothered by this?
The grievances she had endured over the years were thousands of times more painful than his!
*
"Where did this invitation come from?" Su He asked, spotting a festive red card on the coffee table when she returned from the seaside.
The maid replied respectfully, "The doorman delivered it. He said it was sent by the Qi family."
"Qi family?" Su He searched her memory and suddenly recalled.
The Qi family of Nancheng, local magnates. They started their fortunes years ago in port transportation, later venturing into real estate, hotels, and food manufacturing, becoming a wealthy and influential family.
However, the Qi family was most famous not for their assets but for their succession battles, which rivaled those in the imperial harem.
Old Master Qi was ninety years old and had married five wives, who bore him over twenty children. With so many people, no one submitted to another, and constant infighting was commonplace.
The first branch of the Qi family considered themselves the legitimate wife, viewing the other wives as improperly wed consorts, akin to concubines in ancient times, and always looked down on them. However, most of the first branch's offspring were frail and sickly; many did not live to see Old Master Qi pass away and died prematurely. The remaining Qi Siyuan was already over sixty, old and frail. His children, accustomed to a life of luxury, were rather unremarkable. The only one praised by the Old Master was Su Chen.
Unfortunately, Su Chen was very stubborn and refused to acknowledge them, never changing his surname back.
The second and third branches were not favored, but their children were outstanding, shining brightly in various arenas and frequently appearing in entertainment news. The fourth branch was the most favored and arrogant, receiving much of the Old Master's affection, with many resources in their hands. The fifth branch had the least presence. Because the fifth wife lived overseas for extended periods and rarely returned. The members of her branch had their own careers and rarely appeared in public.
A few years ago, when Old Master Qi was in good health, he could still keep everyone in check. Now, he had been paralyzed for many years and could barely speak coherently. Naturally, those under him acted independently, all wanting a larger share of the family fortune.
However, Old Master Qi was not foolish. For the future of the family, he would not easily hand over the family business. Therefore, the banquet hosted by the Qi family this time was also a test for all the branches.
The first task of this test was to secure a collaboration with Lu Group.
After all, having more friends meant more paths.
Rather than worsening relations, it was better to achieve cooperation and a win-win situation.