The Fake Heiress Used Me to Test Her Fiance, but I Became the Tycoon's Wife—and She Regretted It - Chapter 2

Chapter 2
The next day, I dressed myself demurely and went to the old Lu family residence.

The Lu family had thrived for centuries, with deep foundations; this marriage was the Meng family reaching above its station.

Mom and Dad could never find another family like this, which was exactly why they were so determined to marry Meng Xuening off to them.

But why should I listen to them?

I brought gifts to visit Lu Yanxiu’s grandmother. A lady of refinement from the last century, she was quite pleased with my gentle, composed manner.

From then on, I went to the old residence every day—sometimes cooking a dish by hand, sometimes keeping Old Madam Lu company in conversation.

I made no effort to ingratiate myself with Lu Yanxiu; instead, I slipped quietly and thoughtfully into his life.

After running into me at the Lu home a few times, Lu Yanxiu invited me to attend a banquet as his companion.

At my first such banquet, Lu Yanxiu worried I wouldn’t know the etiquette of high society and might make a misstep—but my performance far exceeded his expectations.

I spoke with the guests with easy grace, looking for all the world like a young lady who had grown up in the circles of the elite.

Lu Yanxiu couldn’t help but smile softly; in the lamplight, his eyes betrayed a trace of tenderness.

“When did you learn all this? I remember A’ning saying the family that adopted you wasn’t well off financially, so you shouldn’t have had access to any of this.”

Far from merely “not well off”—I thought of the moldy walls and the drafty windows, of the birth parents who had only ever beaten and scolded me, and still I smiled with poise.

“I was afraid of embarrassing you, so I specially hired two etiquette tutors.”

“Thankfully, my efforts these past weeks weren’t in vain.”

Lu Yanxiu gave a low whistle.

“In such a short time—you’re clever, Meng Jianxi.”

I only smiled without a word.

When I had first returned to the Meng home, Meng Xuening had secretly laughed at me for being unsophisticated, for having no manners.

I still remember our first meeting, when she wept and apologized to me, all the while deliberately parading before me in designer clothes worth millions.

She used her snow-white skin to contrast with my sallow, withered complexion, her decades of elite breeding to contrast with my roughness and discourtesy.

So the moment I got my first sum of money, I secretly hired an etiquette tutor for myself. Whatever Xuening could do, I would learn to do; whatever she couldn’t, I would learn as well.

But I would not tell Lu Yanxiu any of this.

“It’s what I ought to do.”

Lu Yanxiu was pleased, and took out a black card.

“We’re engaged now. If you need anything from here on, just use this card.”

I flashed a playful smile and accepted it with delight.

“Thank you, Yanxiu.”

From that day, my relationship with Lu Yanxiu grew a little closer.

When he was working, I would have meals delivered to him in Old Madam Lu’s name; I attended various occasions at his side.

I always kept a comfortable distance from him.

Over two months, he grew used to my presence. What changed his view of me even more was the time a French interpreter had an emergency during a visit from overseas clients, and I used my fluent French to help the Lu Corporation close a deal.

That time, Lu Yanxiu stared at me for a long while.

I smiled at him, facing the light.

Lu Yanxiu froze, as if seeing me for the first time; when we parted that day, his expression was deeply complicated.

“Jianxi, you’re nothing like what I imagined. You’re truly an exceptional person.”

From that day, the way Lu Yanxiu looked at me changed—it became the look of a man regarding a woman. I pretended not to notice, and kept treating him with the same easy manner as before.

He began asking me out for lunches and dinners, and would bring me gifts specially when he traveled.

Until one social engagement, when a man deliberately plied me with alcohol, trying to take advantage of me.

Lu Yanxiu immediately stepped in front of me and beat the man up.

When I took him to the hospital, I held him tightly for the first time, my hand gripping his.

“Yanxiu, please be all right, you must be all right—it’s all my fault.”

He gripped my hand back, his head resting on my shoulder.

“Jianxi, don’t worry. I’m fine.”

I heard the thudding of his heart.

As we drew closer and closer, Meng Xuening—who had waited in vain for Lu Yanxiu—finally lost her patience, and through friends back home quietly let Lu Yanxiu know where she was.