Who is the real Mrs. Lu? - Chapter 2

So, I officially switched back with Lv Qingqing and temporarily moved into the apartment she had rented a month ago.

“You have to go out less these days. If you must, wear a wig and sunglasses. If someone recognizes you, it’ll be a big problem.”

I murmured my assent.

“I won’t contact you unless necessary, and you shouldn’t contact me either. For meals, try to order delivery. Keep your phone on 24/7. If I call you, you must answer immediately. If something unexpected happens with Zhan and I can’t handle it, I’ll need you to provide information.”

I turned to look at her. She was fussing with her hair in the mirror as she spoke.

“I understand.”

Lu Zhan’s flight was landing at eight tonight. At 7:45, for reasons I couldn’t explain, I went downstairs and hailed a cab to the airport.

I didn’t even know what I wanted to do.

Wearing a wig and sunglasses, I stood a few meters away from Lv Qingqing, watching her stand there with an expression of excitement and anticipation.

“Qingqing!”

I froze, instinctively turning to look. Lu Zhan was pushing a suitcase, walking toward Lv Qingqing with a bright smile.

We hadn’t seen each other in two months. He seemed a bit tanner, and there was still a hint of fatigue on his face.

“Zhan!” Lv Qingqing’s smile bloomed as she threw her arms around his neck. For some reason, Lu Zhan paused, but soon lifted his arms and hugged her tightly.

I wasn’t far away, and could even hear his smiling voice. “Did you miss me?”

The secretary nodded at Lv Qingqing. “Madam, President Lu finished his work a week early just so he could come home and celebrate your anniversary with you.”

I watched as they walked away hand in hand. Lu Zhan would occasionally lean down and whisper in Lv Qingqing’s ear, and she would look up and smile at him.

To anyone passing by, they looked like the perfect loving couple.

I stood alone in the airport for a long time.

After about an hour and a half, I left the airport and hailed another cab.

“To Yungong Estate.”

“Alright.” The driver was an elderly man from the city. “Young lady, you live in Yungong Estate? People who live there are all wealthy.”

I smiled. “…It’s a friend’s place.”

When the car stopped at the estate’s entrance, the driver was about to end the fare when I stopped him. “Sir, I’ll give you an extra hundred yuan. Just keep the meter running and wait for fifteen minutes, okay? I’ll be heading to another estate soon.”

The driver looked at me in confusion. “Miss, why’s that?”

Why?

I gave a bitter smile. I didn’t know why, either.

After waiting about ten minutes, I actually saw that familiar Maybach slowly pull up to the gate.

But the car didn’t go into the underground parking. Instead, it stopped at the entrance.

Lu Zhan got out of the car, supporting the slightly tipsy Lv Qingqing in his arms. They must have just had dinner.

He opened the trunk.

Golden light instantly illuminated half the little road.

I rolled down the window and leaned out a bit. In the trunk, under the golden glow, it was filled with white roses.

Lu Zhan’s voice drifted over on the breeze. “Nine roses I gave you this morning, 990 in the car–together, 999 roses. Happy anniversary, wife!”

“Happy anniversary!” Lv Qingqing looked up and kissed him with a smile.

I pulled my head back in and rolled up the window.

This afternoon, Lv Qingqing had praised my acting skills.

Suddenly, I realized that hers were the truly superb ones.

Or maybe, she didn’t need to act at all. Lu Zhan always liked her, after all.

For more than a year, I had been acting as her.

What exactly was I hoping for?

Lu Zhan always liked her–it’s normal he never noticed.

I was just a shadow of Lv Qingqing.

Like how, on the street, there were clearly two cars, yet no one noticed that there was still a taxi parked here.

The secretary drove the car into the underground parking. Lu Zhan, with his arm around Lv Qingqing, walked toward the estate’s gate.

“Sir,” I spoke, “…let’s go.”

The taxi slowly started, and the driver cautiously glanced at me through the rearview mirror, “Miss, is that man your ex-boyfriend? Let me tell you, there are jerks everywhere, don’t hang yourself on one tree.”

I responded with a hum, touched my face, and realized it was already covered in tears.

“Unable to recognize.”

As the car passed the gate, a loud mechanical female voice suddenly sounded.

The security guard hurriedly came out of the guard booth, “Sorry, Mrs. Lu, there seems to be an issue with the machine, I’ll open it manually for you…”

I followed the voice and only saw two blurry figures embracing each other.

After staying in that rented room for about a week, I called the caregiver to ask about my father’s condition.

I didn’t use the phone Lv Qingqing returned to me. After exchanging phones with her back then, I actually still had another phone, which used my father’s previous number.

For many of my daily affairs, I would use this number.

My father was fine, but there was still no sign of him waking up.

Two days later, Lv Qingqing suddenly contacted me.

I drove the white car and waited for her at the previous intersection.

After a short while, the passenger door opened, and she sat inside.

“What’s up?”

She paused for a moment and then said, “I forgot to ask you something earlier. I just wanted to know, how often did you and him have marital relations?”

“…” I hesitated, “Zhan often traveled for work, it wasn’t regular, I never counted.”

“So there were times?”

I nodded.

“That’s good,” she chuckled twice, “I thought he might have some illness.”

“What?”

She lit a cigarette and slowly exhaled smoke rings, “It’s been a week, and he hasn’t touched me at all. I thought there would be something on our anniversary, but not only was there nothing that day, there’s been nothing until now.”

I paused, “Is he still adjusting to the time difference? He must be too tired, it’s quite normal.”

But this was actually not normal at all.

Lu Zhan would usually spend a week accompanying me after returning from a business trip, unless there was something urgent at the company.

He was very assertive in that aspect, yet very gentle.

But these things, I was unwilling to share with Lv Qingqing.

Perhaps in my heart, only at that time, when truly embracing him, was I Yin Lanche. I could laugh when I wanted to laugh, cry when I wanted to cry, without having to wear Lv Qingqing’s skin.

“Maybe.” She stubbed out the cigarette, irritably tossing it out the window, “He wouldn’t have an affair abroad, would he? You, aren’t you supposed to be good at pleasing men in that aspect? You wouldn’t let him have someone outside within a year, would you?”

“I only sold drinks in KTV,” I said softly, “I never did that kind of thing…”

“Alright, alright, it’s all the same,” she interrupted me, “Staying at home is too boring, Lu Zhan doesn’t talk much when he comes home at night, either reading or working. I just returned, and I’m afraid saying too much would make him suspicious.” She glanced at me, “You’ve basically cut off contact with my old friends this past year. Suddenly contacting them would be strange. I’m planning to stay at my parents’ for a couple of days, give him some space, and visit my parents.”

She got out of the car with a few quick steps, while I sat inside for a long time.

A few days later, a new dessert shop opened downstairs from the rented house.

It was “Qing Che Desserts” under Lu Group.

The name was chosen by Lu Zhan and me. He originally asked if we should call it “Ai Qing¹,” and I laughed, “Ai Qing sounds like my dear minister, like an emperor addressing his subjects.”

He nodded, “It does a bit.” Then he embraced me, “But I want to include your name.”

Meeting his beautiful eyes, a tiny bit of selfishness arose in me.

“Qing Che,” I bit my lip, “How about Qing Che?”

Lu Zhan was momentarily stunned, “Qing Che?”

I nodded.

“Alright.” He patted my head, “Whatever name my wife chooses, we’ll use that name.”

I walked into the “Qing Che Desserts” downstairs and ordered a small cake.

Just as I sat down, the store door opened, and a group of people walked in.

“Today marks the opening of the new store, President Lu is here to greet the new store employees.”

The fork in my hand fell onto the table.

Looking up, Lu Zhan stood at the ordering counter, smiling at the employees, “How’s the work intensity? How’s the customer flow today?”

The young girl at the cashier blushed and answered softly.

“There were many customers this afternoon. Now, since dinner time has passed, the flow is less. Most of today’s cakes have been sold out. The lady sitting by the window just bought the last piece of our signature dessert.”

Everyone’s gaze suddenly turned towards me.

And just like that, inevitably, I met Lu Zhan’s gaze.

He looked at me, stunned for a few seconds.

“Wife?” The company executives behind him exchanged glances, then smiled at Lu Zhan, “President Lu, looks like Mrs. Lu is here to do an undercover inspection for us. What a perfect match, you two really have a connection.”

My heart was pounding, but I was used to scenes like this. I stood up and gave everyone a proper smile.

“Zhan, I just…”

He strode over and naturally took my hand, smiling, “Didn’t you say yesterday you’d go out with Mom the day after tomorrow? This place is pretty far away, what brings you here? Are you really doing an undercover inspection for me?”

“I have nothing on tonight…” I tried my best to act exactly as before, “Suddenly wanted some cake, so I thought I’d check out the new shop.”

He patted my hair, but his hand paused in midair, as if distracted for a moment.

“Zhan?”

“President Lu?”

He finally snapped out of it, and said to everyone, “Thank you all for your hard work today. Rest early after closing up. The company will give out red envelopes for the new shop tomorrow.”

Amid everyone’s cheers, he pulled me out of the shop and into the car.

We didn’t exchange a word the whole way.

The secretary hesitated, “President Lu, should we drop Mrs. Lu home first, and then you go to your meeting, or…”

“Tell them I’m not feeling well, tonight’s meeting is canceled.” He said suddenly.

I tensed up instantly and grabbed his hand, “What’s wrong? Is it your stomach again? Didn’t agree with the food abroad, or have you been drinking too much lately?”

He looked at me, gripping my hand tightly, “It’s nothing, let’s just go home.”

The secretary, as usual, stopped the car at the entrance of the compound.

The security guard at the guard booth saw me and hurried out to open the door, “Sorry, Mrs. Lu, the facial recognition machine is still broken…”

“Let them through.”

“Eh?” The security guard was stunned for a second, muttering under his breath, “This machine really is unreliable…”

I went home with Lu Zhan. As soon as we closed the door, he pinned me against it.

“Zhan…”

Before I could finish, his kisses came down like a tidal wave.

“Wife,” he murmured between kisses, “I missed you so much.”

My eyes burned, and almost without thinking, I hugged him back.

After we were spent, it was late at night. He held me in his arms, smiling, “I really don’t know what’s wrong with me today. The moment I saw you in the shop, I just couldn’t control myself. Seriously, we’ve only been apart for two or three days, and I’m acting like a teenager.”

He rubbed his brow, then kissed my forehead, “I… I don’t know what’s been up with me lately. There’s this strange feeling I can’t describe, like something’s off, but I don’t know what. Maybe I’m just getting old?”

“But it doesn’t matter,” he pulled me even closer, “I’m probably just too tired lately.”

After a while, I nudged into his embrace and murmured, “Zhan…”

My voice trembled, “If… if actually I…”

A soft snore rose up–Lu Zhan had already fallen asleep.

I closed my eyes. Maybe this is fate.

After a while, I quietly got out of bed. After a moment’s thought, I called Lv Qingqing.

She arrived two hours later.

She pulled me into the study, clearly agitated, “What is wrong with you? I was only home for two days and you’ve already gotten yourself into such a mess?”

“I didn’t expect to run into him at the dessert shop.”

“I told you, unless it’s necessary, don’t go out! Why did you still go?” She said angrily, “Did you see the confused look on the security guard’s face when he opened the door for me? I could only say I’d just left by the side gate and was coming back.”

“Qingqing,” I looked up, “I think… this isn’t fair to Lu Zhan.”

She froze. “What did you say? Don’t tell me you’re thinking of telling him the truth?”

“Shouldn’t he know? Why are we doing this to him?”

She gave a cold laugh, “Is it really for him? Or for yourself?”

I was stunned.

“I think I know what you’re thinking. As a woman, it’s normal to have feelings after spending a year with him. Are you thinking that if he knew the truth, he’d choose you?”

I said nothing.

“Don’t be naive, my dear sister.” She stepped closer, gripping my shoulders, “Who is he? Lu Zhan! The man who took just one year to get the entire Lu Group board of directors under his thumb. You think if he finds out we’ve been plotting against him like this, he’ll go soft because of love? You’re the one who deceived him.

“And the Lu Family and Lv Family, you think they’ll just let this go? If Lu Zhan decides to use this against us, we’ll both be finished. Even if you don’t care about me or the Lv Family, what about Dad?

“You know exactly how high Dad’s medical and care expenses are every day. Isn’t all that money coming from the Lv Family, from me? If the Lv Family suffers because of this, Lv Ning is not even my real father–do you think he’d let you off? Even if you don’t think about yourself, at least think about Dad lying in the hospital…

“Can you really bear all these consequences yourself? What about Dad’s care fees? Are you going back to sell drinks at a KTV?”

I bit my lip hard.

“Che, listen to me,” she sighed, “there’s no other way out for us. Only if we switch back properly can everyone live well.”

After a moment, I said, “I’m going back.”

“Che,” she hesitated, “tomorrow, just go back to An County first, don’t stay in Hai City. If anything happens, I’ll call you.”

Softly, I replied, “Okay.”

“Wait,” she suddenly said, “give me your clothes, including your underwear.”

Footnote:

1. Ai Qing(爱清):This name, intended by Lu Zhan to mean “beloved Qing” (referring to Lv Qingqing’s name, 吕清清), is a homophone for 爱卿 (ài qīng), a formal and somewhat archaic term used by an emperor to address a trusted minister or subject. Lv Qingqing found the latter connotation amusingly formal and hierarchical, hence her humorous rejection.