Chapter 75 Falsehood

"The second young lady went to see the second young master, so I didn't stop her. The family driver took her there." Only then did Xi Ruofen rein in her anger.

If it was just packing her things to stay with the second brother, there was no real issue. Once the results came out, if things weren’t suitable, she wouldn’t care where Qin Miaoyu wanted to go. But right now was a critical moment; under no circumstances could Qin Miaoyu be allowed to run off.

Wei Wei, who had overheard Liang Mother’s phone conversation, had guessed what was happening and couldn’t help but worry, “She hasn’t already found out, has she?”

Xi Ruofen shook her head calmly, “Don’t worry. If she already knew, her reaction would be very different.”

“That’s good. These days Binbin has gotten closer to her. If things go well, I hope she’ll cooperate for Binbin’s sake. He’s pitiful enough.” If she wouldn’t cooperate, then they’d have to be more forceful.

Qin Miaoyu, naturally, knew nothing of these people’s reactions.

She arrived at her second brother’s place, set down her things, then arranged to go out with Ji Xuan.

“I’m at Nanan Club right now. Want to come over? The atmosphere here is pretty nice,” Ji Xuan said.

Qin Miaoyu didn’t mind and took a cab to Nanan Club.

Ji Xuan met her at the entrance, then led her to the private room Gu Xu’nan often reserved here.

They entered a bit early and missed seeing a globally limited-edition car drive into Nanan’s underground garage. Had Qin Miaoyu seen it, she would have found it strangely familiar.

Ji Xuan didn’t do much else at the club. “I just like the private rooms here. They’re peaceful, so I come by sometimes. The club belongs to Gu Xu’nan, so there’s none of that messy nonsense.”

Qin Miaoyu noticed it on her way up—the club really was different.

“By the way, didn’t you go for your checkup today? What happened? You suddenly moved out of the Liang family; does that mean you’ve finished what you needed to do?”

“It’s nothing. I just got upset by a child earlier, but now that I’ve calmed down, it’s not so bad. Still, it feels like my goodwill was wasted in the wrong place…”

Ji Xuan could relate. “Kids these days really are unpredictable. My aunt’s child is so annoying that even the dogs hate him. I don’t like speaking to him at all.”

After chatting for a while, the two found it dull and decided to leave.

“The person I was waiting for didn’t show up, so let’s just go,” Ji Xuan said.

But just as they stepped out, Ji Xuan pulled Qin Miaoyu back into the private room.

“Let’s wait here a bit longer. I just saw Yang Linxue. I heard he’s got a new girlfriend. Maybe I can snag a gossip story for my KPI today!”

Qin Miaoyu sat back down. Ji Xuan left the door cracked to observe the room opposite, but no one came or went. She was about to give up.

“Should we wait a little longer?”

“No, let’s not. I only waited because I thought some juicy gossip was coming. Since it’s not happening, let’s go have some fun.”

Ji Xuan pushed Qin Miaoyu out, passing the room she’d been watching. As they walked away, the door to that room opened and two young men stepped out—it was Lu Qi’an and the very Yang Linxue Ji Xuan had hoped to catch!

Yang Linxue was asking, “Brother, when are you going to be honest with your wife? It’s been over half a year—shouldn’t you have told her by now?”

“Just a little longer. Let her handle her affairs first; I don’t want to give her any more worries right now.”

“Worries? Don’t tell me Grandpa Lu and Uncle Lu still disapprove? You’re already married, do they expect you to divorce and marry someone they picked? Honestly, with the Lu family’s power in Jingcheng, you don’t need alliances anymore.”

“I…”

Lu Qi’an glanced at Qin Miaoyu, who was only a few steps away, and suddenly fell silent.

“Hey, Brother Lu, what were you going to say? If Grandpa Lu and Uncle Lu keep objecting, what will you do about your marriage?”

At this point, Lu Qi’an couldn’t hear Yang Linxue anymore.

But Qin Miaoyu heard everything.

“Lu Qi’an, you’re really something!”

“My brother Lu, of course—uh, sister-in-law—”

Qin Miaoyu gave Yang Linxue a cold look. “I am not your sister-in-law!”

With that, she pulled the stunned Ji Xuan forward.

“Miaoyu…” Lu Qi’an snapped out of his daze and hurried after her, reaching for her hand.

Qin Miaoyu sidestepped him. “Don’t touch me! And don’t follow me!”

Lu Qi’an’s hand froze in midair…

He heard the tears in her voice and saw her reddening eyes.

Timid and defeated, he lowered his hand, not daring to pursue her, only watching as Qin Miaoyu walked further away.

Yang Linxue stood nearby, panic written across his face—he might have messed things up…

Ji Xuan only came to herself once Qin Miaoyu had dragged her outside.

“So, Lu Qi’an is that Lu from Jingcheng Lu family? I never expected it, Miaoyu…”

She wanted to ask if what she’d heard was true, but saw the tears brimming in Qin Miaoyu’s eyes.

Ji Xuan hurriedly pulled tissues from her bag. “Miaoyu, don’t cry! Why the sudden tears?”

Qin Miaoyu didn’t answer. She took the tissues and tried to wipe her eyes, but the more she wiped, the more the tears flowed.

Lu Qi’an had deceived her for so long!

From the very beginning, his identity was false. And now, after more than half a year of marriage, he hadn’t told her a thing. Which of his words had ever been true?

Was it possible that everything was a lie, and she was trapped in it, believing in his sincerity?

Qin Miaoyu felt a sort of tragic irony. What did her relationship with Lu Qi’an amount to?

Only now did she realize how reckless their love had been.

She hadn’t discovered his real identity, and he’d never told her what he was hiding.

So, could any feeling built on a false identity ever be real?

What pained her even more was that, in that moment, what she cared most was not that Lu Qi’an had kept secrets from her, but that his grandfather and father seemed not to approve of their marriage...

A false identity, a false love—and yet she cared so much about being accepted.

Lu Qi’an, who had followed her, watched Qin Miaoyu wiping away her tears, feeling an unbearable ache.

He’d wondered if she would be angry once she found out, but he had never imagined she would be so heartbroken. He wanted to comfort her, but after what had just been said, he couldn’t bring himself to move, only daring to look at her from a distance.

After a while, Lu Qi’an’s voice came out hoarse, “Yang Linxue, arrange for someone to send them home…”

“Brother Lu, why don’t you take her yourself? Apologize decisively; maybe sister-in-law won’t stay mad.”