Fell Deeply In Love With My Ex-Husband's Fiancé - Chapter 67

Chapter 67: The Eyes – The tiny camera was like a black eye, meeting…

After driving away from Lance’s home, Lu Feiran found a less crowded street, pulled over, and turned on his hazard lights. He called Zhou Zihua.

Why should he only be able to extract emotional value from Lance? Wasn’t that person a little too confident, too presumptuous?

No. He needed something to distract himself.

The call connected. Lu Feiran immediately asked: “Zhou Zihua, where is the dog you picked for me?”

“Already picked, young master! How about a Bernese Mountain Dog?”

Zhou Zihua always stayed up late, answered instantly, and immediately sent over pictures of the selected Bernese Mountain puppies.

Lu Feiran put the call on speaker and clicked through the pictures. The puppies were round-headed and round-bodied, a mix of brown, black, and white, each one incredibly cute. Lu Feiran praised them as he looked, giving nothing but good reviews. He truly couldn’t find any difference; he liked every one.

Zhou Zihua asked thoughtfully: “Do you like the look of the Bernese? If you do, do you want a clingy personality or a more independent one?”

“How could a puppy not be cute? It’s great.” But the second question stumped Lu Feiran. He liked clingy dogs, but he was afraid that if he chose one, he wouldn’t be able to care for it properly and would become a bad owner.

Zhou Zihua listened to Lu Feiran’s concerns and told him not to worry: “A puppy can be trained, don’t worry. Even if you really can’t manage later, it’s fine. I have a ‘free gift’ for you.”

“A dog toy?”

While Lu Feiran was bewildered, Zhou Zihua revealed his true motive and sent the “free gift.”

It was a PPT file containing a uniform set of resumes of current film academy students. Ages ranged from 18-year-old freshmen to 25-year-old graduate students. Looks and personalities covered everything from sunny boy-next-door to brooding, long-haired artist. Even life experiences and awards were clearly listed, available for selection.

Lu Feiran was startled. He quickly closed the PPT, frantically looking around, and only relaxed when he realized he was sitting in his car, a private, solitary space.

He felt both amused and helpless. He wanted to tell Zhou Zihua that life wasn’t about having only one option, and if he absolutely needed companionship, a puppy was enough. Moreover, he had friends and didn’t need to meet any potential romantic partners.

But after pondering for a while, he still couldn’t bring himself to say it: “Stop this nonsense. Where do I have the time to meet new people?”

“Huh? You’re back at the peak of your life and you’re single. Why refuse?” Zhou Zihua didn’t understand. He scratched his head, then suddenly remembered something and said righteously, “A good horse doesn’t graze on old grass, remember that!”

“I am not a horse.” And I won’t go back to old grass.

Lu Feiran regretted making this call. Wouldn’t it have been better to just go home and sleep earlier?

“Heh heh, do I believe you?” Zhou Zihua said sarcastically, “Let’s make a bet. A Koenigsegg!”

Lu Feiran paused: “Xiaohua, you know I can’t afford that right now—”

“So you already think you’re going to lose?” Zhou Zihua cut him off decisively.

“…No,” Lu Feiran’s words were blocked. He touched the goosebumps on his neck. “Fine, a bet is a bet. I won’t lose.”

Zhou Zihua was finally satisfied. He whistled a few notes and said: “Your birthday is coming up at the end of the year. The puppy can be your birthday gift.”

Lu Feiran checked the calendar, realizing Winter Solstice was this weekend and his birthday was December 31st.

He barely remembered his own birthday; no one had ever remembered it before anyway.

Except for Wen Hui, who was arranged by Zhai Qiance to select gifts for him on holidays.

“Come to my place this weekend. Winter Solstice should be a family reunion. But my parents aren’t home, so I’ll host a party. I’m taking in lonely friends. Why don’t you come too?”

“Sure. When do I get the puppy?” Lu Feiran cared more about the dog.

“Do you want to come with me to pick the dog?” Zhou Zihua’s eyes darted around. “I ordered the dog from the kennel run by the Qi Yang family. Their place is very legitimate, with all the necessary certifications. When he heard you were buying one, he set aside the best puppies for you to choose from.”

Qi Yang?

Lu Feiran recalled he was a high school classmate whom he had met recently. He was a decent, talkative person.

He nodded: “Okay, then how about the day after tomorrow afternoon? We can go to Qi Yang together, can we?”

“No problem!”

Zhou Zihua hung up the phone, completely satisfied.

…

The next day, Lu Feiran arrived at the company. Xing Chufei found him and said the roses had been dismantled and distributed to colleagues. She had also arranged a small bouquet for Lu Feiran, but since he hadn’t come in for several days, the flowers had dried out, and she asked if he wanted to throw them away.

Lu Feiran felt a little regretful, but they were just flowers. He said: “It’s fine, thank you. I’ll handle it myself.”

He entered his office, where Xu Wei was surprisingly waiting for him.

Lu Feiran paused, greeted him, took off his coat, and walked two steps toward his desk, where he saw a half-withered, dry, deep-red rose bouquet.

“My condolences,” Xu Wei said.

Lu Feiran knew he was there because of the Lu family matter. For some unknown reason, Xu Wei seemed to intensely dislike the Lu family.

“Thank you. No sorrow,” Lu Feiran immediately stated his position.

It wasn’t for the sake of solidifying his position at Tuowei while disregarding whether his recently deceased father could rest in peace. He was simply stating his honest feelings with the most simple and sincere nod.

Thank you for your concern, but I’m truly not very sad.

It was Xu Wei’s turn to be stunned. He had heard rumors about the Lu family’s scandals years ago. Lu Liye was always a weak person; it was no surprise what he had done.

“Lu Corp has had problematic management policies for years. Quality defects keep emerging, and public perception has severely declined. You previously turned a blind eye due to Zhai Qiance’s relationship with Lu Corp. Now that I’m here, you can trust me. I won’t let the current Lu Corp involve Tuowei.”

Lu Feiran smiled, going to fiddle with the dry flowers in the small vase. Unfortunately, as soon as he touched the stems, the withered petals began to fall, scattering all over the desk.

Lu Feiran stopped smiling and looked seriously at Xu Wei, saying: “Chairman Xu, is there anything else? What you’re worried about won’t happen. I guarantee it.”

“We need to re-elect the Chairman before the New Year. I’d like to take you out to dinner with a few reliable colleagues to discuss things. What do you think? Can you make time?” Xu Wei said.

Understanding Xu Wei’s intent, Lu Feiran nodded: “I can. I can make time whenever.”

After Xu Wei left, Lu Feiran swept the petals into the trash can and tackled the backlog of work that had accumulated for days. He didn’t think about resting until mid-day when Xing Chufei came to knock on the door.

Xing Chufei handed him a cup of hot water and asked: “Mr. Lu, it’s getting late. Aren’t you going to eat?”

Lu Feiran checked the time: “…I am. I’ll go to the cafeteria once I finish what’s in my hands.”

Xing Chufei conjured up a steaming hot takeout meal from somewhere, placing it on the nearby coffee table and lifting the lid. The food looked as if it had been served immediately after cooking.

“The takeout has arrived. You should eat!”

Looking at the meal, which was not the kind a typical office worker would order, Lu Feiran asked: “Did you order this for me?”

Xing Chufei shook her head: “No, I was going to order it for Chairman Xu, but he left. It would be a waste not to eat such a high-end meal. It’s a perfect opportunity to offer it to you.”

Lu Feiran felt relieved and nodded to her: “Thank you. I’ll eat it now.”

Xing Chufei closed the door quietly as she left. She walked to the pantry and opened WeChat to report the situation.

【Mr. Lu is eating now. Please be assured.】

【Thank you.】【Transfer: 5000】

The food on the table was already half-cold. The oil was starting to solidify, and it had lost eighty percent of its flavor.

Lance sat still, only picking up his knife and fork after seeing Lu Feiran finish his work on the monitor. He mumbled with a smile, as if Lu Feiran were sitting across from him.

“Good afternoon, Ranran. Remember to eat properly.”

The monitoring was not installed by him. He wouldn’t do anything illegal, not out of respect for the law, but for fear of being exposed and incurring Lu Feiran’s hatred.

However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t hack into other surveillance systems.

Meetings, hugs, sex—the progression constantly gave Lance a taste of sweetness, yet always came to an abrupt halt.

Desire therefore constantly swelled, creating an insatiable void. He began unilaterally increasing the frequency of their meetings. Next, he would increase the frequency of hugging and sex.

This was the first time Lance had opened the monitoring feed to watch Lu Feiran. From the moment Lu Feiran stepped into the office, Lance had been sitting in front of the screen.

He saw the small bouquet of dried roses on the corner of the desk, and his restless heart calmed down instantly.

So the bouquet wasn’t thrown away.

Lu Feiran was still thinking about work while eating, chewing for a long time without swallowing, his cheeks puffed out like a little hamster. His eyes were unfocused, his brow furrowed, looking intensely absorbed in thought, leaning back on the sofa.

His random gaze scanned over the surveillance camera in the corner of the office. Separated by twenty kilometers, the two suddenly met eyes.

Lance’s breathing paused for a second. Even though Lu Feiran was just spacing out, his eyes unfocused, Lance felt a delusion of being discovered, as if a sharp, electric current shot up his spine to his scalp.

Lu Feiran was more perceptive than he imagined, catching glimpses of his existence again and again through terrifying intuition.

Such a clever, vigilant darling.

After lunch, Lance watched for a moment, reluctantly, intending to turn off the screens as he had other matters in the afternoon.

But Lu Feiran suddenly seemed to remember something. He sprang up to sit, pressed a few buttons on his phone, and ten seconds later, the call connected.

“Jin Zhan?” Lu Feiran spoke first. “Where are you now? Why haven’t you come home?”

Home? Lance’s lips curled into a sneer. Whose home?

“Uh, Brother Lu, I’m staying in a hotel for a few days. I’m looking for an apartment. I won’t bother you by coming over.” Jin Zhan’s voice was a bit hoarse and subdued. Lu Feiran worried someone had bullied him.

“You’re staying in a hotel? Do you have money on you?” Lu Feiran stood up, pacing back and forth in the office. “Why didn’t you come to my place? All your things are here.”

There was silence on the other end for a moment, then Jin Zhan said: “Brother Lu, I feel staying at your place is too much of a bother. I’m an adult. I have savings and can afford my own life. Thank you for taking care of me, but I really can’t go back. My clothes and stuff, Brother Lu can just throw them away.”

Jin Zhan’s words were a bit stiff, polite but overly formal, as if he and Lu Feiran were barely acquainted.

Lu Feiran was shocked by this statement. In his view, Jin Zhan was his friend and a younger brother who relied on him a bit. How could he suddenly…

“What are you talking about?” Lu Feiran disagreed with Jin Zhan’s statement. “Even if you don’t live at my house, there’s no reason not to meet. Your luggage is here. You have to take it. Buying everything new will cost a fortune. And your art supplies—why keep them at my place? I don’t paint.”

Lu Feiran: “Tell me honestly, is there a problem with the investigation results? How much will you be implicated?”

His tone was serious. He truly sounded like an older brother, but his words were full of genuine concern. Jin Zhan’s nose suddenly stung, and he felt sad.

Jin Zhan deeply regretted impulsively contacting Lu Feiran yesterday. He was constantly causing him trouble.

For years, not only did he unknowingly get involved with Lu Feiran’s husband…, but he also kept accepting his help, even living in his house.

If he hadn’t been warned by Lu Feiran’s current boyfriend, he really would have foolishly rushed to Lu Yuanyuan the next day.

That person was the young master of the Deville family. Jin Zhan knew nothing about their circle, but he knew that person was very special.

He said he was Lu Feiran’s fiancé and even showed him their wedding rings. He said Lu Feiran was giving him the cold shoulder after a quarrel, and it wasn’t appropriate for an outsider to continue living in the house they were going to share after marriage.

Jin Zhan also asked about some rumors concerning Zhai Qiance. Lance simply clarified that those were all misunderstandings, then stressed again that he and Lu Feiran were deeply in love, advising Jin Zhan not to be a stumbling block.

Jin Zhan felt extremely annoyed. Why was he always so foolish? How was this any different from unintentionally meddling in someone else’s relationship?

“I’m sorry, sir. I will move out. I won’t stay at Lu Yuanyuan anymore.” Jin Zhan bowed deeply, his head held very low.

Lance smiled, very displeased with Jin Zhan’s answer: “You should understand that I despise Lu Feiran’s ex-husband, and I will ensure he never gets out of there. And you, guess why you were released yesterday?”

Instantly, the color drained from Jin Zhan’s face. He realized his fate was entirely in someone else’s hands.

The other party had been gracious enough to seek him out personally, using emotional manipulation to make him understand his boundaries, but he hadn’t understood the underlying threat at all.

Lance clarified: “I want you to never appear in front of Lu Feiran. Can you do that?”

He spoke the chilling words with an elegant smile, finally feeling a sense of satisfaction.

Jin Zhan recalled his meeting with Lance this morning, rubbing his burning eyes: “No problem. The investigation was highly efficient, and the evidence was comprehensive. I’m fine, really. Brother Lu, I have exams in a few days. I want to study seriously at the hotel for a few days, so I shouldn’t talk much.”

He sounded eager to hang up. Lu Feiran bit his nail, stopping his pacing.

“Has someone contacted you?” Lu Feiran asked.

Jin Zhan paused, suddenly caught out. Not being good at lying, he stammered: “N-No.”

Lu Feiran made his judgment and didn’t press him: “Understood. It’s fine not to meet. Focus on your exams. Send me the address of your new place. I’ll send your luggage to you. Don’t refuse, or I will find out myself.”

Jin Zhan hesitated repeatedly and finally agreed.

Before hanging up, Lu Feiran softened his voice and said: “Don’t worry. No one will do anything to you. If you don’t want to meet, then don’t. Focus on your exams.”

…

The call finally ended. Lance had achieved a reasonably satisfactory result.

Although he disliked Lu Feiran’s unconcealed concern for Jin Zhan, regardless, they wouldn’t meet again.

He finally didn’t have to be jealous of an imaginary rival, humbly watching others enter and leave Lu Feiran’s home.

Lu Feiran stood by the window for a while, his hand resting on his chin. Suddenly, he turned, his gaze unwavering as he looked up towards the corner of the ceiling.

The tiny camera was like a black eye, meeting Lu Feiran’s gaze.

And Lance had already turned off the display screen and left the room.