Chapter 276: Inviting Lu Yunque to Dinner at Home
"Absolutely not. Do you have any idea what state your stomach is in?
You’re staying here for dinner. You can go back after you’ve eaten."
Yun Zijin made the decision right then and there, leaving Lu Yunque no room to refuse.
Of course, Lu Yunque had no intention of refusing anyway.
For him, being able to stay for dinner with Yun Zijin at Xingyu Mansion was a joyous occasion.
’Since I’m already staying for dinner, are we that far from... you know, *that*?’
Lu Yunque tried his best to remain composed, but he couldn’t suppress the smile playing on his lips.
"Okay."
"You can head out first. I’m going to go take a shower."
The maid had surely given her a sponge bath while changing her clothes, but since she’d been unconscious, she had probably just slept through it.
Normally, she would just shower the next morning, but now that she was awake, she felt sticky and uncomfortable all over.
Lu Yunque nodded. He picked up the tray and bowl from the nightstand, took them out, and closed the door behind him for Yun Zijin.
Wang Minli was overjoyed to see Lu Yunque emerge from Yun Zijin’s room, especially when she noticed the bowl of hangover soup in his hands was now empty.
"Did the Miss drink it all?"
Lu Yunque nodded. "Yes, she just woke up. We haven’t had dinner yet. Could I trouble you, Aunt Wang, to have the kitchen prepare something for us?"
The kitchen at Xingyu Mansion was well-staffed, so preparing dinner for just two people wouldn’t take long at all.
"The Miss is awake? She must be starving! I’ll tell the kitchen to get started right away. Just give me the bowl, and please, make yourself at home."
With that, Wang Minli took the tray from Lu Yunque and bustled into the kitchen.
Lu Yunque glanced toward Yun Zijin’s room on the third floor before heading to the living room sofa and sitting down.
His phone had been vibrating nonstop ever since his social media post, so Lu Yunque had put it on silent.
Now that he had a moment, he opened his phone. Tons of people had sent him direct messages, and his post was flooded with comments and likes.
Luckily, his phone was a custom model with a massive amount of RAM and a fast processor, so it didn’t lag at all despite the sudden flood of notifications.
Still, just looking at the sheer number of messages made his eyes glaze over.
He selectively replied to a few messages from people he was closer to.
As for the likes and comments on his post, Lu Yunque scrolled through them. He casually replied "Thank you" to the well-wishes.
The snarky, passive-aggressive ones, he simply ignored.
But when he saw a message from Sheng Hao, his expression instantly turned cold.
’Some people just have to learn things the hard way.’
—L: Keep her in line. Otherwise... I won’t even have to lift a finger. Zijin will put her in her place in a heartbeat.
Lu Yunque knew that a deranged woman like Sheng Tian would inevitably direct her animosity toward Yun Zijin, not him.
If Sheng Tian actually dared to try anything with Yun Zijin, Lu Yunque would have to light a candle for her.
’Of all the people to provoke...’
Meanwhile, at a Sheng family gathering in their ancestral home, Sheng Hao saw Lu Yunque’s reply and gave a bitter smile.
That Sheng Tian was truly going to be the death of him.
’If my cousin really can’t take a hint, she can’t blame me for being ruthless.’
"Brother, did you text Brother Yun Que or not? How could he possibly be with someone as low-class as Yun Zijin?"
Before, it had all been hearsay. No matter how convincing others were, Sheng Tian had firmly believed it was all just rumors.
But today, someone had sent her a screenshot of Lu Yunque’s social media post, and Sheng Tian could no longer contain herself.
Why! Why!
She had known Brother Yun Que first! They were childhood friends who grew up together! Why did some bitch from an orphanage get to have him in the end?!
The more Sheng Tian stewed, the more resentful she became, until she could no longer maintain her usual facade of a gentle and virtuous lady.
With a ferocious expression and eyes filled with jealousy, she looked like a completely different person from the one who stood before the family elders.
Watching her, Sheng Hao felt his scalp tingle.
"Sheng Tian, are you possessed?"
Sheng Yang popped up out of nowhere. Seeing Sheng Tian’s twisted expression, he blurted out the question.
Sheng Hao: ...
’It takes a villain to deal with a villain,’ Sheng Hao thought.
Sheng Yang’s words completely got under her skin. Sheng Tian shot him a venomous glare. "You’re the one who’s possessed!"
’This Sheng Yang... he had to get that bitch to invest in his stupid little bar. Who knows what kind of shady business is going on between them. I wonder if Brother Yun Que knows his girlfriend is such a slut.’
Thinking of this, Sheng Tian suddenly looked at Sheng Yang. "Second Brother, do you know Brother Yun Que’s girlfriend?"
Caught off guard by her calling him "Second Brother," Sheng Yang reflexively took a step back. "What are you plotting?"
He and Sister Yun had a completely platonic relationship, and he wouldn’t let Sheng Tian go around spreading rumors.
Sheng Yang had also seen Lu Yunque’s post. He hadn’t dared to comment, only to quietly leave a like.
He had texted Sister Yun, though. He just wasn’t sure what she was busy with, since she hadn’t replied yet.
Considering Sheng Tian’s obsession with Lu Yunque, Sheng Yang knew she couldn’t have good intentions bringing up Yun Zijin.
"Second Brother, do you have some kind of misunderstanding about me? We’re family. You’ll help me, won’t you?"
Sheng Tian was the only girl of her generation in the Sheng family, so the elders always doted on her.
They even doted on her more than they did on Sheng Hao and Sheng Yang.
"I have principles, you know. I don’t do anything immoral."
Sheng Yang didn’t need to guess what Sheng Tian wanted from him. But he had no romantic feelings for Sister Yun, so there was no way he would help Sheng Tian lie.
And even if he did have feelings for Sister Yun, which he didn’t, she already had a boyfriend. Stirring up trouble would just be classless.
Sheng Yang had never been particularly fond of his cousin, Sheng Tian, but his parents adored her, so he usually just deferred to her.
Now that Sheng Tian wanted to use him to backstab Sister Yun, Sheng Yang refused her outright.
Sheng Hao discreetly shot Sheng Yang an approving glance.
This left Sheng Tian alone on the sofa, seething with impotent rage.
Without Sheng Yang’s cooperation, her schemes were dead in the water.
*
Yun Zijin and Lu Yunque were completely oblivious to the drama unfolding at the Sheng family residence.
Not that they would have cared even if they did know.
Someone like Sheng Tian wasn’t even worth Yun Zijin’s attention.
After spending half an hour in her room, Yun Zijin emerged, having changed into a fresh set of loungewear.
This wasn’t the first time Lu Yunque had seen Yun Zijin in loungewear, but he was struck anew each time by her beauty without a trace of makeup.
"Do I look good?"
Yun Zijin leaned in close to Lu Yunque, her eyes brimming with a smile, sparkling as if they held the stars themselves.
"Beautiful."
His ears turned a little red at her sudden proximity, but Lu Yunque answered honestly.
Pleased by the compliment, Yun Zijin’s mood brightened considerably. "For your reward, you can accompany me to a Hua Country fashion show tomorrow."
She had just seen a message about it from Su Mengyao on her phone. After a quick word with Mei Lin, she had procured a VIP invitation for the show.