Volume One, Chapter Five: Just for Fun

“I told you, you’ve had too much to drink.”
“Even drunk, you know I’m Lu Wentang?”
Gu Yan’s head throbbed painfully, her thoughts sluggish; she couldn’t bear Lu Wentang’s overwhelming presence.
What did his relentless insistence mean?
After one night of tasting, he still wanted to keep doing this with her for free?
What was this all about?
He clearly had someone in his heart, yet wanted to use her as a substitute, sneaking around?
Such thoughts left a knot in Gu Yan’s chest, but her mind suddenly felt clearer.
“Lu Wentang.” She looked him straight in the eyes. “I’ve been tormented by the Lu family for two years. I don’t want to continue being used or vented on by anyone.”
“Although I took the initiative last night, it was mutual consent. I don’t consider it a big deal.”
“I will cancel the engagement and disappear. Nothing about last night will leak out, so your reputation won’t be harmed—you can rest assured.”
“As the leftover woman of your nephew, I suppose you wouldn’t bother quibbling with me, right?”
Her palms were drenched in sweat as she spoke these words.
“Gu Yan.”
Lu Ye’s voice came from the wine cellar entrance.
In that instant, Gu Yan felt as if the world darkened.
Was he insane, running straight to the wine cellar?
Before she could react, Lu Wentang grabbed her and pressed her against his chest.
Her back was against his strong chest; the thin shirt between them let her distinctly hear his steady heartbeat.
He seemed completely unafraid of being caught.
But her legs were weak with fear that Lu Ye might see them. She pushed him, trying to get free.
“Don’t move.” His voice suddenly turned husky.
Gu Yan froze instantly.
Back pressed against him, a searing heat was unmistakable.
Then Lu Wentang took the wine from her hand and strode out with long legs.
Just before he left, Gu Yan thought she faintly heard him whisper near her neck, “What if I am willing?”
Perhaps she misheard.
Lu Wentang passed by Lu Ye, saying, “Stop shouting, you’re annoying.”
“Uncle?” Lu Ye glanced at the bottle of red wine in his hand. “Oh, in a good mood today.”
That wine was one he treasured greatly.
Lu Wentang didn’t respond and left.
A few minutes later.
Lu Ye entered the villa from the backyard and saw Gu Yan coming in from the front.
Suspiciously, he asked, “You were in the wine cellar just now?”
The uncle only told him to stop shouting, never said if Gu Yan was there, so he assumed no one was in the cellar.
But she had just returned—so where was she before?
“I came through the east gate and picked some mint along the way.” Gu Yan’s expression was calm as she held up the leaves.
Lu Ye waved at her.
Gu Yan glanced at him briefly, pretending not to see it, as if he were calling a dog.
…Pah, who’s a dog?
Lu Ye recalled how she’d been like a little wildcat today, circling around him, which made him smile and stroll over.
Again, Gu Yan was pulled close by him.
“Behave yourself, Uncle is watching!” Lu Ye whispered threateningly in her ear.
Gu Yan stiffened.
Sure enough, Lu Wentang was standing tall by the dining room window, apparently on the phone but glancing over at them.
She stopped struggling.
Lu Ye bent down, leaning toward her neck. “Where did you go last night?”
Gu Yan couldn’t hide her disgust.
To keep Lu Wentang from seeing her expression, she turned her face slightly toward Lu Ye. “My business is none of Lu Shao’s concern. You ate shit and I didn’t care—why do you have to meddle so much?”
Lu Ye’s brow twitched slightly.
When she turned toward him just now, he had the strange impression she wanted to kiss him.
Listening to her words, Lu Ye didn’t get angry but laughed instead.
“When did I ever eat that?”
This little wildcat had quite the sharp tongue.
“Weren’t you eating happily in the office?”
Gu Yan finally turned sideways, completely avoiding him, and quickly slipped out of Lu Wentang’s line of sight.
Lu Ye didn’t pursue. Hands in pockets, he watched her disappear with interest, his expression gradually softening.
Just now, he hadn’t sensed anyone else’s scent on her.
Only the faint smell of mint.
Looks like he was letting his imagination run wild.
Dinner was still the four of them—grandfather, father, and two grandsons.
“Old Xu’s great-grandson is almost in my arms, but my son is neither son nor grandson,” the old man sighed, starting the topic as he ate.
Lu Ye lazily raised an eyebrow and served him a dish.
“Taking care of a child is tiring, Grandpa. Let’s not pity Old Xu!”
Lu Zhaohui looked at the lemon slice Lu Ye put into his bowl and tossed it back.
Unpredictable. Fortunately, Gu Yan was already assigned to him; otherwise, with his IQ and looks, he might end up single forever.
The old man turned his gaze to the refined Lu Wentang at the table.
“Since you’re seeing someone, bring her around sometime.”
Then he reconsidered and added, “Or when you meet her, I’ll sneak a look myself.”
Lu Wentang sipped his water calmly, naturally raising his eyes to meet Gu Yan’s across the table.
Gu Yan chewed a piece of ginger, swallowed.
“Just playing around,” Lu Wentang said softly.
The old man’s eyes widened in shock.
This wasn’t like him.
His nature and morals wouldn’t allow him to treat women so callously—such behavior suited Lu Ye better.
Could he have been played by a woman?
No, that was even less likely.
Who in the capital dared to toy with him? He was so pure that even ghosts would shake their heads.
Lu Ye, standing nearby, pondered thoughtfully.
Last night, the uncle did seem to be playing around in Nandu, especially since the room lights were off.
“I’m full, Grandpa, please enjoy your meal,” Gu Yan said, her throat burning fiercely.
Behind her came Lu Ye’s feigned scolding: “Only talking to Grandpa, no greetings to your husband or uncle?”
“I’ll punish her later!”
Gu Yan entered the kitchen and started tidying up the stove and wiping it clean.
The servants were used to it—these chores had always been done by the young mistress.
After the three elders finished eating outside, the servants brought the dishes inside.
“I’ll do it,” Gu Yan naturally offered to wash the dishes.
The servants started mopping the floor and preparing ingredients for evening tea.
Seeing the master finished eating and not in the dining room, the young servant couldn’t help but gossip.
“I heard Fourth Master’s ex-girlfriend came back and even went to the company to look for him!”
Zhang Ma wasn’t surprised and kept mopping. “Who is Fourth Master? He needs to keep up appearances, so probably won’t pay much attention to her anytime soon.”
The young servant smiled. “Not necessarily. Didn’t you hear Uncle He say Fourth Master’s clothes had lipstick marks?”
Zhang Ma glanced at her. “Young people don’t understand. That’s Fourth Master’s scheme.”
“How so?” The young servant skated over on a rag, puckering her lips as she slid up to Zhang Ma, chatting as if Gu Yan weren’t there.
“Fourth Master won’t respond to his ex, but he’ll make her come to him—like leaving lipstick stains on his clothes or stirring up borderline rumors with some gold digger to provoke the ex.”
The so-called gold digger was Gu Yan. Her hands paused mid-wash.
Is that true?
Lu Wentang was venting anger at his ex who wanted to reconcile, so he went along with the drunk Gu Yan, then used this to make his ex jealous?
So that’s what he meant by ‘just playing around.’