Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Lu Cheng was the quintessential “golden child” of our generation.
No matter who you were, at some point in your life, you were bound to hear your family say, “Why can’t you be more like Lu Cheng?”
An elite like him-someone who excelled in every possible metric of success-usually wouldn’t deign to associate with playboys like us.
I only started crossing paths with him after I began taking over the family business.
How should I put it? He was definitely formidable, but he wasn’t invincible.
Take last month, for example. We both bid on the same piece of land.
I won.
I beat him by a hair, just barely edging out his maximum price.
It was a victory I had been gloating about in our social circles ever since.
After I sent the message, Lu Cheng didn’t reply for a long time.
It wasn’t until eleven o’clock at night that he finally reacted.
[?]
I practically bolted upright in bed like a dying man suddenly revitalized.
Grinning ear to ear while clutching my phone, I called him immediately.
“President Lu, busy?”
Lu Cheng gave a polite, dry chuckle. “What brings Little President Zong to my line at this hour?”
I cut straight to the chase. “Did you have any thoughts on the question I asked earlier?”
Lu Cheng was silent for a moment.
“Wife?”
Hiss. I sucked in a sharp breath. That single word sent a jolt straight to my brain.
Was he always this direct?
Should I return the favor?
Just as I was hesitating, he spoke again.
“Is Little President Zong working part-time as a matchmaker now?”
Whew. Thank goodness my mouth wasn’t as fast as my brain.
“It’s mostly because you’ve reached marriageable age, President Lu, and I happen to have a suitable candidate in mind. I was wondering if you’d be interested.”
“Who?”
“Me!”
Dead silence.
Quietness is the farewell flute; silence is Cambridge tonight.
I pulled the phone away to check the screen.
The call had ended!
…Dammit!
Of course, I wasn’t going to give up that easily.
The next morning, I headed straight for Lu Cheng’s company.
When he saw me, Lu Cheng took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Is there something you need, Little President Zong?”
Playing the amnesia card?
So, I asked, “Are you really not going to consider marrying me, President Lu? It’s a guaranteed win-win!”
Lu Cheng looked at me.
“Are you serious?”
“Did you think I was joking last night?”
“No. I thought you were drunk.”
Fair enough.
I looked at him with an expression of pure sincerity.
“And now? Will you consider me?”
Lu Cheng sized me up.
“I heard you and Li Xiuyi had a falling out. It seems the rumors were true. But why should I be the one to pick up the pieces?”
He hadn’t rejected me outright, which meant there was room for negotiation.
“For the Shuili New Street project, I’ll concede half a percentage point of the profits to you.”
Lu Cheng tapped his fingers on the desk.
“Three points.”
Highway robbery? I stared at him in disbelief.
“One point.”
“Three points.”
“One and a half. I can’t go any higher.”
“Three points.”
I was starting to grit my teeth. “Don’t push it. Two points, max.”
“Deal.”
Me: …
Lu Cheng added, “The money doesn’t really matter. I just enjoy being helpful!”
How shameless!