Chapter 3: What About the Long Term?

"I’m honored," Lin Lu finally spoke.

“Master Xu is indeed Master Xu. People like us can’t compare,” Zhou Ruikang said with a curl of his lip, the bitterness in his heart palpable.

A woman favored by Xu Mingchuan was simply out of his reach.

What a frustration.

With a turn, Zhou Ruikang went off for another lap around the track.

“Are you nervous?” Xu Mingchuan glanced at Lin Lu’s riding instructor.

“I told you, I can’t ride. I’m bound to make a fool of myself,” Lin Lu said anxiously.

“Don’t worry. I’m here. I won’t let you be embarrassed.”

Lin Lu’s display of vulnerability stirred a surge of protectiveness in Xu Mingchuan, and his vanity was thoroughly satisfied.

Not far away, a few gentlemen had gathered to discuss Lin Lu.

“Her figure is flawless—just look at that waist. I’d wager there isn’t another like her in all of Beicheng.”

“They say girls who dance are naturally supple.”

“And she’s so delicate, her skin like milk. I wonder what she’s like in bed.”

“Hey, mind yourself! She’s about to become Master Xu’s woman—careful, or Xu Mingchuan might tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!”

Only then did the man fall silent.

They dared speak so brazenly of Lin Lu because she was not the daughter of some prominent family.

She was merely the adopted daughter of the Lin family in Nancheng.

And the Lin family was hardly distinguished, let alone when she was only their foster child.

Rumor even had it she was an orphan, taken in out of kindness.

Xu Yancheng had just returned from a few laps when he overheard their crude jokes.

Someone quickly approached, eager for gossip. “Second Young Master, guess who your brother brought along today?”

“Who?” Xu Yancheng asked indifferently, sipping his water.

“Lin Lu,” the man replied, then clarified, as if afraid Xu Yancheng wouldn’t know her, “the star of Dreamweavers—quite a proud one.”

Xu Yancheng tossed his water aside. “Is she really proud, or just pretending?”

The man shrugged. “Who knows?”

With the help of the riding instructor and Xu Mingchuan, Lin Lu had already mastered the basics—walking and trotting—and could now make a lap around the paddock.

“See? Simple, isn’t it? Not as hard as dancing,” Xu Mingchuan said with a smile.

Xu Mingchuan was also strikingly handsome—perhaps the result of excellent genes, for all the Xu men were good-looking.

So long as Xu Yancheng wasn’t present, Xu Mingchuan stood out among the wealthy young men.

But how could Xu Yancheng not be there? If he weren’t, Lin Lu wouldn’t have come at all.

“Brother.” Xu Yancheng approached on horseback, his manner unhurried.

Xu Mingchuan was momentarily perplexed. Xu Yancheng, proud as he was, never called him “brother.” They usually addressed each other by name.

Today, unexpectedly, he called him “brother” out loud.

Xu Mingchuan responded and introduced Lin Lu, who stood behind him. “This is Miss Lin from the Dreamweavers Dance Troupe.”

Only then did Xu Yancheng look directly at Lin Lu, his gaze bold and unrestrained.

Lin Lu felt uneasy under his scrutiny.

Xu Yancheng looked at her as though he were a husband who’d just been cuckolded.

“Second Young Master,” Lin Lu offered a polite greeting.

Xu Yancheng snorted, and to be honest, he wanted nothing more than to claim her right then and there.

The three of them proceeded side by side—Lin Lu in the middle, with Xu Yancheng and Xu Mingchuan flanking her on either side.

The atmosphere was awkward.

Xu Mingchuan felt frustrated. He had thought Xu Yancheng would leave after a brief greeting, but to his surprise, Xu Yancheng lingered.

No one spoke as they walked half a lap in silence.

At last, Lin Lu broke the tension with the excuse of needing the restroom.

While she was washing her hands, Xu Yancheng appeared beside her.

He glanced at her in the mirror, then turned on the tap.

Lin Lu had no intention of making conversation. She dried her hands and was about to leave when the man spoke.

“How about a long-term arrangement?”

“No,” Lin Lu refused.

Xu Yancheng lowered his head to fiddle with his phone. A moment later, an ambiguous sound played from the device.

Lin Lu froze in her tracks, turning back to him in disbelief.

Lightly, Xu Yancheng said, “They’re all curious what you’re like in bed. Should I satisfy their curiosity?”

He raised his phone at her. “Do you think, looking like this, Xu Mingchuan would still want you?”

Lin Lu gritted her teeth and drew a deep breath. “Fine, I agree.”

“Then abide by the rules. When I’ve tired of you, I’ll give you the video.” Xu Yancheng pocketed his phone and headed back to the paddock.

Lin Lu had lost all interest in staying. She sent Xu Mingchuan a message saying she felt unwell, changed clothes, and left.

To prepare for the national dance competition, Dreamweavers had entered a closed training period.

Besides the group dance, Huang Han had also choreographed a solo for Lin Lu.

These days, she was so busy she often fell asleep from exhaustion in the practice room.

One day, Huang Han summoned her to the office.

“I just heard that Tianyun has also arranged a solo—they say it’s Su Yi, just back from abroad.”

Lin Lu’s heart skipped a beat. “They invited Su Yi?”

“It’s not surprising. Tianyun’s backing has always been the Su family, and Su Yi is Wen Caiqing’s daughter.”

Huang Han patted Lin Lu’s shoulder. “But don’t worry. I’ve seen Su Yi dance. Though she graduated from a top foreign school, her fundamentals aren’t as strong as yours. Just do your best—you can beat her.”

Lin Lu nodded and returned to the practice room.

Since Xu Yancheng had proposed a long-term arrangement, he hadn’t contacted her again.

So, Su Yi had come back.

The first time Lin Lu saw Su Yi was at a bar gathering.

She had thought their first meeting would be as rivals on stage, not in such an unexpected, abrupt fashion.

It was a rare weekend, and Ms. Huang generously gave them the day off.

Lin Lu took a taxi to Lure of the Night.

It was the most upscale club in Beicheng, a favorite meeting spot for the wealthy.

Xu Mingchuan had said he was hosting a gathering there to help her unwind.

As Lin Lu rounded the corner, she saw two people entangled at the private room’s entrance.

A woman reached out to grab Xu Yancheng’s arm, only for him to shake her off impatiently. “Get lost.”

The woman was unfazed and tried again, clinging to his hand repeatedly. Anyone watching would assume it was a lovers’ quarrel, with the girlfriend coaxing an angry boyfriend.

Expressionless, Lin Lu walked up. “Excuse me.”

They were blocking her way.

The woman glanced at her, then pulled Xu Yancheng aside.

Lin Lu entered the room without a sideways glance.

Xu Mingchuan greeted her immediately.

Only then did Lin Lu realize the gathering was a welcome party for Su Yi.

The woman at the door earlier must have been Su Yi.

She was quite beautiful.

Lin Lu took up a glass of red wine and sipped.

Moments later, Xu Yancheng and Su Yi entered.

This time, there was no grappling—each walked alone. Xu Yancheng led the way; Su Yi followed behind.