He dressed quickly, pulling on black boxer briefs, fitted dark jeans, and a sleek black compression undershirt that hugged his lean chest and shoulders.
Over it, he slipped into a soft grey wool sweater, the casual cut making him look slightly less intimidating yet accentuating his tall, athletic build.
Fastening his wristwatch, he picked up his phone and tucked it into his pocket. His gaze shifted to the clock on the wall again. It was 11:21 AM.
He needed to check up on his mother before lunch and have some brief meetings in the afternoon.
The door to Lu Zi Zhen's room creaked open, and as he stepped into the hallway, he was greeted by the sight of his stepbrother, Lu Ting Cheng, leaning against the wall near the staircase as if he had been waiting for him.
Ting Cheng, about a year older and always more laid-back, was dressed in a casual navy t-shirt and dark jeans, his hair slightly tousled from rushing through his own morning routine.
"Look at who just woke up," Ting Cheng remarked with a teasing smirk, his hands casually tucked into his pockets as he pushed himself off the wall and straightened up, "I thought you would spend the entire day in your bedroom, training with ghosts."
Zi Zhen shot him a glance, his eyes cold but with a flicker of amusement in them, "You know I don't waste time on distractions."
"Tell that to your 11:00 AM wake-up call," Ting Cheng shot back, laughing as he pushed past his stepbrother and headed towards the stairs, "I guess someone had a fun night."
Zi Zhen followed him down the hallway, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the quiet mansion. "I wasn't exactly negotiating deals with them after the operation, Ting Cheng. You should be thankful that my team and I are cleaning up the mess."
"Of course. You and your clean-up crew." Ting Cheng grinned, looking over his shoulder. "Tell me, though, did you have to get rid of all those people with such flair? You know, not all of us enjoy waking up to that kind of news."
Zi Zhen's lips twitched at the joke, but he didn't respond. His stepbrother was always lighthearted, but there was an undercurrent of respect between them that wasn't lost on either of them.
As they reached the top of the stairs, Ting Cheng slowed down, glancing over at Zi Zhen, "So, what's the plan now? Anything planned? We should see Mom and know if she woke up well..."
Zi Zhen's expression softened, just a bit, at the mention of his mother, "I need to check on her."
Ting Cheng nodded knowingly, "Let's go and see her together then."
They descended the stairs together, their movements in sync despite their contrasting personalities, Zi Zhen's quiet precision, Ting Cheng's more casual swagger.
They reached the ground floor, where the hallway opened up to a series of rooms, and without missing a beat, they turned towards the door at the end of the hall.
Wan Ruyi's bedroom was on the ground floor, a spacious suite with high ceilings and tall windows that looked out into the courtyard. The door was slightly ajar, and they exchanged a brief, unspoken look before walking in.
The door creaked open quietly.
Inside, the room was filled with warm sunlight streaming through the tall windows, illuminating the peaceful yet intimate scene on the large bed.
Wan Ruyi was nestled in Lu Zhi Hao's arms, her cheek pressed lightly against his chest as his hand caressed her hair softly.
Their foreheads were touching, breaths mingling as though they had been sharing quiet words moments before.