Lu Zhe had barely registered Chen Yu before, but the guy's cocky tone now made his brows knit tight.
"Chen Yu…" He racked his brain, drawing a blank.
Chen Yu shot him a taunting glance. "Remember college? If Lila hadn't stopped me, I'd have chased you down and thrown hands."
The words lit a fuse. Lu Zhe's memory snapped into place—the ridiculous chase. Back then, Lila was just a blip, Chen Yu a mere nuisance. "So it was you," he said, voice icy.
"Wanna go again?" Lu Zhe stepped forward, yanking Lila behind him protectively.
Chen Yu smirked, unfazed. "Big talk. Bring it!" His fist swung fast.
Lu Zhe took a hit, sensed the guy meant business, and landed a heavy punch on Chen Yu's nose. "Stay away from Lila. She's my fiancée."
Chen Yu clutched his nose, grinning fiercer. "As her neighbor and 'big bro,' I'm just teaching you how to treat her right." Another swing. "This is for hurting her!"
Fists flew, like they were back in high school, brawling at the school gates. The air crackled with rage and unresolved grudges.
Lila, fed up, shoved between them, shouting, "Stop it! You're both big-shot bosses acting like playground punks. Grow up!"
Her yell snapped them back. Lu Zhe glared at Chen Yu, then muttered to Lila, "Don't hang with him. We're going home."
Half-dragged, Lila tossed Chen Yu an apologetic look. He nodded, his smile a mix of triumphant defiance and quiet resolve: As long as you're happy, I'm good. Even if it's not with me.
That punch was Chen Yu's warning to Lu Zhe: Mistreat her, and I'm waiting to take her away.
In the car, Lu Zhe stewed in silence, his face bruised. The only sound was the wind whipping past.
"Had your tantrum yet?" Lila asked, stifling a laugh at his sulky vibe.
"Not even close," he snapped. "What were you doing with him? Don't say shopping. He got you that?" He eyed the bag in her hand, jealousy biting.
Lila's voice softened, teasing. "Lu Zhe… you're jealous, aren't you?" His mix of childish clinginess and domineering outbursts was so unlike his usual restrained self.
His gaze was cool, but a sour edge betrayed him. "No… not jealous."
"Really?" She held up the gift box. "I picked this myself. He just tagged along. Grandma's birthday is coming, so I'm prepping."
He went quiet, exhaling slowly.
At home, Lila grabbed a first-aid kit, gently cleaning and bandaging Lu Zhe's bruises. "Hurt much?" she asked, concerned.
"Nah," he said, brushing it off. "He caught me off guard. I'd have dodged otherwise."
"And the second punch?" she pressed, smirking.
Lu Zhe's lips twitched after a pause. "I owed him one. Lila… have I really let you down?"
She laughed, shaking her head. "Let me down? You just never took me seriously. But I'm a cockroach—always bouncing back with a smile."
"Cockroach, huh? So our CEO's finally waking up?" she teased, noting his shift. He was starting to care, even if his pride wouldn't admit it.
He paused, then asked, "Why don't you chase me like before?"
Lila set down the kit, her voice steady. "People get tired, Lu Zhe. I'm done pleasing others or shrinking myself. No more sticking my warm face to your cold… you know." She headed to her room to soak the sandalwood, leaving him stunned.
Lu Zhe retreated to his guest room, lost in thought. Who is she, really? He hadn't cracked her yet, but one thing was clear: he was falling for this new Lila. And Chen Yu? A real threat. Not just a friend.
That night, Lu Zhe scoured the web for "100 Ways to Make Your Girlfriend Smile."
The next morning, 9 a.m., Lila was holed up in her carving nook, refining the sandalwood Guanyin's jade bottle and sketching a peach's curve. Tools, sketches, and wood shavings glowed under the lamp, a quiet ritual.
Lu Zhe, as usual, camped on the living room sofa with reports, stealing glances at Lila's door. They had a routine, but it was 9, and she wasn't up. Is she sick?
Unable to wait, he knocked, grumbling, "Lila, it's late! Turning into a pig? Give me a reason not to ditch you."
No answer.
He knocked again, colder but worried. "Hey, you okay?" Is she really sick?
The door creaked open. Lila's eyes flickered with annoyance. "You're the sick one. I was carving—didn't hear you."
He forced a grin. "Changed my schedule. Let me drop you at class. Don't be late."
Lila packed her tools, washed up, and whipped up breakfast—fried eggs, dough sticks, and porridge. Lu Zhe spotted the half-carved sandalwood and tools on the table. She's carving?
He drove her to school, their arrival sparking the usual campus buzz. Everyone knew about her and Lu Zhe—some envied, others seethed.
In music class, Lila skipped piano practice, asking the teacher for a score instead—something like "Hundred Birds Adoring the Phoenix." The teacher, surprised, handed over a few.
After class, Lila met Wendy to head to the dorm. On the way, they ran into Vanessa—ludicrously disguised in a mask, oversized sunglasses, and a wide hat, making her a walking spectacle.
"Well, well, Lila," Vanessa sneered. "Dumped by Lu Zhe yet?"
Lila had hoped Vanessa would tone it down after her scandal, but nope—still loud and vile. Smirking, Lila said, "Check your status before you yap. You're the one who got tossed."
Vanessa, enraged, lunged to trip her. Lila sidestepped, giving her a light shove.
Vanessa crashed to the ground, face twisted, screeching, "Lila, you motherless trash! How dare you push me?"
Lila paused, a flash of hurt in her eyes, but her smile was pure venom. "Trash? Susan raised you so well, yet you're outdone by 'trash' like me?"
Wendy, cackling, grabbed Lila's arm, and they sauntered off, leaving Vanessa fuming.
"Why don't you get mad?" Wendy asked.
Lila shrugged. "No need to waste anger on a small-minded, brainless pest. Stay cool, act unbothered—they'll self-destruct."
Wendy grinned. "Can't pull that off."
Lila pinched her cheek. "You don't need to. Just keep shining."
Back at the dorm, Lila, who rarely stayed since her engagement, packed up. She unearthed her old yun—a traditional instrument she adored but shelved when Lu Zhe's piano obsession took over.
Wendy, waiting at the door, lit up. "Your precious yun! You're finally dusting it off?"
As childhood friends, Wendy knew Lila's passions. Lila had abandoned the yun for Lu Zhe, but now it was back.