Оf соursе the new nаmе sоunds gооd—just look at whоsе surname it fоllows.
Lu Sui gavе Wu Маngmаng а briеf glancе, then ignored her.
As for Wu Маngmang, shе was сurrеntlу bеing bombаrdеd with рrivаtе messаges.
"Wow, Mаstеr Lu, yоu're finally оnline! I've bеen waiting fоr аgеs."
"Маstеr Lu, hurrу up, the Аrеna is wаiting fоr уou. Lеt's finish in half аn hоur—my wife is аbоut to givе birth."
"Master Lu..."
Нearing the titlе "Маster Lu," Wu Мangmang felt likе shе wаs floаting оn аir. Ноw hаd she, оf аll pеoрle, manаged tо еаrn the рrеstigiоus "Мaster" title?
Вeing so populаr in the Arenа made Wu Мangmаng immеdiatеly log off. She then shoved her laptop into Lu Sui's arms. "Master Lu, you caused this mess—you deal with it. In the Arena, I'm only good at Corpse Lying."
Lu Sui pushed the laptop away and said calmly, "No matter how skilled I am, I can't dominate using a touchpad."
"Oh, right." Laptops did have that drawback. At the very least, you needed a mouse to pull off godly operations.
Wu Mangmang put away her computer and gazed affectionately at Lu Sui. "Have you read that one novel? The male lead is a Great God in the game—so cool. If you took gaming seriously, you'd definitely be a Great God too. Tons of people would set off Fireworks for you."
The gaming world respects the strong. Even if you're a tycoon, if your skills are terrible, people will just see you as a Fat Pig Brother and won't respect you.
But if you have godly operations, even if you're so poor in real life you can only afford steamed buns, you'll still enjoy a high status in the game.
So even Lu Sui wasn't immune to the passionate world of gaming. He replied smugly, "Even without trying hard, I'm still a Great God."
"I think I'm about to be mesmerized by you," Wu Mangmang exaggerated.
Lu Sui shook his head helplessly, truly unable to understand the psychology of these young girls. Honestly, in Lu Sui's view, men obsessed with games weren't very reliable—unless they were in the Professional E-sports Circle.
But there were always young girls who were particularly infatuated with such people.
When Lu Sui first started helping Wu Mangmang with quests, he was completely clueless. Even though he spent a long time studying the guides Peng Ze had compiled, gaming ultimately required hands-on practice.
So Mr. Lu also learned to use another software: voice chat.
Although he only used it once during his first trip to the Arena, the male identity of Lu Mangmang's Loli Account was already confirmed.
Thus, for the first time in his life, Mr. Lu was greeted by many as a Shemale.
Then, as Mr. Lu embarked on his Path to Godhood, he attracted quite a few Cute Girls hoping for a "Thousand-Mile Delivery."
Of course, Lu Sui simply omitted these romantic encounters—there was no need to tell Wu Mangmang.
"Did it take you a lot of time to collect these Appearances for me?" Wu Mangmang asked Lu Sui again.
For Mr. Lu, the money was nothing, but the time spent was incredibly valuable.
The reality was far less sweet than Wu Mangmang imagined.
Spending money on Appearances was no problem—Lu Sui was well aware of Wu Mangmang's tendency to show off.
But if it required a lot of time to help her collect Festival Limited Appearances and render various Suits, Lu Sui simply couldn't spare that much time.Although he didn't have the time, there were many other girls who sincerely and enthusiastically wanted to help him.
For example, that Qixi Festival Limited Bride Makeup was something a cute girl whispered to Lu Sui about after seeing it being auctioned online.
In return, Lu Sui gifted that girl a very expensive set of Rendering Stones, then whispered to her: "I am Mangmang's husband. She's on a business trip, so I'm helping her play for a few days."
He thought that girl would disappear after that, but instead, not only did she not disappear, she was even deeply moved and said: "You're so good to your wife."
After that, the story became simple. Most of the Suits on Lu Mangmang were collected by that cute girl who spent time helping her.
Of course, such side plots were directly skipped over by Lu Sui, who then rubbed Wu Mangmang's head and said, "Although it takes a lot of time, as long as you're happy."
Wu Mangmang was so moved she almost cried, feeling a happiness that made her want to fly.
Reunions are always brief, while partings are the most detestable.
Lu Sui dropped Wu Mangmang off at the entrance of Huangtu Village and turned back, as the conditions in Huangtu Village truly couldn't accommodate his entourage.
Wu Mangmang held Lu Sui's hand and said, "It was me who called Old Peter and asked him to help hold onto the letter. Don't blame him when you go back. He only agreed because he couldn't resist my pestering. I just wanted to surprise you."
"Let's have fewer surprises like that," Lu Sui said.
For someone in love, losing contact always makes one imagine the worst possible scenarios—that feeling is too terrible.
"Call me when your work is done, and I'll come pick you up." With that one sentence, Lu Sui shot down any future surprises Wu Mangmang might have planned.
Wu Mangmang returned to the city in early October. When Lu Sui picked her up, he looked her up and down carefully and said, "Is this my girlfriend, or my girlfriend's mother?"
Wu Mangmang froze on the spot. Although she had expected Lu Sui to vent after holding in his frustration for so long—she was even prepared to compensate with her body—she never expected him to hit her with such a blow.
This grudge was now a big one.
In the past, Wu Mangmang would have definitely played the role of Lu Sui's mother-in-law, but now she just leaped onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist, hugging his face, and starting to nibble. "Do you dislike me? Do you dislike me?"
Lu Sui quickly held Wu Mangmang tightly, afraid she might fall and hurt herself.
After a long separation, passion flared like dry wood meeting fire. Even Lu Sui let go and openly showed affection in front of others.
When they got into the car, Wu Mangmang took out a small mirror to fix her makeup—though there wasn't much makeup to speak of. She hadn't dared to look at herself in the mirror for many days, but now she had to face reality and figure out how to salvage her skin.
Wu Mangmang looked at her reflection in the mirror with disdain and disgust, then turned to Lu Sui and said, "Mr. Lu, you have quite the taste, being able to kiss this face."
Lu Sui coughed twice and said, "My vision has been a bit blurry these past two days."
It was already the next afternoon by the time they returned to the city. Wu Mangmang enjoyed a luxurious milk bath, finally feeling like she was back in the civilized world.
When Lu Sui pushed the door open, Wu Mangmang was busy with full-body maintenance, her hands and feet fully occupied. As for the beauty spa, she had already booked an appointment for the next day.
Additionally, her hair also needed careful nurturing for a while.All that talk about natural beauty being hard to abandon is nonsense—without proper care, you'll look fifty by the time you're thirty.
While applying body lotion, Wu Mangmang was mentally planning her schedule when Lu Sui suddenly mentioned going out together that evening. Wu Mangmang was caught off guard. "Huh? Do I have to go too? But I..." It's so dark out—I really don't want to leave the house, okay?
"Ning Zheng and the others all want to see you, and Lu Lin is stirring things up inside. You've been gone for over two months, and everyone thinks we've broken up again." Lu Sui sat down beside Wu Mangmang with a dissatisfied expression. "Explaining this once is fine, but explaining it multiple times will only lead to misunderstandings."
Wu Mangmang pouted. It seemed she had no choice but to go.
When you're fair-skinned and beautiful, everything looks good on you. But once your skin darkens, color coordination becomes a major headache. After rummaging through her closet for a long time, Wu Mangmang reluctantly picked out a blue dress to wear.
The moment Lu Lin saw Wu Mangmang, she remarked, "You've gotten darker and thinner."
"A little tan is sexier," Ning Zheng said as he walked up behind Wu Mangmang.
Wu Mangmang turned around and saw Ning Zheng's signature smile.
"Long time no see. I thought you'd dumped Lu Sui again," Ning Zheng said.
Only by seeing the undisguised regret on Ning Zheng's face did Wu Mangmang understand why Lu Sui had insisted on dragging her along.
Just as they were talking, Shen Ting and Jiang Baoliang, along with his wife, arrived.
Although Wang Yuan and Jiang Baoliang hadn't held a wedding banquet yet, their legal procedures were already complete.
Wu Mangmang went over to exchange a few pleasantries with them.
"I heard you went on an archaeological expedition?" Shen Ting asked.
"Yes," Wu Mangmang nodded, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Shen Ting looked at her strangely. Women's intuition in such matters is always particularly sharp, yet he had never said anything, and the most outrageous thing he'd done was share a bowl of spicy hotpot with her at A University.
"Was it very tough?" Shen Ting asked again.
"Not too bad," Wu Mangmang replied.
"How are things with you and Lu Sui?"
"Pretty good."
"When are you planning to invite us to your wedding?" Shen Ting pressed.
Uh, this question stumped Wu Mangmang.
Fortunately, Ning Zheng came to her rescue. "Lu Lin is calling for you over there."
Wu Mangmang nodded apologetically to Shen Ting and turned to leave.
Ning Zheng whispered in Shen Ting's ear, "Don't ask her. Lu Sui mentioned last time that he and Mangmang have no plans to get married yet."
Shen Ting lowered his gaze without a word.
Ning Zheng fell silent too.
People always project their own experiences onto others, and clever people are the most prone to overconfidence.
The Lu family had vast wealth and influence, and Lu Jianan didn't like Wu Mangmang. It was entirely possible that Lu Sui would choose to maintain only a romantic relationship with her—such arrangements were all too common in their circle.
Marriage is never just about two people.
Wu Mangmang had no idea someone was worrying about her marital prospects on her behalf.
The only thing on her mind now was how to restore her fair complexion.
Fortunately, Wu Mangmang had naturally good skin. After staying indoors for about a month, she regained her status as a great beauty. However, she wasn't one to stay idle, and she didn't mind the frequent trips between A University and the city."What have you been busy with lately?" Lu Sui frowned as he looked at Wu Mangmang, who had just arrived home. He hadn't seen a trace of her for three days.
Wu Mangmang wasn't the least bit afraid of Lu Sui's frown; her smile was radiant. She held her hands behind her back and said to Lu Sui, "I have something to show you."
Lu Sui raised an eyebrow. Like a child seeking praise, Wu Mangmang presented a celadon-glazed imitation Ru kiln vase to him.
Although Lu Sui knew nothing about antique appraisal, he could tell at a glance that this was a modern piece, not worth much.
"I learned from a master craftsman and fired it myself. What do you think about giving this to your aunt for her birthday? Isn't it sincere?" Wu Mangmang said.
"You know my aunt's birthday?" Lu Sui was slightly surprised.
Wu Mangmang put down the vase, walked over, and hugged Lu Sui's arm. "Of course I know. I looked it up. Come on, tell me, aren't you feeling especially happy, especially touched, especially moved, especially..."
"Especially wanting to eat you up," Lu Sui murmured against Wu Mangmang's lips.
Lu Jianan's birthday was in mid-November. Since it wasn't a milestone year, only relatives and a few close friends were invited.
When Wu Mangmang walked into Lu Jianan's home arm in arm with Lu Sui, she felt particularly nervous. This was her first formal visit to Lu Jianan since she and Lu Sui had reconciled.
The longer she had delayed coming, the more worried Wu Mangmang had become.
When Lu Jianan saw Wu Mangmang, she was as warm and friendly as ever, which made Wu Mangmang breathe a sigh of relief. She had really overthought things—someone like Lu Jianan would never embarrass anyone to their face.
"I really like the vase you gave me. I heard from Lu Sui that you fired it yourself?" Lu Jianan asked Wu Mangmang.
"Yes," Wu Mangmang replied.
Lu Jianan said, "Come over for dinner more often with Lu Sui when you have time."
Wu Mangmang nodded. A phrase she had seen online suddenly came to mind.
It said that if the son in a family is strong-willed, there won't be conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Although Lu Jianan wasn't exactly Wu Mangmang's mother-in-law, without Lu Sui's strong presence, Wu Mangmang felt that being a niece-in-law would probably be quite difficult.
Thinking of this, Wu Mangmang couldn't help but glance toward Lu Sui.
Lu Sui was currently chatting with his uncle—that is, Lu Jianan's husband Chen Mingshu's sister and her French husband.
Wu Mangmang quietly walked over to Lu Sui's side and listened as he spoke French with Baptiste. She tilted her head to catch a few sentences and, thanks to her diligent study over the past few months, was even able to interject a few words.
This made even Lu Sui look at her sideways. Although Wu Mangmang had studied with a French teacher for a while, given her attitude toward learning, the results had been predictable.
"When did you cram French?" Lu Sui whispered in Wu Mangmang's ear.
Wu Mangmang thought for a moment, then tilted her head and said, "Ever since you tricked me into saying you'd take me to a French winery, I started learning."
Lu Sui's expression told Wu Mangmang, "I'd believe that if pigs could fly!"
That night, after Wu Mangmang was subjected to the "tickle torture" on the soles of her feet by Lu Sui on the bed, she finally had to confess. "Alright, alright! Ever since the Merovingian couple visited last time, I thought next time I'd definitely accompany you to entertain them. I couldn't possibly not speak a word of French, right?" Wu Mangmang whispered into Lu Sui's ear.Although Lu Sui had shielded her from all the social engagements she disliked, hearts are made of flesh and blood, and Wu Mangmang also wanted to do something for Lu Sui.
"How did you find time to learn French?" Lu Sui expressed doubt.
"Time is something you squeeze out. I've found that the busier I am, the more motivated I become. When I went to Huangtu Village, I brought French textbooks and accompanying audio. On nights when I couldn't sleep because I missed you, I'd study a bit," Wu Mangmang said. Though she spoke lightly, the effort involved was easy to imagine.
Without even realizing it herself, Wu Mangmang's current lifestyle was actually quite similar to when she was dating Lu Sui last year.
Perhaps one day in the future, she would suddenly look back and realize this fact.
Now, she still had to accompany Lu Sui to various social events, while also cramming French, Japanese, and other languages. Every day was as busy as a dog, leaving her little time to play games. Yet, the resentment and resistance that once lay hidden in her heart had now completely disappeared.
It was an incredible change—the same lifestyle, but with a shift in mindset, everything became different.
Time flew by, and soon it was December, a month filled with grand holidays, including the Christmas banquet at Lu Manor.
Even before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day arrived, the festive atmosphere was already everywhere on the streets.
Recently, Wu Mangmang had been busy with experiments and rushing to finish her thesis at A University, neglecting Lu Sui for quite a few days. As the holidays approached, she flew back to the city. Instead of returning to Lu Manor, she went directly to Lu Corporation, hoping to surprise Lu Sui with an early "Christmas beauty."
After stepping out of the elevator, Wu Mangmang was brimming with excitement. Just thinking about the specially tailored, super-short red dress in her backpack—a Santa Claus-inspired version—made her feel uncontrollably giddy. Paired with it was a cute red triangular hat. Wu Mangmang was certain that Mr. Lu would be extremely "excited."
That way, he would forgive her for being absent for a week.
As Wu Mangmang passed the giant Christmas tree in Lu Corporation's central park and was about to use facial recognition to go upstairs, she heard someone call out "Mangmang" beside her. Reflexively turning her head, she saw that person.
Cheng Yue.
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