Volume 1, Chapter 54: Good Brother, My Good Brother

Fu Yanxi was struck as if by lightning, looking at Fu Shiyue in terror.

The ringing in her ears lasted for a long time, echoing Lu Qingcheng’s warning in her mind.

Lu Miao was not someone to be trifled with.

"I forgot to mention, the middle-of-nowhere restaurant you despise was booked by your cousin."

"W-what?" Fu Yanxi was completely terrified.

Because Lu Miao was afraid of being recognized by people she knew, Fu Shiyue had specifically chosen this private dining restaurant hidden in a quiet alley.

It was the kind of secluded gem only he could find, with unique cuisine and exceptional privacy.

However, Fu Shiyue had been delayed by a meeting, so she had arrived first. When she called Fu Shiyue, he was already on his way.

Upon hearing Fu Yanxi hurling insults at Lu Miao over the phone, Fu Shiyue—usually the calmest and most steady driver—ran several red lights, his expression as gloomy as a frosty February morning. The assistant sitting next to him was trembling so violently that he wished he could jump out of the car immediately.

Before the word "scram" could even leave Fu Shiyue's lips, Fu Yanxi scrambled up in a panic and fled in disgrace.

Fu Shiyue brushed away the chill between his brows, glanced at the chaotic table, and lowered his gaze to Lu Miao. "Shall we change places?"

"That was your cousin's opinion, I never said there was anything wrong with this place." Lu Miao sat down decisively, admiring the small courtyard visible through the window.

Seeing that she liked the place, Fu Shiyue relaxed his brow and said in a low voice, "I'll teach her a lesson later. She won't come to harass you again."

Lu Miao turned her head back, raising an eyebrow playfully. "Don't do that. Wouldn't that ruin a lot of the fun?"

He had initially worried that Fu Yanxi would ruin her mood, but instead, she looked like a victorious little fox, smiling with mischievous delight.

Fu Shiyue chuckled helplessly, raising a hand to signal a waiter to clean up.

Lu Miao’s gaze naturally fell upon the two photographs on the table.

Her expression froze slightly, a change that Fu Shiyue caught as he sat down, lowering his gaze to the pictures.

"Ahem, your cousin brought those. She forgot to take them." For some reason, Lu Miao felt a bit awkward and reached out to collect the photographs.

"No need to hide them."

Fu Shiyue caught her wrist, his gaze profound and steady, looking straight into her eyes. "I've never touched them, and I've never sought out other women."

Lu Miao’s heart skipped a beat. "Why are you explaining this to me?"

"I was afraid you would overthink it."

"I would never overthink it!"

She pouted and raised an eyebrow, putting on a stubborn, nonchalant facade. "Besides, you made the rule yourself: no girlfriends allowed until I turn twenty."

The young girl's awkward blush made him smile slightly. "Mm, I keep myself strictly disciplined."

Fu Shiyue pulled the photographs from her hand and handed them to his assistant. "Destroy them."

Lu Miao was getting hungry, so Fu Shiyue instructed the kitchen to serve the food.

"Don't we need to order?"

Because Fu Shiyue had been held up in his meeting and worried that Lu Miao might go hungry, he had already pre-ordered her favorite dishes so they could be served the moment she arrived.

Lu Miao felt the meticulous care and thoughtfulness behind the gesture. She bit her lip and said, "So this is the advantage of being older?"

Fu Shiyue furrowed his brow and clicked his tongue. It wasn't that he was sensitive about his age, but Lu Miao had previously used her age as an excuse to reject him.

Seeing her bright, clear eyes shimmering with the steam of the food as she blinked up at him, unable to find the heart to scold her, he kept a stern face and pressed a hand down on her head. "Eat, no talking allowed."

Lu Miao's head was almost pressed right into her rice bowl.

*Good grief, he is far too rough.*

...

After finishing the meal, Fu Shiyue received a call from the police station asking him to come over.

It seemed Wang Mingcheng had been detained, and they needed him to clarify the sequence of events.

Lu Miao overheard the conversation and insisted on going with him.

Fu Shiyue flatly refused. "I'll drop you off at school. Young girls shouldn't go to places like that."

"No way, I want to see Wang Mingcheng. Who knows, it might be the last time!"

Why did that sound so lingering and affectionate?

Fu Shiyue frowned.

She rubbed her chin and muttered thoughtfully, "We did date for a week, after all. I should go give him a parting gift."

Fu Shiyue: ?

A gift? What kind of gift?

His complexion gradually turned dark and sullen as he sneered inwardly. Playing house with a couple of brats, and now she was getting sentimental?

Seeing his dark, silent expression, Lu Miao tugged at his sleeve and showered him with sweet words. When the man remained cold and indifferent, she simply threw herself into his arms and acted spoiled.

"Brother, big brother, my good brother, just say yes! If you agree to this tiny request, I'll let you taste something sweet in return."

"..." Words failed him.

Fu Shiyue's whole body was as rigid as a steel plate, yet he was utterly defenseless against her sugar-coated bullets. He tightened his jaw and said, "Only ten minutes."

"No problem." She agreed readily, her beaming smile utterly captivating.

Fu Shiyue reached out to hold her small hand, but Lu Miao immediately let go and sat back down. Not even a cleaver cutting through water was that fast.

Fu Shiyue grasped nothingness, his expression stiffening. He instantly regretted agreeing so quickly. This ungrateful girl turned her back the moment she got what she wanted.

Looking out the window, Lu Miao smiled smugly, plotting her masterstroke. She was going to give Wang Mingcheng a heavyweight gift!

Upon arriving at the police station, Fu Shiyue finished speaking with the officers, and an officer led them toward the detention cells.

Lu Miao followed closely by his side until they reached a room where Wang Mingcheng was being held.

The officer opened the door and said, "Wang Mingcheng, someone is here to see you."

Thinking someone had come to rescue him, Wang Mingcheng jumped up excitedly, stretching his neck to look. "Is my godmother here to bail me out?"

"That's right, your godmother is here," Lu Miao said loudly, swaggering into the room.

"Lu Miao? Why is it you?!" Wang Mingcheng's expression underwent a violent transformation.

"Aren't you going to call me godmother?"

"You dared to play me for a fool, you—" Wang Mingcheng wanted to curse through gritted teeth, but upon seeing the man standing behind Lu Miao, he nearly bit his tongue off.

"I'm what?" Lu Miao blinked.

Seeing him cowering in his chair with a face flushed red like a beaten dog, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Wang Mingcheng, we've reached this point, let's drop the hostility and have a calm chat."

"What is there left for me to talk about with you?!" he glared with malicious intent.

Lu Miao didn't mind. She sat down opposite him and examined his catfish-swollen face, guessing he must have taken a beating the night before.

"You look a bit pathetic, but you deserve it. Don't bother waiting for your godmother to save you."

Wang Mingcheng instantly deflated. Sitting at the table in handcuffs, he buried his face in his hands and grabbed his greasy hair before suddenly looking up.

"Miao Miao, I was wrong! Please, ask your uncle to let me out. Once I get out, I'll turn over a new leaf, get far away, and never show my face in front of you again."

He didn't dare address Fu Shiyue directly, nor did he even have the courage to meet Fu Shiyue's eyes. Apart from begging Lu Miao for mercy, he was utterly helpless.

Lu Miao sighed at his hypocritical facade. "Wang Mingcheng, I will never believe your words again. Someone like you isn't worth trusting. Besides, the law shows no mercy; begging him is useless."

"If your uncle hadn't played hardball, how could I have ended up like this?! He destroyed my family's happiness, and you're still kicking me while I'm down!"

Fu Shiyue stood expressionless beside Lu Miao, looking entirely indifferent to anyone's words—yet radiating the terrifying aura that if Wang Mingcheng dared lay a single finger on Lu Miao, he would snap the man's hands in half.

Lu Miao glanced at Fu Shiyue, thinking he looked rather like a personal bodyguard, then turned back to Wang Mingcheng. "I heard about it. Your mother sent people to break into my house and almost stabbed me; your father is a corrupt merchant who ruined countless innocent migrant workers; and you committed attempted rape and extortion. Like father, like son, your whole family is full of monsters. None of you deserve forgiveness."

"Then why did you come to see me? Just to mock me!" Wang Mingcheng still felt no remorse whatsoever.

Realizing he was beyond saving, Lu Miao regretted ever being so blind in the past. "I came to bring things to a close. I never liked you, and being with you was just a momentary impulse. I paid the price for that mistake, and now, you have to pay the price for your actions."

"Rehabilitate yourself properly. I don't want you showing up in my life ever again after you get out."

With those few words, Lu Miao stood up to leave, then suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, right. Haven't you always resented and wanted to know why my uncle dealt with you so ruthlessly?"

Lu Miao took hold of Fu Shiyue's broad hand, looking up at his still-grim expression. "Because he was jealous."

Wang Mingcheng was stunned.

Fu Shiyue was also taken aback, lowering his gaze with a mixture of surprise and incomprehension.

Lu Miao met his gaze openly. Seeing that Wang Mingcheng had yet to process what she meant, she stood on tiptoes and planted a loud kiss right on Fu Shiyue's cheek.

Wang Mingcheng looked as though he had been struck by lightning, his face turning pale as he pointed a trembling finger at them. "Y-you... how could you..."

Lu Miao flashed a brilliant smile. "Still don't get it? He was never my uncle, he is..."

She deliberately left the sentence unfinished. "So, don't waste time thinking about me in prison."