Volume 1, Chapter 6: Why Do You Keep Holding Me?

“Don’t move if you don’t want to be seen.”

Fu Shiyue firmly pressed Lu Miao’s head down and greeted the middle-aged man approaching them. “Director Lu.”

“Shiyue?” Lu Guoxun was quite surprised. “Didn’t expect to run into you here.”

Lu Miao hadn’t expected that the two of them actually knew each other.

Lu Guoxun had been striding confidently, but standing before the tall and handsome Fu Shiyue, he lowered his head. The aura of a successful man was suppressed, making him look like a middle-aged man with a bit of a paunch and a greasy demeanor.

“It’s been a year and a half, why are you back all of a sudden?”

Fu Shiyue smiled faintly. “Just finished a mission, came back to rest for a while.”

Lu Guoxun didn’t know Fu Shiyue had already retired from the military, so after some small talk he asked, “What are you doing here?”

Fu Shiyue glanced down at the restless Lu Miao in his arms, the smile on his lips unchanged. “My niece is misbehaving at school, I came to pick her up.”

Lu Guoxun looked at the girl in front of Fu Shiyue, slightly surprised. “This is your niece?”

Earlier, Lu Guoxun had found it strange that the girl had kept her back turned to him, burying her face in Fu Shiyue’s embrace. She was petite, and from their intimate posture, Lu Guoxun had thought Fu Shiyue had a university girlfriend.

Lu Miao felt Lu Guoxun’s gaze and stiffened.

Fu Shiyue noticed her tension and pressed his large hand on the back of her head, putting on a stern expression. “Lift your head and greet him.”

Lu Miao was reluctant and blushed, seeming shy and bashful, but inwardly she was cursing furiously—this scoundrel was deliberately trying to get her caught!

“Being naughty again?” Fu Shiyue leaned close to her ear, whispering a scolding. “I’ve told you before, don’t be so rude.”

Ha, and here he was playing the role again!

Lu Miao tugged hard at his clothes, wanting him to stop, but her hand brushed against his abs, and she quickly withdrew, cheeks flushed.

“If she won’t greet, then don’t force the poor girl,” Lu Guoxun smiled, waving his hand.

Seeing their intimate posture, he couldn’t point out what was odd but said meaningfully, “Shiyue, you really have a good relationship with your niece.”

Lu Miao awkwardly buried her face deeper into the man’s embrace, inhaling the clear and deep scent of sandalwood on him. The sensation made her feel light-headed.

Fu Shiyue smiled and smoothed things over, his tone indulgent. “Not really, I just scolded her a bit and she started crying and sulking.”

He pinched the back of her neck, and Lu Miao immediately caught on, pretending to sob softly.

Lu Guoxun chuckled and withdrew his gaze. “Girls are fragile in heart, can’t take harsh words. Unlike that wild girl Lu Miao, always causing trouble at school. I was even called away from meetings to clean up after her mess.”

Fu Shiyue lowered his eyes to look at the girl in his arms. Lu Miao rolled her eyes inwardly—huh, who asked for his concern?

Fu Shiyue was about to say more when Lu Miao gave him a pinch.

---

Fu Shiyue smiled. “Alright, then I won’t keep you.”

Without waiting for Lu Guoxun’s response, he wrapped Lu Miao inside his black windbreaker and carried her off.

Watching them leave, Lu Guoxun shook his head. Why did that girl’s figure seem so familiar?

He entered the teacher’s office and saw the counselor, who wore a serious expression. “I’m Lu Miao’s great-uncle. Where is she now?”

The counselor looked at Lu Guoxun with puzzlement. Just now, a big uncle had left, and now here came a great-uncle? Strange. Didn’t Lu Miao say she only had one uncle at home?

“You’re looking for Lu Miao? She left with her big uncle.”

Lu Guoxun was shocked. “What?!”

…

In the corridor, Lu Miao was wrapped in the man’s coat as he strode quickly downstairs.

“How do you know my great-uncle?” her voice was low.

A deep voice sounded above her head. “Considering my relationship with your uncle, isn’t it strange not to know each other?”

Lu Miao twisted her lips. “He and my uncle don’t get along well.”

Lu Guoxun was a relative on Lu Miao’s father’s side. Once, they fought fiercely in court over Lu Miao’s custody. Lu Guoxun lost the case and became an enemy of Lu Yancheng, exchanging bitter words whenever they met.

Lu Miao detested the relatives on the Lu side. They clearly didn’t like her but always pretended to be kind, forcing her to acknowledge her heritage.

So she blocked all the Lu family’s contacts and never visited during holidays. After joining Lu Yancheng, she almost completely cut ties.

But Lu Guoxun was persistent. Whenever Lu Miao caused trouble, he appeared, accusing Lu Yancheng of being a negligent guardian, incapable of raising her, seizing any opportunity to bring Lu Miao back to the Lu family.

“Are you close with Lu Guoxun?”

She tested him, trying to discern his loyalties. If he was on the other side, she would immediately cut ties.

Fu Shiyue glanced down at her. “Don’t worry, not close.”

“Not close? He’s so warm to you?” She doubted, staring at the man’s deep face.

Fu Shiyue held Lu Miao under his arm and explained as they walked, “He became head of the Cultural Bureau because the Fu family pushed him behind the scenes.”

Lu Guoxun had been a mid-level leader before, supported by the Fu family. Whenever the Fu family held banquets, he always brought heavy gifts in person.

But even so, Lu Miao’s doubts remained.

“Lu Yancheng trusts me enough to leave you in my care. You don’t trust him?”

---

Lu Miao thought about it and agreed. If she didn’t trust this man, she had to trust Lu Yancheng. After all, the person Lu Yancheng sent to watch over her wouldn’t harm her.

As they spoke, Fu Shiyue carried Lu Miao out of the teachers’ office building. She suddenly realized something was off.

“No one asked you to watch over me,” Lu Miao said sharply. “And why are you holding me like this?”

She pushed the man away irritably. It was one thing to cover for her, another to cling so much.

Lu Miao shook him off and quickly tried to escape.

Fu Shiyue watched the fleeing Lu Miao, a slight lift to his brow.

You ask for help, then hide behind me. When done, you turn your back on me?

Lu Miao hadn’t run far when her collar was suddenly yanked back, and she crashed unexpectedly into the man’s solid chest.

“What are you doing?” She looked up in alarm. “Let me go.”

“You promised to treat me to a meal. Where are you running off to?”

“Wh-what meal?”

Fu Shiyue narrowed his eyes.

Lu Miao felt a chill down her spine and swallowed hard. “I mean, if you don’t know what to eat, I’ll take you out for a feast.”

Ten minutes later, Lu Miao led Fu Shiyue into a small restaurant just outside the school.

“So this is the big meal you promised me?”

Lu Miao boldly pushed the menu toward him. “Order whatever you want. Don’t be polite with me!”

If someone didn’t know better, they’d think she was extravagantly generous, ordering exotic delicacies of all kinds.

Fu Shiyue looked at the menu; it was dumplings—various flavors of dumplings.

He chuckled softly.

Lu Miao thought he must be looking down on her and leaned in, winking. “This is all I can afford. If you’re dissatisfied, go tell my uncle to improve my quality of life, like giving me some pocket money.”

Fu Shiyue glanced at her and snorted softly. She was quite calculating.

Lu Miao blinked her eager little eyes. He tapped her head and pressed her back down. “Sit properly. Don’t get any ideas.”