Lu Qingtang grabbed the edge of the window with both hands, quickly climbing up layer by layer through the night.
She thought to herself that if she wasn't discovered, she would just take a quick peek and leave a note explaining her sudden departure.
If she was discovered, she would use Lu Wensheng's identity to tell the other person that she had business to attend to and couldn't take responsibility for him just yet.
In short, she had to make her little husband feel that she was a reliable person...
Filled with anticipation and joy, Lu Qingtang scampered lightly and nimbly all the way up to the top floor.
With a sweet smile on her pretty face, she stood up straight, opened her eyes wide, and prepared to peek inside through the glass first. To her surprise, however, the window in front of her was opened from the inside by someone without the slightest warning.
A slender figure stood inside the window, looking right at her with smiling eyes and a steady gaze.
Caught off guard, Lu Qingtang found herself face-to-face with him.
The moment their eyes met, both of them froze.
Looking at the man under the bright lights—dressed in a black suit with a mysterious and unique pattern embroidered on the shirt collar, looking endlessly elegant and distinguished, with appearance and demeanor that reached the absolute pinnacle of excellence—Lu Qingtang's heart began to beat wildly.
A thought flashed through her mind.
Her future husband is so pretty!
A peerless beauty!
Looking at the young girl's bright white face and clear pupils under the moonlight, with the corners of his lips curved up, Ning Yan spoke in the night with a voice as cool and clear as spring water, "Miss, do you need something?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Ning Yan clearly saw the joyful smile on the opposite girl's face abruptly freeze.
A faint, gloomy glint flashed quickly across the depths of his eyes.
Lu Qingtang narrowed her eyes slightly.
He doesn't remember her?
Even though she had gone from twenty-three back to eighteen years old, this face hadn't changed much.
Logically speaking, they had slept together just last night; even if the other person sensed something was amiss, faced with such a similar face, he definitely wouldn't have this reaction.
As if he didn't know her at all!
Unless—
He wants to deny it?!
Lu Qingtang's expression suddenly turned ice-cold.
Meeting the young girl's dangerous gaze—the look one gives a heartless scoundrel—Ning Yan hooked the corners of his lips into an intriguing arc and continued to frantically flirt with danger on the edge of self-destruction, "Miss, have we met before?"
His sincere words made Lu Qingtang pause abruptly.
Sensitively sensing that something was wrong, she began to carefully observe the person in front of her.
Although it was the same face, the way the boy had looked at her last night was with a pure, intense joy and clinging affection.
That kind of simple fondness radiating from the very bones could never be faked.
He had even liked calling her "Elder Sister"...
Yet this person in front of her, despite also having peach-blossom eyes, had a gaze filled with cold detachment and unfathomable depth.
His words and actions were worlds apart from the boy of the previous night.
A thought flashed through Lu Qingtang's mind.
Could it be that she... had the wrong person?
Was this actually her future husband's... twin brother?!
Frowning slightly, Lu Qingtang kept her pretty face solemn as she stared at Ning Yan to observe him.
Ning Yan smiled, his peach-blossom eyes clear and profound, letting her appraise him with the utmost good breeding.
After a long while of looking, Lu Qingtang finally confirmed that the person before her was indeed not the boy from last night.
A wave of faint disappointment surged in the bottom of her heart. She bit her lower lip, and her spirits drooped slightly. "Sorry, I went to the wrong place."
Ning Yan's eyes were dark and heavy, the smile on his face still flawless. "Need any help?"
Lu Qingtang originally wanted to say no, but suddenly remembered that this was her future husband's family member, and getting on good terms in advance couldn't hurt.
Resting her hands on the railing, she opened her dark, wide eyes and smiled at him. "Mister, what is your surname?"
Since she couldn't see the one she wanted, finding out his name first was still a good outcome.
Watching her innocent and charming eyebrows and eyes, Ning Yan felt his gaze soften involuntarily by a fraction. He let out a light laugh. "My surname is Ning, single name Yan."
Her future husband's surname is Ning... It sounds wonderful!
Lu Qingtang's eyes lit up, her brows and eyes curving as she returned the courtesy. "My surname is Lu."
Surname Lu?
The smile at the corners of Ning Yan's lips was faint, his gaze betraying neither pleasure nor anger.
Could she really be that Lu Wensheng from the Lu Family of Qincheng?
Having confirmed that the other person was not her little husband, Lu Qingtang exercised great tact and stopped disturbing him. She waved a hand and said with a smile, "Goodnight, goodbye."
Well—
As someone who was already taken, guarding her chastity for her other half and refusing to casually look at or wander into the boudoir of a "beauty"... this was the bare minimum!
Ning Yan watched as Lu Qingtang finished speaking and turned around.
The next second, her slender and agile figure vanished from his sight.
Ning Yan paused for a moment, instinctively walking over to the window and looking down.
Against the backdrop of twinkling lights, he saw Lu Qingtang use nimble moves to land safely back on the ground, dust off her hands, and walk through the hotel lobby doors.
Thinking of the girl's vibrant and lively brows and eyes, Ning Yan let out a low chuckle.
She really is... reckless!
***
Lu Qingtang walked into the hotel lobby, preparing to look for Xingxing.
As soon as she stepped inside, she saw Xingxing trot over with its leash in its mouth.
Seeing the little fellow's current appearance, Lu Qingtang opened her eyes wide in astonishment.
In just the brief time they had been apart, Xingxing had completely transformed. Its black fur had been washed sparkling clean, as if it had undergone a high-end spa treatment—sleek and glossy to the extreme... Its neck now sported a pretty, large bell, and even its leash had been upgraded.
It had simply undergone a metamorphosis from a wild, unkempt little native dog into a "wealthy and handsome" elite among dogs...
If not for the tuft of raised white fur right between its eyebrows, which was far too distinct a feature, Lu Qingtang would have nearly thought she had the wrong dog.
Lu Qingtang blinked. "Baby, who did you go rob?"
Placing the leash in her hand, Xingxing let out a couple of barks and tugged at her skirt, pulling her toward the exit.
The meaning was clear: if they didn't go back now, its little master would start worrying!
Following closely behind Xingxing, a middle-aged man smiled and explained, "It's like this, Miss Lu. You had your beloved dog come find us, so we just went ahead and gave it a bath."
"Your beloved dog really enjoys baths."
Lu Qingtang, "..."
As expected of a star-rated hotel; even dogs received this level of treatment.
With a smile, Lu Qingtang expressed her gratitude, then led the incessantly urging Xingxing outside.
The moment she stepped out of the hotel, watching Xingxing happily gallop off on its unleashed paws, Lu Qingtang murmured softly, "You're happy enough, but I still haven't found my future little husband..."
She had no idea whether she would have a chance to see him again anytime soon within this sprawling city of Qincheng.
Still, there was good news tonight.
She now knew her future husband's surname.
A radiant smile bloomed on Lu Qingtang's pretty face as she suddenly picked up her pace. "Race you to see who gets home first!"
Xingxing let out a bark and stretched out its four paws to give chase rapidly.
Amidst the silent night, the girl and the dog gradually left the bustling city behind and ran into the bustling alleys on the other side.
***
Inside the hotel, Ning Yan pressed the answer button on his phone.
"Young Master, Miss Lu has arrived home safely."
Putting the phone down, Ning Yan shifted his gaze toward the direction where Lu Qingtang had left, his fair, slender fingers toying with the rose-gold coin in his palm, his expression cold and thoughtful.
Having met Lu Qingtang, he became even more certain of his previous conjecture.
The person was right, but that sense of dissonance had only grown heavier along with it.
Where on earth was the problem?!
For the moment, Ning Yan couldn't pinpoint where that bizarre dissonance lay, but he was quite certain of another matter.
She liked that idiot, but didn't like him?
Ning Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, the corners of his vibrant thin lips hooking into an enigmatic smile.
***
The next day, Lu Wensheng woke up early, cooked breakfast and left it warming on the stove, and was just about to head out with his school backpack when Lu Qingtang's voice came from behind him...