Oh no! Drunk last night, I accidentally wandered into my ex-boyfriend's room.

The car stopped in front of a detached villa with a quaint and elegant exterior.

Lin Qian was "invited" out of the car, supported by two bodyguards who appeared polite but were actually quite insistent.

The interior decoration was extremely luxurious, yet it was so deserted that it lacked any human presence.

Lin Qian sat in the expensive chair, her back ramrod straight, trying to maintain a calm demeanor, but her fingertips were trembling slightly.

"I thought people like you would value face and discretion. I never expected you to openly and forcibly detain someone here. It's despicable and shameful."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chong showed no sign of anger, and simply smiled.

"Ms. Lin, relax. I just wanted to talk to you, but since you refused, I had no choice but to bring you here this way."

After saying that, he waved his hand.

A servant came over and poured Lin Qian a cup of fine tea.

Lu Chong: "Please enjoy your meal."

So hypocritical.

Lin Qian didn't touch the teacup. "Just say what you have to say. I don't want to beat around the bush with you."

Lu Chong didn't force her to drink the tea. He simply picked up his cup, took a sip, and said in a deep voice:

"I know you are the woman Lu Beiting is hiding in the West Mansion courtyard."

Lin Qian: "So?"

Lu Chong: "I know my son's personality very well. He has dated countless women before, but I didn't interfere because they were just playing around and he wouldn't really take them seriously. But you are the first woman he brought home."

Lin Qian took a deep breath and smiled, "Okay, I think I know what you're going to say."

Lu Chong's deep, sharp eyes stared at her, those eyes strikingly similar to Lu Beiting's, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"Oh? What would I say?"

Lin Qian straightened her back and met his gaze: "You said I'm not good enough for your son, and you want me to break up with him, is that true?"

Lu Chong was silent for a moment, then said, "It's good that you have self-awareness."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not an eighteen-year-old girl anymore, and I won't compromise."

Lin Qian's eyes gradually reddened, and her resolute tone carried a hint of aggression:

"Whether I'm good enough for him or not isn't for other people to decide. How ridiculous! Even my own father said I wasn't good enough for him and hoped I would break up with Lu Beiting. But Lu Beiting said I'm his bottom line. If you really want to advise me, you should talk to your son, not forcibly detain me here!"

Mentioning his biological father.

Lu Chong seemed to suddenly remember something, tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, and said:

"I originally hoped that Xia Tingshi would become my daughter-in-law, but later I found out that she was not a child of the Xia family at all."

"Although you are Xia's biological child, you grew up in the countryside and were not nurtured by a scholarly family. Moreover, you are just an ordinary employee now. In terms of income, vision, social circle, and the help you can bring to Bei Ting in the future, you are not suitable for him."

Not suitable.

These are probably the three words Lin Qian hates most in her life.

A casual "not suitable" can easily negate all her sincerity and emotions, as if her very existence is a mistake.

Lin Qian, in a fit of despair, said, "So what if we're not a good match? He likes me, and that's enough."

"You're wrong. You can like someone and date them for fun, because they've dated many people before."

Lu Chong took a sip of tea and slowly asked, "But, is he willing to marry you?"

Upon hearing these words, Lin Qian's heart stopped for two seconds.

She clenched her fists silently, all the words she wanted to say stuck in her throat, unable to utter a single one.

Seeing her pale face, Lu Chong smiled with pleasure and repeated, "Is he willing to marry you?"

Lin Qian swallowed hard and looked away first.

Lu Chong crossed his arms, adopting a posture of control, and said, "I have already arranged a marriage for Lu Beiting. It is a perfect match between him and his family, a true alliance of equals."

"I believe you are a smart girl. If you really care about him, you should let him have his way."

-

Lin Qian didn't know how she got out of that situation.

Thick, dark clouds hung low, the air was damp and stuffy, making it hard to breathe.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, her legs could no longer support her weight, and she squatted down helplessly.

Lin Qian hugged her cold knees tightly with both arms and buried her face in them.

My ears are ringing.

It seems like everyone is saying that they are not a good match, that they are not suitable for each other, and that they shouldn't be together.

Everyone is like that.

Lin Qian's eyes burned with tears. She lowered her head, buried her face in her knees, and forced back her tears.

She knew this day would come sooner or later, and that all sorts of people would stand in front of her, trying to stop her, belittle her, and mock her.

Lin Qian rubbed her wet eyes and made a phone call to Qiao Shuang.

"Shuangshuang, I feel so bad, can you come and keep me company?"

Qiao Shuang drove over at breakneck speed, picked up Lin Qian, and while fastening her seatbelt, anxiously asked:

"My goodness! Qianqian, what's wrong? Who bullied you?"

Lin Qian simply shook her head and said softly, "I want to drink."

"Okay, how about we go to my aunt's new bar? They're having a show with top male models today, we might as well check it out!"

Lin Qian sat in the passenger seat, head down, and said in a muffled voice:

"Yeah, anything is fine. I just want to have a little drink. I... I don't have the energy to think anymore."

Inside a private room in a bar.

Qiao Shuang opened a bottle of low-alcohol fruit-flavored beer, handed it to Lin Qian, opened one for herself, and sat down next to her.

"What's bothering you? Of course, if you don't want to talk about it, then we can just drink."

Lin Qian took the wine glass, her head lowered, and a tear fell into the glass, creating ripples.

"I met his father, and he said that Lu Beiting and I are not a good match."

"Damn it, you old bastard, why would you come looking for Lu Beiting if not Lu Beiting?" Qiao Shuang's eyes went black. "Besides, you're more than good enough for Lu Beiting, okay? Don't be discouraged. I envy him for eating so well. He's got such good luck."

Lin Qian bit her lip hard, holding back her tears. "You don't need to comfort me like that. Actually, I also feel that I'm not good enough for him."

She always knew that.

With such a vast difference between them and completely opposite personalities, her unrequited love was destined to have no happy ending.

Lin Qian's throat was dry. "He also said that he has already arranged a marriage for Lu Beiting. You know, I hate the word 'arranged marriage' the most."

Because her mother had suffered this loss herself, she repeatedly told her this from a young age:

"Qianqian, you must find a boy who is your equal in social standing to marry. Never, ever marry a boy from a particularly wealthy family, and never marry a boy who is going to be part of an arranged marriage."

Thinking of her mother's words, Lin Qian silently covered her face, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

How heartbroken was your mother when she left the capital city while pregnant? How heartbroken was she when she saw Xia Jichuan marrying someone else?

A sour feeling welled up in Lin Qian's chest, like a green orange suddenly bursting open, and every drop of blood in her body felt bitter.

Qiao Shuang quickly hugged her, "Those involved are often blinded, while bystanders see things clearly. I think he definitely won't agree to the marriage. He won't marry anyone but you."

Lin Qian lowered her eyes. "He might not be willing to marry me."

"How do you know? Did you ask him?"

"no."

She didn't dare ask.

She was afraid to hear the answer.

After finishing a glass of wine, Lin Qian seemed to vaguely see scenes from her university days.

"I heard him say that three years ago. And at that time, he also had a marriage prospect."