Velvet Chains of a Tycoon

Qin Ran had no idea where Lu Sheng's hometown was. After getting into the car, she was momentarily surprised when she saw the destination he entered into the GPS.

"Your family lives by the sea?" she asked.

Lu Sheng shrugged casually. "Yeah, a small fishing village. My grandfather's generation were fishermen."

Qin Ran nodded. "Oh, so do your parents still fish?"

"No, by my parents' generation, all the fishermen had moved ashore."

"Oh," Qin Ran said softly.

Lu Sheng didn't elaborate further on what his parents did after moving ashore, and Qin Ran tactfully refrained from asking. They were only a sham couple, after all; this trip was merely to appease his family. If there was something Lu Sheng didn't want her to know, she naturally wouldn't pry. People should keep an appropriate distance from one another. Everyone has their own life—even spouses—and especially in a fake marriage like theirs.

With time pressing, Lu Sheng drove quickly, maintaining a steady 120 km/h once they hit the highway. He assumed Qin Ran might be frightened by the speed, but she seemed completely unfazed. Instead, she leisurely gazed out at the passing scenery.

As they entered the coastal highway, the view became breathtaking. The cloudless blue sky merged seamlessly with the vast expanse of ocean, as if the two were dissolving into each other.

Seeing how absorbed Qin Ran was, Lu Sheng couldn't help but ask, "Have you ever been to the seaside before?"

Qin Ran snapped out of her reverie. "Ah, yes, I have."

Lu Sheng thought to himself: *She's been here before, so why does she look so fascinated, as if it's her first time?*

The car fell silent again. Neither of them found anything to talk about, so Qin Ran pulled out her phone. In her part-time job group chat, people were discussing recent opportunities, while in her class group, everyone was talking about the upcoming autumn recruitment fair.

Now entering their senior year, those who weren't planning to pursue graduate studies were starting to think about internships. The autumn recruitment was a golden opportunity.

Qin Ran had initially planned to go for postgraduate studies—her grades virtually guaranteed her a spot. But things had changed. She was married now, her brother's job situation was unstable, and Ren An Clinic faced relocation. All of this stemmed from her refusal to marry Yang Cheng. Under these circumstances, she could no longer justify focusing solely on academics.

Finding a job had become urgent, and participating in the autumn recruitment was inevitable. When she asked in the group chat when it would begin, the responses came flooding in.

"Qin Ran, with your grades, you're practically guaranteed a spot in postgraduate studies! Why are you even considering the autumn recruitment?"

"Yeah, Qin Ran, are you giving up on grad school?"

"Qin Ran, don't tell me you're abandoning your guaranteed spot!"

"We're here!" Lu Sheng's voice interrupted Qin Ran just as she was about to reply. She quickly exited the WeChat interface.

"Mr. Lu, we didn't bring any gifts. Won't your family think I'm rude?"

Lu Sheng frowned slightly. "My family will find it strange that you call me 'Mr. Lu.'"

Qin Ran hesitated. "...Lu Sheng."

Hadn't she always called him that? And he'd never objected before.

"Just don't call me 'Mr. Lu' in front of my family," he said firmly.

Qin Ran nodded, following behind him. "Okay, I'll remember... Mr. Lu—er, Lu Sheng."

Lu Sheng gave her a cold glance. He doubted she'd truly remembered.

"And stop calling me 'Miss Qin,'" she muttered under her breath.

His expression remained neutral. "I haven't called you 'Miss Qin' since last night."

Qin Ran blinked, confused. "Really?"

Lu Sheng sighed inwardly. This woman was utterly oblivious, failing to notice even such a subtle change in how he addressed her.

Qin Ran quickly plastered on a cheerful smile. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. As long as we stick to informal names, we won't blow our cover."

Lu Sheng thought grimly: *If she keeps acting like this, we're bound to get caught.*

The Lu family courtyard was located at the eastern edge of the fishing village. Though old, the house occupied a sprawling area, with a spacious yard nearly the size of a football field. As soon as they stepped out of the car, Lu Sheng's grandfather approached with a warm smile.

"Lu Sheng, Xiao Ran, you've finally arrived! I was just about to ask Lu Yu to call you."

Qin Ran found the elderly man vaguely familiar but couldn't quite place him.

"This is Grandpa," Lu Sheng introduced briefly.

Qin Ran, ever polite, greeted him warmly. "Hello, Grandpa!"

"Hahaha, Xiao Ran, right? Lu Sheng has told me so much about you. You're just as sweet as he described."

Qin Ran blushed modestly. "You flatter me, Grandpa..."

Seeing Qin Ran chatting amiably with his grandfather, Lu Sheng breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He'd worried she wouldn't be able to act convincingly, but it seemed she had a natural talent for it. She slipped into character effortlessly.

Inside the main hall, they met a woman whose demeanor was calm and reserved. Though her attire wasn't particularly luxurious, her innate elegance was unmistakable.

"Mom, this is Qin Ran," Lu Sheng introduced.

Yin Chunmei studied Qin Ran briefly. "Qin Ran, can you cook? Aunt Four is busy in the kitchen, and I've hurt my hand, so I can't help."

Qin Ran immediately understood. "I can manage a little. I'll go assist Aunt Four right away."

After asking Lu Sheng for directions to the kitchen, she hurried off.

In reality, "Aunt Four" wasn't a blood relative but the wife of the Lu family's longtime housekeeper. Having served the family for twenty years, the housekeeper was affectionately called "Uncle Four," and his wife, naturally, became "Aunt Four." By assigning Qin Ran to help in the kitchen, Yin Chunmei clearly regarded her as little more than hired help.

Lu Sheng had anticipated his mother's attempts to make things difficult for Qin Ran, but he hadn't expected her to be so direct, sending her to the kitchen almost immediately upon arrival.

Ignoring her son's disapproving expression, Yin Chunmei added coolly, "Yuwei came to the beach for some sunbathing today. She's nearby, so I invited her over for lunch. No objections, I hope?"

Yuwei—Tian Yuwei, the eldest daughter of the prestigious Tian family. She was the goddaughter of Yin Chunmei and her closest friend's child, as well as the person Yin favored most as a potential daughter-in-law.

Lu Sheng frowned. "Mom, Grandpa said this was a family dinner. Why invite outsiders?"

Yin Chunmei's face darkened. "Yuwei is the daughter of Aunt Cai and my goddaughter. How is she an outsider?"

Lu Sheng's tone was firm. "Mom, without blood ties or direct kinship, she's still an outsider."

Yin Chunmei's expression turned icy. "And how long have you been married to Qin Ran? It was a rushed arranged marriage. How is she not an outsider?"