Chapter – 47
Wanwan Is My Bottom Line
“Something came up at Uncle Shen’s place, so I came back early. Your gift is in the car—go get it yourself.”
The man who spoke wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. His gentle, refined features bore a slight resemblance to Lu Li’s, and a warm smile hung on his face. Every movement and word carried an air of elegance.
He was Lu Yuan—the father of Lu Li and Lu Ziqing.
Lu Ziqing beamed when she heard this. “I knew Dad was the best!”
“What are you father and daughter chatting about so happily?” Tao Hui walked in, her gaze landing on Lu Yuan, an unconscious smile appearing on her face.
“Mom, Dad brought me a gift,” Lu Ziqing said proudly.
Tao Hui reached out and lightly tapped her on the head. “You little thing.”
Lu Yuan looked around and asked gently, “Has A-Li not come back yet?”
On the way home, he had clearly called that brat to tell him he’d be back tonight. Why hadn’t the boy rushed home yet?
Tao Hui glanced in Lu Li’s direction and said pointedly, “The Lu family and the An family have always been old friends. If A-Li could end up with Xiao Yao, then it would really be a case of making a good match even closer.”
Hearing this, Lu Li frowned slightly. After a long moment, his thin lips parted.
“Even if there were no Wanwan, I still wouldn’t choose An Yao.”
It was close to dinnertime when Lu Li finally returned.
After speaking, he stood up and looked at Lu Yuan. “Dad, I still have something to take care of. I’ll be heading out first.”
Silence fell—so quiet it felt strange.
“Dad, let me tell you, my brother, he—” In her excitement, Lu Ziqing forgot Tao Hui’s warning and blurted out, about to reveal that Lu Li and Mu Wanwan were back together.
Lu Yuan said, “Alright then. I’ll give Jianli a call tomorrow and ask.”
Before the words even finished, the air froze for several seconds.
“A-Hui, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about. Let’s go to the study,” he said calmly.
“Is it because of Mu Wanwan that you’ve always refused to accept An Yao?” Tao Hui suppressed her anger and asked bluntly.
Was that woman really so important—more important in his heart than her, his own mother?
“The key point is that the person A-Li likes is Mu Wanwan, not An Yao,” Lu Yuan said, seeing through everything and striking straight at the heart of the matter. “No matter how good An Yao is, A-Li won’t choose her. Isn’t that right?”
Tao Hui brought over a plate of fruit, set it on the table, and sat down beside Lu Yuan.
“You…” Meeting the chilling coldness deep in his eyes, Tao Hui’s breath caught. She was so angry that her lips trembled uncontrollably.
Lu Yuan was clearly taken aback, then smiled gently. “Those are all things from long ago. We’ve been married for so many years—don’t overthink it.”
He walked over slowly and sat down beside her.
He stared at her for several seconds. Seeing that she didn’t want to say more, Lu Yuan didn’t press further.
The atmosphere suddenly turned tense. Lu Yuan frowned, his gaze shifting between mother and son. Lu Ziqing was startled and no longer had the mood to watch TV.
Tao Hui lifted her head and looked at him. The words on the tip of her tongue got stuck in her throat. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to question him—she was afraid it would damage their marital relationship.
Lu Li lowered his gaze slightly. A cold curve formed at the corner of his thin lips.
“Mom, Wanwan is my bottom line. So don’t touch her.”
Tao Hui suddenly stood up and shouted coldly, “Lu Li, stop right there!”
After saying that, she turned and hurried out, as if her feet were greased.
Ignoring Tao Hui’s ugly expression, Lu Li took long strides and left directly.
If he were to lose her again, he feared he might destroy everything.
As he spoke, he reached out and patted her hand.
She picked up a piece of apple with a fork and handed it to Lu Yuan. There was a rare gentleness between her brows.
“A-Yuan, it’s been a long time since we’ve had a meal with Jianli’s family. How about inviting them over to our place this weekend?”
It was all Mu Wanwan’s fault—she had thrown their entire household into chaos.
“It’s nothing,” Tao Hui said flatly.
At the Lu family’s dinner table, it was always a rule that no one spoke while eating.
“What’s so good about that Mu Wanwan? Why are you so stubborn?” Tao Hui scolded angrily, disappointed beyond measure.
“Ziqing,” Tao Hui warned in a low voice.
Only when the sound of a car came from outside did Tao Hui come back to herself. She collapsed onto the sofa, and Lu Yuan reached out to steady her.
The couple sat there, neither of them speaking.
After closing the study door, Lu Yuan turned to look at Tao Hui, who was sitting on the couch. His expression was somewhat complicated.
“Enough. I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Tao Hui said, shaking off his hand and standing up, leaving the study without hesitation.
Before her words had even faded, Lu Li’s eyes grew colder. “Mom, An Yao and I will never have any involvement. You don’t need to waste your effort anymore.”
Having already guessed what he wanted to talk to her about, Tao Hui’s expression changed slightly. In the end, she still followed him upstairs.
After a long while, it was Lu Yuan who finally broke the endless silence.
“A-Hui, Lu Li is already grown up. He’s not a child anymore. Let him decide his own emotional matters. Four years ago, you already hurt him once—don’t repeat what happened back then. These past four years, you’ve seen it yourself. When has Lu Li ever truly smiled even once? Can you really bear to see your own son unhappy?”
Lu Ziqing looked at her parents’ retreating figures and pouted.
She glanced at Tao Hui, suddenly remembering something, then turned to Lu Yuan with an awkward smile. “Dad, I’ll go get my gift. You and Mom talk.”
She turned her gaze away and said stubbornly, “An Yao’s conditions are far better than Mu Wanwan’s. In terms of family background and compatibility, An Yao is much more suitable for A-Li than Mu Wanwan.”
Lu Li paused in his steps and turned around. His deep, dark eyes swept over Tao Hui, calm and unreadable.
Every word he spoke was resolute and firm.
Tao Hui lowered her head, looking at the large hand resting on the back of hers. Her gaze was complicated and obscure as she asked quietly, “Are you saying this because Mu Wanwan is that person’s daughter?”
Lu Yuan watched Tao Hui run off, his brows knitting slightly. He withdrew his gaze and looked at her. “A-Hui, did something happen while I was away these past few days?”
After dinner, Lu Li stayed in the living room chatting with Lu Yuan for a while. Lu Ziqing listened from the side, but because of the chilling aura radiating from Lu Li, she didn’t dare interrupt casually.
“Bang—”
The sound of a door slamming echoed dully through the hallway.
Lu Yuan lifted a hand to remove his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose as he let out a soft sigh.
“Sigh—”
