Chapter 11: The Welcome Gift on the First Day

Mother Lu: "Qingqiu, dear, do try this. We know how much you enjoy Cantonese cuisine, so your uncle specifically brought in a top-tier Cantonese chef to cook for us today."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Lu Guanghong: "Qingqiu, have some of this crab meat porridge. It’s excellent for the complexion and very nourishing! I ordered these crabs specially; they were from the morning's first catch and were flown directly to Snow City while still kicking."

"Thank you, Uncle, but please, there’s no need for such formality."

Mother Lu: "Qingqiu, try this. Doesn't it taste just like home?"

"Mhm, it's truly delicious."

Lu Guanghong: "And this, pair it with the foie gras pâté. It’s great for replenishing blood and boosting your immune system."

Leng Qingqiu was receiving the highest level of hospitality. As the eldest daughter of the Leng family and the Chairwoman of the Qianfeng Group, she was accustomed to being treated with the utmost respect wherever she went. But today was entirely different.

The nature of it was different.

She had agreed to the engagement out of a momentary fit of pique, and the elderly couple clearly now viewed her as their daughter-in-law. Their attentiveness and warmth weren't the polite, calculated courtesy one shows to a high-ranking executive; it was the genuine, affectionate care one shows to family.

This was a first for Leng Qingqiu, and she had to admit, she was captivated.

Her own family was a rational, sterile one. It lacked the warmth, the freedom, the vibrancy, and the casual spontaneity of the Lu household. Their family dinners were like formal routines, where everyone was humble, polite, and strictly observant of table etiquette. They would never be like the Lu family, who, the moment she sat down, started passing dishes around, shuffling all the best food right in front of her.

Leng Qingqiu felt a pang of envy for Lu Chengwen. The noise in his family didn't feel vulgar or rude; on the contrary, it possessed a rich, comforting atmosphere of genuine domestic bliss. Even when Lu Chengwen was bickering with his father and getting scolded, it felt so happy and fulfilling to Leng Qingqiu.

Lu Chengwen stood to the side and said, "Dad, Mom, I'm hungry too."

Lu Guanghong turned his head, his expression shifting instantly as he glared, "Get out!"

Leng Qingqiu burst into laughter.

Mother Lu quickly intervened, "Qingqiu, dear, don't mind him. He was in the wrong this time, and your uncle already punished him, so please forgive him, okay? Actually, Chengwen has been a bright and compassionate boy since he was young. You two practically grew up together; you know him."

"Sigh, it was just those years in college when his father fell ill, and we were so busy struggling to keep the family business afloat that we didn't have much time to discipline him. We just gave him money, and he ended up picking up some bad habits. But at his core, my Chengwen is a good person..."

Lu Guanghong added, "He's just a brat! Qingqiu, don't hold it against him. If he ever bullies you again, just call me directly, and I'll settle the score for you anytime, anywhere."

Leng Qingqiu quickly replied, "It's actually alright. For the past three years, my attitude wasn't great either. I spoke quite harshly a few times and offended you both. I apologize to you two elders."

"Oh, let's not dwell on the past. As parents, how could we take things to heart with children?"

"This boy is thick-skinned and shameless. Sometimes seeing him act like that makes us angry too. Just eat, eat..."

Lu Chengwen watched his family sharing a lovely meal while he stood by, starving and on the verge of tears. As he walked out, he ran into his younger brother, Lu Chengwu, who was just entering. Their eyes met.

Lu Chengwen pointed a finger, "You! Stay right there!"

Lu Chengwu looked panicked and bolted.

"You little brat, get back here!"

Just as Lu Chengwen was about to chase after his troublemaking brother, he heard a chime from the system:

*Ding-dong!*

"Host, please collect your First-Day Starter Pack!"

Lu Chengwen stood frozen, his heart racing with excitement.

It was here!

The first-day pack—with this, he wouldn't have to worry about being hunted down by Sister Qingxia anymore.

System: "Congratulations to the host for surviving the first-day trial. You have successfully survived in this world for twenty-four hours. Please accept your First-Day Starter Pack!"

Lu Chengwen hurried into the bathroom and locked the door. Above his line of sight, a large, video-game-like interface appeared, filled with grids containing various gift icons.

Lu Chengwen could hardly contain his excitement. He tapped the first one:

"Jade Maiden Soul-Melting Pill: Allows the female lead to enter a state of readiness. You know what I mean."

Lu Chengwen paused, stunned. "Isn't this just asking for death? I'm trying to get them to stay as far away from me as possible, and you give me this? Trash."

He tapped the second one:

"X-Ray Vision x3: Choose three female leads to use this on. Guaranteed to make you have a nosebleed."

Lu Chengwen bowed his head. "Is this really a starter pack? What is this nonsense? It's all trashy, low-level stuff! Don't you have anything good? Something that makes me... strong enough to handle it when the protagonist Long Aotian comes looking for trouble?"

He tapped the third one:

"Fetal Protection Pill: In the event the female lead is pregnant with your child..."

"Then I'm truly dead!" Lu Chengwen roared in frustration. "Why is everything designed to get me killed? Don't you have anything serious? Like the 'Universe Shift' or the 'Immovable Wisdom King' technique?"

He tapped the fourth one:

"Protagonist Disappearance Card (Limited to 24 hours): This card prevents the main protagonist, Long Aotian, from appearing. The condition is that you cannot commit evil deeds or attack the female lead. Do you wish to use it now?"

"Hahaha!" Lu Chengwen had tears in his eyes. "Just a day, is it? Fine, fine, at least it's something useful. Use it! I'm celebrating Children's Day today."

He tapped the fifth one:

"Romantic Kit: Passion always strikes in the dead of night. Includes whips, ropes, eye masks, lingerie, handcuffs..."

Lu Chengwen slammed his hand over the icon. "You realized I'm an adult, congratulations! What does this have to do with completing my missions? If I liked this stuff, I could buy it myself! Are you showing off? Are you?"

He tapped the sixth one:

"Flash Card: Allows for an instant teleportation within a five-meter radius, capable of passing through obstacles."

Lu Chengwen was pleasantly surprised and quickly claimed it, finally revealing a satisfied smile. "Now *that* is something useful. With this, I have a better chance of running for my life."

At that moment, his mother knocked on the bathroom door. "Chengwen, Qingqiu is leaving. Go see her off."

Lu Chengwen didn't open the door, shouting toward the frame, "Got it! Let her go by herself, I'm busy!"

His father's voice came from outside, "No worries, I'm going to grab a broom handle. You, find someone to get this door open."

Lu Chengwen felt utterly defeated. "I'm coming out right now!"

...

In the garage, Lu Chengwen scratched his head, filled with questions. His family's garage was mostly filled with his father's vehicles—business cars, sedans, and vans. He had two sports cars parked there as well. In the memories of this text, he had a separate garage, but it wasn't at this villa.

His assistant, Zhao Gang, ran up to him. "Young Master, which one are we taking today?"

Lu Chengwen rubbed his chin, pointing at a car. "Get me the keys for that one."

Zhao Gang was taken aback. "Young Master, that's the Old Master's car."

"It's just a car. I won't die from driving it."

"Oh. But this car..."

"What's wrong with it?"

"It doesn't match your status!"

It was an understated luxury car; from the outside, it looked unremarkable, but it was actually quite expensive.

"That's the one."

Leng Qingqiu hadn't even realized that her perception of Lu Chengwen had shifted significantly. The events of the last two days made her feel as though she hadn't known this person at all. Previously, she couldn't stand being near him for more than three minutes; the sight of him made her nauseous, and even hearing his name ruined her appetite.

Yet today, she found herself hanging around, waiting for him to drive her back to the company. She could have called for a car, but she didn't; she just waited for Lu Guanghong to force Lu Chengwen to drive her with a broomstick.

Of course, on one hand, her deep-seated aversion had lessened, though she hadn't admitted it to herself yet. She just suddenly felt that Lu Chengwen was actually quite amusing. On the other hand, there were too many mysteries surrounding him that she needed to get to the bottom of.

Sitting in the back seat, Leng Qingqiu watched the scenery flash by, contemplating how to confront him. Lu Chengwen kept glancing at her through the rearview mirror, sighing to himself.

*[She’s truly beautiful. How can someone be this beautiful? Does a woman like this really exist in the world? Is she a mannequin?]*

Leng Qingqiu knew she was beautiful. She had been hearing it every day since she was a child, and she was long since numb to such praise, even finding it annoying. But to hear someone genuinely admire her appearance—to see that he was so captivated and moved by her—it made her feel smug and secretly pleased. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

*[Sigh, I have to find a way to make her stay away from me. Why is this getting so messy? She even came to drink with me and ended up sleeping at my place. What kind of crappy plot is this?]*

Leng Qingqiu’s smile vanished. She looked at Lu Chengwen. "Why are you suddenly so annoyed by me?"

Lu Chengwen was startled. "I'm not! How could I be annoyed by you? Everyone in Snow City knows how much I like you—haha, hehe, haha-hehe. Ahem, no... it's not that, I just... yeah."

Lu Chengwen’s insincere answer only made Leng Qingqiu feel more dejected. A man who had pursued her relentlessly for three years was now turning his back, not looking back, not dragging things out, and seemingly wishing she would disappear from the earth. The contrast was difficult for her to accept. She used to think of him as a piece of trash, but now, for some reason, she felt a sense of unease, as if she were losing something precious.

She was annoyed.

Leng Qingqiu looked out the window, trying to remain composed. "Is there someone else you like? Is that why you don't care for me anymore?"

"Huh?" Lu Chengwen froze, then immediately said, "Yes."

Leng Qingqiu was shocked. She hadn't realized how shocked and angry she would feel. "Who?"

"Eh, just someone."

"Who."

"Does it matter?"

"It does."

Leng Qingqiu said, "I need to know who managed to defeat me and become your new favorite."

Lu Chengwen pulled the car over to the side of the road. He felt this was the perfect opportunity to lay his cards on the table.

"Qingqiu, I'll ask you one thing: Do you want this marriage alliance?"

"No."

"Do you like me?"

"No."

"Then do you hate me?"

"I hate you very much."

"There you have it!" Lu Chengwen said. "You don't want the alliance, you don't like me, and you even hate me—so why are we getting engaged? Let's both go back and tell our parents we don't agree to the engagement. You tell your parents it was me who refused, and I'll tell mine the same. Wouldn't that solve everything perfectly?"

"But I want to know the reason."

"The reason is that I'm fickle! I've fallen for someone else! For a playboy like me, isn't that the most normal thing in the world?"

"Who is that person?"

Lu Chengwen was about to lose his mind; he was genuinely amused by how stubborn she was. "Does it matter?"

"It matters a lot."

Just then, Lu Chengwen's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and inwardly cheered—it was perfect timing.

He picked up and said with a smile, "Hey! Xuejiao!"

Xu Xuejiao was clearly taken aback. He had been so annoyed with her just yesterday; why was his tone so syrupy sweet today?

Xu Xuejiao decided to play along. "Brother Chengwen, you must be exhausted from last night!"

"Oh, you bet! You really are a little troublemaker!"

"Heehee, don't talk nonsense! Be careful or I'll hit you! The press conference is today, come over quickly, we need to go over the script."

"Alright, alright! But you have to wear your JK uniform for me."

"You're so annoying! Who wears a uniform to a press conference..."

Leng Qingqiu pushed the door open, slammed it shut with force, and walked away.