177: There is no smoke without fire

"Colleague?"

Yu Miaoyin parted her red lips slightly, tilting her head a little, her clear eyes filled with confusion, as she softly repeated the two words, her gaze flickering with thought.

A moment later, she nodded thoughtfully.

Her nimble gaze roamed around the spacious office, finally settling back on Lu Chen's face, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Is the company's usual work pace fast? Will there be frequent overtime?"

Lu Chen's lips curved into a gentle smile, his eyes filled with doting affection, and he patiently explained:

"The work pace is quite reasonable. There are only occasional urgent tasks that require overtime, but it won't be too frequent. If you feel tired, you can tell me anytime."

Yu Miaoyin frowned slightly, continuing to press, "Will the work content be very difficult? I'm worried I won't do well."

Lu Chen gently shook his head, his tone firm yet gentle: "It's not difficult. I'll arrange for someone to show you the ropes. With your intelligence, you'll definitely adapt quickly."

The two continued with this question-and-answer, Yu Miaoyin like a curious child, constantly throwing out one question after another.

Lu Chen, on the other hand, answered everything he knew, patiently resolving her every doubt.

After a while, Lu Chen inadvertently glanced down at his watch, a hint of urgency flashing in his eyes.

He softly said, "Miaoyin, you get familiar with the situation here first. I still have something to take care of."

He leaned forward slightly, gazing at Yu Miaoyin with gentle eyes, a hint of apology in his expression.

Yu Miaoyin looked up, meeting Lu Chen's eyes, a faint smile gracing her lips, and she nodded gently.

Her voice was soft and firm: "Okay, you go be busy. Don't worry about me."

Lu Chen gave a few more instructions before turning and leaving the office, his footsteps hurried, his figure quickly disappearing at the doorway.

Not long after Lu Chen left, the office was so quiet that only Yu Miaoyin's faint breathing could be heard.

She was intently observing her surroundings, getting familiar with this place where her new life was about to begin.

Suddenly, a crisp phone ring broke the silence.

Yu Miaoyin's body stiffened slightly; after a moment of stunned, she finally reacted.

She quickly picked up her phone, her gaze falling on the caller ID. The moment she saw the name, her lips involuntarily curved into a sweet smile.

She tapped the answer button and held the phone to her ear, her voice clear and pleasant: "Senior Sister, what made you think of calling me?"

On the other end of the line, Luo Qingchen's originally cheerful voice suddenly paused upon hearing Yu Miaoyin's joyful tone, clearly taken aback.

"Shouldn't you be very angry right now? Why do you sound so happy?" Luo Qingchen's voice was full of confusion, with a hint of bewilderment.

Yu Miachen tilted her head slightly, her face filled with confusion, her delicate brows furrowed, and her tone carrying a hint of bewilderment: "Why should I be angry?"

Luo Qingchen blinked her bright, large eyes and opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

She had originally been looking forward to asking how her Junior Sister had managed to make Lu Chen eat humble pie, hoping to gloat.

But in this situation, it seemed nothing had happened at all.

Her schadenfreude instantly became dull and uninteresting.

"Haven't you already found out about the things Lu Chen did? Aren't you angry?" Luo Qingchen asked, unwilling to give up.

Yu Miaoyin was slightly taken aback, then a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Are you talking about Lu Chen's women? Lu Chen already told me, someone deliberately slandered him, and it wasn't something he did himself."

On the other end of the phone, Luo Qingchen was silent for a moment, then after a long pause, she uttered: "..."

She really hadn't expected that Lu Chen had used such a clumsy excuse and actually managed to deceive her naive Junior Sister.

"How do you know someone is slandering him?" Luo Qingchen continued to ask, unwilling to give up.

Yu Miaoyin chuckled softly, her voice carrying a hint of excitement:

"I've met those people. Senior Sister, do you know? The Lu Family is truly a very magical place! The entire Lu Family is enveloped by a mysterious Formation, and the wonder of that Formation is simply beyond imagination!"

"When we were driving to the Lu Family, from a distance, we saw a towering mountain ahead, with rugged and difficult mountain paths. It looked like there was no road at all."

"But as the car approached, something strange happened. The car didn't stop at all; it drove straight towards that mountain."

"I was so scared my heart was in my throat, thinking we were going to crash."

"But just as the car was about to touch the mountain, the scene in front of us suddenly distorted, like ripples on water, and then the car passed through without any obstruction, as if that mountain didn't exist at all!"

"Then, we encountered a wide river, its waters surging and roaring, the current swift."

"I thought there was no way we could cross now, but Lu Chen looked calm and continued to drive forward."

"Miraculously, the car drove directly onto the river's surface, and the river water, as if by magic, automatically parted, forming a flat road, allowing us to pass smoothly."

"Another time, there was clearly a sheer cliff ahead, towering and steep, with no place to climb at all."

"But the car still didn't stop; it rushed towards the cliff."

"Just as I thought we were going to crash, the cliff was like an illusory image, and the car easily passed through it. That feeling was like traversing a dream, everything so unreal yet truly happening."

"After entering the Lu Family, what I saw was a dreamy and ethereal scene."

"Immortal Qi swirled, and the pavilions were scattered in an orderly fashion, each exquisitely beautiful."

"And there were even talking cranes, it was simply like a paradise, a celestial realm beyond this world."

Yu Miaoyin said excitedly.

Luo Qingchen, on the other hand, looked stunned.

For a moment, she forgot to speak.

Yu Miaoyin thought the other person was still listening to her, so she continued without stopping:

"However, the internal situation of the Lu Family is far more complex than it appears on the surface."

"Those candidates, in order to compete for the position of Family Head, resort to all sorts of unscrupulous methods."

"They spread rumors about Lu Chen throughout the Family, slandering his reputation, trying to make Family members dissatisfied and distrustful of Lu Chen."

"But Lu Chen has never cared about these things. Compared to Lu Chen, those Family Head candidates are simply too low-class."

Yu Miaoyin shook her head, clearly filled with disdain and contempt for the Family Head successors she spoke of.

On the other end of the phone, Luo Qingchen listened, utterly dumbfounded, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly agape, her face filled with shock.

She had never imagined that so many stories were hidden behind Lu Chen and the Lu Family.

Luo Qingchen held her phone, standing frozen in place.

The expression on her face gradually shifted from initial shock to deep despair.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and her mind kept replaying the magical scenes Yu Miaoyin had described.

The Lu Family's mysterious and unfathomable Formation, and the powerful strength Lu Chen displayed within the Family.

"If that's really the case, then the Lu Family's power is too immense," she thought to herself, her lips trembling slightly.

"How can I escape Lu Chen's control?"

As soon as she thought of this, Luo Qingchen's eyes filled with fear and helplessness, and her body curled up slightly, as if this could bring her a sense of security.

"Am I destined to be trapped in Lu Chen's shadow for the rest of my life?"

"Will Lu Chen really act according to the contract?"

Luo Qingchen felt despair whenever she thought of that contract.

If it was truly as Yu Miaoyin said, then Lu Chen and the Lu Family were truly unfathomable.

Just then, Yu Miaoyin's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"It's a pity that the Grand Elder of the Lu Family doesn't like me. Because of this, Lu Chen has also endured a lot of pressure."

Yu Miaoyin's voice carried a hint of grievance and regret, and her tone became subdued.

Luo Qingchen finally couldn't hold back when she heard this. She suddenly straightened up, her brows tightly furrowed.

She loudly interrupted Yu Miaoyin's words.

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Miaoyin, have you misunderstood something? Is it really as you say?"

Her voice trembled slightly from excitement, and her eyes were filled with doubt.

Yu Miaoyin was stunned for a moment, then nodded gently. Although Luo Qingchen couldn't see it, she still habitually made this gesture.

"Senior Sister, I didn't misunderstand. The Grand Elder of the Lu Family was very cold towards me and even said in front of everyone that I wasn't worthy of Lu Chen, telling Lu Chen not to be with me." Yu Miaoyin's voice carried a hint of a sob, and her eyes were slightly red.

Luo Qingchen's eyes widened even further; she shook her head in disbelief.

"How could this be? Why would the Grand Elder of the Lu Family do this? Did Lu Chen just let her bully you like that?" Luo Qingchen's tone was filled with anger and worry.

Yu Miaoyin sniffled, trying to make her voice sound steady.

"Of course, Lu Chen didn't just sit by and do nothing. He argued with the Grand Elder at the time, saying that he liked me and wouldn't change his mind because of others' objections."

"But the Grand Elder wouldn't listen. She even said that if Lu Chen insisted on being with me, it would affect his position in the Family and might even strip him of his qualifications to inherit the Family Head position." Yu Miaoyin's voice trailed off as she spoke.

Luo Qingchen bit her lip, her heart a mix of emotions.

"What did Lu Chen say then? Did he waver?" Luo Qingchen asked with a frown.

Yu Miaoyin was silent for a moment, then softly said: "Lu Chen said he didn't care about the Family Head position; he only cared about me."

"But I know he's under a lot of pressure. Many people in the Family are talking behind his back, saying he's disregarding the Family's interests for an outsider." Yu Miaoyin's voice was filled with self-reproach and guilt.

Luo Qingchen rolled her eyes and paced back and forth in the room, her tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning:

"Miaoyin, you've always been simple-minded. How could the Grand Elder of the Lu Family target you for no reason? Think about it carefully; there might be some hidden truth behind it. Lu Chen... are his daily actions really so impeccable?"

Yu Miaoyin was stunned, Lu Chen's gentle smile appearing in her mind, and she said firmly: "Senior Sister, Lu Chen is very good to me. He has always taken care of me, and I can feel his sincerity."

Luo Qingchen stopped, crossed her arms, and pouted her lips,

"Sincerity? Miaoyin, people's hearts can change. You haven't known him for long; do you really know him well enough? Have you forgotten those rumors about him before? Although some say he was slandered, there's no smoke without fire. Who knows what's true or false."

Yu Miaoyin frowned slightly, asking somewhat confused: "Senior Sister, what do you mean by that? Lu Chen has already explained it clearly to me; those are all false."

Luo Qingchen took a deep breath, trying to make her tone sound natural,

"I'm just reminding you not to trust others too easily. Look, why would the Grand Elder of the Lu Family object to you two being together? Maybe she saw something you didn't notice."

"As a member of the Lu Family, Lu Chen's status is there; he must have many temptations around him. Aren't you afraid he..." She deliberately paused mid-sentence.

A hint of panic flashed in Yu Miaoyin's eyes, but it quickly returned to firmness, "Senior Sister, I believe Lu Chen. He's not that kind of person; he said he would always be good to me."

Luo Qingchen bit her lower lip, continuing to probe, "Miaoyin, matters of the heart are the easiest to make people lose their minds. Look, because of you, he had a dispute with the Grand Elder. His life in the Lu Family won't be easy from now on. You don't want to be a burden to him, do you? Maybe his kindness to you now is just a momentary impulse, and after a while, will he regret it?"

Yu Miaoyin's face turned slightly pale, and her hands unconsciously clenched, "Senior Sister, don't say that. Lu Chen won't regret it; he said he would find a way to solve these problems and told me not to worry."

Luo Qingchen softened her tone, saying earnestly: "Miaoyin, I'm afraid you'll get hurt. You're still young, and there are many possibilities in the future. You're so good, why do you have to cling to one tree? Perhaps if you leave Lu Chen, you'll meet someone better and live a more relaxed and carefree life."

Yu Miaoyin was silent for a moment, her voice carrying a hint of stubbornness, "Senior Sister, I know you mean well, but I've set my heart on Lu Chen. Even if the road ahead is difficult, I want to walk it with him."

Luo Qingchen sighed helplessly, "Alright, Miaoyin, I won't say any more. Just know in your heart. If you ever feel wronged, remember you still have your Senior Sister."

Yu Miaoyin nodded slightly, "I understand, Senior Sister. Thank you for your concern."

The two chatted for a few more sentences.

Suddenly, a clear sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

The footsteps grew closer, sounding particularly abrupt outside the quiet office.

Yu Miaoyin was slightly startled, her focused expression from chatting instantly turning alert.

Her gaze instinctively swept towards the office door, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Senior Sister, I can't chat with you anymore." Yu Miaoyin's tone carried a hint of urgency.

"It seems someone is here; I need to work."

After saying that, without waiting for Luo Qingchen's response, she quickly hung up the phone.

She gently placed her phone on the table, stood up, and straightened her clothes.

Her gaze was fixed on the doorway, secretly wondering who this sudden arrival could be.