Volume One, Chapter 142: He Must Be Madly in Love with Her!

The Ming family’s status among the elite in the Imperial Capital is second only to the Lou family’s. As the only daughter, Ming Qing is both the eldest lady of the Ming household and the premier socialite of the upper crust. She is two years older than Lou Ye. At high-society banquets, those around Lou Ye address her as "Sister Qing," or, out of respect for the ties between the Lou and Ming families, as "the eldest lady." Within the younger generation of the Imperial Capital’s vast elite, Ming Qing is practically the queen bee.

After several years apart, Ming Qing’s appearance and presence are even more striking than before. Her black, wavy hair spills down like seaweed, and the designer red gown she wears only serves to enhance her allure, accentuating the elegant and composed air of her naturally vivid and imposing features. Every gesture she makes is imbued with the refined grace of an heiress.

At this moment, Ming Qing gazes at Lou Ye, her eyes filled with confusion and regret. When the heads of the Ming and Lou families first brought up the idea of a strategic marriage, her first instinct was to refuse. Back then, she had a mixed-race boyfriend—a secret from her family, who certainly would not have approved anyway. Moreover, she had always viewed Lou Ye as a younger brother. Almost immediately after hearing of the elders' plans, she left the country under the guise of taking over the Ming family’s overseas branch.

According to Mu Fangfei and the others, Lou Ye had become exceptionally reckless during the time she was away from the capital. Perhaps it was because she wasn't there to keep him in check. Or, as Mu Fangfei and her friends speculated, it was because Lou Ye was deeply in love with her. Unable to accept being "abandoned," he had spiraled into a life of debauchery: racing, clubbing, horse riding... yet even in that wild state, he never toyed with women. It was only after she had cycled through breakups and reconciliations with her boyfriend, ultimately ending up alone, that Ming Qing realized her mistake. She had failed to appreciate the worth of her "younger brother," mistaking a scoundrel for a treasure.

She had been wrong. As she expected, the moment she lowered her pride and took the initiative to call him, he quickly reverted to his old self, calling her "Sister Qing" at every turn. He was still the handsome, flamboyant boy from her memories. But Ming Qing had not expected that Lou Ye would change. She didn't know if it was because she had stayed abroad too long and he had grown tired of waiting, or if there was some other reason—but a woman named Sang Wan had somehow managed to easily sway his heart.

If it had been any other woman—say, the sixth daughter of the Shao family—Ming Qing would not have been angry; in fact, she would have stayed abroad a little longer. She had loved before and had been with other men; it was only fair that Lou Ye should have his own experiences. That way, when they eventually reunited, there would be no imbalance or lingering resentment over not being each other's sole partner from the very beginning.

Indeed, Lou Ye had taken the sixth daughter of the Shao family to see shows in Milan and had spent fortunes at auctions. They had been inseparable, doing everything a couple should. Yet, even when it came time to get engaged, Lou Ye could not overcome his own inner barrier, and the engagement was called off. He must have loved her, Ming Qing, desperately!

She had originally planned to hand over her work by the end of the year and return before the New Year so she could spend the holiday with Lou Ye. Everything seemed to be falling into place. This time, she would agree to whatever he asked. She never expected him to go to such lengths—air-freighting fresh flowers and commissioning artisan jewelry—as if he were planning to propose to Sang Wan.

Part of her felt it was impossible—Sang Wan? How could she be worthy? Yet, another part of her couldn't help but worry. Ignoring a major deal she had just secured, Ming Qing took the earliest flight back to the capital. She didn't even stop by the Ming estate, heading straight here instead—only to be met with such a declaration. He loved her to death!

Staring blankly at Lou Ye, Ming Qing refused to believe it. "Ah Ye, you’re just saying that to make me angry, aren't you?"

Lou Ye frowned. Before he could retort with something scathing about her lack of sense, his phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he rose and walked away to answer it. When he returned, his expression was impatient. "Do you still have something to say? If not, I’m leaving."

"Lou Ye!" Seeing him turn to go, Ming Qing called out, opening her photo gallery and holding the phone out to him. "Ah Ye, I really don't think she's worth it! You’re so wonderful; you deserve someone better!"

Lou Ye looked down. It was clearly a candid shot, lacking any professional composition. Yet, even so, Sang Wan appeared as beautiful as a fairy in the picture. The white mermaid gown made her look ethereal and transcendent. Compared to her time at Imperial University, her face lacked that cold, distant quality, replaced by a touch of mature, feminine charm. Because of her anxious expression, a sense of fragility spilled from her features, set against the backdrop of the misty blue night sky and the glittering lights of the Imperial Building.

The atmosphere was perfect. The only flaw was Lu Jinian standing beside her, one hand on the car door and the other around Sang Wan’s waist. Lu Jinian’s face was etched with concern and heartache. She wondered if, should this photo reach Jiang Ke'er, the master photo-editor could work her magic and erase Lu Jinian as if he had never existed.

"Anything else?" Lou Ye asked, his hands in his pockets, making no move to take the phone.

Ming Qing was stunned. Lou Ye curled his lips in a cold sneer. "And so? Just a photo—what are you trying to tell me?"

"Isn't this enough?" Ming Qing’s eyes brimmed with indignation. "You’ve prepared a grand and formal confession, but have you thought about the fact that she is two-timing you and still entangled with her ex-husband?"

"Which eye saw her two-timing me?" Lou Ye retorted.

Ming Qing was speechless. As she turned to leave, she thought of how a meaningless photo had led Ming Qing to pick such a fight. Lou Ye stopped and turned back, his gaze icy. "Sister Qing, I’m still willing to call you 'Sister' out of respect for the years we grew up together. If you truly consider me a younger brother, then treat Sang Wan as your sister-in-law and treat her well..."

Ming Qing was shocked and pale. Lou Ye continued, "If you can't, then from now on, whenever you see her, do me a favor and stay as far away as possible."

"She has already been splashed with enough filth lately! But if I find out one day that the mud being slung at her comes from someone in my circle, then I won't be so polite!"

"Lou Ye!!!"

She could never have imagined that a woman like Sang Wan—married and divorced—would hold more weight in Lou Ye’s heart than someone who had grown up alongside him. Ming Qing looked furious. "What kind of love potion did Sang Wan give you? Why do you trust her so much?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Lou Ye turned to look at Ming Qing, his expression amused. "Would you wear a gown given to you by someone you love, only to get tangled up with an ex-husband right before a date, just to leave behind a photo that makes you look like you're two-timing?"

Ming Qing froze.

Lou Ye’s gaze was cold. "Since you’ve already done your research and know I’m dating, and that she’s the one, you should also know what kind of rumors have been spread about her lately."

"Do you really think a measly photo that proves nothing is enough to tell me she isn't worth it?"

"Sister Qing..." A familiar, wicked playfulness, the kind he wore as a boy, flickered across Lou Ye’s face. "Doing something like this is really quite beneath you."

Lou Ye walked away. Behind him, Ming Qing stood motionless, her long nails digging into her handbag. Where had it all gone wrong? Why was nothing going according to her plan?