The Billionaire's New Wife in Chief
Chapter 159 - 85: Lu Jingchen, do you like Song Qiao?

Chapter 159: Chapter 85: Lu Jingchen, do you like Song Qiao?

Ning Wan’s tone was like a murmur, her voice so soft that, if Lu Jingchen’s hearing wasn’t extraordinary, he probably wouldn’t have been able to clear her last words, "Would he really bear to see the woman he loves get hurt?"

Lu Jingchen didn’t know how much effort Ning Wan mustered to utter that line.

Indeed, after saying those words, Ning Wan felt as though a heavy stone was pressing on her heart. This emotion was not unfamiliar over the past two years, but it had never made her feel so suffocated like this before; initially it was a smooth repression, then gradually it became sharp-edged, slowly morphing from suppression into pain.

Biting her lips faintly, Ning Wan almost tasted blood, only relaxing her hold after a long while.

Lu Jingchen, after she finished speaking, did not respond immediately but waited until he felt Ning Wan had gradually calmed her emotions and recovered considerably before speaking dispassionately, "Ning Wan, you should know that to him, Yan’er and you are two different beings!"

Upon hearing Lu Jingchen’s words, Ning Wan was taken aback, then a cold smile appeared on her face, the blood draining away, her eyes cold as she stared straight ahead as if trying to see through something, "Yes, I almost forgot. To him, Ning Yan’er is slightly more important. Even though I have loved him for over a decade, and even went against the Ning Family elders’ commands for him, I still can’t compare to Ning Yan’er!"

Because of that man, she was seen as disobedient by the Ning Family elders, and further, since Ning Yan’er was with that man, he did not choose her and was suppressing her everywhere, even at all costs forcing her to a position where she could no longer stay with the Ning Family.

Whose fault is all this? One can only blame her younger self for not knowing better and falling in love with that man.

Lu Jingchen’s eyebrows furrowed slightly but he spoke in an even tone, "Ning Wan, there are some things you don’t need to conclude so early!"

Ning Wan looked up at him, having suppressed the uncontrollable emotions on her face, and spoke in a raspy voice, changing the subject, "Okay, let’s not talk about this anymore. I have let go of that man. Whatever happens between him and Ning Yan’er in the future is none of my concern!"

Having composed herself, Ning Wan’s expression turned serious as she looked at Lu Jingchen and said, "Let’s talk about you and my Qiaoqiao. Are you really married to Qiaoqiao?"

Lu Jingchen picked up his glass of water for another sip before simply responding, "Didn’t she already tell you?"

Realizing Lu Jingchen had seen through her, Ning Wan didn’t hide it any longer but simply smiled openly, as if the person who had just asked those weak questions wasn’t her, her gaze steady on Lu Jingchen, "Lu Jingchen, do you like Qiaoqiao? Don’t tell me you married her because you fell in love with her. I know that before this, Qiaoqiao and you were strangers!"

They haven’t known each other for long, and she didn’t believe in love at first sight because they still didn’t know enough about each other; they probably only knew of each other’s status. So Ning Wan knew that there wasn’t a matter of love or not between Song Qiao and Lu Jingchen.

Or maybe it was just as Song Qiao said, she spontaneously proposed marriage to a random man on the street in the heat of the moment, and that man happened to be Lu Jingchen, and she never expected him to agree.

And Ning Wan also wanted to know, why did Lu Jingchen agree to Song Qiao’s coercive marriage proposal so readily, even proving it with actions by directly going to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get married.

"Hmm, the feeling is quite right. It so happens I needed a wife, and she was just right!" Lu Jingchen’s expression remained unchanged, his tone light, his voice deep and pleasant as he glanced at Ning Wan and continued, "Although there is no love now, it does not mean that there won’t be in the future. My and Qiaoqiao’s relationship isn’t like what you had with him, so you don’t need to be so wary of me!"

Ning Wan, though exposed, didn’t look embarrassed and maintained steady eye contact with the man opposite her, her smile faint, her eyes dark and unfathomable, "The Lu Family waters run deep, and Song Qiao has never experienced any of this. If you really need to marry Song Qiao, I hope you can protect her well and make sure she is not bullied by the Lu Family!"

"I know!" Lu Jingchen certainly understood Ning Wan’s meaning, paused for a moment, then added, "Rest assured, since Song Qiao has married me, I naturally will take responsibility for her. From the moment she became my wife, I will protect her for life!"

Ning Wan sighed softly, then as if something occurred to her, she lifted her chin slightly, "Then what about Zuo Yuqing? Have you really let her go?"

Upon hearing this name he hadn’t heard in a long time, Lu Jingchen’s hand holding the cup stiffened, instinctively gripping the cup tighter as if he was about to crush it, faint veins visible on his hand, his gaze dark and uncommunicative, his lips pressed tightly together without a word.

However, Ning Wan acted as if she hadn’t seen anything, sitting up straight to take a sip of the other cup of water. After a while, a cool smile spread across her face, her voice carrying a chill, "Lu Jingchen, if you haven’t let go of Zuo Yuqing, you’d better not mess with Song Qiao. Otherwise, if I find out you’ve made Song Qiao sad, I won’t let you off, even though I know I’m no match for you!"

Song Qiao is her best friend, and for her, their relationship transcends that of ordinary friends. They are the kind of best friends who can share everything except for men.

After Lu Jingchen finished the water in his cup, his eyebrows relaxed, almost conveying a profound understanding, but that was all the emotion he showed, simply uttering three faint words, "I know!"

From the start, Ning Wan had been scrutinizing his face, yet she failed to capture any other emotions. The man had spoken as if he were saying something casually.

Ning Wan glanced at his cup placed back on the table, aware that it was now empty. She hadn’t poured much water to begin with; ordinarily, she could finish it in one gulp. Squinting with a shallow smile, she asked subconsciously, "Would you like more water?"

Lu Jingchen looked at her smiling face, his eyes cloudy and indistinct, feeling that Ning Wan was starting to have ulterior motives. His lips gradually formed a straight line, but with no hint of emotion, he said in a low voice, "No need!"

Ning Wan still wore her smile, exuding great enthusiasm, yet, as if she hadn’t heard Lu Jingchen’s words, she stood up, picked up his cup and said, "Don’t be too polite, treat this place like your own home, and don’t be embarrassed. I’ll go pour you another cup!"

Lu Jingchen, "..." The man slightly furrowed his brows as he watched Song Qiao get up and move towards the water dispenser, but he remained silent.

After taking a few steps, Ning Wan suddenly seemed to remember something, stopped, and turned to look back at Lu Jingchen, chuckling, "Oh... I forgot to mention earlier, that cup of water was the last one. We’ve just finished our water, and I haven’t brought up the purified water from downstairs yet. If you’d still like some, could you help fetch it for me? Otherwise, I’ll ask Qiaoqiao to come down with me to carry it back up!"

Lu Jingchen’s lips were tightly pressed together. He knew Ning Wan wouldn’t let the matter rest so easily. Somehow, she always made things difficult for him and now she even began to use Song Qiao to threaten him.

He couldn’t fathom how Xi Mohan had the patience for all these years, enduring Ning Wan’s summons without strangling her.

The tall and erect figure stood up the next second. With an unchanged expression, Lu Jingchen spoke lightly, "I’ll go down now and fetch it for you!"

...

When Song Qiao came out halfway through her packing, she didn’t see Lu Jingchen and couldn’t help but ask, "Eh? Where is he? Did he leave?"

Why didn’t he tell her? He had insisted on coming up earlier despite her telling him not to, yet now he left without saying a word.

Ning Wan walked to the kitchen, came back with a glass of milk and handed it to her, her tone gentle and indifferent, "Oh, he didn’t leave, he just went downstairs to help us—no, to help me—fetch water!"

Upon hearing Ning Wan’s words, the milk that Song Qiao had just sipped nearly sprayed out, but she managed to hold it back in time, preventing it from splashing onto Ning Wan’s face. However, in doing so abruptly, she choked herself, immediately coughing.

Looking somewhat disdainful at the continuously coughing Song Qiao, yet still patting her back, Ning Wan complained, "Qiaoqiao, don’t get so excited when drinking or else you’ll choke. Look at you, here’s a perfect example, it’s uncomfortable, isn’t it?"

Song Qiao, "..." Damn it, she was clearly startled by her, what was there to be excited about?

Just then, the door opened, and in walked Lu Jingchen. The handsome man looked composed as he noticed two gazes on him. Lifting his eyes, he looked directly at Song Qiao and Ning Wan standing not far from the room door and spoke unchangingly, "Are you finished packing?"

Song Qiao, seeing Lu Jingchen carrying nothing, asked subconsciously, "Wanwan said you went downstairs to get water, you..."

Where’s the water?

Lu Jingchen simply hummed in response and subtly stepped aside, allowing a man in a suit who was carrying a jug of purified water to enter. Upon seeing Song Qiao, the man quickly put on a smile and greeted her respectfully, "Good day, Mrs. CEO!"

At that moment, Ning Wan’s mind was flooded with a torrent of frustration. Her complexion shifted visibly, appearing utterly annoyed, as she stared at the man who was carrying water for Lu Jingchen.