The CEO’s Substitute Wife Is A Genius
Chapter 177: We Got Our License, Legally

Chapter 177: Chapter 177: We Got Our License, Legally

"Miss Ming, it seems you have misunderstood,"

Before Lu Zhendong could explain, Lu Xingzhou interrupted her.

"Jiang Man and my elder brother are not involved; she is my wife, we are legally married," he declared.

"What????" Ming Ran thought she had misheard and turned around sharply.

Just moments ago, Yi Sha had called her, informing her of a blind date arranged for her with Lu Zhendong.

The blind date was a surprise planned by her and her mother.

Upon hearing this, Ming Ran rushed to the venue immediately.

Her eyes and heart filled only with Lu Zhendong, she did not notice that Lu Xingzhou and Jiang Man were sitting at the next table.

"Manman and I came to watch over Elder Brother," said Lu Xingzhou calmly, his voice not loud but filled with a dominating presence, clearly marking his territory.

Ming Ran froze on the spot, rendered speechless for quite a while.

It was unclear how much time passed before her eyes shifted around the group, finally breaking into a reluctant chuckle, "So it was all a big misunderstanding?"

"I’m terribly sorry, Miss Jiang, your classmate misled me..."

Ming Ran, laughing, started to cry, "It was a misunderstanding after all!"

Knowing that Lu Zhendong was no longer available had distressed her deeply for the past few days.

Seeing Ming Ran’s joy, Lu Zhendong, however, scowled and started to walk away.

This gave Ming Ran a surge of courage.

Since neither of them was married, there was still a chance!

"Zhendong, can you give me another chance? Can we start over?" begged Ming Ran.

Lu Zhendong stopped abruptly, his voice laced with scorn, "Who was it that said, it was just a game back then? What, can’t find a better backup and now you want to fall back on me?"

"It’s not like that," Ming Ran felt aggrieved, "I was young and foolish back then. Now that I realize my mistake, it’s too late for regrets..."

"Zhendong, I’ve been single all these years. I’ve found that I can’t seem to like anyone else, really, you have to believe me!"

"Ridiculous!" Lu Zhendong sneered, "Keep those insincere words for deceiving other men; I’m not falling for it!"

"I’m not being insincere..." Ming Ran’s eyes reddened, tears falling out of a sense of injustice.

But the usually genteel man suddenly erupted in anger, violently shaking off his hand.

Taken aback, Ming Ran stumbled a few steps, and just so happened to bump her lower back against the corner of the table where Jiang Man was seated.

The impact was heavy, painfully obvious without even thinking.

Ming Ran’s face turned instantly pale as she clutched her waist, pain distorting her expression.

"Ah..." she cried out.

But Lu Zhendong didn’t even look back, walking away decisively.

Watching his retreating figure, Ming Ran’s heart trembled, feeling as if something sharp was piercing her heart relentlessly, each stab acutely painful.

Jiang Man watched the pitiful figure and shook her head.

She was not privy to all the specifics of their relationship, but one thing was certain, Ming Ran had feelings, and so did Lu Zhendong.

Without love, where would hate stem from?

Ming Ran was seemingly headed for the funeral of her pursuit.

"Tsk tsk," Jiang Man shook her head.

The world had gained yet another pair of ill-fated lovers, in love and at war with each other.

Ming Ran’s tears fell, as she desperately tried to regain her composure.

Meanwhile, from the side came the chirping chatter, pointing fingers at her.

"This woman is so pitiful, that man is too heartless, isn’t he?"

"Heartless? Didn’t you hear their conversation? Probably the woman wronged the man before, and now she wants to go back to him, but he won’t accept it."

"I see, then she deserves it!"

Upon hearing "she deserves it," Ming Ran’s legs gave way.

She wiped the tears off her face and turned her pleading gaze toward Lu Xingzhou, like a devoted believer.

"Lu Xingzhou, please help me. I want to win Zhendong back, no matter the cost, I’ll agree to anything!"

Other than Lu Xingzhou, she really couldn’t think of anyone else who might be able to help reconcile her with Lu Zhendong.

Lu Xingzhou frowned, his voice cold, "My brother hates you."

The chilling four words left no room for doubt.

But Ming Ran was persistent, "I know he hates me, but please help me do anything."

Seeing her insistence left Lu Xingzhou at a loss.

Actually, the family knew that Elder Brother hadn’t let go of Ming Ran; otherwise, he wouldn’t have run away overseas to heal, not returning for so many years.

If he had truly moved on, he wouldn’t have stayed single for so long, without a single woman by his side.

As the saying goes: only the person who tied the bell can untie it.

To resolve the third brother’s mental knots, only Ming Ran could do it.

"I can give you an opportunity, but you must also be prepared to be utterly shattered,"

"I’m not afraid!" Ming Ran replied with a determined, fierce look in her eyes.

Over the years, she had been walking dead, lacking the company of Lu Zhendong, every day had passed tastelessly.

Better to be shattered than to live merely as an empty shell.

"Very well." Lu Xingzhou nodded his head, his fingers forcefully tapping on the surface of the dining table.

"Grandma’s seventieth birthday, come over and help."

"Okay!" Ming Ran agreed without hesitation.

She then bowed deeply, bending at a 90-degree angle to Lu Xingzhou.

Lu Xingzhou expressed his indifference with a wave of his hand.

Ming Ran acknowledged, "Then, I’ll take my leave."

Before leaving, she couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Man.

"I am secretly married to Manman, and some things are better left unsaid,"

Lu Xingzhou stated flatly as Ming Ran was about to leave.

It sounded like advice but also like a commanding threat.

"Don’t worry, Mr. Lu." Ming Ran nodded, her gaze slipping to the face of a girl leisurely drinking juice, her eyes full of envy.

More than the fact Jiang Man was Zhendong’s wife, her being Lu Xingzhou’s wife impressed her even more.

To capture Lu Xingzhou, this girl must be extraordinary.

To become Lu Xingzhou’s wife was indeed a great honor.

A seemingly ordinary college girl turned her life around through marriage, from poverty to high society—how could one not be envious?

"Are you full?" Lu Xingzhou asked softly, wiping his mouth.

Jiang Man raised her eyebrows, "I am."

Calculating the time, the results of yesterday’s preliminary test were about to come out.

She stated lightly, "I’m going to school."

"I’ll take you," Lu Xingzhou naturally continued the conversation.

"No need," Jiang Man decisively refused.

Each busy with their own things, she didn’t want to play the fragile wife.

Lu Xingzhou had his own career, and sometimes maintaining a proper distance, having their own space, she felt was better.

Lu Xingzhou would cling to Jiang Man 24 hours a day if he could.

But he understood one principle: moderation.

If you constantly pull on a spring, over time, it loses its elasticity.

Marriage is the same, providing each other appropriate space and maintaining distance, moderation keeps it fresh.

The two parted ways tacitly at the entrance of the restaurant.

Lu Xingzhou left in his designated car, and Jiang Man called for a ride-sharing service.

Upon arriving at school, she changed into a camouflage uniform and joined the squad.

The military training was nearing its end, and tonight the freshmen would bid farewell to their instructors.

The school had specifically arranged a farewell ceremony, planning to hold a bonfire party on the sports field in the evening.

During a break in the training, Zhang Ziqi impatiently took out her phone.

"We can check our scores now!"

She logged into the school’s official website and entered her admission ticket number.

"I got 321 points..."

"Let me check too!" Mao Lili, upon hearing this, also hurriedly opened her phone, "No way, how did I only get 298 points?"

With a total of 450 points available, 150 for each subject, 90 points were needed to pass.

"Ruirui, how much did you get?" both immediately asked Wen Rui.

Wen Rui had already checked her score, a bit embarrassed: "I got 410 points."

"My god? Top student! Take my knee!"

"Ruirui, you are so incredible, with good academic performance and even singing ability, I’m so envious."

Hearing her roommates’ praises, Wen Rui just gave a faint smile.

She didn’t want to be too high-profile, worried her cousin didn’t do well.

"By the way, Sister Man, how many points did you get..." Zhang Ziqi shifted her inquiry.

With that question, Mao Lili, Wen Rui, and other nearby students all turned their curious gazes towards Jiang Man.

They wanted to know just how well she had done; hopefully, she hadn’t flunked...