The CEO's Substitute Wife Is A Genius-Chapter 439: Madam Lu, please advise me for the rest of my life.

Chapter 439: Chapter 439: Madam Lu, please advise me for the rest of my life.

Jiang Man always felt she was allergic to romance and couldn’t understand why those young girls were so happy receiving flowers or why they felt so blessed when being confessed to in public.

Before, she really didn’t get it, but at this moment, she experienced a sudden enlightenment.

Attracting all eyes, envied and blessed by the world, this must be what they call "emotional value," right?

"Damn, brother-in-law, you’ve been hiding a big move here?"

Hu Hao pulled Jiang Man’s sleeve hard, waiting for her response.

Jiang Man curled up the corners of her mouth, caught a little off-guard.

This was her first romantic relationship, and also the first time being confessed to like this.

It was both extravagant and embarrassingly sweet.

"Sister, quick, say something? Look how anxious your brother-in-law is."

"Manman..." The elderly lady looked up with earnest hope in her eyes.

The audience was about to explode.

"What... What’s happening? The person Lu Xingzhou is confessing to is actually Jiang Man?"

"What are they playing at? Could this just be hype? They’ve managed the trends well, directing and starring in their own scripted reveal of a marriage agreement, followed by a public love confession."

"Holy moly! New scoop! They say the CEO of Nan Corporation who has been looking for a lover for over a decade is actually Jiang Man!"

"Jiang Man isn’t really the Hu family’s niece! Look at Weibo, all kinds of gossips are coming out."

The spectator stands buzzed with conversations.

Jiang Man stood still, smiling lightly at Lu Xingzhou.

Their eyes met, and no words were needed.

With a tacit understanding, Lu Xingzhou spread his arms wide.

Jiang Man then walked toward him with steady steps.

It was only a few meters away but felt like an extensive journey.

At last, she burrowed into his embrace and held him tight.

"Lu Xingzhou, what are you doing?" She pressed her face against his chest, listening to his powerful heartbeat.

His scent was lovely, the kind that could soothe and induce sleep.

"Today’s victory is set to take Lu Family to another peak."

He smirked, "When I secure my position as the king of the Lu territory, I want you by my side to overlook our empire."

"Pfft, empire indeed. Just the Lu Family and such arrogance." Jiang Man retorted, but inside she was incredibly touched.

Lu Xingzhou was unaffected by her words and continued with all his emotion: "Mrs. Lu, please take good care of me for the rest of our lives."

"You?" Jiang Man pulled away to look up at him.

His gaze was intense, brimming with love, and more serious than ever.

"Mr. Lu, you too." Their eyes locked for a long time, before Jiang Man finally said with delay, "For the rest of our lives, please take care."

Song Xiao and Wu Yingfan jumped out of their car and sprayed streamers over the couple.

Wu Yingfan rejoiced as if he was a little dog, excitedly barking and hopping around.

Influenced by him, Song Xiao also joined in the cheering.

Seeing this, other racers followed suit, lighting up their cars.

The flashing lights were rhythmic, turning the venue into a massive open-air disco.

"Come, get in the car." Lu Xingzhou took Jiang Man’s hand, leading her to Lulin.

He opened the passenger door, inviting her to get in.

Jiang Man settled inside, and Lu Xingzhou, bending like a gentleman, fastened her seatbelt for her.

"What are you up to?" she asked with a smile, suspicious.

"You’ll see soon, I’ve heard it’s a unique way for racers to celebrate," Lu Xingzhou said with a smile, moving to the driver’s seat.

As he started the car, other racers also got into their vehicles.

What followed was a spectacular display of driving skills unfolding vigorously.

Lu Xingzhou’s car led the way, carrying various kinds of vehicles around the track thrice.

Eventually, he drove to the center of the field, as other cars formed an inner and outer ring.

Outer ring cars swiftly drifted, while the inner ring vehicles flashed their lights while circling.

Suddenly, all the car sunroofs opened.

Bang—

Uniformly, bursts of fireworks shot from the cars’ sunroofs, soaring into the sky.

Red, purple, yellow, green... colors filled the sky with a rainbow.

Drones circled above, shedding petals of champagne roses like rain.

"Wow, so romantic, it’s my first time seeing petal rain."

The sky full of petals, descending from above, first felt like snowflakes.

Petals fell onto the audience seats, landing on people’s hair, shoulders, and into their hands. Only then did everyone realize this was a rain of petals, of champagne roses.

Champagne roses signify: "Falling in love with you is the greatest happiness of my life."

Lu Xingzhou had hidden all his love for Jiang Man in this petal rain showering from the sky.

"So beautiful! The splendor of fireworks, the speed and passion of racing, and the ethereal beauty of a petal rain—even if Lu Xingzhou and Jiang Man’s relationship is just a publicity stunt, I’m convinced."

"Right, it’s worth it. Such a romantic confession ceremony is something an ordinary girl could never have in her lifetime. Jiang Man is indeed fortunate."

"Nothing else matters now. Just enjoy the moment."

Women’s envy-filled voices buzzed around her ears.

Jiang Man couldn’t help but reach out her hands to catch the petals falling from the sky.

She felt bewildered.

The marriage contract was real, but so was the proposal before her.

She couldn’t understand. If Lu Xingzhou and Jiang Man’s relationship was just a contract marriage, why would he do so much?

Was it really just for publicity, to boost the Lu family’s profile?

Beside her, the elderly matriarch’s eyes brimmed with tears of emotion.

Jiang Man composed herself and quickly handed her a tissue, "Grandma, wipe your tears. Why are you crying?"

"I am crying tears of joy. Xingzhou’s parents in heaven would also be comforted, wouldn’t they? To think that the person who will accompany Zhou’er for the rest of his life is Manman, truly Manman."

She was genuinely happy for her grandson and for the Lu family.

...

At this moment, in front of a computer screen.

Nan Juefeng watched the live broadcast and subconsciously reached for a rolling paper and tobacco.

He rolled himself a cigarette, lit it, and started to smoke.

"Cough cough cough..." But after just one puff, the thick aroma of the tobacco made him cough.

Knock knock knock.

He was interrupted by three urgent knocks at the door.

Yaya walked in briskly, holding a mobile phone that looked like she had just been on a call.

"What is it?" Nan Juefeng feigned calmness and pressed the cigarette into the ashtray.

"Shen Yu is getting married..."

Upon hearing this, Nan Juefeng almost burnt his fingertips with the cigarette, "When? Give her a monetary gift on my behalf. Make it 990,000."

"P-President, Shen Yu said the groom’s family isn’t having a wedding banquet, just arranging a few tables. They’ll consider it married once they’ve registered."

Yaya was anxious yet tried to control her emotions with great patience.

She was essentially groomed by Shen Yu to take care of Nan Juefeng.

Before leaving, Shen Yu took care of everything, repeatedly reminding her about trivial matters, like what temperature the coffee should be.

She knew well—this wasn’t common concern from a subordinate to a superior. This was clearly love, the unrequited kind.

"Shen Yu doesn’t like that man. I’ve met him once; he seemed honest but actually is quite chauvinistic. If Shen Yu really marries him, she’ll likely spend the rest of her life in the countryside as a hardworking housewife, probably having to keep having kids until she has a son, that kind."

By the end, Yaya choked up, "President, don’t you really understand? Shen Yu likes you. Everyone in the president’s office knows. She values you more than her own life."

"This is the ticket to Pingcheng. Shen Yu is going to register her marriage tomorrow."

After speaking, Yaya placed a paper ticket on the desk and turned to leave.

Silence returned to the office, with only the live broadcast on the computer still running.

Jiang Man and Lu Xingzhou were kissing under the fireworks, surrounded by the noisy and jubilant racing team.

He stared at the plane ticket on the desk, lost in thought for a long time.

He remembered the years Shen Yu stayed by his side, that time they faced a difficult client.

To clinch the deal, Shen Yu drank herself into gastric bleeding that night and called an ambulance in the early hours.

Every birthday, she’d order him a cake.

Knowing he had no friends and disliked celebrating his birthday, she would silently light the candles, then cut a small piece of cake, coaxing him to have a bite.

When he had a fever of 39°C, Shen Yu stayed with him all night.

While accompanying him to the hospital for IV fluids, the silly girl would stare at his IV bag, terrified of missing the moment to call a nurse when it was done.

In the past, his heart was set on Manman, rarely considering others’ feelings.

Looking back, Shen Yu had always given silently, never complaining once.

He had already grown accustomed to her care.

She was his subordinate, his friend, and his...

Companion.

In that moment, his heart felt as if it had been struck by a dull blow.

Nan Juefeng stood up abruptly, grabbed the plane ticket from the desk, and without even taking his overcoat, dashed out of the office...