Chapter 9: Agreement Marriage

Seeing his sister calm down, Lu Cheng then continued speaking.

"Sis, Lin Shushu's family hasn't been stingy with us; during the famine years, Lin Shushu gave us a lot of aid. Now Lin Shushu is in trouble, we can't just watch Qing Yan go to the countryside to be tormented, can we? She's Lin Shushu's only daughter."

Lu Ying lowered her head: "I of course understand what you're saying; our family remembers Lin Shushu's kindness, but that's not a reason for you to get married."

"How could it not be? As long as I marry Qing Yan, she'll have a reason not to go to the countryside for labor, and the Street Office will have to give up."

It does… seem to have some logic.

Lu Ying lifted her head: "Are you sincere? Or are you just attracted to Qing Yan's beauty and want to have fun? I'm telling you, Lu Cheng, if it's only a playful intention, I advise you to give it up early."

In Lu Ying's mind, her brother is a fickle playboy who has never given his heart to any woman.

But his heartfelt words today made her keep doubting in her mind.

Lu Cheng walked to the bedside and sat down.

"Sis, you ask if I'm sincere? I really can't answer that; I can only say that half of it is because I want to help Qing Yan."

As for the other half, I really can't put it into words.

Because I've lived another life, and because in a previous life Lin Qingyan risked her own life to revive me, this mingling of two lifetimes feels too complicated.

He knows he's no saint, but to watch Lin Qingyan suffer again, he just can't.

Lu Ying is completely flustered; not only could Lin Qingyan not accept it, she herself can't accept it.

She never imagined that her best confidante would one day marry her own brother.

"But even so, if you want to marry Qing Yan, would she even like you?"

"Look at your character day after day; people find you annoying, even dogs dislike you. If you weren't my brother, Qing Yan would be too lazy to even talk to you."

Lu Cheng had gotten used to being scolded; his skin was as thick as the wall of the Zhengyang Gate arrow tower.

He put his arm around Lu Ying's shoulder: "Sis, I've straightened out now; I definitely won't slack off anymore. I'll work hard, and when I earn a salary, I'll buy you a bicycle and a watch."

Lu Ying rolled her eyes: "Stop feeding me empty promises and take your filthy paws off me."

Lu Cheng leaned his face close to his sister: "Then… go tell Qing Yan."

"What? Me go tell? How could I have the face? They treat me as a sister, and I treat them as a younger sister‑in‑law."

"Hehe, sis, isn't that perfect? You two already get along well; marrying into our family is like adding kinship, and it also keeps the wealth from flowing to outsiders."

Lu Ying gave a disdainful glance: "You're like a toad trying to eat a swan; Qing Yan is so beautiful, with perfect figure and temperament, and you're taking advantage of her, you filthy brat."

"Sis, I don't like hearing you say that. Compared to other men, what's my brother lacking? I consider myself a fine fellow; out there, many girls line up to date me."

Lu Ying was too lazy to argue with him: "I really can't understand why you want to help Qing Yan so much."

"You can think of it as repaying a favor, repaying Lin Shushu's kindness."

It's also repaying the life‑saving debt from the previous life, but Lu Cheng can't put that gratitude into words.

Lu Ying sighed: "The more you say it like that, the less Qing Yan will agree."

Lu Cheng gathered his scattered thoughts and ran the matter through his mind.

Marrying Lin Qingyan is indeed something that many find hard to accept.

"Then just tell Qing Yan that we have an agreement marriage; after marrying, we won't share a bed, so we're only a nominal couple."

"After two years, the marriage can be dissolved."

Lu Ying looked at her brother in surprise; until just now, she thought he was talking nonsense.

But now that Lu Cheng can say this, his purpose is indeed pure: to protect Lin Qingyan.

"Then, why two years?"

That question put Lu Cheng in a bind; he scratched his head and forced an explanation: "Because, I think, Lin Shushu was wronged, and after two years he'll be rehabilitated, and then Qing Yan won't need my protection."

In fact, Lin Zhenfeng will indeed be rehabilitated after two years and receive Restoration to Former Post.

Lu Ying didn't believe it: "How do you know that in two years Lin Shushu will be rehabilitated?"

What could Lu Cheng say? He couldn't just claim he was reborn; no one would believe that.

He could only feign solemnity, pinching his fingers: "I specifically cast a divination today and learned it from the hexagram."

"Go, go, go—just as I thought, you can't say anything good."

Lu Ying fell silent for a moment; now it seemed this was the only way to stop Lin Qingyan from going to the countryside for labor.

"But Lu Cheng, even if you have this agreement marriage and Qing Yan agrees, our parents still won't consent, right?"

"Marrying without sharing a room and divorcing after two years—there's no such marriage."

The parents definitely won't agree.

These days, divorce is such a shameful thing that even a drop of spit could drown a person.

Just as Lu Cheng said, after two years Lin Zhenfeng will be rehabilitated; with his family's official background and Qing Yan's good looks, even if she divorces, she won't worry about remarrying.

But my brother is different; the neighbors already look down on him, and matchmakers are unwilling to set him up.

That's why Xu Erye went to such lengths to secure a job opening, knowing the disciple's temperament; with a job, it'll be easier to find a wife later.

Later, carrying a divorced background, he still wouldn't be able to marry.

Even if she can understand it for Lin Qingyan's safety, how could the parents possibly understand?

Having lived through his previous life, Lu Cheng doesn't treat divorce as a big deal at all.

"Never mind, sis, you just don't tell our parents that it's only an agreement marriage."

"Nonsense, you think our parents are stupid? They don't sleep together, who wouldn't notice?"

"Rest assured, I've already thought of a way; I'll have a solution then."

"What method?"

Lu Cheng shook his head and swayed: "Heaven's plan cannot be revealed."

"Tsk!" Lu Ying sneered, though she usually can't stand his temperament, she still loved him deep down.

"Then, would that be too unfair to you?"

"No grievance, no grievance. That's just your brother's temperament; you already know it, and he doesn't care at all."

Lu Cheng doesn't feel aggrieved at all. When the divorce comes, after Lin Zhenfeng's Restoration to Former Post, out of gratitude for his two years of protecting his daughter, if he asks for that Siheyuan, Lin Zhenfeng will certainly agree.

A Siheyuan worth 200 million—what grievance is there?

Lu Ying glanced at her brother; although he still looked the same carefree sort, she suddenly felt she couldn't see through him.

"Then, I'll try talking to Qing Yan tomorrow."

"You hurry, sister. I guess the Street Office will be dealt with within these two days."

Lu Ying stood up, still unable to accept it in her heart—how could her best friend become a sister‑in‑law?

"You, you really aren't just playing around?"

"Oh dear, it's true I'm not. Believe me, whoever I mess with, I wouldn't dare mess with Qing Yanjie."

Lu Cheng, not wanting to linger, stripped his clothes while urging, "Sister, it's late, I need to sleep; tomorrow I have to report to the Railway Bureau."

"Okay, then rest well." Lu Ying left the West Wing Room, still glancing back every few steps.

Is this her younger brother?