She was extremely bored with her life.
Sometimes, even Little Buding couldnât stand it and would complain.
"You donât live like a normal person at all. With all that money and all that time, why not go out and have fun?"
"Isnât it because you havenât taken a vacation in a long time?"
The sudden question left Little Buding stunned.
His silence was his answer.
Yes, he hadnât taken a vacation in a long time.
How long? Ever since he started working, perhaps.
Unlike others, he didnât have the privilege to request time off. He could only stay in this confined space and watch over Jiang Lai every day.
"Why are you asking this?"
"Iâm not like you. Iâve been living outside for too long. To be honest, itâs meaningless.
Iâve left footprints in every corner of this world. Iâve seen centennial volcanic eruptions seven or eight times. Itâs meaningless."
So Jiang Lai had no interest in survival at all.
Even if she died in the next second, she wouldnât have any reaction.
The first person to notice Jiang Laiâs oddity wasnât Cai Xian, but Lu Zhixing.
He was always busy, but whenever he had free time, he would voluntarily come to accompany Jiang Lai. From time to time, he would take the whole family on trips, arranging everything perfectly without any flaws during the journey.
Living with him, Jiang Lai for the first time experienced what it meant to be a happy little slacker. All she had to do every day was eat, drink, and have fun, leaving everything else to him.
At the age of thirty-five, Lu Zhixing still wasnât married.
Even Luo Susa and Lu Tingshen, who initially had no demands regarding his marriage, became somewhat anxious.
After all, the huge family business was right there.
Jiang Lai made it clear she wouldnât marry or have children. The family didnât want to force her, so the pressure was shifted onto Lu Zhixing.
If it were an ordinary family, it might be different, but the Lu Familyâs wealth was significant. There might be no throne, but such immense fortune still needed someone to inherit it.
So Lu Zhixing started going on blind dates.
Even if he was the CEO of a multibillion-dollar company, he had to go on blind dates.
The ones sitting in front of him were all famous heiresses and socialites from across the country, each with outstanding temperament and perfect looks.
Unfortunately, the blind dates continued from when he was thirty-five to thirty-seven without any progress.
Many of the girls he dated expressed their willingness to marry, but in the end, Lu Zhixing always had an excuse to refuse the marriage.
Whether it was incompatible fate, emotions, or personality werenât right â in the end, he would directly say, "Sheâs not the type my sister likes."
People said Lu Zhixing was an asexual; his perfectionism led him to like only himself and no one else. To cope with family pressure, he even used his sister as an excuse.
Of course, Jiang Lai didnât mind. Whether Lu Zhixing got married or not had nothing to do with her, as long as his wife didnât interfere with her spending.
This worried Luo Susa greatly.
She even took Lu Zhixing to see a psychologist. A month later, the doctor told her, "Your sonâs mentality is stronger than mine; he doesnât need to see a psychologist."
"Son, why donât you want to get married? Isnât reproduction instinctive for men? You donât fancy even one of those good girls?"
Luo Susa started again.
At the dining table, the maid was cleaning up, while Jiang Lai sat by watching the scene.
Lu Zhixing shook his head.
"Not liking someone doesnât mean I should deceive them. Children from a marriage without love are not happy either.
Donât worry, Iâll find a way to manage the company in the future. It wonât be without a successor."
"You wonât have children, and Jiang Lai wonât either. So who will inherit our company?"
Luo Susa was conservative in this aspect. After all, the business was a family one. If Lu Zhixing aged and couldnât manage, predators would certainly take interest.
Jiang Lai laughed beside her.
"Mom, if youâre really keen on having a child, why donât you and Dad make some effort? After all, youâre not too old now; you could raise one as an heir for my brother."
"You silly child, what nonsense are you talking? How old am I? Besides, if I really had another child, you two would end up as the parents, burdened for nothing."
At this time, Lu Zhixing glanced at Jiang Lai and said.
"I can do it, anyway, since neither my sister nor I want children. If you like kids, just go for it."
Before Luo Susa could respond, Lu Zhixing grabbed Jiang Laiâs arm.
"Come, letâs go find something delicious to eat."
"Okay."
Luo Susa watched this scene from behind, frowning and sighing intensely.
When Lu Tingshen returned home, she told her husband about todayâs events, her face full of anxiety.
"Those two kids even suggested we have another one. Itâs exasperating."
"Do you want one? If you do, letâs have one. Didnât our health checkup doctor say our physical age was only around forty?"
"What nonsense are you talking about! Having children at such an age is embarrassing enough as it is!"
"Besides, I always feel Zhixingâs attitude towards Jiang Lai isnât right... Do you think he still remembers things from his childhood?"
Lu Tingshen could only sigh helplessly.
"He was only two years old when his parents passed away. How could he remember anything? Stop overthinking it. If siblings donât get along, you worry; if they get along too well, you also worry. Youâre destined to worry in this life."
Luo Susa nodded.
"Youâre probably right. I think Iâm overthinking it. How young was he back then."
Meanwhile.
At a seaside bar, Lu Zhixing personally mixed a drink for Jiang Lai and slid it to her on the table.
Looking at the moon over the sea, he wore a smile on the corner of his lips.
Jiang Lai looked at him.
"Whatâs making you so happy?"
Lu Zhixing looked back at her, his eyes filled with tenderness.
"I just think, living life like this isnât bad at all."
From his eyes, Jiang Lai saw something familiar.
She snapped back to reality, shifted her gaze, sipped her drink, and didnât pursue it.
Then let life go on like this.
Years later, Luo Susa, Lu Tingshen, and Cai Xian passed away one after another.
A few more years passed, and Lu Zhixing became gravely ill, with a terminal disease, and had little time left.
Before he left, Jiang Lai quietly stayed by his bedside, watching over him.
Her mind still held his youthful image.
"Jiang Lai, I want to tell you something."
Jiang Lai calmly looked at him, listening as he continued.
"From the first moment I saw you, I thought you seemed familiar. I assumed it was a familial feeling.
But Iâve always known that you and I are not related by blood; this feeling has nothing to do with kinship.
I didnât dare tell you, nor anyone, because thereâs no relationship closer than siblings who never marry each other.
Jiang Lai... I like you."
"I know."
Jiang Laiâs tone was calm, her eyes lightly meeting his.
"Iâve always known."
After saying this, Lu Zhixing gazed deeply at her, filled with reluctance and nostalgia, and closed his eyes.
Jiang Lai was left without family in this world.
The world remained boring, but she suddenly couldnât stand it any longer.
So she chose a clear and sunny day to end her life with a bottle of pills.
"Task completed, congratulations to the host, entering task countdown."