The abandoned daughter of the Lu family turns around and marries a celibate tycoon.

Chapter 73 Metamorphosis

The heavy office door was pushed open, and as soon as Lu Xiran took a step out, a tall and imposing figure swept in front of her like a gust of wind, carrying an imposing aura and undisguised anxiety.

"Ranran!" Gu Yanshen grabbed her arm, his sharp gaze sweeping across her slightly pale face before quickly settling on the newly signed document in her hand. Finally, his piercing gaze fell upon Lu Hao, who sat calmly in the office, a smile even carrying a hint of smug satisfaction. "What did he do?"

His voice was tense, carrying a dangerous undercurrent, as if he could turn the place upside down the moment Lu Xiran showed the slightest hint of grievance.

Lu Xiran looked up and met his deep eyes, which were filled with worry and anger. She gently shook her head and mouthed silently, "I'm fine, don't worry."

Gu Yanshen's taut jawline didn't relax, but seeing that her eyes were still relatively calm, he forcibly suppressed the urge to lash out immediately. He spread his arms, shielding her behind him in an absolutely protective posture.

At this moment, Lin Li and Lu Lichuan, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, also hurriedly arrived at the door. Upon seeing this scene, their expressions differed.

Lu Xiran tugged at Gu Yanshen's sleeve: "Let's go."

Gu Yanshen frowned, his gaze fixed intently on Lu Hao.

Lu Hao felt a chill run down his spine under Gu's gaze and quickly forced a smile to explain, "President Gu, please don't misunderstand. Ranran and I have already talked it over. It's a family matter and it's been resolved."

Gu Yanshen ignored him, only looking down at Lu Xiran as if to confirm. Seeing her nod slightly, he barely suppressed the anger in his heart, held her hand tightly, and turned to leave.

He walked very fast, and Lu Xiran almost had to jog to keep up. It wasn't until they were in the car that he nervously checked: "What happened? What did he force you to sign?" He asked as he reached for the documents in her hand.

Lu Xiran gently pulled her hand away from his, stuffed the contract into her bag, and then took his hand in hers, gently scratching his palm with her fingertips: "Let's go home first, I'll tell you slowly on the way, okay?"

Her voice softened, carrying a hint of coquetry.

"Okay." He couldn't resist her in the end, and wrapped her slightly cool hand completely in his palm.

The car smoothly drove out of the underground parking garage and merged into the traffic. Gu Yanshen parked the car in the garage, and Lu Xiran took the contract out of her bag and handed it to him.

Gu Yanshen quickly scanned the pages, his expression growing increasingly grim with each reading.

"Why did you agree to his unfair terms?!" he said, his voice filled with anguish. "I'm going back to him right now!"

"Uncle!" Lu Xiran quickly grabbed his arm and told Gu Yanshen everything that had happened in the office that day.

After listening, Gu Yanshen felt a surge of rage, both for Lu Hao's despicable behavior and for everything Lu Xiran had endured alone. But what shocked him even more was the unexpected calmness and... relief she displayed while recounting everything.

"You've made up your mind?" He looked at her, his voice slow and deliberate. "Only Yunyuji, your mother's villa, and that shop, in exchange for all of Lu's shares and potential assets?"

"Lu Hao calculated that you hadn't told me yet, and he took advantage of the time difference!" Gu Yanshen's tone was sharp. "If he dares..."

"Uncle." Lu Xiran interrupted him, looking clearly into his eyes, and took the initiative to interlock her fingers with his, palms touching. "I've thought it through. Actually... I feel a little fortunate today."

Gu Yanshen was taken aback.

"I'm so glad I'm not his daughter," Lu Xiran said softly. "I used to be so sad, sad that I couldn't judge a person properly, sad that my mother was deceived by him her whole life, trapped in a loveless marriage. But seeing those photos..."

"At least, my mother loved and was truly loved." Lu Xiran's lips curved slightly, tinged with a hint of bitterness, but mostly with relief. "At least, I am the child of my mother and the person she truly loved. That makes me feel... much luckier than being Lu Hao's daughter."

Gu Yanshen was greatly shocked, and unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand, as if he wanted to crush all her sadness in his palm.

"Lu Hao is right. Lu's Group has indeed contributed to its current scale, but that's built on the foundation laid by my grandfather. He was too reckless and took too much risk. My grandfather disapproved of it long ago, which is why he transferred some of the original shares to my mother and cashed out the rest to buy land in the suburbs." Lu Xiran's analysis was clear and logical, showing a wisdom beyond her years. "Lu's Group appears glamorous on the surface, but its debt ratio is extremely high, its internal management is chaotic, and its corporate culture is terrible. What I have now—the Yunyuji brand and reputation, that prime location store, and the villa left by my mother—are the real, clean assets. This is a choice I made after careful consideration, not on a whim."

She paused, a hint of barely perceptible arrogance and aloofness in her voice: "Besides, I only want to take back what belongs to my mother and grandfather. As for the Lu family... I find them too scheming and filthy, disgusting."

Gu Yanshen looked at her quietly. The girl before him seemed to have shed the last trace of naivety and hesitation in a single day. Her eyes became firm and bright, like jade that had become more translucent after being baptized by wind and rain. She was no longer the little girl who needed his constant protection and planning for her.

This realization stirred up a complex mix of emotions within him: a sense of relief, pride, and a subtle feeling of being "unnecessary," but more than anything, a thrill of watching her grow.

"Then how can you ensure that Lu Hao won't go back on his word and leak those things?" he asked, his tone now calm and suggestive of discussion.

"He deleted all relevant files from the computer in front of me and signed a legally binding confidentiality agreement and guarantee," Lu Xiran replied. "The breach of contract penalty is as high as 500 million. That amount of money is more valuable than Lu Hao's own life. He's not stupid; he wouldn't risk losing everything for a moment of pleasure."

She tilted her head slightly, a sly glint in her eyes: "Besides, I used your influence to give him a good 'reminder' about what would happen to him if things escalated and angered you. He... seems quite afraid."

Looking at her foxy appearance, Gu Yanshen's pent-up frustration finally dissipated. He couldn't help but chuckle and reached out to ruffle her hair: "You've improved."

"Of course~" Lu Xiran leaned into his arms, her tone slightly smug.

Gu Yanshen tightened his arms, holding her tightly, and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

After Lu Xiran went to take a shower, Gu Yanshen took out his phone and sent Lin Chen a concise instruction: "Take some people to 'visit' Lu Hao tomorrow. Make sure you thoroughly clean up anything that needs cleaning."

He knew that an agreement alone was not enough; he needed to add his "guarantee" to ensure everything was foolproof.

Moreover, only Lin Chen, a computer genius, could guarantee that everything would be deleted through tracing back to the source.