After dinner, the three returned home quite late. Xiao Han yawned, his eyes half-closed as he looked at Xia Yan. "Sister Yan, you haven't been sleeping in the room on the second floor, have you?"
Hearing this, Xia Yan was momentarily stunned. She glanced at Lu Zhengting, who was looking her way, and smiled at Xiao Han. "I still sleep in my original room."
"Sister Yan, why are you lying? Adults shouldn't lie. I went to your room again last night, but I couldn't find you."
"..."
Xiao Han rubbed his eyes, not wanting to dwell on the topic. Children's thoughts come and go quickly, and before Xia Yan could prepare a response, he added, "Sister Yan, tomorrow we're going to the amusement park. Don't forget."
"Huh? Tomorrow at the amusement park?" Xia Yan stared at Xiao Han in surprise. She had to work tomorrow.
"Dad already promised me he'd give you the day off tomorrow." Xiao Han glanced at Xia Yan, wrapped his little arms around her neck, tilted his head, and rested it on her shoulder, speaking in a soft, sticky voice, leaving Xia Yan feeling helpless.
Xiao Han's internal clock was very precise, so Xia Yan didn't leave his room until he fell asleep. She stood in the hallway, pondering for a moment. Knowing that Lu Zhengting was now in the bedroom, she went straight there and happened to see him walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his lower half, his upper body bare. Water droplets were forming on his hair, trickling down his face, and his wet hair looked a bit messy.
Without thinking, Xia Yan covered her eyes with her hands. Hearing Lu Zhengting's soft laugh, she quickly lowered them. Covering her eyes was a reflex. She then calmly walked up to him, recalling what Xiao Han had just said, and asked directly, "I have the day off tomorrow?"
Lu Zhengting hummed nonchalantly, squinting as he glanced at the serious Xia Yan. A clean towel was still in his hand, occasionally wiping his hair. Watching this, Xia Yan felt that his hair-drying motion seemed particularly alluring. She couldn't help swallowing and secretly wondered if she was captivated by his post-shower beauty.
Lu Zhengting's clear, black-and-white eyes seemed to emit a starlight-like radiance, possessing a mesmerizing power that saw through Xia Yan's thoughts at that moment. He pressed his thin lips together, his pupils like flowing light locking onto Xia Yan's eyes, and parted his lips slightly. "Is there a problem?"
Startled, Xia Yan heard Lu Zhengting's deep, husky voice and shivered involuntarily. "I wonder what rumors will spread in the company again."
"Borrowing trouble."
Borrowing trouble? Xia Yan muttered the phrase to herself. All the gossip was aimed at her, not at him. Of course, Lu Zhengting could be so carefree. Besides, who in the company would dare gossip about their own boss? Unless they wanted to be fired! But it was different for her—she would become the center of all the rumors, with everyone's conversations revolving around her.
Noticing Xia Yan's defiant expression, Lu Zhengting paused, set the towel aside on a cabinet, and walked over to her. He stared at her face for a long time. "Not convinced?"
"Convinced! How could I dare not be convinced?" Xia Yan retorted angrily, crossing her arms and turning to leave.
Seeing this, Lu Zhengting glared at Xia Yan and commanded, "Come back. Who said you could leave?"
"My legs are on my body. I can leave whenever I want." In truth, Xia Yan felt conflicted. Her sudden, inexplicable anger seemed to stem from the fundamental change in their relationship. Lately, her temper had been flaring up more often, coming and going without warning. She found this behavior frustrating.
At this moment, even with his ability to read people's minds, Lu Zhengting couldn't fathom what Xia Yan was thinking. In his view, women seemed inherently prone to irrational behavior, like now. But even though he couldn't guess her thoughts, he remained patient, reaching out an arm to block her path.
"Throwing a tantrum?"
Lu Zhengting's tone carried a hint of forceful dominance but also concealed tenderness. Xia Yan looked up slightly, meeting his gaze, and her anger seemed to vanish instantly. She pouted, like a cat seeking affection, and wrapped her arms around his.
"I'm not throwing a tantrum. Lu Zhengting, I just feel like you never consider things from my perspective. All the rumors in the company are aimed at me. I hate being forced to bear these baseless accusations."
"In that case, let's just make our relationship public. Then no one in the company will dare speak ill of you."
Hearing this, Xia Yan felt a surge of excitement. Lu Zhengting's words delighted her, but she immediately rejected the idea. "No, it's not time to go public yet."
Lu Zhengting frowned, looking down at Xia Yan. "Then you're choosing to endure these things and people you dislike."
"That's true..." Xia Yan trailed off, falling silent. She didn't want to tell him that because she loved him, she felt a sense of inadequacy, especially with a formidable rival like Ke Yaru.
Seeing her pause, Lu Zhengting frowned again. She quickly shook her head. "You're right. These are my choices, so I have to bear them."
Lu Zhengting didn't press further. Instead, he gently took her hand. "Get some rest early. You still need to take Xiao Han to the amusement park tomorrow. I won't bother you tonight."
Xia Yan nodded in agreement at the first part, but his last sentence left her speechless. She rolled her eyes at Lu Zhengting, let go of his hand, and said, "I'm going back to sleep on the second floor."
"Stop."
"What?"
"Sleep here."
"No. If Xiao Han gets up at night and can't find me in my room, he'll ask where I am."
"Xiao Han doesn't get up at night."
Xia Yan's mouth twitched. "Then he..."
"He was bluffing."
Lu Zhengting's gaze, as if looking at an idiot, swept over Xia Yan, who suddenly felt she had been tricked by Xiao Han! How could a child with such an innocent appearance tease her like this?
Xia Yan looked at Lu Zhengting, on the verge of tears. Being looked down upon by both an adult and a child was a bitter experience.
The next day. When the first rays of sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves into the room, casting fragmented light, Xia Yan woke up. She opened her drowsy eyes and cautiously glanced at the man beside her, still with his eyes closed. The warm sunlight brought a faint brightness to the dim room. Her head rested on Lu Zhengting's arm, his hand gently encircling her waist, and her hand lay under the blanket on his chest. A smile curved on Xia Yan's lips, like a rainbow after rain—warm and radiant. Her eyes were filled with sweetness. She reached out, slightly bending her fingers, and her index finger lightly traced Lu Zhengting's brows, the tip of his nose, and finally landed on his thin lips. She knew Lu Zhengting was a man of extraordinary talent, so she was determined to become a woman worthy of him.
This was Xia Yan's love for Lu Zhengting. Because she loved him, she wanted to become better. But when she finally improved enough, she would realize that the gap between them couldn't be bridged simply by striving to get closer.
Noticing Lu Zhengting's fluttering eyelashes, Xia Yan reflexively closed her eyes. The air seemed to carry the scent of sunlight. When Lu Zhengting slowly opened his eyes, he caught the subtle change in Xia Yan's expression. A faint smile curled on his lips. He tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. His voice, husky and seductive in the morning, carried a hint of allure.
"Haven't seen enough? I'll give you time to look."
Hearing this, Xia Yan's plan to pretend she had just woken up was crushed. She opened her eyes wide, her gaze clear, her fair cheeks tinged with a light pink. Feeling her lips dry, she instinctively licked them, but this action triggered Lu Zhengting's primal instincts.
After a deep, lingering kiss, Xia Yan felt that if Lu Zhengting didn't let her go, she might become the first person to die from lack of oxygen. They dawdled in bed for a while before slowly getting up and getting ready.
Lu Zhengting had a meeting in the morning, so only Xiao Han and Xia Yan went to the amusement park first. Lu Zhengting initially wanted to book the entire place, but Xia Yan firmly refused. She couldn't imagine the vast amusement park with only her and Xiao Han playing there—it would undoubtedly be dull and boring.
Amusement parks are lively because of the crowds, and the crowds bring laughter and screams.
Xia Yan and Xiao Han took the same car to the amusement park. Lu Zhengting arranged bodyguards to ensure their safety. At first, she resisted, but her objections were overruled, so she had to accept it. Besides, she considered Xiao Han's safety—he was, after all, Lu Zhengting's son.
Lu Zhengting took his private car to the company and headed straight to the meeting room, where everyone was already assembled. He touched the buttons on his cuffs, sat down expressionlessly, his eyes as sharp and piercing as an eagle soaring in the sky, scanning the attendees.
The person sitting to his lower left glanced seriously around the room and then addressed Lu Zhengting earnestly. "Mr. Lu, as you predicted, Yang Jinkuan seems to have caught on."
"Mm. Keep me updated on his situation. Fang is one of his stronger subsidiaries. Target it this time. Acquire it within half a month."
"Mr. Lu, if we keep this up, it might provoke a counterattack."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting cast a cold glance at the speaker, squinting as he thought for a few seconds. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table a few times, his voice icy and his tone arrogant. "I look forward to his counterattack."
"But, Mr. Lu..."
"Starting now, I want the acquisition plan for this company in a week. Meeting adjourned." Lu Zhengting swept his gaze over everyone expressionlessly, turned, and left the meeting room first.