Ke Yaru's eyes blazed with fury, yet she had to maintain a gentle facade in front of Lu Zhengting. Suppressing her disgust toward Xia Yan, she covered her mouth with a hand and let out a soft laugh. "Zhengting, you should put Xia Yan down. This is really quite ridiculous."
"Zhengting" this, "Zhengting" that—as if Zhengting belonged to her!
Xia Yan silently grumbled in her heart, unable to stand Ke Yaru's act in front of Lu Zhengting, making her look like an idiot while Ke Yaru played the elegant princess. In stark contrast, Xia Yan stopped moving, turned her head, and shot a fierce glare at the man holding her by the collar, gritting her teeth. "Which eye of yours saw me running? Put me down first!"
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting's lips curled slightly, the corners of his eyes seeming to lift. He brought Xia Yan in front of him before letting go, casting a sidelong glance at her displeased expression. Without a second thought, he reached out and ruffled her hair, messing up the neat style she had just fixed. Seeing this, she wanted nothing more than to slap his hand away!
"You ruined my hair!"
The moment Xia Yan spoke, Lu Zhengting laughed even more heartily. Ignoring her resistance, he grabbed one of her hands with his while using the other to mischievously tousle her hair again. Turning, he led her into the study. As they passed Ke Yaru, he seemed to furrow his brow slightly, surprised to see her still standing there. Ke Yaru's face alternated between pale and flushed. Forcing a stiff smile, she wished Lu Zhengting goodnight and silently walked away.
"She's gone." Xia Yan raised her other hand, the one not held by Lu Zhengting, and poked his chest with her index finger, speaking in a low, deliberate tone.
"Mm."
Lu Zhengting caught the small hand tracing circles around his chest, took a deep breath, and fixed his sharp, clear eyes on Xia Yan's sly expression. "Weren't you supposed to be in your room? Why were you standing at the study door without coming in?"
"I wanted to come in, but then I thought, what would I be doing in there? Wouldn't that ruin the cozy atmosphere? So I figured it was better to leave for a bit, since she probably doesn't want me around you either." Xia Yan sat on Lu Zhengting's lap, squirming slightly, but his hand was firmly locked around her waist. She wasn't in the mood for such intimacy right now.
Seeing through her intentions, Lu Zhengting couldn't help but smirk, suddenly releasing one hand. "So you stood outside eavesdropping instead?"
"Eavesdropping? You really think I'm that petty! Am I the type to eavesdrop?" Xia Yan's righteous nonsense made Lu Zhengting laugh outright. Catching his reaction, she grew annoyed again. "What's so funny! Even if I was eavesdropping, it was out in the open. Who told you two to talk so loudly? Do you really think I'm that interested in your conversation?"
"Alright, alright, I'm the petty one. My darling would never eavesdrop." Lu Zhengting gazed adoringly at Xia Yan's indignant face, gently shifting his hand on her waist and giving it a light squeeze, making her blush before he promptly stopped.
Xia Yan rolled her eyes and made a disgusted face. "Don't think saying that will make me let it go."
"Then what do you want to do?"
"Anything I want?" Xia Yan stared at him intently, her mind racing.
"Of course." Lu Zhengting smiled tenderly, his eyes practically brimming with affectionate warmth.
Xia Yan tilted her head in thought, then decisively spoke up. "I want to stay in the second-floor room for a while." "Fine."
Lu Zhengting's immediate agreement caught Xia Yan off guard. In her mind, even if he consented, it would only come after some torment. She hadn't expected it to go so smoothly—so smoothly it felt almost eerie. The study's lights had long been dimmed by Lu Zhengting, casting a soft orange glow around them. He made no effort to hide his fondness for Xia Yan, just as she made no effort to hide her love for Mengmeng. She snapped back to reality and suddenly called out, "Where's Mengmeng?"
"With Ningxi."
Mengmeng was the little yellow cat that had once barged into Xia Yan's apartment. Back then, a thief had ransacked the place, leaving it in shambles. She hadn't even had time to pack before moving into Lu Zhengting's estate with him, and Mengmeng had wandered off somewhere to play. Xia Yan had completely forgotten about the little creature's existence.
Learning that Mengmeng was with Ningxi, she breathed a sigh of relief. Sensing Lu Zhengting's unsteady breathing, as if he was up to no good, she swiftly jumped off his lap and stood at a safe distance, glaring at him menacingly. "You have to stay celibate for now!"
Celibate? Lu Zhengting casually loosened his collar, cleared his throat, his unfathomable eyes like the mysterious depths of the sea, leaving Xia Yan puzzled. Seeing her staring at him in a daze, he seemed to recall something, curving his lips into an elegant arc. His uneven breaths, like his voice, stirred an inexplicable flutter in her heart. With deliberate slowness, his well-defined fingers unbuttoned his cuffs, revealing a watch. Xia Yan recognized it—a global limited edition. If you hesitated, even with money, you couldn't buy it; its value was in the seven figures, at least. The watch wasn't the point. Her gaze followed his slow movements, drifting to his bobbing Adam's apple, and she couldn't help swallowing.
If she kept staring like this, she'd be captivated by his allure and pounce on him!
Xia Yan shook her head, blinked rapidly, and fled in panic.
Back in her second-floor room, face flushed, she wanted to slap herself. How could she be so weak-willed! Sure, Lu Zhengting was irresistibly charming, but she saw him every day. Wasn't there a saying that distance creates beauty? Why did she feel that no matter how many times she looked at him, his handsomeness was utterly unmatched...
Oh, what to do... She flopped onto the bed, longing to sleep wrapped in Lu Zhengting's arms...
******
Xia Yan no longer sharing a room with Lu Zhengting pleased Jiang Mingxiu greatly.
At the earlier graduation banquet, Xia Yan and Lin Xujia had skipped it due to the Lin family's troubles. After disappearing for a few days, Lin Xujia finally reached out to Xia Yan. Worried about Lin Xujia's situation, Xia Yan, upon receiving her call, told Lu Zhengting she was leaving work to meet her at their agreed spot.
Stuck in traffic, Xia Yan arrived to find Lin Xujia already seated. She hurried over, taking in Lin Xujia's gaunt face, and quickly asked, "Xiaojia, where have you been these past few days? I called, but you didn't answer."
"Xia Yan, I'm sorry." Lin Xujia's words were utterly sincere. Pausing, she stopped stirring her coffee and looked at Xia Yan guiltily. "I never thought my father would drag you into this. If Mr. Lu hadn't arrived in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable."
Xia Yan assumed she was apologizing for what happened at the Lin house. Since she hadn't been harmed, she didn't dwell on it. "How are things with the Lin family now? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. They say Mr. Lu is decisive and leaves no room for mercy. This time, I truly saw it firsthand. He showed the Lin family no mercy at all. I know we brought it on ourselves—no one else to blame."
"Xiaojia." Xia Yan knew what Lu Zhengting had done to the Lin family. She knew but hadn't pleaded for leniency. Watching Lin Xujia's haggard, thin appearance now, she felt a pang of sympathy, but as Lin Xujia said, they had brought it on themselves—no one else to blame. She had never intended to harm others, yet she had been harmed. How could she easily forgive?
Lin Xujia steered the conversation away from the Lin family, chatting about recent events. Since the Lin family lost its former glory, luckily her mother had left her a considerable sum before passing away. She planned to use it to pursue what she loved. Hearing this, Xia Yan blurted out, mentioning Ye Yunchen.
"Are you still in touch with Brother Ye?"
Lin Xujia shook her head. "Rarely. You know he doesn't like me."
Xia Yan rubbed her nose, looking apologetically at Lin Xujia. She had contacted Ye Yunchen too, but only briefly before hanging up.
"Xiaojia, if you need any help, just come to me, okay?" Xia Yan reached out and took Lin Xujia's hand, speaking earnestly. She wasn't good at making friends—she was too suspicious—but once she did, she gave them her full trust.
Lin Xujia knew that. Xia Yan knew it too.
And that was exactly why Lin Xujia acted so brazenly. Deep down, she harbored both resentment toward Xia Yan and guilt for exploiting her unwavering trust. Perhaps love was a hurdle she couldn't overcome, and friendship was a path she would ultimately destroy.
Xia Siyue, arm in arm with Mu Chengfeng, appeared at the coffee shop. Xia Siyue spotted them first, smiling as she swaggered over to the table, lips curling. "I didn't expect to see such a display of sisterly devotion here."
Xia Yan frowned, casting a cold glance at Xia Siyue.
"My dear sister, don't say I didn't warn you. The person beside you now—tsk, even I have to bow down." Xia Siyue's words carried a hidden meaning as she shot a meaningful look at the silent Lin Xujia, grinning brightly.
Everyone knew Xia Yan's status had changed—she was Lu Zhengting's girlfriend now. Anyone who dared provoke her had to weigh whether they could withstand his wrath. Seeing Xia Siyue taunt Xia Yan, Mu Chengfeng's expression shifted instantly. He shook off her arm and said coldly, "Are we going or not?"
Startled by Mu Chengfeng's attitude, Xia Yan watched as Xia Siyue, seemingly unfazed, snorted and re-hooked her arm through his, heading toward a private room.
Lin Xujia remained expressionless, watching Xia Yan, unsure if she had taken Xia Siyue's words to heart. Xia Yan stayed with her a while longer until Lu Zhengting called to pick her up, then left the café. Lin Xujia had already slipped away before Lu Zhengting arrived. Xia Yan offered to see her off, but Lin Xujia politely declined. She walked straight ahead until she reached a corner, where her figure vanished. Standing at the bend, she watched Xia Yan get into Lu Zhengting's car with a blissful look, slowly clenching her fingers against the wall before turning and disappearing into the crowd.