Xia Yan's gaze flickered as she stared at the man whose face couldn't hide his desire. Suddenly, she gave a mischievous pout, half-smiling, her voice soft yet her actions coy and evasive. "A-Ting, do you want me?"
In all the time Lu Zhengting had known Xia Yan, this was the first time he'd seen her so alluring. Her slender fingers barely exerted any force as they gently hooked onto his collar, pulling him toward her. In an instant, he seemed as fragile as a reed, falling squarely onto Xia Yan's chest—the impact nearly knocked the breath out of her.
She lowered her eyelids, feeling Lu Zhengting's burning body. Suddenly startled, she pressed her hand against his chest and said weakly, "A-Ting, I just remembered something really dangerous. Don't move for now, let me finish speaking."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting stopped his movements. "What is it?"
"I just remembered, I'm in my fertile period these days, so we can't do that kind of thing..." Xia Yan's voice grew softer as she spoke, and she dared not meet Lu Zhengting's eyes. It was true she was in her fertile period—she wasn't lying—but sensing the quiet tension in Lu Zhengting's demeanor, she felt even less confident. This was her first time summoning the courage to stir things up and tease him.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Xia Yan, feeling anxious, slightly lifted her gaze to sneak a peek at Lu Zhengting's face, which looked as constipated as if he'd eaten something bad. She reached out a small hand and patted his shoulder. "Lu Zhengting, I swear, I only just remembered this."
"It's fine. If you get pregnant, we'll have the baby."
"What? Have it? You mean, if I get pregnant, we'll keep the child?" Xia Yan asked uncertainly.
"You don't want to have a child with me?"
"Of course not, I really want to have a child with you, but don't you think it's a bit too early for me to have a baby now?"
Lu Zhengting propped himself up on his arms on either side of Xia Yan, looked down, and said, "Early?"
"Yes, early, way too early. Besides, Xiao Han is still early too..."
"Hmm, let's put this issue aside for now. First, let me settle tonight's score."
"Settle scores? What scores? Does someone owe you money?" Xia Yan naturally knew what Lu Zhengting meant, but would she admit it? Of course not. She was too smart to do something that foolish.
"Xia Yan, you deliberately teased me, stirred me up..."
"A-Ting, let's not talk about this. It's really embarrassing. Look at you—I haven't even done anything, and your desire is already stirred. If word got out, wouldn't people say you're too easy to seduce?" Xia Yan said with a straight face and extreme seriousness, as if she were genuinely concerned about Lu Zhengting's reputation, without any pretense.
"Go on."
"Lu Zhengting, I have to call out your attitude here. I'm really thinking about you, but from your tone, it feels like you think I did this on purpose tonight." Xia Yan rolled her eyes and said slowly.
Lu Zhengting's face darkened. "Not on purpose?"
"Of course not on purpose. Am I that kind of person? When you used to insist on tormenting me, I wasn't like this."
"..."
Seeing Lu Zhengting staring at her in silence, his expression growing darker and darker, almost unbearable to look at, Xia Yan blinked. Suddenly remembering something, she pursed her lips with a look of resignation. "If you really can't stand it, how about you wear a condom? Ah, forget it, I remember last time you said you don't like those. How about I take the pill?"
Lu Zhengting watched as Xia Yan closed her eyes and spread her arms and legs out like a big character. When had he ever noticed she had such a spirit of self-sacrifice?
"Alright, come on."
Xia Yan kept her eyes tightly shut, but her thoughts were completely different from her outward behavior. Sensing Lu Zhengting's hand moving upward, she didn't open her eyes, just parted her lips and said in a soft, sticky voice with a hint of Southern feminine tenderness, "A-Ting, I heard women can only take that pill once a year. Did you know?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Zhengting's hand kept moving up. Feeling like her clothes were about to be lifted, Xia Yan couldn't hold back anymore. She snapped her eyes open, staring straight at the expressionless man. "Lu Zhengting, I've got you figured out now."
"Hmm?"
"Hmm what? Hmph! Don't you know that men who make women take pills for their own momentary pleasure deserve to..."
"Deserve what?" Lu Zhengting glanced at Xia Yan, his fingers stopping at the curve of her chest, and suddenly pressed lightly.
Xia Yan let out a soft gasp and gritted her teeth. "Bastard, they all deserve to stay single!"
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting burst into laughter. Looking at Xia Yan's furious face, he said in a low voice, "Baby, you're the one who started this. Now you're the one crying injustice and grievance, and you're turning it around on me?" He paused, seeing her turn her head away, her forehead hair messy. He couldn't help but reach out to brush the strands aside, then leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Still sulking? I'll let you off tonight. If there's a next time, crying won't help."
"Who would cry?" Xia Yan rolled her eyes. As Lu Zhengting got up to leave, she quickly straightened her clothes and sat up, glancing at his obvious bulge, her cheeks flushing as she looked away.
"Where are you going like that?"
"Bathroom."
******
The next day, because of Jiang Mingxiu's words the day before, Xia Yan didn't go to the company and stayed quietly at home. After Lu Zhengting left for work, Xia Yan, with nothing else to do, remembered that Jiang Mingxiu was still doing yoga, so she went to Lu Zhengting's study and found a novel to read. All morning, Jiang Mingxiu seemed not to have sought out Xia Yan. After reading for a while, Xia Yan went to the kitchen. Seeing Chen Ma alone there felt strangely comforting—when she first arrived, Chen Ma was the first to extend a friendly hand. Usually, when Lu Zhengting wasn't at the villa, her interactions with Chen Ma were much more relaxed.
"Chen Ma, what are you making?" Xia Yan walked over to the stove, looked at the simmering concoction, and sniffed the aroma, unable to resist taking a deep breath.
"This is the medicinal soup Madam loves most. Miss Xia, what brings you to the kitchen?"
"Chen Ma, it's just the two of us in the kitchen now. Don't call me Miss Xia, just call me Xia Yan." Xia Yan smiled at Chen Ma and walked to the other side.
"Xia Yan, are you here to cook?"
"Yeah, but I don't know what Lu Zhengting's mother likes. Chen Ma, do you know?"
"You've come to the right person. I know Madam's tastes best. She prefers light flavors, hates pork and fatty meats, and among vegetables, she dislikes bitter melon and potatoes the most..." As Xia Yan listened to Chen Ma rattle off a long list, she twitched her lips. With so many dietary restrictions, no wonder Lu Zhengting and Xiao Han were the same—it must run in the family. After Chen Ma finished, Xia Yan turned to grab an apron, opened the fridge, and rested her chin on her hand, pondering what to make. Chen Ma smiled and walked over, picking out ingredients and placing them in the sink.
Everything was ready, just waiting to be cooked.
Xia Yan forgot that her hands had just touched chili peppers. When she rubbed her eyes, the chili got in, and tears streamed down like a broken string of beads, unstoppable. It took a while before it eased up. Xia Yan opened her eyes, still feeling a burning sting. She blinked, and the tears she'd just stopped started flowing again. She was a complete mess.
"Xia Yan, don't rub your eyes anymore. Use a wet towel to press on them, and don't open them yet."
Without Chen Ma's advice, Xia Yan wouldn't dare rub her eyes again. Once the pain subsided a bit, her furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and she went back to what she was doing.
Jiang Mingxiu was now in her fifties, but to others, she looked about thirty. Her figure was as well-maintained as a young girl's, and her skin showed no signs of aging. If no one said Lu Zhengting was her son, Xia Yan would absolutely believe they were siblings. When she came back from outside, two servants followed behind her. Passing the kitchen, she caught a glimpse of Xia Yan and Chen Ma chatting and laughing while busy cooking. A flash of undisguised disdain crossed her eyes. How could such a woman be worthy of her son, worthy of the Lu family's status?
She narrowed her eyes and turned coldly back to her room.
At noon, Jiang Mingxiu appeared in the dining room. Xia Yan had already washed off the smell of cooking oil and changed clothes. The two sat at the table. Jiang Mingxiu glanced indifferently at the colorful and fragrant dishes, frowned, and under Xia Yan's gaze, casually took a bite from the nearest plate. After chewing slowly, she suddenly furrowed her brows and called out toward the kitchen, "Chen Ma."
Chen Ma quickly dried her hands and came out of the kitchen. Seeing Jiang Mingxiu so stern, she felt uneasy. "Madam, what is it?"
"Who made this dish? It's practically inedible. Throw it out and make it again."
"Madam, this, this..."
"Hmm? Didn't you hear what I said? Do I need to repeat myself?" Jiang Mingxiu squinted, staring expressionlessly at Chen Ma, her gaze casually sweeping over the composed Xia Yan.
Seeing this, Xia Yan smiled slightly. "Auntie, I made today's meal. I'm really sorry—I didn't know your tastes and just went ahead with my own ideas. Since you don't like it, I'll go throw it out."
"If you can't cook, why insist on doing it? Knowing the outcome would be like this and still doing it—are you deliberately seeking humiliation?" Jiang Mingxiu looked at Xia Yan and said each word deliberately, her meaning clearly pointing to Xia Yan's relationship with Lu Zhengting.
Xia Yan frowned. "It's because there's a reason I had to do it."
"What a fine 'reason I had to do it.'" Jiang Mingxiu sneered, then said to Xia Yan, "I look forward to you accompanying me shopping this afternoon, Miss Xia."
Jiang Mingxiu seemed to know exactly which dishes Xia Yan had made, ignoring them completely and only casually eating some of Chen Ma's cooking. As she left, she didn't spare Xia Yan a single glance.