"But won't you be lonely? Those people earlier were sent by your father to protect you, right?" Xia Yan reconsidered. The people who had appeared earlier were clearly specially trained—agile and sharp. It would be quite difficult for anyone to try to harm Xiao Han. Thinking this, she realized Lu Zhengting wasn't as irresponsible as she had imagined.
Hearing this, Xiao Han blinked. "Sister Yan, they weren't sent by Dad to protect me. They were sent to protect you, and I'm just an afterthought. Oh, I'm such a pitiful kid. Sister Yan, just come back with me. I promise I won't cause you any trouble."
Xia Yan was helpless at Xiao Han's serious nonsense, but she also felt sorry for him. She thought about it—she didn't want to go back to the Xia family, and skipping school was fine. After a pause, she couldn't help but pinch Xiao Han's pouting lips and smiled, nodding.
Seeing this, Xiao Han happily hugged Xia Yan, burying his head into her arms. Xia Yan couldn't help but smile, reaching out to ruffle Xiao Han's hair, her mood lifting as well.
This wasn't her first time at the Lu residence. Last time she came, Lu Zhengting was still there, but she had been too busy making a cake for Xiao Han to take in the cold-toned house. The place really matched Lu Zhengting's personality—just as icy, as if devoid of life, yet exuding a low-key luxury.
As soon as Xiao Han entered the foyer, he took off his shoes and lined them up neatly. This small gesture surprised Xia Yan. She took the shoes he handed her—a pair of black men's slippers—and wondered silently if there was no trace of a woman in this huge house.
Following Xiao Han to the living room, everything was arranged exactly as it had been during her last visit.
"Sister Yan, I want cake." Xiao Han plopped down on the sofa and said in a soft, sticky voice, his face showing no trace of fatigue. He had instantly turned into a little foodie.
Cake? Xia Yan glanced at her watch. After the afternoon's commotion and returning to the Lu residence, it was now nearly six o'clock.
"Xiao Han, you can't have cake now. I'll cook you dinner instead," Xia Yan coaxed him gently. She remembered where the kitchen was, but had no idea what food was in there.
"No, I want cake now."
"How about this: eat dinner tonight, and I'll make you cake tomorrow?"
"Cake tomorrow?" Xiao Han murmured. Just as Xia Yan thought he might agree, he suddenly spoke up again. "No, I want it now."
Xia Yan thought it over, knowing Xiao Han wouldn't give in easily. She put on an adult demeanor and coaxed him with a smile. Finally, her efforts paid off, and they decided on cake for tomorrow.
For dinner, Xia Yan, mindful that children were growing, prepared some appetizing and nutritious dishes. But when she saw Xiao Han staring at the vegetables with disgust, she felt like crying.
"I don't eat veggies. I want meat."
"..." Xia Yan pushed a plate of vegetables toward him and said with a smile, "Xiao Han, you can't be picky. You need to eat both veggies and meat."
"But my dad only eats meat too," Xiao Han said matter-of-factly, staring at Xia Yan with a blink, as if seeing no issue with that.
Hearing this, Xia Yan's face darkened. Now she truly understood the little demon he was rumored to be. His picky eating was appalling. When she asked why he wouldn't eat potatoes, he said they were too ugly and unappetizing. When she asked about celery, he said he'd never tried it. When she asked about spinach, he said his dad never ate it...
Xia Yan didn't want to ask anymore, afraid she'd lose it. She couldn't help but mentally complain that this father-son duo was downright bizarre when it came to eating.
After finally coaxing Xiao Han into eating some greens and cleaning up, Xiao Han had already bathed and was waiting for her in his pajamas at the top of the stairs. She dried her wet hands and walked over to him.
"What story do you want to hear?"
Xiao Han tilted his head and thought. He usually read on his own, and his dad had never sat by his bed to tell him stories. After some deliberation, he said gloomily, "Anything's fine. I'm not picky."
Taking him at his word, Xia Yan picked a fairy tale. Lying in bed, Xiao Han curled up in her arms. She had just finished a story about a princess and a prince when she noticed Xiao Han yawning disdainfully.
"That story only fools little kids."
So Xia Yan smiled and decided to switch stories. But as soon as she started, Xiao Han frowned and said in a soft, childish voice, "Sister Yan, these stories are so boring."
Just as Xia Yan was wondering what story to tell, she looked down and saw the little head in her arms had already drooped, his sly eyes closed into slits, fast asleep. She couldn't help but laugh.
After tucking Xiao Han in and dimming the lights, she returned to her own room. This room had been prepared by Lu Zhengting last time. It had its own bathroom, perfect for a bath to wash away the day's fatigue.
Warm water slowly overflowed from the tub, her wet hair floating messily on the surface. She began to think about the afternoon's events, a sense of alertness rising within her. If Lu Zhengting hadn't gotten involved, she might have fallen into Yang Jinkuan's clutches. But no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't figure out why a man as lofty as Lu Zhengting would help her.
Thinking of the Xia family and her mother still in the hospital, Xia Yan felt a pang of melancholy. She sighed deeply. She knew what the Xia family wanted but couldn't openly clash with them. And then there was Xia Siyue, her stepsister with no blood relation, eyeing her like a hawk...
Lu Zhengting had originally planned to return the next afternoon, but company matters wrapped up early. After receiving a report from his subordinates, he ordered his secretary to book a return flight. By the time the plane landed, Jiangcheng was already shrouded in night. Leaving the airport and the noisy crowds, the drive from the airport to the Lu residence was very quiet.
When the car stopped at the Lu residence, the secretary in the passenger seat secretly glanced at the man dozing in the back. The dim streetlights faintly illuminated the car's interior, occasionally casting light on Lu Zhengting's sharp, angular face.
Suddenly, Lu Zhengting's eyes snapped open. His calm gaze still carried an undeniable sharpness. He raised a hand to rub his brow, gave some instructions in a low voice, then casually got out of the car and walked toward the villa.
The secretary breathed a sigh of relief, putting aside her stray thoughts. Everyone in the company knew that the big boss appeared to be a gentleman, casual and indifferent, but was actually a deep and calculating man. Ordinary people could never guess his intentions. As his secretary, she had lasted three months in the position precisely because she didn't harbor any romantic notions about him like the others.
Her momentary distraction had been a fluke.
Lu Zhengting went to Xiao Han's room. Seeing the faint light left by the bedside, he felt an unusual emotion. Looking at Xiao Han's peaceful sleeping face, he pursed his lips, turned off the light, and left the room.
He knew Xiao Han had brought Xia Yan back to the Lu residence. Following an impulse, he found himself outside Xia Yan's door. A sliver of light seeped through the crack. It was already past midnight—was she still awake?
Lu Zhengting knocked on the door almost unconsciously. When there was no response for a long time, he frowned, grabbed the handle, and turned it gently. The door wasn't locked?
He stepped cautiously into the room. Xia Yan wasn't in bed. Noticing the bathroom light still on, he again moved toward it on a whim, hearing the sound of running water. He tried the door.
He realized this girl was a bit careless.
The bathroom was filled with steam. As the door opened, a wave of heat hit him. Water was still flowing from the tub, and the floor was already wet. He frowned as he stepped closer. Xia Yan's eyes were closed, and she had dozed off.
This...
He found the scene both amusing and exasperating. A gentle smile unconsciously crept to his lips. The clear, warm water soaked her skin, giving it a faint pink hue. Her black hair floated on the surface, her small face flushed, her thin, rosy lips slightly parted. He stared for a long time before snapping out of it.
Xia Yan was half-asleep and felt someone lift her. The embrace was damp and warm. Her long, delicate lashes fluttered. She wanted to open her eyes but struggled for a while, finding her whole body limp.
Someone was moving her arms and legs...
No. Xia Yan forced her eyes open and took in the situation. A shiver jolted her fully awake. She kicked out, scrambled to the head of the bed, and grabbed the nearest thing to cover herself.
"Pervert!"
Kicked for no reason and called a pervert, Lu Zhengting stood up calmly, a dark look on his face as he stared at Xia Yan.
"Lu Zhengting, you, you..." Xia Yan was startled, realizing it was him. She swore that kick was pure reflex.
"How did I end up here?" Lu Zhengting finished her sentence flatly, straightening his slightly rumpled clothes. But his mind was on her naked form, and his body reacted involuntarily.
"Yes, you, weren't you supposed to come back tomorrow?" Xia Yan clutched the blanket tightly, her heart racing. She was on the verge of losing it. She had been soaking in the tub, and now she was in bed with Lu Zhengting standing before her. The thought that he had seen her naked made her face flush red.