"Stay away from that woman Zhan Meng."
Hearing this, Xia Yan looked at Lu Zhengting with confusion. In her eyes, Lu Zhengting almost never cared about what friends she had around her. Generally speaking, as long as they weren't men, it was fine. So hearing these words from him caught her off guard. She paused, thinking it over in her mind, unable to figure out Lu Zhengting's thoughts.
"Zhan Meng is pretty cute, though."
Lu Zhengting didn't bother to argue. To him, a woman like Zhan Meng was the ultimate nuisance—once you got tangled up with her, you couldn't shake her off. He seriously doubted Ning Xi's taste, wondering how she ended up with such a troublemaker. He got back to the point, glancing at Xia Yan, who was trying to change the subject. Pressing his lips together, he turned and opened the passenger door.
"Get in."
Xia Yan let out an "oh" and obediently got into the car, her attempt to change the subject failing.
Seeing Xia Yan suddenly become so compliant surprised Lu Zhengting. He leaned forward, reached out to fasten her seatbelt, then turned and got into the driver's seat. The car still held a bit of warmth from the heater, so Xia Yan didn't feel cold.
The car was quiet, except for the initial sound of the engine. Xia Yan sat up straight, her gaze fixed ahead, hands gripping the seatbelt, her bag resting on her lap. She occasionally stole glances at Lu Zhengting out of the corner of her eye, wanting to ask where he'd been that afternoon, but afraid that asking might upset him. She sighed inwardly, debating whether to ask or not.
Xia Yan frowned slightly. Some questions seemed to have answers without needing to be asked. When Lu Zhengting had leaned in close earlier, she had clearly caught the scent of a woman's perfume on him—the same fragrance she'd once smelled on Ke Yaru, Chanel Chance.
Pausing, Xia Yan deliberately took a deep breath, catching the faint perfume again. In the enclosed space of the car, she felt the scent was even stronger than what had been on him.
All of Xia Yan's movements had unconsciously caught Lu Zhengting's attention. He furrowed his brow, glancing at her. "What are you sniffing?"
"I'm..." Xia Yan hesitated, struggling for a long moment, her heart both nervous and angry. After a brief pause from Lu Zhengting, she turned her body, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on his expressionless face, and spoke softly, "Lu Zhengting, where did you go this afternoon?"
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting was taken aback. He glanced sideways at the woman staring at him. "I had something to do."
"What kind of thing?"
"..."
Lu Zhengting rarely accounted for his actions to anyone, and no one had ever dared to press him like Xia Yan did. He frowned slightly, as if debating whether to tell her. But in just those few seconds, Xia Yan's heart sank. She suddenly reached out and stopped him.
"Don't bother. I suddenly don't want to know anymore." Seeing his hesitation, Xia Yan was even more certain of who he'd been with and what he'd done. She silently turned back, no longer looking at him, and stared outside instead. Her elbow rested on the window edge, her hand cupping her cheek, eyes lowered, her mood incredibly complicated.
The perfume in the car grew more pungent. Annoyed, Xia Yan rolled down the window, letting the cold wind rush in. She squinted slightly, her mind a blank. Lu Zhengting's gaze lingered on her for a few seconds. Winter in Jiang City wasn't as cold as in the north, nor did it have heavy snow, but the air carried a damp chill. The biting wind could seep straight into your bones. The car's warmth dissipated, and the cold cleared Xia Yan's head a bit.
The car drove unhurriedly through the traffic, weaving among the bustling streets. The streetlights were already lit, one after another, not far apart. Some drivers had their high beams on, occasionally blinding Xia Yan. She covered her eyes with both hands, knowing this was the only road back to Dongshan Villa. After a moment, she spoke softly, "Lu Zhengting, I don't want to go back to the villa today. My old apartment is livable now, right? I want to go there."
"Why suddenly want to go to the apartment?" Lu Zhengting continued driving toward Dongshan Villa, seemingly with no intention of turning around.
"Oh, I just suddenly feel like staying at the apartment." Xia Yan wouldn't admit she didn't want to go back to the villa and see Ke Yaru. She could guess with her toes that Ke Yaru was definitely there now. If she rushed back, she might even catch her and Xiaohan sitting on the sofa waiting for Lu Zhengting to return. Just imagining that scene, overlaying it with the photo, made Xia Yan feel like she had a lump in her throat, unbearably uncomfortable.
Lu Zhengting was the first person she had ever loved, and the only one she wanted to spend her life with. In this relationship, she had lowered herself too much. She could act out in front of him in various ways, but whenever it came to anything involving Ke Yaru, she couldn't muster the strength.
The identity of Xiaohan's biological mother had always been a mystery to her—something she desperately wanted to know but was afraid to find out. Every time she saw Ke Yaru and remembered what she had said, Xia Yan's heart could no longer stay calm. Even if she appeared composed on the surface, only she knew how cautious she was.
Lu Zhengting sensed that Xia Yan had something on her mind. After a moment of thought, he passed the traffic light ahead and turned the steering wheel to the right, heading toward the apartment. After the last incident at Xia Yan's apartment, Lu Zhengting had taken over and had it completely renovated. The security was now on a whole different level.
He had brought Xia Yan back here once before.
Xia Yan stared expressionlessly at the changing scenery outside, knowing this road led to the apartment. She couldn't help but feel relieved.
When they reached the apartment, Xia Yan took off her scarf and coat, draping them over her arm. Lu Zhengting followed unhurriedly behind her. He gently closed the door, watching her back, his lips pressed together, lost in thought. Suddenly, he reached out, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into his arms. His feet shifted to the wall beside them, one hand bracing against it, trapping Xia Yan between his arm and the wall.
"Lu Zhengting, what are you doing?" Xia Yan frowned. Even though he wasn't using much force, her back still hurt when it hit the wall.
"Xia Yan, tell me, what are you thinking?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Let me go first."
"Why didn't you answer my calls this afternoon? And now? Why don't you want to go back to the villa?" Lu Zhengting looked down at Xia Yan, who was also looking down. When she refused to lift her head, he reached out, hooked her chin, and gently raised it. "What are you sulking about?"
"Sulking?" Xia Yan's brow furrowed into a deep crease. She bit out the words, looking up at Lu Zhengting, only to meet his deep, dark eyes. She froze for a few seconds, then turned her head away from his intense gaze. "Just think of it as me being unreasonable. Are you in a hurry to get back to the villa now? If so, then go ahead."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting forcibly turned her head back, forcing her to look at him. "What are you thinking about today?"
"I told you, I'm not thinking about anything. What do you want to ask? What do you want to know!" Xia Yan snapped at him in frustration, then lowered her head again, raising her hands to her temples. "I don't even know what I'm thinking. Clearly... clearly I..."
Xia Yan took a deep breath. "Clearly, I don't want to think about it anymore, but why do you have to force me to?"
"..."
"Lu Zhengting, you want to know so badly, right? Then tell me, where did you go this afternoon? Who were you with? What did you do?"
As soon as Xia Yan finished speaking, Lu Zhengting's expression shifted instantly.
"See? That's what I've been thinking about all day. I told you, but you don't want to answer. Lu Zhengting, I..." Xia Yan trailed off, then waved her hand. She couldn't bring herself to ask about Xiaohan.
Lu Zhengting stared at her for a long time, then asked seriously and sternly, "I had something to handle this afternoon."
"Of course, I know you had something to handle. But what is it that even I can't know?" Xia Yan asked.
"This matter..."
"I know, I'm not allowed to know yet." Xia Yan bit her lip and forced a smile. "But Ke Yaru can know?"
At that, Lu Zhengting looked at her face and asked, "You saw it?"
Xia Yan froze. She stayed silent, which was as good as admitting it. Her clenched hands betrayed her feelings. So Ke Yaru really was Xiaohan's mother.
"You won't even bother to deny it?" Xia Yan said flatly.
"Deny?" The word hit Lu Zhengting's ears. He and Xia Yan seemed to be on completely different wavelengths. His low, hoarse voice asked, "Deny what?"
Xia Yan couldn't describe her feelings now. In her eyes, Lu Zhengting had indirectly admitted his relationship with Ke Yaru. There was no need to ask further. "Deny your relationship with her."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He finally understood the real meaning behind Xia Yan's words. He gripped her shoulders, his low voice sounding above her head. "I deny it. I have no relationship with the 'her' you're talking about."
Xia Yan was lost in her own sorrow, not paying attention to what Lu Zhengting was saying.
"Xia Yan, there's nothing between me and her."
"Nothing?" Xia Yan murmured the words, then suddenly looked up. "What did you say? Nothing? You're saying there's nothing between you and Ke Yaru?"
"There really is nothing between me and her."
"Then isn't she Xiaohan's biological mother?" Xia Yan muttered under her breath.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Lu Zhengting's hearing was fine, and he caught every word Xia Yan said. How on earth had she come to think that Ke Yaru was Xiaohan's biological mother?