Every morning, Xia Yan dared not tease Lu Zhengting too much. She was afraid—she hadn't known about morning erections before, but after Lu Zhengting gave her a vivid lesson, she felt her body was practically falling apart, and his energy seemed even stronger than at night. Thinking this, Xia Yan didn't linger; she slipped back into her room without confidence and carefully locked the door behind her.
In the morning, safety was the top priority.
By the time Xia Yan had tidied up and emerged from her room, Lu Zhengting had already taken off his apron, put his jacket back on, and was sitting on the sofa with a financial newspaper in hand. The TV was monopolized by Xiaohan, who was watching morning cartoons. Xia Yan glanced at the breakfast laid out on the table, and when she caught a whiff of its rich aroma, a genuine smile spread across her face.
She couldn't help but think of life after marrying Lu Zhengting—moments like this, warm and carefree, happened often.
After breakfast, the three of them left together. Xiaohan was on winter break, and since no one was home during the day, he would go back to the Dongshan Villa. In the afternoon, he'd have the bodyguard bring him back to the apartment, insisting on sticking with Xia Yan, which infuriated Jiang Mingxiu. Both sides seemed to be at a stalemate, neither giving in. Lu Zhengting left early and returned late, and though Ke Yaru now lived in the villa, she could count on one hand the times she actually saw him in a day.
After dropping Xiaohan off at the villa, Lu Zhengting drove Xia Yan to the company.
Tomorrow was the last day of the year, meaning that once 5:30 PM passed today, the company staff would start their annual leave. Lu Zhengting and Xia Yan each handled their own tasks in the office.
Maybe time really moved faster than people imagined. By the time Xia Yan finished everything, she realized most of the day had slipped by. She stretched, then suddenly remembered the dream she'd had last night. Running a hand through her hair, she vaguely recalled waking up cold in the morning and disturbing Xiaohan, but she'd been so sleepy that everything was fuzzy.
Rubbing her temples, Xia Yan thought about heading to the break room for a coffee to perk up. The two biggest gossips in the company had left at once—Li Ru and Coco. The former would return after her maternity leave, but Xia Yan had no idea about Coco's current situation. She sat in the break room, zoning out for a long time, until she faintly heard the sound of high heels.
The newcomers weren't Coco, but a few women who were close to her. When they saw Xia Yan sitting in the break room, they froze, their smiles instantly vanishing, and their eyes held a hint of fear as they looked at her.
Fear, indeed. Xia Yan couldn't figure out where that fear came from. She got up nonchalantly, ready to leave.
Seeing this, they quickly made way for her, leaving Xia Yan both amused and exasperated.
After she left, they all let out a collective sigh of relief. One of them couldn't help but say, "Good thing we didn't say anything just now, or she would've heard us."
"Yeah, but do you think Xia Yan knows about Lu Zhengting ordering Coco to be blacklisted?"
"Don't tell me you think she doesn't know."
"That's why I'm asking—what do you all think?"
"In my opinion, how could Xia Yan not know about Lu Zhengting's decision? Maybe it was even her idea to have Coco blacklisted in the industry. You know, you can't judge a book by its cover. Xia Yan seems aloof, but behind the scenes..."
"Behind the scenes what?"
"Saying it outright ruins the fun. If you really don't know, I'd rather not say. Let's not stay in the break room too long; we should get back."
Xia Yan returned to the office from the break room. She had to admit she was used to people gossiping about her behind her back now. Unlike in college, where any rumor about her would make her furious, she could face it with a calm mindset these days.
"Ding, ding, ding..."
Xia Yan swiveled her chair over to the desk, picked up her phone, and saw it was Xia Minghui calling. She hesitated for a moment, then decided to answer.
"Yanyan, are you home now?"
"I'm still at the company, Father. Is something up?"
"Well, I have something to discuss with you. I'm at the apartment entrance right now, but since you're at the company, let's forget it."
Xia Yan frowned. "What is it?"
"It's about your father. It's hard to explain over the phone. Let's talk when you have time another day."
"No need. I'll come back right now."
Hearing it involved her father, Xia Yan grabbed the car keys from the drawer and left the office immediately. The apartment was close to the company—about a ten-minute drive. After parking in the underground garage, she saw Xia Minghui getting out of another black car and walking toward her.
"Let's talk at home."
Xia Yan nodded and led Xia Minghui into the apartment.
Xia Minghui glanced briefly at the layout of the place and said softly, "How have you been lately?"
"Great." Xia Yan gave a faint smile, then changed the subject. "Father, what did you mean on the phone? Have you made progress?"
Hearing this, Xia Minghui looked at Xia Yan, who was clearly anxious. He hesitated for a moment, sighed, and began, "Yanyan, before Lan Zhi passed away, she asked me to look into the real cause of your father's death."
"You mean, before Mom died..."
"Yes. I've been hesitating about whether to tell you this."
"Then why are you telling me now?"
"Because I've actually found some leads related to the car accident from over a decade ago. But..."
"But what?"
"But it's still just suspicion. To confirm it, I need to dig deeper."
"So, Father, are you telling me this now because there's something I can help with?"
"Yanyan, do you remember the belongings Lan Zhi left you? If possible, I'd like you to hand them over to me, or at least let me take a look. Maybe we can find new clues."
"Belongings?"
Xia Minghui seemed unfazed by Xia Yan's suspicious gaze, as if lost in deep memory. "Over a decade ago, I was close with Xu Guang, your father. If he hadn't died back then, we'd be family friends now. I remember accompanying Lan Zhi to the police station, where we heard the full story of the accident from the officers. They said the driver was fatigued, so..."
Xia Yan subtly observed Xia Minghui's regretful expression, then adopted a sorrowful tone. "I don't remember much from that long ago. What you're saying, Father, doesn't ring a bell."
"That's true. You were just a child then; it's natural you wouldn't remember."
"But Father, when Mom asked you to investigate the cause of death, why did you suspect something? Didn't you think she was just saying it on a whim?"
"Well..." Xia Minghui paused, staring at Xia Yan thoughtfully. "Since Lan Zhi entrusted me with this on her deathbed, I couldn't refuse her. And now, it's because I've actually uncovered some clues."
Sensing Xia Yan's unease, Xia Minghui grew restless. He narrowed his eyes. "Yanyan, do you still have those belongings? Remember the burglary at your apartment last time? I suspect they were after what you have. Why don't you leave them with me for safekeeping? That way, even if someone comes looking, they won't find them here."
"Father, are you saying that if I keep the belongings, I'll be in danger?"
"Yanyan, that's not what I mean. I'm just worried about your safety. If something happens to you, I won't know how to explain it to Lan Zhi."
Xia Yan frowned, looking troubled. "I've already given the belongings to Lu Zhengting for safekeeping. I think they're safer with him than with either of us."
"You gave them to President Lu?" Xia Minghui exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes. After that incident last time, I handed them over to him."
Hearing this, Xia Minghui's heart tightened, and his palms grew sweaty. He forced himself to stay calm as he looked at Xia Yan. Since the items were now with Lu Zhengting, he must be investigating this too. Who knew what leads he had uncovered?
After a pause, just as Xia Yan thought Xia Minghui was about to leave, his expression turned grave. "Yanyan, since the belongings are now with Lu Zhengting, I can only warn you to be careful of him. The person who killed your father back then was a top figure in Jiang City, with connections that ordinary people wouldn't dare cross."
"Impossible."
"Silly child, trust what I'm saying. Remember this: if you want to find the real culprit behind your father's death, you need to be more cautious. No one in Jiang City dares to touch Lu Zhengting's power. If..."
"It can't be Lu Zhengting. He was only a teenager back then."
"Lu Zhengting's rise to fame as a young prodigy is still a hot topic in Jiang City."
Xia Yan sat frozen on the sofa, silent for a long time. She couldn't believe Xia Minghui's words, because they threatened to shatter her. She shook her head, unwilling to accept them deep down, but seeing the seriousness on his face and his conviction, she wavered, confused about who to trust.
"You're lying! Why are you slandering my dad and driving a wedge between him and Sister Yan?"
A childish voice suddenly broke the tense atmosphere in the living room. Xia Minghui followed the sound to see a little boy standing at the bedroom door. He looked at Xia Yan in confusion. "Who is he?"
Xia Yan was also surprised. Shouldn't Xiaohan be at the villa at this hour? Why was he coming out of the room? "This is Lu Zhengting's son, Xiaohan."