Ke Yaruo tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She kept replaying the look Lu Zhengting had given her—cold and piercing, like being plunged into the depths of winter the moment their eyes met, chilling her to the bone. He couldn't know about those things. Everything she had done was meticulous, and she had never even shown her face. Her thoughts scattered wildly, and sleep remained elusive. Then she remembered Lu Zhengting saying his wife would be Xia Yan, and jealousy surged within her like the Yellow River, endless and unstoppable.
Ke Yaruo got up and went to the kitchen to pour a glass of cold water. She couldn't let herself fall apart over just one look from Lu Zhengting. Walking alone through the stairwell, the quiet house seemed to echo only with the tap-tap of her footsteps. The wooden spiral staircase, her shoes, her slow pace—it all sounded like a clock, unhurried, yet grating on her nerves.
The light in the study on the second floor was still on, a faint glow visible beneath the door crack. Ke Yaruo, clutching her water glass, tiptoed to stand outside the study door, afraid to make a sound. Leaning forward, she vaguely heard Lu Zhengting's voice from inside. Just as she hesitated about whether to leave, his voice suddenly cut through the stillness of the night.
"Come in."
Hearing this, Ke Yaruo's heart skipped a beat, and she froze. She stared straight at the closed door, reaching out a hand to grip the handle. Even if she wanted to leave now, it was impossible. Opening the study door, she saw Lu Zhengting, dressed in black silk pajamas, rising from his chair and adjusting the buttons on his cuffs. The V-neckline highlighted his sexy collarbone. Under the soft yellow light, his sharp features seemed coated in a gentle glow, making him appear slightly softer.
Ke Yaruo couldn't tear her gaze away, staring intently at the man who was casually fixing his sleeves. She believed in fate—it was fate that had brought her and Lu Zhengting together first. So she firmly believed that his current fondness for Xia Yan was only because he hadn't yet realized his true feelings.
Lu Zhengting glanced at Ke Yaruo, his sharp gaze shooting straight at her, startling her. She quickly averted her eyes, lowered her head slightly, and asked weakly, "Zhengting, I didn't expect you to still be in the study at this hour. Did I disturb you?"
"Why were you standing outside the door?" Lu Zhengting asked directly.
Ke Yaruo froze, gripping her glass nervously, but forced herself to stay calm as she looked at him. "I couldn't sleep, so I went downstairs to get some water. When I passed the study and saw the light on, I thought I'd check."
As if worried Lu Zhengting wouldn't believe her, she suppressed her inner tension, ignored his gaze, calmly placed the glass on the desk, and slowly approached him. "Zhengting, don't you trust me? After all these years, don't you know how I feel?"
Lu Zhengting frowned tightly. "I only see you as a friend."
"A friend? Then, as a friend, let me ask you a question. Answer me honestly, okay?"
"Hmm?"
"If you had never met Xia Yan, would you not love her?"
"There's no such thing as 'if.'"
"I'm saying 'if.'"
"Even without Xia Yan, you and I could only ever be friends."
"Why?"
"I promised your sister I would take good care of you..." "So that's why you can't love me?" Ke Yaruo stared unblinkingly at Lu Zhengting, her head drooping, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips. She refused to believe his words, still convinced that without Xia Yan, she would be with Lu Zhengting. After a moment, she buried this thought deep in her heart. One day, nothing would stand in the way of her and Lu Zhengting being together.
Ke Yaruo suddenly looked up with a smile, masking the sharp glint that had flashed in her eyes. Now her gaze was soft as water, gentle enough to drip. "Zhengting, I think I should respect your choice, right? But I'm worried about Auntie. She said she would never let..."
"The wedding will go ahead as planned."
"But Auntie's health hasn't fully recovered yet. Wouldn't that be pushing too hard? I believe Xia Yan wouldn't want you to fall out with Auntie over her, would she?"
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting's expression shifted, clearly displeased. He cast a cold, dismissive glance at Ke Yaruo, paused for a few seconds, then said sharply, "Yaruo, I trust you know what you should and shouldn't do. As for what happened at the hospital last time, I'll let it slide for your sister's sake. Don't let it happen again. Do you understand?"
"Zhengting, I... I don't know what you mean."
"Yaruo, don't exhaust my patience."
"Zhengting, I really don't understand what you're saying." Ke Yaruo's mind was in turmoil. Denying everything was her only option now.
"Yaruo, you know exactly how involved you were in what happened that day. I hope there won't be a next time," Lu Zhengting said coldly. Seeing the disbelief on Ke Yaruo's face, he narrowed his eyes. After the Lu Corporation leak, Xia Yan had been cornered by reporters at a café. On his way to her, Jiang Mingxiu was suddenly hospitalized, delaying his arrival. When he rushed to the hospital, he found out Jiang Mingxiu had been faking illness just to stop him from reaching Xia Yan.
Ke Yaruo dared not look at Lu Zhengting now, afraid he would see through her thoughts. She lifted her head slightly and said softly, "Zhengting, even though I don't know what you mean, I think I understand. But I still want to ask: what kind of person am I in your eyes?"
"I have things to handle. You can leave now."
Lu Zhengting's tone was firm, and he had no intention of answering her question. Ke Yaruo watched as he turned back to his chair, his eyes fixed on the documents on the desk, as if even the papers were more worthy of his attention than her. Being ignored was something she seemed used to. She had only asked the question on a whim, and not getting an answer was expected—Lu Zhengting never paid attention to such trivial questions.
After Ke Yaruo left, Lu Zhengting opened the files Ning Xi had sent earlier on his computer, about Ye Yunchen's investigation into the Lu and Xia families.
Late at night, in the dead silence, Ke Yaruo returned to her room, restless, lying in bed staring at the ceiling. Xia Yan was not only marrying Lu Zhengting but also carrying his child—everything Ke Yaruo wanted, yet it was all in Xia Yan's hands. Hearing a noise outside, she threw off the covers and went to the window. Her room was next to Lu Zhengting's, and from the window, she could see the villa's main gate. Lu Zhengting had just gotten into his car. She checked the time. She didn't know when it had started, but he went out every night. The car would leave the villa and not return until dawn.
At the apartment, Xia Yan had just finished tidying up. She lay down, closed her eyes, and soon drifted into sleep. Maybe it was because of the pregnancy, but she was unusually drowsy, no longer suffering from insomnia. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. In her dream, she seemed to catch a familiar scent.
Xia Yan turned over. When Lu Zhengting entered the room, he saw her sprawled out like a starfish. Later, when he got into bed, she naturally scooted toward him, occasionally nuzzling into his arms. She was quite self-aware. Lu Zhengting's deep eyes sparkled like stars as he watched her sleeping face, feeling like he could never look at her enough. His slightly rough hand brushed her cheek, but she swatted it away, mumbling, "Damn mosquito."
Seeing this, Lu Zhengting smiled. Growing up, he had never understood his older brother's feelings for his sister-in-law. Back then, he thought his brother was foolish for choosing love over the company. Later, his brother told him that in life, you encounter all sorts of things, but finding someone you truly love is rare. Now, he was beginning to understand. All he wanted was to marry Xia Yan, protect her, love her, and love their child.
The next morning, the alarm clock on the nightstand rang incessantly. Xia Yan slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the time—7 a.m. Li Ru had made plans with her yesterday to help out today. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gotten up so early on a weekend. After a quick wash and dress, at 7:30, Li Ru knocked on the door right on time.
"Are you ready?"
"What exactly do you need my help with that requires getting up this early?"
"You'll know when we get there. Trust me, Xia Yan, this is definitely something good."
"Fine, but isn't your dear boyfriend clinging to you on weekends?"
"Don't mention that. Are you ready? Can we go?"
"Alright, alright, I just need to grab my bag. Didn't you say 9 o'clock? It's not even 8 yet."
"Miss, I have to account for traffic jams."
Xia Yan raised an eyebrow at Li Ru. Since getting pregnant, she had stopped wearing heels. She thought it was fine, but Lu Zhengting was more nervous than she was. He had gone crazy buying flat shoes, getting over a dozen pairs at once. Li Ru drove more steadily than Xia Yan, and her speed was noticeably slower. Xia Yan smiled at her, focused on the road. "I know why you insisted on leaving an hour early. It's not because you're worried about traffic, is it?"
"Right, right, everything you say is right."
"Why do you seem so weird? Honestly, what are you up to?"
"What could I be up to with you? I only have designs on my dear boyfriend."
"We're here."
The car stopped in front of a bridal shop. Li Ru parked in the designated spot, checked the time, and immediately dragged Xia Yan straight into the shop. This bridal shop was famous in Jiangcheng. It was practically a place every woman wanted to visit, because the wedding dresses here were custom-made, unique in the world.