Zhan Meng had disliked Xia Siyue from the very first day they met. Now, watching her deliberately poke at Xia Yan's scars, her anger flared even more. Without a second thought, she reached out and grabbed her wrist, snapping, "Haven't you caused enough trouble, Xia Siyue?"
"Whether I've caused enough trouble or not has nothing to do with you. Or are you trying to stand up for Xia Yan?" Xia Siyue wasn't afraid of Zhan Meng at all, dismissing her anger as a bluff. She didn't believe someone of Zhan Meng's standing would dare to offend her.
But no one expected that before Zhan Meng could make a move, Xia Yan, who had been sitting in a daze, suddenly turned her head and raised her hand. With a sharp, resounding *smack*, she landed a solid slap across Xia Siyue's face.
"Get lost."
"Xia Yan! How dare you hit me!" Xia Siyue, recovering from the shock, covered her cheek and glared fiercely at Xia Yan. Catching the stares from those around them, she furiously knocked the dessert the waiter had just served off the table.
Raising her hand to point at Xia Yan, she said, "Xia Yan, don't think I'm afraid of you just because Lu Zhengting has your back. You're disappointed you didn't get your way this time, aren't you? Well, I'm thrilled. I never expected to hear such gratifying news the moment I got out."
The "gratifying news" Xia Siyue referred to was Xia Yan's miscarriage.
Xia Yan's face turned extremely grim, a stark contrast to her earlier vacant expression. She now seemed to radiate an aura that warned others to keep their distance, instinctively making people step back and hesitate to approach. Her icy gaze locked onto Xia Siyue, her lips pressed tightly together.
"Xia Siyue, from now on, if you say one more word, I won't hesitate to give you another slap."
"You! You wouldn't dare!"
"What makes you think I wouldn't? Go ahead and try, and see if I dare or not!"
Hearing this, Xia Siyue's expression shifted. She had clashed with Xia Yan more than once, and with Zhan Meng lurking nearby ready to back her up, she frowned slightly. In a fit of rage, she kicked the table leg hard, didn't spare Xia Yan another glance, and turned to leave.
Zhan Meng blinked, pulled out a chair, and sat down, staring at Xia Yan without blinking. She said skeptically, "You were full of fighting spirit just now. Watching Xia Siyue scurry off like that was hilarious."
"I'm sorry for all the worry I've caused you lately." Xia Yan held her cup in both hands, her eyes lowered as she let out a sigh.
In truth, she hadn't been completely lost in her own world during this time. She had subconsciously wanted to shut herself off, but she was aware of everything happening around her. Sometimes, it was that very sense of helplessness that made her choose silence more often.
Xia Yan sighed, thinking of the car accident and the child she never got to see in this world. She recalled how Lu Zhengting had stayed by her side day and night, carefully tending to her, and her heart was quietly moved by him.
Zhan Meng wasn't good at guessing what others were thinking, nor did she want to. So when she saw Xia Yan suddenly snap back to normal, the only thought that crossed her mind was that shopping really was a cure-all for women.
Zhan Meng nodded absently. Seeing this, Xia Yan bit her straw, pursed her lips, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, as if she were smiling.
"It's been so long since I've seen you smile."
"I'm sorry."
"Alright, stop apologizing to me. Anyone would think I've done something to you. But I really didn't expect shopping to be this effective."
Hearing this, Xia Yan frowned. She mused to herself that if it hadn't been for Xia Siyue, she probably wouldn't have fought back so quickly. From this, it was clear that Xia Siyue was one of the people she hated most, followed by Ke Yaru, who was outwardly virtuous and gentle but inwardly scheming and cautious.
Continuing to shop was pointless now, and Zhan Meng had planned from the start to avoid it if possible. She'd rather lie bored on the couch at home than walk the streets, going in and out of stores.
But then Zhan Meng got a call from her editor-in-chief, ordering her to take on a new task immediately. She had no choice and couldn't escape, so she had to head back to the magazine office.
Xia Yan sat alone for a while, lost in thought. She seemed to prefer being by herself, feeling completely empty, with the world so quiet it was just her.
From the department store back to the apartment, the bodyguards protected Xia Yan meticulously. If another incident like the last one occurred, Lu Zhengting would likely have their heads.
Back at the apartment, Xia Yan sat directly on the couch, staring into space, lost in thought. The whole place was empty except for her. The clock on the wall ticked away, marking the passage of time second by second, minute by minute. She glanced up at it, then slowly closed her eyes.
Half past five. In less than an hour, Lu Zhengting would be back at the apartment.
Xia Yan's eyes snapped open. She stood up slowly and shuffled toward the kitchen, grabbing the floral apron hanging on the wall, slipping it over her neck, and tying it around her waist. Rolling up her sleeves, she opened the fridge and was surprised to find it fully stocked.
Choosing a few of Lu Zhengting's favorite ingredients, she prepared to treat him. Earlier, she had ordered the bodyguards not to tell Lu Zhengting about her condition, because she wanted to surprise him.
And a surprise it was. When Lu Zhengting came home and unlocked the door, the aroma of home-cooked food hit him. He froze at the entrance for a moment, then rushed toward the kitchen without even taking off his shoes.
In the small kitchen stood a woman in an apron, her head slightly bowed, gripping a spatula as she stirred. Xia Yan had a habit of tying her hair up before stepping into the kitchen.
The lights in the living room and kitchen were on. The apartment wasn't large, but it was fully furnished. The warm glow enveloped Xia Yan, framing her in a soft halo, bright and beautiful.
Just the two of them in one room, simple meals three times a day—this was perhaps the life Lu Zhengting wanted most.
He stared intently at the woman focused on her cooking, crept around to her back, and when she wasn't paying attention, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Burying his face in her hair, he inhaled the faint scent of shampoo and murmured, "You're better."
Hearing this, Xia Yan had just started to smile, but his words made her pause. "You're better"—what kind of phrase was that? It felt a bit out of place.
She placed her free hand on the back of Lu Zhengting's hand, patting it gently. Turning down the heat, she turned around and looked up at him. "I knew everything that happened these past few days. I'm sorry for making you worry."
"Silly." As he spoke, Lu Zhengting pulled Xia Yan into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. Remembering how she had shut herself off before, he suddenly lowered his head and kissed her.
His deep voice seemed to instinctively comfort Xia Yan, carrying a steady, reassuring quality. This was one reason she was so captivated by his voice.
They lingered in each other's arms for a while until the smell of something burning jolted Xia Yan back to reality. She spun around quickly, bumping into Lu Zhengting's chin, making them both wince in pain.
"What do we do now?" Xia Yan looked helplessly at the slightly burnt meat in the pan, asking weakly.
"Eat it cold."
"That's not helpful at all. How about steamed with rice flour?"
"Sure, whatever you say."
Lu Zhengting said this with immense affection, and Xia Yan was taken aback at first, then felt a shiver run down her spine. Something felt off.
The worst was the sudden silence. Xia Yan and Lu Zhengting locked eyes, and she was the first to break, laughing.
During dinner, Lu Zhengting glossed over things, not asking why she had suddenly recovered or bringing up the car accident. Xia Yan appreciated his thoughtfulness, but after mulling it over, she decided to bring up the topic herself.
"Do you suspect the accident was intentional?" Lu Zhengting frowned, looking at Xia Yan.
"I don't know if I'm being paranoid, but I have this gut feeling that keeps telling me the accident wasn't an accident—it was deliberate. Do you believe in that kind of intuition?"
"I'll look into it. Your most important task now is to recover, got it?" Lu Zhengting's deep eyes showed genuine concern as he spoke seriously.
"I will. But... if you find anything, I want you to tell me, Lu Zhengting. Don't hide it from me."
"Alright, I'll tell you whatever I discover."
With Lu Zhengting's firm promise, Xia Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief. She trusted her instincts and was inexplicably convinced there was something fishy going on. Why? She couldn't explain it, but the feeling was that strong.
******
Study.
Yang Jinkuan stood by the window, listening to his subordinate's report on everything that had happened. He showed no reaction, simply waving his hand to dismiss them.
Xia Yan was incredibly lucky to have survived—it was somewhat unexpected.
"Ring, ring, ring..."
The phone rang. Yang Jinkuan answered without hesitation. The person on the other end was silent for a long time before a faint breathing sound came through. He frowned and spoke up, "Xiao Ya, what's wrong?"
"I told you I didn't want her to stay by Lu Zhengting's side. Why is she still there?! You said you'd give me a result, and now the result is that Lu Zhengting is with her every day!"
"I didn't expect her to be so lucky."
"Please, can you give me a definite answer? I don't want to see Xia Yan anymore! And do you know that this accident almost hurt Xiao Han!"
"He's just Lu Zhengting's son." Yang Jinkuan said coldly, dismissively.
"I'm warning you, I don't care what you do to Xia Yan, but Xiao Han is off-limits. If you dare to harm him, you'll regret it."
Hearing this, Yang Jinkuan asked suspiciously, "Regret it?"