"Just remember what I said—don't touch Xiao Han. My target is Xia Yan! Your target should be the same as mine."
With that, Ke Yaru hung up the phone directly. She placed one hand on her chest and stood by the window. From this angle, she could see the activity outside the villa, most importantly whether Lu Zhengting was coming back or not.
That's right. After disappearing for years, and after Yang Jinkuan discovered she was by Lu Zhengting's side, she had gone from initially resisting contact with Yang Jinkuan to now actively seeking him out. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, especially since Yang Jinkuan had promised her sister he would protect her.
She and Yang Jinkuan were now on the same page. But in her view, although this attempt hadn't taken Xia Yan's life, at least it had cost her the child. Thinking this way, she felt somewhat better.
Xia Yan had Lu Zhengting by her side—such a life was far too happy for her. Ke Yaru was jealous, envious, and hateful. The things Ye Yunchen had given her still had no use, all because Lu Zhengting rarely returned to the villa, preventing her from carrying out her plans.
Ke Yaru pursed her lips expressionlessly, a cold smile curling at the corners. Anyone who opposed Xia Yan could be her friend. Lin Xujia had clearly sided with Ye Yunchen, and her feelings toward Xia Yan were likely more hate than friendship.
Moreover, Xia Siyue was someone with plenty of schemes but never accomplished anything significant, and she had long harbored resentment toward Xia Yan.
Ke Yaru silently categorized these people in her mind. Ye Yunchen's thoughts were hard to guess—at least for now, he didn't seem like a good partner, more like an ungrateful wolf that could never be tamed.
This was evident from how Xia Siyue was taken away by the police and charged with attempted murder. When Xia Minghui was powerless against Lu Zhengting's influence, Ye Yunchen suddenly appeared, claiming he had a solution. But to save Xia Siyue, he demanded Xia Minghui hand over company shares.
As it turned out, Ye Yunchen succeeded, and now he held ten percent of Xia Corporation's shares. When he made this demand to Xia Minghui, the latter had been very resistant.
Ke Yaru knew better than anyone what roles these people would play and where they would be useful. But for now, she preferred watching them tear each other apart. Knowing that Xia Yan was surrounded by enemies on all sides—how could she not be pleased?
As for Yang Jinkuan, since he had once promised Ke Qinglan to take care of her, she had no worries about him betraying her.
She lowered her gaze, her eyes suddenly fixed on the full moon surrounded by thick clouds in the sky. Layer upon layer of clouds piled up like mountains, yet unlike mountains, they wouldn't stand firm. Her nose twitched slightly as she realized Lu Zhengting would be with Xia Yan again tonight.
Even living in this enormous villa, with servants around, and Jiang Mingxiu and Xiao Han present, she still felt unbearably lonely. She had gone to great lengths to bring Jiang Mingxiu back to the country, only to end up with this result. It was hard to imagine how excited and thrilled she had been when she first learned she could be this close to him.
Yet all of this, because of Xia Yan, made her life feel just like before—the sword within sight yet still far away.
The night grew deeper, the cold wind howling, making her more alert and less sleepy. She stood silently by the window, staring blankly at the stillness outside, a chill creeping into her heart.
The next day, at the first light of dawn, Xia Yan was awakened by the morning sun. The sunlight was dazzling but lazily enveloped her.
Xia Yan squinted, instinctively reaching out to the side. The bed was already cold, devoid of Lu Zhengting's warmth. The chill instantly made her feel unsafe. She snapped her eyes open and sat up, finding the sunlight so bright she could barely keep her eyes open.
She wrapped herself in a robe, her hair unkempt and messy, and walked barefoot across the floor without a sound. Pushing open the door, she caught a whiff of fragrance in the air and instinctively followed the scent.
Lu Zhengting, dressed in casual homewear, was leaning against the counter. Something seemed to be simmering on the stove—the aroma was light but irresistibly appetizing. At least Xia Yan felt hungry.
Her hands at her sides, she slowly approached Lu Zhengting. Before she could get close, he suddenly turned around, his gaze meeting hers. Their eyes locked in midair, and the corner of his mouth curved into a graceful, captivating arc.
Xia Yan blinked, pouting involuntarily. She let herself go and lunged forward. When there was still a meter between them, she knew Lu Zhengting would catch her—and true to form, he swiftly reached out, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her lips.
The kiss was lingering and passionate, filling the air with a thick, intimate atmosphere. Xia Yan actively pressed closer to Lu Zhengting, wrapping her arms around his neck, a smile spreading across her face. When his lips moved to her ear, a tremor coursed through her entire body.
Like an electric current silently spreading through her, Xia Yan instinctively tilted her head back, her body going weak. She could barely stand without leaning on Lu Zhengting. Then, as if remembering the time, she realized she was provoking him in the morning—wasn't she asking for trouble?
So she quickly snapped back to reality, took a deep breath, and looked at him seriously. "It's daytime, early morning. This isn't appropriate."
"This kind of thing is appropriate anytime, as long as it's you and me."
"No, Lu Zhengting, don't forget—the driver will be here in half an hour. Trust me, in less than thirty minutes, this won't be your battlefield." Xia Yan spoke rapidly, desperate to convince this stubborn man.
Her argument seemed useless, but Lu Zhengting found it amusing.
"Are you praising my stamina?" He raised an eyebrow. Seeing her shyly lower her head, he lifted her chin with his index finger, forcing her to look at him and admit it.
"If I say yes, what will you do?"
"Take you right here."
"And if I say no, what will you do?"
"Take you right here."
"If that's the case, I might as well not answer."
"Not answering means—"
"I know." Xia Yan cut him off. "Take me right here."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting looked at her pitiful expression with satisfaction, unable to suppress a smile. "I'll let you off for now. You'll make it up to me tonight."
"Then you might as well take me now," Xia Yan muttered under her breath.
Lu Zhengting didn't catch what she said, but he guessed it wasn't anything good. This woman was probably cursing him in her mind. Xia Yan was still just a little girl. He had worried she might be consumed by grief, but now she was lively again.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
The knock came right on time. Xia Yan had already eaten most of the porridge Lu Zhengting had made. She gave him a thumbs-up, and in front of the stern, expressionless driver, she put her hands on her hips and shouted, "Your cooking is amazing!"
The driver at the door looked as if he had heard something unbelievable, his face twisted like he was constipated. Xia Yan glanced at him, then silently made a heart gesture at Lu Zhengting.
Lu Zhengting went to the company. To help Xia Yan recover quickly, her work had been temporarily assigned to someone else—not a woman, but a male secretary.
Once Lu Zhengting was gone, the smile faded from Xia Yan's face. She cleaned up the mess on the table, went back to her room to change, and called Zhan Meng.
This was the first time Zhan Meng had received a call from Xia Yan. She was surprised, shocked, and stunned. When she learned Xia Yan wanted to meet, she didn't hesitate to leave Feng Yuan, who had come to rely on her, at home and slipped out.
At their meeting spot, Zhan Meng spotted the bodyguards around Xia Yan from afar and couldn't help but click her tongue. It looked like some big shot was sitting in the café. Not only were there bodyguards at the door, but she also noticed more sitting in a nearby car.
She put on a warm smile, tossed her flowing hair to the side, adjusted the small bag slung over her shoulder, and straightened her clothes. Then she swaggered into the café, finding Xia Yan's exact spot.
"This setup is impressive. Seriously, Xia Yan, are you used to it?" When Zhan Meng wasn't sitting or talking, she gave off the vibe of a cold, elegant beauty. But the moment she opened her mouth and you saw her posture, the image completely shattered.
There was no trace of that cold, elegant beauty anymore. She was like a tough girl from a landlord's family—dressed like a lady but sitting like a boss, raising an eyebrow and pursing her lips like a bandit chief.
Xia Yan was used to it. "Being followed by bodyguards isn't great, but Lu Zhengting worries, so I..."
"Got it, got it. Are you here to show off your love life?" Zhan Meng crossed her legs, feigning envy with a smile. "Fine, I get it. Lu Zhengting loves you a lot."
"Zhan Meng, I called you out today because I have some things to ask you." Xia Yan decided not to waste time with Zhan Meng's nonsense, or she'd get sidetracked.
"I knew you wouldn't just call me out for tea, lunch, or shopping. Spill it—what's up?"
"I want to know why you leaked that video about Xia Siyue online."
"That? Simple. I wanted to, so I did. No reason needed. If I have to give one, I just didn't like her from the first time we met." Zhan Meng said nonchalantly.
Pausing, Zhan Meng looked at Xia Yan suspiciously. "Is that all you wanted?"
"No. I want you to help me investigate the car accident. I suspect it wasn't an accident." Xia Yan said coldly.
"For something like that, shouldn't you go to Lu Zhengting? I'm curious why you're asking me." Zhan Meng was even more puzzled now. Could it be that she had been exposed?