Xia Yan gasped sharply, her face turning pale as she stumbled backward, her head accidentally bumping against the car window behind her. "You've misunderstood."
Lu Zhengting let out a scoff, withdrew his hand, and sat back comfortably, as if his earlier action had been nothing out of the ordinary. He said nothing more.
Xia Yan's heart pounded like a drum. She stole a cautious glance at him, afraid both of his anger and that he might ignore her wishes and force himself on her.
The car fell silent. A few minutes stretched on like an eternity.
"We're here." The man's deep voice suddenly broke the quiet.
Xia Yan jolted, startled.
Lu Zhengting had already gotten out and walked around to the other side of the car, opening the door for her.
Xia Yan felt a mix of flattery and unease, hesitating, almost afraid to step out. The man let out a soft laugh and extended his hand toward her. "Don't worry, I'm not the type to force you."
Right. A man like him could have any woman he wanted. Why would he care about someone as plain as her?
Xia Yan silently scolded herself for overthinking. She didn't take his hand and got out of the car on her own.
He naturally withdrew his hand, standing behind her, a faint, elusive glimmer flickering in his eyes.
Before they even entered the living room, a small figure suddenly rushed out. "Xia Yan-jie, you're here!"
Hearing the voice, Xia Yan reached out her arms to hug him, but the little boy stopped abruptly just before reaching her.
Xiao Han looked up, his gaze sweeping over Lu Zhengting before he tightly grasped Xia Yan's hand.
Xia Yan found his serious little face amusing. He was just a five-year-old kid, yet he insisted on acting mature.
"I heard you refused to eat," Xia Yan said, bending down to ask him.
Xiao Han's face was stern, but his voice was soft and childish. "I want the cake you made that day."
So that was it. That day at school, she'd given him a piece of cake she'd made herself. She hadn't expected the little guy to remember it. "I can make it for you, but you have to eat your meals first."
Xiao Han pouted, his lips pursed.
Xia Yan thought he was reluctant. "If you don't eat, then no cake."
Xiao Han didn't answer, just pulled Xia Yan by the hand toward the living room.
Lu Zhengting followed behind, frowning slightly before stepping inside.
Seeing his father lag a few steps behind, Xiao Han tugged at Xia Yan and whispered disdainfully, "You're so dumb. If I hadn't done that, my dad would never have agreed to find you."
Xia Yan's mouth twitched at the corners. She glanced back, slanting a look at Lu Zhengting standing there. She wondered what he'd think if he knew his own son was playing mind games with him.
"So, you don't actually want the cake?"
"You're so dumb." Xiao Han shot her another scornful look. "If I didn't want the cake, why would I go through all this trouble to force my dad to bring you here?"
Xia Yan couldn't help but laugh. So, he did want the cake. To get it, he'd even gone on a hunger strike, outsmarting his dad.
Xiao Han rolled his eyes at her and pulled her toward the kitchen.
The ingredients were already prepared in the kitchen, making it easy for Xia Yan to get started.
Soon, a soft, milky aroma drifted out from the kitchen. Xiao Han, sitting in the living room, couldn't help swallowing, his eyes fixed eagerly on the kitchen door.
Xia Yan came out with the cake and paused, startled to see the father and son sitting side by side in the living room. Before she could speak, Xiao Han pounced on the cake, grabbed a piece, and took a big bite. After a moment, he shouted, "It's not good! It's not good! It's different from the one that day!"
How could that be?
Xia Yan looked at him, puzzled. "That day, I made this same kind of cake."
But Xiao Han seemed genuinely angry, tossing the remaining piece back onto the plate. "It's different!"
Lu Zhengting stood up, his face cold. "Whether it's different or not, eat it and go to bed!"
Xiao Han turned his face away, stubbornly standing still.
Seeing Lu Zhengting's expression grow darker, Xia Yan coaxed the boy, "How about you eat this today, and I'll make you a new one tomorrow?"
"You can't lie to me." Xiao Han turned back, pursing his lips, his bright eyes fixed on her.
"I promise I won't," Xia Yan quickly agreed.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Xiao Han's mouth. He snatched the tray from Xia Yan's hands. "I'm going to my room."
With that, he ran upstairs alone.
"Hey—?"
Xia Yan was speechless. This kid was practically a spoiled little tyrant, willful and mischievous.
But then she thought about how he'd grown up without a mother since birth, and she just felt sorry for him.
Lu Zhengting suddenly spoke up from beside her. "You're staying here tonight."
"Uh, well..." Xia Yan glanced at the antique clock in the living room. The dorm would definitely be locked by now, and she couldn't go back to the Xia family. She really had nowhere else to go.
But spending the night here made her feel uneasy.
Lu Zhengting, however, paid no attention to her inner turmoil and started up the stairs. "Aren't you coming up?"