Lu Zhengting watched Xia Yan cry over someone else, and a surge of anger rose in him. He said coldly, "Xia Yan, worry about yourself first."
"Do you even have..."
Lu Zhengting got up to fetch the first aid kit. Xia Yan thought he was leaving, so she stood up without thinking, but the red gauze wrapped around her suddenly slipped and fell to the floor. The tattered pieces of her clothes couldn't cover her, and her fair skin was abruptly exposed.
Startled, she quickly hid under the covers. Lu Zhengting had already taken in the scene—purple and blue finger marks all over Xia Yan's body, most notably on her neck and arms.
Xia Yan recalled what Yang Jinkuan had done to her and sniffled. "Lu Zhengting, can you leave? I want to take a shower."
"Now you're ordering me?"
"This isn't an order, it's a request, a request!" Xia Yan stared at Lu Zhengting with red, swollen eyes. She urgently needed to wash away every place Yang Jinkuan had touched.
The moment the door closed, Xia Yan dashed into the bathroom wrapped in the blanket. Inside, there was a full-length mirror. Under the bright light, she finally saw the patches of blue and purple finger marks on her body. She froze for a moment, then couldn't help reaching out to touch her swollen cheek. She remembered that slap was from Yang Jinkuan when she struggled.
Hot water overflowed from the bathtub, soaking the floor. She took off her clothes and submerged herself completely in the water, holding her breath, then suddenly popped her head up for air. She used the body wash no fewer than five times before stepping out of the bathroom.
Her clothes were unwearable, so she had no choice but to wear Lu Zhengting's. Her petite frame made his clothes look comical on her. Xia Yan shook her sleeves and let out a faint sigh.
"Done washing?"
"When did you come in?" Xia Yan asked in surprise, looking at Lu Zhengting.
"I never left." Lu Zhengting glanced at Xia Yan. Her small frame still had some curves—though she wasn't tall, her legs were long and straight. She stood barefoot on the carpet, her cheeks flushed, her fair skin rosy from the steam. Her wet black hair dripped water droplets that landed on her slender neck and slowly slid down her clothes...
"What are you looking at!" Xia Yan fidgeted under his gaze.
"...Come here."
Lu Zhengting patted the spot beside him, signaling her to sit. Xia Yan hesitated at first, but when she saw the first aid kit in his hand, she couldn't help walking over.
"Roll up your sleeves."
There were wounds on her wrists from the friction between her wrists and the handcuffs during her struggle. Lu Zhengting dipped a cotton ball in alcohol, and the moment it touched her, Xia Yan gasped sharply.
"It hurts..."
"Bear with it."
"Lu Zhengting, are you even a man? Don't you know how to care for someone?"
"Sit still. Let me look at your leg injuries."
"I can handle my legs myself." Xia Yan instinctively clamped her legs together, her face instantly turning bright red.
"Shut up and sit still."
"Lu Zhengting, no, I, I'll do it myself."
The wounds on her legs weren't as easy for Lu Zhengting to treat as those on her arms. She had seen in the mirror that the injuries on her legs were mostly on the inner thighs. She didn't dare, nor did she want him to see them. But Lu Zhengting gave her a look that brooked no argument.
"Your choice or mine?"
"I can do it myself. You leave."
"Xia Yan." Lu Zhengting glared at her angrily, his voice cold.
Hearing this, Xia Yan frowned, pulled the blanket over herself, and exposed her legs, her gaze fixed on Lu Zhengting's focused posture. His movements were much gentler than before. After applying the medicine, Lu Zhengting packed up the first aid kit and prepared to leave the room.
"Where are you going?" Xia Yan reflexively grabbed his finger and asked softly.
"You don't want me to leave?"
"..."
Seeing Xia Yan lower her head, biting her lip in silence, Lu Zhengting smirked slightly. "Are you hoping I'll stay?"
"You should go."
"Too late." Lu Zhengting set the first aid kit on the carpet, flipped onto the bed in one swift move, and lay down, looking up at the stunned Xia Yan with a teasing smile. "Sleep."
"Lu Zhengting, you, you're sleeping here?" Xia Yan pointed at the man already lying down and silently shifted her position. Under her gaze, Lu Zhengting suddenly reached out, pulled her into his arms, and pressed her firmly with his thick palm, preventing her from moving. She tried to lift her head to speak.
"Sleep."
"I can't sleep," Xia Yan muttered gloomily. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Yang Jinkuan approaching her.
Lu Zhengting dimmed the room's lights, leaving only the faint glow of a desk lamp. Held in his arms, Xia Yan felt the tension that had gripped her all night finally ease. Listening to the steady beat of his heart, she suddenly wanted to look up at him.
"Close your eyes." Lu Zhengting lowered his gaze, meeting Xia Yan's eyes. The faint moonlight cast shadows on the carpet, and the clear light in her eyes shimmered like moonlight. Her rosy lips were tightly pressed together. The corners of Lu Zhengting's eyes softened slightly, and he pursed his lips. Sensing her unease, he pulled her closer, pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
His voice was low and seductive, striking Xia Yan's trembling heart. She blinked rapidly, staring at Lu Zhengting in a daze. His kiss was light and soft, and her heart suddenly felt warm and calm. She closed her eyes, and her mind filled with the image of Lu Zhengting looking at her just now. In his clear, dark pupils, only her reflection appeared. His gaze was tender and deep, as if carrying an unbreakable warmth.
In the first half of the night, Xia Yan slept peacefully, burrowing into Lu Zhengting's arms. But by the latter half, even with the air conditioning, sleeping so closely together made her feel hot. Uncomfortable, she began tossing and turning in various positions.
Lu Zhengting woke up in the middle of the night—not from the heat, but from a sudden kick from Xia Yan.
Xia Yan slept until dawn. When she opened her eyes, she hadn't yet realized where she was. Half-closing her eyes, she raised her arms to stretch, but the pain from her wounds reminded her of what had happened the night before.
Yang Jinkuan, Lin Xujia, Ning Nan, and Lu Zhengting...
Right, she had slept in Lu Zhengting's arms all night?
Xia Yan grabbed her head and ruffled her hair in frustration. She threw off the blanket, and another sudden movement pulled at her wounds, making her gasp. Lu Zhengting was no longer in the room, and the spot beside her had long gone cold. She hurried to the bathroom to change, only to remember her clothes were unwearable.
She couldn't exactly go to work in Lu Zhengting's clothes, could she? She was sure that if she did, that difficult Manager Ke would torment her to death. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a set of clothes on the rack—women's clothes. She sighed in relief, picked them up, and saw that even underwear had been prepared...
And surprisingly, they fit perfectly...
Xia Yan's face turned red. She looked up at her reflection in the mirror—it was as red as a monkey's rear.
Bending over, she carefully crept out of Lu Zhengting's room, scanned the hallway for any movement, and just as she straightened up, she heard Chen Ma's voice behind her. "Miss Xia, you're awake?"
"..." Xia Yan froze, slowly turning around. Seeing the smile in Chen Ma's eyes, she cleared her throat and said casually, "Chen Ma, where's President Lu?"
"President Lu has already left."
"Left?" Why did he leave so early?
"President Lu said Miss Xia must eat breakfast before leaving." Chen Ma looked at Xia Yan with maternal affection, clearly fond of her. Having worked in the Lu household for decades, the only women the young master had brought home were her and Ke Yaru.
Xia Yan awkwardly rubbed her nose and forced a smile. "Then I'll go have breakfast."
With that, she fled. Chen Ma's gaze was too unsettling.
After breakfast, Xia Yan checked the time. Factoring in possible traffic, taking a cab to the office now would be just right. She said goodbye to Chen Ma and left the Lu residence. The villa was built halfway up a mountain, worth at least a hundred million. Beyond the villa's value, the surrounding scenery was picturesque—clear waters, green hills, birdsong, and fragrant flowers. In Jiangcheng, it could pass for a scenic area on its own.
Xia Yan walked to the foot of the mountain before finding an empty cab. Luckily, she had left half an hour earlier than usual, arriving at the office just in time.
As soon as Xia Yan walked in, Li Ru waved her over. "Xia Yan, Manager Ke had someone call you to her office first thing this morning."
"Did she say why?" Xia Yan frowned. What was Ke Yaru up to now? Picking a fight so early in the morning.
"Enough, don't dawdle. Go see her now, or she'll find something to complain about."
"Okay, I'm going."
Xia Yan hurried to Ke Yaru's office, only to be stopped by her secretary. Confused, she asked, "Manager Ke told me to come see her."
"Sorry, Manager Ke is busy. Wait outside."
"Wait?"
"Yes, just wait. She'll call you when she's free."
Hearing this, Xia Yan had no choice but to wait obediently outside the office. An hour passed. She was wearing high heels, and standing for so long had made her legs ache terribly. Before she could sit down, the secretary spoke coolly, "Manager Ke said you have to stand."
"..."
Could she swear?!
Finally, half an hour later, the secretary told her she could go in. Xia Yan stopped her internal rant.
Inside the office, Ke Yaru glanced at Xia Yan. "Tired?"
"No."
"Where were you last night?" Ke Yaru's gaze turned sharp as she asked coldly.
Xia Yan's heart skipped a beat, but she replied calmly, "Manager Ke, that's a personal question. I can choose not to answer."