"Don't move." Lu Zhengting's voice was low, carrying an undeniable tone of command.
Xia Yan froze completely, staring at Lu Zhengting without blinking. Seeing his expression still cold and serious, she could hardly believe those words had come from him.
What did he mean by that?
How could he say something like that?
Xia Yan's mind was in turmoil. She wanted to resist but felt an inexplicable fear—afraid that if she clarified things too clearly, she'd have no way out.
Fortunately, the distance wasn't long. After Lu Zhengting carried her through the X-ray, he had the nurse arrange for medication.
Her foot injury looked serious, but it was just a mild sprain with a bit of skin scraped off.
"Thank you. I can walk on my own in a bit," Xia Yan said quickly, taking the chance while the nurse was there, afraid he might carry her again.
"Don't want me to accompany you to visit your mother?"
"Huh? No, no need." Xia Yan reflexively refused, then cautiously glanced at him. Seeing his expression shift, she added dryly, "It's too much trouble. My mother doesn't know about our... situation. Thank you."
"No trouble."
Huh? Xia Yan was at a loss for words. She really didn't want to cause him more trouble, and more importantly, she and Lu Zhengting had no real relationship at all.
She didn't want her mother to misunderstand, nor did she want her to know about the Xia family or what the old Madam Xia had done to her.
The nurse finished bandaging just then. Lu Zhengting extended his hand toward her and gave her a glance.
Xia Yan stared blankly at the broad, warm palm before her, hesitated for two seconds, then slowly placed her hand in his.
She always seemed unable to refuse him. Maybe it was because this man's presence was too overwhelming.
Forget it—he was just trying to help. Xia Yan brushed aside the strange feeling in her heart, comforting herself.
She used his support to stand up, let go, and limped along slowly behind him.
Seeing her slow pace, Lu Zhengting simply reached out, wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and slowed his steps to support her as they walked.
Such an intimate gesture made Xia Yan's face flush bright red. She instinctively struggled, but Lu Zhengting remained steady, his long arm still holding her.
She was petite, and from a distance, it looked as if she was sheltered in the crook of his arm. With his striking looks and extraordinary bearing, passing nurses couldn't help but steal glances at them.
When they reached the inpatient area, before even entering the room, Xia Yan heard Xia Siyue's voice inside.
"Mom, did you know my sister has a powerful boyfriend?"
"Really? Cough, have you met him?"
"I saw him. I spotted them outside earlier. My sister seemed to say she'd bring him to see you."
Xia Yan's face went pale with anger. She stopped in her tracks and looked at Lu Zhengting with some hesitation.
"Let's go." Lu Zhengting's expression was calm, without a moment's pause, as he personally pushed open the door.
Xia Yan had no choice but to follow him inside.
In the room, Xia Siyue was feeding their mother dinner. When she saw Lu Zhengting, her face filled with disbelief, and the words slipped out, "You, you—why is President Lu here?"
Xia Yan was nothing but a lowly mistress. At most, President Lu would toy with her for a couple of days, then discard her once the novelty wore off. How could he stoop to visit her mother for her sake?
No, impossible. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe Xia Yan's seductive skills were so impressive she'd dragged him here.
"Mom, this is... my friend, President Lu." Xia Yan couldn't bring herself to say the word "boyfriend."
Xiao Lanzhi noticed the injury on Xia Yan's leg. "What happened to your leg?"
"I tripped at the entrance just now. Luckily, President Lu helped me. It's just a minor scrape. Didn't Xia Siyue see it at the door too?" Xia Yan spoke with a smile, looking at Xia Siyue, her gaze carrying a veiled warning.
She didn't want to mention being hit by Mu Chengfeng, and she hoped Xia Siyue would keep her mouth shut.
Xia Siyue slowly regained her composure, ignoring Xia Yan's warning. She said pointedly, "Yes, I even saw President Lu carrying you into the hospital. I thought he was your boyfriend."
Xiao Lanzhi felt a bit relieved knowing her daughter wasn't seriously hurt. Prompted by Xia Siyue's repeated hints, she turned her gaze to Lu Zhengting, studying him with a hint of scrutiny.
"You're mistaken. President Lu and I are just..." Xia Yan, afraid her mother would misunderstand, smiled as she tried to explain.
"Your leg is injured. Sit down first."
Before Xia Yan could finish, Lu Zhengting suddenly took her hand and guided her to sit in the nearby chair.
The room fell silent instantly.
Xiao Lanzhi fixed her scrutinizing gaze on Lu Zhengting again, while he moved naturally, as if caring for Xia Yan was the most ordinary thing in the world.
Seeing Lu Zhengting's considerate gesture, Xia Siyue could barely keep her smile in place. Her eyes locked on Xia Yan as she teased with a fake grin, "Mom, look how much President Lu cares for my sister. And you still say they're not a couple."
Xia Yan wanted to argue, but feared that the more she said, the easier it would be to misunderstand. She could only look instinctively at Lu Zhengting, confused by his unusual behavior.
From what she saw, Xiao Lanzhi felt that Lu Zhengting had feelings for her daughter, but her daughter hadn't accepted him yet, and their relationship hadn't reached that point.
Wanting to learn more about Lu Zhengting, she asked, "Mr. Lu, where do you work? Are you a local from Jiangcheng?"
Before Xia Yan could speak, Xia Siyue jumped in to answer, "Mom, President Lu is from the Lu Corporation—the one that's always in the news, the one with a son."
"You?" Xiao Lanzhi was slightly surprised, her face darkening, a hint of gloom on her pale complexion.