Li Ru, arm in arm with Yang Qi, had just reached the produce section when she unexpectedly ran into Xia Yan and Lu Zhengting together, their hands intertwined. She winked at Xia Yan, sauntered slowly toward them, then immediately suppressed her gossipy curiosity upon sensing the chill radiating from Lu Zhengting. She glanced around cautiously, as if silently asking for an explanation.
Seeing this, Xia Yan frowned deeply, shooting a warning look at Li Ru. She forcefully pulled her hand free from Lu Zhengting's grip, quickly walked over to Li Ru, and grabbed her arm, pulling her a few steps away. "Li Ru, don't misunderstand. I can explain this."
Li Ru stayed silent, amused as she watched Xia Yan earnestly search for an excuse. "What's going on here? Xia Yan, don't tell me what I just saw with my own eyes was fake, that my eyes were playing tricks on me, that I imagined it? I clearly and unmistakably saw Boss Lu holding your hand." As she spoke, she even poked her index and middle fingers at her eyes to emphasize her perfect vision.
Xia Yan rubbed her forehead in frustration, scouring her mind for a plausible reason to explain the awkward scene. It was all that damn Lu Zhengting's fault—she couldn't clear her name with him now if she jumped into the Yellow River.
Lu Zhengting's deep gaze locked onto Xia Yan's retreating figure. After a pause, his low voice suddenly called out her name, startling the already distracted Xia Yan into flinching. She glanced at Li Ru, who was smirking at her, and let out a faint sigh. "Li Ru, I'll tell you about this another time."
With that, Xia Yan hurried back to Lu Zhengting's side, pushed the shopping cart again, smiled politely at Li Ru's husband Yang Qi, and then dragged Lu Zhengting away as if fleeing for her life.
Watching Xia Yan's reaction, Li Ru doubled over with laughter. Seeing her husband gazing at her with adoring eyes, she blinked and said smugly, "You don't know, do you? That's our company's big boss, Boss Lu. Every woman in the office's dream man."
"The whole office?"
"Of course, I'm not included. I've got you, haven't I?" Li Ru touched her chin and shifted the topic. "I never expected Xia Yan to be hiding her true colors. When she finally shows them, it's such a big surprise."
Yang Qi was amused by Li Ru's abrupt change of subject. He looked tenderly at the woman clinging to him and gently patted her head.
Xia Yan had shopped at this supermarket countless times alone before, but she'd never run into anyone she knew. Today, though, she felt particularly unlucky—when luck turns sour, even drinking water can get stuck in your teeth. She pulled Lu Zhengting far away before quickly letting go, then glared furiously at the expressionless man. "Great. Li Ru's gossipy nature is enough to make me cringe."
"Did we miss anything on the list?"
Lu Zhengting's irrelevant comment only added fuel to the fire for Xia Yan. She raised a hand to fan herself, silently urging herself to stay calm and composed. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Aren't you worried that all this gossip will cause unnecessary misunderstandings? And hasn't our relationship always been purely professional?"
"Purely?" The word slipped from Lu Zhengting's lips. Seeing Xia Yan tiptoe to reach something on the top shelf, he naturally stretched out his hand, grabbed it, and handed it to her.
Xia Yan took the item, silently noting Lu Zhengting's height. Was this the importance of the college entrance exam?
She quickly shook off the thought, rolling her eyes at him. "Yes, our relationship has always been purely professional. At work, you're my boss; in private, we're just ordinary friends. As for Xiaohan, I need to clarify: I like Xiaohan, and it has absolutely nothing to do with you."
Xia Yan's words were sincere, but they made Lu Zhengting's brow furrow instantly. Was his charm less than Xiaohan's?
"Can you understand what I'm saying? I'm sure you've heard the rumors at the company. So shouldn't we do something to prove our innocence?" Xia Yan coaxed Lu Zhengting, guiding him toward the conclusion she wanted.
"The innocent are always clear."
"...That's not wrong, but boss, even if you won't consider my perspective, at least think about your girlfriend's feelings, okay?"
"Ke Yaru is not my girlfriend."
Xia Yan was so focused on persuading Lu Zhengting to clear things up that she didn't catch what he said and blurted out, "I don't care if she is or isn't."
The moment the words left her mouth, Xia Yan felt Lu Zhengting's icy glare pierce her like a sword. She blinked, pushed the cart with one hand, and rubbed her nose sheepishly with the other. "That came out too fast. I didn't mean it..."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting's gaze softened. At that moment, Xia Yan's dazed expression struck him as endearing. His cold aura seemed to retract at will, making Xia Yan pout inwardly. Was he messing with her? Scaring her on purpose?
The debate over whether to address the rumors was temporarily shelved. Xia Yan shot a glare at Lu Zhengting walking beside her, fuming inside. Xiaohan sat in the cart, oblivious to them, curiously looking around.
At the checkout counter, Xia Yan stood aside as Lu Zhengting naturally handed his card to the cashier. But the female employee was so stunned by his looks that she froze, leaving Lu Zhengting holding out his card for a while. Noticing his face darken like charcoal, Xia Yan stifled a laugh and coughed a few times. "Miss, there's a long line behind us..."
After paying and leaving the supermarket, Xia Yan couldn't help but laugh at the earlier scene. Lu Zhengting was the kind of person who, even in a crowd, shone like the sun, impossible to ignore, yet somehow commanding reverence. Sometimes he seemed like an eagle soaring between heaven and earth, always looking down on everyone else.
Xia Yan leaned back in her seat, occasionally stealing glances at the man driving intently. The evening world was both bustling and serene. She turned her gaze to the distant sky, painted with sunset clouds. At this moment, the city's lights were just coming on, neon glowing brilliantly, streets lively, traffic rushing, and countless home lights flickering to life, adding a touch of warmth to the lonely city.
The drive from the supermarket to the apartment was short. The car pulled into the underground parking lot. Xia Yan held Xiaohan's hand with one hand and carried light bags with the other, while Xiaohan also held Lu Zhengting's hand, smiling happily at both of them. She suddenly lifted her legs as if swinging. Seeing this, Xia Yan smiled softly, and Lu Zhengting's gaze at her turned gentle and tender. As they entered the elevator, Xia Yan told Xiaohan to stand still. The elevator doors opened slowly as soon as they reached the first floor.
"Auntie Liu."
"Xiao Xia, and this is?" The woman Xia Yan called Auntie Liu stared at Lu Zhengting with sparkling eyes, curious.
Before Xia Yan could answer, Auntie Liu smiled warmly, especially noticing Xiaohan's polite and refined demeanor. She answered her own question, "Could this be Xiao Xia's husband? Look at this child—so cute and handsome."
"Auntie Liu, you've got it wrong. He's not my husband..."
"Xiao Xia, don't be shy. I was planning to introduce my nephew to you, but it seems he's out of luck now." Auntie Liu sighed briefly before adding, "This young man is quite good."
"..."
"Young man, what's your name?"
"Auntie Liu, just call me Xiao Lu."
...
Xiao Lu? Xia Yan couldn't help but grumble inwardly. Did this guy even know what he was saying?
Auntie Liu beamed at Lu Zhengting, like a mother-in-law sizing up her son-in-law. "Xiao Xia is a great kid, very kind to us neighbors. You need to treat her well."
"Auntie Liu, I will." Lu Zhengting spoke slowly, his expression serious and sincere, startling Xia Yan, who had been standing by unable to get a word in. She broke out in a cold sweat.
When the elevator dinged, the four of them got out. After saying goodbye to Auntie Liu, Xia Yan felt an immense relief and glared at Lu Zhengting. "Do you think you're putting on a show? Is it trendy now to not take responsibility? Let me tell you, I take things seriously..."
"Mm." Lu Zhengting cut her off softly. "Taking it seriously is just right."
"Huh?" Xia Yan froze. Lu Zhengting took the keys from her, opened the door, and led Xiaohan inside. Xia Yan blinked rapidly, rubbing her ears in disbelief. She couldn't believe those words had come from him.
"Aren't you coming in?"
"Oh, coming..." Xia Yan shuffled inside slowly. Seeing Lu Zhengting sitting upright on the sofa, she seriously doubted she'd heard him correctly. How could he say something like that? She must be having auditory hallucinations from stress lately. She smacked her forehead in annoyance, pursed her lips, ignored Lu Zhengting, and silently headed to the kitchen to put on an apron hanging by the door.
She cooked absentmindedly, but the taste was still good, as always.
Xiaohan ate happily, which made Xia Yan glad because she genuinely adored Xiaohan, with no ulterior motives.
Lu Zhengting still only ate what he liked, not even touching the dishes he disliked. Xia Yan sighed helplessly, staring at the untouched eggplant, and resigned herself to eating it.
After dinner, it wasn't too late—the sun had only just set halfway down the mountain. Xia Yan cleaned up the kitchen, then grabbed a cup of fruit tea and walked to the balcony. She had chosen this place partly for its excellent lighting, especially the balcony. Since it was on a high floor, the surrounding buildings barely obstructed the view. Whenever the sun set, Xia Yan would come to the balcony if she had the leisure. She had even bought a swing-like rocking chair for it.