Xia Liyang was taken aback, her gaze suddenly lifting.

But he had already turned away, casually tossing the pen into the holder.

What was happening?

Did he just touch her hand?

Was it accidental, or intentional?

She stared dazedly at his tall figure walking away, wondering if it was intentional, did that mean he was tacitly allowing her to touch him?

Xia Liyang furrowed her brows in thought for a moment but still couldn’t determine whether he was being deliberate or not.

Forget it, she would just stick to her cleaning duties and observe him a bit more.

But as she cleaned, two hours passed.

Lu Huaicheng, as usual, lounged comfortably on the sofa, his long legs sprawled, his deep-set brows and eyes lowered as he casually flipped through a business magazine.

No matter how much she bent over to wipe the coffee table or dust the shelves, desperately trying to show off her subtle curves, he didn’t spare her a single glance.

Seeing this, Xia Liyang couldn’t help but start to doubt the point of wearing so little.

This man was completely unmoved!

And he was as cold as ice.

Xia Liyang twitched her lips and couldn’t help but sneeze.

Finally, Lu Huaicheng lazily lifted his eyelids, glancing at her with dark, penetrating eyes.

It seemed he was annoyed by the noise she made.

“…Sorry.” Xia Liyang tensed up, awkwardly apologizing before quickly fleeing from his vicinity.

Lu Huaicheng said nothing, his dark gaze lingering on her slender back for a few seconds.

Although her pure white camisole outlined her beautiful figure, her innocent yet alluring demeanor was quite enticing.

But was her plan for the night just to wear a camisole and clean in front of him?

He had seen some clumsy attempts in the past, but this was the first time he encountered such a poorly executed one.

It really made him want to give her a little nudge.

He pulled the corner of his lips, lowered his head, and continued reading the magazine.

Xia Liyang dejectedly escaped into the bathroom and looked at her listless reflection in the mirror.

She thought her plan for the night seemed to be failing again.

He still treated her with the same indifferent attitude as before.

There was no sign at all that she was making any headway!

She might as well finish up and go home; otherwise, if she continued to drag things out, she might really catch a cold.

Feeling a bit frustrated, Xia Liyang rinsed out the mop, walked out of the bathroom, and cleaned the last of the floor.

As she mopped near the sofa, she hung her head and dryly reminded, “Mr. Lu, excuse me.”

“Hmm.” Lu Huaicheng briefly raised his eyes, shifting his long legs slightly.

But after she passed with the mop, he casually lowered his legs and subtly tripped her foot.

Xia Liyang suddenly lost her balance, startled, and quickly grabbed something nearby to prevent herself from falling flat in front of him.

As a result, she inadvertently grabbed Lu Huaicheng’s shirt, her delicate hand pressing against his firm chest, and two buttons popped off his collar.

The air became tense for a moment.

“Watch where you’re going.” Lu Huaicheng lazily lifted his eyelids and glared at her.

“Right, I’m sorry, Mr. Lu!” Xia Liyang’s breath hitched, feeling embarrassed as she tried to pull back her hand.

But he caught her with the other hand, restraining her movement.

His fingers were long and bony, appearing to casually rest on her slender wrist, yet they effectively pinned her down.

Xia Liyang was momentarily stunned, raising her clear eyes to gaze at him with a mixture of confusion and fear.

“You’ve ripped off my buttons, and you think a simple apology will suffice?” Lu Huaicheng raised an eyebrow, chuckling lightly.

“Well, um, can I help you fix it?” Xia Liyang bit her lip, her fair and delicate face flushing slightly.

Lu Huaicheng didn’t say anything, simply loosening his grip on her wrist as his tall body leaned back casually against the sofa.

It seemed he was tacitly agreeing to her proposed solution.

Xia Liyang swallowed hard, half-kneeling beside the sofa, carefully leaning closer to him.

He still carried a faint scent, clean and refreshing like the melting streams of spring glaciers.

His shirt collar, now missing two buttons, hung slightly open, revealing sharp collarbones and defined chest muscles, giving him an air of a charming and noble young master.

His eyes were dark and calm as he gazed at her.

It felt like watching a pre-scripted play.

Xia Liyang, who was facing him, suddenly didn’t know where to look. Her heart inexplicably started racing, and her hand, which reached out to fasten his shirt, trembled slightly.

She was afraid her hand would slip and touch something she shouldn’t, and then he would throw her out of the house.

Thankfully, she managed to button the two buttons for him safely.

Just as she was about to stand up, she heard his deep voice, tinged with a hint of reproach: “Aren’t you going to fix the wrinkles in my shirt? You’re so sloppy in doing things.”

“…” Xia Liyang stiffened, the blush on her face spreading to her ears. Forcing out an awkward smile, she muttered, “Sorry, Mr. Lu.”

Her pale, delicate hands trembled as she patted down the wrinkles on his shirt. Inevitably, her soft fingertips brushed against his firm chest muscles.

Lu Huaicheng’s dark eyes narrowed slightly, and his Adam’s apple moved lightly.

“That’s enough,” he said, his voice a little hoarse, his thin lips barely moving.

“Oh,” Xia Liyang, as if her hand had touched a hot stove, quickly retracted it and stood up, trying to appear respectful.

Lu Huaicheng glanced at the girl in front of him, who was now stiffly standing there, feeling both helpless and amused.

With nerves this dull, why try to flirt with men at all?

Was the opportunity he just gave her not enough for her to take advantage of?

He stared at her for a moment, his gaze deep, and asked slowly, “Why are you hunching your shoulders?”

Xia Liyang froze for a second, only then realizing that she had unconsciously shrunk her body due to nervousness.

Quickly relaxing, she forced a smile. “Uh, it’s a little cold…”

“Oh,” Lu Huaicheng narrowed his long eyes slightly and replied with a teasing tone, “Cold, yet you wear so little. What were you thinking?”

“…” Xia Liyang opened her mouth, feeling like he had seen through her attempt to seduce him with a tank top, and that he was teasing her on purpose.

She quickly scrambled for an excuse. “Because my jacket was too wet, wearing it made me colder.”

“I see.” Lu Huaicheng smiled lazily and stood up from the sofa, his tall figure towering over her.

The weight of his presence pressed down on her, causing Xia Liyang to unconsciously take a small step back.

His sharp eyes drooped slightly, and his slender fingers lightly tugged at the strap on her shoulder. In a deep voice, he said, “By that logic, you should take this off too since it’s also soaked.”

“…” Xia Liyang’s heart skipped a beat, her body tensing up, and her eyes darted around in panic.

Although she intended to seduce him, her plan was to go step by step.

First, subtle touches like brushing his arm or shoulder.

Then, holding hands, hugging.

Followed by kissing cheeks, touching foreheads.

Finally, progressing to a kiss.

She hadn’t even planned to include going to bed yet.

Seeing her freeze like a wooden figure, Lu Huaicheng chuckled lightly, straightened up, and leisurely put his hands back in his pockets.

With the pressure of his presence gone and the warmth from her shoulder fading, Xia Liyang heard his voice return to its usual calmness as he politely asked her:

“Do you want to take a shower and warm up? If you catch a cold, I’ll have to hire temporary help.”

Xia Liyang let out a breath of relief. Looking into his cool, detached eyes, she suddenly realized she had been overthinking it.

The reason he said those things was because he was displeased with her lying.

Not because he was asking her to take off her clothes for something else.

Besides, she was the one trying to seduce him, so how did it feel like he was leading her by the nose?

No, she had to calm down and regain control.

Xia Liyang bit her lip, quickly taking this opportunity to ask, “Will you lend me some clean clothes? Otherwise, after I shower, the wet clothes won’t dry, and I might still catch a cold…”

Lu Huaicheng glanced at her indifferently, then smiled lightly. “Sure.”

Huh? Wasn’t he a clean freak?

How could he agree to lend her clothes so easily?

Xia Liyang was momentarily stunned, suddenly feeling like there was hope for the night. Her eyes sparkled as she pushed her luck further, asking, “Then can I stay over for the night? I can’t exactly wear your clothes back to school.”

“Sure.” His voice remained gentle, his smile warm.

This…

Wasn’t it going too smoothly?

Xia Liyang was both surprised and pleased, looking at the man in front of her. She couldn’t tell if she had been manipulated by him or if he had genuinely taken the bait.

As he directed her to the guest room on the second floor to take a shower, she instinctively pulled out her phone, wanting to ask Song Jinhe for advice.

But when she saw the black screen, she remembered her phone was broken.

It looked like she’d have to rely on herself tonight—she couldn’t waste this opportunity to live under the same roof as Lu Huaicheng.

Xia Liyang turned on the showerhead, and under the warm stream of water, her chaotic thoughts gradually cleared up.

If his brief touch of her fingers when handing her a pen could still be considered an accident…

Then his firm grip on her wrist for over ten seconds later couldn’t be accidental.

It seemed like he didn’t mind physical contact with her.

In that case, she could boldly try out the new moves she had learned!

With that thought, Xia Liyang’s mood brightened, and she began humming a little tune.

When she dried off and stepped out of the bathroom, there were already clean clothes placed on the chair at the door, prepared by Lu Huaicheng for her.

She picked them up and looked them over—it was a black casual t-shirt with matching black shorts.

The fabric was soft and breathable, but the design was particularly loose-fitting.

It looked like something he would wear for outdoor leisure activities.

She slipped on the oversized clothes, her slender figure making her look like a child trying on adult clothes, which was somewhat comical. She couldn’t help but suspect that he had deliberately chosen such loose clothing for her to make her appear completely unappealing.

Xia Liyang sighed helplessly, looking down at the oversized T-shirt that reached her thighs. Deciding it was pointless to wear the shorts that almost slipped down to her ankles, she quickly took them off, left with her two bare legs, and stepped out of the guest room.

Glancing toward Lu Huaicheng, who was leisurely sipping coffee in the living room, she cleared her throat softly. 

Hearing her, Lu Huaicheng raised his dark eyes, and his expression froze for a moment when he saw her. 

Her long, dark hair, still damp and cascading like seaweed over her slender shoulders, blended with the black T-shirt, highlighting her porcelain-like skin. Her face, still flushed from the hot shower, gave her an innocent, coquettish look. 

The exposed part of her legs was perfectly rounded, healthy, and seductive. 

When he had chosen that outfit for her, he hadn’t expected it to have this effect. It was actually more tempting than when she wore the camisole earlier.

His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and with narrowed eyes, he asked in a tone somewhere between annoyance and amusement, “Why aren’t you wearing the shorts I gave you?”

“The waist is too big; they keep falling down…” Xia Liyang pouted, feeling a bit wronged. “Besides, this T-shirt is long enough to be a dress for me.”

Lu Huaicheng furrowed his brow slightly, setting down his coffee, and said, “But I suggest you put them on. I can see the edge of your underwear from here.”

Xia Liyang’s ears flushed red, and she quickly tugged down the hem of the T-shirt, insisting, “That’s only because I’m on the stairs. Once I’m down, you won’t be able to see… Or is it that Mr. Lu doesn’t like seeing me in a dress?”

Lu Huaicheng’s expression stiffened for a moment before he chuckled softly. “No, that’s not the case.”

Xia Liyang hurried down the stairs, glanced at the clock on the wall, and cautiously asked, “What time do you usually go to bed?”

“Twelve o’clock,” he replied blandly.

“Well, it’s still early. Can I sit here and read for a while? You have a lot of books in your study that I really like,” she said, her eyes twinkling as she looked hopefully at him.

Lu Huaicheng silently observed her for a few seconds before nodding slightly. “Go ahead and pick one.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lu!” Xia Liyang smiled brightly, her footsteps light as she made her way to his study.

It seemed he had indeed taken the bait! Whatever she asked, he seemed to be willing to grant it.

Xia Liyang scanned his bookshelf, eventually pulling out a copy of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None and returning to the living room.

“You like Agatha Christie’s mysteries?” Lu Huaicheng glanced at the book in her hands.

“Yes! Agatha is my goddess!” Xia Liyang nodded vigorously, choosing a spot at the other end of the sofa, leaving a respectful distance between them.

“Is that so?” He raised an eyebrow, seemingly a little surprised.

“Actually, I spent my weekend watching a BBC miniseries adapted from one of her novels, which is why I forgot to reply to you…” She stuck out her tongue, feeling a bit sheepish.

“Oh, so that’s why you were busy—watching a show,” Lu Huaicheng’s tone carried an undercurrent of amusement as he gave her a meaningful glance.

“…” Xia Liyang’s face flushed with embarrassment, recalling the excuse she had given him earlier. She hurriedly defended herself, “I wasn’t just watching it for fun. My major is foreign literature, so watching adaptations like this is part of my research…”

“So studious.” Lu Huaicheng chuckled softly, his deep eyes glinting with amusement.

Xia Liyang’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly changed the subject, pretending to be curious as she asked whether he was also a fan of Agatha Christie since his bookshelf contained her classic series.

“Not a fan, just… they serve a purpose,” Lu Huaicheng replied vaguely, pausing slightly before answering.

What does “serve a purpose” mean?

Xia Liyang blinked, unsure of what he meant.

She opened her mouth to ask, but saw that he had already lowered his gaze, focusing again on the book in his hand, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.

Left with no choice, Xia Liyang straightened her posture and quietly started reading her own book. 

After reading a few chapters with great interest, she suddenly remembered that she wasn’t really here to read. Glancing sideways at Lu Huaicheng, she noticed his brows furrowed in concentration, casting shadows across his chiseled features.

Unable to read his emotions, she decided to quietly inch closer to him.

Feigning interest in her book, she stealthily scooted toward him bit by bit.

Eventually, she moved close enough that her elbow lightly brushed against his warm arm. Her smooth, cool skin, barely separated by the thin linen fabric of his shirt, transmitted the contact directly.

Lu Huaicheng’s body froze for a moment. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, his dark eyes inscrutable as they settled on her.

Sensing his intense stare, Xia Liyang tensed, keeping her eyes glued to her book, pretending it was all an accident and that she was just deeply engrossed in reading.

Lu Huaicheng’s dark eyes lingered on her face, which was practically buried in the book, for a few seconds. The corner of his lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile.

He didn’t pull his arm away but instead casually returned his gaze to his book, continuing to read as if nothing had happened.

As the night deepened, the rain outside had lessened considerably, leaving only a soft, continuous patter.

The large living room was so quiet that the ticking of the clock could be heard, along with the occasional sound of pages turning.

Xia Liyang kept her head down, the patch of skin pressed against the man’s firm muscles growing warmer by the minute.

Her heartbeat seemed to gradually quicken as well.

The faint, long-lasting fresh scent from his body seemed to act like an enticing fragrance.

It quietly slipped into her nostrils, coursing through her veins and into her beating heart.

Suddenly, she seemed to understand the kind of romantic atmosphere that Song Jinhe often talked about.

Inspiration surged to her head.

She suddenly stood up, suppressing her inner excitement and asked, “Excuse me, Mr. Lu, could I borrow some paper and a pen?”

Lu Huaicheng was slightly taken aback, lifting his eyes with a puzzled expression.

“It’s just…” Xia Liyang pursed her lips, feeling a bit guilty as she made something up. “I want to take some notes for my thesis.”

Lu Huaicheng’s expression became slightly subtle as he stared at her for a moment, then he replied in a calm tone, “There’s some on the desk in the study. Go get them yourself.”

“Could I sit in your study to take notes? The coffee table here isn’t really the best height for writing,” she asked sincerely, glancing at him, explaining her request.

Lu Huaicheng furrowed his brows slightly, a hint of confusion flashing across his expression.

After a few seconds of silence, he finally said, “Suit yourself.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lu!” Xia Liyang hurriedly bowed to him, then took her book and ran off cheerfully.

Lu Huaicheng watched her light and happy figure leave, his frown deepening.

What on earth was she thinking?

How could she flirt halfway and then just run off?

Could it be she truly loved studying?

Once Xia Liyang found the paper and pen, she no longer cared about Lu Huaicheng’s thoughts and eagerly began writing down the interaction scenes between the male and female protagonists based on the inspiration she’d just found.

Song Jinhe had given her plenty of practice scenarios before, but after her first few attempts were criticized as “too dry,” she hadn’t tried again.

But now, she felt like she could write something less dry.

Time flew by as she wrote fervently, and before she knew it, it was midnight.

Lu Huaicheng, hands in his pockets, walked into the study at a measured pace.

Completely absorbed in her writing, Xia Liyang didn’t notice his approach until his deep voice sounded above her head: “You’ve written quite a bit for just a reading note.”

Startled, Xia Liyang almost jumped out of the chair, her hand trembling.

With a flustered smile, she turned her face toward him, hiding her manuscript: “Well, it’s preparation for my thesis…”

“Can I have a look?” He stood behind her, graceful and raising an eyebrow.

“No, you can’t,” Xia Liyang pressed her racing heart, forcing a reason, “I’d feel embarrassed…”

“What’s there to be embarrassed about with reading notes?” Lu Huaicheng’s dark eyes narrowed.

“They’re not well-written,” Xia Liyang bit her lip lightly, looking at him pitifully. “Mr. Lu, please let me off.”

Lu Huaicheng’s gaze was deep and unreadable as he stared at her for a few seconds before a gentle smile appeared on his face. “It’s time for bed.”

“Oh, okay.” Xia Liyang quickly nodded, hastily gathering her notes from the table and following him out of the study.

But just as she stepped onto the stairs, Lu Huaicheng suddenly stopped in front of her, turning to look down at her from above: “I only said I’d let you stay here, not that I’d give you a guest room upstairs.”

Xia Liyang blinked, unsure why he was suddenly making things difficult for her again, and asked pitifully, “Then where am I supposed to sleep?”

Lu Huaicheng lazily lifted a long finger and pointed behind her at the living room, his tone cold and somewhat malicious: “The couch.”

“…” Xia Liyang’s mouth twitched slightly.

There were so many guest rooms upstairs!

He wasn’t willing to let her have even one.

Could it be he was upset because she hadn’t let him see her notes?

Xia Liyang couldn’t figure out his behavior as she watched his indifferent back disappear upstairs. She reluctantly went to the couch, choosing a cushion that would barely work as a pillow to make do for the night.

As for what to cover herself with…

She glanced around the room, wondering if she would be scolded for using the couch cover as a blanket.

Before she could decide, Lu Huaicheng casually came downstairs, holding a gray blanket in his long, well-defined hand, which he tossed into her lap.

The way he did it made him look like he was granting charity to a homeless puppy.

“Use this to cover yourself.”

“Thanks…” Xia Liyang awkwardly clutched the thin blanket.

Thinking back to the manuscript she had hidden in her clothes, she figured it wasn’t worth arguing with him anymore.

After all, she had already gained what she came for tonight.

So, she quickly adjusted her expression and called out sweetly, stopping him just as he was about to leave: “Mr. Lu, what time do you wake up in the morning?”

“Why?” Lu Huaicheng paused, turning back indifferently.

“I have to meet my advisor at school in the morning. Could you wake me up at 7? I’m afraid I might oversleep…” She blinked her long lashes, her lips slightly pursed.

“Don’t you have an alarm clock?” Lu Huaicheng frowned.

“My phone’s broken,” she reminded him cautiously.

Lu Huaicheng’s black eyes stared at her for a moment, then without a word, he walked into his study, fetched a brand-new phone, and tossed it into her lap: “Here, use this. Set your own alarm.”

“…” Xia Liyang froze for a moment and hurriedly caught the phone he threw over. She looked down and saw that it was actually the latest iPhone model released last year, and it was the top-tier version.

Even though she wasn’t short of money, she would never casually give someone a phone worth tens of thousands.

He really was wealthy.

But she didn’t like taking advantage of him in this way, so she firmly waved her hand, saying, “This is too expensive. I can’t accept it.”

“It was a gift from someone else. Keeping it would just be a waste,” Lu Huaicheng replied indifferently.

“You could sell it second-hand…” she sincerely suggested.

Lu Huaicheng furrowed his brows slightly, his gaze unreadable as he glanced at her.

He didn’t seem too pleased that she refused his gift.

Xia Liyang bit her lip and gently added, “If you have an old phone you don’t use anymore, that would be enough for me.”

It would save her the trouble of repairing or buying a second-hand one online.

But Lu Huaicheng appeared to lose patience completely. He looked at her coldly and said, “I don’t have an old phone. Just take this one and set your alarm.”

A poor college student like her, deliberately getting close to him, must have had her eyes on his money.

If she were a little more honest, he might have found her a bit more likable.

Pretending to be high-minded like this only made him think she wasn’t thinking straight.

Besides, she’d been studying in the big city for several years.

Surely, she wasn’t naive enough to think she could win him over entirely.

A faint sneer appeared in Lu Huaicheng’s eyes. He let out an almost imperceptible snort before turning and heading upstairs.

Xia Liyang looked down at the phone in her hands, feeling conflicted. She really didn’t need anything extra from him.

After all, deceiving him emotionally was enough. It wouldn’t be very ethical to trick him out of money, too.

Forget it, she’d just leave the phone here tomorrow.

She could always go home and grab the phone she was actually using. It wasn’t far.

Xia Liyang set the alarm and lay down.

Although the sofa in his house was quite spacious, it wasn’t exactly uncomfortable to sleep on.

But maybe because her brain was still too active from writing earlier, she tossed and turned for a long time before she finally drifted off into a shallow sleep.

In her dazed state, she seemed to return to that amusement park where Li Qingying had abandoned her.

A man with a blurry face approached, grabbing her skinny arm, saying he would take her to buy candy.

Fear consumed her heart.

She struggled desperately, calling out for her mom over and over.

Unconsciously, she kicked off the blanket that had been covering her.

Outside, the sky had begun to lighten.

Lu Huaicheng walked downstairs, holding a glass of water in his long fingers.

He glanced briefly at Xia Liyang curled up on the sofa. The soft morning light fell on her hair, faintly illuminating her tightly furrowed face.

The air-conditioning blanket she had been covered with was now entirely on the floor beside the sofa, with only one corner still trapped under her smooth, pale thigh.

Even in her sleep, she was restless.

Lu Huaicheng frowned slightly. As he passed by, he picked up the blanket from the floor and carelessly tossed it back onto her.

He then poured himself a glass of water and leisurely took a few sips.

When he turned around again, the blanket had somehow ended up back on the floor.

…

Lu Huaicheng frowned deeply, too tired to deal with her anymore. He put down his glass and was about to head upstairs.

Just as his foot hit the first step, he heard her crying out, “Mom, don’t leave me…”

He froze, turning to look at her.

Her forehead was already covered in fine beads of sweat, faintly glistening in the morning light. Her tightly shut long lashes trembled nonstop, and her pale face was filled with fear.

There was a flicker of emotion in Lu Huaicheng’s deep eyes. After a brief pause, he walked back to her side, bent down, and picked up the blanket from the floor.

With gentle movements, he covered her whole body, carefully tucking in the edges.

As he withdrew his hand, his warm fingers accidentally brushed against her soft cheek.

Xia Liyang suddenly woke up, instinctively grabbing the arm in front of her and calling out, “Mom…”

The strength of her grip, as if clinging to a lifeline, was so strong that the unprepared Lu Huaicheng nearly lost his balance. He had to quickly steady himself by placing his other hand on the back of the sofa to avoid falling over.

When her eyes met his deep, dark gaze, Xia Liyang fully woke from her dream.

What had just happened?

Why was Lu Huaicheng here??

And in this… wall-pinning posture???

Xia Liyang stared wide-eyed, seeing her reflection in his bright black pupils.

It was only then that she realized how close they were.

His hot breath was brushing against the tip of her nose, and his cool, sharp scent had never been so strong and overbearing.

And her frozen hand… was still gripping his firm arm.

Xia Liyang’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly released her hand and held her breath.

The morning light shone on his dark hair, making his features look even more striking.

His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he finally pushed himself up with a lazy motion. His voice was low and deep: “Don’t go mistaking people for your mom.”

“…”

Xia Liyang’s face flushed red with embarrassment. She bit her lip awkwardly and sat halfway up on the sofa. “Sorry, Mr. Lu, I think I was half asleep.”

Lu Huaicheng glanced at her indifferently, his long fingers adjusting the sleepwear she had pulled askew earlier.

“Uh, why are you here, Mr Lu?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“I came downstairs for water and saw your blanket had fallen onto the floor,” he replied in a flat tone.

“Oh.” She shyly clutched the blanket in her hands and teased him a little, “So you came over because you were afraid I’d catch a cold?”

“I was worried the blanket would get dusty,” he scoffed.

“…” Xia Liyang felt a bit embarrassed by the unamusing response and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Lu Huaicheng didn’t say anything more, simply tossing out, “Go back to sleep,” before turning to head upstairs.

Xia Liyang glanced at his tall figure as he walked away, then looked down at the time on her phone.

It was just 5 AM.

She hadn’t had a dream about being abandoned by her mom in a long time.

Why did it have to come back tonight?

And she even called Lu Huaicheng “Mom.”

It was so embarrassing.

Xia Liyang tugged at her hair in frustration, thinking it must be because she had seen her mom’s new book signing poster a couple of days ago.

She really disliked her mom’s way of loudly promoting herself.

That’s why she had never mentioned her pen name to her.

Otherwise, her mom would definitely use it to sell herself and claim all her achievements as her own.

Because to her, Xia Liyang was less like her daughter and more like her tool.

As a child, she helped her set up dates with other men.

Now that she was grown, she was taken out to show off, becoming a capital for her mom’s bragging rights.

Xia Liyang let out a cold laugh and lay back down on the couch.

After that, she couldn’t really fall back asleep. When the alarm rang, she got up and went to the bathroom to change back into her own clothes.

When she came out, she saw that Lu Huaicheng hadn’t come down yet, so she opened the Iphone’s notes and left him a few lines.

Then she tidied up the couch meticulously before leaving his house.

It wasn’t until nearly 8 AM that Lu Huaicheng, dressed in an elegant suit, gracefully descended the stairs.

He glanced at the empty couch, where only the neatly folded blanket remained.

The phone he had given her was placed squarely in the center of the coffee table.

He couldn’t help but frown slightly, his long fingers tapping the phone screen.

The note that popped up contained just a few short lines: “Mr. Lu, I’ve gone to school. Thank you for taking care of me last night. I’ll wash the clothes before returning them to you, and I won’t be taking the phone.”

Lu Huaicheng’s gaze darkened slightly as he let out a cold scoff.

He turned off the phone and tossed it into the desk drawer.

…..

Xia Liyang quickly organized her manuscript when she got home, eagerly sending it to Song Jinhua before driving to school.

After discussing the new topic with her mentor, Song Jinhua replied: [Wow! Xia Xia, you’ve improved so much! The interaction has a real vibe now!]

Xia Liyang couldn’t help but smile, her fingers tapping eagerly: [Really?]

Song Jinhua: [Really! It’s so obvious!]

Song Jinhua: [Did something happen between you and Lu Huaicheng?]

Xia Liyang hesitated for a moment, her fingertip hovering over the phone screen. She seriously recalled the events and then summarized the main points for her.

Song Jinhua: [Hehehe, Xia Xia, you’re doing great!]

Xia Liyang: [It’s still thanks to your teaching.]

Song Jinhua: [But I think you should accept his phone.]

Xia Liyang was taken aback and asked in confusion, [Why?]

Song Jinhua: “Otherwise, he might think you don’t understand the situation and are delusional about something else.”

Xia Liyang still didn’t get it: [What do you mean?]

Song Jinhua: [Like thinking about marrying him or something.]

Xia Liyang’s mouth twitched as her fingers quickly sent three question marks.

Song Jinhua: [Let me put it this way: in circles like his, dating is just physical, not emotional. Their women generally understand this; they’re not looking to marry him, but just for money. So if you refuse his things, it actually disrupts the underlying rules.]

Xia Liyang read her messages in disbelief twice before continuing to type: [How do you know all this?]

Song Jinhua: [I often write this type of novel, so of course I have to understand it.]

Xia Liyang: […I learned something today.]

Song Jinhua: [And you don’t need to feel sorry for him; he probably hasn’t invested much emotion in you. You both just need something from each other—he’s using you to relieve boredom, and you’re drawing inspiration from him.]

Xia Liyang thought seriously for a moment and uncertainly asked, [So do I still need to ask him for the phone back?]

Song Jinhua: [If he doesn’t mention it, you don’t have to bring it up again. But if he offers you anything else, don’t refuse it.]

[I understand.]

After sending those words, Xia Liyang put her phone away with a complicated feeling.

There were so many hidden rules; it was harder than coming up with a crime scheme.

She started the car and noticed she still had time, so she drove to Xu Songnian’s office, hoping he could help fix her broken old phone.

Xu Songnian took her phone and looked it over, raising an eyebrow to ask, “How did it break?”

“It must have gotten water in it,” Xia Liyang said, pausing for a moment before briefly explaining what had happened at Lu Huaicheng’s house last night.

Upon hearing this, Xu Songnian’s expression turned slightly unpleasant as he searched for a screwdriver to disassemble the phone. He asked her, “Weren’t you planning to give up last week? Why are you torturing yourself again?”

“Oh, speaking of that, I owe you a thank you.” Xia Liyang smiled lightly.

“…What do you mean?” Xu Songnian paused, an uneasy feeling rising in him.

“I mean at the gym on Saturday, you were acting like you knew me well. Lu Huaicheng seemed to get jealous and directly summoned me back to his place to clean on Saturday.”

Sure enough.

Xu Songnian’s expression darkened. He had been wondering why Lin Shen suddenly notified him that the interview on Saturday was postponed.

Turns out he had inadvertently fanned the flames.

“How could he be jealous? The only reason he called you back is that he hasn’t found anyone more suitable,” Xu Songnian said, suppressing the anger bubbling up inside him, his tone flat.

“That’s not true! He must be interested! He even let me stay over last night,” Xia Liyang said, tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Letting you stay was just out of pity,” Xu Songnian frowned, his tone starting to take on a sarcastic edge.

“But when I touched his arm, a guy like him who has a cleanliness obsession didn’t pull away,” Xia Liyang argued.

“What does touching an arm mean? Only someone like you, who has never been in a relationship, would think that’s a sign he has feelings for you.” He scoffed, taking a screwdriver out of his toolbox.

“…What do you mean? Why do you keep pouring cold water on me?” Xia Liyang frowned, her mood dampened by his words.

“I’m not pouring cold water on you; I’m just stating objective facts.” Xu Songnian pressed his lips together.

“What objective facts? You’re clearly trying to belittle me and show off your superiority. Having been in a relationship is nothing to brag about!” The more Xia Liyang spoke, the angrier she became. She suddenly stood up, snatched the phone he was about to repair from the table, and said, “I don’t need your help fixing it anyway, since you don’t support my plans.”

“…” Xu Songnian was taken aback. After she angrily slammed the door to his office and left, his gaze darkened, and he irritably tossed the screwdriver back into the toolbox.

……

Xia Liyang took the elevator down, just in time for the evening rush hour.

Traffic moved slowly outside, the brake lights forming a long chain of red.

She didn’t want to join the traffic jam, so she decided to find somewhere nearby to have dinner.

It would also help her relieve her bad mood.

Although she and Xu Songnian often bickered over trivial matters in the past, it was rare for her to get this upset with him.

She had originally wanted to share her excitement about the progress she had made in her plans.

Instead of being happy for her, he kept picking at her weaknesses and poking at her sore spots.

She wondered what had gotten into him.

Xia Liyang opened her phone to look at nearby restaurant reviews and finally chose a well-rated French restaurant.

On the way to the restaurant, she saw a tall building named after the Junlan Group, brilliantly lit up.

No wonder Lu Huaicheng went to the gym around here.

He must work in that building.

Xia Liyang thought to herself as she pushed open the door to the small house where the French restaurant was located.

A waiter in a black waistcoat greeted her warmly. After confirming the number of diners, he led her inside.

The restaurant was elegantly decorated, with a pianist performing live.

Perhaps because it was a weekday, there weren’t many people dining at such a high-end restaurant.

So, as soon as she turned past the bar, Xia Liyang spotted Lu Huaicheng sitting by the window.

Across from him was a girl with long hair, wearing a Channel rhinestone hairpin and a Celine outfit, with the latest Dior bag beside her, looking exquisite from head to toe.

Even just from the back, it was clear she was a genuine rich beauty.

Great, had she just stumbled into his blind date?

She shouldn’t have picked such a fancy restaurant!

Xia Liyang’s nerves tensed, and she quickly stopped in her tracks.

But the next second, Lu Huaicheng happened to lift his eyelids.

His deep, warm gaze met her unprepared eyes.