After Xia Liyang spoke, the air momentarily froze for a few seconds.

Lu Huaicheng’s hand resting on her waist paused, and he let out a low laugh, “If you had said that outside, I’d probably be taken away by the police. Moreover, when you were sticking to me earlier and making me feel things, I didn’t see you worried that I might have improper intentions toward you.”

“…” Xia Liyang awkwardly opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

She had never considered the possibility of sleeping with him before, so there was naturally nothing to worry about.

After all, he wouldn’t force her to do something like that.

Ultimately, it was because she had developed some thoughts now that she bought a set, preparing for any potential situation.

Thinking of this, the flush on Xia Liyang’s face deepened again as she stammered in defense of herself, “You were indifferent to me before; what was there to worry about…”

“Yeah, it’s my fault again,” Lu Huaicheng chuckled noncommittally, his dark eyes deepening a bit.

“I’m just stating the truth…” Xia Liyang lowered her long eyelashes, avoiding his gaze, and quickly changed the subject, “Aren’t you taking me to the beach? If we don’t set off soon, the sun will set.”

Seeing her embarrassed and flustered demeanor, Lu Huaicheng softened his gaze. His hand, resting on her slender waist, naturally slid down to hold her slightly cold hand.

With a gentle smile, he said, “Let’s go.”

The villa was only a few hundred meters from the beach, and they soon arrived.

Although it was the peak summer season, there weren’t many people on this beach, and they had to go through a small gate that required a card to enter.

Xia Liyang couldn’t help but raise her face, curiously glancing at the man beside her.

Noticing her gaze, Lu Huaicheng smiled lightly and explained, “This is the private beach of Junlan Hotel; only hotel guests can come here, so it’s naturally less crowded than public beaches.”

“Oh, no wonder you have a card,” Xia Liyang nodded and followed him through the small gate.

Worried he might suspect her again, Xia Liyang displayed an excited expression as soon as she reached the beach, exclaiming a series of amazed remarks as if she had never seen the sea before.

“Wow, the color of the sea is so beautiful!”

“Mr. Lu, look, there are little crabs here!”

“Ah! There are even starfish!”

Lu Huaicheng stood quietly beside her, his defined hand tucked into the pockets of his beige casual pants.

With deep features and clear brows and eyes, he wore a faint smile as he watched her happily stepping through the waves.

The sea breeze lifted her soft black hair, and the waves gently lapped at her slender ankles.

She resembled a lively little bird, her bright eyes sparkling with hidden stars as she looked at him.

“Mr. Lu, aren’t you going into the sea?”

“No, I don’t have suitable clothes or shoes on,” Lu Huaicheng gently shook his head.

“You can take off your shoes and roll up your pant legs! It feels really comfortable and cool to step in the sea!” Xia Liyang blinked her eyes, her gaze sparkling as she urged him.

“I know.” Lu Huaicheng raised the corners of his eyes, his warm voice reminding her, “Did you forget this is my mother’s hometown? I often come here in the summer.”

“Oh right.” Xia Liyang bit her lip in embarrassment and curiously asked, “Do you swim in the sea every time you come?”

“Occasionally, but most of the time, I play basketball over there.” Lu Huaicheng raised his hand and pointed to a nearby basketball court.

Only then did Xia Liyang notice there was a basketball court not far from the shore.

“Are you good at basketball?” She tilted her head, finding it hard to associate his calm and aloof demeanor with that sport.

“Back then, I was okay,” Lu Huaicheng paused slightly before adding, “I was on the school basketball team in high school and participated in some city-organized competitions, but I haven’t played much since the end of my second year.”

“Was it because you had to prepare for the college entrance exam?” she asked.

“Something like that.” His voice was faint, and his gaze dimmed as he looked towards the empty basketball court.

Xia Liyang suddenly recalled that his mother must have gone to the hospital in the second semester of his sophomore year, so his sudden abandonment of basketball might also be related to that.

She hesitated for a moment and cautiously asked, “Is it because of your mother?”

Lu Huaicheng didn’t answer directly. Instead, he spoke lightly, “In previous summers, after every basketball practice, my mother would make me some mung bean soup to help with the heat, but unfortunately, I can’t drink it anymore.”

Although his tone was casual and his words sparse, she instantly understood what he meant.

Every time he returned home after playing basketball, there was soup waiting for him, and then one day it was suddenly gone; that stark contrast would repeatedly remind him of the cruel reality that his mother might never wake up.

So he gave up basketball, largely to numb his own pain.

Xia Liyang couldn’t help but press her lips together as she glanced at the man beside her.

His face remained as handsome and composed as ever, but his dark eyes concealed an unshakeable loneliness and desolation.

Xia Liyang’s heart tightened slightly, inexplicably reluctant to see him display such an expression.

Lowering her eyes, she suddenly recalled that her dad had mentioned in a recent television interview that their research institute had made new progress in studying consciousness disorders and was preparing to conduct clinical trials.

Perhaps this was an opportunity for his mother?

Thinking of this, she raised her long eyelashes again and casually remarked, “I saw on TV that there seems to be a research institute making breakthroughs in the treatment of brain nerve injuries. Do you know about it?”

“What you’re talking about should be the project from the Huake Institute,” Lu Huaicheng paused slightly and said helplessly, “I’ve actually been following it and submitted an application for my mother to participate in the clinical trials, but I haven’t received any feedback. It might be because my mother has been in a coma for too long; these trial projects usually prefer those who have been comatose for a shorter time, as there’s more hope for them to wake up, making the benefits greater.”

“Oh, I see…” Xia Liyang silently lowered her eyes.

What he said was true; there were many patients with consciousness disorders across the country, but there were not many spots for clinical trials.

The project team would indeed lean towards those who had a greater hope of waking up when selecting participants.

But if she went to plead with her dad, she wondered if she could secure an opportunity for his mother.

However, she was still in a cold war with her dad, and she had to lower her head and admit her mistake before discussing anything else with him.

But why should she apologize? She hadn’t done anything wrong.

Lu Huaicheng glanced sideways at the now-silent Xia Liyang. She was lightly biting her lip, her expression showing some conflict, as if she didn’t know what to say to comfort him.

His gaze flickered slightly, and he calmly withdrew his eyes, changing the subject. “It’s almost time; let’s head to the restaurant for dinner.”

“…Oh, okay.” Xia Liyang suddenly came back to herself, temporarily putting that issue aside.

Dinner was booked at a semi-open French restaurant not far away, where they could enjoy an unobstructed view of the sea from their table.

The setting sun gradually sank into the gentle twilight.

Xia Liyang glanced at the steak that the waiter brought and was about to pick up her knife and fork, looking a bit at a loss.

Lu Huaicheng’s distinctly knuckled hand reached over: “Let me help you.”

Xia Liyang paused, slowly placing her hand back on the table. “Thank you, Mr. Lu.”

Lu Huaicheng smiled and elegantly picked up the knife and fork, cutting the steak on her plate at a leisurely pace.

He had loosened one more button on his shirt than usual, and the collar was slightly open, faintly revealing the contours of his collarbone and well-defined chest muscles.

His posture added a touch of charm, making him inexplicably alluring.

The warm yellow light in the restaurant made his deep-set eyes appear even softer.

Xia Liyang stared at him for a moment until he lazily lifted his eyelids, his gaze probing into hers.

Caught off guard, Xia Liyang’s heart skipped a beat. She awkwardly laughed and said, “I’m observing how you cut steak.”

“Oh.” Lu Huaicheng paused slightly and said in a low, deep voice, “That might just be my illusion; I feel like you’ve been staring at my face.”

“…” Xia Liyang, caught off guard by his words, felt her ears heat up. She looked down and fiddled with the water cup on the table. “It’s your illusion.”

Lu Huaicheng chuckled noncommittally and returned the cut steak back to her. “Eat it while it’s hot.”

“Mm…” Xia Liyang lightly pressed her lips together and picked up the knife and fork somewhat awkwardly.

As they neared the end of dinner, the violinist in the restaurant, who had been playing classical pieces, suddenly switched to “Happy Birthday.”

Amid the dimmed lights, a waiter dressed in a suit and vest brought out a beautiful cake with burning candles.

Xia Liyang was momentarily taken aback and looked at the man across from her. “How much more do you have prepared that I don’t know about?”

“Perhaps only the last item,” Lu Huaicheng said with a smile, turning his head to look at the sea.

Xia Liyang, a bit dazed, turned her head in the direction he was looking and then saw the flickering lights of a drone in the dark blue night sky, forming the shape of “Happy Birthday, Yang Yang.”

“…” Xia Liyang opened her mouth but momentarily didn’t know what to say.

Although she hadn’t meant what she had said to him earlier—that her birthday was unimportant and she would only eat noodles by herself.

This was indeed the most unforgettable birthday she had ever had in her 25 years.

“Happy birthday.” Lu Huaicheng turned back to look at her.

The candlelight flickered in his dark eyes, conveying an inexplicable warmth and deep affection.

Xia Liyang felt her heart warm slightly, and her eyes curved like crescent moons as she sincerely said, “Mr. Lu, thank you so much.”

“First, blow out the candles; otherwise, they’ll fall on the cake,” Lu Huaicheng said with a gentle smile.

“Mm.” Xia Liyang nodded, closing her eyes to make a wish, but hesitated slightly.

She had made many wishes in the past.

When she was younger, she wished her parents wouldn’t divorce. During her studies, she hoped to achieve good grades, and when she started writing, she wanted to become rich overnight.

Last year, she wished to reconcile with her father.

As for this year…

She secretly opened one eye and glanced at the man across from her.

He was leaning back in his chair, his gaze blankly directed at the sea.

This year, she wanted to wish for him.

She hoped his mother could wake up.

May a miracle come to him.

After the dreamlike dinner, the two walked slowly along the beach back to the villa.

The fine sand felt soft, and the waves brushed against their ankles, bringing a cool sensation.

The moonlight fell gently, illuminating their shoulders and faintly lighting up their faces.

Lu Huaicheng lightly wrapped his arm around Xia Liyang’s shoulders, and they walked closely together like a normal young couple in love.

But Xia Liyang’s heart was anything but calm.

She felt that if she didn’t speak up about resigning soon, she might truly lose sight of her original intentions amidst the tenderness and affection he had shown her.

So, she took a deep breath, lifted her clear, bright eyes, and looked at the man beside her.

“Mr. Lu.” Her voice was slightly hoarse as she called out to him.

“Mm?” Lu Huaicheng glanced at her with a gentle frown.

“I… actually received a call from home a couple of days ago. They said it’s time to harvest the wheat, and since my mom just got out of the hospital and can’t work, they need me to go back and help,” Xia Liyang said slowly, searching for the right words.

“Can’t you hire someone? I can help you pay for it,” Lu Huaicheng said, lightly squeezing her hand.

“Mm… mainly, I also want to visit my mom. Although she hasn’t treated me well, she is still my mother, so…” She fluttered her long eyelashes, looking pitiful.

“I understand.” Lu Huaicheng paused slightly and asked, “How long do you need to go back for?”

“It’s hard to say; there’s still a lot of farm work to be done, and my mom’s health also needs someone to take care of,” Xia Liyang said, pursing her lips. “So I think I should resign first; otherwise, it’ll delay the cleaning at your place.”

Lu Huaicheng’s eyes darkened as he gazed at her for a moment. He then said lightly, “It’s fine; this job will be kept for you. Just contact me when you return.”

“……” Xia Li Yang moved her lips, wanting to say that it was really unnecessary for him to keep it for her.

But she was afraid that saying too much would arouse his suspicion.

Actually, as long as he let her go, that would be enough.

Anyway, if she didn’t come back for a long time, he would most likely lose patience waiting for her and would find someone else.

Thinking of this, Xia Liyang gently nodded and showed a grateful smile: “Thank you, Mr. Lu.”

“When are you leaving?” Lu Huaicheng asked.

“Um… I’m planning to buy a ticket tomorrow when I go back,” Xia Liyang replied, lightly biting her lip.

“I remember your hometown is in a village near Lincheng, right?” Lu Huaicheng raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Yes, so I’m planning to take the train to Lincheng first, then transfer to a bus to the town, and finally take a bus to the village,” Xia Liyang fabricated her plans convincingly.

“In that case, why not go directly from Beicheng? It’s closer to Lincheng, and since you already have clothes in your suitcase, there’s no need to bring more. Coincidentally, I’m also flying directly to Beicheng tomorrow. I can help you change your ticket; you can go with me to Beicheng, and I’ll have someone take you to the train station,” Lu Huaicheng said.

Ah…

Xia Liyang’s lips twitched slightly, and she couldn’t find a reason to refuse him, so she could only nod: “Then I’ll trouble you, Mr. Lu.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Lu Huaicheng replied lightly.

Although they had to make a detour to Beicheng, at least her resignation was finally settled.

Xia Liyang felt much more at ease, thinking that she could finally enjoy the little remaining time of their romance.

At the very least, she wanted to kiss him once more.

After all, each of the previous kisses had given her different feelings.

Experiencing it again would provide more sample experiences.

As she pondered this, they returned to the villa, and she took a shower, changed into a white satin nightgown, and stepped out of the bathroom.

Seeing that Lu Huaicheng was not in the living room, she thought he had already gone back to his room on the second floor, which made her feel a bit disappointed.

She then considered going to the yard to look at the sea and clear her mind.

However, as soon as she opened the door, she saw Lu Huaicheng leaning casually against the courtyard door with his long legs crossed.

He had his eyes lowered, one hand in his pants pocket, and the other holding a phone, seemingly on a call with someone.

Xia Liyang paused her steps, ready to retreat back into the room.

Hearing her movement, Lu Huaicheng lifted his eyelids slightly and glanced at her.

Then he hung up the phone and said in a deep voice, “Why are you hiding?”

“I was afraid of interrupting your call,” Xia Liyang lightly gripped the door handle, unsure whether to step outside or retreat back into the room.

“I’ve already finished the call.” Lu Huaicheng smiled gently, his gaze signaling her to come over.

Only then did Xia Liyang release the door handle, her nightgown swaying lightly as she walked gracefully to his side: “I thought you had already gone back to your room.”

“Why would I return so early when the moonlight is so beautiful tonight?” He raised an eyebrow, his tone somewhat meaningful.

Xia Liyang’s heart skipped a beat, but she still met his deep, dark eyes and smiled gently: “Yes, the moonlight tonight is indeed beautiful.”

The bright moonlight fell on her clear face, making her features look even more delicate and charming.

Lu Huaicheng’s Adam’s apple moved slightly as he gently wrapped his large hand around her slender waist and leaned down to kiss her soft, rosy lips.

Xia Liyang’s body trembled slightly, her hands climbing up to his broad shoulders.

At first, the kiss he placed on her lips felt like a response to the gentle night, soft and soothing.

But as she began to respond, his breathing gradually became heavier, and the way he kissed her turned much more intense.

In the end, they were almost kissing desperately, stumbling back to the villa.

The lively sounds of their kisses echoed in the empty villa as his hot breath gradually descended.

In the moment before losing control, he restrained himself, lifting his face, suppressing his heavy breaths, and asked her softly, “Have you thought it through?”

Xia Liyang’s face flushed, her heart racing wildly, and her dazed mind momentarily prevented her from considering his question.

After a long time, she still didn’t give him an answer.

So Lu Huaicheng released his grip on the back of her head, his voice hoarse as smiled slightly, saying, “It’s okay; think about it more in the room. If you’ve decided, wear the outfit I packed in your suitcase when you come out. If not, then go to bed early.”

“Um…” Xia Liyang bit her lip lightly, her ears burning as she ran upstairs.

When the door closed behind her, her heart was still pounding.

To be honest, if he hadn’t stopped to ask her just now, she wouldn’t have stopped him from continuing.

Although doing it with him wasn’t part of her experience plan.

But thinking of his fresh, pleasant scent, his warm and solid body temperature, and the outline of his powerful muscles that subtly showed through his clothes.

She couldn’t help but want to experience it once with him.

Moreover, experiencing this would be considered a complete romantic experience, right?

With that in mind, Xia Liyang slowly walked towards her suitcase, bending down to take out the red polka-dotted swimsuit.

When she cautiously pushed the door open, she immediately saw Lu Huaicheng, who was tall and leaning against the staircase railing, his head slightly lowered as his long fingers casually scrolled through his phone.

It was as if he was certain she would come out again.

“Mr. Lu…” she called him softly, her long lashes fluttering.

Lu Huaicheng paused his finger, slowly raising his deep eyes to look at Xia Liyang, who was half-hidden behind the door.

The red polka-dotted swimsuit made her skin look smooth and fair.

Her graceful curves were on full display, and even though her raised arms slightly covered them, they still sparked the imagination.

His Adam’s apple couldn’t help but move as he put his phone away and walked towards her.

“No need to cover up; you look beautiful.”

He chuckled lightly, bent down to kiss her lips, and with his large hand holding her slender waist, he pushed her into the bedroom and closed the door.