Hearing this, Xia Liyang felt even more confused.

Didn’t Lu Huaicheng plan to interview new housekeepers on Saturday?

Why was he suddenly asking her to come back to clean?

And in such a threatening manner?

Before she could sort through the questions swirling in her mind, the green light ahead turned on.

She quickly pressed the accelerator, gripping the steering wheel as she confirmed with Lin Shen, “So Mr. Lu says that I have to clean on Saturday, or I’ll be fired, right?”

“Yes.” Lin Shen paused slightly and said apologetically, “I know you already have other part-time jobs scheduled for Saturday, which might be hard to coordinate. You can think about it and let me know by tomorrow night.”

“Okay, thank you, Mr. Lin.” Xia Liyang pressed her lips together and cautiously probed, “Can I ask why this arrangement was made?”

“Sorry, I’m not very clear about that either.” Lin Shen spoke honestly, trying to comfort her, “Maybe it’s because he’s been satisfied with your work lately.”

“I understand. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”

After hanging up, Xia Liyang wondered if it was because she had been on her best behavior these past two weeks and hadn’t tried to flirt with him, which led him to summon her back on Saturday.

Was it an affirmation of her diligent cleaning?

If that were the case, it wouldn’t make sense for her to continue working at his house.

He clearly didn’t want to see her trying so hard to flirt with him.

Xu Songnian was right; as a romantic novice, she couldn’t possibly win over a man like him, who was deep and inscrutable.

Perfectly, she no longer had to think about how to resign; she could simply say that her Saturday part-time job couldn’t be coordinated, and she would be naturally fired.

Although she still felt a bit unwilling, her rationality told her it was time to end this hopeless plan.

Feeling down, Xia Liyang gripped the steering wheel and decided to text Song Jinhe when she got home, informing her that she had decided to give up and asking if she had any other methods to find inspiration.

Once home, Song Jinhe called her directly: “You said yesterday that you wanted to think it over. Why are you giving up today!”

Sinking into her bathtub, Xia Liyang slid deeper into the water, feeling a bit exhausted, and briefly explained the reason to her.

“Wait, I think your analysis is completely off!” Song Jinhe interrupted her.

“How is it off?” Xia Liyang was puzzled.

“First of all, why did he choose today to inform you?”

“Because he’s been observing me for two weeks and thinks I’m good enough…” Xia Liyang replied uncertainly.

“Wrong! It’s because he just found out today that you have a part-time cleaning job at the gym on Saturdays,” Song Jinhe said decisively.

“He didn’t say I couldn’t do similar part-time jobs before!” Xia Liyang furrowed her brows in confusion.

“Because he’s not actually nitpicking your part-time job!” Song Jinhe paused, asking for confirmation, “When you ran into each other, was Xu Songnian by your side?”

“Yeah… He even talked a bit with Lu Huaicheng, acting all familiar with me. He almost sold me out,” Xia Liyang said, feeling uneasy.

“Then it’s even more obvious. On the surface, he’s letting you choose between the gym and his job, but in reality, he’s making you choose between him and Xu Songnian!” Song Jinhe spoke excitedly, “What does this indicate?”

“What does it indicate?” Xia Liyang still didn’t understand.

“Oh my God, Xia Xia! When are you going to wake up?!” Song Jinhe’s tone was so exasperated that she seemed like she wanted to shake her through the phone screen. “It shows he mistakenly thinks you’re fishing for Xu Songnian’s interest at the same time. He’s not happy about it; he’s jealous, and he’s starting to feel possessive about you!”

“Ah?” Xia Liyang paused slightly.

She had never considered it from that angle.

“So, does this mean I’ve successfully flirted with him?” she asked, bewildered.

“At least you’ve hooked him,” Song Jinhe paused, teasing her with a smile. “And you, well, didn’t even realize the signals he was giving off and almost let the fish go.”

“I should quickly tell his assistant that I can clean on Saturday,” Xia Liyang said, wiping the foam off her hands and picking up her phone from the tub ledge.

“Don’t rush! Just respond to him before the deadline,” Song Jinhe hurriedly stopped her.

“Why? Shouldn’t I seize the opportunity quickly?” Xia Liyang hesitated in her actions.

“No, no, no! Let him think you’re still hesitant between him and other men, like you don’t care that much about him,” Song Jinhe smiled and explained further. “This is the push and pull between men and women; it’s also the core of romantic novels.”

“There’s a lot to it,” Xia Liyang furrowed her brows.

“Not too much! Just take it step by step, and you’ll understand,” Song Jinhe encouraged her. “Oh right, since he’s already hooked, you can flirt a bit bolder. Next time, try to have more physical contact with him.”

“He seems like he doesn’t like physical contact with people…” Xia Liyang hesitated.

“But if he’s interested in you, that’s a different story,” Song Jinhe paused and said, “I’ll send you a few tips on physical contact later. They’re not abstract; they’re easy to learn. You can use them to test him.”

Although Xia Liyang was skeptical about Song Jinhe’s claim of “easy to learn,” she couldn’t think of any other tactics and could only nod in agreement.

The next afternoon.

After playing golf with the old man from the Wen family, Lu Huaicheng wore a black tracksuit, looking handsome, with his sharp features low.

A pair of well-proportioned hands donned white gloves, gently wiping his golf club.

Hearing footsteps approaching, he lifted his gaze slightly. “Is the car ready?”

“Yes,” Lin Shen nodded.

Lu Huaicheng lowered his eyes again, elegantly putting away his golf club, casually asking, “Has Xia Liyang replied yet?”

“Not yet,” Lin Shen paused, glancing at his watch. “Didn’t you ask her to reply before tonight? There are still a few hours.”

“…” Lu Huaicheng furrowed his brows.

He had given her a day to think.

But was this really something she needed to think about for so long?

The salary he offered was much higher than what she made at the gym.

Could it be that she really couldn’t bear to part with that guy?

Or did she learn the art of playing hard to get?

Seeing Lu Huaicheng silent for a while, Lin Shen tentatively asked, “Mr. Lu, do you need me to nudge her a bit?”

“No need,” Lu Huaicheng snapped back to his senses and tossed his golf bag to Lin Shen. “Let’s go.”

That night was the gathering of the Lu and Wen families.

The Wen family was one of the top families in Jiangcheng; they had a long-standing friendship and many business dealings.

So after his father moved to the North City, he basically took charge of the interactions between the Lu and Wen families.

As soon as he entered the private room, Wen Yulin waved enthusiastically at him from the round table. “Huaicheng Ge, long time no see!”

“Weren’t we just together during the New Year? It hasn’t been that long,” Lu Huaicheng said with a warm smile as he walked to the empty seat beside her.

“That’s still several months! Don’t you miss me, Ge?” Wen Yulin pouted, acting coyly.

“Maybe I’ve been too busy, causing these months to pass in the blink of an eye,” Lu Huaicheng joked without directly answering her question.

He knew very well that Wen Yulin liked him and was basically the one he would marry in the future.

The reason they hadn’t set a formal engagement was simply that Wen Yulin was much younger than him and was still studying in university in the UK.

So he suggested waiting until she graduated before discussing the matter more suitably.

Before that, he didn’t want to give her any ambiguous signals to avoid any changes that might hurt her.

After all, he had watched her grow up like a sister, and even if he didn’t have romantic feelings for her, he didn’t want to make her too sad.

He even thought it would be better if she could fall in love with someone else in college.

In any case, he didn’t care whom he married.

Because love was just an elusive and optional thing for him.

He had more important things to accomplish.

“Can you spare some time these days to go shopping with me? I’ve finally come back to the country,” Wen Yulin blinked and pleaded.

“I’ll try,” Lu Huaicheng said, gently rolling up his sleeves and smiling.

“Yulin, Huaicheng just took over the company here in Jiangcheng and is very busy, so don’t make it hard for him,” the old man from the Wen family said with a cheerful voice.

“But didn’t he still make time to play golf with you this afternoon, Grandpa?” Wen Yulin puffed her cheeks in displeasure.

“Use your little brain to think, they’re not just playing ball,” Wen Yucheng poked her puffed-up cheeks with the end of his chopsticks.

“Don’t poke me!” Wen Yulin frowned and swatted her brother’s hand.

“Tsk, so fierce.” Wen Yucheng rubbed his hand dramatically and glanced at Lu Huaicheng with a look of grievance. “She’s only gentle with you.”

Lu Huaicheng chuckled noncommittally and lowered his gaze to the motionless phone on the table.

A feeling of inexplicable irritation surged within him.

…..

Meanwhile, at a small high-rise in Jiangwan.

Xia Liyang was eating takeout while propped up with her iPad, watching the BBC mini-suspense drama “And Then There Were None.”

Although she had read Agatha Christie’s original work countless times, the adaptation was quite well done, and the gripping performances still drew her in.

After finishing her takeout, she didn’t clean up but stubbornly finished the entire series before reluctantly getting up, tidying up the takeout boxes on the table, and glancing at the time on her phone.

It was already 9:30 PM.

Damn! She forgot to reply to Lin Shen!

Xia Liyang felt a tightening in her chest and hurriedly picked up her phone to find Lin Shen’s number.

She had originally planned to wait until after dinner to respond, perfectly timing it for the “before tonight” deadline.

She hadn’t expected to get so absorbed in the show that she completely forgot.

However, as long as the day wasn’t over, she could still consider it “before tonight,” right?

Xia Liyang comforted herself and quickly typed out a message: “Sorry for the late reply! I’m available to clean on Saturday!”

Then she began to anxiously wait.

Fortunately, before bed, she finally received Lin Shen’s reply: “Okay, I’ll help you re-draft the contract. You can just sign it next week when you come to clean.”

“Okay, thank you, Mr. Lin.”

Xia Liyang sighed in relief and lay down on her bed.

She wondered what Lu Huaicheng would think about her taking so long to reply.

Although Song Jinhe said he had already taken her bait, she still felt a bit uneasy.

After all, all her skills were newly learned, and she didn’t have a solid grip on the situation.

Perhaps if she wasn’t careful, she wouldn’t just fail to catch him but would end up being dragged down with him.

But now that things had come this far, she had to give it a try.

After all, she could swim back to shore herself.

Even if it was a bit embarrassing, she wouldn’t lose anything.

….

Once the minor solar term passed, the summer heat gradually began to manifest, and the weather started to become somewhat unpredictable.

It was a clear sky in the afternoon, but after dinner, dark clouds rolled in.

As Xia Liyang applied her makeup, she glanced at the gloomy sky outside.

A bright flash of lightning cut through the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder.

Xia Liyang checked the time; she had fifteen minutes before she needed to go to Lu Huaicheng’s house to clean.

If she lived at school, she should have left the campus forty minutes ago.

Back then, it was still sunny.

After thinking for a moment, she took out some makeup remover cotton and wiped off the half-done makeup on her face.

Then she got up, changed into a white tank top, and threw on a thin shirt over it.

By the time she put on her denim shorts, small raindrops had already begun to fall against her bedroom window.

Great, the rain was quite timely.

Xia Liyang smiled faintly, deliberately leaving the umbrella she had tossed by the entrance and heading downstairs.

She had been reviewing a lot of the flirtation tricks that Song Jinhe had shared with her over the past two days.

Although most of it still felt confusing, she remembered one particularly distinctive tip.

It was to become a cat, a tiger, or a rain-soaked puppy.

Cats and tigers felt a bit abstract.

But being rain-soaked was the simplest.

However, she didn’t expect that halfway through her walk, the light drizzle would turn into a downpour, soaking her thoroughly and chilling her to the bone.

She transformed from an adorable wet puppy into a miserable drowned rat.

Her soaked hair stuck to her face, her thin shirt became transparent, and the rainwater flowed down her exposed thighs, pooling in her canvas shoes.

Each step felt like she was stepping into a puddle.

She looked as messy as she could be.

If it weren’t for the time constraint, she would have wanted to go back home, change clothes, and take an umbrella.

With no tears left to cry, Xia Liyang wiped the rainwater off her face and rang the doorbell of Lu Huaicheng’s house.

But no one answered after a long while.

What’s going on?

Lin Shen didn’t tell her that Lu Huaicheng would be home late, or he could have sent her the temporary entry code!

Xia Liyang pulled out her wet phone from her pocket, intending to call Lin Shen.

However, she realized that her cheap, old phone was of such poor quality that it wouldn’t turn on after getting a little wet.

Of course, just when it rains, it pours!

Xia Liyang bit her lip and pressed the doorbell repeatedly out of frustration.

The next second, she heard Lu Huaicheng’s low voice coming from the intercom: “Are you here to pester me?”

“…”

Xia Liyang froze for a moment, stunned for several seconds. She then finally managed to respond with an apology, “S-sorry, Mr. Lu. I waited a long time without a response, so I thought you weren’t home…”

“If I’m not home, can you just break my doorbell?” He scoffed lightly.

“I didn’t mean it that way.” Xia Liyang awkwardly bit her lip. “I just…”

“Just what? Were you getting impatient waiting?” His tone was somewhat teasing.

“…” She couldn’t refute that and fell silent.

“But it’s only been five minutes,” he said, his voice refined and straight.

Yet somehow, it felt slightly stinging.

There seemed to be a hidden meaning behind his words.

Xia Liyang opened her mouth and suddenly realized that he must be upset about her taking so long to reply earlier, which was why he deliberately ignored her doorbell. It was likely a reminder and punishment for her previous behavior.

This man, beneath his seemingly gentle demeanor, indeed harbored a certain aloof cruelty.

Realizing his implication, Xia Liyang didn’t bother to defend herself further; she simply stood quietly in place, waiting for his judgment.

The increasingly heavy rain blurred her vision, making the villa before her appear shrouded in a mist, creating a distant, ethereal feeling.

Although there was a slight overhang at the entrance of his courtyard, it did little to help her, who was already soaked through.

Xia Liyang felt herself getting colder and couldn’t help but sneeze a couple of times.

The air fell silent for a few seconds.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of the door lock clicking open.

Accompanied by Lu Huaicheng’s flat remark, “Hurry up and come in to clean.”

It was rare for him to show a bit of conscience.

Xia Liyang sniffled and quickly pushed open the heavy courtyard door, jogging to the entrance of his villa.

“Sorry, Mr. Lu, I’m a bit wet,” Xia Liyang awkwardly wiped the rain off her face and forced a smile at Lu Huaicheng, who opened the door for her.

“……” Lu Huaicheng paused slightly, then frowned. “In such heavy rain, you didn’t bring an umbrella?”

“When I left school, the weather was fine. I didn’t expect it to rain so heavily…” Xia Liyang said, lowering her eyes in grievance, her damp long lashes fluttering gently.

“Don’t you check the weather forecast? A rainstorm warning was issued on your phone an hour ago.”

“……My phone just happens to be broken,” Xia Liyang said, pulling out her black-screened phone from her pocket and nervously holding it out to him.

At that moment, she was grateful that her phone had broken at just the right time.

It perfectly supported her lie.

Lu Huaicheng glanced down at her worn-out phone, his gaze darkening as it lifted to linger on her disheveled face for a few seconds.

Water droplets clung to her soft hair at the temples, and her small nose was slightly reddened.

Her almost transparent shirt clung to her slick skin, outlining her graceful body curves.

She looked like a rose drenched in rain.

Though swaying and about to fall, she appeared even more enchanting.

His dark pupils slightly constricted, and he composed himself: “Go to the bathroom to clean yourself up. There are clean towels in the cabinet.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lu.” Xia Liyang let out a sigh of relief and slightly bowed her head.

She quickly changed her shoes and hurried to the bathroom.

Lu Huaicheng’s gaze brushed over her water-filled canvas shoes, and a ripple of emotion passed through his eyes before he returned to the living room sofa.

Xia Liyang took off her shirt, wrung out the water, looked around, and temporarily hung it on his empty coat rack.

Then she found the new towel he mentioned and managed to dry off her wet hair and body a little.

According to her original plan, she would only get her outer shirt a bit damp.

Then she could justify taking off the shirt and only wear the tank top underneath to tempt him.

But at that moment, her white tank top was also wet, faintly revealing the outline of her bra.

Wasn’t this a bit too much…

Xia Liyang looked conflicted in the mirror, still hesitating when she suddenly heard Lu Huaicheng lightly knock on the bathroom door: “How long are you going to take?”

“I’ll be done soon,” Xia Liyang replied, nerves tightening, not caring about her clothes anymore. She quickly tied up her damp hair and opened the bathroom door.

Lu Huaicheng stood tall in the doorway, his gaze lowered, dark eyes lingering on her for a few seconds.

From this angle, he could just see the rise and fall of her cleavage.

A scene of ethereal beauty.

It was the simplest and most primitive form of seduction.

There was no technical skill involved.

But the moment her eyes sparkled, her lush lashes fluttered, and her bright, shimmering eyes looked up at him, he felt his throat involuntarily swallow.

“Sorry, Mr. Lu, for keeping you waiting.”

Xia Liyang bit her lip, her thick lashes nervously blinking.

Lu Huaicheng’s deep, black eyes held an elusive light, as if he was watching her with hidden meaning.

Xia Liyang couldn’t help but swallow again, instinctively hugging her arms, trying to cover the outline of her slightly translucent bra.

Her ears also turned faintly pink.

Seeing her movement, Lu Huaicheng’s gaze faltered slightly, and he suddenly let out an ambiguous chuckle.

Xia Liyang’s nerves tightened, thinking, why is he laughing?

Is he laughing at how exposed she looked?

Was her attempt to entice him so obvious?

Before she could think it through, Lu Huaicheng averted his gaze and turned away casually, “Go sign the new contract first.”

“Oh, okay.” Xia Liyang hurriedly nodded, quickly following his tall figure and taking the opportunity to explain, “I didn’t mean to reply late that day; I was just too busy and forgot…”

“Mm.” Lu Huaicheng replied indifferently, leaving it unclear whether he believed her.

He walked into the study and leisurely took out a contract from the drawer, placing it on the desk in front of her.

He then handed her a black pen with his long fingers.

Xia Liyang glanced at the back of his pale hand, faint blue veins subtly visible, exuding a secretive allure.

She took a light breath, thinking for a moment before extending her fingers, no longer keeping the distance she had before.

Instead, she lightly brushed against his warm, dry fingers.

The moment the warmth transferred through their skin, she saw his fingertips hesitate for a moment before he slowly lifted his gaze.

His dark, deep-set eyes looked at her, the dim light within them as unfathomable as a deep well.

Xia Liyang’s heart raced, her fingers hurriedly withdrawing as she quickly pulled the pen from his hand.

Then, pretending to act nonchalant, she bent down to open the contract on the table, ready to sign.

“Don’t you want to take a look at the revised terms first?” Lu Huaicheng said leisurely, not mentioning her earlier unintended touch but reminding her with a hint of teasing, “Aren’t you afraid I might sell you?”

Xia Liyang paused with the pen, slightly embarrassed as she looked up and awkwardly said, “I believe Mr. Lu, you’re not that kind of person.”

“Is that so?” He chuckled, raising an eyebrow, “Then how do you think of me?”

Xia Liyang bit her lip, quickly recalling her notes about him but couldn’t come up with anything to say.

After a long pause, she could only respond in a way she deemed safe, “I think you’re a good person…”

“…” Lu Huaicheng was momentarily taken aback, his expression softening as he let out a low laugh.

Her flirting technique was truly disastrous.

She actually handed him a “good person” card when he gave her an opportunity to take the initiative.

Xia Liyang awkwardly glanced at Lu Huaicheng, who was smiling at the corner of his eyes, still unable to figure out what he was laughing about.

Perhaps he just had a low sense of humor?

Rather than finding her every move amusing.

Xia Liyang consoled herself and lowered her head, signing her name at the end of the contract.

“All done.” She straightened up, her delicate hand returning the pen to the man beside her.

“Hmm.” Lu Huaicheng lowered his brows and extended his hand lightly.

His warm fingertips unintentionally brushed against the smooth, delicate skin on the back of her hand.