White Lotus 35

Xiao Weijing almost couldn’t keep his balance, his shocked gaze fixed on Xiao Zexing. Finally losing his composure, he exclaimed, "Uncle, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

 

"Do I really need to tell you about something like this?" Xiao Zexing looked at him and retorted, "Aren’t you a grown man?"

 

Xiao Weijing's face turned ashen.

 

Xiao Zexing continued in a calm tone, "If you're truly remorseful, then you should handle the situation with Wen Ling properly. It has escalated to this point, and your mistake is the most severe.” 

 

By now, Xiao Weijing could barely hear what Xiao Zexing was saying.

 

His ears were buzzing, and his fingers were clenched into fists. Even his exhales seemed to carry faint ferocity.

 

His heart felt as if it was being painfully squeezed.

 

After learning the truth from Tang You just a few moments ago, Xiao Weijing felt disheartened and disappointed but not devastated. However, it was this sentence from his uncle that drove a knife right into his heart.

 

He had once vowed to repay his savior's kindness.

 

However, he hadn't expected his repayment to take this form.

 

Xiao Weijing tightened his fists. "Uncle."

 

Xiao Zexing's expression revealed neither anger nor joy. "You’ve indulged too much in your youthful exuberance. It's only through experiencing the pain that lessons are truly learned."

 

Xiao Weijing understood what Xiao Zexing meant.

 

His uncle rarely delivered grand lectures. Back when Xiao Weijing was a mischievous child and saw a layer of ice forming on a pond in winter, he couldn't resist the urge to slide on it.

 

Xiao Zexing neither stopped him nor advised against it. He simply watched coldly as Xiao Weijing crushed the ice with his weight and fell into the water. He observed him struggle and cry out for quite some time before finally rescuing him. "Have you realized your mistake?"

 

Xiao Weijing shivered in the cold, his fingers numb. He tearfully admitted that he had.

 

Since then, Xiao Weijing had never made the same mistake again.

 

Xiao Zexing gazed at his pallid face and continued in a slightly softer tone, "You and Youyou weren't meant to be. There's no need to force it. I've arranged for Alex to book your flight this afternoon. Take a break and go back."

 

With the mission accomplished perfectly, Tang You had eaten and drunk merrily for a while before being carried back on a flight by Xiao Zexing.

 

She finally saw the three pieces of jewelry she had won at the auction in person. After marveling at how wonderful it was to have money, she put them back without hesitation.

 

These valuable items were genuinely beyond what she could afford, even if she were to sell herself.

 

Xiao Zexing asked, “Don't you like them?"

 

How could she not like them?

 

Even though Tang You rarely wore such accessories, it didn't mean that she didn't like them.

 

Who wouldn't be tempted by beautiful, luxurious things?

 

Tang You remained silent, and as Xiao Zexing adjusted his wristwatch, he flashed a faint smile. "I'll take you to see more when there's time."

 

Tang You kept her head down and exchanged messages with Jiang Chenting. Without looking up, she sent her replies.

 

Jiang Chenting: Youyou, stay away from Xiao Zexing. Consider this your dear brother’s plea.

 

Tang You responded: I understand my boundaries. You don't need to worry.

 

Tang You could fully understand her brother's concerns.

 

Her brother was worried that she might be deceived, both in body and heart, by Xiao Zexing. However, the issue was that Tang You also had a tiny inclination to deceive Xiao Zexing.

 

If she could avoid falling for him, that would be even better.

 

Tang You was currently stuck in the pit of infatuation and could hardly climb out.

 

She had spent several days resting at home but still hadn't recovered her senses.

 

On the weekend, Amay continued to stay home. Tang You and Miao Jiaxi replaced the studio's old plants with new ones. After arranging the furniture around, they huddled on the couch with potato chips and soft drinks, ready to watch a movie.

 

Miao Jiaxi noticed that something was off with her best friend and reached out to touch Tang You's forehead. She asked worriedly, "What's wrong? Why do you look so drained?"

 

Tang You leaned her head against Miao Jiaxi's shoulder, her voice weak as she responded, "Jia Jia, something major happened."

 

Miao Jiaxi was startled and helped Tang You sit up, her expression turning pale. "Are you pregnant with Xiao Zexing's child?"

 

Tang You was baffled. "No!"

 

Why did Miao Jiaxi have such a terrifying thought? She was still a virgin.

 

Miao Jiaxi let out a sigh of relief. "Then, what is it?"

 

Tang You exhaled in frustration, her head hung. "Lately, I can't stop thinking about how to seduce Xiao Zexing… Wait, that’s not quite the right way to put it. It’s just that… Whenever I see him, I can't help but think of all sorts of inappropriate things."

 

In fact, it was more than just fantasizing; after the auction ended that night, Tang You had several peculiar dreams.

 

She sat on the couch, hugging her head while mumbling, "Jia Jia, what should I do?"

 

Miao Jiaxi flicked Tang You's nose playfully, unfazed by her despair. "What you're experiencing is normal. Fantasizing doesn't break any laws. I've fantasized about various men many times. Don't just obsess about refraining from crossing boundaries. I don't even have any boundaries. I go wherever the eye candy is."

 

She had a point.

 

However, most of these people didn't exist in real life like Xiao Zexing did. She wouldn’t have many opportunities to meet with these perfect men or even occasionally have moments alone together. 

 

Miao Jiaxi helped Tang You up and patted her head soothingly. "Aren't you close to your menstrual period? Having strange impulses before your period is quite common. It's just your long-awaited egg cells struggling in their final throes, desperately stimulating hormone secretion to urge you to look for a high-quality man quickly. It's akin to an animal's mating season. Don't worry, it’ll pass after a while."

 

Tang You still wasn’t content. "Why do I feel like you're trying to deceive me with your words?"

 

"So? Do you want me to tell you the truth?" Miao Jiaxi asked in a serious tone. "Do you want me to reprimand you for being morally corrupt, going against ethics, and even thinking about making advances toward someone older?"

 

Tang You clicked her tongue. "If I were you, I might have already made a move. What are you scared of? Just go for it."

 

Tang You buried her face in Miao Jiaxi's stomach and nuzzled against her before explaining slowly. "It’s because I feel like I only like Xiao Zexing for his body. With our awkward relationship, once we sleep together and I have him, I might not like his body anymore. It would be so awkward when we meet in the future."

 

Miao Jiaxi wasn't concerned at all. "Are you suggesting a one-night stand?"

 

Tang You paused for a moment. "What do you mean by 'one-night stand'?"

 

“It means the same thing as what you’ve said."

 

Tang You nodded.

 

"Well, in that case…" Miao Jiaxi pinched Tang You's cheek with sympathy. "Poor thing, you'll just have to keep yearning."

 

To calm herself down, Tang You attempted to channel all her energy into her work and thesis, desperately consuming her own vitality.

 

Her social circles and Xiao Zexing's had never overlapped, and now, the only thing that connected them was Tang Huhu.

 

Under Xiao Zexing's personal supervision, Tang Huhu successfully shed the extra weight gained due to neutering.

 

One day, before going to work, Meng Yunqiu watched as Tang Huhu stuck to Xiao Zexing. Meng Yunqiu smiled and said to Tang You, "Huhu is so clingy to Xiao Zexing now. You might as well get Huhu a little brother or sister."

 

Tang You was drinking water and choked upon hearing this, coughing heavily.

 

That night, Xiao Zexing had just threatened to "give Huhu a little sister." While still coughing, Tang You couldn't help but glance over. She saw Xiao Zexing bent down, petting Tang Huhu's fur, and he even glanced at her with a shallow dimple in his cheek.

 

Tang You hurriedly cut Meng Yunqiu off, "I'm content with raising Huhu alone."

 

Xiao Zexing smiled slightly. "It would be nice to give Huhu a little sister."

 

"Abide by the family planning policy. One is enough."

 

"The two-child policy has already been fully implemented. Isn't Huhu lonely as an only child?"

 

He actually dared to flirt with her right under Grandma's nose!

 

Tang You shot back, "Are you planning to have one?"

 

Meng Yunqiu chuckled while watching the two bicker. Then, shaking her head, she finally addressed the main topic. "Youyou, you need to allocate some time to change your household registration."

 

Tang You was taken aback.

 

Setting aside the retort she had prepared for Xiao Zexing, Tang You questioned, "Change my household registration? What for?"

 

"Right now, you and Tang Xiaoxiao are still on the same household registration, aren't you?" Meng Yunqiu picked up her handbag and patiently adjusted her brooch in the mirror. "It's better to change it sooner rather than later. That way, your father won't cause any problems for you in the future. You can have your own separate household registration, or you can transfer it directly under my name."

 

Tang You hadn't thought about this matter before. Hearing Meng Yunqiu's words, she began to take them more seriously. "Would it be troublesome?"

 

"The process isn't complicated." Meng Yunqiu grinned. "If we do it in the same city, it'll take about five working days, but your father is quite a rather stubborn man. How about getting your second uncle to help you?"

 

Xiao Zexing again?

 

Tang You instinctively declined, "No need for that, Grandma. I can handle this myself."

 

"Didn't you help your second uncle at the auction last time?" Meng Yunqiu was finally satisfied with her brooch and flashed a content grin in the mirror. "This is a good opportunity for your second uncle to repay the favor."

 

As soon as the topic of repaying favors came up, Tang You's head began to ache.

 

For some inexplicable reason, Xiao Weijing had called her the day before. He had sounded somewhat drunk, saying he wanted to repay a favor and asking if she could forgive him. Tang You found it utterly baffling. After clarifying his address, she called the servants at the Xiao residence to fetch him back home.

 

She had no intentions of being alone with Xiao Zexing, purely because she was afraid she couldn't control her inner desires.

 

Tang You had no choice but to say, "I'm leaving tomorrow to shoot a music video. I don't have time."

 

"Well, I also have work tomorrow," Xiao Zexing calmly added. "Shall we go now? I have plenty of time today."

 

Meng Yunqiu urged Tang You with the same smile on her face. "Aren't you going to thank your second uncle?"

 

Tang You murmured, "Thank you, Second Uncle."

 

Hmm… it was just to get a household registration, so it shouldn't be a big deal, right?

 

Tang Xiaoxiao was supposed to have a meeting in the morning. His attitude when answering Tang You's call was extremely rude, but as soon as he heard that Xiao Zexing was coming, his tone changed immediately. "What? Mr. Xiao is coming too? Alright, I'll be right back."

 

From that call, Tang You managed to confirm one thing.

 

Her father's character of bullying the weak and fearing the strong remained the same as ever.

 

By the time Tang You and Xiao Zexing arrived, Tang Xiaoxiao had already prepared tea and politely invited Xiao Zexing to sit. "Mr. Xiao, please, this is Laojun Mei tea that a friend just bought me. Please try it."

 

After tasting the tea, Xiao Zexing placed the teacup down and clasped his hands. "Uncle Tang, I'm here mainly for Youyou."

 

Jiang Tao, who was passing by the doorway, happened to hear how Xiao Zexing had addressed Tang You. Her face stiffened, and she stuck her ear to the side of the door, listening intently.

 

Tang Xiaoxiao's face lit up with how he had called him "Uncle Tang," but he didn't catch on to the second part. He chuckled. "What's the matter? Is Youyou up to some mischief again?"

 

"Not at all." Xiao Zexing smiled, getting straight to the point. "Mrs. Meng wants to transfer Youyou’s household registration under her name, so I'm here to accompany her to get a new one."

 

Tang Xiaoxiao's cheerful expression froze. "Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

 

"I think it's quite appropriate," Tang You interrupted as she flipped through a magazine without lifting her eyes to look at him. "It's just saving you the trouble of constantly worrying about finding me a boyfriend."

 

Tang Xiaoxiao hadn't anticipated that Tang You would be so defiant even in front of Xiao Zexing. His expression changed immediately. "Youyou! Where are your manners? Am I not doing this for your own good? I’m just trying to find you a boyfriend. Why are you making it sound so unpleasant?"

 

He suppressed his anger, scolded her, and then apologized to Xiao Zexing with a troubled smile. "I'm sorry, Mr. Xiao. I’ve spoiled Youyou too much.” 

Xiao Zexing's fingers stroked the edge of the teacup as he returned the smile. "Uncle Tang, this time, not only does Mrs. Meng want to transfer Youyou’s household registration, but she also wants to introduce a boyfriend to her."

 

Tang Xiaoxiao was overjoyed. "Really?"

 

Meng Yunqiu's status and connections far surpassed Tang Xiaoxiao's. With her help, Tang You's future husband wouldn't be too humble.

 

Tang Xiaoxiao wasn't worried. After all, he was Tang You's biological father.

 

Tang Xiaoxiao's mind was agile, and he quickly weighed the pros and cons of the situation. He asked Xiao Zexing, "Does Mrs. Meng have a candidate in mind?"

 

Xiao Zexing's gaze flickered slightly. "There is someone."

 

Tang Xiaoxiao was excited. "Who is it? How old is he? What does he do?"

 

"Things aren't set in stone yet, so I can't tell you for now. He's just slightly older than Youyou."

 

Tang Xiaoxiao wasn't concerned. "Being a bit older means he's more considerate."

 

Xiao Zexing's smile gradually widened. "That's what I think too."

 

Tang You shifted her gaze from the magazine to Xiao Zexing.

 

He was truly a sly old fox.

 

His words layered on top of each other meaninglessly.

 

He was telling a fib with such a straight face, even deceiving her father.

 

That wasn’t the case, and yet, with Xiao Zexing’s convincing words, it sounded as if she could get engaged and married within a month.

 

"Youyou, Zexing, wait here. I'll bring over the household registration book." Xiao Zexing’s words had resolved a significant issue in Tang Xiaoxiao’s mind, and now, his footsteps were light as he hummed a tune. Just after leaving the reception room, Jiang Tao eagerly pulled him aside and asked in a low voice, "Why did Xiao Zexing and Tang You come?"

 

Tang Xiaoxiao gleefully recounted the incident in detail.

 

Jiang Tao wasn't as optimistic as Tang Xiaoxiao. She frowned, pondered for a while, and then asked, "Then, why did I hear Xiao Zexing call you 'uncle'?"

 

"Xiao Zexing is my junior in the industry. He’s just using the right respectful way of addressing me.” 

 

"Won’t this just mess up the seniority?" Jiang Tao cut to the chase. "If he really respects you, he could’ve just called you 'brother.' Why go through all this trouble to lower his status? Why did he suddenly call you 'uncle'? What do you think his motive might be?"

 

Tang Xiaoxiao's usually muddled brain finally cleared up.

 

Men understood men best.

 

He looked at Jiang Tao in astonishment and asked, "Are you saying—"

 

Jiang Tao met his gaze. "I suspect Xiao Zexing has taken a liking to our Nannan."

 

Tang Xiaoxiao was greatly surprised. "Could that be true?"

 

"Why not?" Jiang Tao lowered her voice. "Remember when we went to the hot springs last time? Nannan's room balcony was directly opposite Xiao Zexing's room balcony. Xiao Zexing later told you that he saw Nannan taking something of Tang You's and running off. Wasn't it because he noticed Nannan? If Xiao Zexing didn't have an interest in Nannan, why would he go to such lengths? Given his personality, he shouldn't be asking Nannan to apologize to Tang You directly. Shouldn't he simply be demanding that?”

 

Tang Xiaoxiao’s thoughts were muddled by his wife's logical sequence. His mind slowly slipped into a daze. "But if he likes Nannan, shouldn't he be protective of her? How could he ask her to apologize to Tang You?"

 

Jiang Tao looked at him somewhat exasperatedly. "Think about it. Is Xiao Zexing someone who can't differentiate right from wrong? He's doing this because he cares about Nannan, so he's asking her to change her shortcomings. Otherwise, why would he be so scheming? With his personality, he should have simply asked Nannan to apologize to Tang You directly."

 

Tang Xiaoxiao hesitated. "But what if Xiao Zexing's doing this for Tang You?"

 

"At this point, Tang You still calls him 'Second Uncle' in every other sentence. It's obvious that Xiao Zexing treats her as a junior and that he doesn’t allow her to call him 'brother'.” Jiang Tao's voice grew more passionate. "Moreover, Tang You was once engaged to Weijing. Even if Xiao Zexing were a complete rogue, he wouldn't be interested in her. If that was the case, how would he explain it to the elders later on?"

Tang Xiaoxiao found Jiang Tao's words to be of sound reasoning.

 

With Jiang Tao's insight, Tang Xiaoxiao was practically blooming with joy. He happily fetched the household registration book and handed it to Xiao Zexing. His gaze toward Xiao Zexing held a touch of fondness.

 

Though Xiao Zexing was a bit older than Nannan, he wasn't too far off. As long as the previous incidents were well-concealed and Nannan remained confined at home for these couple of days, Xiao Zexing shouldn't know…

 

Tang Xiaoxiao looked at Xiao Zexing as if he was his future son-in-law. Even when seeing him off, he took the opportunity to call Nannan over and say, "Nannan, come and see Mr. Xiao off."

 

Tang You noticed the change in her father's tone.

 

When Tang Xiaoxiao said those words, there was a depth of affection in his voice like a brothel owner summoning a girl.

 

“Little Jade, Little Red, and Little Butterfly, come and see the gentleman off!”

 

It was the exact same tone.

 

Tang Xiaoxiao's thoughts were really not difficult to decipher.

 

Tang You couldn't be bothered and went straight out, getting into the car without saying anything further. She looked outside the car window, and Tang Nannan exchanged a few words with Xiao Zexing.

 

Xiao Zexing's expression was calm.

 

Tang Nannan's smile was as radiant as a firework.

 

Tang You turned her face away, took out her phone, and started playing a puzzle game.

 

With a joyful "unbelievably," Xiao Zexing got into the car.

 

His refreshing scent of cedarwood wafted over, and Tang You stared at her phone screen, unable to find any matches to her puzzle.

 

She said, "My dad wants to match you and Tang Nannan."

 

Xiao Zexing handed her the household registration book. "Why this strange idea all of a sudden?"

 

Tang You took it with one hand, not looking at his expression. She kept her focus on her phone. "Call it a woman’s intuition."

 

After a pause, she added, "But Tang Nannan's personality isn't great, and I don't like her."

 

She pursed her lips, feeling a bit grudging.

 

Unlike the sourness felt from the auction, her heart wrinkled from the sourness she was feeling at the moment as if lemon juice was splashed onto her heart.

 

The unpleasantness surged to her mouth. 

 

Xiao Zexing said, "I don't like her either."

 

Tang You finally looked up at him.

 

Xiao Zexing stroked her hair. "I'm not interested in other women. Don't overthink it, and don't concoct wild couple pairings for me in your mind."

 

Tang You was surprised.

 

Xiao Zexing actually knew the term "couple," which didn't seem to align with his personality.

 

She had thought Xiao Zexing wouldn't surf the internet.

 

However, because of this sentence, Tang You's heart fluttered silently.

 

Yet she didn't understand the source of this tickle in her chest.

 

The next day, Tang You flew to the Maldives with her assistant to collaborate on shooting the promotional music video for the new movie, Huo Xunan. The shooting location was on a small island, and they arrived in the evening. As the production team had arrived a day earlier, Yang Ming had arranged a hotel for Tang You.

 

However, upon arriving at the hotel, Tang You unexpectedly bumped into Xiao Zexing. She was utterly shocked. "Why are you here?"

 

Wasn't he supposed to be working?

 

With his suit draped over his arm, Xiao Zexing looked at her with surprise and asked, "Didn't Huo Xunan tell you? The biggest investor in this movie is Mingjian Entertainment."

 

"How would I know?"

 

Tang You vaguely felt like she had been set up.

 

Despite that doubt, she couldn't find any evidence.

 

Did she have to confront Huo Xunan about whether he and Xiao Zexing had teamed up to deceive her into coming to shoot the MV?

 

No, absolutely not.

 

Nervously, Tang You returned to her room, only to realize that it was too late—

 

Xiao Zexing's room was right next to hers!

 

Tang You stood at the door for a moment and turned to look at Xiao Zexing. "Did you intentionally arrange for Yang Ming to book the rooms?"

 

"No." Xiao Zexing smiled. "It’s a coincidence."

 

"A coincidence made with piles of money?" Tang You glared at him. "Could you explain why there are no other guests in the entire hotel right now?"

 

On this floor of the hotel, there were only Tang You and Xiao Zexing.

 

Since arriving at the hotel, Tang You hadn’t seen a second guest.

 

Xiao Zexing answered leisurely, "To facilitate the upcoming shooting, we temporarily rented the hotel to provide accommodation for our crew. Is there a problem?"

 

It seemed there really wasn't a problem.

 

He had a logical explanation, and Tang You couldn't find any words to counter him.

 

Xiao Zexing walked closer. "It seems like you're not satisfied with this arrangement, Youyou.”

 

Tang You took a step back, her back against the door and her nerves tight. "It's alright."

 

She wasn't particularly dissatisfied.

 

The corridor was dead silent, devoid of any other people. Xiao Zexing towered over her, his shirt impeccably ironed and his Adam's apple particularly pronounced.

 

In Tang You's mind, videos began playing.

 

"Seventeen-Minute Hotel Corridor.mkv" and "My Uncle on a Business Trip Turns Out to Be Like This.mp4"…

 

Xiao Zexing chuckled and then left, swiping his card to enter the room next door.

 

Tang You covered her chest, suddenly feeling like she had dropped from a space suspended between heaven and hell back to the earth.

 

She felt quite uneasy.

 

Perhaps her dying eggs were putting up their final struggle.

 

That was why everything seemed so vivid.

 

After staying calm in the room for a while, Tang You watched the vibrant sunset at the sea through the glass window. Unable to resist, she walked out onto the balcony.

 

She unintentionally noticed an ice cream cart not far from the hotel. Tang You quickly called Yang Ming and had him bring up a serving of ice cream.

 

Sitting on a wicker chair, she leisurely enjoyed the sunset while slowly eating the ice cream.

 

The ice cream was too cold, numbing her tongue and even diminishing the sweetness.

 

Just as she had dug out a scoop, she suddenly heard Xiao Zexing's voice from beside her. "What flavor is the ice cream?"

 

He had changed into another outfit; he now donned a black shirt with the buttons undone by two notches. In the evening glow, he appeared even more distinguished.

 

The color suited him well, too.

 

Just by looking at his face, Xiao Zexing didn't appear much older than Xiao Weijing.

 

Tang You, captivated by his looks, replied honestly, "Strawberry and mango."

 

Worried about getting a stomachache from eating something too cold, yet greedy to taste both flavors, Tang You ordered a split scoop.

 

The mango flavor was far tastier than the strawberry one. Tang You had devoured the entire mango-flavored part of the ice cream scoop, and the other half of the scoop which was strawberry-flavored remained relatively untouched.

 

The balconies of the two rooms were separated by white railings.

 

Xiao Zexing asked, "Mind if I come over and take a look?"

 

Huh?

 

What did he mean?

 

What was so interesting about ice cream?

 

Tang You was puzzled. "How will you get over here?"

 

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Xiao Zexing place both hands on the railing and effortlessly climbed over the two balconies' railings and gaps, steadying himself on her side.

 

Tang You was so shocked that she almost dropped her spoon.

 

Xiao Zexing walked up to Tang You. Seeing her astonished expression, he asked, "What are you thinking of?"

 

Tang You answered, "I'm thinking about how many years your behavior would get you sentenced."

 

She added, "If you turn back now, I'll pretend like nothing happened."

 

Xiao Zexing didn't show any guilt for his illegal act. He beamed and looked at her. "Are you trying to morally blackmail me?"

 

"Why would I?" Tang You looked at him in astonishment and asked, "Do you still have morals, Uncle?"

 

Xiao Zexing smiled at her mockery.

 

With a shallow dimple by his cheek, his large hand covered her head, and he playfully messed up her hair as he sighed. "I really want to shut that little mouth of yours."

 

An unintentional, naughty thought flashed in Tang You’s mind.

 

Shut her little mouth?

 

What did he want to use to shut it?

 

Tang You's gaze moved away from his neat shirt. She restrained her wild imagination, changed the subject, and exclaimed, “Having long legs is really an advantage."

 

If she had tried to flip herself over the railing like Xiao Zexing had just done, she would either have fallen and turned into a pancake, or she'd be stuck on the railing, unable to move.

 

Xiao Zexing said, "It's not just long legs."

 

Yes, I'm sorry.

 

Even though Tang You understood that he might be referring to athletic ability, her mind uncontrollably wandered to other, less appropriate ideas.

 

Tang You tried hard not to let herself become Ding Dang, the cat. Holding the small porcelain bowl with the half-eaten ice cream scoop, she changed the subject again and asked Xiao Zexing, "Would you like to try the ice cream, Uncle?"

 

As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized they weren't appropriate.

 

This time there was only one spoon for the ice cream, and she had just used it.

 

Would Xiao Zexing find her disgusting?

 

Wait, Xiao Zexing's gaze seemed to be fixed on her lips.

 

Ah.

He was lowering his head and approaching her.

 

Wait, was he going to kiss her?

 

An alarm bell suddenly rang in Tang You's mind.

 

Her limbs remained immobile.

 

Should she just stay still, or should she resist a bit?

 

Xiao Zexing leaned in slightly, and in the midst of her nervous gaze, he calmly looked at the ice cream scoop in the porcelain bowl and smiled. "Do you really want me to try it?"

 

Thank goodness, his target was indeed the ice cream, not her.

 

It must be her dying eggs randomly struggling again.

 

The strawberry-flavored ice cream scoop didn't taste good, and Tang You sighed in relief. She generously handed the half-eaten ice cream bowl to Xiao Zexing. "If you want to try it, Uncle, you can have the rest."

 

"You’re being this generous?" Xiao Zexing took the porcelain bowl from her. "Why is there only half a scoop left?"

 

Tang You replied absentmindedly, "Because I’ve eaten the mango flavor."

 

Indeed, lewd thoughts come to lewd minds. She was still filled with naughty thoughts, and no matter how hard she tried to clear them, they lingered. She had thought many times that day that Xiao Zexing was going to kiss her, but she realized it was impossible; he rarely lost his composure when sober.

 

Apart from the incident at the swimming pool, Xiao Zexing had never kissed her while sober.

 

"But I want to try the mango flavor." Xiao Zexing casually placed the porcelain bowl aside as he gazed at her with a grin. "What should I do?"

 

What else could she do?

 

Of course, he should ask the assistant to get him another one! The ice cream cart was downstairs, and it should still be there.

 

She wasn't an ice cream vendor. Why was he asking her such a question?

 

Could she just magically create one for him?

 

Tang You started, "Then you—"

 

Xiao Zexing leaned down, silencing the words she hadn't spoken yet.

 

Caught off guard, Tang You's eyes widened.

 

Just as the countless lewd thoughts appeared in her mind, Xiao Zexing leaned down to match her height and circled his arms around her, gently but firmly holding her, not letting her move away and forcing her to tilt her head up.

 

Soft and sweet, Tang You almost felt like she was being squished as he slowly ate the piece of fruit. He ate slowly, swallowing the last remnants of mango flavor before continuing to savor the ripe, juicy fruit.

 

After meticulously savoring each bite, Xiao Zexing finally let go. He lowered his eyes to look at her, leaned down, and lightly kissed her cheek. He still held her, his face close to her reddened ear, and he whispered softly, "The mango is delicious, but you’re much more delicious."

 

Tang You could clearly hear her heart pounding wildly.

 

What did he mean by mango and Tang You being delicious? Right now, she wanted to know if Xiao Zexing was delicious.

 

Xiao Zexing caressed her hair and kissed her forehead affectionately, his fingers lightly grazing her back, not daring to go lower. After a while, he finally relaxed the tense muscles in his arm, though only slightly.

 

Tang You's heart was racing intensely.

 

Damn it.

 

She was throwing caution to the wind.

 

Even if a flash flood, tsunami, or earthquake happened the next day, she was going to follow through with what was happening.

 

Even if it meant dying under a peony, she'd still die elegantly.

 

Tang You reached out and tugged at his collar, pulling him slightly toward herself.

 

Due to her action, Xiao Zexing's shirt collar loosened a bit, revealing his collarbone clearly.

 

Moving downward, the muscles beneath his shirt were symmetrical and almost perfect.

 

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he carried the pleasant scent of cedar mixed with a faint hint of vetiver.

 

She wanted to seize the opportunity.

 

Damn the elders. She was going to kiss him.

 

Tang You fixed her stare on his face, her trembling hand clutching his shirt. "One more time."