He was genuinely concerned about her condition, but his words only made Lin Mei angrier. She pushed him away, silent, tears still falling. Xing Zheng used his finger to wipe them, "Don't cry."
"Slap!" After wiping twice, she slapped his hand away again. Xing Zheng frowned and forcefully picked her up, "Tell me, why are you crying? You have to give me a reason for being angry!"
"I don't want to see you, get out!" she choked out, "Get out!"
After Xing Zheng left the bathroom, Lin Mei finally calmed down. She stood under the shower, washing her body, repeatedly splashing water on her face. She hadn't controlled her emotions just now and had acted coy in front of him, losing ground. Fortunately, she had regained control in time, otherwise…
She wasn't a particularly sentimental person, but when it came to emotions, people always behaved this way. If he touched her, she was dissatisfied; if he didn't, she was also dissatisfied. His sudden gentlemanly behavior was truly unsettling.
Stopping at a critical moment, she wasn't the only one suffering.
Xing Zheng was on the balcony, feeling the wind. Desire consumed his every nerve, a heat surging, about to explode. All he could do was stand there, feeling the breeze. Otherwise, if he went back, he would be unable to resist and would lose all control.
When Lin Mei came out, Xing Zheng was nowhere to be seen. Her clothes were soaked through. She could only put on a bathrobe, take out underwear and pajamas from her suitcase, and change. Afterward, Lin Mei started chatting with Lan Lan and Feng Feng on WeChat.
They both knew she had come on this business trip with Xing Zheng. Lan Lan had just asked her for "frontline battle reports."
Lin Mei's reply was: "The expedition failed before the battle even began."
She then recounted the incident in the bathroom where he had stopped abruptly.
Feng Feng commented, "He's keeping his promise this time?"
Lin Mei scoffed inwardly. Yes, she had never seen him like this before, as if he had lost interest in her. Otherwise, why would he have stopped at such a crucial moment? She still felt unwell, and it was driving her crazy.
Lan Lan also said, "Since you said that, it's normal for him to stop. No lapdog would force themselves on their owner against their will."
Lin Mei replied, "Yes, that makes sense."
Lan Lan said, "There are plenty of ways to break his defenses. You have to stay strong, don't be tempted. At worst, you can take care of yourself first."
Lan Lan and Feng Feng analyzed the situation with Lin Mei, and she increasingly felt they were right. Xing Zheng's current restraint made her even more curious. After enduring for so long, what would the explosion be like…
Lan Lan's suggestion of "taking care of herself" was not a bad idea.
Lan Lan asked Lin Mei for the hotel address, wanting to give her a surprise. Lin Mei provided it. Before she could ask what kind of surprise it was, she suddenly heard movement from the balcony; Xing Zheng had returned.
Lin Mei then realized he had been on the balcony all along. It was already the end of September, and autumn had arrived. Lucheng, being a northern city, had quite cool night breezes. Had he been out there for so long to calm himself down?
"I've ordered dinner," Xing Zheng said, stopping not far from the sofa. "It should be here soon. I'll go take a shower first." With that, he entered the bathroom.
The bathroom still held the residual warmth from her shower, along with the faint floral scent of the body wash. His desire, which had cooled slightly, was reignited. The bathroom was filled with her scent, pervasive and invading him.
As Xing Zheng had said, room service delivered dinner quickly: steak, bread, salad, and red wine – a standard romantic couple's meal. The hotel had also thoughtfully provided candles.
Lin Mei felt the urge for wine and poured herself half a glass. She didn't start eating yet. Coincidentally, Xu Ying sent some photos of Kaka. Lin Mei drank her wine and chatted with him. Kaka was a husky that Xu Ying raised to keep him company after Xu He Li brought him back to Lucheng.
After not seeing each other for several months, Kaka had grown much larger. Xu Ying sent another video of him playing with the dog. As Lin Mei was watching, Xing Zheng came out of the bathroom. He was wearing a bathrobe and sat down on the other side of the dining table. He happened to hear Xu Ying's voice from Lin Mei's phone.
He looked over. On the screen was a lively husky, and Lin Mei was watching with great delight. Xing Zheng immediately understood; this must be the dog Xu Ying had mentioned.
Xing Zheng's arrival diverted Lin Mei's attention. She watched the video again. Kaka was very energetic and well-trained by Xu Ying. Lin Mei sent Xu Ying a voice message, "Kaka has grown so much again."
Xu Ying replied with a voice message. Even though Lin Mei hadn't played it out loud, the room was quiet enough for Xing Zheng to hear, "Yes, I'll bring Kaka to play with you tomorrow."
Lin Mei happily agreed, "Okay."
Xing Zheng couldn't listen any longer and reminded Lin Mei, "Eat." His tone was sinister and displeased, clearly indicating his dissatisfaction with her conversation with Xu Ying.
Lin Mei was unaffected by him. She sipped her red wine and picked up her knife and fork, taking small bites of the steak. Her eyes were still a little red from crying, but her emotions had subsided. Had she been appeased by Xu Ying and the dog?
Thinking of this, Xing Zheng asked, "Do you like dogs very much?"
"Oh, yes," Lin Mei said. "Obedient dogs are very likable."
Xing Zheng didn't grasp the deeper meaning of Lin Mei's words but took them to heart. "Oh."
The suite only had one bedroom, so they would have to sleep together that night. Xing Zheng had prepared to be kicked out to sleep outside. To his surprise, when he returned after finishing his phone call, Lin Mei had already fallen asleep.
She was likely exhausted from the flight and slept very soundly. She lay on her side, her body slightly curled up. Her long eyelashes cast shadows beneath her eyelids. As she slept, her lips were gently pressed together, making one's heart flutter.
Xing Zheng got into bed and lay down on the other side. He smelled her unique scent. While she was asleep, he leaned closer and kissed her lips, reluctant to let go for a long time.
Fortunately, she was sleeping soundly, and he controlled his strength well. After kissing for a long time, she didn't wake up. While his reason was still intact, Xing Zheng turned off the bedside lamp and lay down beside her.
In the darkness, Lin Mei opened her eyes and touched the spot he had just kissed. The corners of her lips curved slightly. He had resorted to this tactic…
However, this also proved that Lan Lan's deduction was correct.
The next day, Xing Zheng had to go out to meet with a business partner, and Xu Ying also had work, so he couldn't bring Kaka out to play with her. Lin Mei wasn't interested in going shopping either, so she stayed alone in the hotel.
Shortly after Xing Zheng left, she received a courier delivery from the hotel. Lin Mei opened the package, and her face turned red when she saw what was inside!
At that moment, Lan Lan's WeChat message arrived, "Did you receive the gift I sent you?"
Lin Mei then remembered that Lan Lan had indeed said she would send her a gift last night. She hadn't expected it to be this.
She picked up the instruction manual, read it carefully, took a photo, and sent it back, "Received."
Lan Lan said, "Try it out. It should be enough to satisfy your cravings."