Lin Mei felt increasingly uneasy, regretting her actions, but it was too late. If she were indeed pregnant, there seemed to be no way to confirm it yet.
Lin Mei calculated the days. It had been less than twenty days since she and Xing Zheng had first been intimate without protection. Today's vomiting was definitely not due to pregnancy, but it served as a reminder that she needed to be vigilant.
If she were pregnant, she would have to deal with the unexpected situation as soon as possible. Her relationship with Xing Zheng was a mere fling, and she wasn't naive enough to consider becoming a single mother.
The next day, Lin Mei contacted Ming Zhou, intending to visit him with Chen Qi to apologize. Ming Zhou was gracious enough to provide his villa's address upon hearing that Lin Mei wished to visit.
Chen Qi was reluctant to apologize to Ming Zhou. However, after Lin Mei had broken up with him the previous night, he feared she would bring it up again if he didn't comply with her wishes, so he temporarily conceded.
Before going, Lin Mei and Chen Qi bought some gifts. Lin Mei drove, and as she was unfamiliar with the route to the villa, she used navigation.
Chen Qi heard the name of the destination, Zhuyu Villa, a place where every inch of land was precious. He was surprised that Ming Zhou lived in such a high-end villa. He, on the other hand, after working for several years and relying on his parents' savings, had only just managed to scrape together a down payment.
Chen Qi's mood soured. Ming Zhou was interested in Lin Mei, and if Lin Mei were to fancy Ming Zhou's circumstances...
No! He had to make plans early. He would assert his claim over Lin Mei in front of Ming Zhou, not letting Ming Zhou snatch her away!
Lin Mei followed the navigation to Zhuyu Villa. After parking, she and Chen Qi, carrying the gifts, got out of the car and approached the entrance, pressing the doorbell.
Soon, the door opened, but it was Xing Zheng who answered, not Ming Zhou.
He was wearing a black t-shirt, its fitted style accentuating his muscular physique. The arm resting on the doorknob was lean and powerful...
Such a man exuded a dangerous aura. Lin Mei instinctively took a step back.
Her small movement was noticed by Xing Zheng, who smirked, "Manager Lin, are you that afraid of me?"
Lin Mei remained silent, but Chen Qi asked curiously, "Mr. Xing, why are you here?"
Xing Zheng replied, "Ming Zhou and I have been friends for many years. He's injured and has no one to look after him, and I happen to have time."
Xing Zheng's words put Chen Qi in an awkward position. "I'm truly sorry. I came to apologize to Mr. Ming."
"Please come in," Xing Zheng generously invited them.
Just then, Ming Zhou emerged from the restroom. Upon seeing Lin Mei and Chen Qi, he nodded slightly, "You've arrived."
Lin Mei put down the gifts and asked Ming Zhou, "Did the wound bleed last night?"
"No, it's a minor injury," Ming Zhou replied, speaking to Lin Mei with exceptional gentleness and affection.
Seeing this, Chen Qi clenched his fists again. He didn't want Lin Mei to talk to Ming Zhou any further, so he proactively said, "Mr. Ming, I am very sorry about what happened last night. I will compensate you for the medical expenses and emotional distress. I hope you won't hold it against me."
Ming Zhou responded with an "Mm," adding, "Lin Mei has already told me. I will withdraw the case with the police."
Lin Mei, always Lin Mei!
Didn't Ming Zhou understand that he, Chen Qi, was Lin Mei's official boyfriend!
"Regarding Lin Mei, I'd like to have a private word with you, Mr. Ming," Chen Qi said.
Having learned from the previous night's experience, how could Lin Mei possibly let them talk alone? Unfortunately, before she could stop them, Ming Zhou had already agreed, "Alright, please come upstairs."
"No need!" Lin Mei glanced at Xing Zheng. "Senior, you have friends here. We won't disturb you."
Xing Zheng smiled playfully, using him as a shield?
"Since Mr. Chen wants to talk, then let's talk. We won't disturb you," Xing Zheng deliberately thwarted her plan.
Thus, Chen Qi and Ming Zhou went upstairs, leaving only Lin Mei and Xing Zheng in the living room downstairs.
Lin Mei looked at Xing Zheng again and glared at him fiercely.
That scoundrel was definitely doing it on purpose, enjoying the show without caring about the consequences.
Xing Zheng walked up to the woman, lowered his head, and touched her face. Seeing her up close, he noticed her face was slightly swollen. His gaze turned dark. "Who hit you?"
"It's none of your business," Lin Mei tried to pull away and swat his hand, but it was useless. The scoundrel directly grabbed her and threw her onto the sofa.
Lin Mei was pinned to the sofa by him, their breaths mingling. She felt an intense sense of pressure from him. Being petite, she was completely enveloped by his shadow, with nowhere to escape.
They must have been destined to clash in a past life, otherwise, why would she never have peace whenever she encountered him?
Xing Zheng pressed her aggressively, "Will you tell me yourself, or should I strip you down and interrogate you?"
"You lunatic!" Every time she encountered Xing Zheng, Lin Mei felt her vocabulary dwindle. He was acting so shamelessly in someone else's home, truly unrestrained at any time or place.
Xing Zheng's hand slid to her collarbone. "Did Chen Qi hit you?"
"...No." Fearing his outburst, Lin Mei finally relented. "Chen Jing hit me."
Upon hearing this, Xing Zheng let out a scoff, which sounded like mockery.
Lin Mei thought of Xing Zheng's intimacy with Chen Jing, and a surge of anger rose within her. She raised her hand to hit him. "Are you satisfied?"
Xing Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Chen Jing hit you, why are you taking it out on me?"
Lin Mei retorted, "Isn't she yours? Since you dote on her, you should bear with it."
Xing Zheng was amused by the woman's slightly sour tone, his mood greatly improved. He cupped her chin and kissed her, his tongue tracing her lips in a lingering, passionate embrace.
Lin Mei had been kissed by Xing Zheng many times before. His kisses were usually possessive, but today was slightly different. While still forceful, there seemed to be a hint of tenderness.
Lin Mei was kissed until she was dizzy. At first, she tried to push him away, but after a while, she forgot to resist.
Perhaps everyone was susceptible to hormonal reactions, at least Lin Mei was with Xing Zheng. She even momentarily forgot their surroundings.
It wasn't until later that Xing Zheng suddenly released her, looking at her with a mocking smile.
Lin Mei looked at the man with a face full of amusement and felt as if she had been doused with cold water. She quickly pushed him away, tidied her clothes, and rushed to the bathroom.
Lin Mei stood in front of the mirror, looking at the woman with languid eyes reflected in the glass. She raised her hand and slapped her own face hard.
That scoundrel Xing Zheng had deliberately embarrassed her, and she had almost fallen for his trap!
Fortunately, Chen Qi and Ming Zhou soon came downstairs. Lin Mei said goodbye to Ming Zhou and quickly took Chen Qi away.
—
That evening, Lin Mei was invited out for dinner by Lan Lan and Feng Feng. The three of them chose their usual Western restaurant.
After sitting down and ordering, as they were about to start chatting, a man suddenly walked over. He stopped and looked at Feng Feng.
Lin Mei and Lan Lan both recognized the man. He was the one who had been playing with Xing Zheng at the pub that day. Feng Feng had mentioned they had met in Manhattan.
"We meet again," Shen Su said to Feng Feng with a smile.
Feng Feng calmly replied, "What a coincidence. Mr. Shen, are you also dining here?"
Just as Shen Su was about to respond, Lin Mei suddenly gagged, interrupting their pleasantries.
"Ugh..."
Lan Lan and Feng Feng immediately asked, "Lin Mei, are you feeling unwell?"
Shen Su looked at Lin Mei's retching and fell into deep thought.