Lin Mei had not yet savored his words when Xiao Shu ended the call and looked at her. His eyes held a hint of displeasure, likely because she had overheard his conversation. Lin Mei then apologized, "Your daughter is asleep. I'm not very good at taking care of children. You should go check on her."
"No need to apologize. I just encountered something at work and was in a bad mood. I hope I didn't startle you." This was his explanation for his earlier displeasure.
Lin Mei hummed, not paying much attention. After years of working, if she lacked this resilience, what was she even doing? Since Xiao Shu needed to look after Xiao Mu Tian, Lin Mei left first.
Her days in Kyoto were not as busy as she had imagined. Besides her daily basic tasks, Xiao Shu did not schedule overtime for her. Instead, he often asked her to help keep his daughter company.
Xiao Mu Tian was already over five years old and well-behaved, making her very sensible. She was lively but not disruptive, so taking care of her was not a difficult task. Lin Mei also found joy in it. In just over half a month, her relationship with Xiao Mu Tian had blossomed into one of close friendship. Meanwhile, Xing Zheng was fully aware of Lin Mei's interactions with Xiao Shu and his daughter.
That evening, Shen Su and Gu Song were dining with Xing Zheng. Gu Song handed a photograph to Xing Zheng and, flipping through it, teased, "If you don't clear things up soon, Lin Mei will become a stepmother to someone else."
Xing Zheng drank his iced water, remaining silent. Gu Song, unafraid of death, continued to jest, "Is it that hard to say you like her? What are mouths for?"
In the past, Gu Song would never have teased Xing Zheng like this. Now that his surgery was complete, his emotions were much more stable. Although his temperament was still cold, he would no longer lose control at the slightest disagreement as he used to. Consequently, many jokes that were previously off-limits could now be made.
Xing Zheng ignored him and asked Shen Su, "Have you investigated Xiao Shu?"
"Yes, no suspicious points. He's been developing his career in Kyoto all these years. Shi Tou Investment has focused on the medical field in recent years and has profited greatly." Shen Su knew that Xing Zheng's primary concern was not Xiao Shu's career. "He was married. His ex-wife was his girlfriend from university. They divorced a few years ago, and he has a five-year-old daughter, with whom he has custody. Lin Mei is the first woman to enter his villa after his divorce."
The last sentence carried immense impact. Xiao Shu must be interested in Lin Mei, otherwise, he wouldn't have arranged for her to live near him and then have her interact with his daughter.
The third week after Lin Mei arrived in Kyoto, Xiao Shu went on a business trip. Xiao Mu Tian was sent to live with her grandparents, and Lin Mei's days became quiet. She had few friends in Kyoto, so during her free time, she could only wander around alone.
With Xiao Shu gone, she entered a period of vacation. Taking advantage of the free time, Lin Mei went to the supermarket, planning to buy some groceries and cook a few meals at home.
She pushed her shopping cart and selected food and vegetables in front of the refrigerated shelves. Since she wasn't wearing high heels, reaching for items on the top shelf was quite strenuous.
She stood on tiptoe, trying to grab a box of peas, but failed several times. Just as she was about to ask a staff member for help, she heard a teasing laugh from behind her. Then, her body was enveloped, and someone behind her easily retrieved the box of peas she had been eyeing.
Lin Mei reflexively turned her head. To her surprise, her lips brushed against the man in front of her. Although it was only for a brief moment, she was still startled and recoiled.
This action earned her a brighter smile from the man. He tossed the peas into her shopping cart and gently caressed his lips with his long fingers, "It's just a small favor, no need to kiss me."
Lin Mei's face turned red with anger. The words "Why are you here?" that were about to escape her lips were swallowed back. It wouldn't be difficult for him to know where she was. He could hide many things from her, and under his purview, she had always lacked privacy.
She figured he must know everything she had been doing in Kyoto during this time, and the thought made her even more furious. She pushed her shopping cart forward, not caring that it bumped into Xing Zheng.
Xing Zheng circled back, came up behind her, and pulled her into his embrace, covering her hands and holding them tightly. From an outsider's perspective, they looked like a newly married couple, but Lin Mei knew how improper their relationship was.
She struggled, "Let go of me, you lunatic."
He hugged her from behind, and her movement caused her to brush against him in an inappropriate place. Lin Mei felt her face flush even deeper, and she blurted out curses, "You stallion!"
Even in such a setting, he could behave like this. After being apart for over a year, he truly hadn't changed at all, especially when it came to shamelessness, which had only worsened.
"Knowing I'm a stallion, you still move like that?" He bit her ear, warning her, "Move again, and you'll face the consequences."
The warning worked. Lin Mei indeed stopped moving. She knew how crazy and shameless Xing Zheng was. When she stopped, Xing Zheng was satisfied. He kissed her on the side of her cheek, and then, still holding her, pushed the shopping cart.
Lin Mei's petite body was pressed between him and the shopping cart, enveloped by his warmth. His legs occasionally brushed against hers, and such contact made her uncomfortable, her face growing redder. Xing Zheng, however, seemed unaffected. He walked along, calmly selecting food, and even asked her, "Buying carrots? For the rabbit."
With that, he had already taken a box of carrots from the shelf. Lin Mei, enraged, cursed him, "I think you're the one who should be buying dog food in the pet section!"
That dog of a man, that dog of a man!
He didn't get angry, merely smiled, and took two boxes of carrots. Despite her reluctance, they still bought quite a few things in the fresh food section. She thought it would end there, but unexpectedly, Xing Zheng actually went to the dog food aisle later.
He stopped and said to her, "Choose one."
"I've chosen. Do you want to eat it?" Lin Mei glared at him.
"Feed me, and I'll consider it," he replied with a smile, as if teasing a pet.
Lin Mei grabbed a bag of dog food from the shelf and tossed it into the shopping cart, "Go pay!"
Even when going to pay, Xing Zheng did not let her go. They walked towards the checkout line holding each other, and people in the queue couldn't help but look. Lin Mei lowered her head, not wanting to show her face.
After the agonizing checkout, Lin Mei was dragged by Xing Zheng to the parking lot and unceremoniously shoved into his car.
He stepped on the accelerator, and Lin Mei turned her head to look out the window, appearing unwilling to communicate. When the light turned red, Xing Zheng pinched her ear.
Lin Mei batted his hand away, "Don't bother me."
"You really don't want to see me?" he asked.
"So you do have some self-awareness!" She thought he had become so thick-skinned that he was oblivious to it.
Xing Zheng chuckled. His temper seemed to have improved significantly since his return. No matter what she said, he just smiled.
However, this made him even more difficult to deal with. Her own skin was too thin; she could never win against him.
The car finally stopped at Sheng Lan Xing He. Lin Mei saw the four characters and her face turned pale, "Stop the car, I want to get out!"