The two were close, his head bowed. He lifted her chin, their gazes colliding. His intensely invasive look made Lin Mei instinctively want to retreat, but her chin was held fast in his grip. She couldn't back away. "Afraid to look at me?"
How could Lin Mei admit it? "An Sheng, eat."
"Fine, then don't dodge," he proposed.
Lin Mei hummed, "Okay, I understand."
It wasn't dodging, but fear, shyness. Anyone would feel uncomfortable under that consuming gaze, wouldn't they?
Xing Zheng released her but didn't move to the opposite side. They ate dinner, side by side.
On the way, he told her, "Go to an event with me the day after tomorrow."
"What event?" Lin Mei blurted out.
"Liang Yufeng's Yuan Xi, thirtieth anniversary," Xing Zheng told Lin Mei. "It's the first anniversary since he took over. I'll go support him."
Lin Mei said "Oh." Lan Lan had mentioned Liang Yufeng's past to her before. Liang Yufeng was an illegitimate son who rose to power. The company was likely founded by his biological father. Now, being able to host such a grand anniversary celebration suggested he held significant power, unshakeable by anyone. Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng seemed to have a connection that never fully broke, yet also never progressed much.
Lin Mei drifted off. Xing Zheng showed slight displeasure. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing," Lin Mei replied. "Just thinking Liang Yufeng is quite different from before."
"You still remember what he used to look like?" His tone grew more displeased, as if a vinegar jar had been overturned.
Lin Mei frowned and explained, "He dated Lan Lan in college, of course, I remember."
Xing Zheng laughed. "So the way to make you remember is to date your friend. It seems I have to try that too."
"You dare!" Lin Mei glared at him. He laughed even brighter, a playful arc to his lips. Annoyed, Lin Mei grabbed his ear. "You scoundrel!"
After dinner, Lin Mei returned to her bedroom and showered. When she came out in her pajamas, she saw Xing Zheng sitting on the edge of the bed, his hair wet.
He must have just showered too. His upper body was bare, clad only in underwear, his superior muscle lines clearly displayed. Lin Mei swallowed. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you think?" He stood up and walked to her, like a beast spotting its prey.
Lin Mei had asked a rhetorical question. Having slept with him so many times, how could she not know what his gaze meant? The man picked her up, and they quickly tumbled onto the bed, the fire about to ignite.
Xing Zheng had held back for too long, and he wouldn't end it easily. Lin Mei accompanied him, floating, swaying, like a small boat in a vast sea, or a duckweed in a stormy wind.
From nine o'clock to one-thirty in the morning, they had both lost track of time. A drought finally met with rain, leading to a retaliatory consumption. Lin Mei was exhausted, leaning into his embrace, sobbing softly, tears streaming down her face.
He reached out to wipe them. "You really can cry." She had been crying for over an hour, purely physiological tears, as if her tear ducts had lost control.
"It's all because of you." She lightly hit his chest, but he caught her hand, cupping it in his palm. His hot palm rubbed her fingers as he mused, "When did it start?"
Lin Mei's mind was blank. She didn't understand. "What?"
"Liking me." Saying these three words still brought an undeniable excitement. "When did it start?"
This was a question Lin Mei had pondered many times. She couldn't pinpoint an exact moment. The growth and spread of emotions were often silent processes. By the time she realized it, an inconspicuous seed had already grown into an unshakeable, towering tree.
Perhaps it was when he stepped in to resolve everything after Chen Qi framed her. Perhaps it was when he descended from the heavens to rescue her from peril during her kidnapping. Or perhaps, it was when he meticulously cared for her in the capital.
After a long silence, Lin Mei softly said, "I don't know."
Xing Zheng was quite displeased. He bit her ear. "You don't even know this?"
His expression was as if this were a simple matter to judge. Lin Mei, unconvinced, asked him, "Do you know?"
"Yes." He was very sure, but didn't say when. Lin Mei remembered the things she found in the wardrobe in the guest room and pressed him. "When?"
"Curious?" he teased.
"Will you tell me or not?" Lin Mei was impatient.
"July 3rd, 20xx, 4:30 PM." He gave a very precise date.
Lin Mei's expression turned incredulous. The year Xing Zheng mentioned was the year she was in elementary school, the same year he and Xing Yan had just arrived in Nanjiang.
July 3rd was likely near the end of the semester exams. "Did we have any interaction?"
Xing Zheng shook his head. "Let's sleep."
He had long known she wouldn't remember, yet hearing her ask such a question still bothered him. The memory he cherished was insignificant to her.
"I'm not sleeping, clarify it." Lin Mei became animated. The more he refused to say, the more curious she became. In her excitement, her body began to squirm.
Moving like that in a man's arms was extremely dangerous. Xing Zheng held her waist. "Still have energy?"
Lin Mei couldn't utter the rest of her words. The question that had long puzzled her remained unanswered.
The next morning, after waking up, her legs were trembling. She needed the handrail to go downstairs.
Under these circumstances, driving was impossible. Xing Zheng drove her to the bank. Coincidentally, as soon as she got out of the car, she ran into Xiao Fang. Xiao Fang recognized Xing Zheng's car at a glance.
She linked her arm with Lin Mei's, gossiping. "Manager Lin, have you and Mr. Xing made up?"
Lin Mei smiled faintly, not answering. Whether they were "made up" now was something she also didn't have an answer to. Last night was about seeking sensory stimulation; their relationship hadn't been formally established yet.
Seeing Lin Mei's smile, Xiao Fang understood. "I never expected it, I never expected it! You two ended up together! Congratulations!"
After a busy day, as work was about to end, Xing Zheng called. Lin Mei answered and heard him say, "I'm at your workplace entrance. Come out directly after work."
Despite his words, Lin Mei waited until most of her colleagues had left before going out. There was already plenty of gossip about her at the bank. Even if she were truly with Xing Zheng, she had to keep a low profile to avoid trouble.
Lin Mei got into the car, and Xing Zheng leaned in, his gaze fixed on her lips. He leaned down to kiss her, fastening her seatbelt. "Why did you take so long to come out?"
"Something came up and delayed me," Lin Mei lied.
Xing Zheng said, "Oh. I thought you were afraid of being seen. Am I that unspeakable?"
"You are unspeakable," Lin Mei said. "It doesn't matter."
She expected him to explain, but instead, he started the car in silence.