Sang Lu casually asked a few more trivial questions, attempting to pry open Feng Yan's mouth with her inquiries.
The result?
Feng Yan did respond to each one.
By typing on his phone.
Sang Lu: "……"
Still unwilling to give up, she quickly formulated eight more questions in her mind.
Just as she was about to press on, the phone on the coffee table rang.
Both their gazes flicked toward the phone.
Caller ID: Xie Sinan.
Not wanting to disturb Feng Yan as he read the newspaper, Sang Lu stepped onto the balcony before answering.
"Hello, Anchor Xie~"
She greeted him cheerfully.
The balcony door wasn’t fully closed.
Her bright voice slipped through the crack and landed squarely in the ears of the man reading the newspaper on the sofa.
"Good evening, Producer Sang," Xie Sinan mimicked her tone in response over the phone.
The two had previously discussed on WeChat the PowerPoint they’d prepared for their presentation at the studio. Director Wang had already reviewed it, and Xie Sinan’s call was mainly to finalize which sections each of them would cover.
They could’ve sorted this out over WeChat, but both were work-oriented—a phone call was simply more efficient.
Leaning against the railing, Sang Lu got straight to the point:
"Director Wang told me today that he’s looked over the PPT and said it’s very well done. Thanks for your hard work."
She’d been out of the office most of the week, so Xie Sinan had handled the bulk of the preparation.
Xie Sinan chuckled. "It’s all thanks to your thorough notes from the business trip. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been so much material to include."
"Right, I worked hard too~" Sang Lu accepted the praise without hesitation.
At that moment, she noticed someone walking their dog on the lawn below.
A husky, seizing the opportunity while its owner wasn’t looking, dashed into the grass, digging furiously with its front paws and sending dirt flying everywhere.
Then it bounded back to its owner, shaking its entire body and covering them in grass.
Sang Lu laughed.
Dogs were so adorable.
On the sofa, the coldly handsome man quietly averted his gaze.
He turned a page of the newspaper.
His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
The words on the page blurred, his focus slipping further away.
On the balcony, Sang Lu leaned against the railing, relaxed and at ease.
While watching the silly husky below, she continued her conversation with Xie Sinan.
They went over the division of labor for the presentation in detail, discussing it for a good fifteen minutes.
As the call neared its end, Sang Lu had just said, "Bye, see you at the studio next week," when the balcony door suddenly slid open.
Feng Yan stood calmly at the threshold.
Sang Lu tapped "End Call," then blinked in surprise.
"Was I too loud? Did I disturb you?"
The man before her had dark hair falling just above his brows, his handsome yet indifferent face betraying no emotion. His lips parted slightly.
Then, without warning, he lifted his arm and shook his phone.
A deep, magnetic voice drifted into Sang Lu’s ears.
"Grandfather is looking for you," he said.
Sang Lu froze.
Holy—!
Feng Yan spoke again!?
The timing of his second utterance was nothing like what she’d imagined.
Just as abrupt as the first.
Had her barrage of questions finally taken effect, just with a delay?
Dazed, it took her a moment to process his words.
"Grandfather is looking for me?" she asked, puzzled.
Feng Yan gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable. His gaze dropped briefly, noting that she’d already pocketed her phone, before lifting again to meet her eyes.
"What does he want?" Sang Lu pressed.
Feng Yan handed her his phone, as if to say, See for yourself.
She took it.
On the screen was his WeChat chat with Grandfather.
[Grandfather: A-Yan, don’t forget to come back to the old house on the 15th.]
[Feng: Mm.]
[Grandfather: This time, come back earlier so we can go fishing.]
[Feng: Okay.]
Sang Lu was baffled.
?
This conversation didn’t mention her at all.
How was this Grandfather looking for her?
After a moment of confusion, it clicked.
Last time, she’d forgotten the date for the family dinner and arrived late.
This time, Grandfather was emphasizing punctuality.
By showing her the messages and saying Grandfather was looking for her, Feng Yan was subtly warning her: Don’t forget again.
She flashed an OK sign.
"Got it, got it. I won’t forget this time."
Then, without warning, she leaned closer to the strikingly handsome man standing lazily by the door.
Her eyes curved into a smile.
"You said one more word this time than last~"
Feng Yan paused.
At this moment, Sang Lu was so close that her scent—the sweet orange fragrance of her shampoo—filled his senses effortlessly.
The same bottle he’d seen on the bathroom shelf.
His gaze lowered, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.
Strange.
Just now, his throat hadn’t tightened, nor had his chest felt obstructed.
He hadn’t even noticed he’d spoken again—it had come so naturally.
……
That night, as she lay in bed, Sang Lu tossed and turned, puzzling over it.
What was the trigger for Feng Yan speaking?
Had her question bombardment actually worked, just with a delayed effect?
The general approach seemed correct.
Clearly, bombarding him with questions was useful.
But the exact pattern behind his speech remained elusive.
What was it?
Sleep crept up on her before she could figure it out.
That night, she had a strange dream.
She dreamed of the husky rolling gleefully in the grass.
In the dream, the husky charged toward her, looking fierce, then shook itself violently, covering her in grass clippings.
But the next second, its wet nose nuzzled into her chest.
Heh. Adorable goofball.
She smiled in her sleep.
In the dimly lit bedroom, Feng Yan heard the soft sound of her laughter.
His eyes snapped open.
Still adjusting to the darkness, his pupils dilated slightly, glimmering faintly.
He realized, with sudden clarity, that Sang Lu was curled up facing away from him.
Her hair fanned out, a few strands brushing against his chest.
And his nose—somehow—was buried in the crook of her neck.
The warmth of her skin, the sweetness of her scent—it all flooded his senses with unprecedented intensity.
His breath hitched.
Instinctively, he shifted.
The movement revealed more: not only was his face nestled against her, but his arm was also wrapped tightly around her waist beneath the covers.
With every breath, her presence grew more overwhelming.
Just then, the woman in his arms stirred.
Sang Lu turned over, now facing him.
In an instant, Feng Yan’s mind sharpened.
Any trace of sleepiness vanished.
As his eyes adjusted, the faint moonlight seeping through the curtains illuminated her face.
He saw Sang Lu nestled against his chest, her long lashes fluttering slightly with each breath.
Her exhales were light.
One wisp, then another.
Brushing over his skin like a feather.
Feng Yan’s brow furrowed slightly, his Adam’s apple bobbing again. His chest prickled, as if a cat had swiped at him.
Then, just as he was debating what to do, the hand under the covers shifted toward him.
Her arm slid slowly, encircling his waist.
Now they were tangled in a tight embrace.
Her skin was smooth and warm, the sensation unfiltered against his own.
Sang Lu was still dreaming.
In her dream, she was playing with the husky.
The husky wore a fierce expression, the two patches of white fur on its forehead making it look particularly intimidating.
But she was even bolder, wrapping her arms around the husky’s neck without hesitation and ruffling its head roughly. The dog’s collar was too stiff, digging uncomfortably into her arm.
Feng Yan’s temple throbbed violently, his body tensing up.
He abruptly lowered his gaze to look at her.
Sang Lu’s breathing was even, lost in deep sleep.
Completely unaware that her arm was wreaking havoc on Feng Yan’s abs.
In the darkness,
the man’s eyes suddenly darkened.
He took a deep breath, his long arm pushing aside the bedsheet as he propped himself up on one elbow.
Her hand still hadn’t left his waist—her soft fingertips twitched slightly, brushing against the defined ridges of his abdomen.
In the quiet bedroom,
the sound of heavy breathing was deep and strained.
A long moment passed.
Frowning, the man got out of bed.
He headed to the gym’s bathroom and took a cold shower.
