Sang Lu was stunned.
Oh... this...
Did Feng Yan see through her probing?
But now that she thought about it, his speech had become much smoother lately.
He even knew how to counter-question.
A proper back-and-forth.
Back when they chatted on WeChat or communicated through typed or written messages, she hadn’t noticed this inquisitive side of him.
Wait.
No—it wasn’t just inquisitiveness.
Under Feng Yan’s gaze, she felt more pressure than anything else.
Probably a habit from his long-standing position of authority—when faced with any question, he wouldn’t give a direct answer but instead sought to uncover the other person’s motives first.
As Sang Lu thought this, the pressure weighing on her didn’t lessen in the slightest.
Her fatal flaw was that, in moments of panic, her first instinct was to flee.
She subtly took a step back.
Trying to maintain her composure, she pretended to thoughtfully check her phone and replied randomly:
"Yeah, this black scarf really grows on you. Such a vibrant color, nice, nice..."
Meanwhile, her feet moved swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, she had retreated to the sofa.
Head lowered, she began tapping away on her phone.
Unilaterally declaring this conversation over.
Leaving the confused man standing there, his gaze following her.
As if trying to decipher some hidden meaning from her.
Feeling Feng Yan’s stare, Sang Lu forced herself to meet his dark, slightly cold eyes. Her heart tightened—it almost felt like his gaze could pierce right through her.
Feng Yan stood by the door, his lashes slightly lowered, the living room light casting a glow over his sharp nose bridge. Even expressionless, he was breathtakingly handsome.
It took Sang Lu a few seconds to react. She mustered what she hoped was a natural smile before quickly looking away.
To mask her unease, she even hummed a little tune.
By the gym door, the man’s gaze remained fixed on her.
Watching her flustered, darting eyes, a trace of confusion flickered across his cool, composed features.
......
Yile Residential Area.
Unit 3.
When Zhuang Xiao pushed open her front door, she heard her mother’s voice intermittently from a phone call—
"Yes, yes, Qilan Hot Spring Resort Hotel, you know the one?..."
"The most luxurious in Jing City..."
"We’re treating, just show up..."
"Oh, don’t be so polite. You know our Xiao’s got herself a wealthy boyfriend now..."
"Haha, alright, see you then."
Hanging up, Zhuang’s Mother turned.
Seeing her daughter, she immediately asked:
"I’ve already talked to your second aunt and third uncle’s families. They’re all going—just waiting for us to confirm the date. Have you sorted everything out on your end?"
Zhuang Xiao sat across from her mother:
"All arranged. Mom, just relax. I’ll make sure you get to show off in front of them."
Zhuang Xiao smirked.
Secretly relieved she’d been clever.
Rooms at that hot spring resort were notoriously hard to book.
She’d had her boyfriend pull strings, greasing the palms of the front desk staff with hefty red envelopes, just to secure three suites.
"Only pity is, that Lin woman won’t get to see it," Zhuang’s Mother suddenly sighed.
Zhuang Xiao: "If she can’t see it, make sure she does. Post photos in the family group chat, your social media, Douyin... Besides, I doubt second aunt and third uncle won’t mention it to her."
"Ah, why didn’t I think of that?" Zhuang’s Mother brightened. "By then, won’t that Lin woman be fuming?"
Just imagining it, Zhuang’s Mother chuckled.
Feeling like half her anger had already been vented.
She just wished that day would come sooner.
......
Jing City welcomed its first spring rain of the year.
A fine, continuous drizzle left the air damp.
The entire city seemed veiled in a misty haze.
Sang Lu’s workload had increased, and the last few days of the month passed in a blur.
The TV station required monthly work plans to be submitted at the start of each month.
This left Sang Lu stumped.
According to the new variety show’s schedule, official filming would begin during the Golden Week holiday.
With only a month left, they still hadn’t secured a location for the final wrap-up banquet shoot.
The entire D-team was brainstorming.
Little Duan had expanded the search to nearby cities, compiling information on suitable venues and sending it to Sang Lu for a decision.
But after reviewing them all, Sang Lu still felt something was missing.
As an S+ tier production, the final shoot needed to dazzle the audience. If executed well, a second season might even be greenlit.
Just as she was agonizing over this—
Uncle Yue, the butler from the old estate, delivered the property transfer documents to her.
Staring at the words "Qilan Hot Spring Resort Hotel" on the paperwork, Sang Lu fell into thought.
The idea of filming there reignited in her mind.
That evening, during a team meeting, she proposed the idea for discussion.
"Qilan Resort Hotel?" A senior colleague voiced concern. "But given our budget allocation for venue rentals, I doubt we can afford it..."
"Besides the budget, Lu, didn’t you call the hotel before? Weren’t you turned down?" Yu Xiaoke asked.
"Mm, I was," Sang Lu mused. "But maybe it’s worth another try..."
A mysterious smile played on her lips as she looked up. "Here’s the plan—focus on other tasks for now. I’ll go to Qilan myself. I’ll have an answer for you within three days."
Even though she now owned the resort, she couldn’t guarantee success.
After all, such properties were typically managed by professional executives.
If she recklessly threw her weight around as the owner, disrupting normal operations—
How would that make her any different from the universally disliked character the plot tried to force on her?
With that in mind, she decided to visit first and assess the situation.
She’d do her best within reason.
......
Lately, Sang Lu had been working late often, while Feng Yan was busy inspecting various subsidiaries of his conglomerate. Their schedules rarely aligned for shared dinners.
Thus, Feng Yan’s unanswered questions gradually sank to the back of his mind.
Until one evening.
Returning to Qinghe Bay.
He pushed open the study door.
And paused.
His gaze swept across the room, taking in unfamiliar additions.
A black lumbar cushion now adorned the leather chair.
A cloisonné mug sat on the desk, within easy reach.
Its exterior featured glacial-pattern relief, while the interior was coated in smooth black glaze, gleaming softly.
Beside the mug, a black gift box rested quietly.
Inside lay a matte-black electric razor.
Buzz—
Just then, his phone vibrated.
[Sang Lu: Surprise appearance.ipg]
["Sang Lu" patted you.]
["Sang Lu" patted you.]
[Sang Lu: Did you see your all-black gift set?]
[Sang Lu: Cat secretly observing.ipg]
The man’s stern features softened instantly.
The question that had lingered in his mind for days suddenly resolved itself.
The screen’s glow cast a faint warmth across his usually cool expression.
......
