"Tomorrow won't work!" Li Zhen had just learned so many techniques and needed to put them into practice to see if they were effective.
Practice was necessary to gain true understanding, and Li Zhen was eager to apply them immediately and see the results.
It would be best if she could succeed in one go today, then she could finally be free from this predicament with Lu Yanming.
Thinking about the content she had just seen online, Li Zhen did some mental preparation and then raised her hand to pull down her collar, shifting from her previous posture leaning against Lu Yanming to being almost entirely nestled in his embrace.
Lu Yanming stiffened for a moment.
He slightly lowered his head, and Li Zhen's petite figure completely melded into his embrace, with a faint fragrance lingering around him. In his line of sight, there was also her partially revealed seductive charm.
So this was what they called a warm and fragrant jade in one's arms.
Lu Yanming's gaze darkened slightly, and the sexy Adam's apple in his throat rolled subtly.
"Sit properly." He straightened Li Zhen up and got up to fetch a glass of cold water from the water dispenser, not looking back. He tilted his head back and drank it in one gulp.
Li Zhen could hardly believe it. She had taken the initiative like this, yet Lu Yanming remained unfazed.
Lu Yanming didn't sit back down but went to the kitchen.
Li Zhen quickly got up and followed him.
In the kitchen, Lu Yanming put on an apron, and two soft little hands reached behind him to tie the apron strings.
"Let me do it, President Lu," Li Zhen said briskly as she tied it. "I can't cook, so I can only assist you."
With the apron securely tied, Lu Yanming took out the ingredients from the refrigerator.
Li Zhen rarely cooked and wasn't very familiar with the appearance of these ingredients. She only recognized the abalone and pointed to another dark, finely chopped item, asking, "President Lu, what is this dark stuff? It looks like rice but not black rice."
"This is black wild rice. It's different from ordinary rice; it's a seed of a grass," Lu Yanming explained as he rinsed the black wild rice.
His fingers were fair, strong, and long. The knuckles were prominent, and the lines were smooth as he rinsed the black wild rice, creating a fascinating contrast between black and white, exuding a cold intensity and an aura of restraint.
Li Zhen had to admit that she was a bit envious of Lu Yanming's hands, which could rival a hand model.
Absolutely beautiful!
A rare sight in the world!
This pair of almost hand-model-like hands rinsed the black wild rice, and the sound of water echoed in their movements.
Suddenly, Li Zhen remembered his hands from last night... that familiar sound...
Stop thinking about it!
A faint blush crept up on Li Zhen's ears, and she quickly shifted her focus. "No wonder it's grayish-black; it looks quite nutritious."
"Yes, black wild rice is more nourishing," Lu Yanming replied casually.
"Nourishing?" Li Zhen nodded thoughtfully. "President Lu, you expended a lot of energy last night, so it's good to nourish yourself."
Take care of your body, be in the best shape, and provide excellent genes.
Lu Yanming paused in his actions, raised his eyes to look at her, and said, "You want me to replenish again? I don't recall it being only five seconds last night."
Li Zhen froze.
She shouldn't have brought up this topic. The joke about the five seconds couldn't be let go.
Li Zhen awkwardly smiled and didn't respond. Instead, she asked, "What's the name of this dish?"
"Stewed Abalone with Black Wild Rice."
"It sounds quite complicated."
"Fortunately, the black wild rice is soaked for half an hour and then steamed until it blooms. It is cooked together with red beans, and fresh papaya is added, along with chicken broth..."
Li Zhen's mind began to blur as Lu Yanming patiently explained the details.
"Mr. Lu, were you a chef before joining Honghai?" Li Zhen asked.
"Li Zhen..."
"What's wrong?" Li Zhen was taken aback. She was just joking, and now he seemed upset?
Lu Yanming sighed softly, "Don't get so close to me, don't whisper in my ear, and don't grab onto my belt."
Li Zhen looked down and only then noticed their proximity. Her ears turned red in an instant.
When she was talking to Lu Yanming earlier, she couldn't help but get closer and closer to him. Feeling tired from standing, she casually grabbed onto something for support, but she didn't expect to grab onto his belt. The two of them were just inches apart, and her breath was right by his ear.
Li Zhen quickly stepped back two steps, creating some distance between them.
Lu Yanming continued his work, placing the black wild rice in the steamer and preparing the abalone—removing the innards, meticulously cleaning the abalone, and making cross-hatch patterns on it. He then tidied up the other ingredients before taking off his apron.
He turned to look at her. "It's not just your ears that are sensitive."
Li Zhen's mind exploded.
Lu Yanming's tone and gaze made her instantly aware of the invasive danger.
"Since you insist on being in the kitchen..." In the next second, Lu Yanming's presence suddenly closed in on her. "Then I'll give it a try."
Lu Yanming pressed her against the wall, lifted her chin, and kissed her lips.
Li Zhen wanted to, but not in the kitchen!
Just at that moment...
Li Zhen's phone suddenly rang.
Blushing, she quickly pushed Lu Yanming away. "Wait, Mr. Lu, wait for me to take this call!"
She pressed the answer button, and the voice on the other end was unexpected.
"Li Zhen..." Dong Wanwan's polite voice came through the phone. "Do you remember the other two roommates in our dormitory? We're planning to meet for afternoon tea. Do you want to join us?"
Dong Wanwan's change in attitude was too drastic, and Li Zhen couldn't react for a moment.
That wasn't just an invitation for afternoon tea; it was probably a "Hongmen Banquet."
"Sorry, I'm busy." Li Zhen replied without hesitation, without even considering it.
She glanced at Lu Yanming, who was staring at her. His gaze was dominant, giving her the feeling of a lion leisurely waiting for its prey.
She awkwardly turned to the side.
Dong Wanwan said, "I know you and Sheng Ge haven't had a child yet. We're going to talk about preparing for pregnancy today. You should come and listen."
Preparing for pregnancy?
She felt a little tempted.
If it were someone else's invitation, she would have accepted.
"Sorry, I'm busy." Li Zhen repeated the same words, displaying her impatience clearly.
On the other end of the phone, Dong Wanwan's tone turned colder. "Li Zhen, I was originally planning to send the diamond watch for further testing in a few places. If you come and have afternoon tea with us, I won't pursue the matter any further."
Dong Wanwan's concession was not insignificant. Li Zhen felt there was something fishy about it. She had originally wanted to send the watch for testing in a few more places.
Li Zhen raised her delicate eyebrows slightly and said, "Alright then, send me the address."
The ups and downs of the diamond watch matter, it would be great to resolve it once and for all.
Li Zhen packed her things and got ready to leave.
Lu Yanming leaned against the door and asked, "When will you be back?"
"Just for afternoon tea, it won't take long." Li Zhen picked up her bag and opened the door. "Mr. Lu, please wait for me."
Lu Yanming chuckled helplessly.
He seemed more like a submissive wife, waiting at home to be favored by her husband when he had some free time.
