Su Ci saw that Lu Zhe hadn't moved to change his clothes, so she couldn't help but urge him, "Go ahead and change. It's not good to wear wet clothes for too long; you'll catch a cold."
The girl spoke with logic and confidence.
Lu Zhe reached out, his long fingers pulling down the zipper, and he removed his black jacket.
The white shirt he wore was soaked through, clinging to his upper body in a way that was undeniably alluring.
Su Ci watched without blinking.
Lu Zhe lowered his gaze, his long lashes fluttering as his fingertips slowly undid the buttons on his white shirt.
One by one, from the first to the last.
Su Ci saw his broad chest, the seductive lines of muscle extending downward.
She shifted her body, moving closer to Lu Zhe, "Let me..."
"No."
Su Ci glared, "I haven't even finished what I was going to say. How do you know what I want?"
"You don't need to say it. I refuse." Lu Zhe met the girl's watery eyes, fully aware of the mischievous intentions behind them.
Su Ci was momentarily at a loss for words.
Lu Zhe picked up the spare set of clothes and prepared to put them on.
The next second, the girl directly crashed into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Tuan Tuan!" His upper body was bare, and the warmth of the girl's breath fell directly on his skin. Lu Zhe felt a tingling sensation spread from the base of his spine.
He gritted his teeth.
Su Ci was like a little demon, teasing and tormenting him. Her hand stealthily caressed the lean muscles of Lu Zhe's waist. "I'm here."
Solid, taut.
She had confirmed it; the feel was excellent.
Lu Zhe looked at the girl in his arms, happily enjoying her little indulgence. The veins on his forehead stood out as he desperately resisted the tingling sensation from where her hand had touched his side.
Lu Zhe's face was stern. The girl's boldness was growing, and she was unrestrained. "Get up."
Su Ci looked up at him and smiled, "Don't be so harsh! What's wrong with touching your waist? You can touch mine in return."
When it came to shamelessness and boldness, Lu Zhe couldn't compare to Su Ci.
Lu Zhe rubbed his forehead, wanting to say that this wasn't right.
However, before he could even begin to persuade her, the girl's hand directly pressed against his abdomen, feeling its firmness.
Her little hand was soft and warm, and the sensitive location made Lu Zhe clench his teeth. His fair, handsome face flushed red.
He felt himself tighten painfully.
Closing his eyes, he desperately resisted the urge to crush the little troublemaker in his arms.
Lu Zhe firmly grasped the girl's mischievous hand.
Su Ci looked at him in surprise, pouting in dissatisfaction, "Stingy!"
She had only touched him once.
Lu Zhe lowered his gaze, his eyes dark and deep. He straightened the girl up and said softly, "My pants are still wet and haven't been changed."
Su Ci nodded. She knew, and she had even accidentally rubbed against them.
Lu Zhe began to undo his pants, lifting his gaze to look at her, "Want to watch?"
Su Ci blinked, her gaze falling on Lu Zhe's black pants, feeling a bit shy.
This time, Su Ci was quite self-aware. She turned her back, "Go ahead and change."
Seeing the girl turn away from him, Lu Zhe's eyes softened with amusement. The little troublemaker's boldness wasn't as big as he had imagined.
The car was quiet, and behind her, she heard the faint sound of fabric rubbing.
Su Ci unconsciously perked up her ears, hearing the sound of the belt buckle being undone.
Then came the zipper.
Su Ci's dark eyes flickered, but she didn't turn back to look.
Oh well, there would be other opportunities.
After a while, Su Ci didn't hear any more sounds. "Done changing?"
Lu Zhe responded softly, "Mmm."
Su Ci turned around.
Lu Zhe had already changed into a clean outfit—a white t-shirt and black casual pants, simple yet refreshing, pleasing to the eye.
Su Ci wanted to tease the young man a bit more, but just then, she saw Su's Mother and Wen Ya approaching from a distance.
What a pity.
...
The Ye Family's villa was located in an upscale neighborhood where land was expensive.
Although the Ye Family couldn't compare to the Su Family and Lu Family, when Ye Lao Ye Zi was still alive, the Ye Family was quite powerful.
At night.
The old lady scolded loudly, urging someone to bring her food quickly, "You can't even do a simple task right. Keeping you is a waste of my money."
Feng Sao immediately brought over the prepared meal, "Old Madam, your meal."
"So little? Are you trying to starve me?" The old lady's mood was terrible. Thinking about her precious grandson falling into the water, she was filled with anger.
"Old Madam, I'm sorry. I'll get you another bowl right away." Feng Sao apologized profusely.
"Forget it. You've been working at the Ye Family for over a decade and still haven't improved. You might as well leave sooner." The old lady was extremely harsh with the Ye Family's servants, always feeling that they looked down on her.
"Miss..." Feng Sao instinctively looked at Ye Xi beside her.
“Feng Sao, you can go now,” Ye Xi said, her voice gentle, soothing the irritation in people's hearts.
"Yes, Miss." Feng Sao left the dining room.
"You let her go; who's going to serve me? I dare not order around a young lady like you." The old lady was furious.
She slammed the bowl down forcefully, making Ye Shangjin, who was holding a small spoon, tremble.
"Grandma, don't be angry. I'll get you some more food," Ye Shangjin said, very adept at reading the situation.
The old lady's expression softened completely when she looked at her grandson. "Oh, Shangjin is so well-behaved. Eat more, eat more."
Ye Shangjin obediently nodded.
Across from them, Ye Xi spoke, "He's only four years old and already weighs nearly fifty-eight pounds. Being overweight isn't good for his health."
Your health is the one that's bad. My good grandson eating a lot is a blessing. Do you want him to be like you, eating just a little at a time? Weak as a breeze. The old lady was extremely disdainful of Ye Xi's slender figure, lacking in flesh, sickly, and unable to bear many children.
What kind of young lady was she? She wasn't even as good as the women in their village.
Ye Xi stood up for herself for the first time, "I am his mother, and it's my duty to raise him. From now on, I will take care of his affairs."
Her health had always been poor, weak since childhood, and after giving birth, her condition worsened. Most of the time, the child was taken care of by the old lady.
The old lady often fed the child high-calorie foods like fried chicken legs, wings, and cakes, making him fatter and fatter. She could no longer turn a blind eye.
"Are you defying me now?" The old lady's voice was already loud, and when she raised it even more, it was deafening, even audible from the front gate.
Ye Xi responded calmly, "I'm not defying you, just stating the facts. Also, I've already filed for divorce with Luo Minglu, and I will be seeking custody of the child."
The old lady had long been hoping for her son to divorce Ye Xi.
In front of Ye Xi, she couldn't assert her authority like other mothers-in-law, and Ye Xi's constant illness meant a lot of medical expenses. Divorcing her would be a relief for her son.
The old lady declared firmly, "You can divorce Minglu, but the child must stay with him. I'll have my good grandson change his surname, and you'll have to move out of our house."
Ye Xi shook her head, "Mother-in-law, this is my home, part of the Ye Family's property. After the divorce, it's you who will move out, and the child will belong to me."
"Nonsense!" The old lady was furious, slamming the table, "You just stay at home, eating and resting, while my son works hard to support you. How can this house be yours?"
Next to them, the butler, who had been standing by, couldn't help but speak up, "Old Madam, this villa is part of the Ye Family's property, inherited by Miss Ye. Even if Miss Ye and Mr. Luo divorce, this house will still belong to Miss Ye, as will the company."
Uncle Qi was an old servant of the Ye Family, having followed Ye Lao Ye Zi for years. Seeing the old lady's unreasonable behavior and how she bullied Miss Ye, he couldn't hold his tongue.
The old lady arrogantly scolded the butler, "When did it become your place to speak, you lowly servant?"
“Uncle Qi is an old family member, and I consider him half an elder. In the Ye Family, he has the right to speak,” Ye Xi said, standing up to the old lady for the first time without backing down. “As for this house and the company, they are all part of the Ye Family's property, something Luo Minglu is well aware of.”
Ye Xi stood up, "I'm done eating. I'll take the child upstairs to rest."
"Shangjin, come with Mommy upstairs to rest," Ye Xi walked over to her son and extended her hand.
Although Ye Shangjin had always been with the old lady, he preferred his gentle mother.
Hearing his mother's words, he obediently stretched out his greasy little hand.
“You're revolting! Is this how you disrespect your mother-in-law? In our village, a daughter-in-law like you who doesn't honor her mother-in-law would have been shamed long ago.” The old lady harshly scolded Ye Xi.
No matter how she looked at her, she found her displeasing.
If it weren't for Ye Xi, her son wouldn't have had to take on the family name of his wife, and even her grandson wouldn't be surnamed Luo. She had become the laughingstock of the village, subjected to gossip and pointing fingers. Her well-raised son had been given away to someone else.
“Mother-in-law, this is the last time I will address you as such. You often forget, this is the Ye Family, not your village.” Ye Xi led her son away.
Ye Xi's figure was slender, her skirt flowing, exuding an ethereal elegance that only intensified the old lady's fury.
The more noble her daughter-in-law appeared, the more crude the old lady, a countrywoman, felt. How could she possibly like her?
But at the moment, the old lady was more concerned about the company. She immediately called her son, urging him to come home quickly.
Luo Minglu had been distracted all day. Just after drinking with a client, he received his mother's call and rushed back.
“Mom, what's the matter? Why did you call me back so urgently?” He loosened his tie, his brows furrowed, his expression not too good.
The old lady knew that the Ye Family listened to Ye Xi. She quickly pulled her son into the room, “If you divorce Ye Xi, will the company be yours?”
Luo Minglu fell silent.
The old lady was anxious, “I'm asking you something. You work hard every day, leaving early and returning late. The company should be yours, right? There's no reason you should be working for Ye Xi.”
“Mom, I won't divorce her,” Luo Minglu said.
“She wants a divorce, isn't that perfect?”
The old lady urged her son, “Amei has been waiting for you for so long. She's good at managing the household, takes care of people, is filial to her mother-in-law, and is obedient. She's the ideal wife. You should get the divorce papers signed, kick Ye Xi out of our house, and live a good life with Amei and the child.”
In the old lady's eyes, the house and the company were already her son's. She wished Ye Xi would divorce her son as soon as possible.
Luo Minglu knew his mother's thoughts, but he couldn't communicate with her. Before he married Ye Xi, Ye Laoye had them sign a prenuptial agreement. If he divorced Ye Xi, he would have to leave with nothing.
“Mom, you just need to remember, I can't divorce Ye Xi. Otherwise, I won't get a single cent. Forget the company, the house, we might even have to go back to the village to live.”
Ignoring his mother's shocked expression, Luo Minglu pleaded, “So please, I'm begging you, don't pick a fight with Ye Xi. What's wrong with her? I only like her, I don't like Amei at all.”
The old lady was half-believing, “How can the company and the house not be yours? You work so hard to support the family. Why should the company go to Ye Xi? Are you lying to me?”
Luo Minglu was irritated, “Mom, that was Ye Xi's to begin with. You think I don't want it? No matter what I say, you just don't understand. Just remember, don't pick a fight with Ye Xi anymore.”
Luo Minglu walked out, heading upstairs.
He paused at the bedroom door, wearily rubbed his temples, then went to the guest room next door.
Since Ye Xi had proposed divorce, she had asked him to move to the guest room.
Luo Minglu opened the door to the guest room, and as soon as he sat down, his phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, he instinctively frowned.
Luo Minglu hung up, but the call came again. After several rings, he finally answered, “Didn't I tell you not to call unless it's important?”
On the other end of the line, a woman's sobs came through, “Minglu, come quickly. The child has suddenly developed a high fever. He's burning up all over.”
Luo Minglu was irritated, "How do you take care of the child?"
“The child fell into the water today at the temple. You know he's young and likes to run around,” the woman's voice was anxious, crying pitifully, “He's burning up really badly now. Come quickly and take us to the hospital.”
Luo Minglu clenched his phone, “Call a car and take him yourself.”
“No, the child is crying for his father. Come quickly. I'm worried he'll burn his brain,” the woman cried, softly comforting her son, “Xiaopei, be good. Daddy will be here soon. Just hold on a little longer...”
Luo Minglu's brows were tightly furrowed, "Wait there, I'm coming now."
After hanging up, Luo Minglu opened the door and walked out.
As he reached the next room, the door inside opened, and Ye Xi walked out with a cup in hand.
She was wearing a plain white dress, her hair casually tied up, the indoor light falling softly on her, exuding a gentle charm.
Meeting Ye Xi's gaze, Luo Minglu felt flustered, "I... a client suddenly called me."
Ye Xi nodded, not asking further. As she passed by him, she softly said, “Let's sign the papers next Monday. I've already made an appointment with the lawyer. If you agree to sign, I'll give you some money. If we go through legal channels, you know you'll get nothing.”
After saying that, Ye Xi prepared to go downstairs.
Luo Minglu looked pained and said, "I don't want a divorce. I don't like that woman at all. I only like you."
Ye Xi's beautiful face remained calm, “Don't say you like me. Just leave me with some good memories. I don't want to think that all these years, choosing you was a foolish decision.”
Ye Xi didn't pay any more attention to Luo Minglu and went downstairs.
...
Su Ci calculated the day Ye Xi would meet with misfortune, which was two days away.
Once she collected this golden cotton candy from Ye Xi, Lu Zhe would only need thirty-six more.
Su Ci felt that the collection would soon be complete.
“Little Ci Ci.” Beside her, Shen Xue leaned over, interrupting Su Ci's thoughts.
“Hmm?” Su Ci lazily looked at her.
“Can I post your photo on the forum?”
Su Ci propped her chin with one hand, “Why?”
“There's a school beauty competition on the forum. I've seen it, and none of them can compare to you. You're the real school beauty. Of course, we should post your photo.” Shen Xue encouraged her, “Don't you want to be the school beauty?”
Su Ci wasn't interested. Did she need to be the school beauty to be the prettiest?
Anyway, the school beauty chosen wouldn't be as beautiful as her, and it would be embarrassing for the other person.
Seeing Su Ci's lack of interest, Shen Xue sighed regretfully, “The one with the highest votes now is Zhao Youyou. She posted a photo from her military training, and everyone is raving about how pure and beautiful she looks without makeup.”
Shen Xue pouted, “She's not even half as pretty as you.”
She took out her phone, opened the photo album, “Look, this is from your military training. I took it. This photo, if posted, would definitely beat Zhao Youyou.”
“When did you take this?” Su Ci glanced at it. It was her in military attire, resting. The angle was pretty good, indeed making her look quite beautiful.
“I just thought you looked so pretty, I couldn't help but take it. Don't worry, I kept it for myself, never leaked it outside,” Shen Xue guaranteed.
Su Ci's eyes narrowed slightly, “Go ahead and post it.”
“Ah, you agreed?” Shen Xue smiled, thinking Su Ci really didn't care about these titles earlier.
Su Ci's red lips curved, “I agreed. With my beauty, not being the school beauty would be a waste of my face.”
Shen Xue was already used to Su Ci's narcissism.
Next to them, Wen Duoyu quietly asked Shen Xue, “Do you need to register an account to access the forum? I want to vote for Ci Ci.”
Wen Duoyu usually only loved reading or doing part-time jobs, rarely going online. Hearing about Su Ci's school beauty competition, she also wanted to contribute.
Su Ci found Wen Duoyu quite adorable. She couldn't help but reach out and pinch her cheek, “Focus on your studies. You don't need to vote for me. My photo is up, and I've already won.”
When it came to beauty, Su Ci was more confident than anyone.
Shen Xue asked Su Ci again, “The class monitor is planning an activity for National Day to help everyone get to know each other better and unite. Do you want to join?”
Su Ci shook her head. She had no interest in class activities.
“You don't know, right? Our class monitor and the class monitor of Computer Science Class 1 are a couple. Not only will our class participate, but Computer Science Class 1 will also join,” Shen Xue was well-informed about these small details.
Computer Science Class 1?
Su Ci's eyes curved, and the person who had just been uninterested now smiled and said, “I'll join too. After all, it's a class activity. It wouldn't be good not to participate.”
Shen Xue was momentarily stunned.
Indeed, the only one who could make Su Ci back down was Lu Zhe.
