-024- Want a Kiss?
After blocking Chen Yinrou, Xuan Yang focused on her work. The non-compete dispute case at hand had an unfavorable initial ruling due to insufficient evidence. With the second trial in a week, Liang Kai assigned tasks to each team member to find a breakthrough in a short time. Xuan Yang pulled another all-nighter and finally found key evidence. Early the next morning, she sent her analysis report to Liang Kai and received praise. Liang Kai said, "As expected of someone from GS—solid professional skills and adaptability. I'll apply to the court to obtain the salary records from their former company for the past year." Being praised by her boss naturally made Xuan Yang happy, and her tone was light when she answered Zhou Dang's call that afternoon.
Zhou Dang's voice carried a smile as he asked, "Did something good happen today?" Xuan Yang sobered up a bit but didn't deny it. "Does solving a major work problem count?" Zhou Dang replied, "Of course." He added in a gentle tone, "As expected of Xuan Lü, truly impressive." Xuan Yang smiled, rarely hearing him address her formally like that—it felt like recognition of her work and profession.
Zhou Dang said, "It's about time. I'll come pick you up?" Xuan Yang checked her watch; it was just past five. Technically, she had taken the afternoon off and could leave after finishing her morning work, but for the sake of the case and the client, she had gone to the client's former company to get the elevator surveillance footage from the day they quit. She had forgotten about the afternoon off. "Okay, I'll wrap up what I'm doing," she agreed. She planned to go home, change clothes, freshen up her makeup, and then head to Yunlu Villa with Zhou Dang.
Zhou Dang's mother was an internationally renowned movie star with fans both domestically and abroad, often causing traffic jams when she went out. After much thought, Zhou Dang decided to have dinner at Yunlu Villa on the outskirts. Yunlu Villa was a property of the Zhou family—a resort-style hotel with elegant surroundings, complete facilities, and strong privacy, perfect for private gatherings. Zhou Dang had arranged for the villa to be closed to other guests tonight, reserving the entire place just so Xuan Yang and Polina could have a nice meal together.
When night fell, Zhou Dang drove Xuan Yang to the villa. The suburban night scenery was quiet, and the temperature was slightly lower than in the city, a bit chilly. As Xuan Yang got out of the car, Zhou Dang called her back, took a cashmere shawl from a garment bag in the back seat, and wrapped it around her. "It's windy and cold. Don't catch a chill," he said, leaning in to carefully adjust the shawl over her shoulders, his tone carrying gentle concern. Xuan Yang froze in the passenger seat, quietly watching his handsome face as it drew near and his natural movements. She finally felt a sense of reality about being married. She rarely experienced being taken care of like this, and it warmed her heart.
"Thank you," she murmured, her beautiful eyes fixed on his striking, handsome face. Somehow, she blurted out, "Want a kiss?" The quiet car seemed to freeze. Regretting it immediately, Xuan Yang stiffened, and Zhou Dang, who was very close, also stopped moving, his hands forgetting to adjust the shawl. Their eyes locked. Zhou Dang's light brown eyes deepened and darkened, while Xuan Yang's showed panic and chagrin. She mentally blamed Xie Xinglan—before she left, Xie Xinglan had messaged her to act affectionate with Zhou Dang in front of Polina to help her be accepted by the Zhou family. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so bewitched as to say something shocking while staring at Zhou Dang's red lips.
Save me! Was there a way to go back a few minutes? Maybe knock Zhou Dang out? Xuan Yang suppressed a few wild thoughts, held her breath, and backed toward the car door. Clearing her throat dryly, she said, "Let's get out. Don't keep your mother waiting." She turned to open the door, almost fleeing. Zhou Dang came to his senses, grabbed her other wrist, pulled her back slightly, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and kissed her hair from behind. It was soft and fragrant; he wondered what shampoo she used. "Mrs. Zhou has a unique way of thanking someone," Zhou Dang said, his voice low and magnetic, as he held her. Xuan Yang was pressed against his chest, one hand still helplessly reaching for the door but unable to reach it. Her ears were bright red, and she felt the spot where Zhou Dang had kissed her burning.
But the man wasn't done. He leaned close to her ear and whispered with a laugh, a heart-stopping blow: "I really like it." Bang, bang, bang—Xuan Yang's mind exploded like fireworks, blank. She didn't even know how she got out of the car. When she came to, Zhou Dang was holding her hand, leading her into the best suite in the villa. The suite was built over the lake, like a separate pavilion in the middle of the water. It was a three-bedroom, two-living-room layout with a kitchen and bathroom. The dining room was large, and staff were already waiting nearby. At the dining table sat a mixed-race beauty—young, glamorous, and radiant, impossible to ignore. Xuan Yang found it hard to believe that such a beauty could have a son as old as Zhou Dang. She wasn't particularly into the film industry but had seen Polina on the big screen occasionally. Polina was even more beautiful in person than on screen. Xuan Yang glanced at Zhou Dang and noticed their eyes were very similar. No wonder Zhou Dang was so good-looking—it was all Polina's genes.
As soon as Polina saw Xuan Yang, she stood up from the table, her eyes filled with smiles, and expressed her liking without reservation. "You must be hungry after the drive. Come, sit down. Tell the kitchen to serve the dishes. Is the Lafite I brought decanted yet? Oh, Yangyang, Mom doesn't know what you like, so I just picked out a few gifts for you..." The dinner atmosphere was not what Xuan Yang had expected. She had mentally prepared to be cautious with an elder, but Polina was so warm and familiar from the start that Xuan Yang was a bit flustered. She stayed obediently by Polina's side, listening to her talk about Zhou Dang's childhood anecdotes and gossip from their circle. Most of all, she heard praise for herself. Though a senior, Polina was approachable and easygoing, like a friend. She kept complimenting Xuan Yang—calling her beautiful, smart, and talented for joining a renowned red-circle law firm like Junda at such a young age. After a few drinks, she even admitted that when she was pregnant with Zhou Dang, she had hoped for a daughter. Unfortunately, she gave birth to a son, and she still regretted it. "You know, during my pregnancy, I bought so many little clothes and shoes for a girl—all pink and adorable. But A Dang turned out to be a boy, so everything went to waste." Polina was very talkative and kept chatting with Xuan Yang throughout the meal, her enthusiasm never waning. Xuan Yang could genuinely feel her affection as an elder, and while surprised, she couldn't help but wonder why. Eventually, her eyes fell on Zhou Dang, who had been silently serving her food. She reached a conclusion. Though she knew she was not lacking and could easily win over elders, she understood that Polina's sincere liking was partly due to Zhou Dang's groundwork and kind words. In this marriage, Zhou Dang had done his best to give her dignity and care. He was doing well, and being married to him was better than she had expected. So Xuan Yang told herself to be good to Zhou Dang in return.
As the meal drew to a close, Xuan Yang's cheeks were flushed slightly from alcohol. Polina had drunk quite a bit and was very happy, but she had a high tolerance and was still clear-headed. She pressed Xuan Yang about her relationship with Zhou Dang. "By the way, Yangyang, I asked A Dang earlier who pursued whom, but he wouldn't tell me. Since you're here, why don't you satisfy Mom's curiosity?" Polina rested her chin on her hand and leaned close to Xuan Yang, sounding somewhat coquettish, nothing like a mother-in-law. But Xuan Yang didn't forget she was Zhou Dang's mother and felt a bit nervous. Although she and Zhou Dang had discussed this and agreed to claim that Zhou Dang couldn't live without her, facing such an authentic Polina made it hard to say those white lies. Just then, Zhou Dang placed a dessert in front of her and removed the used dishes. He answered Polina, "Mom, aren't you asking the obvious? Of course I pursued her." He easily diverted Polina's attention. Polina's smile deepened, and she looked like she knew it all along. "Then why did you act all mysterious when I asked you before? Afraid your mom would laugh at you?" Zhou Dang looked resigned and stopped defending himself. Polina was now convinced that he had pursued Xuan Yang. "What's there to be embarrassed about? Yangyang is so beautiful. If you won her over, that's impressive enough. How could I laugh at you? I'd only praise you for being amazing, truly amazing!" Zhou Dang: "..." He thought his mother might be a little tipsy. He leaned close to Xuan Yang and whispered, "My mom gets like this when she drinks—a bit offbeat. Don't mind her." Polina glared at him. "I can hear you!" Zhou Dang shrugged. "Take it easy. Don't scare my wife away." Xuan Yang laughed at their banter and found their parent-child relationship surprisingly warm and enviable. Polina took her hand and stroked her cheek, her eyes full of joy. "Yangyang, this kid A Dang has never been in a relationship before, so he's bound to be careless with girls. If anything ever makes you unhappy or unsatisfied, make sure to tell him right away." Xuan Yang nodded obediently. Polina pinched her cheek affectionately. "My marriage with A Dang's father didn't end well, but I hope you two will be fine. The Zhou family is big and wealthy, and some people are used to looking down on others. Their words and actions can be annoying. For Mom and A Dang's sake, please be patient. Don't worry, with Mom here, I won't let anyone bully you again." Xuan Yang nodded, understanding, then glanced at Zhou Dang, guessing he must have mentioned his father's talk with her.
After dinner, Xuan Yang and Zhou Dang had to return to the city. Polina didn't insist they stay at the villa, only told Zhou Dang to treat Xuan Yang well before they left. She also urged them about the wedding. "Regardless, a wedding must be held. Since Yangyang married into the Zhou family, the Zhou family should give her full respect." There was no room for Xuan Yang to refuse. Zhou Dang and Polina settled it between them. After seeing them off, Polina called Zhou Lihai for the first time in a while. He answered almost immediately, his tone slightly surprised and carrying a light snort. "Didn't you say you'd never contact me voluntarily?" Polina rolled her eyes, but recalling how attentive Zhou Dang had been to Xuan Yang during the meal, she resisted hanging up. "Zhou Lihai, don't flatter yourself." Zhou Fu on the other end: "..." Polina continued, "I'm telling you, I'm very satisfied with Xuan Yang as my daughter-in-law. If you mess around and drive away such a wonderful daughter-in-law, I'll have it out with you!" Zhou Fu was silent; Polina could sense his displeasure through the phone. But she didn't care. "Although A Dang didn't say it, I can tell he really likes Yangyang. If you care about your son at all, be good to Yangyang." Zhou Fu snorted. "He likes her, but does she like him?" Polina retorted, "That's none of your business. It's between the young couple." Zhou Fu was at a loss for words. After a while, he cleared his throat and asked coldly, "Are you staying at Yunlu Villa tonight?" Polina said, "What, I can't stay? Yunlu Villa is a business. My son paid to reserve the place. Is there a problem with me staying here?" Zhou Lihai choked, nearly losing his temper. After a moment, he suppressed his anger. "I was going to ask if you're free tomorrow to have a meal together." Polina laughed lightly, as if she had heard something strange. "Is the Zhou family going bankrupt? The great Chairman Zhou actually has time to eat with me?" Zhou Lihai: "..." Polina's smile faded. "Sorry, Chairman Zhou, I'm busy." With that, she hung up. Polina crossed her arms and looked at the cold crescent moon in the sky. A moment later, she sent Zhou Dang a message: [Son, Mom is leaving Jingbei on tomorrow evening's flight. I'll come back to see you and Yangyang another time. Take care of each other, and be good to Yangyang.] Then she transferred some money to Zhou Dang's account—a red envelope for Xuan Yang as a token of acceptance.