"Hmm!" His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as Kong Chengyi gently pulled her closer, turning to press a kiss on her cheek. "If it's too much for you, I'll have the hotel's chef come here. After all, you're resting now—you can't overexert yourself!"
"No, no need! I can manage. Besides, you haven't eaten my cooking in a long time—I have to make it myself!" Ding Jia waved him off anxiously, repeatedly insisting she could handle it. In her heart, she was already calculating that if a chef moved in, who knew how long she'd be stuck in this godforsaken place, unable to return to Xiaoyue Residence anytime soon.
Because it was their first day moving in, Kong Chengyi didn't leave either. He helped Ding Jia get familiar with the villa's layout, then leisurely accompanied her on a short walk nearby before finally going to his study to work. Ding Jia, meanwhile, returned to her room early to rest.
After a lazy bath, Ding Jia slipped into a bathrobe and returned to her room, which still felt empty—there was no sign of Kong Chengyi.
Casting a disdainful glance at the suitcase still on the floor, Ding Jia kicked it lightly barefoot, feeling no motivation to unpack. Instead, she casually threw herself onto the large bed, closing her eyes to savor the softness of the mattress and its fresh scent, instantly craving the comfortable bed rather than the old, hard one back home.
Taking a deep breath, Ding Jia suddenly sat upright with a blossoming smile and quickly opened the wardrobe. She opened her round eyes wide, expecting to see a dazzling array of clothes, but to her surprise, the large wardrobe was mostly empty, with only Kong Chengyi's oversized gray bathrobe and a set of beige casual clothes hanging inside.
"Humph," she snorted coldly, pouting as she slammed the wardrobe door shut, then flopped back onto the bed and tugged at the bathrobe, unconcerned about it hanging loosely.
Her pale fingers clutched the bedsheets. She had hoped Kong Chengyi would have prepared various clothes for her, thoughtfully anticipating her needs, but instead, the wardrobe was so bare.
Although she had already paid special attention while getting to know the villa's layout earlier, she now noticed something else: despite the villa's vastness and complete leisure facilities—including a home theater and gym—it didn't have a single guest room; there was only this master bedroom.
Squinting and pouting even more, she suddenly thought that Kong Chengyi would definitely be sharing the bed with her tonight. She jumped up again, quickly opened the suitcase, and tossed the clothes on top onto the floor. A brightly colored array of intimate garments spilled out.
She ran her fingertips over them repeatedly, picking through several times before finally choosing a pure black camisole. Then she hesitated and decided to take out a pink short skirt as well.
After slipping out of her bathrobe, Ding Jia opted to wear the pink nightdress. She straightened her chest and smiled approvingly at the faintly revealing silhouette reflected in the full-length mirror.
Back in the room, she cast a look of disdain at the cheap clothes on the floor but still took the trouble to hang every piece neatly in the wardrobe and even tidied up the entire room to make it look tidier.
With one hand gently swirling a glass of wine, Kong Chengyi held a cigarette expertly between the fingers of his other elegant hand. The curling smoke rose slowly as he gazed up at the pitch-black sky, eyes narrowing slightly as his sharp gaze settled on the stars sprinkled across the heavens.
Whenever he was agitated or wanted solitude, he would spend a few days alone in the mountains, quietly reviewing documents or sweating it out at the gym, then taking solitary walks around the villa late at night. He fully immersed himself in the peaceful nature, letting its freshness cleanse the worries in his heart. In a way, this place should be his sanctuary—not somewhere anyone could just barge into.
And today, when choosing between Xiaoyue Residence and here, he had instinctively chosen this villa first. At some subconscious level, he no longer wanted Ding Jia to settle back into Xiaoyue Residence.
Taking a sip of wine, a burning sensation rose in his throat. Suddenly, the image of Hua Lianxi's bitter, cold smile flashed through his mind. His heart stabbed uncontrollably, as if aching for her sorrow, for her tearful yet reluctant admission of accusation.
With practiced skill, Kong Chengyi took a deep drag, furrowing his handsome brows tightly. Only when his mouth could no longer hold the dense smoke did he release a thick ring into the air, which quickly dissipated. The hazy smoke drifted into his eyes, stinging them.
He smoked cigarette after cigarette until the entire pack was gone. Only then did he seem to be awakened by a breeze, suddenly remembering Ding Jia sleeping in the master bedroom—his current home.
Gently pushing open the door, as expected, the bedside lamp of the master bedroom glowed faintly, enough for Kong Chengyi to clearly see the figure peacefully sleeping on the bed.
Opening the wardrobe, he paused briefly in surprise. The previously empty wardrobe was now neatly lined with various women's short skirts and dresses. His hand, which had reached out to grab his bathrobe, froze mid-air. After a moment, he retrieved it.
Though this should have been obvious, he always seemed caught off guard—only when seeing it with his own eyes would he realize Ding Jia had gently crept back into his life, as close as they had ever been.
After quickly showering, Kong Chengyi lay down on the bed and reached out to switch off the bedside lamp. Just as he closed his eyes, his waist was suddenly grabbed. Soft small hands slipped nimbly beneath his bathrobe.
"Ding Ding?" He grasped the wandering hand quickly, his deep voice sounding uncertain in the darkness.
His palm pressed against warm skin still damp from the shower. Ding Jia wriggled closer, pressing intimately to his chest, half her body overlapping his. The short skirt she wore rode up as she moved, exposing smooth thighs to the air. In the dark, her lips curved upward—there was no sleepiness in her expression.
"Yi…" She longed for him, even more so for his child, so she would not let any opportunity slip by.
Her soft skin pressed against him. Kong Chengyi stiffened for a moment before slowly placing his hands at her waist. "Are you tired? Go to sleep." Closing his eyes, he made no further move.
Almost two hours passed with her lying next to him—her passionate anticipation cooling and fading—until he finally came back to the room. Though she had already given clear signals, he just held her and fell asleep immediately.
Blinking her almond-shaped eyes, Ding Jia lay quiet in the dark for minutes, sensing his steady breathing as he began to drift off.
Suddenly grabbing his hand, she lifted her skirt enticingly, stretching out her slender leg and looping it around his waist, pouting coquettishly. "Yi, I miss you, I really miss you…" In the darkness, she puckered her lips and searched to kiss his jawline, inching slowly toward his neck.
Holding her breath, feeling her boldness and heated desire, Kong Chengyi groaned softly but then opened his eyes the next moment. Looking down at her slender figure atop him, he gently but firmly pulled her off. His voice was calm, commanding: "Go to sleep. Your body needs rest."
Pressed firmly beside him, Ding Jia looked up in disbelief. "Yi…" Even though she threw dignity and shame aside, she still couldn't win his favor. He flatly stopped her.
"Hurry up and sleep. I have to go back to the company tomorrow." Narrowing his eyes, Kong Chengyi seemed oblivious to her dissatisfaction and surprise, his voice still steady and composed.
Though she couldn't see his expression in the dark, she could hear the calmness in his voice. Biting her lip, Ding Jia simmered with anger at his composure but, as if nothing had happened, lowered her head again and nestled against his arm.
Yet—he had no desire for her? He could remain so calm at such a moment? What had she missed during those years apart? Or had that woman Hua Lianxi already become the closest to him?
Squinting, Ding Jia's mind churned endlessly, imagining countless possibilities, seeking answers to countless guesses. But as dawn approached, she realized that perhaps none of those speculations were true. The most real thing was that Kong Chengyi was sleeping beside her, and she still had a chance. She was still his closest woman. With more effort, she could rekindle his heart and body. She was still the precious one cradled in his palm.
By midday, the restaurant gradually grew noisy. The originally soft piano music was drowned out by laughter and whispers. Without paying special attention, one might only think this upscale restaurant was as noisy as a market, lacking any sense of a star-rated atmosphere.
Hua Lianxi sipped her water elegantly, her phoenix-like eyes drifting toward Cheng Yi, who kept nervously playing with her hair. After the fourth time Cheng Yi took out a mirror to adjust her appearance, Hua Lianxi finally spoke: "Yi Yi, which client are we meeting? You seem nervous?" Usually very confident about her looks, Cheng Yi had been fussing with her hair repeatedly, and even changed into a graceful pale yellow dress again just before leaving the company.
"That's, uh, the client!" Cheng Yi smiled awkwardly, hiding the mirror. "Xi Xi, do you know any of Kong Huan's relatives? Like cousins or something?" Lowering her voice carefully, Cheng Yi asked, feeling uneasy.
Looking down at the pristine tableware, Hua Lianxi smiled slightly. "No, not a single one I know." Brushing aside her troubles, she completely cleared all Kong family associations from her mind.
"Really no one?" Cheng Yi asked again, unwilling to give up. Deep down, she felt something unusual.
"What's wrong? Is something the matter?" Hua Lianxi looked up, meeting her gaze seriously. Cheng Yi's repeated questions aroused her own curiosity.
"Well, the client we're meeting later is Kong Huan's cousin…" Swallowing her hesitation, Cheng Yi finally disclosed this, glancing toward the approaching Ran Fang.
"Who?" Suddenly gripping the cup's edge, Hua Lianxi's heart skipped a beat. She sensed she had guessed something.
"Cheng Yi, you should be able to receive this client yourself. I'm not feeling well; I'll leave now!" With a smooth movement, Ran Fang stood and grabbed her bag, ready to leave.
"Afraid to see me? Skipping out on business?" Casually, hands in his pockets, Ran Fang raised an eyebrow with a smile, watching Hua Lianxi who was about to walk away.
"Ran Fang…" Cheng Yi hadn't expected Hua Lianxi's fiery reaction and stood as well. Seeing Ran Fang finally arrive, she breathed a sigh of relief.