Chapter 851 - RiChapter Young Master
Long Jinjing's hands paused in the middle of chopping the ingredients. She glanced at Lu Zihao who was leaning against the wall. "Nikolai, I already told you that I don't needâ"
"And I already told you before that as long as you're my woman, my subordinates will make sure that you're safe," he said in a casual yet firm tone.
She pursed her lips and felt unhappy at his insistence on what she thought was totally unnecessary. "I'm too tired to argue with you today. But we'll discuss this another time."
He only shrugged before taking a peeled carrot from her chopping board and began chewing it. "Put more meat. I'm a big man. I need a lot of food."
His words made her smile. Indeed, he was a big man. In response to his request, she used all the meat that she bought yesterday.
"Good thing I went grocery shopping yesterday," she said. "Robin accompanied me while Shun drove us. I like Robin. She was the one who told me to buy more food for you because you like to eat meat."
He made a sound of approval. "If you like Robin, then good. I won't need to replace her. And don't worry about groceries anymore. I'll tell the two of them to stock up your fridge while you're at work so you won't need to waste your time shopping. You can just head straight home after work."
"Nikolai, please don't do this."
"Hm?" The carrot made a crisp sound as he continued chewing it.
"You can't just...take over my life like this."
"Why not?"
She stared at him in disbelief. Did he just seriously ask that question? At first, she thought that he might be teasing her. However, the longer she looked at him, the more she could sense his genuine curiosity as to why he couldn't take over her life like this.
"Nikolai, you...."
He already finished the carrot and took a sliced bell pepper next. "When will dinner be ready?"
"I..." His question distracted her from the many questions she wanted to ask him. It reminded her that it was now past dinner time. "In about half an hour, I think."
"Good."
"Just...stop distracting me or the food will take longer to finish cooking."
He raised an eyebrow. One corner of his mouth curved up in a devilishly roguish smirk.
"Fine." Then he walked towards her and leaned down to give her lips a quick peck and her butt a light slap before heading out of the kitchen. "I'll be in the balcony to make a few phone calls. Call me when dinner's ready."
She muttered under her breath, "Leaving me to cook while you wait like the young master that you are. What am I? Your personal cook?"
He stopped walking and turned around. "I heard that, Jinjing."
Oh no! He heard her? She flushed in embarrassment. "I... That's n-not... I mean...."
He crossed his arms over his muscled chest. "Heh~ So you think that it's a chore to cook for your boyfriend, eh? We can always order food from a restaurant, you know, not to mention that I can ask my subordinates to bring us whatever food that we want to eat. Or if you prefer home-cooked meals, I can hire someone to come and cook for us right here. I personally don't mind what kind of food we eat as long as it's edible and satisfies the daily food needs of a big man like me. There's no need for you to cook for me if you don't want to. I want you to fuck me, Jinjing, not cook for me."
She turned even redder, especially at the vulgarity of his last sentence. Despite this, a trace of thrill fluttered in her lower abdomen and made her feel warm. She avoided his gaze and made a shooing motion with her hands. "Just g-go to the balcony...and let me cook. You're distracting me. And just so you know...I like to cook!"
Devilish laughter filled the unit. When she heard the the balcony's sliding door opening and closing, Long Jinjing released the breath that she was holding in a shaky, drawn-out sigh. She patted her chest and felt her wildly beating heart, willing it to calm down.
The man was undoubtedly domineering, vulgar and straight to the point. He was also someone who couldn't be controlled. He did what he liked and had no problem forcing his own will on other people.
If she wasn't so attracted to Lu Zihao, she would stay away as far as possible from a man like him. In fact, that was what she ought to do. The two of them were only meant for a temporary affair like this. They had no future together. But it was already too late. She only had to taste him once to become addicted.
Realizing the dangerous direction of her thoughts, she shook her head and focused on preparing dinner. Her hands moved with great speed and efficiency once the distraction called Lu Zihao was out of the kitchen.
About half an hour later, she called Lu Zihao for dinner. He headed straight to the dining table and was about to sit down when she asked him to help set the table while she transferred the hot food from the pot to a serving dish.
He blinked a few times, seemingly unable to comprehend what she just asked him to do. She couldn't help but laugh at him.
"You're really a rich young master." She giggled before pointing at the overhead shelf where the plates were stored.
There was no change in his expression as he took the plates and arranged them on the table. Afterwards, he didn't miss the chance to punish her with a hot, brutal kiss for laughing at him. It was a quick kiss but extremely intense, leaving her dazed out of her mind and once again made her poor IQ plummet to amoeba level.
"If you dare ask me to wash the dishes later, I won't let you sleep tonight," he whispered to her ear. "I'll fuck you so hard all night long until you're limping tomorrow."
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Chapter 852 - Young Master Lu
Long Jinjing slapped Lu Zihao's arm even as his vulgar words affected her, making her feel all hot and bothered. His effect on her was no joke. She needed to find a way to not let him affect her too much before she went crazy for him.
"S-stop it, Nikolai," she stammered.
Lu Zihao grabbed her waist and caged her with his arm. "Hoooo~ I didn't see you for only a day but it seems that you've grown bolder while I was gone. Now you're even hitting me. What's next, Jinjing? Are you going to tie me in bed and have your wicked way with me?"
"W-what are you saying?" she squeaked. His words evoked vivid images to play inside her head. She felt her face and neck...no, she felt her entire body heat up until she feared that she might overheat.
"Heh~ Look at you. I bet you're thinking about something dirty." He leaned forward and whispered to her ear in his sinful voice, "I bet it involves me, naked and hard. And you, hot and wet."
"Y-you..." She pressed her face on his chest to hide from his teasing eyes. Ah, so embarrassing!
His chest vibrated from a devilish chuckle. He pulled her closer to him in a tight hug. "It's okay, Jinjing. It's perfectly normal to have dirty thoughts about your own boyfriend. I think so, at least. I already told you that there's no need to be so shy when you're around me."
After a few moments, she began to recover from her embarrassment, though not completely yet. She gestured for them to start eating dinner. Fortunately, his focus shifted to the food, giving her some breathing room from his vulgar teasing.
"I heard that Robin will be teaching you some self-defence," Lu Zihao said while they ate.
"Huh? Is that what she said?" She frowned and thought about it. "Actually, I was going to sign up for a gym membership yesterday but Robin offered to give me private training instead. She said that she's a more effective trainer than the ones in the gym."
He nodded. "That's right. You're better off being trained by her. I trained all my subordinates, so I'm sure that they know what they're doing."
"But I don't remember her saying anything about teaching me self-defence."
He finished chewing the food in his mouth before replying. "I heard that you asked for a training regimen that will increase your strength and stamina. I wonder why." The teasing glint returned in his eyes.
She flushed and avoided looking at him.
"Don't worry," he said. "Robin will train you properly. Don't think about the self-defence part too much. Just treat it as part of the training regimen. Besides, it's better if you learn how to defend yourself in physical fights. It's a good skill to have."
She thought for a moment and concluded that he made sense.
"I'll be the one to train you when I'm available," he added in a casual tone.
Her eyes widened in momentary surprise before she smiled. "Okay."
"I'm a strict trainer. Better be ready. I won't go easy on you just because you're my girlfriend. You want results. I'll give you results but you need to work hard for it."
"I know," she whispered. "Robin and Shun told me."
After dinner, she washed the dishes while he leaned against the wall to watch her.
"I'll buy you a dishwashing machine," he said.
"No need."
"Why? Washing by hand after every meal looks so boring."
She shook her head while continuing to wash the dishes. "I enjoy doing household chores. It relaxes me."
He was silent for a few moments before saying, "You're weird."
She pursed her lips but chose not to reply. He wouldn't understand even if she explained anyway.
He spoke again. "Can you hurry up?"
She glared at him. "I'll be much faster if I have some help. But of course, I wouldn't dare ask the Young Master Lu to do somethingâ"
Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open when he moved to stand beside her and started rinsing the remaining soapy plates and glasses under the running water.
"W-what are you doing?"
He gave her a side-eye, as if silently asking what kind of stupid question she just asked. Wasn't it obvious what he was doing? Despite this, he still answered her. "You said that you'll be much faster if you have some help. I'm helping you now. Come on, let's hurry up and go to bed. I can't wait to have you again."
Her brain was still struggling to process the sight before her. "Y-you're...washing dishes."
He rolled his eyes and finished rinsing everything before putting them on the drying rack. The way he piled the plates was messy but at least he didn't break anything. He grabbed a kitchen towel and dried his hands.
"Are we done here?" he asked.
She glanced at his clumsy handiwork and felt something warm spreading inside her chest. She nodded because she might blurt out something embarrassing again if she let herself speak while her IQ had plunged to amoeba level like usual because of him. When they headed out of the kitchen, she was still a little dazed.
"I can't believe I just made Young Master Lu wash the dishes," she mumbled, still in disbelief.
He scowled. "Stop calling me Young Master Lu."
"Nikolai."
He nodded and looked much more satisfied after she called him by his preferred name. Then he pounced on her. She yelped but quickly melted under his passionate French kiss. When he moved his wet kisses down her neck, some semblance of sanity returned to her. She tried to push his head away.
"Stop, Nikolai. We just ate. I'm too...full. I can't yet...you know."
He cursed against her neck but still stopped what he was doing. Then he pulled her to sit on the couch in the living room. They watched the evening news on TV while waiting for their food to digest enough in their stomachs before resuming their intense bed activities later.
"I'll return to Dragon Palace soon," he said. "You want to come with me?"
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Chapter 853 - What's The Big Deal?
"Are we sleeping over there?" Long Jinjing asked.
Lu Zihao replied, "Maybe."
"Oh." She thought for a moment before nodding. Then her eyes began to shine with excitement. "I want to go. I want to spend some time with my sister, Dom, Sis Ying Yue, and of course, Little Jun and the cats. I miss the kids so much. I'm going to buy some treats for them before we go there."
He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't ask you to come with me to have a girls' night out with your friends. We're going to spend the night together in my bedroom there."
"Oh." Her face and neck turned crimson. "I...uhm..."
"Remember that our time is limited. The days are passing by so quickly. I want to spend more time with you as much as possible."
His reminder sobered her mind in an instant and prevented it from plunging to amoeba-level IQ even further. "Right."
"I need to talk to my sister and Jin Liwei...Third Brother." He said the last part slowly, sounding like he wasn't used to saying it.
She noticed but didn't give it much thought. He could be odd sometimes, like insisting that she call him Nikolai and things like that. She was already starting to get used to his idiosyncrasies.
"My talk with the two is extremely important and might take a long time, so you can hang out with your friends and the kids during that time," he told her. "Just remember that you'll be sleeping with me in my bedroom at night."
"Okay," she replied in a shy tone. Then she remembered something. "Uhm...Nikolai...."
"Hm?"
She cleared her throat. "You see...uhm."
"Spit it out, Jinjing."
"Little Sister Xiulan and my friends already know that we're, uh, in a relationship," she said before covering her face with her hands.
"I know."
She lowered her hands and looked at him in surprise. "What? How did you know? Did my sister tell you?"
"Something like that," he said in a vague manner.
(Actually, Bacon told him when his AI nephew visited him last night. The black cat revealed that his gossip-loving older sister saw him, Lu Zihao, and their Auntie Jinjing kissing each other inside his car in front of Orchidia Beauty. Given how talkative the white cat was, she immediately shared her findings to her mother.)
"It's not only Little Sister Xiulan who knows," she said in a hesitant tone. "Xiao Fei knows. Dom, too. And you know Dom. I'm sure that he already told our other friends about our relationship."
She observed his expression, trying to see what his reaction was going to be. However, his expression didn't change. He just continued watching the evening news on the TV as if what she said was nothing of importance.
"You don't...mind?" she asked.
He looked at her. "Why would I mind?"
"Because others now know that we're together."
He raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that the point of this relationship? You want the title and status as my official girlfriend and I agreed. I told my subordinates, so they know to give you respect or they'll answer to me. And now my sister and your friends know. What's the big deal? Are they against our relationship?"
"N-no, they're not. They're just...curious."
"Understandable." Then he asked next, "Are they teasing you?"
She nodded.
He chuckled. "They're just envious that you're getting laid regularly. Don't mind them."
She hit him with a throw pillow. "Don't say that! So embarrassing!"
He caught the pillow and threw it on the floor. Then he shrugged. "Well, I'm not sure if they're envious or not. But the part about you getting laid on a regular basis is true. Don't deny it, Jinjing. I know that you like fucking me as much as I like fucking you."
Yes, it was true but he didn't need to say it like that! If embarrassment could kill, then he would've murdered her many times over already.
"My point is that there's no need to keep our relationship a secret," he said.
She looked at him and felt something flutter in her chest. She didn't realize that her mouth was already smiling. "Yes, I guess so."
"Then it's decided that you'll come along with me when I return to Dragon Palace. I'm not sure when yet. I'll have to check all our schedules first. But it might be in a couple of days or so. I'll tell you when everything is arranged. In the meantime, you can start buying some treats for the kids and pack an overnight bag."
"Alright. I'll do that."
He stood up all of a sudden. She looked up at him, confused.
"Time to fuck, Jinjing," he announced.
Her entire body heated up. She allowed him to carry her to the bedroom. When the door closed behind them, lewd sounds began coming out of the bedroom in no time. And it went on until the wee hours.
###
The alarm clock woke up Long Jinjing. She reached for her phone on her bedside table but couldn't move because of the great weight pressing down on her waist and legs. Turning her head, she saw a sleeping Lu Zihao hugging her tightly.
She was immediately distracted by the sight. This was the first time that she woke up with him still sleeping beside her. She lifted her hand and traced the ragged scar on his handsome face.
"If you don't turn off that damn alarm, I'll throw your phone out of the window," he suddenly threatened with his eyes still closed, startling her and causing her to poke his cheek a little too hard with her finger.
His eyes opened. Although they still looked sleepy, his gaze was already razor-sharp.
"I...can't move," she croaked. Her voice was a little dry from sleep. "Let me g-go and I'll turn off the alarm."
He released her and she immediately reached for her phone. When the annoying sound was gone, she saw him shifting position to lie on his back before going back to sleep.
She smiled, feeling happy that he was actually sleeping on her bed. Glancing at the time, she sighed and moved to get ready for work.
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Chapter 854 - Caught In The Ac
Long Jinjing still felt like she had been run over by a truck. Even so, her body somehow felt lighter after seeing Lu Zihao sleeping on her bed. She didn't expect that it would feel this good to wake up with him lying beside her in the morning.
He didn't stir when she climbed off the bed. It seemed that he was exhausted this time, though she was sure that it wasn't because of their almost nonstop sex. The man had an unbelievable stamina for sex. Maybe his exhaustion was because he didn't get enough rest from his work the other day. After all, he was unable to call her in the evening like he promised and only texted her past midnight when she had already fallen asleep according to her phone records.
Although she was curious about what kind of work he was doing, she stopped herself from wanting to know more. His work was obviously off-limits and he made that clear in his terms in their agreement for their 30-day relationship.
Before leaving the bedroom, she made sure to put on a robe first. She already learned her lesson not to walk around naked even in her own home after Lu Zihao allowed his subordinate, Shun, inside without her knowledge the other day. Lu Zihao had been furious at her that time.
She wasn't afraid of him but she didn't want Shun or Lu Zihao's other subordinates to get into trouble after accidentally seeing her naked. Just based on how subservient both Shun and Robin were acting towards Lu Zihao, she could already deduce that he was a hard taskmaster.
After one last look at the sleeping Lu Zihao, she closed the bedroom door as softly as she could in order not to wake him up. She was about to head straight to the bathroom when she heard her front door clicking open. Her body froze.
Who was it?
Shun? Robin? Were they going to deliver breakfast again? Lu Zihao didn't mention anything to her but he hardly did. He would just do whatever he wanted.
She backed away a few steps, slowly making her way back to the bedroom. If it was an intruder, she would immediately call for Lu Zihao. She had no doubt that he would be able to take down anyone with his massive body and protect her.
The door opened.
"Jing'er!" Sun Jingfei entered the unit with a big smile on her face when she saw her daughter. "Good morning, my child! I brought breakfast. Come and help your mother carry these bags inside while I put away my coat and shoes. I prepared a lot of food for you, my dear. You've become too skinny lately. We need to fatten you up a little."
"Mom!" Long Jinjing was shocked to see her mother. Panic filled her and she subconsciously glanced at the closed door of her bedroom.
"What's wrong?" her mother asked when she didn't move from her spot. "Are you still sleepy? Hm? Are those bruises on your neck and chest?"
Long Jinjing's heart jumped and felt like it fell down to the floor. She hurriedly pulled up her robe and tried to cover herself more. Her mother was now rushing towards her with a face filled with concern.
"M-mom, I'm okay...these...uhm...." She tried to stop her mother from coming near her but it was already too late.
Sun Jingfei arrived in front of her. "Let me see your neck, Jing'er, so that I know if we need to bring you to the doctor."
"I'm really okay, Mom. There's really no needâ" She gasped when her mother pulled open the top of her robe. "Mom!"
"What theâ" Sun Jingfei's eyes widened. Her eyes alternated between her daughter's face, neck and chest. "T-these are...oh." She backed away and clutched her chest. "Y-you have...oh." Then her eyes turned at the closed door and pointed at it. "Is there...someone in there?"
Long Jinjing wished for the ground to open and swallow her up. Being caught in the act by her own mother like this was by far the most embarrassing moment that she had ever experienced in her life so far. She covered her face and wanted to escape to the bathroom.
"J-jing'er...."
The bedroom door opened right at that moment. The mother and daughter's heads turned at the same time and watched as a big, tall and handsome man with a ripped body full of scars sauntered out of the bedroom. He was half-naked with only a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Hm?" Lu Zihao stopped in his tracks and looked between the mother and daughter. His eyebrows raised in "surprise".
Long Jinjing doubted that his surprise was genuine. For a man who had an almost perfect control of his own expressions, his current reaction seemed a little too deliberate. She glanced at her mother who looked like her soul flew away from too much shock. The awkward and embarrassing situation made Long Jinjing want to cry.
Lu Zihao stepped forward and flashed Sun Jingfei a polite yet still devilish smile. "Hello, Madam Sun. I don't know if you still remember me but we've met before at Orchidia Beauty's grand launch. That said, let me formally introduce myself. My name is Lu Zihao and I'm your daughter Jinjing's boyfriend."
Silence.
Sun Jingfei's mouth opened and closed like a fish struggling to breathe out of water. Her eyes and mouth were all wide open as she struggled to understand what Lu Zihao just told her. She looked at him and at her daughter and then back at him again.
"Y-you two...oh." Both of her hands were pressed tightly over her chest.
"I apologize if you caught us in this kind of...unbecoming moment," Lu Zihao said, managing to look sheepish.
The expression impressed Long Jinjing. It looked natural on his face but also out of place. This kind of expression wasn't something the Lu Zihao...no, the Nikolai that she knew would make. However, he was doing it in front of her mother right now.
"I just hope that you won't hold it against us, Madam," he added and flashed a not-so-devilish smile for good measure.
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Chapter 855 - Let Me Take The Hea
The awkward silence stretched on as the shocked Sun Jingfei failed to reply to Lu Zihao's words. It became too unbearable for Long Jinjing, so she hurried towards Lu Zihao and tried to push him back into the bedroom.
"NikoâZihao, please put on some clothes," she pleaded. "I'll talk to my mom first, okay? Come out again only if you're...uhm...not as naked. It's incredibly distracting." Then she leaned closer and whispered to him, "Please be a little, uhm, mindful when you talk to my mom later, Nikolai. She might have a h-heart attack if you say something, er, too shocking. Mom's a little delicate, you see."
He raised an eyebrow but there was amusement glinting in his eyes. "Now I know where you got it from," he murmured.
She was too distracted by her embarrassment and worried about the current situation with her mother that she missed what he said. "What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly."
"Nothing." His mouth curved into a small, amused smile. Now it was his turn to lean down and whisper to her. Unlike her worried tone, however, his tone sounded wicked, even more so than usual. "Alright. I'll put on some clothes now. I think that you should too, you know. I don't think your mother will appreciate it if you continue talking to her while the outline of your nipples is showing through your silk robe."
She looked down and saw that what he said was true. She immediately covered her chest with both of her hands as pure embarrassment filled her, causing her eyes to become teary. She wished that she was still sleeping and that this embarrassing situation was all just a dream. However, she knew that her wish was futile. There was no choice but to swallow her own embarrassment and deal with the current situation with her mother.
"Mom, please wait here a moment while NiâZihao and I p-put on some clothes, okay?"
After saying that, she dragged Lu Zihao back to the bedroom and shut the door without waiting for her mother's reply. Once inside the bedroom, she dropped to a squat on the floor, curled her body into a ball, and covered her face with her hands.
"This is too embarrassing! I can't believe my mother witnessed that!"
"It's not as bad as you think it is," he told her.
She lifted her head and saw him already putting on fresh clothes. Shun gave her a small bag of Lu Zihao's clothing the other day and she emptied out a drawer in her dresser for his items.
"What do you mean it's not as bad as I think it is? My mom totally knows that we're having sex! I'm so embarrassed!"
He paused before putting on a T-shirt. Then he crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at her. His muscles flexed with his movement, causing her to swallow some fresh saliva that pooled inside her mouth.
"You're embarrassed of me?" he asked in a dangerous tone.
"No! That's n-not what I mean!" She stood up in a hurry and ran towards him until they were standing in front of each other. She tried to grab his arms but failed in moving him even an inch. He was like a stone statue, impossible to move with her measly strength.
He didn't reply but his razor-sharp gaze on her intensified, silently telling her to explain herself.
She squirmed under his silent pressure but forced herself to meet his eyes. "I...uhm, I just meant that the situation was t-too embarrassing. Aren't y-you embarrassed at being caught by my mom?"
"Why would I feel embarrassed? Aren't we in a 'respectable' relationship like you wanted? Since this is the case, then there's no need to be embarrassed." She opened her mouth and was about to argue but he didn't let her cut him off. "So what if it's your mother who caught us? She should know that her daughter is already an adult. Is she against you having a boyfriend?"
"N-no...."
"Then I'm sure that she knows about the possibility of you having sex with your boyfriend. And also, don't treat your mother like a child. She gave birth to you. How did she get a child? By having sex, don't you already know that? Sex is a normal part of human life and nothing to be ashamed of. Those who think that it's shameful are a bunch of hypocrites. Don't you dare become a hypocritical puritan or I'll spank you while fucking you harder than you've ever been fucked before. Then I'll make you crave it from me so much that you'll beg me to do it to you again and again."
"You!" She glanced at the closed door with a face as red as a baboon's butt. "Don't be so loud. What if my mother hears you?"
He shrugged.
"And that's not the main point here, Nikolai. The point is that all children will feel embarrassed upon being caught in the act by their parents or any family members for that matter."
He shrugged again. "I'm not embarrassed at all. Like I said, sex is a normal part of human life. If not, then we wouldn't be able to produce the next generation like how we've been programmed to do."
"Butâ"
"But nothing, Jinjing. Hurry up and put on some clothes. Let's not keep your mother waiting for too long."
"Oh! Right." She immediately grabbed some random clothes from her dresser.
Lu Zihao was already fully-clothed and just waiting for her to finish. He said, "Don't overthink the situation. It's really not as bad as you think it is. If your mother scolds you, let me take the heat. You're my woman now, Jinjing, as I keep on reminding you. I'll protect my woman even if it's from her own parent. No big deal."
Warmth filled her chest at his domineering yet still sweet words even as she felt frustrated by his nonchalance and failure to understand her embarrassment. Sighing, she could only trust in him and hope that everything would be fine just like what he said.
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Chapter 856 - Babe
Later, Long Jinjing and Lu Zihao sat together on the couch while Sun Jingfei sat on the single armchair to the side in the living room.
Sun Jingfei had already calmed down when the couple came out of the bedroom thankfully wearing proper clothes. She observed her squirming, red-faced daughter with her relaxed yet intimidating boyfriend.
They didn't look proportional sitting together like that because Lu Zihao was so huge while her daughter was so petite. It was like seeing a huge, battle-scarred tiger with a tiny, innocent puppy. Worry filled her. Would her daughter be alright with a scary-looking man like him?
She cleared her throat and made a show of glancing at the wall clock. "It's getting late and Jing'er still has get ready for work today. How about we eat breakfast and maybe...t-talk during the meal?"
"Good idea, Madam," Lu Zihao replied while flashing a charmingly roguish smile. Then he stood up and pulled Long Jinjing to stand up as well before sweeping an arm at Sun Jingfei. "After you, Madam."
Sun Jingfei's expression lightened. She even giggled. There was also a suspicious pink tinge on her cheeks. "What a gentleman you are, Lu Zihao. Fine, this old woman will go first."
"Madam is still young. And please call me...Zihao. There's no need to be so formal since I'm your daughter Jinjing's boyfriend."
"Oh, alright. And you can call me Auntie Jingfei as well. Like you said, there's no need to be so formal. Come on, you two. I brought a lot of food today."
Long Jinjing stared at the two of them with a dazed expression. Who was this charming man? What did he do to her domineering boyfriend? How deceptive!
And what was wrong with her mother? She had been too shocked to even speak just a few minutes ago and yet now she was giggling like a teenage girl in front of her daughter's boyfriend. Ah, was her mother always this weak against masculine charm? Was this how her father hooked her mother? Oh no! Too embarrassing!
Wait, did she inherit her mother's weakness? Was this the reason why she gave in too easily to Lu Zihao as well? Oh gosh! Invisible tears flowed down Long Jinjing's eyes as she cried for both her mother and herself.
"Jing'er, help me set the table," Sun Jingfei called.
Long Jinjing didn't respond.
Lu Zihao stepped forward. "Let me do it, Auntie."
"Oh, what a good child!" Sun Jingfei looked very pleased at his good manners. Then she sighed at her dazed daughter and shook her head. "I hope you don't mind my daughter when she acts like this. She can be a little...delicate, you see. She tends to be overwhelmed if she encounters something too embarrassing. Please be understanding of her. She's a good child."
His roguish smile became wider and the charm level he was oozing intensified. "I know that Jinjing is a special woman and will treat her as such. I'll take care of her so please don't worry, Auntie. Your daughter is safe with me."
Sun Jingfei's pleased smile also became wider. Then she instructed Lu Zihao how to properly set the table while she opened all the dishes that she brought with her. The delicious aroma of food wafted throughout the kitchen and awakened Long Jinjing from her daze.
Lu Zihao pulled out a chair. "Please sit, Auntie."
Sun Jingfei giggled before sitting down. "Your parents taught you excellent manners."
"It was actually my grandfather who beat good manners into me while I was a little boy. My parents were both free-spirited people and they were often gone travelling in other countries and pursuing their own passions while I was growing up. My grandfather was basically the one who raised me, so he was more of my parent than my own parents."
"Oh! Then you must be very close to your grandfather."
Lu Zihao's roguish smile turned gentle. There was even a touch of sadness in his expression. "I wasâI am."
"Sir Lu Jianhong is indeed a great man," Sun Jingfei said.
A deep furrow formed between Long Jinjing's brows as she stared at Lu Zihao in disbelief. Something wasn't right. He was acting too out of character. It was as if...he turned into a completely different person. Even his aura felt different. What was happening? It didn't feel like he was acting, unlike his deliberate "surprise" at seeing her mother earlier when he came out of the bedroom half-naked.
He turned to her next and pulled out another chair. "Why are you still standing there? Come here, babe. Let's eat breakfast or you'll be late for work."
B-babe? She shuddered. Something was definitely wrong with him!
"Jing'er, stop dazing around," her mother reprimanded. "Zihao is right. Hurry up and let's eat. It's rude to keep others waiting at the table. The food will get cold."
"Y-yes, Mom." She sat down on the chair while looking warily at Lu Zihao.
They began eating.
"The food is delicious, Auntie," he said, making Sun Jingfei giggle again. Then he put more food on Long Jinjing's plate. "Babe, you need to eat a lot so you'll have energy to work today. You mentioned that Orchidia Beauty will be busy until the end of the year."
Long Jinjing continued to stare at him in disbelief. Goosebumps popped up all over her skin. Wasn't he the one who said that he disliked saying sweet, mushy things? He even added it to his terms in their agreement. Why was he calling her "babe"? Was he possessed? This wasn't the Lu Zihaoâno, the Nikolai that she knew!
"Are y-you okay?" she asked him in a hesitant voice.
He raised his eyebrows in confusion which still looked charming. "What do you mean? Of course, I'm okay."
"Jing'er, what's wrong with you?" Sun Jingfei asked, interrupting the two. "You've only eaten two bites. Time is ticking. Eat more before you get ready for work."
"Y-yes, Mom." Long Jinjing began eating but continued to steal glances at Lu Zihao.
He caught her and flashed her with a bright smile. The smile was so brilliant that it almost blinded her but it made her feel cold all over.
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Chapter 857 - Total Opposite
While her mother and boyfriend were chatting like two long-lost relatives, Long Jinjing tried to focus all her attention on her food. They were right. She needed to eat because it was going to be another busy day at work. If she didn't eat, she wouldn't have the energy to last the whole day. However, it was a struggle to swallow the food because her mind was in total chaos.
The man sitting beside her didn't feel like her boyfriend at all. It was bothering her so much that she could barely taste the food her mother cooked for her despite them being all her favourite breakfast dishes.
Sometime during the meal, her mother finally started asking them questions about their relationship. Since Long Jinjing was too preoccupied with her confusion about Lu Zihao's current out-of-character behaviour, he was the one who answered all of her mother's questions.
Sun Jingfei noticed her daughter's distracted state and sighed out loud while shaking her head. "This child...tsk tsk. Jing'er, your behaviour right now is very disgraceful. I taught you better manners than that."
Lu Zihao immediately defended Long Jinjing. "Please don't scold your daughter too much, Auntie. Jinjing is just too tired from work while also making sure to spend enough time with me." Then he turned his head towards Long Jinjing and gave the gentlest smile ever before removing a grain of rice stuck on the corner of her mouth. "Don't eat too fast, babe. I don't want you to have indigestion later at work."
Once again, Long Jinjing felt goosebumps popping up all over her skin. She was starting to feel scared of Lu Zihao now. This wasn't like him. To her, his gentle smile was like a stranger's. She preferred his devilish smile and felt more comfortable with it.
It was laughable how she asked him earlier to be mindful while talking to her mother because her mother might get a heart attack due to his intense personality. She was worried that he might say something too shocking that would scandalize her mother. In a way, he was pretty similar to her younger sister, the new Xiulan after waking up from coma. Both could be too straightforward sometimes.
But now that he actually listened to her request and was being mindfulâno, his current behaviour was going beyond mindful. He was basically charming the heart out of her mother to the point that her mother was almost ready to adopt him as her own son. If things continued like this, he might become her mother's new favourite child before the day was over.
She was worried about her mother getting a heart attack earlier and yet now, it seemed like she would be the one to get a heart attack especially if he kept on creeping her out by calling her "babe", acting too charming, and just giving her the overall impression that her boyfriend had turned into a completely different person.
His personality had become too bright, carefree and charming all of a sudden which was the total opposite of what she knew to be his real character. This wasn't the Lu Zihaoâno, the Nikolai that she knew.
Breakfast ended but Long Jinjing's chaotic mind only worsened. Her stomach was tied in knots. Lu Zihao might be right that she would suffer from indigestion today.
"Are you available tonight, Zihao?" Sun Jingfei asked. "I was hoping that the three of us can eat dinner together later. We don't have much time to chat this morning because Jing'er needs to get ready for work. I want to have a longer talk with the two of you when nobody is in a hurry to leave."
"Mom, let's talk about this anotherâ"
"Yes, Auntie," Lu Zihao interrupted. "I'm available tonight."
Sun Jingfei smiled at him. "We can eat here or maybe go out, whichever the two of you prefer. If you want to stay here at home, I'll go grocery shopping and start cooking in the afternoon."
"No need to tire yourself cooking for us again, Auntie," he said. "I'll book a restaurant instead so that all you two ladies need to do is dress up and be ready. I'll pick up Jinjing at work later and then we'll pick up Auntie afterwards. Then all of us can head to the restaurant together."
Sun Jingfei clapped her hands. "That's wonderful, Zihao! You're such a thoughtful gentleman." Then she turned to her daughter. "That's our plan for tonight, Jing'er. Are you paying attention? Now stop dazing around. Off you go, young lady. Hurry up and get ready or you'll be late for work."
Long Jinjing glanced at the wall clock and yelped at the time. She left the table and ran straight to the bathroom.
"Oh, that child!" Sun Jingfei shook her hand once again. "Please excuse my daughter, Zihao. She's not always so absent-minded like that."
Lu Zihao flashed a dazzling, carefree smile. "I know, Auntie. She's just feeling too shocked because you walked in on us. You know how shy she is."
"Ah, you're right." Sun Jingfei gave a soft a smile. "You understand her well. I'm glad." Then her expression turned serious when she looked at him straight in the eyes. "To be honest, I'm also still feeling very shocked walking in on the two of you earlier. I still don't know how I feel right now, mainly because I'm Jing'er's mother and it's hard for a parent to witness her child in such an awkward situation like that."
"I understand, Auntie."
"I'm just glad that it's you that I found with her today. Sir Lu Jianhong, your grandfather, mentored Jing'er and Fei'er a bit when they started working at Orchidia Beauty with Xiulan. Your grandfather is a force to be reckoned with. I have a feeling that he'll beat you up if you hurt my daughter."
Lu Zihao gave a sheepish chuckle. "That's true. Grandpa will most certainly beat me up if I hurt any of his beloved new granddaughters." Then his expression turned serious, too. "And don't worry, Auntie. Jinjing is my girlfriend. Rest assured that I'll give her the respect that she deserves."
Sun Jingfei beamed. "Thank you."
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Chapter 858 - Do You Love Him?
Lu Zihao offered to wash the dishes but Sun Jingfei refused his help and gently kicked him out of the kitchen. However, he still refused to leave, choosing instead to stand there and accompany her. The two chatted with each other. There was no awkwardness between them. The conversation flowed naturally, as if they had been close to each other for a long time.
When Long Jinjing came out of the bathroom, she was already fully dressed in her work outfit. As usual, she wore clothing that covered the hickeys Lu Zihao left on her body.
Lu Zihao gave her a quick peck on the cheek right in front of Sun Jingfei before heading to the bathroom to take a shower as well. Long Jinjing's face turned red while her mother looked at her with amusement.
The mother and daughter headed to Long Jinjing's bedroom. Sun Jingfei helped her daughter blow-dry her hair while Long Jinjing applied light makeup on herself.
"I like Zihao," Sun Jingfei said all of a sudden. "I didn't expect that he's such a charming, young man despite his scary appearance."
Long Jinjing's face turned red again and she avoided her mother's gaze on the mirror. She didn't know how to respond to her mother because the charming Lu Zihao that her mother interacted with today wasn't the same devilish Lu Zihao who fucked her hard every chance he got. Ah, just thinking of the word "fuck" was so embarrassing!
Sun Jingfei chuckled seeing her red-faced daughter. However, there was also some sadness behind her smile. Every parent would feel this way upon realizing that their child was no longer a little kid but a full-grown adult.
"He's much better than that douchebag you dated in university," she told her daughter. "That immature boy only wanted to get into your pants."
Long Jinjing bit her lower lip. She couldn't tell her mother that Lu Zihao also only wanted to get into her pants and that he agreed to become her boyfriend because he wanted to have sex with her again after their one-night stand. This kind of information wasn't appropriate to be shared with one's own parent. Being caught by her mother with her boyfriend this morning was already enough embarrassment for Long Jinjing.
Sun Jingfei finished blow-drying her hair and started arranging it in an elegant braided bun. "Don't forget about our dinner later tonight."
"Mom, I don't thinkâ"
"My child, I want to get to know your new boyfriend and maybe also grill him a little harder about his true intentions in being in a relationship with you."
Long Jinjing opened her mouth but closed it again. What could she possibly say? That Lu Zihao's original intention in being in a relationship with her was to have sex with her? And that their relationship was mostly a carnal one?
Her mother continued speaking, "But I'm sure that Zihao is a good man. He's Sir Lu Jianhong's grandson after all. Sir Lu is one of the greatest businessmen not only in the country but in the world. Yet despite being a businessman, Zihao mentioned that he had been mostly raised by his grandfather. It means that Sir Lu prioritizes his family. I'm sure that Zihao was raised to have that important value as well."
Long Jinjing didn't comment. Her mother had been deceived by her boyfriend today. The truth was that the man was a beast.
"There you go," Sun Jingfei said, presenting the completed braided bun.
Long Jinjing turned her head from side to side to study her hairstyle for today. It was elegant and feminine but still work-appropriate. "Thank you, Mom. It's beautiful."
"No, my child. YOU are beautiful."
Long Jinjing couldn't help but smile. Warmth filled her heart. She felt thankful everyday to have a mother like Sun Jingfei. They might not have the legitimate wife and daughter status in a judgmental society but Long Jinjing couldn't ask for a better mother than Sun Jingfei. She was the best mother that Long Jinjing could ask for in the whole world. She knew that even if the entire world turned its back on her, her mother would always take her side no matter what.
Then all of a sudden, her mother asked, "Do you love him?"
Long Jinjing was in the middle of applying lipstick but her hand slipped after hearing her mother's question. A light, rose-pink streak smeared down her chin. "W-what?"
Her mother remained calm and simply handed her a makeup removing wipe. "Zihao. Do you love him?"
"Mom!" Long Jinjing was flustered. Her hand shook while she wiped away the lipstick smear on her chin.
"What? I'm just asking you a question. Why are you overreacting?"
Long Jinjing pretended that she didn't hear her mother and focused on reapplying the lipstick. Her face was so red that she couldn't bear to look at her reflection in the mirror anymore.
"Well, do you love him?" her mother insisted on asking.
Long Jinjing sighed, defeated by her mother's gentle yet firm pressure. "I...I d-don't know."
"Hmmm. It's a yes, then."
"W-what? No! Mom!"
This time, it was Sun Jingfei who sighed. There was a sad smile on her lips. She rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders and looked at the two of them, mother and daughter, in the mirror. "I'm your mother, my child. I know you so much better than you know yourself. You're just like me."
Long Jinjing felt her heart racing inside her chest. Her mother's words were causing her to panic.
"Just be careful, Jing'er. You're still young and only started a great career. I hope that you don't get pregnant too early."
"Mom...."
"You're lucky that Zihao has never been married yet." Sun Jingfei's sad smile turned wry. "Unlike me. I fell in love with a divorced man who married another woman who wasn't me. My one wish in life is for my little girl, my beloved daughter, to have a happy life. And that you'd never have to suffer the same heartbreak that I endured because of my hopeless love for your father."
Long Jinjing's eyes reddened. "M-mom..."
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Chapter 859 Charming Lu Zihao Vs - Devilish Lu Zihao
Sun Jingfei chuckled but it sounded a little forced. "Don't look at your mother like that. I'm not that pitiful. Yes, I loved your father but we were not meant together. That's all. And I don't regret becoming pregnant with you. Never. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Jing'er, my little angel. I just hope that you'll get to enjoy your youth more and not become a mother too early like I did. Raising a child is a big responsibility and your life will change forever. I know that you'll be a great mother someday, but I hope that you'll only choose to become one when you feel that you're really ready to build a family of your own."
Long Jinjing blinked her eyes rapidly to prevent tears from falling. "I understand, Mom. Don't worry about me."
"It's a mother's job to worry about her child."
They smiled at each other, both teary. Pure love surrounded them like a warm cocoon of comfort.
###
Inside the bathroom, Lu Zihao glowered at his own reflection in the mirror. Ferocious aura emanated from him in heavy waves. His entire body was tense, causing all his muscles to pop up.
"I let you take over but only for today," he hissed at his reflection. "Don't get used to it. This is my body now."
His reflection smirked and gave a charmingly roguish chuckle. "Don't be so uptight. You'll age my handsome face faster."
Lu Zihao's nostrils flared as he scowled harder.
"Who was it again who asked me for help because someone doesn't know how to deal with his girlfriend's mother? Oh, it's you!"
"Shut up," the devilish Lu Zihao growled.
"Easy there, Nikolai," the charming Lu Zihao said in an easy, casual tone. "Despite your arrogance, you actually care about that pretty girlfriend of yours and are willing to accommodate her request to be mindful of how you act in front of her mother. The only problem is that you don't know how. Lucky you that I'm here to the rescue! Dun dun dun dun!"
"Don't feel too smug about it. This is simply a deal for cooperation. Nothing more."
Charming Lu Zihao became serious. "Indeed, it's a deal for cooperation so you better fulfill your end of the bargain."
"Yes," Devilish Lu Zihao said through gritted teeth.
Charming Lu Zihao flashed a bright, carefree smile. "I can't wait until we return to Dragon Palace! I'm sure that Third Bro would be understanding of our situation."
Nikolai, a.k.a. Devilish Lu Zihao, didn't reply. It was only the other day that the remnant inside him had become stronger to the point that it developed some sort of consciousness. It began to talk to himâno, bug himâlike a normal, annoying person instead of its previous form which was mostly a flood of strong but jumbled emotions with direct, uncomplicated thoughts.
At first, the remnant could only sustain talking for a very short period of time but the duration became longer just a few hours later. He wanted to suppress it like usual but stopped himself because of what Bacon told him. Although he didn't feel ready yet, he had already decided to return to Dragon Palace and meet his sister and her man and talk to them in person.
He was worried about his sister's health and well-being, especially after hearing that she had a frightening nightmare which sounded like it had been about the night of their hellish annihilation in their past lives. His straightforward AI nephew told him without mincing any words that his refusal to talk to them was causing enormous stress on his sister. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if his actions or inaction somehow contributed to his pregnant sister's health to decline, or worse, cause her to miscarry.
Therefore, in order to survive the meeting with his sister and Jin Liwei, he needed to have all of his wits about him. And that also meant that he mustn't allow the remnant to go berserk inside him again especially not during the important meeting.
It was actually the remnant who offered a peaceful partnership between the two of them. He ignored it, of course. He wasn't interested. However, things changed when Long Jinjing's mother caught them today.
Normally, he wouldn't have cared about presenting a good image to other people except for when it was for the sake of achieving a goal. Pleasing Long Jinjing's mother was definitely not an important goal to him.
For some reason, however, he didn't want to upset Long Jinjing who was already freaking out earlier at being caught with him by her mother. Well, she was his woman now. He promised to take care of her while they were in this 30-day relationship and that was what he planned to do.
Since she requested that he act mindful while in front of her mother, then he would act mindful. The only problem was that he felt unsure of how to do it properly.
And that was when the remnant offered its services to him. Time was tight so he was decisive and accepted the offer.
It was not a great feeling to allow the remnant to take over the body but he restrained himself from fighting for control. There was also a part of him that felt curious about the entire situation. He wanted to test the limits of this stronger remnant so that he could develop a more effective strategy to defeat it once and for all. Besides, he was confident that he would be able to wrest back control if the remnant went too far.
Back to the present, he continued glaring at his own reflection. The conversation now moved inside his own mind so he didn't need to talk to himself out loud in front of the mirror like a crazy person.
"You dared call my woman 'babe'? You're courting death. She's mine!"
The remnant snickered. "Courting death? I already died, you asshole. Oh, right! You already died, too. See? We're similar! Is this what they call fate? And wow! Possessive, aren't we? Modern girls like your pretty girlfriend don't like possessive assholes, just you know."
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Chapter 860 Remnant Soul Vs - Invading Soul
"Well, too bad," Nikolai hissed. "I'm what she got."
"A pity," Lu Zihao's remnant murmured in a tone filled with mock pity.
Nikolai clenched his hands into tight fists. The urge to beat up a certain someone overwhelmed him. If not for the sheer impossibility of such a feat, he would have already done so the moment the pest gained the annoying (and a little alarming) ability to have a full, coherent conversation with him.
"And I'm not going to forget how you kissed my woman," he said.
The carefree voice inside his head scoffed before laughing out loud. "That kiss on the cheek? Wow, dude. Why don't you chill a little? That was just an innocent greeting from me to the woman you're having sex with while using my body!"
"This is my body now! You're not allowed to kiss Jinjing again!"
"Whatever."
Frustration filled Nikolai. A vein throbbed in his forehead while he tried to control his temper and restrain himself from punching his own reflection in the mirror. Knowing that another presence, a remnant of the original Lu Zihao's soul, was still residing in the body he now owned was already troublesome enough by itself. But now that it somehow evolved to its current more sentient state, dealing with it had become many times more difficult than ever before.
He didn't know what the evolved remnant was planning by offering a deal for cooperation with him, but he would never let his guard down, not even for a second. There was no way that he was going to give up this body until he achieved his ultimate goal of revenge in this second chance in life.
But before he could think of a way to deal with the remnant once and for all, he needed to maintain his sanity first and not erupt in total aggravation from the unwelcome chatter inside his head.
An irritating snicker reverberated in his mind. "Good thing that we share the same body, eh? Someone with a terrible temper like you will surely beat me up if you get the chance. But you can't! How stupid would you look if you punch your own face! Ahahaha!"
"Fuck you," Nikolai snarled.
"Aaaw~ You're so sweet, Nikolai! But no thanks. Sorry to say but I'm straight and won't let you fuck me. I only like beautiful women. I don't bend that way, unfortunately."
Nikolai closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down. If he didn't, the maddening remnant might succeed in driving him into apoplexy. After a few deep breaths, he was able to regain some semblance of cold calmness. The irritation was still there but he would just treat it as a necessary evil that he needed to deal with until he found a way to drive away the remnant into oblivion.
The remnant continued trying to provoke him with its lighthearted yet mocking words. "You know what? You're actually quite a nice guy sometimes if not for all that mafia godfather shit that you're so involved in. If you just tone down your assholery a bit, then I think you'll fit right in our brotherhood. We can call you Sixth Brother! Oh wait. You're older than all of us! But we can't give you the title Eldest Brother because that already belongs to Eldest Bro Yehanâ"
"Shut up! Don't include me in your stupid brotherhood."
Silence.
A heavy pressure weighed down on Nikolai's head, making him feel like his brain was going to explode.
"We have a deal, Nikolai," the carefree voice said, not sounding so carefree anymore. It was serious and even threatening. "Don't anger me too much or I'll drive you out of my body until both of us perish together. We're both dead already, anyway. I may just be a remnant of my original self and won't be able to sustain living in my body again for long by myself, but I'll do everything in my power to fight you, an invading soul!"
"You won't win against me," Nikolai hissed through the pain in his head.
"Hah! You think you're so great? You died too, asshole. In case, you've forgotten. And this is my body you're occupying. It prefers me than you. As long as you keep on rejecting my requests and trying to drive me out of my own body, then I won't let you live in peace for the rest of your fucked-up life. So you better suck it up like a big boy and fulfill your end of our bargain."
Nikolai was now down on one knee on the floor while gasping and tried to lift himself up with great difficulty. Sweat ran in rivulets down his entire body and dropped to the floor with an almost audible plop.
"Fine," he eventually forced himself to say through gritted teeth.
The pressure in his head was gone in an instant as if it never happened in the first place. He stayed on his knee and tried to regulate his gasping breaths back to normal.
"You fucking shit."
He heard delighted laughter in his head. "Back at ya, asshole."
Afterwards, he managed to stagger his way into the shower. The remnant was silent for the entire duration that he washed himself, thank fucking goodness. But when he stepped out of the shower, the annoying voice popped in his head again.
"Hey."
He ignored the annoying shit.
"Hey, Nikolai! Winter is coming soon. How about we go skiing? It'll be fun! You can bring your pretty girlfriend."
"No."
"Che. What a killjoy."
He grabbed a towel and began drying his wet body and hair. "Have you forgotten that you died by skiing, you idiot?"
"So what? Life is too short. I believe in living your life to the fullest while doing what you love. And for me, that's skiing and skydiving and other thrilling activities!"
"Indeed, your life was too short since you died early. Good thing I occupied your body and made everyone think that Lu Zihao is still alive. If not, you would've driven the old man to his grave from worrying about your stupid thrill-seeking adventures."
The remnant had nothing to say to that.
Ah, finally. Some peace and quiet.
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