h.e.l.lo everyone, I must say. This chapter shows a little more chemistry between our two main leads. Also, I have to admire a character here. His dignity and strength of bearing make me feel he should have led the family instead! What do you think?
Discuss in our and become a sunflower fan! Lemme know what do you think about this chapter~
Okay, less talk now, let’s plunge into Chapter 22!
Chapter 22: Father Mmmm… Orange juice with honey~ Yum! When Lu Xi brought the orange juice into the living room, the young lady who he had seemingly annoyed a moment ago was already sitting on the sofa with his notebook computer on her lap as she began to watch TV.
His lips slightly lifted as he walked to an armchair next to her side of the sofa and sat down, pushing the cup forwards a bit.
Through the transparent gla.s.s cup, the tangerine-yellow colored juice slightly rippled because it had been moved, revealing several tiny, cute grains of pulp.
"Orange juice?" Su Jin frowned, as she reached her hand out to take the cup, pursing her lips.
The sour and sweet taste filled her mouth, and Su Jin"s eyes brightened, "Did you add honey?"
"Yep." Lu Xi nodded, his eyes slightly forming a curved shape as the depths of his beautiful peach blossom eyes revealed traces of a smile.
He knew- she liked orange juice with some honey.
Su Jin gave a small smile, but before she could say "Thank you", she swallowed her words back.
Thank this pervert?
Did she really want him to take his liberties with her again?
After the young lady in front of him asked him the question, she unabashedly took the orange juice and continued to look through her dramas. Lu Xi raised his eyebrow, this girl was really treating him less and less courteously.
But this was also good, right?
He slightly lifted his head as he leaned back onto the chair.
The afternoon sunshine trickled through the French window as a warm yellow light diffused through the entire room.
The girl lay on the couch, as a golden strand of light mischievously fell upon the corner of her eye. Her long eyelashes gently blinked, like a fairy dancing in the light.
The time pa.s.sed, still and well.
……
The next morning at Huang Ting; fourth floor, #6 private room.
Han Xuelan sat at her seat, clad in a cerise pink moxiong short dress, her fair legs cross-legged underneath the table(1). Beneath the tablecloth, the tips of her black high heels were revealed.
(1) mò xiōng (抹胸) – A moxiong is like a dudou, in that it describes a type of clothing that is snug against the chest, almost like a bodice. According to Baidu, although it is doubtful, it is a "bra" in English. It is also usually in a sweetheart neckline.
A moxiong dress, it is often to the length of a micro-mini or a mini dress but usually at most, to the knee. She reached up and moved her long, garnet colored l.u.s.trous curls to one side as she spoke to the man sitting beside her, "Father, what does Uncle even want, calling us over here so early?"
"How would I know?" The man dressed in Western-styled clothing seemed to be somewhat uneasy. His brows creased as he thought for a long time before he turned towards his daughter sitting next to him.
The pink short dress made her skin seem whiter. As her slightly thick lips pouted, she exhibited a natural charm.
Han Lei was a little dumbstruck. As he looked at his daughter, he suddenly thought of her mother. He detested his ident.i.ty as an illegitimate child, so he followed his orders and had dated, then married, and was nothing but a loyal husband to his wife. But right when their daughter was one month old, that woman had betrayed her daughter and husband.
Inside, he understood. That woman looked down on him.
Wasn"t that how it worked? He was so weak and powerless. Even the daughter that he had raised by himself…
He let out a deep sigh. Seeing her att.i.tude today, he feared that his daughter had stirred up more trouble. He didn"t know what she had done, even going as far as to provoke his elder brother, someone who had always ignored them.
Oh, this girl…
While he thought, two knocks came from outside the door.
The two people at the table turned to look over.
The person who pushed the door open was wearing a well-ironed black suit. He was about 40 years old, with a tall and straight posture, and he somewhat resembled Han Meng. The only thing was, the solemn face that he bore right now was steeped in a faint coldness that emanated from head to toe.
"Elder, elder brother." Han Lei hastily called.
"Big uncle." Han Xuelan obediently called, as she also sat up.
Han Xu sat at the table with a calm expression, not responding to their words.
The young man who had walked in with Han Xu was wearing light gray exercise clothes. He looked handsome and bright. His pair of eyes was the only thing that was absolutely similar to the man who had walked in before him.
"Second uncle." He said this to Han Lei and nodded curtly.
"Gege." Han Xuelan bit her lips.
Han Mingxuan looked at her with a meaningful look, but he did not speak. He had already told his father what had happened yesterday. Su Jin and Han Xuelan were both his little sisters. Even though the two of them only had an ordinary relationship with him, what Xuelan had done this time was really too outrageous.
In the private room, Han Lei sat next to Han Xuelan. Han Xu sat at a distance from the two of them. Han Mingxuan sat at the other side of Han Xuelan.
No one spoke and the air was saturated with a stifling silence.
"Elder brother." After a quite a while, Han Lei wiped off the sweat on his forehead and spoke in a low voice, "what has happened?"
Han Xu turned and stared fixedly at him. Han Lei"s face became a little pale as he timidly asked, "Is- isn"t everyone here now?"
"Everyone isn"t here yet." Han Xu finally spoke, his voice a little chilly, "Wait."
Not here yet? Han Xuelan blanked for a moment, slightly lowering her head. Her thick hair fanned down past her shoulders, covering her slightly wrinkled brows and her somewhat pale face.
Silence filled the air yet again. Han Mingxuan fidgeted a bit, feeling uncomfortable, and put his earbuds in, as he began to play a game.
Han Xu frowned and glanced at his son, his face becoming gloomier.
Fortunately, the atmosphere didn"t stay this way for a long time, as a second knock quickly came from outside the private room.
Su Chenghai walked in first, wearing the same color suit as Han Xu. Even his face looked normal, and he was also dressed in black, a colour like the bottom of a pan.
The person behind him was Su Yue, who was wearing a neat dark gray suit, his face similarly cold.
The third person was also young. He was even a little taller than Su Yue and wore a white cotton shirt with black stripes on it. He wore a black suit over that, as well as some black pants. His sharp eyebrows were cloaked in black, and his thin lips slightly smirked. His peach blossom eyes reflected an icy cold smile, and the crystal b.u.t.tons on his collar shone with bright light.
Lu Xi…
Han Lei"s face turned black as he instinctively turned to look at his daughter.
He saw Han Xuelan"s eyes flash, as she continued to watch the door. Then, her pupils suddenly widened. Her somewhat pale complexion had completely whitened in a single moment.
Han Lei was startled and immediately swiveled around to look at the door.
A young lady was wearing a rose red long off-shouldered dress. At her waist was a pitch black woven belt. She had long lashes and phoenix-like eyes, her lips were dark red and her crow-black long hair reached her waist. The contrasting red and black created a peak in her beauty.
When the man in front of her turned around, his cold peach blossom eyes immediately melted into a rippling spring brook, full of warmth.
"Su Jin!"
Han Lei hadn"t reacted in time before he heard a shrill voice near his ear.
Xuelan! Shocked, he turned back around.
Han Xuelan"s face that had turned white, had now transformed into an unseemly blush. Her lovely eyes were focused on the person coming in through the door at this moment. Her white teeth bit her full lips, revealing deep teeth marks.
"What?" Su Jin spoke, her voice imbued with a slight chill, "Do you find it strange that I"m no longer in that small room in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city?"
Han Xuelan did not speak; only biting her lip as she looked at her.
"Brother-in-law, Xiao Jin, and… Young master Lu." Han Xu nudged his son, hinting that it was time for him to take his earbuds out. Kneading his forehead, he said, "Let"s sit down, and talk first."
Hearing this, Su Chenghai nodded and brought his two children to sit at a seat a slight distance away from Han Mingxuan.
After everyone greeted one another, the room became still once again.
"Han Lei," Han Xu opened his mouth to break through the silence. From his briefcase, he took out a few A4 sheets of paper, and pushed it in front of Han Lei who had a look of unease on his face, "first, take a look at this."
Han Lei lifted his head to look at him, and then under everyone"s gaze, took the paper that was given to him. He moved exceedingly slowly, even trembling a little, but no one pressed him.
There weren"t many words on the paper. Han Lei read it repeatedly for more than ten minutes before he put it down. His face was extremely pale, and he slowly closed his eyes. Then, he stood up and slapped Han Xuelan"s face.
The crisp sound streaked through the air, almost like the sound of an intense explosion.
Han Xuelan"s face swiftly reddened.
She stared blankly, even forgetting Su Jin, as she stood up and glared at her weak father with wide eyes. Her eyes were quickly suffused with a layer of mist.
"You hit me!" She yelled, as her voice raised an octave.
Her heart was incredulous. Ever since she was born, he had never touched even her fingertips.
Han Lei clenched his somewhat trembling right hand, as he looked away from the mist in his daughter"s eyes. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again, as if he had come to a resolution.
His white face gradually regained its color, and his right hand had stopped trembling. He walked around the chairs in Su Jin"s direction.
In a few seconds, his pair of eyes stared heavily at the lovely and resplendent girl before him. While this happened, Lu Xi and the father of the Su family could not resist but frown.
All of a sudden, Han Lei"s knees weakened, and he suddenly knelt in front of Su Jin.
His knees clashed with the wood, producing a huge thud.
He looked up and curved his body slightly.
It was clearly a lowly position, but at this moment, instead of being the weak man he had been before, his aura was as dignified as a mountain.
Translated by Geeky
Edited by Ely
TLC-ed by Irisu