"Is this the book you were reading?" Lin Yan pointed at the book she had returned to its original place.
She didn't recognize the title. Her English over the years had been just for passing exams, with little expansion beyond that, so there were many things she didn't know.
Lu Chenyuan had a towel hanging around his neck, was drying his damp short hair with one hand, and his body carried a pleasant scent of soap.
Lin Yan liked clean men very much, and in their time together, she thought that although Lu Chenyuan was a bit poor, had a bad temper, and a cold demeanor, he was very good in other aspects.
Lu Chenyuan picked up the book and offered it to Lin Yan, "Do you want to read it?"
Lin Yan leaned on her elbow, lying on the kang bed, and looked at him sideways, "How would I understand it? If I can't understand it, how could you?"
Lu Chenyuan casually replied, "I self-learned in prison."
Lin Yan actually took it seriously, her eyes watery and bright, "You're so smart? You can understand all that, while I can only rote memorize."
Lu Chenyuan thought Lin Yan wasn't very bright. She was the kind of person who, even if sold by someone, would still help count the money enthusiastically.
Even though Lu Chenyuan and Lin Yan shared the same kang bed, they were far apart, with enough space between them for several people.
Lin Yan was a restless sleeper, often shrinking the distance between them.
"You unfilial son, do I have to die before you will be content?"
"Why? I raised such a cold-blooded beast. How much blood must stain your hands to build a platform for your so-called great cause?"
An endless abyss lay before him, his father covered in blood, his gaze fierce, and his eyes filled with anger and sorrow.
Lu Chenyuan woke from the nightmare with a start, his breathing rapid, drenched in cold sweat. This nightmare had plagued him for countless nights.
In the darkness, Lu Chenyuan's eyes looked bewitched, gloomy and terrifying.
Suddenly, a soft, sweet small body turned over, and her arm naturally draped over his waist.
Lu Chenyuan, always on guard, instinctively wanted to push away the body that had thrown itself on him, his eyes as fierce as a wild beast...
Warm breath sprayed on his abdomen, as the cherry lips muttered foolishly, "Pork buns taste so good."
The hand Lu Chenyuan had placed on Lin Yan's shoulder, intent on pushing her away, fell limp.
This woman even dreamt about eating.
In the pitch-black room, Lin Yan clung tightly to Lu Chenyuan's fit arm.
Lin Yan switched positions, sliding her calf between the man's legs and then staying still.
Lu Chenyuan gently nudged her. Lin Yan slept soundly, her bent knees rubbing gently against him through the thin fabric of his pants.
Veins on Lu Chenyuan's forearm twitched as he nearly gritted his teeth and said, "Get up right now."
Lin Yan could not hear him. She smacked her lips twice as if she had already eaten the pork bun in her dream—it was just that this pork bun was hard and tough on the teeth.
There was added weight on her cheek where Lu Chenyuan had pushed her face away. His palm touched Lin Yan's cheek; her skin was tender and smooth, like uncooked tofu.
Lin Yan finally woke up.
Her eyes were sleepy, barely open, and she sneezed, tears pooling in her eyes.
She didn't know if she was awake or still asleep, half-dreaming, half-aware, as if she saw someone push the door and leave the house.
Not long after, she heard the sound of a door opening, and Lin Yan felt the man re-enter with water vapor and a faint soap fragrance on his body.
Thinking she was dreaming, she distinctly remembered that Lu Chenyuan had already showered, wondering why he would take another shower in the middle of the night.
It must be sleep confusion.
On the day of Yangyang's school entrance banquet, Lin Yan had set an early alarm, not expecting to oversleep again.
She had promised Zhou Ping to help out before dawn, as Zhou Ping couldn't manage alone; after all, it was a grand event that brought glory to the Lin Family.
She opened her eyes to find it was already past eight o'clock.
Somehow, since living here, her sleep had greatly improved from before.
At first, she was afraid, after all, a man and a woman lying together, but then she found that Lu Chenyuan hardly gave her a second glance, so she slept soundly.
Lin Yan was still efficient and managed to prepare breakfast in a hurry, making only a pancake with egg, which was for Lu Chenyuan.
For herself, she brewed a large cup of milk powder.
When she brought the egg pancake to Lu Chenyuan, he didn't even look at it.
"You don't need to cook for me every day, you're not a nanny, it's not necessary," he said.
Lu Chenyuan had grown up in a household full of servants, always taken care of by Nanny Zhou.
He was used to being served, but he couldn't accept this kind of service from Lin Yan.
Servants are paid; it's an exchange.
What was Lin Yan doing, bustling about every day? He felt like a freeloader.
Lin Yan was startled by Lu Chenyuan's tone, like a child caught doing something wrong, at a loss for what to do with her hands.
"I was just making it since I was already doing so, don't get angry, your tone is so harsh," she said.
Lu Chenyuan's heart was hard; he no longer looked at Lin Yan. He felt it was justified to stop things that made him uncomfortable.
"My brother has his school promotion celebration, can you come? If you do, I promise I won't cook anymore," Lin Yan unconsciously shrank back, putting some distance between herself and Lu Chenyuan, her eyes shimmering.
"I can't…" Lu Chenyuan refused flatly.
Lin Yan's smile fell, her spirits sinking to rock bottom; she couldn't persuade Lu Chenyuan.
She also wanted the people in the village to know that she was with Lu Chenyuan, so she wouldn't have to listen to their idle gossip.
Now in the village, someone, damn them, had started the rumor that Xiang Qingyuan had dumped her and she was clinging on desperately, even kneeling and begging.
She was not that pathetic.
Lu Chenyuan gave her a glance and she backed down, not pushing further.
Lin Yan left, taking the egg pancake with her, leaving nothing for Lu Chenyuan.
"Why are you just coming now? The banquet starts this afternoon," Zhou Ping asked Lin Yan discontentedly upon seeing her.
Lin Yan: "I woke up late."
Zhou Ping complained in a loud voice, "You've found a lazy moocher, and now you're getting lazy too?"
Lin Yan: "He's not greedy, doesn't crave for much."
Lin Yan's words had an edge, and Zhou Ping felt they were off; Lin Yan was actually talking about Zhou Ping, who wasn't ashamed of the things she had said.
She had the nerve to call others lazy moochers when at home, for stewed meat, Zhou Ping was always the first to grab a bowl; she was territorial about food, and aside from Tiantian, no one else was allowed a bite more.
Zhou Ping didn't feast for nothing, with a figure well over 200 pounds, today she even squeezed her fat feet into high heels, uncertain if the heels could withstand the pressure.
Lin Yang heard Lin Yan return and came out of the house.
As the guest of honor for the day, the high school student Lin Yang was dressed neatly and looking sharp.
He was dressed head to toe in Nike, including his shoes.
Zhou Ping pulled Lin Yang over, gazing at her tall, handsome son, grinning from ear to ear.
Showing off, she said, "Our Yangyang really looks handsome, wearing branded clothes really makes a difference. It's all thanks to your sister's good taste, she knows how to buy. Your sister is so generous to you, this whole outfit must have cost a thousand yuan."
Zhou Ping's 'sister' referred to her daughter Chu Xiu with her previous husband, and while saying this, she didn't forget to give Lin Yan a derogatory glance, implying Lin Yan was stingy in contrast.