Buzz! Buzz!
Just slightly past dawn, Lin Xinyan’s phone vibrated on her bedside table.
Under the dim light, a woman was curled up in a man’s arms in the king-sized bed. She was sleeping sideways with her head on his arm as her silky black hair fell like a waterfall on the pillow.
Zong Jinghao was a light-sleeper, hence he opened his eyes the moment he heard the buzzing sound. Looking around for its source, the man finally fixated his gaze on the vibrating phone on the table.
Lin Xinyan seemed to be awoken by the buzz too. Her body moved in his arms as she let out a hum, seemingly displeased by the disturbance as her brows scrunched together.
Trying not to wake her, Zong Jinghao answered the call.
Since no caller ID was shown, the man had no idea who was calling.
Once the call went through, a man’s voice was heard from the other end.
“I remember you told me you want to treat me to a meal. Does that still count?”
Zong Jinghao grabbed his watch and checked the time. It was just 5.10 in the morning. What was with Bai Yinning for calling Lin Xinyan so early in the morning?
And even asked her to treat him to a meal?
As desperate as he was, shouldn’t he check the time before calling?
Zong Jinghao lowered his voice and replied intimidatingly, “I see you’re in good spirits, Mr. Bai.”
Bai Yinning froze, not expecting that it would be Zong Jinghao who picked up the call. But he recovered his composure swift enough and smiled politely, “Oh, I thought of asking Ms. Lin to have breakfast together. Could you let Ms. Lin answer the phone?”
Just the night before, Lin Xinyan had her sleep interrupted by Zong Jinghao to witness Yao Qingqing’s end. She had a hard time going back to sleep after that, and only managed to close her eyes after God knows how long. In her blurry state, the woman heard the man beside her talking and buried herself further in his warm arms. Not completely awake yet, Lin Xinyan asked in her soft and husky morning voice, “It’s so early… Who’s that…”
Zong Jinghao wanted to reject the invitation on her behalf.
On the other side, Bai Yinning’s features twitched upon hearing her soft moans. All these while, he had thought that Lin Xinyan and Zong Jinghao’s relationship was never good. But now… they were sleeping together, just like any other married couple.
Bai Yinning felt a hint of disappointment at the fact.
Zong Jinghao patted the woman’s back as he coaxed her back to sleep, “Hey, it’s just 10086 who called. Nothing important. Just sleep.”
Bai Yinning was rendered speechless by the customer service line reference.
What 10086? I’m no customer service line!
“Beep… Beep… Beep…” He was about to speak when the phone hung up on him.
Bai Yinning stared at the hung-up sign on his phone screen, completely stunned by the sudden cut off.
Zong Jinghao actually hung up the call on him? What a jealous man!
In the room, Zong Jinghao held the woman in his arms, his palm stroking her back coaxingly.
Lin Xinyan was never fully awake in the first place. Plus, she slept late on the night before, hence she soon returned to dreamland.
Zong Jinghao lowered his head, studying her sleeping form closely. Last night after the woman slept on the couch, he had carried her back to his room instead of bringing her to the kids’ room.
She was too tired for him to do anything with her, but at least he could hug her to sleep.
The man landed a kiss on her forehead.
As much as he wished to bed her, Zong Jinghao still wished to take her only when she was awake. He wanted Lin Xinyan to feel him clearly; to feel his heat, his love, his happiness and his waves of excitement as he took her.
Closing his eyes satisfyingly, the man tightened his hug, preparing to sleep a little while longer…
Knock! Knock!
Someone was knocking on the door untimely.
Speechless, Zong Jinghao turned to the door in displeasure.
Now he couldn’t do anything and just wanted to hug his wife to bed. Must he still be disturbed at this moment?
“Mummy! Mummy! Are you inside?”
Lin Ruixi woke up to find there was no one in her room, hence she came to knock on Zong Jinghao’s door.
“Daddy! Daddy! Mummy is missing!”
Knock! Knock!
“Is that Ruixi?” Lin Xinyan opened her sleepy eyes and turned to the door, only to realize this was not the same room she had slept in last night. Finally awake, the woman kicked away her blanket and went to open the door.
Once again, Zong Jinghao could only look on wordlessly.
Did she even notice him? She just walked out like that?
Lin Xinyan opened the door to find the little girl in her pajamas. Hugging her plushy, the messy-haired girl blinked her eyes as she asked, “Mummy, why are you sleeping here now?”
Lin Ruixi clearly remembered that her mother had hugged her to sleep the night before. But now, just after a night’s sleep, her mother was in her father’s room.
Lin Xinyan scratched her head awkwardly and knelt to the same level as her daughter. “Err… last night…”
How should she explain this to her daughter?
Lin Ruixi was confused as her face scrunched together in deep thought. So her mother did not sleep with her last night? Was it all just a dream?
With a frown, Lin Ruixi dragged her mother away. “You’re supposed to sleep with me. Let’s go! Let’s go!”
Poor Lin Xinyan was dragged away by her daughter in a daze before she could close the door behind her.
At that moment, the two ran into Su Zhan, who just woke up as well. Rubbing his eyes, the man glanced at the half-opened door. Wasn’t that Zong Jinghao’s room?
Just the night before, the two kids insisted on sleeping together with Lin Xinyan. The woman had chased Zong Jinghao out of their room, saying there was not enough room for him. And now, did she just come out of his room?
So last night… With a knowing smile, Su Zhan greeted Lin Xinyan with a teasing smile, “Good morning, little sis-in-law!”
The woman’s mind went astray upon seeing him. Her scalp tingled at the ‘little sis-in-law’ address.
Lin Ruixi greeted back happily, “Good morning, Uncle Su!”
Su Zhan came over and was about to stroke her cheeks when the image of a livid Zong Jinghao flashed across his mind. His hands retracted slightly in fright before changing to stroke her hair. “Good morning, Ruixi.”
Zong Jinghao forbade anyone from touching his daughter’s face.
After greeting the little girl, the man turned to the mother with a knowing smile.
The woman tried to remain calm and ignored his teasing smile while carrying her daughter back to her room.
Su Zhan approached Zong Jinghao’s room and looked through the half-opened slit. Leaning against the door frame without widening the slit, the man could see his friend lying on his bed while hugging the blanket. Smilingly, Su Zhan asked, “Last night… you’ve succeeded?”
Succeeded?
Does hugging count?
“I just saw little sis-in-law come out of your room.” Su Zhan grinned. “Don’t tell me you did nothing on bed.”
Zong Jinghao’s eyelids twitched at his words. Did he just call Lin Xinyan ‘little sis-in-law’?
Sitting up abruptly, the man glared at Su Zhan, who was smiling wickedly, with narrowed eyes. “What did you just call her?”
“Little sis-in-law,” Su Zhan answered without hesitation. “She’s so young looking, like a university student. As for you, you’re already in your thirties, of course I’ve to address her as my little sis-in-law.”
Zong Jinghao’s frown deepened. Was Su Zhan implying that he looked old?
“Next time, don’t call her that.” The man was definitely not admitting that he was old.
But he had to admit that Lin Xinyan indeed looked much younger than himself.
Smacking his lips, Su Zhan commented, “Well, an 8 years age gap is not that big anyway. When she was 10, you’re already an adult. By the time she was an adult by law, you’re… still not too old…”
The moment Zong Jinghao flashed him a spring-like smile, Su Zhan immediately changed his words from ‘already old’ to ‘still not too old’. He was afraid that his friend’s mood would turn from a spring breeze into a tornado that would spin him around like a top.
“I’m going to make breakfast now.” After he was done roasting, Su Zhan disappeared like a gust of wind.
Now that he couldn’t sleep, Zong Jinghao decided to get up as well.
As he washed up, the man couldn’t help but examine his face in the mirror. He looked left, and then right, and a question mark appeared in his mind. Did he actually look old?
Would Lin Xinyan think he was old too?
The man couldn’t help but feel unsettled by his age.
“What are you looking at?” Lin Xinyan thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. The woman had returned to ask why didn’t he send her back to the children’s room, causing her daughter to wake up so early and even caused Su Zhan to misunderstand her.
Never did she expect to see the man actually checking himself out in the mirror! Well, as good-looking as he was, there was no need to be that vain, right?
Was that narcissistic man really Zong Jinghao?
The man paused in his actions wordlessly.
Since when did this woman enter his room? Why didn’t she make a sound when she walked?
“Sorry for disturbing you. You may continue…” Lin Xinyan turned to leave, only to be grabbed on her wrist. Turning back again, the woman was about to interrogate him when she crashed into a firm chest. Trapping her in his embrace, she could feel the man’s heartbeat against her, which burnt her skin with every beat. His gaze burnt with the same warmth as he asked sincerely, “Am I old?”
Now Lin Xinyan was speechless at his question.
“No. Not old at all…” The woman answered reluctantly. This man must be out of his mind! What was with him doing all sorts of embarrassing stuff early in the morning?
Hearing her words, Zong Jinghao’s frowns finally vanished and a smile appeared on his face. Lowering his head, the man bit her lips in a forceful kiss before declaring wickedly, “Even if I’m old, you can only belong to me.”
