Chapter 7 - Chapter 7Seductive love words

As night fell, the neon lights lining both sides of the road flickered and intertwined, casting enchanting hues.The nightlife was just beginning!Upstairs in the western suburban villa, Ye Jialan finally blinked awake.When she'd returned from Shengxin Entertainment at noon, Liuliu was already gone. She'd finished the lunch made by Aunt Liu obediently, seen Yang Xi off, then gone upstairs to her room for her usual nap—never expecting to wake up to a pitch-black sky outside the window."Mmm, that was such a good sleep."Ye Jialan sat up, clad in casual loungewear with one button undone at the collar, revealing her fair, delicate neck. A sleek, minimalist necklace glinted softly against her skin under the warm bedroom lights.Grumble...Her stomach chose that perfect moment to let out a loud growl. Ye Jialan slid out of bed, slipped on her pink rabbit-ear slippers, and headed downstairs.Her voice drifted down to the kitchen before she even reached the bottom of the stairs."Aunt Liu, I'm hungry!"Aunt Liu was the family cook. Ever since Ye Jialan returned to China, Mrs. Ye had sent her here to take care of Ye Jialan and Lu Shihuan's meals."Coming right up, dear! The food's been ready ages ago—I kept it warm in the pot, afraid you'd sleep in longer. Go wash your hands, miss, and I'll dish up the rice!"Aunt Liu bustled cheerfully into the kitchen as Ye Jialan stepped into the living room. On the glass coffee table sat a spread of fruits—apples, grapes, cherries, and her absolute favorite: durian.Ye Jialan's eyes lit up. She scampered over on her slender legs like an excited little rabbit, her bright eyes sparkling with craving. Her cherry-pink lips parted slightly, and she almost drooled at the sight.She reached out a delicate hand to grab a cherry—when the front door clicked open.Ye Jialan craned her neck to peek, and when she saw Lu Shihuan, she bounded over to him like a puppy let off its leash."Mmm, good evening, Liuliu!"Lu Shihuan effortlessly swept her into his arms, then flicked her nose gently with his long, bony index finger, his voice brimming with affection. "Little troublemaker.""Sir, you're back! You must not have eaten yet, right? I just warmed up the dishes. Why don't you and miss eat together?"Aunt Liu walked over, wiping her hands on her apron, a warm smile on her face.Lu Shihuan nodded. "Thank you for your hard work, Aunt Liu. I'll go upstairs to change first, then come down for dinner.""It's no trouble at all, sir! Life here is so much more relaxed than at the old Ye residence—I'm still getting used to having so much free time with these old bones of mine!"Aunt Liu had worked for the Ye family her entire life; her husband had too. Even their wedding had been hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Ye. The couple had only one son, who now worked at the Ye family company. When the elderly couple reached retirement age, the Ye family refused to let them leave, treating them as one of their own rather than mere servants.A few minutes later, Lu Shihuan appeared in the dining room, also dressed in comfortable loungewear.Ye Jialan's eyes sparkled with little hearts, her gaze fixed on him just as intently as it had been on the chicken drumsticks on the table moments ago."Liuliu, I think you've changed."Lu Shihuan sat down across from her, amused. "Oh? How so?""You've gotten even more handsome!"Lu Shihuan froze for a second, then smiled to himself. This was the little woman who filled his heart to the brim, no matter the time or place.Aunt Liu had presumably retired to her room, leaving the entire first floor so quiet that they could hear each other's heartbeats.Ye Jialan squirmed under Lu Shihuan's intense, loving gaze, her mind racing. He was so handsome... She wanted to kiss him, to tackle him, to shower him with affection...But those thoughts stayed firmly in her head—she didn't dare act on them.Though they'd shared a bed for ages, Lu Shihuan had never gone beyond kissing and hugging her. Every time she hinted at wanting more, he'd just ruffle her hair affectionately and say, "Be good, you're still too young.""Jialan... Jialan..."Lu Shihuan called her name several times, but she was too lost in her daydreams to hear. Her soft pink lips were trapped between her pearly white teeth, as if she were holding back something.A mischievous glint flickered in Lu Shihuan's dark eyes. He stood up and leaned over the table toward her.Ye Jialan snapped back to reality, only to find a head of black hair inches from her face—and a pair of smiling eyes reflected in her own."W-What are you doing?"She looked at him shyly, as if he'd read her innermost thoughts."Guess."Teasing Ye Jialan was Lu Shihuan's greatest joy in life. He cherished every one of her flustered, blushing expressions."I-I don't know..."She finished the sentence, then fluttered her long, eyelashes like butterfly wings and slowly closed her eyes.The little devil inside her was doing a happy dance—Kiss me! Hurry up and kiss me!Lu Shihuan stared at her pouting lips, his smile widening. Alright, he'd grant her wish."Mmm..."A whiff of mint and faint tobacco filled Ye Jialan's nostrils. Their lips met, soft and warm, wrapping the air around them in a haze of sweet intimacy.Ye Jialan's hands clenched tightly in the fabric of her sleeves, her breath growing thin and ragged.After what felt like an eternity—just as she was on the verge of suffocating—Lu Shihuan pulled away, his lips brushing her ear as he murmured, "Silly girl. After all these times, you still haven't learned how to breathe?"Ye Jialan pushed him away shyly, her chin tilted up in a huffy pout. "Who gave you permission to kiss me?""My uncontrollable urge to do so. Does that answer satisfy you, darling?"Ye Jialan burst out laughing. "You've gotten so cheeky, Liuliu! Okay, okay, no more fooling around—I'm starving!"Aunt Liu's cooking was impeccable. The table was set with four dishes and one soup, a perfect mix of meat and veggies, each dish a feast for both the eyes and taste buds.After dinner, Ye Jialan rubbed her stuffed stomach and groaned playfully. "Oh no, I think I ate too much again."Lu Shihuan walked over and laced his fingers through hers naturally. "Wanna take a walk with me?""Yes! You're the best, Liuliu!"The night air in the suburbs carried a slight chill. Lu Shihuan draped his jacket over Ye Jialan's shoulders. Streetlights stretched their intertwined shadows long across the ground as they walked hand in hand along the path outside the villa, their steps slow and synchronized.Meanwhile, in Apartment 903, Building 9 of Imperial View Manor in the city center, Bai Xiuwen gripped her phone tightly, her fingers flying across the screen as she typed furiously.Ten minutes later, a post exploded across every major online forum, shooting straight to the top of the trending lists at lightning speed.Another set of viral topics about Ye Jialan flooded the internet, drawing thousands of comments and reposts."Insider leak: A certain actress with the surname Y was spotted meeting a mysterious man at Peninsula Hotel and spending the night with him!""Insider scoop: This rising starlet is arrogant and looks down on everyone around her!""..."One trending topic after another popped up like clockwork, catapulting the newly debuted Ye Jialan to overnight fame.Countless netizens, eager to uncover the identity of the actress in the rumors, flocked to watch the movie she starred in—unintentionally sending Director Ji An's Little Tenderness soaring to even greater box office heights once again.Later, Lu Shihuan chuckled and commented dryly, "Sometimes, a powerful enemy's paid trolls can be the best allies of all."