When Ning Xi realized the little bun was rather talented at shooting, while feeling quite surprised and particularly proud, she could not help but be a little jealous.
The little bun's genes were so amazing that they were practically illogically perfect! His biological mother must have been an especially excellent and astonishing person!
It was just a short encounter, yet Zhuang Liaoyuan and Zhuang Zongren had both already taken a liking towards the cute little bun. On account of the little bun, they had eagerly invited the father and son to have dinner with them at their residence. They were extraordinarily eager towards the little bun over dinner. The elder even wanted to get the little bun to stay and play for a few more days.
Lu Tingxiao obviously turned it down gracefully. He left with his wife and the little one as soon as they were done with dinner.
These Zhuangs! Was it not enough that they wanted to steal his wife? Now they were even thinking about his son too?
Late at night, at Platinum Palace, Ning Xi closed the door and walked out after coaxing the little bun to go to sleep.
She still had to return to the villa. Just as she was about to wave goodbye to Lu Tingxiao, she could not find him.
At last, she saw him under the hidden vines of the Japanese rose bush in the little garden behind.
The man was wearing a casual cotton outfit and he sat on the rattan chair under the flowers. One hand was draped across the back of the chair, while the other held a lit cigarette. The red light on the cigarette butt glowed indistinctly in the dim light of the night.
Ning Xi frowned as she stepped onto the soft lawn and walked over. "Why are you here alone?"
When he heard the girl's voice, the layer of ice that surrounded him and seemed to separate him from the world broke down and split open. He put out the cigarette in his hand and looked up at the girl. "Come here."
Ning Xi obeyed and walked over. Just as she stood before him, he pulled at her hand and guided her to sit on his knees.
The man's embrace was warm and bore a mild tobacco smell together with a bit of air that made Ning Xi slightly uneasy.
"What's wrong? Is there something on your mind?" Ning Xi looked up to ask.
"Do you like Little Treasure?" Amidst the tranquil night breeze, Lu Tingxiao asked.
"Of course, I do!" Ning Xi answered perplexedly. She did not know why Lu Tingxiao had suddenly asked her this.
Did this question even need to be asked?
To prove that it was true, Ning Xi continued, "Actually, before I met Little Treasure, I didn't quite like children. Hmm, it's not that I didn't like them. It was just that... I wasn't willing to get close to children... Until I met Little Treasure..."
As he listened to Ning Xi's hesitant words, Lu Tingxiao felt his heart weigh heavier.
That day, in the paddy fields of the village, Ning Xi's every word seemed to still ring in his ear.
"The child was dead... When it was born... This is probably the only kindness the heavens showed me..."
"If not, I really wouldn't know how to face this child…"
Lu Tingxiao subconsciously tightened his hug around the girl in his embrace. He leaned over slightly as though he wanted to kiss her, yet he suddenly pulled back just as he was about to get close. The girl's words flashed across his mind again.
"That strange man was very scary..."
"I felt pain... It was agonizing..."
"I felt like I was going to die…"
"I had a high fever for a whole week. I stayed in bed and only recovered after about a month. When I went to the doctor, I can never forget the embarrassment…"
"Afterwards, my fear towards men followed me everywhere. I hated men. That was my only experience with sex..."
Each word and sentence was still ringing in his ears like a blaze burning up his heart, making him feel like half of him was in heaven, while the other half was stuck in hell.
It was only at this moment that he finally knew how Ning Xi felt carrying an unspeakable secret.