Clever Calculation

Lin Xuan instinctively turned his head to look at Su Hua, only to see her smiling at him with amusement in her eyes, seemingly unaware of the photo...

"Ah Xuan, give me the envelope. I want to see what's inside," Su Hua reached out to take it.

"Hua Bao, don’t look yet."

Lin Xuan turned away, avoiding her hand, and quickly stuffed the photo back into the envelope.

Then he stole another glance at Su Hua, double-checking.

Hua Bao really didn’t seem to have noticed the contents of the envelope.

If she had, she wouldn’t be wearing that expression right now.

Thank goodness.

Otherwise, Hua Bao would turn into a sea of jealousy, and his poor kidneys wouldn’t survive.

"What’s Ah Xuan up to? Why so nervous? Is there something in there you don’t want me to see?" Su Hua arched an elegant brow.

"You’re overthinking it, Hua Bao," Lin Xuan replied, his eyes darting around nervously. "It’s just an unmarked envelope from a stranger. Nothing worth looking at. We should just throw it away."

Of course, Su Hua had been the one to ask Jiang Qing to arrange for these things to be sent.

Throw them away? Impossible.

Su Hua tilted her head. "But I want to see it."

"But it’s just..." Lin Xuan struggled to come up with an excuse.

He absolutely couldn’t let Hua Bao discover what was inside—otherwise, he’d be in for another seven days and nights of torment. He wouldn’t survive.

"Hmm?" Su Hua narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Ah Xuan still doesn’t want me to see?"

Lin Xuan gritted his teeth.

Time for the ultimate move.

He wrapped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her close. Su Hua smirked. "What’s Ah Xuan trying to do now?"

She was curious to see how he planned to distract her.

"I want to devour Hua Bao," Lin Xuan murmured before cupping the back of her head and capturing her lips in a deep kiss.

Based on past experience, nothing a kiss couldn’t fix.

If one wasn’t enough, he’d give her two.

That way, Hua Bao would forget about the envelope, and he’d be safe.

Sure, seducing her like this might land him in bed, completely drained—but one day was still far better than seven.

"Mmm—"

The two kissed shamelessly on the couch, oblivious to their surroundings.

Su Hua gazed at Lin Xuan with amusement.

Ah Xuan’s kissing skills had definitely improved.

Butler Wang and the other servants tactfully retreated from the living room.

Breathless, Su Hua leaned back against the couch, tilting her head to expose her long, graceful neck.

"Hua Bao," Lin Xuan murmured against her skin before pulling away. "Let’s go to the bedroom."

"Today, I’m all yours," he whispered seductively in her ear.

Better to lure her away from the living room and dispose of that envelope while he still could.

Su Hua knew exactly why Lin Xuan had suddenly kissed her like that. Even in her dazed state, she retained a sliver of clarity.

If she let him take her to the bedroom now, his plan would succeed.

But she didn’t want to miss out on this rare, proactive side of him.

A thought crossed her mind, and she suddenly smiled. "Alright."

With that, Lin Xuan scooped her up in his arms and glanced at the envelope.

"Someone clean up the living room," he called out. "And throw away everything on the floor."

"Yes, sir." A servant quickly arrived with cleaning supplies.

Lin Xuan exhaled in relief.

Disaster averted.

He carried Su Hua to their room and devoted himself entirely to pleasuring her.

Five hours later, Su Hua was fast asleep.

Still uneasy, Lin Xuan slipped downstairs and asked, "Did you get rid of that envelope?"

The servant retrieved it. "Mr. Lin, it’s here. I thought it might be important, so I didn’t throw it away."

Lin Xuan snatched it and tossed it into the trash. "Just some useless stuff. Get rid of it."

"And take out the trash while you’re at it. It’s piling up."

"Understood," the servant replied respectfully.

Back in bed, Su Hua, still asleep, seemed to sense his presence and immediately curled against him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

Lin Xuan looked down at the woman in his arms and felt a surge of relief.

Thank goodness he’d acted fast—disposing of the envelope before Hua Bao could see it. Otherwise, his kidneys would’ve been doomed!

The next morning at breakfast, Su Hua spoke up again.

"I’ve taken some time off work, so I’ll be free to spend more time with you, Ah Xuan."

Lin Xuan’s hand froze mid-bite of his toast.

Spend time with him?

The kind that involved the bedroom, right?

He was happy Hua Bao was taking a break—she deserved rest—but her enthusiasm in that department was too much even for him. If she had all this free time, she’d probably keep him in bed all day.

Looks like he’d need to find excuses to stay out of the house more often.

No way he could survive being cooped up in the estate like this.

"Oh, and..."

Su Hua’s lips curved as if remembering something. "Where’s that envelope from yesterday? I’d like to take a look."

"Envelope?" Lin Xuan feigned ignorance. "After we went upstairs yesterday, I left it in the living room. No idea where it went."

"Miss, I threw it away," a servant chimed in, following Lin Xuan’s instructions. "While cleaning, I assumed it wasn’t important."

The servant gave Lin Xuan a puzzled glance.

Why had Mr. Lin asked her to lie? He was the one who’d tossed it.

But he’d paid her well, and in the estate, there was an unspoken rule—better to offend Madam Su than Mr. Lin.

So she played along.

Su Hua smiled knowingly at Lin Xuan.

He rubbed his nose awkwardly.

Why did it feel like Hua Bao could see right through him?

"No matter," Su Hua said lightly. "It was probably nothing important anyway."

If it was gone, she could always ask Jiang Qing for another copy.

Ah Xuan wasn’t getting away that easily.

Lin Xuan blinked, suddenly feeling a chill down his spine.

"Right, Ah Xuan?" Su Hua arched a brow.

"Y-yeah," Lin Xuan stammered, avoiding her gaze.

After breakfast, while Lin Xuan was in the bathroom, Su Hua picked up her phone and called Jiang Qing.

"Send me another copy of what you delivered yesterday."

"Understood," Jiang Qing replied, though she couldn’t fathom why her boss wanted those things—first yesterday, now today?

President Su went to look at photos of Young Master Lin with another woman—wasn't that just asking for heartache?

Wait a minute.