In the orphanage.
Chen Ling bit her lip as she stared at her phone, which had just been hung up.
What was going on?
Why did Lin Xuan hang up on her?
Was he busy, or did he simply not want to answer her call?
Shaking her head at the latter thought, Chen Ling dismissed it.
After all, she and Lin Xuan had grown up together—there was no way he would ignore her call over something so trivial.
He must have accidentally ended the call or was too occupied to answer at the moment.
With that in mind, Chen Ling redialed Lin Xuan’s number.
Meanwhile, inside the car.
Lin Xuan’s phone rang again.
His gaze fell on the screen, and a vein pulsed faintly on his forehead.
Was Chen Ling not done yet?
He had just hung up on her, and here she was, calling again.
Lin Xuan glanced cautiously at Su Hua.
Relieved to see she hadn’t noticed his phone, he let out a quiet breath.
Just as he was about to decline the call, Su Hua’s voice cut through the silence.
“Is it the same person calling again?” Su Hua arched a brow.
“Yes,” Lin Xuan admitted. “I was just about to hang up.”
His finger hovered over the red button when Su Hua spoke again. “Wait.”
Lin Xuan looked up, puzzled. “What is it, Hua?”
Su Hua tilted her head. “If they’ve called twice, it must be important. Why not answer?”
Lin Xuan shook his head. “It’s nothing urgent—just someone irrelevant. No point wasting time.”
He moved to end the call once more.
Su Hua’s lips curled. “Are you avoiding it because you’re guilty?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I feel guilty?” Lin Xuan rubbed his nose.
Okay, maybe he was a little guilty. He didn’t dare talk to Chen Ling in front of Su Hua.
But if he insisted on hanging up now, Su Hua would only grow more suspicious.
Bracing himself, Lin Xuan tapped the answer button.
“Xuan, why not put it on speaker?” Su Hua suggested, her tone light but edged. “I’d love to hear what’s so important.”
Speakerphone?
Lin Xuan’s heart skipped a beat.
Noticing his hesitation, Su Hua smirked. “What’s wrong? Afraid I’ll hear something I shouldn’t?”
“I have nothing to hide,” Lin Xuan retorted, forcing himself to comply.
He just prayed Chen Ling wouldn’t say anything incriminating.
His nerves couldn’t take much more.
Back at the orphanage.
Chen Ling’s heart leaped when the call finally connected.
Lin Xuan had answered!
Swallowing her excitement, she steadied her voice, letting a sob creep into her tone.
“Lin Xuan…”
Su Hua’s expression darkened at the sound of Chen Ling’s voice.
So it was her again.
This girl really wouldn’t give up on him, would she?
“What’s wrong?” Lin Xuan asked tersely.
“Nothing,” Chen Ling murmured, her eyes reddening. “I just… I keep thinking about my dad. He’s gone forever, and I can’t bear it, Lin Xuan. It hurts so much.”
“My mom died when I was one. It was always just him and me—we only had each other.”
“I don’t know how to accept that he’s just… gone.”
Lin Xuan frowned.
Was she genuinely grieving, or was this another ploy to reel him in?
In novels, scheming side characters often used sob stories to get close to the male lead.
“Lin Xuan, could you… come see me?” Chen Ling pleaded.
“You’re the closest person I have left. I’m not asking you to stay—just an hour. Just talk to me for an hour.”
Ever since Chen Hong’s passing, she hadn’t seen Lin Xuan.
Now, whenever she closed her eyes, all she saw was him.
She missed him desperately—needed him.
With her father gone, Lin Xuan had become her only anchor.
Afraid he’d reject her again, she rushed on, “Please, Lin Xuan. Just one hour. That’s all I ask.”
Lin Xuan’s jaw tightened.
Even if Su Hua weren’t sitting right there, listening, he wouldn’t agree.
He wanted nothing to do with these messy entanglements.
Stealing a glance at Su Hua, he found her smiling, her eyes glinting like polished jade.
His pulse spiked.
That smile… it felt dangerous.
“Chen Ling, I—”
Before he could refuse, Su Hua—having unbuckled her seatbelt unnoticed—leaned in and sealed his lips with hers, swallowing his words.
She kissed him deeply, hungrily.
Chen Ling’s voice, still calling for him, faded into the background.
“Lin Xuan? Are you still there?”
The worry in her tone only seemed to spur Su Hua on.
Her fingers slipped beneath Lin Xuan’s shirt, tracing slow, teasing circles over his chest.
Chen Ling’s calls grew more frantic.
Why had he gone silent?
Had something happened to him?
Panic clawed at her as she paced, helpless.
Then, through the phone, a faint sound reached her ears.
She froze, straining to listen.
Was that… the sound of kissing?
Lin Xuan was drowning in sensation, but a sliver of awareness remained.
The call was still active.
Pulling back slightly, he moved the phone away, breaking the kiss.
Su Hua’s lips were swollen, glistening, her cheeks flushed.
“Hua, behave,” he murmured hoarsely. “Let me finish this call first.”
Su Hua’s hands didn’t stop.
“Which matters more?” she purred, her voice a velvet tease. “The call… or me?”
Lin Xuan exhaled. “You. Always you.”
“Then stop resisting,” she whispered against his lips.
With no choice left, Lin Xuan surrendered.
If he dared to refuse, Huabao would probably trap him in bed again for three days and nights straight.
Yanxi reminds you: Due to Tomato's request for 3 million+ daily visits causing excessive server pressure, we now recommend switching to other top-tier sources.
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