A Dream

Lin Xuan tapped a few times on his phone screen before putting it away.

"Have someone buy the ingredients I listed."

"Yes, sir."

Wang Ba immediately carried out Lin Xuan's orders.

Several members of the Golden Dragon Gang worked together, and within fifteen minutes, the requested ingredients were delivered.

Lin Xuan tied on an apron and walked into the kitchen.

"Boss, there’s no need for you to cook yourself. Let the chefs handle it," Wang Ba suggested.

Lin Xuan shook his head. "No, I need to make this meal for Hua myself."

This time, Liang Xiaoxia’s seduction had been different from the other women who had pursued him.

She had appeared before him wearing extremely revealing clothing.

He needed to make it up to Hua properly.

Hua loved his cooking, and if he prepared the meal himself, maybe her mood would improve.

"Boss, you can cook?" Wang Ba couldn’t hide his surprise.

"Yeah, a little," Lin Xuan replied.

Wang Ba looked intrigued.

Their boss seemed capable of almost anything—was cooking another one of his hidden talents?

With a chef assisting him, an hour later, a table full of delicious, aromatic dishes was ready.

Wang Ba stared at the food, swallowing hard. "Boss, you said you only knew a little?"

Was this just "a little"?

Damn, it smelled incredible—better than any meal he’d ever had before. He could already imagine how amazing it would taste.

"Boss, how did you learn to cook like this?" Wang Ba couldn’t help but ask.

Lin Xuan answered, "I learned for a woman."

He had forced himself to go from a kitchen disaster to a five-star chef just to please Qin Ruoyao.

In his past life, he had cooked for her for years—only for the meals he prepared to end up being eaten by that scoundrel Lin Li as well.

Back then, he’d been blind, obsessed with Qin Ruoyao and oblivious to Hua’s devotion.

"A woman?" Wang Ba smirked. "You mean President Su, right?"

"No," Lin Xuan shook his head. "Another woman. Back then, I was young and foolish, infatuated with a toxic woman."

Wang Ba froze.

Was the boss talking about Qin Ruoyao?

He’d seen her file—a gold-digger who toyed with men’s emotions.

The boss had been completely under her spell before finally seeing through her.

Now, Qin Ruoyao was paying the price—locked away in a mental asylum, living in darkness. For someone like her, it was the worst kind of torment.

Wang Ba eyed the feast on the table and quickly changed the subject. "Boss, you made so much food—there’s no way you and President Su can finish it all. Mind if I join you?"

The aroma alone had his stomach growling.

Lin Xuan nodded. "Sure, but we’ll wait for Hua."

"No problem!"

Wang Ba agreed eagerly.

Lin Xuan removed his apron and headed upstairs to the room he shared with Su Hua.

As he opened the door, Su Hua was just waking up.

"Hua, you’re awake," Lin Xuan strode over. "I cooked some of your favorite dishes. Once you freshen up, we’ll have lunch."

In the past, Su Hua would wake up with sharp alertness and coldness in her eyes.

Years as an assassin, followed by constant assassination attempts after returning to the Su family, had made her perpetually vigilant—even in sleep.

But over the past two years, the first thing she saw upon waking was Lin Xuan.

Now, her gaze held warmth instead of wariness.

"Ah Xuan." Su Hua wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her lips together tightly.

Lin Xuan sensed her unease and frowned. "Hua, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing… just a bad dream," she murmured.

In the dream, she had gone to Ah Xuan’s wedding to stop it, but he had threatened suicide to stop her.

He married Qin Ruoyao as planned.

She could only watch from the shadows as he laughed and talked with that woman.

Those days had been agony.

Then the dream shifted—Ah Xuan lay in a pool of blood, his face pale, his body lifeless.

Later, his corpse bloated into a grotesque form.

Lin Li and Qin Ruoyao had killed him and dumped his body in the river.

"Hua, what did you dream about?" Lin Xuan asked gently.

Su Hua clung to him without answering.

Lin Xuan stroked her hair.

"Don’t overthink it, Hua. Dreams are just dreams—most of it isn’t real."

Su Hua pressed her lips together.

Was it really just a dream?

It had felt so vivid, as if she had lived through it.

Her heart had ached when Ah Xuan died.

"Come on, don’t dwell on it," Lin Xuan coaxed. "Go wash up so we can eat before the food gets cold."

Su Hua looked up at him with a playful pout. "Ah Xuan, carry me there?"

"Of course."

Without hesitation, he scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom.

"Ah Xuan, brush my teeth for me," she added.

Lin Xuan chuckled. "Alright."

Hua was usually so composed, but sometimes she acted like a pampered child who needed constant affection.

After freshening up, Su Hua still refused to let go. Once she changed into a dress, Lin Xuan carried her downstairs in his arms, setting her down at the dining table.

Wang Ba’s eyes lit up.

Finally, President Su was here!

He had been salivating over the food for ages, but he hadn’t dared to take a bite without them.

"Mr. Lin, Miss Su, you’re finally here!" Wang Ba greeted them eagerly.

"Please, enjoy the meal."

Lin Xuan nodded approvingly.

Wang Ba’s acting was impressive—and thankfully, Hua hadn’t suspected his true identity.

Su Hua and Lin Xuan took their seats.

Wang Ba grinned obsequiously. "Miss Su, I haven’t eaten yet. Would you mind if I joined you?"

Su Hua remembered that Wang Ba had contributed significantly during the takedown of the Shadow Organization.

She nodded. "Go ahead."

"Thank you, Miss!" Wang Ba beamed as he sat down.

Su Hua had come to the Golden Dragon Gang for two reasons—to see Ah Xuan and to stake her claim, ensuring no other woman here would dare to eye him.

So the more affection she showed him in front of the gang, the better.

Yan Xi reminds you: Due to Tomato's daily requests exceeding 3 million+, causing excessive server pressure, we now recommend using sources from other big shots.