He Lost Control with Jealousy — What Happened to Being Untouchable? - Chapter 25

Lu Tingzhou pressed his lips together in silence. The sweet fragrance of gardenias mixed with a faint hint of alcohol still lingered around Sang Wan.

Song Ze, noticing Lu Tingzhou’s restrained demeanor, spoke earnestly, “Honestly, you’ve already done enough regarding what happened back then. It wasn’t your fault.”

Observing the tension in Lu Tingzhou’s profile, he paused before continuing, “If you really can’t let go, why not openly protect her by your side and cherish her? Stop all these roundabout games, you’re only torturing yourself. Even if she remembers something in the future, she’ll come to accept it when she sees your sincerity.”

Lu Tingzhou held his glass, his knuckles whitening from the force of his grip.

Song Ze’s words struck him like a heavy hammer, shattering the deepest restraints in his heart.

Openly protect her, cherish her…

The phrase echoed relentlessly in his mind.

“Hey, hey, Xiao Xuan is really considerate, he carried her all the way to the car,” Shen Yubai teased, shoving his phone right in front of Lu Tingzhou’s face.

The sight of his woman being held in his nephew’s arms made Lu Tingzhou clench his fists. Without a word, he turned and left.

Shen Yubai chuckled lazily, “This guy’s stubborn as hell. That mouth of his could be passed down as a family heirloom.”

Song Ze shook his head. “Careful, or one day he’ll teach you a lesson. Tingzhou knows his limits, stop meddling.”

“Teach me a lesson? Who am I doing this for? He hasn’t had a woman in years, is he planning to spend his whole life with just his hand?”

Song Ze: “…”

After getting into the car, Lu Tingzhou lit a cigarette.

Lin Hao, noticing his silence, glanced at him through the rearview mirror and asked quietly, “Mr. Lu, where to?”

Exhaling smoke slowly out the window, Lu Tingzhou replied in a low voice, “Back to Jingyuan.”

As night deepened, the Maybach came to a smooth stop outside Sang Wan’s apartment building.

Leaning against the car, Lu Tingzhou smoked, his eyes behind his glasses as dark and inscrutable as the night itself.

When Lu Jinxuan’s car pulled up, he stubbed out his cigarette.

Lu Jinxuan carefully opened the car door, about to lift Sang Wan out from the passenger seat.

Just as he bent down, a pair of strong hands yanked him back from behind.

Stumbling, Lu Jinxuan turned and immediately straightened up at the sight of the culprit. “Uncle,” he greeted respectfully.

“Stay away from her. Know your place from now on.”

The man’s deliberately lowered voice was even deeper than usual, laced with an icy edge that sent a shiver down Lu Jinxuan’s spine.

“She’s not someone you can touch.”

Before the words fully landed, Lu Tingzhou had already stepped forward.

Bending down, his movements appeared firm yet carried an imperceptible gentleness as he effortlessly scooped Sang Wan into his arms.

Sang Wan froze for a moment, startled by the sudden turn of events.

Why was he here?

The crisp scent of cedar and faint tobacco enveloped her, his steady strides instantly calming the panic that had flared in her chest.

Once she regained her senses, she peeked up at the sharp line of his jaw.

A sly smile flickered in her eyes, and the corners of her lips curled into a pleased arc.

Hmm. The fish had taken the bait.

Lu Jinxuan stood rooted in place, staring blankly at his uncle and the woman in his arms, who didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable. In fact, she looked… content.

What… what was going on?

Hadn’t Uncle always been cold toward Sang Wan?

“Uncle…” He murmured hesitantly, wanting to ask something.

But Lu Tingzhou seemed not to hear him, holding Sang Wan as he walked straight toward the elevator.

Cradled securely in the man’s arms, Sang Wan tilted her head slightly, her hair brushing against his firm chest, sending a faint tingling sensation through her.

She extended her slender fingers, lightly tugging at the front of his shirt.

Her voice was soft and sweet, “President Lu, how did you know I live here?”

Lu Tingzhou kept his gaze forward, his thin lips pressed tightly together, ignoring her.

Only his arms around her subconsciously tightened slightly, his steps remaining steady as he carefully avoided any jostling that might cause her discomfort.

Sang Wan wasn’t annoyed; instead, she found this version of Lu Tingzhou particularly amusing.

She nuzzled her head against his chest, finding a more comfortable position, the smile in her eyes deepening.

The elevator dinged upon arrival.

Lu Tingzhou carried her inside and pressed the button for her floor.

Throughout the entire process, though he remained silent, the aura around him was no longer as icy, instead, it carried a hint of… stiffness and unease.

Sang Wan saw through it but didn’t point it out, obediently nestling in his arms.

Only after entering the apartment did Lu Tingzhou carefully place her on the soft sofa in the living room.

He knelt on one knee, his deep gaze settling on her slightly swollen ankle.

His large, well-defined hand gently grasped her ankle to examine the injury.

The calloused pads of his fingers brushed against her delicate skin, sending a shiver through her.

Sang Wan’s breath hitched.

Just as Lu Tingzhou was about to stand, Sang Wan suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck.

She tilted her head up slightly, her peach-blossom eyes, shimmering with emotion, now mere inches away, staring straight into his unfathomable dark pupils.

“Lu Tingzhou,” she called him by his full name, her tone carrying a gravity she rarely used.

“Tell me, why are you suddenly so concerned about me?”

Her breath was warm against the hollow of his neck, carrying the faint scent of gardenias unique to her.

Lu Tingzhou stiffened, his Adam’s apple bobbing involuntarily.

He lowered his gaze, avoiding her overly direct scrutiny, his voice steady but lacking its usual conviction: “I just don’t want Lu Jinxuan getting involved in the conflict between you and your sister.”

“Oh?” Sang Wan’s voice lifted slightly at the end.

She tightened her arms around his neck, pressing herself even closer against him.

“Is it really just because of Jinxuan?”

“President Lu, look me in the eyes and say that again.”

Her soft body pressed against him, the curves of her figure clearly transmitting warmth through the thin fabric of their clothes.

Lu Tingzhou felt a wave of heat rise from within. He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the restless stirring in his chest.

“You’re a public figure. You should cherish your reputation. At Wang Sheng’s birthday party, you stirred up speculation, and now you’re getting so close to my nephew. How do you think tomorrow’s headlines will read?”

Sang Wan stared unblinkingly into his eyes, trying to discern whether he was being truthful or not.

Whether it was her own judgment failing her or the man’s exceptional ability to conceal his emotions, she couldn’t detect anything unusual.

“Are you really helping me just for the sake of your investment?”

If he hadn’t reacted tonight, Sang Wan wouldn’t have dared to be sure.

But now this man was standing in her home, knowing exactly where she lived and which floor, having silently solved so many problems for her. Was it really just for the money?

Did he seem like the kind of person who would bend for money?

Lu Tingzhou abruptly pulled her arm away and stood up, looking down at her with a tone that had regained some of his usual cool detachment: “For the investment, of course. And also because I thought you were pretty pitiful, consider it charity. I do philanthropy regularly.”

Sang Wan suddenly didn’t know what to say. This man was too hard to read.

So she turned her head away with a pout, refusing to look at him.

“You haven’t eaten anything since you arrived at the club, have you?”

Without waiting for her answer, he took off his suit jacket and casually draped it over the armrest of the sofa. Then he undid his shirt cuffs and rolled the sleeves up to his forearms, revealing arms with smooth, powerful lines.

He turned and walked toward the kitchen.

Sang Wan blinked, watching his tall figure retreat. The corners of her lips curled up involuntarily.

The little voice in her heart was practically giddy: Hmph, a tsundere man. Let’s see how long you keep up the tough act.

Lu Tingzhou opened the fridge.

It was nearly empty, save for two lonely tomatoes and a carton of eggs tucked in the corner.

His brows furrowed slightly, as if dissatisfied with the fridge’s “barren” state.

But soon, he resignedly took out the ingredients.

Before long, the sounds of chopping and boiling water came from the kitchen.

Sang Wan hopped on one foot, limping her way to the kitchen doorway, leaning against the frame as she watched the usually aloof and noble man inside.

He was wearing her pink Winnie the Pooh apron, a slightly comical sight, yet somehow strangely harmonious.

The man cracked eggs and sliced tomatoes with practiced ease, his movements carrying a domesticity that clashed with his CEO persona.

Sang Wan thought of a term she’d seen online, husband material.

Right now, Lu Tingzhou was exactly that, a man pulled down from his pedestal to cook for her.

The light cast faint shadows in the hollows of his deep-set eyes, softening the sharp edges of his usual stern expression.

Sang Wan’s heart felt like it had been gently kneaded by a warm hand, melting into a puddle.

“I didn’t expect President Lu to know how to cook. Do you usually make your own meals?” she teased deliberately.

Lu Tingzhou didn’t turn around, only giving a faint “Mm.”

“Who did you learn it for?” she pressed on, her voice sickly sweet. “An ex-girlfriend?”

The man’s chopping paused for a fraction of a second before resuming as if nothing had happened.

“Too many questions,” he said in a low voice, though there was no real displeasure in his tone.

Sang Wan chuckled softly but didn’t tease him further, simply watching him work in silence.

Soon, a steaming bowl of tomato and egg noodles was placed on the table in front of her.

Golden scrambled eggs, bright red tomatoes, and fresh green scallions, simple yet mouthwatering.

“Eat,” Lu Tingzhou said, handing her chopsticks in a tone that brooked no argument.

Sang Wan took them and obediently murmured, “Okay,” before lowering her head to take small, delicate bites.

Lu Tingzhou sat across from her, long legs crossed, watching her with a heavy gaze as if supervising a misbehaving child.

After a few bites, warmth spread through her stomach, soothing and comforting.

She looked up and met the man’s focused stare.

His eyes were deep and complex, carrying a strange familiarity that made her heart skip.

Sang Wan set down her chopsticks and blinked her innocent, wide eyes. “Mr. Lu, have we really never met before?”

Lu Tingzhou hadn’t expected her to suddenly bring this up. His brows lifted slightly as he replied coolly, “Is this how girls flirt these days?”

Realizing she might have overthought things, Sang Wan thought, if they had truly met before, how could she possibly not remember?

“How many times should I recount our previous encounters, Miss Sang?” he asked pointedly.

She knew he was referring to her deliberate attempts to get close to him.

“This is really delicious,” Sang Wan said with a smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. “Even better than what five-star chefs make.”

“Is it because you… added some special seasoning, Mr. Lu?”

She leaned forward slightly, her watery gaze locking onto his, her voice dropping to a whisper, low and mesmerizing.

“Like… just a little bit of affection?”