He Lost Control with Jealousy — What Happened to Being Untouchable? - Chapter 80

His palm was scorching hot as he cradled the back of her neck, lifting her gently.

“Little sleepyhead, if you don’t get up now, the food will be cold.”

His deep voice was especially clear in the quiet bedroom.

Sang Wan let out a soft whimper, burrowing further into the silky quilt until only a pair of drowsy, peach-blossom eyes peeked out, shimmering with sleep.

“No, I want to sleep.”

Her voice was soft and sweet, laced with the nasal tone of someone just waking up, like a cat refusing to leave its cozy spot, every syllable dripping with coquettishness.

“You skipped dinner. Do you want to starve yourself into a stomachache?”

Lu Tingzhou left no room for argument. With one long arm, he scooped her up, quilt and all, holding her horizontally against his chest.

“Lu Tingzhou, put me down!”

Sang Wan gasped, flailing her limbs in protest, but the man only tightened his grip. The crisp, pleasant scent of him filled her nostrils.

He set her down steadily on the dining chair, where a warm bowl of millet porridge and several delicate, refreshing side dishes were already waiting.

Sang Wan curved her lips, her appetite stirring.

She picked up a small celadon spoon and began sipping the porridge in delicate mouthfuls, though her sidelong glances kept drifting toward the man across from her.

The light spilled over him, his black dress shirt still impeccably crisp, his noble demeanor effortlessly unsettling her composure.

“What are you looking at?” Lu Tingzhou caught her gaze, the corner of his lips lifting almost imperceptibly.

“Looking at how handsome President Lu is.”

She masked her fluster with boldness.

Lu Tingzhou ruffled her hair. “Only realizing that now? Are you sure you weren’t initially drawn to me just for my looks?”

Drawn to his looks, Sang Wan’s cheeks flushed. That fleeting encounter at the airport had indeed caught her attention.

And when she learned he was the CEO of Lu Corporation, an irrepressible thrill had surged through her.

Her lips curved into a smile as she narrowed her eyes playfully, then set down her spoon, deliberately elongating her words. “President Lu, what a masterstroke, using ‘internal company conflicts’ to drag the Lu family’s dirty laundry into the open. Aren’t you afraid of angering the old man?”

“Better him angry than you wronged.”

Lu Tingzhou said it lightly, but Sang Wan understood the gravity behind it.

Instantly, warmth bloomed in her chest.

This man was always like this, doing the most reckless things with the calmest demeanor, responding to every little thing about her.

She stirred the porridge absently and asked in a soft voice, “Is there anything else… you’re keeping from me?”

Her gaze lingered faintly on his well-defined fingers, her mind flashing back to that solemn, antique crimson marriage certificate.

When would he finally bring it up?

At her words, a flicker of amusement passed through Lu Tingzhou’s deep, dark eyes, too quick for Sang Wan to catch.

There was only one thing he was keeping from her, and until everything was settled, he couldn’t possibly tell her.

If it was meant to be a surprise, it had to be revealed only when all the pieces were perfectly in place.

He wanted to wait for the most flawless moment, to make her willingly his, under the gaze of countless eyes.

“No.”

His answer was resolute, his expression so guileless that not a single crack showed. “Why would I keep anything from you?”

Sang Wan studied his unwavering expression, then smiled and let it go, though her mind was already calculating.

If he really was planning a surprise, she’d gladly accept it.

In this lifetime, apart from him, she doubted she could ever love anyone else.

After all, once you’ve tasted meat, going back to broth is hard to swallow.

Such was the difficulty of transitioning from luxury to simplicity.

But still…

She lowered her lashes, staring at the soft millet porridge in her bowl, a trace of complexity rising in her heart.

For her sake, making him oppose his entire family and dragging him into such a vortex of internal strife, wasn’t that too selfish?

After finishing that bowl of warm millet porridge, Sang Wan felt that meeting Sun Meixi was inevitable.

She couldn’t always hide under his wing, peacefully enjoying his protection.

So, she sent another message to Lu Jinxuan, urging him to arrange a meeting with his mother as soon as possible.

When Sun Meixi learned that Sang Wan wanted to invite her to dinner, she knew exactly what the girl was up to. Deliberately putting on airs, she refused to see her.

After much persuasion from Lu Jinxuan, she reluctantly agreed, but only after making Sang Wan wait a full three days.

Deep down, she knew this meeting was unavoidable. After all, her third brother-in-law had already issued that statement, making his stance clear.

Now, the only possible breakthrough was Sang Wan herself.

The location was the most luxurious French restaurant in Shencheng.

Inside, crystal chandeliers cast dazzling light, and every detail exuded refinement and elegance.

Money and luxury truly went hand in hand.

By the time Sang Wan arrived, Sun Meixi was already seated by the window, dressed in an expensive designer suit, her posture graceful but her eyes filled with undisguised scrutiny and disdain.

To Sang Wan’s surprise, Song Xinran was sitting beside Sun Meixi.

The two of them didn’t even bother to avoid suspicion anymore.

Sang Wan curved her lips slightly. Of course, Sun Meixi wouldn’t miss any opportunity to make her uncomfortable.

Guided by the waiter, she took her seat and calmly met Sun Meixi’s gaze, her smile faint but neither submissive nor arrogant.

“Mrs. Lu, my apologies for keeping you waiting.”

Sun Meixi snorted and ignored her, cutting into the bread with her knife and fork as if stabbing Sang Wan’s face.

“We can’t compare to Miss Sang, who’s afraid of being photographed every time she steps out.”

Unfazed, Sang Wan got straight to the point.

“I know you resent me because of Jinxuan and Xu Mingyue.”

She paused, her voice crisp. “But deep down, you also know that Xu Mingyue’s ambition and scheming are written all over her face, she’s utterly unworthy of someone as sincere as Jinxuan. My interference in that marriage wasn’t a bad thing for you.”

Her words struck a chord with Sun Meixi.

She had indeed looked down on Xu Mingyue, that unrefined woman, but had been constrained by Wang Sheng’s threats.

Sang Wan’s meddling had actually worked in her favor.

Sun Meixi finally raised her eyes to properly look at Sang Wan.

“Consider that the only decent thing you’ve ever done.”

Though her tone softened slightly, it remained cutting. “But don’t think it changes anything.”

Her eyes brimmed with renewed disdain. “The Lu family’s doors aren’t for you to enter.”

“Miss Sang, you’re still young and quite beautiful. While Tingzhou still finds you somewhat fresh, take the chance to gain as much as you can, then marry into a decent family. That’s the right path for you.”

Her words were both venomous and pragmatic, treating Sang Wan like a commodity with a price tag.

Song Xinran sat quietly beside her, lips curved as she elegantly scrolled through her phone.

“Mrs. Lu, I’ve always wondered, what exactly is it that makes you so hostile toward me?”

Sun Meixi looked up, her eyes filling with unmistakable hatred at the question.

“Because… I don’t like you.”

She nearly voiced her true thoughts but swallowed them back in the end.

Seeing the conversation between the two reach a deadlock, Song Xinran, who had been standing to the side, spoke up at just the right moment. “Sang Wan, relationships between people are all about fate. We can’t force everyone to like us. Of course, I admire your talent greatly. I believe you already know that I’m the one who’s been commissioning and buying your drafts all along.”

The information Sang Wan had gathered indeed confirmed this, the IP address of the account on Weibo matched Song Xinran’s previous location.

Hearing this, Sang Wan let out a disdainful scoff. “You climbed to the position of chief designer at Modo by riding on my coattails, only to stab me in the back. Do you really think I care about your admiration?”

“Don’t say that. Our meeting is fate, and besides, you should be thanking me for recognizing your talent and being willing to pay for your designs.”

Song Xinran’s shameless smile gave Sang Wan a headache. These two women were truly… on the same wavelength.

That was the only phrase she could think of to describe them.

“How about we collaborate?” Song Xinran leaned slightly forward. “I have connections, channels, and capital. You handle the designs. We can start an independent brand studio together, I’ll manage the operations. Within three years, we’ll establish a firm foothold in the fashion industry, both domestically and internationally.”

If she and Sang Wan were tied together as a community of shared interests, Lu Tingzhou wouldn’t target her. Instead, he would provide her with a steady stream of resources and financial support.

What a pipe dream. Sang Wan looked at her and curved her lips into a faint smile, cold as ice.

“Miss Song, your proposal does sound tempting, but I don’t like working with others.”

Sun Meixi had only invited Song Xinran to humiliate Sang Wan. Seeing Song Xinran at a disadvantage, she curled her lip in disdain, this woman is utterly useless.

Just then, a server arrived with a plate of fragrant French foie gras.

The rich, distinctive aroma of fat hit Sang Wan’s nostrils, and in an instant, her stomach churned violently.

“Ugh…”

The color drained from her face as she instinctively covered her mouth with a handkerchief, a wave of intense nausea rising in her throat.

“Excuse me, I need to visit the restroom.”

With Sang Wan’s departure, the crisp clinking of cutlery came to an abrupt halt.

Sun Meixi and Song Xinran’s movements froze simultaneously.

Their gazes locked onto Sang Wan’s retreating figure.

Sun Meixi’s haughty expression flickered with surprise before darkening with malice.

As for Song Xinran, her artificial smile had completely vanished.

Both women had been through this before. Across the table, they exchanged a knowing glance.

Clearly, they understood each other’s thoughts perfectly.

Sang Wan retched in the restroom for a while but brought nothing up.

After taking a moment to recover, her stomach settled somewhat, and she returned to her seat.

“Mrs. Lu, I apologize. I’m not feeling well today.” Sang Wan maintained a respectful tone, given that she needed something from Sun Meixi.

“Are you deliberately trying to disgust us, Miss Sang?” Song Xinran shot her a glance, deliberately mocking.

“Of course not. I approached Mrs. Lu with sincerity.”

Sang Wan kept her smile intact.

“I know you don’t like me, but I still want to know why. We have no grudges between us, so why do you reject me so strongly?”

At this point, Sun Meixi wasn’t just rejecting her, the hatred in her eyes could have ignited flames.

Suppressing the fury in her heart, she bit her lip and asked, “Are you pregnant?”

Instead of answering Sang Wan, she dropped this bombshell.

Sang Wan looked at her in confusion, “Pregnant?”

After asking, she froze, silently recalling when her last period had been.

She hadn’t realized it before, but Sun Meixi’s question unsettled her.

Thinking back to that night at the hotel in the capital, Lu Tingzhou had indeed been utterly reckless.

“Xinran, you can leave now. I’d like to have a proper talk with Miss Sang about why I dislike her.”