Lu Sui shоwеd no reасtiоn.
Wu Маngmang immediatеlу understoоd—she hadn’t hit thе right sроt. It sееmеd this was abоut another matter.
Wu Mаngmаng oрenеd hеr mоuth tо eхрlаin, but Lu Sui’s quilt wаs simрly tоo warm. Althоugh thе Lu residеnce wasn’t сold at аll, the winter sсеnеrу еvеrуwhere mаdе onе think оf thе chill.
Unаble tо rеsist, Wu Mangmаng lеanеd closer tо Lu Sui again. Hеr hаnd slоwly slid tоward his waist, wanting tо hоld him аs she slерt.
А mаn’s bоdу was diffеrеnt from а womаn’s softness—it hаd the firm rеsiliеnсe оf а bаguеtte.
Wu Mangmаng gave it a gentle squеeze, onlу for Lu Sui to grаb her hаnd аnd forсefully place it back on her own body.
Everyone was tired, and it wasn’t the time for teasing. Wu Mangmang obediently stopped provoking Lu Sui, closed her eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Shen Ting had been summoned by Ning Zheng’s phone call.
“How did you end up like this, all for some nobody?” Shen Ting sat down by Ning Zheng’s hospital bed.
“Sorry for dragging you out of your cozy nest with such a temper,” Ning Zheng said.
Recently, Shen Ting had a new girlfriend, whom he had introduced to others twice.
“To fool your family’s old man and that other person, aren’t you overdoing this act?” Shen Ting asked again.
“What act? What’s wrong with a nobody? As long as she’s good at what she does,” Ning Zheng said flippantly. “Got a cigarette?”
“No,” Shen Ting flatly refused, knowing Ning Zheng tended to act recklessly around the New Year and not wanting to provoke him further.
“Is Wu Mangmang involved again?” Shen Ting changed the subject.
“That girl’s got a screw loose—she’s just a brute who loves fighting. She probably wanted a brawl and didn’t even think to call the police. If Lu Sui ends up with her, the next generation’s genes are in trouble,” Ning Zheng mocked.
Though he said this, he couldn’t help but think of Wu Mangmang.
In all his years, aside from his mother protecting him as a child, Wu Mangmang was the first person to do so.
Last time, she had even retrieved his wallet for him. Remembering this, Ning Zheng couldn’t help but smile.
When she had tackled him to the ground, he could still recall the scent of her neck and the warmth of her body.
Neither of them seemed interested in continuing this topic.
After a moment of silence, Shen Ting spoke again, “Does Yuanzi know you’re injured?”
Ning Zheng replied, “I didn’t tell her.”
For some reason, Ning Zheng remembered Wu Mangmang’s words about him—licking shit was certainly not a flattering phrase.
“I plan to break off the engagement with Yuanzi. I’ve thought it over—it’s too selfish to her. She deserves someone better,” Ning Zheng said.
“Weren’t we going for a decisive move? Why the change of heart? Are you just handing the Ning family over to your half-brother?” Shen Ting raised an eyebrow.
Ning Zheng sighed, “I’ve figured it out. I don’t believe I can’t build my own Ning family. Who laughs last is still up in the air.”
Shen Ting stood up and patted Ning Zheng’s shoulder. “Alright, whatever you decide, as your brother, I’ll support you. As for Yuanzi, handle it carefully—she won’t be easy to deal with.”
Ning Zheng grunted in agreement and asked again, “Really no cigarettes?”
Shen Ting finally pulled out a pack, and the two smoked in silence.
In the early morning, when Wu Mangmang woke up, she found herself lying on Lu Sui’s chest.
Lu Sui’s arm was draped gently over her back from under her neck, their bodies intimately close.Wu Mangmang felt a blissful reluctance to move, thinking to herself, "So sleeping with someone is this comfortable?"
Wu Mangmang had never slept with anyone since childhood. Men aside, in this day and age, even two women sleeping together wasn't acceptable.
So, trying it suddenly, she realized it was incredibly comfortable.
"Aren't you getting up yet?" Lu Sui's hand slid to Wu Mangmang's buttocks and gave a gentle pat.
Wu Mangmang felt her bottom twitch twice. She was definitely a bit embarrassed, so she let out an "Oh" and arched her back to get up.
"Ouch!" Wu Mangmang had forgotten about the injury on her back. The sudden movement caused a sharp pain, making her cry out. "Quick, check if my wound has split open."
Heaven forbid it had split open—otherwise, it would be too easy to leave a scar.
Lu Sui gently lifted the gauze covering Wu Mangmang's wound and saw no signs of bleeding. "It probably hasn't split. I'll have the doctor come check on you later."
"But it hurts so much," Wu Mangmang said pitifully, furrowing her brows.
Lu Sui remained unmoved.
Wu Mangmang reached out and tugged at Lu Sui's pajamas. "Can you blow on it for me? Blowing on it will make the pain go away."
The idea that blowing on it would make the pain go away was clearly something used to comfort children.
"Lu Sui~~" Wu Mangmang dragged out her voice, starting to act coquettishly.
After about three seconds of stalemate, Lu Sui finally lowered his head, lifted Wu Mangmang's nightgown, and blew on her wound.
He had also lifted her nightgown earlier to check if the wound had split, but at that time, he hadn't given it much thought. Now, however, it felt a bit awkward.
Because it was New Year's Eve, Wu Mangmang had, without much thought, worn a pair of Chinese red lace panties.
Red had a way of stirring one's appetite, especially when it wrapped around something as translucent and white as lychee flesh.
Wu Mangmang, lying face down on the bed with her arms hugging a pillow, was completely unaware of this. When Lu Sui blew on her back, her heart trembled slightly, as if she could truly forget the pain.
Just like when she was a child and saw other children fall, their mothers would always say, "Mommy will blow on it, and it won't hurt anymore."
It really did stop hurting.
In her heart, Wu Mangmang felt a longing, wishing Lu Sui would never stop this action—she could even turn into a statue for it.
However, in the end, Wu Mangmang's beautiful dream was interrupted by Lu Sui biting her.
Wu Mangmang angrily turned her head and glared at Lu Sui. "That's not a bun!"
Lu Sui stood up indifferently. "Time to get up."
Wu Mangmang took a deep breath to calm herself down, then reached out and rubbed her bottom. Lu Sui's bite had been genuinely harsh.
Wu Mangmang walked to the bathroom, pulled her pants down slightly, and saw a large red mark on her bottom in the mirror.
During breakfast, neither of them spoke.
After the doctor came to check Wu Mangmang's wound, they were to set off for Lu Garden, the Lu family's ancestral home.
The Lu family upheld Chinese traditions. While everyone could play around freely during Christmas, on New Year's Eve, they were all expected to gather at the ancestral home.
So, Wu Mangmang had the eye-opening experience of meeting many important figures.
However, she couldn't contribute to the topics these people discussed, as she had no interest in politics whatsoever. Taking advantage of her back injury, Lu Sui sent her upstairs to rest.
Lu Lin gently pinched Wu Mangmang's waist, accidentally touching her wound and causing her to almost cry out in pain.
Lu Lin laughed. "So you really got hurt? Is Lu Sui's combat prowess that strong?"Wu Mangmang shot Lu Lin an exasperated glare.
Lu Lin followed Wu Mangmang into the room. She didn’t want to go downstairs either—her aunts and older sisters were all formidable in their own ways, and she had no desire to face their interrogation.
“Quick, tell me about Lu Sui’s expression the first time you two did it.” Lu Lin was clearly the type of older sister who took great delight in seeing her younger brother embarrassed.
Wu Mangmang hesitated between telling the truth and making something up, but in the end, she decided to stay silent for now.
“Last time you said Lu Sui was above average in size, and you could still take him. Seems you’re no ordinary woman either.” Lu Lin teased with a laugh.
Wu Mangmang felt as if she were being flirted with by a man.
“But men only care about their own pleasure—they don’t bother with whether the woman enjoys it or not. Don’t just focus on pleasing Lu Sui in these matters.” Lu Lin’s tactic was simple: if you won’t talk, I’ll just keep dropping hints until you do.
Unfortunately, although Wu Mangmang was also eager to learn from Lu Lin, the truth was she hadn’t slept with him at all.
Lu Lin thought Wu Mangmang was still being shy and was about to turn up the heat when Lu Sui pushed the door open and walked in.
“Lu Lin, Auntie is looking for you,” Lu Sui said.
“If Auntie is looking for me, why did you trouble yourself to come up and call me?” Lu Lin turned and winked at Wu Mangmang.
Lu Sui couldn’t be bothered to engage with Lu Lin. He simply stepped aside to clear the path, gesturing for her to leave.
Lu Lin knew her brother all too well. “Did you say something bad about me in front of Auntie?”
Lu Sui replied indifferently, “Do I need to say anything bad to deal with you?”
As Lu Lin passed by him, she shot him a “just you wait” look before leaving in a huff.
Wu Mangmang stared wide-eyed at Lu Sui. Was he trying to keep her from getting too close to Lu Lin?
For some reason, she really wanted to laugh.
“Get some rest. I won’t let anyone disturb you.” After saying this, Lu Sui closed the door behind him and left.
Wu Mangmang obediently took a nap. She had stayed up too late the night before and had been woken early by her internal clock.
To be honest, since being with Lu Sui, her habit of sleeping in had been forcibly cured by him.
The afternoon was reserved for the ladies’ elegant tea time. Wu Mangmang sat with them for a while, but her back injury made it difficult to sit for too long. Fortunately, the elders were very considerate of the younger generation.
Wu Mangmang went upstairs to call Ms. Liu. She had hoped to spend the New Year at the Wu family home, but Ms. Liu and Boss Wu had flown to Australia with Wù Dàndàn a week earlier to celebrate the holiday there.
“Where are you?” Ms. Liu asked Wu Mangmang.
“At the Lu family home,” Wu Mangmang replied weakly. Spending the New Year at the Lu family as Lu Sui’s girlfriend wasn’t exactly making her happy.
The Lu family’s traditions only highlighted the lack of traditions in her own family.
“Can’t you spend a few New Years in the country?” Wu Mangmang complained with some dissatisfaction.
Earlier, when she had suggested flying to Australia together, Ms. Liu had outright refused, acting as though a married daughter was like spilled water—gone for good.
Wu Mangmang knew, of course, that Ms. Liu was thinking of her—a diamond bachelor like Lu Sui had to be kept under close watch.
But even surrounded by another family’s affection, there was still a sense of dissatisfaction. Such was human nature—always wanting more.
After hanging up, Wu Mangmang received an electronic red envelope from Ms. Liu. Without hesitation, she generously sent a wave of red envelopes to her gaming group, cementing her reputation as a wealthy and beautiful young woman.Actually, she just enjoyed seeing their happy expressions when they grabbed the red envelopes.
Midway through, Lu Sui came up once to supervise Wu Mangmang taking her medicine and also applied some ointment for her—a secret formula from a plastic surgeon for scar removal.
By evening, Wu Mangmang went downstairs for the New Year’s Eve dinner. She hadn’t expected the Lu family’s entertainment for staying up late on New Year’s Eve to be the old-fashioned game of mahjong.
Wu Mangmang sighed, still remembering how last year she had gone out with Lu Qingqing and the others to party and count down to the New Year, then kissed a stranger at the stroke of midnight.
Why did it feel like it had happened in the last century?
As soon as mahjong was mentioned, Lu Lin casually brought up Wu Mangmang’s old “Nine Wan Goddess” story.
Coincidentally, Lu Sui was playing mahjong with his aunts and had been on a losing streak all night.
“Why not let Mangmang draw a tile for you?” Lu Jiazheng said with a laugh.
Since the eldest aunt had spoken, Wu Mangmang couldn’t refuse. She had no choice but to brace herself and draw a tile.
It turned out to be a “One Bamboo.”
Wu Mangmang glanced at Lu Sui’s hand. He was already waiting for a winning tile and didn’t need the One Bamboo at all, so she casually discarded it.
As a result, all three of the other players were waiting for the One Bamboo and immediately declared victory in unison.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Lu Sui was also laughing. “Grandaunt, you should just go to sleep.”
The bubble of Wu Mangmang’s lucky goddess persona had finally burst tonight.
When Lu Sui came to bed that night, Wu Mangmang was still awake, mainly because she had spent the whole day resting and recovering from her injuries and was already well-rested.
Since they were at Lu Manor, Lu Sui gave Wu Mangmang special face by not sleeping in separate rooms, which made her feel quite flattered.
Wu Mangmang snuggled closer to Lu Sui, and he didn’t push her away. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her, letting her rest more comfortably on his shoulder.
Did this mean he wasn’t angry anymore?
Wu Mangmang was almost despairing over Lu Sui. How could this man’s sulking be so short-lived? Wasn’t he going to let her have a proper romantic relationship?
Wu Mangmang felt so stifled she was practically developing internal injuries. In truth, she really wished Lu Sui would question her.
“Did you see the woman next to Ning Zheng last night? I heard people who can become friends share common interests.” Wu Mangmang’s hand unconsciously slipped into Lu Sui’s pajamas, naturally lingering on his “red berry.”
It wasn’t that she particularly liked this “little point,” but rather that when encountering a raised bump on smooth skin, someone with obsessive tendencies felt the urge to pick at it.
Unfortunately, Lu Sui didn’t like being picked at, so Wu Mangmang’s hand was caught and removed.
“Do you think he was attracted to some shining quality in that woman?” Wu Mangmang was a little curious, while also subtly criticizing Lu Sui’s taste in friends.
“Maybe she’s good in bed… tight.” The latter part wasn’t something Lu Sui would say, but it was what most men would think.
If Ning Zheng could hear Lu Sui’s answer, he’d definitely give a thumbs-up—truly a brother.
Most women, however, usually couldn’t understand this aspect of men. They would constantly ask, “What does she have that I don’t? Why would he like that kind of woman?”
If a man was willing to discuss sexual topics with a woman, it usually meant he had intentions.
Wu Mangmang sighed inwardly. What a perfect night—they could have carried on from this year into the next. But with the injury on her back, they couldn’t indulge in revelry.
If they could have done it, the next time that “Zhen Wo Fengcai” came looking for trouble, she could have retorted that Lu Sui’s stamina could last for two years straight."Did you see me save Ning Zheng yesterday?" Wu Mangmang agonized for a long time before deciding to get straight to the point. Regardless of whether Lu Sui wanted to hear it or not, she really wanted to explain.
Wu Mangmang felt Lu Sui's muscles stiffen slightly, then heard him give an "mm" of acknowledgment.
She knew men couldn't possibly not mind.
Wu Mangmang began explaining with great excitement, "At that time, I saved Ning Zheng purely out of a chivalrous heart."
She paused. "I have to admit, it was mainly because that miniskirt was so ugly I felt a bit sorry for Ning Zheng. It's not easy for a man to be pushed to that point. But after hearing your explanation just now, I realized how narrow-minded I was."
Lu Sui couldn't help but laugh at Wu Mangmang's words.
Wu Mangmang wasn't lying.
Seeing Ning Zheng paired with that kind of woman would indeed evoke sympathy.
Hearing Lu Sui laugh, Wu Mangmang grew bolder and couldn't resist asking curiously, "Tell me, if there were a great beauty like me who's not good in bed, and the other was that miniskirt who's really good in bed, who would you choose?"
"Beautiful ones make wives, skilled ones make mistresses," Lu Sui said bluntly.
Men in the dark really are beasts.
Wu Mangmang made an "oh" sound. "I thought you'd be different."
She couldn't imagine Lu Sui paired with that miniskirt who was made up like a ghost.
Just thinking about that image made Wu Mangmang burst into wild laughter, laughing so hard her wounds hurt.
"Would you really sleep with that miniskirt?" Wu Mangmang pressed further.
Lu Sui rubbed his temples. "Alright, I admit Ning Zheng is quite deserving of sympathy."
Wu Mangmang leaned close to Lu Sui and whispered, "Don't be angry with me. The reason I selflessly took a knife for Ning Zheng yesterday was, first, because he's your best friend, and second, because he was already badly injured. If that knife had struck, I estimated his stomach would have been cut open, so I pushed him down. I absolutely have no feelings for him whatsoever."
Having read too many romance novels, one important lesson Wu Mangmang had summarized was that things must be explained, and explained promptly.
Even if the other person covers their ears saying "I won't listen, I won't listen," you still have to explain.
Indeed, reading is beneficial.
The next second, Wu Mangmang felt Lu Sui catch her hand as it slid down toward his lower abdomen, gently kissing the back of her hand.
"You were still angry with me yesterday, why aren't you angry today?" Wu Mangmang couldn't hold back her questions.
Lu Sui pinched Wu Mangmang's cheek. "You do have self-awareness."
Any man would definitely mind and be angry. Lu Sui wasn't a saint, so of course he minded.
But people are different. For Lu Sui, he clearly knew Wu Mangmang had no feelings for Ning Zheng. Jealousy without cause was, to Lu Sui, a very low-level mistake.
Moreover, it would only push Wu Mangmang away, which wasn't beneficial for anyone.
So Lu Sui could convince himself not to mind, trying his best to endure Wu Mangmang's impulsive recklessness.
"If it were you, I would definitely fight even harder, don't worry," Wu Mangmang said this sweet talk with remarkable fluency.
"Thank you. I have bodyguards when I go out. Starting tomorrow, you'll need bodyguards when you go out too." This was Lu Sui's deep affection in return for Wu Mangmang.Wu Mangmang let out a long sigh, not daring to argue with Lu Sui about her freedom. What if she got kidnapped in the future and used to extort money from him? Looking back on today’s willfulness, wouldn’t she end up hanging herself in regret?
So, a bodyguard it was. At least it would be nice to have someone good-looking around.
“Then find me one with high looks,” Wu Mangmang requested.
Lu Sui’s response was to bite her finger.
“That’s not a french fry,” Wu Mangmang gently kicked Lu Sui.
The night was long, so the conversation naturally drifted.
When Lu Sui caught Wu Mangmang’s wandering hand again, pulling it away from an inch below his navel, she couldn’t hold back any longer. “I heard you’re into health preservation—is that true?”
“Who told you that?” Lu Sui countered.
“Just heard it somewhere,” Wu Mangmang replied, not revealing Zhen Wo Fengcai as the source. Mainly because her conversation with Zhen Wo Fengcai was too lowbrow to mention.
“Just tell me if it’s true or not,” Wu Mangmang said, reaching out to fiddle with Lu Sui’s buttons. Since she wasn’t allowed to touch the protrusions on his body, she had to settle for battling with his buttons.
“Everyone practices health preservation. Don’t you also follow the health principle of not eating after eight in the evening?” Lu Sui said.
Wu Mangmang understood—this meant he did practice health preservation.
“So, is it because of Taoist health principles like ‘if essence is not stored in winter, illness will strike in spring’ that you’re holding back and not releasing?” Wu Mangmang asked.
Once such a question was out in the open, there was no need to hold back the rest. “Or is it that you haven’t overcome a psychological barrier yet?”
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