Chapter 232 - 231: Agreeing to That Plan

As Yang Xun stepped out the door, a gust of night wind hit his face, sweeping away the stuffy heat that had lingered indoors.

Half an hour later, a taxi pulled up in front of the villa.

Yang Xun paid the fare, got out of the car, and used his fingerprint to let himself into the villa.

The lights were on in the living room.

He was slightly taken aback. He changed into slippers and walked in to see Xu Yue sitting on the sofa, cradling a laptop. When she heard him, she looked up, a faint smile gracing her gentle eyes.

"You’re back?"

"Why are you still up? It’s so late."

Yang Xun’s voice held a note of surprise.

"Work has been busy, and I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, so I figured I might as well stay up and get some files in order."

Xu Yue set down her laptop, stood up, and poured him a glass of warm water. Handing it to him, she asked, "What about you? Why are you home so late? Has work been hard on you lately?"

"It’s been fine. Not too tiring."

Yang Xun took the glass and took a sip. As the warm water slid down his throat, he felt some of the tension leave his body.

"That’s good."

Xu Yue sat down beside him, tilting her head to study him for a moment before she suddenly said, "Yang Xun, I feel like... I’ve never really taken good care of you."

Yang Xun froze for a second, then turned to look at her.

Her gaze rested on his face, filled with a serious and unprecedented warmth.

"I haven’t forgotten about the money you gave me. Once the new product launches and starts making a profit, the very first thing I’ll do is pay you back. Then you won’t have to work so hard."

Looking at her earnest expression, Yang Xun felt an unexpected warmth spread through his chest.

"We’re family. You don’t have to talk like that."

He smiled, his tone becoming lighthearted. "You’re my wife. Isn’t it my job to make money for you to spend?"

A light blush crept onto Xu Yue’s cheeks. She lowered her head and said nothing.

The atmosphere between them suddenly grew a little delicate.

Xu Yue’s hands rested on her knees, her fingertips gently stroking the hem of her dress. Her cheeks grew inexplicably hot.

Yang Xun leaned in closer, just about to kiss her lovely red lips.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs.

"Yueyue? I can’t sleep. You’re... uh..."

Xiaolin stood at the top of the stairs in a loose nightgown, holding a glass of water. She froze when she saw the scene in the living room.

As if jolted from a trance, Xu Yue quickly stood up. "Linlin, you’re still awake?"

"I couldn’t sleep and wanted to chat. But since Yang Xun is back, I won’t bother you two."

With that, Xiaolin turned to leave.

"Wait. Let’s go talk in the study and let Yang Xun get some rest."

Xu Yue quickly headed upstairs, pulling Xiaolin into the study with her.

The intimate atmosphere shattered, Yang Xun frowned in annoyance. In the end, he just sighed and went back to his room alone.

He had just changed into his pajamas and lain down when the door was pushed open.

He thought Xu Yue had finished her chat and come to find him. But when he looked up, he saw Xiaolin.

"What are you doing here?"

"SHHH... Keep your voice down. I need to talk to you."

Xiaolin scrambled to the side of the bed and clamped a hand over his mouth.

But in her haste, her other hand landed somewhere it shouldn’t have.

"HSSS..."

Yang Xun sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes turning bloodshot.

"Ah! I’m so sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose! I was just afraid Xu Yue would hear me come to your room."

Xiaolin’s face flushed crimson.

"Then get your hand off of me."

Yang Xun was speechless. The moment she removed her hand, he quickly sat up.

"If you have something to say, say it quick. I’m trying to sleep."

’He really was exhausted. He’d been busy all day, doing nothing but waiting on women.’

Xiaolin hesitated, remaining silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "Yang Xun... about that plan you mentioned before. I’ll do it."

"You mean the one where we have an affair to ’stimulate’ Xu Yue?"

"Mm."

Xiaolin bit her lip, her voice dropping. "I’ve given it serious thought. As long as it helps Xu Yue, I’m willing to do anything."

Yang Xun raised an eyebrow. "Really? You’re not going to back out?"

"I won’t back out."

Xiaolin lifted her head, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes filled with grim determination.

"But I need some time to prepare. I can’t quite get over the mental block yet... After all, Xu Yue is my best friend. I can’t just... do *that* with you with a clear conscience,"

she added quickly, afraid he would want to start the plan that very night.

"I know this is important, and I won’t go back on my word. But can we please... wait until I’m ready?"

Seeing her look of conflicted earnestness, Yang Xun’s desire to tease her subsided.

"Alright. Just tell me when you’re ready. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself."

He nodded, his tone gentle.

Xiaolin let out a visible sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you..."

"But..."

Yang Xun’s tone suddenly shifted, and a playful smirk touched his lips. "You’d better not keep me waiting too long. After all, the longer we delay, the less effective the treatment will be for Xu Yue."

Xiaolin shot him a glare, her cheeks turning pink. "I know! I won’t keep you waiting!"

After speaking, she stood up and quickly headed for the door. Halfway there, she turned back. "And don’t you go bothering Xu Yue tonight, either. She’s exhausted from work, and the current treatment isn’t working anyway."

"Got it!"

Yang Xun waved her off. Watching her retreating figure, he couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

He lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes. The image of Xu Yue waiting for him on the sofa surfaced in his mind, and he drifted off into a deep sleep.

...

「The next morning.」

Yang Xun arrived at the spa right on time. He had just changed into his uniform and pushed open the door to a private room when he saw a familiar figure sitting on the sofa.

Her shapely legs were crossed, and she was slowly sipping a cup of tea.

"Yang Xun, you finally made it."

Huang Qi set down her teacup and stood up. She wore a form-fitting black dress that exquisitely highlighted her voluptuous figure.

"I’ve been waiting for you for so long."

Yang Xun paused, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"And why couldn’t I? I missed you!"

Her breath sweet, Huang Qi sauntered up to him in her high heels and hooked a finger into the collar of his shirt.

She leaned in closer, her voice a playful pout. "My husband’s managing the massage parlor now, so I have plenty of free time on my hands. I just had to come find you."

Yang Xun gave a helpless smile. "I’m here to work today. If you want to see me, you have to follow the rules and book an appointment."

"I already did!"

Huang Qi waved her phone. "Your sister-in-law personally approved it. She certainly didn’t say I couldn’t come see you."

Yang Xun glanced at her phone screen. Sure enough, it was a reply from Xu Qian. It read: "Book anytime. As long as you pay, it’s fine."

"Well, since you have an appointment, let’s get started."

Yang Xun looked away from the phone and gestured for her to lie down on the massage table.