Lin Nuo's cousin clearly knew Lu Bofan as well. The man had enough sense to understand that Lu Bofan was there to pick up Lu Meng, so he exchanged only a few pleasantries before taking his leave.
Lu Meng curled her hands, not yet saying anything, when Lu Bofan's tall, broad figure cast a shadow over her. He draped the wool shawl over the woman's shoulders.
Within the soft, thick warmth, there seemed to be the crisp scent of cold fir clinging to him.
Lu Meng unconsciously lifted her eyes. She was 168 cm barefoot—not short by any means—and she was even wearing a pair of slim stilettos, yet standing before this man, she would still need to stand on her tiptoes to kiss him.
She remembered that before the two of them had met, the information her parents had provided mentioned that he seemed to be around 189…
Lu Bofan pulled the shawl tighter around her, his voice cold and low as it sank into the night: "You look like you have something to say."
Standing before him, Lu Meng was honest, not bothered by his actions. Her gaze landed on the wedding ring on his ring finger, and the thought slipped out as a question: "Did you lie about your height?"
"Hm?"
Lu Bofan genuinely hadn't followed her train of thought, only hearing her mumble quietly: "You're so tall."
Lu Meng's cold hadn't fully recovered, so her voice carried a noticeable nasal tone when she spoke.
Lu Bofan didn't defend himself. Instead, he bent slightly at the waist, his dark gaze fixed unwaveringly at her eye level.
His sudden closeness made Lu Meng's breath unconsciously grow lighter. She stammered out the question: "What are you doing?"
Lu Bofan seemed not to notice her discomfort, saying in a calm, indifferent tone: "Weren't you complaining that I'm too tall?"
Lu Meng's heart instantly dangled in suspense. Before the man's words even finished, he leaned in even closer, their breaths faintly intertwining as if he were about to kiss her.
But the kiss she imagined never came. Lu Bofan stared at her slightly parted red lips, then lifted his eyelids, his calm gaze falling into her eyes as he uttered a few words in a level voice: "How many drinks did you have?"
"…"
Lu Meng felt like a breath was caught in her throat. She tilted her face up slightly, looped both arms around the man's neck, and deliberately challenged him with a hint of defiance: "A lot. What about it? You don't like it?"
The woman's eyes were bright. Lu Bofan remained as unruffled as still water, merely glancing briefly at her stilettos before answering off-topic: "Can you still walk?"
Lu Meng curled her hands, her fingertips inadvertently brushing against the back of the man's neck: "If I can't walk, will you carry me?"
Lu Bofan answered with his actions.
His arm slid through the space between the woman's legs, and he lifted her into a bridal carry with almost effortless ease.
Whatever Lu Meng had been about to say died in her throat. It wasn't until they were back in the car—where the cramped space held a comfortable temperature, unlike the cold outside—that she spoke again.
Yet she didn't take off the shawl. She even tried to tuck her chin into it, staring at the man with a muffled voice: "I thought you'd be upset."
Lu Bofan's gaze swept over to her: "If I were upset, what would you do?"
Lu Meng thought—he really knows how to climb the ladder when given the chance.
She pondered what couples typically did when they argued. After thinking for a long while, she said slowly: "Then you can sleep in the study tonight to cool off."
"…"
Lu Bofan's gaze carried a hint of helpless stillness. Lu Meng pulled the shawl tighter and frowned: "There's no way I'm sleeping in the study."
"…"
He didn't speak, which made Lu Meng feel a bit irritated: "I still have a cold."
She had only had a little to drink—did she really have to apologize to him?
"You still know you have a cold."
The man's mild, nonchalant remark made Lu Meng feel as if her lifeline had been seized. Her red lips parted slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word.
"Besides, when did I ever say we were sleeping in separate rooms?"
Lu Meng had a headache and couldn't quite figure him out. "Then are you unhappy or not?"
Lu Bofan glanced at her sideways: "You're about to kick me out of the room—how would I dare be unhappy?"
"….."
Lu Meng took a deep breath, looked away, and muttered, "You're so petty."
"…."
Lu Bofan ignored her complaint and merely asked in a calm voice, "Are you hungry?"
Lu Meng didn't like the silent treatment. Even though the atmosphere between them was a bit strange right now, she still answered, "Not hungry."
But she just wouldn't look at him.
Lu Bofan didn't say anything more. Soon, she heard a very faint sound, as if a packaging bag was being torn open.
She turned her head to look, and saw Lu Bofan unhurriedly eating a cookie.
Lu Meng was very familiar with the packaging in his hand—she had made them.
"You're really eating them?"
She had thought Lu Bofan was just casually saying he wanted to try one at the time, and assumed he wouldn't touch them again.
Lu Bofan lifted his eyelids and looked over, his tone giving nothing away: "I told you, they're very good."
The tense atmosphere seemed to break. Lu Meng awkwardly changed the subject: "Have you been waiting for me long?"
What she had made were very ordinary cookies, with cute stickers on the transparent packaging, but somehow, held in Lu Bofan's hand, they seemed to look much more expensive.
Just simply eating a cookie, the man's movements were exceptionally refined and pleasing to the eye.
Lu Bofan had almost never eaten snacks before, let alone in the car.
But recently, he would occasionally eat cookies during his breaks, and the one in his hand was the last piece.
"Not long."
Lu Meng wasn't satisfied with his answer. She leaned forward slightly and asked the driver in front, "Uncle Chen, how long have you all been waiting?"
Uncle Chen glanced at the man in the rearview mirror and replied, "President Lu came over as soon as his social engagement ended. He probably arrived around eight."
That was over an hour of waiting.
Lu Meng's heart instantly softened. That was just how she was—though there was a somewhat spoiled rebelliousness in her bones, she was also very easy to appease.
Lu Bofan finished his cookie, and suddenly a soft body squeezed into his arms.
Her eyes were closed, her voice very soft, but he heard it clearly.
"Hubby, my head hurts."
Lu Bofan lowered his gaze. The woman's long, dense eyelashes cast a small shadow, trembling slightly, as if she was a bit nervous.
Lu Meng dared to openly call Lu Bofan "hubby" in front of Grandpa, but she had never once called him that to his face.
This was the first time.
Actually, she didn't know why she had gotten upset with him earlier, but she also knew clearly that she didn't really dislike him.
When she disliked someone, she wouldn't stay in the same space as them.
This was her first time being so proactive. She didn't dare open her eyes, and her heartbeat was a little fast. She didn't know how Lu Bofan would react—if he was going to blame her again…
Sensing the man's movement, Lu Meng's breathing tightened slightly. The next second, someone pulled her into an embrace.
Lu Bofan didn't push her away. His hand resting at her waist patted her gently, as if in compromise, and his voice softened considerably: "I'll have the doctor wait at home."
The man's embrace was broad and solid, and an ill-timed thought surfaced in Lu Meng's mind—he felt like her mother.
When she was sick as a child, Lu Ling would hold her just like this to soothe her.
She wrapped both arms around the man's waist, still without opening her eyes: "No need for the trouble. I'm just sleepy."
Lu Bofan didn't reproach her, only stayed quietly by her side.
Gradually, her stiff body relaxed, and by the time they reached the Nanshan courtyard, she had actually grown somewhat drowsy.
After removing her makeup and coming out from her shower, Lu Bofan wasn't in the bedroom.
She went downstairs. Her cold hadn't completely dulled her sense of smell—she caught the faint aroma of rich soup.
The one in the kitchen wasn't Auntie Ye, but Lu Bofan. He had long since taken off his suit jacket, his shirt cuffs rolled up to his forearms. His tall silhouette was exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
Seeing her come down, Lu Bofan ladled out a bowl of soup and told her to come over.
"Did you make it?"
Lu Bofan hadn't drunk any: "Auntie Ye made it."
Lu Meng realized something: "Prepared specially for me?"
He gave a faint "mm": "You can't take medicine after drinking alcohol. All I could do was prepare some soup to warm you up."
"….."
Lu Meng felt a bit awkward and said nothing more, obediently drinking the soup.
The soup had been kept warm in the pot and was still hot.
She drank slowly. Lu Bofan sat across from her, looking at his tablet as he handled work.
Lu Meng's gaze couldn't help drifting over. The cool white light refracted across his superior features. He hadn't even lifted an eyelid, yet seemed able to sense her gaze.
"Do you need to look at me to drink it down?"
His voice was indifferent, but the words carried an inexplicable sense of humor.
Lu Meng didn't oppose him as she had earlier. Instead, she propped her chin on her hand and gave a generous "mm": "Am I not allowed to look?"
Lu Bofan raised his eyes. He set down the tablet and leaned lazily back, carrying a bit of an air of enjoy yourself as you please: "Is looking alone enough?"
Lu Meng gave a proud "mm": "For now, yes."
As for what she'd want once she'd looked her fill, Lu Bofan didn't ask. In any case, he was ready to welcome her taking it at any time.
Lu Bofan stayed quietly by her side just like that. Lu Meng suddenly thought of her parents. Occasionally when Shao Tingyuan worked late and came home, Lu Ling would be just as attentive.
Once, waking in the deep of night, she'd gone downstairs and seen her mother keeping her father company, just like the two of them now.
They say the relationship between parents affects their children.
It was indeed true. Lu Ling and Shao Tingyuan were deeply in love. Lu Meng had never really thought about marriage, but if asked about her ideal way for a couple to be together, it was her parents'.
Now, being with Lu Bofan, she even had an illusion—if she could spend a lifetime with him like this, it seemed it would be quite good.
Lu Bofan was different from her. His parents had passed away early, and he actually didn't know how ordinary couples should be together.
But Lu Meng felt he was already doing very well.
Lu Bofan didn't know what he was thinking either. He simply asked her: "How are Mom and Dad usually together?"
Much love is hidden in the details—for instance, every time Shao Tingyuan returned from a business trip, he'd bring Lu Ling a gift; for instance, the two would share a good-morning kiss every morning.
When Lu Ling's paintings were entered in competitions, Shao Tingyuan was always her number one supporter.
Love is endless to describe, yet it can be felt.
Lu Meng drank the soup and went upstairs to wash up.
By the time Lu Bofan came back after his shower, she was already drowsy.
"Does your head still hurt?"
He clearly still had her words from the car on his mind. Lu Meng shook her head—she had only been making an excuse earlier.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she turned and burrowed into the man's arms, burying her cheek against his chest, and said with a slight nasal tone: "Lu Bofan."
"Hm?"
"I'd just had a bit to drink earlier, and my temper got the better of me."
Lu Bofan held the person who was being all awkward and didn't dare show her face, a faint smile on his lips as he gave a soft "mm."
"But in the future, when you care about me, can you be more direct?"
Lu Meng felt he was also at fault. When she accused him, she lifted her face with perfect justification: "So cold—like I'd committed some huge mistake."
Drinking while she had a cold—Lu Bofan really hadn't been happy about it at the time.
Later, when she came out of the villa, her makeup exquisitely done, resplendent light behind her, her smile carrying an effortless ease and vitality, she was bright enough that one couldn't look away.
A despicable urge—one that even wanted to possess her exclusively—spread through his heart.
But he knew very well that he couldn't.
Before Lu Meng was his wife, she was first and foremost herself.
Lu Bofan didn't agree directly. Instead, he asked: "My care—will you accept it?"
Lu Meng found his question truly strange: "Why wouldn't I accept it?"
Lu Bofan smiled, and answered with good grace: "Alright."
At the mention of alcohol, Lu Meng grew a little curious: "Do you hate alcohol?"
Lu Bofan's nose was filled with the scent of her—he couldn't tell if it was body wash or body lotion, but blended together it smelled lovely.
"Haven't you been to the wine cellar? I drink occasionally too."
Lu Meng really hadn't been: "Then take me to see it sometime."
"Mm."
"Can you hold your liquor?"
"Not bad."
Lu Meng's tolerance was also quite good—she had almost never drunk herself into a stupor.
After chatting about some trivial matters, her drowsiness finally surged back. But Lu Bofan suddenly asked her: "Lu Meng, if there are good morning kisses, will there also be goodnight kisses?"
She answered instinctively: "Yes."
The instant the words fell, Lu Meng's heartbeat suddenly quickened. In that split second, the man's presence descended over her. "We haven't had our goodnight kiss today."
It was Lu Bofan's first marriage, and there were indeed things he hadn't done well.
So, he decided to listen to his wife and properly learn how to maintain the affection between husband and wife—
For example, having good morning kisses and goodnight kisses.
Lu Meng, held by the jaw, instinctively dodged. Her breathing tightened: "My cold hasn't healed—I'll pass it to you."
Lu Bofan stared at her lips as they opened and closed. He didn't let go, but gently reminded her: "My health is pretty good. Haven't you noticed?"
Lu Meng knew she should refuse, and he had given her ample time to do so.
But not only did she not refuse, she instinctively closed her eyes—even parted her lips to respond out of pure instinct.
Lu Bofan kissed her very gently, and when he lightly took her lips, he would soothingly stroke the skin by her ear.
Lu Meng's lashes trembled slightly. The hot, damp kiss was quiet, and addictive. Adrenaline surged. At some point her hands had wrapped around the man's neck. As they shifted, her face tilted up, noses brushing, and a tingling numbness gradually crept into her brain.
Lu Bofan traced her lips with his fingers, seemingly finding her obedient demeanor somewhat endearing. A warm kiss landed on the tip of her nose.
Lu Meng felt a little dazed from the kiss. Her lips parted slightly as she looked at the man before her, her low voice colliding with his—
"Good night."
"Lu Bofan, you seem to really like kissing me."