Chapter 427
Sheng Wenhao, while talking to Xu Ke about Lin Mengyao’s whereabouts, didn’t forget to glance at Ariel. His eyes traveled from Ariel’s hair down to her boots-clad feet, and a look of amazement appeared on his face. He gave Xu Ke a questioning glance.
“Who’s this? Aren’t you going to introduce her?” Sheng Wenhao nudged Xu Ke’s shoulder and asked.
Although Xu Ke was unhappy that Lin Mengyao didn’t inform him personally about her departure and instead asked his good buddy Sheng Wenhao to relay the message, he still managed a slight smile at Sheng Wenhao’s question.
“This is the little sister-in-law I’ve found for you. You’d better keep your eyes to yourself and not stare. Your little sister-in-law isn’t easy to mess with. Be careful she doesn’t strip you to the bone.” Xu Ke wrapped an arm around Sheng Wenhao’s shoulder and jokingly described Ariel’s quirks.
From Xu Ke’s demeanor, Sheng Wenhao sensed something was off. He guessed that Xu Ke wasn’t just trying to scare him; it might actually happen. Sheng Wenhao’s smile turned a bit odd. “Where did you find her? A risk level this high—aren’t you afraid that one day you’ll provoke her, and she’ll slice you up?” Sheng Wenhao whispered through clenched teeth, flashing a silly grin at Ariel.
Ariel found it amusing and returned a cute smile, but she wasn’t as striking to Sheng Wenhao this time around. Instead of feeling amazed, he only felt chills, yet he still called her little sister-in-law.
“Why should I be afraid? I’ll never give her the chance to slice me up; don’t worry.” Xu Ke patted Sheng Wenhao’s shoulder nonchalantly.
“You’ve always got your plans. So, what’s the plan now? Do you want to go back home to find her, or continue your stay in the States?” Sheng Wenhao asked with concern.
“We’ll see. I’ll call Yaoyao later. If she can’t handle things on her own over there, I’ll go and help her. If she can, I’ll stay here and play for a few more days. I haven’t taken a vacation for years; I kind of miss it,” Xu Ke sighed.
“Alright, if you decide to stay here and play, count me in. If you want to return home, I’ll split,” Sheng Wenhao pulled out a cigarette from his coat pocket and said.
“What, you haven’t had enough of the outside world and want more?” Xu Ke punched Sheng Wenhao’s shoulder and laughed.
“With so many beauties around, how could I get enough? I’m much more carefree here than back home. Imagine, back home, after one night, women cry and demand responsibility or sob for breakup fees. Not like here; after the night, they pull up their pants and leave—none of that drama. Plus, there are many places I haven’t visited here, so going home now feels like a shame,” Sheng Wenhao sighed, taking a drag on his cigarette.
“Want one?” Sheng Wenhao pulled out another cigarette offering it to Xu Ke.
Xu Ke took the cigarette from Sheng Wenhao’s hand and said, “You do what you think is best. But if you ever want to come back, you’re always welcome. My home is your home.”
“Mm, when have I ever been polite with you?” Sheng Wenhao chuckled, punching Xu Ke’s shoulder. For a moment, this genuine smile added a dash of handsomeness to his scruffy face, catching the eyes of several women in the hotel lobby.
“Ha, your charm’s still going strong. Ariel and I are going upstairs to rest; you start your hunt,” Xu Ke flashed a knowing smile and, taking Ariel’s hand, headed straight to the room upstairs.
As soon as they entered, Xu Ke was pinned against the door by Ariel. The cold doorknob was behind him, and her warm body was in front of him.
“What were you talking about with that man just now? I can’t understand your language, and I don’t like it,” Ariel pouted her rosy lips.
“Just some man-to-man talk. Are you sure you want to know what we discussed, given the current situation?” Xu Ke raised an eyebrow, catching Ariel’s advancing leg with a teasing tone.
“Of course, I want to know everything about you.” Ariel shamelessly admitted, then sealed Xu Ke’s lips with her own.
The night was destined to be wild and crazy. Ariel seemed to have opened a valve, her excitement practically unstoppable, until the morning light started to peek through and she finally collapsed into sleep.
Xu Ke held her and dozed for a short while. Judging the time difference, he reckoned Lin Mengyao hadn’t slept yet, and called her.
“I heard from Wenhao about your situation. Did the company run into a problem that urgent, requiring you to rush back so fast? Is it something serious? Do you need me to return and help?” Sheng Wenhao opened the hotel’s window to let in some fresh air and clear the room’s lingering scent.
Back at her mountain villa, Lin Mengyao’s once stern face softened upon Xu Ke’s call, her voice tinged with unnoticed tenderness. “It’s not a big deal. I can handle it myself. No need to rush back. You’ve been quite busy lately. Just stay there for a few more days and then come back.”
“Though I agree you can have fun in the States, I didn’t agree to let you stay there too long. So, keep an eye on the time you’ll come back,” Lin Mengyao originally planned to tell Xu Ke to enjoy himself in the States, but the thought of them being apart for a long time made her change her mind. Her face turned red as soon as she said it, and she took a sip of ice water to cool down her flushed cheeks.
Although Lin Mengyao didn’t say anything, she felt quite pleased with Xu Ke’s promise. “One week is fine, but remember to stay away from those girls. Don’t take after Wenhao and fill your arms with one girl after another. I won’t tolerate it,” Lin Mengyao said, as if issuing a threat.
Although she said this, Lin Mengyao trusted Xu Ke profoundly. After all, back in the country, numerous women had tried and failed to win Xu Ke over, and during their previous trip to the States, he never showed much interest in American women. Lin Mengyao felt secure with Xu Ke.
Without much thought, Lin Mengyao spoke casually, but when she didn’t hear Xu Ke’s immediate promise, her smile started to fade, and an absurd thought crept into her mind.