Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Change

It was already evening by the time the group returned to Blue Lake Manor after the incident.

They had originally planned to watch the sunset by Blue Lake, but they had missed it completely.

Teacher Sherry sighed. “It’s my fault. If I had known, I wouldn’t have meddled. Our nice vacation has been ruined.”

Lu Xiao smiled and hugged her. “But Teacher Sherry, you were so cool back there! Besides, we may have missed the sunset, but we can still enjoy this beautiful night view—the starry sky, the lake, and the people who love us and whom we love. Isn’t that romantic?”

Lu Xiao was just too good at comforting people. After she finished speaking, the corners of Teacher Sherry’s lips couldn’t help but lift into a smile. “You’re right.”

The way she put it made the scene feel not just romantic, but blissful.

It was a little cool by the lake at night, but not cold. The group sat in a row, gazing at the sky full of stars and the deep blue surface of the lake beneath it, listening to the natural chirping of insects.

There was a sense of peaceful contentment.

Suddenly, the sky flashed brightly as a firework blossomed in the night.

“Wow!” Teacher Ai Li cried out instinctively, pointing at the fireworks bursting one after another in the night sky. “Did the manor prepare this?”

“Probably. The owner here is really good at setting the mood,” Lu Xiao couldn’t help but say. After speaking, she seemed to remember something, and her cheeks flushed red. She pressed her lips together and said no more.

Ares quietly took Lu Xiao’s hand and, imitating the little gesture she had made at the Female Protection Association earlier today, gave it a gentle squeeze.

Startled by the squeeze, Lu Xiao turned to look at the man in surprise, but Ares didn’t look back at her. He stared intently at the fireworks lighting up the night sky, as if he wasn’t the one squeezing her hand at all.

’This guy, he knows how to play innocent now.’

Lu Xiao squeezed his hand back. And so, the two of them started secretly trading little squeezes, one after the other, right there beside everyone.

It was both childish and sweet.

The fireworks lasted for about half an hour. When they ended, Teacher Ai Li stood up and stretched. “Let’s call it a night. Goodnight, everyone.”

“Goodnight, Teacher Ai Li! Sweet dreams, everyone!” Lu Xiao smiled, waving goodbye to the group as she and Ares walked hand-in-hand back to their room.

The moment the door closed, before Lu Xiao could even turn on the light, Ares grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the door.

Lu Xiao could feel Ares’s breath just inches away, and her own breathing instantly grew chaotic. “You… Mmph…”

The sound had barely escaped her lips before Ares swallowed it.

Lu Xiao felt that Ares was exceptionally different today, leaving her a little overwhelmed.

At first, she still had the presence of mind to let her thoughts wander, but later on, it felt as if her entire body was floating. By the time it was over, Ares was carrying her in his arms to the bathroom.

Once Lu Xiao had regained some of her energy, she reached out and pinched Ares’s cheek. “What’s gotten into you tonight?”

Ares didn’t dodge, letting his little female pinch his face. If she still wasn’t satisfied, he would have let her have his whole face. “Wanted you.”

Two simple words, so simple and direct.

But they made Lu Xiao’s heart leap, and she couldn’t help but think, ’Ares is getting better and better at this.’

“Hmph. Don’t let it happen again.”

Ares took her hand, brought it to his lips for a kiss, and replied with a smile, “Alright.”

He made her cheeks burn. It was a good thing the lights were off, or Ares would have seen her complete embarrassment.

’This guy usually seems so proper and ascetic. Where on earth did he learn so many tricks?!’

’He’s just too good!’

Lu Xiao found that she had less and less resistance when it came to Ares.

’And it seems I’m liking this guy more and more!’

*

When Lu Xiao woke up in the morning, she discovered that Lu Ge Wei had sent her several voice call requests. Not only had she missed them all, but she was also just now seeing the last message she’d sent.

Lu Ge Wei had asked her to get in touch when she had time.

Lu Xiao raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t sure what Lu Ge Wei wanted from her now, but it definitely wasn’t anything good, so she had no intention of contacting her first.

’If it was really important, Lu Ge Wei would try to find her again. What’s the rush?’

With that thought, Lu Xiao put the matter of Lu Ge Wei’s missed calls out of her mind.

When she went downstairs, Ares had already prepared Blue Lake fish fillet congee.

The four teachers had already tried it. The first thing they said when they saw her was, “Your Ares’s cooking has improved again! That fish fillet congee is just too good.”

Lu Xiao blinked, not yet understanding what was happening. When she walked over, she found John Ke and the other husbands gathered around Ares, asking for cooking tips.

But Ares still noticed her the instant she appeared. His usually cool and distant eyes instantly filled with a gentle smile. “Morning. Did you sleep well?”

Only the two of them understood the hidden meaning in that question.

Lu Xiao nodded lightly. “You made Blue Lake fish fillet congee?”

“Yes, I’ll get you a bowl,” Ares said. He opened the pot on the side where the congee was being kept warm, ladled a serving for Lu Xiao, and personally carried it to the dining table.

As he did all this, no one found anything strange about it.

The other males nearby watched all of this with eyes full of envy.

They also wanted to cook for their female head-of-household every day and serve it to her with their own hands. Unfortunately, they weren’t the only ones in their families.

For the sake of household harmony, these duties were done in shifts. And as main husbands, they sometimes had to be magnanimous and yield to the others.

Completely unlike Ares, who could do as he pleased without any such concerns.

After bringing the food to Lu Xiao, Ares naturally sat down beside her.

Lu Xiao took a sip of the perfectly warm fish fillet congee, and her eyes immediately lit up. She now understood why Teacher Sherry had made that particular comment to her earlier.

It was truly delicious. The flavor was fresh and savory-sweet, the fish was tender with a springy texture, and there was no fishy smell at all—only a hint of sweetness.

Lu Xiao was hooked after just one bite.

Lu Xiao didn’t need to say a word. Just by seeing the sparkle in his little female’s eyes, Ares knew she liked it.

The corners of his own lips curved up unconsciously.

Seeing him just staring at her, Lu Xiao felt a little self-conscious and fiddled with the hair by her ear. She felt that after last night, the atmosphere between her and Ares had become somewhat… delicate.

It wasn’t bad; on the contrary, it was a little too good.

“Have you eaten yet?”

It was just small talk, but Lu Xiao felt a bit dizzy at the moment. Her brain didn’t seem to be working right, and she honestly couldn’t think of a suitable topic.

Ares played along readily. “Mhm, I’ve eaten. Is it good?”

Lu Xiao nodded. “I feel like you could graduate.”

“It’s only because my master is a good teacher. Can I keep learning from you for a while longer?”

Ares asked with such sincerity, it was as if the two of them really were in a master-apprentice relationship.

Meeting the man’s smiling dark eyes, Lu Xiao realized for the first time that when Ares smiled, his gaze was so focused and affectionate, it was as if the moment he saw her, she became his entire world.

In that moment, Lu Xiao thought she could hear her own heartbeat. THUMP, THUMP.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep