CHAPTER 400: CHAPTER 400: WHY ASSUME?

"Auntie, are you in trouble? If you are, tell my mom, she’s really amazing and smart, she can solve all the problems Little Baby can’t!" Little Baby, having finished washing and drying her hands, lifted her little face to look at Lu Xiangxiang. Perhaps because children are more sensitive, she felt that Lu Xiangxiang must be facing some kind of difficulty. And because she overly trusted her own mother, her instinct told her the most formidable people in the world were her father and mother, so she naturally spoke to encourage Lu Xiangxiang, even smiling at her.

"I..." Lu Xiangxiang glanced at Little Baby, who still looked troubled, took a deep breath as if she was about to say something to Xu Xiuxiu.

"I see the two of you have got quite a good relationship, eh? Even for a meal, you have to hide in the restroom to chat for a bit." Cai Zhenglian walked into the restroom with a light chuckle and interrupted what Lu Xiangxiang was about to say. Since the men’s and women’s restrooms in the resort hotel were adjacent, and the sinks were shared, it wasn’t strange for Cai Zhenglian to come wash his hands after a seafood dinner, as it inevitably gets on one’s hands. It was just too much of a coincidence.

Especially because Lu Xiangxiang, who had her back to him, turned deathly pale upon hearing his voice, and her expression of panic was utterly undisguised. Xu Xiuxiu knew that Lu Xiangxiang must really have some issue with Cai Zhenglian, which explained her reaction.

"It’s really rare indeed because Xiangxiang, you see! She has always had a bit of a temper, and has seldom had friends she gets along with. Seeing you two chatting so happily now, it seems I, her fiancé, do not understand her enough." Cai Zhenglian said as he walked over to the sink, turned on the faucet, and washed his hands. After washing, he casually pulled a few paper towels and wiped his hands dry.

"She does indeed have quite the temper," Xu Xiuxiu agreed regarding Lu Xiangxiang’s bad mood.

Upon hearing this, Cai Zhenglian smiled at Xu Xiuxiu, nodding as if he had found a kindred spirit. Then, as if wary of Lu Xiangxiang, fearing she’d get mad, he winked at Xu Xiuxiu and chuckled. His harmless good-guy act completely disguised him as a caring and understanding fiancé.

If it weren’t for Lu Xiangxiang behaving too strangely just now, if it weren’t for Lu Xiangxiang saying she needed her help, if it weren’t for Lu Xiangxiang’s dread at the sound of his voice, as if her heart had turned to ashes, if it weren’t for Xu Xiuxiu’s clarity in seeing through many things more than others, she would have been truly fooled by his behavior.

But at this moment, Xu Xiuxiu was hesitating, wondering if she should reach out and help Lu Xiangxiang, especially since Lu Xiangxiang had been coveting her Song Yuanhuan for five or six years!

"Let’s go, Lu Xiangxiang. Didn’t you say the crabs here are indeed fresh? Let’s go back and eat a couple more!" Xu Xiuxiu looked at Lu Xiangxiang and leisurely spoke.

Lu Xiangxiang, who had seemed quite despondent, took a moment to process Xu Xiuxiu’s words before realizing Xu Xiuxiu was trying to give her an out. Knowing Xu Xiuxiu might want to help her, Lu Xiangxiang felt a mix of emotions but still tried to remain calm as she nodded, "Indeed, I used to dislike crabs, but the crabs here do taste quite delicious."

"Like them, but eat less, crabs are cooling in nature," Cai Zhenglian also came over, worriedly reminding Lu Xiangxiang.

"I know," Lu Xiangxiang responded normally.

Seeing this, Xu Xiuxiu smiled, "You two seem to have a good relationship," she praised with the air of someone who’s been through it all and then took her sweet Little Baby’s hand, leading the way out of the restroom.

Whereas Cai Zhenglian, just as Xu Xiuxiu walked out holding Little Baby’s hand, stepped closer to Lu Xiangxiang, slung an arm over Lu Xiangxiang’s shoulder, leaning in close to her ear: "Believe it or not, I will skin you alive." A short sentence, concise but eerily chilling.

Lu Xiangxiang felt a chilling sweat sweep over her body in the summer-night’s heat.

"Behave yourself." Lu Xiangxiang’s stiffness seemed to greatly satisfy Cai Zhenglian, so he leaned in and reminded her in a low voice, a hypocritical smile still lingering at the corners of his mouth despite the threatening undertone.

Impulsive and thoughtless by nature, Lu Xiangxiang encountered such a person for the first time. The feeling made her wish for death, her sense of being trapped in a swamp without the hope of release left her in overwhelming fear.

"By the way, since you and Xiangxiang are close, why didn’t you come to our engagement party before?" As they walked toward the dining table, Cai Zhenglian suddenly asked with a puzzled expression.

"Oh!" Xu Xiuxiu laughed upon hearing this: "My spouse and I were in Imperial City, it’s quite a distance away, and as you see, I have four children to look after, so I couldn’t make the time to attend. Sorry about that."

"I see," Cai Zhenglian seemed to understand Xu Xiuxiu’s reasoning.

However, despite that, there was a suppressed mood at the dining table for the remainder of the meal.

"Xiangxiang, didn’t you say you wanted to swim in the hotel pool?" After dinner, as Cai Zhenglian paid the bill and seemed poised to return to the room with Lu Xiangxiang, Xu Xiuxiu carefully bent over to straighten Little Baby’s dress, then stood up straight and turned to address Lu Xiangxiang.

"Is that so!" Cai Zhenglian sounded somewhat surprised, turning his head to Lu Xiangxiang: "Do you want to go swimming?"

Lu Xiangxiang felt a tingle on her scalp from Cai Zhenglian’s gaze, displayed a strange look as she glanced at Xu Xiuxiu, and then forced a faint smile: "I’m a bit tired, might be a chill from earlier today, I’ll pass." Her words seemed forced.

Xu Xiuxiu felt Lu Xiangxiang’s spirits were not quite right. Thinking back to when she seemed helplessly seeking help before abruptly being cut off by Cai Zhenglian’s arrival, Xu Xiuxiu, moved by rare compassion, had offered to help, but she didn’t expect that after extending an olive branch, Lu Xiangxiang would kick it back.

"I was just thinking you seemed off, why so quiet, usually you’re such a sharp person! Turns out you’re not feeling well, then you should go back to your room and rest early!" Xu Xiuxiu replied with a look of surprise, providing an excuse for Lu Xiangxiang’s unusual silence that day.

"Well then, I’ll take Xiangxiang back to the room to rest first. If you want to swim, feel free to enjoy yourself, the hotel’s pool is pretty decent." Cai Zhenglian, after hearing that Lu Xiangxiang was feeling under the weather, looked at her with full concern for a while as if to confirm whether she was genuinely unwell, then raised his head politely to speak. As he turned to leave, it was as though something suddenly came to him and he turned back: "Xiangxiang and I have been here for fun these past few days. We were planning on returning tomorrow. How much longer are you planning to stay? Do you need us to stick around for a few days?"

Cai Zhenglian’s words visibly caught Lu Xiangxiang off guard, as their original plans were obviously different.

Xu Xiuxiu certainly noticed: "We just arrived today, we’ll be staying at the hotel for a few days. If you and Xiangxiang have things to attend to, feel free to leave first."

"That’s fine too, since you know Xiangxiang, there will always be chances to meet again in the future!" Cai Zhenglian agreed with Xu Xiuxiu, then nodded with a smile and left the restaurant with Lu Xiangxiang.