Chapter 398 - Stern and Unforgiving
Lying in bed again, slightly exhausted from their morning session, Zhao Lifei watched her husband get dressed. Regardless of how many times she had seen his body, her eyes still roamed all over the fine specimen in front of her. His naturally contoured body was eye-candy to her. The eight hard ridges on his abdomen were sharp enough to cut through stone. A very prominent and defined line dipped right below his finely-honed abs.
Swallowing hard, she watched his long, strong fingers easily maneuvering the buttons of his black silk shirt. The sleeves hugged his arms perfectly, his muscles slightly clenching with each movement. The color of the shirt made his body appear to be the perfect balance of lean yet muscular.
"If you keep on staring at me like that, I'll be inclined to join you in bed again," Yang Feng teased with a teasing smirk on his face. She didn't miss the way his eyes brightened to a stormy grey color, rimmed by black. Though she rarely pointed it out, she loved the way his face lit up whenever he smiled.
"Why don't you?" Zhao Lifei asked, sitting up and letting the blankets covering her body pool at her waist. His eyes followed the fluid action before he forced himself to tear his eyes away from her. With the dirty thoughts plaguing his mind, even holy water couldn't cleanse it.
"You just love screwing with my head, don't you?" he asked her, shaking his head in amusement. He had just finished showering with her but it seems as if he would need another one to cool the heat.
"I love screwing with you in general," she said, her words pushing his buttons one by one. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple visibly bobbing up and down. The motion reminded her of something else…
"Trust me, such teasing will not go by unpunished," Yang Feng warned her, his voice dropping an octave. Seeing that he'd already reached the last straw of his control, she decided to ease up on bullying him. Sliding out of bed, she slid one of his shirts from the hanger and slipped it over her body.
Zhao Lifei could feel his scorching gaze upon her body when she attempted to button the overly large shirt that hung loosely from her shoulders. Her hands were hindered by the long sleeves, so after three buttons she simply gave up. She raised her arms which were lost in the folds of his white dress shirt. Hugging him from behind, she rested her face upon his comfortable back.
"Have a good day at work," she mumbled into his shirt, feeling clingy all of a sudden. His taunt body immediately relaxed.
Yang Feng's caught sight of their position reflected in the mirror. He felt as if his heart was being squeezed by how small and adorable she looked in his shirt. It stopped mid-thigh and barely covered her perky little butt. "Will you be going to your company today?" he asked her, turning around so that he could properly hold her. Not wanting her to crane her neck, he helped her step on his leather shoes to give her a small height boost.
"I was thinking of visiting your parents today," Zhao Lifei said out of the blue, her words catching him by surprise.
He worriedly glanced down at her with a heavy heart but was pleasantly surprised to see her expression was devoided of hesitation. There was something about the way she carried herself that made him feel at ease. She was practically radiating inner happiness and her skin reflected this with its healthy glow.
A gentle smile lifted the corners of his mouth. He placed a hand on her cheek, tenderly stroking the skin. "I'll have the driver ready for you." No longer anxious at the outcome, he decided to support her. She was a grown woman capable of making her own choices and decisions. He had little reason to doubt her intentions and actions… unless it was one that would stubbornly put her in danger.
"You can have the bodyguards waiting downstairs, but I think it would be best if they didn't enter the house with me." Zhao Lifei deemed it would be rude to visit Yang Feng's parents with so much security around her. It would send the wrong message. She already had the gifts prepared for this visit.
"Alright." He nodded his head, his calloused fingers pushing back the hair that covered her face. He fully cupped her face, handling it as one would with an imperial treasure. Tenderly, he kissed her on the nose, then shifted to the remaining four points of her face. "I trust you'll keep yourself safe?"
"Of course," Zhao Lifei answered, her eyes shut as she waited for his kiss. She had expected it to come right after her words, but it never did. Disgruntled by the lack of action, her eyes flew open. Then, unexpectedly, he sealed his lips over her mouth, trapping in any complaints or protests. His lips were warm and gentle, locking with hers in perfect sync. It started slow and ended slow.
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. Okay?"
She nodded her head with a small smile. "Okay."
- - - - -
Zhao Lifei realized that she'd never had a proper conversation with Yang Feng's parents alone. Sure, there were a handful of times when they engaged in small-talk, but it was hardly a conversation. Most of the time, Yang Feng was present and hovering over them like a guard-dog ready to bite their heads off. She didn't like that. It would be an unhealthy environment for her future children.
Without a mother and father on her side, Zhao Lifei wanted her children to have at least one set of functioning grandparents who would shower them with unconditional love. Her plan to win them over was not her pregnancy. This news would only come after she was done forming a good bond with them.
It seemed Madam Fan Jielan was already prepared for Zhao Lifei's arrival. The front gates, which usually require proper identification to open, were already open for her. The large and imposing sleek black gates resembled those in castles, except these, were more modern and slightly less intimidating. When the gleaming black car stopped at the entrance of the mansion, the Madam of the House was already outside and waiting.
A woman dressed in a black trouser suit with the obligatory white shirt opened the door for Zhao Lifei. There was an ear-piece attached to her ear and the stereotypical sunglasses covered her eyes. On the collar of her white shirt was a barely noticeable symbol that indicated who she worked for: Yang Feng.
"Lady Boss," the bodyguard said in greeting, holding out her hand to help her exit the car. Zhao Lifei gracefully accepted the offered hand, and elegantly, she exited the car. There were two, small boxes in her hands. One was Chiffon Pink in color while the other was Tiffany Blue.
"Good morning, Madam Fan," Zhao Lifei said warmly when she saw the elegantly-aged woman step forward with a man in tow whose face was pulled into a permanent scowl.
"I will only accept the title of 'other,' from you. No more, no less," Fan Jielan sternly said with a pointed look. For a split second, Zhao Lifei was stunned silent, especially by the slightly less stern glare emitted by Yang Qianlu.
"Now, let's start again. Good morning, my beloved daughter."
"Good morning... Mother." Zhao Lifei was used to use the title in a disinterested matter. Using it with a warm and endearing tone of voice sounded foreign to her ears.
Fan Jielan's stoic face instantly melted. Filled with warmth, she said, "It's so good to see you again. Did you have breakfast? I heard unfortunate events have befallen upon you… How is your body?" She paused, before adding on, "Are you recuperating? I'll have the chefs prepare a nutritious meal for you. Come, follow me inside."
Zhao Lifei felt a lump form in her throat at the sound of motherly warmth conveyed by Fan Jielan's voice. A pair of gentle and comforting hands grabbed Zhao Lifei's. This was the first time she had experienced this motherly love and she was unsure about how she should behave.
"Oh my, I see you have brought presents with you. You shouldn't have." Fan Jielan waved a servant over. "Here, I'll have the maid carry them to the living room. After breakfast, we can open them. How does that sound?"
Zhao Lifei immediately nodded her head, "That would be perfect." Her eyes trailed to Yang Qianlu whose scrutinizing gaze never once left her. Oddly enough, it wasn't as stern and unforgiving as it used to be.