Volume One, Chapter Ninety-Four: Is There a Man Hidden at Home?

“Sis, I’m starving!” When Sang Wan received this message from Lou Ye, she was watching Lu Xiaomu draw.

Opposite her, Lu Jinnian maintained an air of tranquil domesticity. He sliced the steak just served and swapped the plates in front of Sang Wan and Lu Xiaomu, his manner gentle. “Eat.”

Anyone uninformed would think they were a family of three out enjoying a perfect evening together.

“There’s fruit in the fridge and nuts in the cupboard—have a bite to tide you over. I’ll pack your favorite omelet rice and bring it home for you soon.” As soon as she sent this text, Sang Wan realized something was off.

Why did it feel as though she were coaxing a child?

It was too late to recall the message.

Lou Ye replied with obedient sweetness, “Okay, I’ll wait for you. Hurry back!”

Once Lu Xiaomu finished his drawing, Sang Wan took him to wash his hands. They returned and ate in quiet companionship.

Before leaving, Sang Wan packed an extra omelet rice.

Lu Jinnian offered to pay the bill together, but Sang Wan declined and settled it herself.

As they exited the restaurant, Lu Jinnian frowned. “Who are you bringing the food for?”

He remembered clearly that Sang Wan never ate late-night snacks.

“Does it concern you?”

She cast him a frosty glance, then turned to ruffle Lu Xiaomu’s hair. “Time to go home now. Brush your teeth and sleep well tonight.”

Lu Xiaomu nodded.

As the car merged into traffic, Sang Wan walked toward her apartment, carrying the takeout.

She believed she had made things clear with Lu Jinnian: after their divorce, she would fulfill her obligations to Lu Xiaomu and accompany him when she could, but they could not force her.

Lu Jinnian had agreed graciously.

Yet the next day after work, he pulled the same trick again.

Had it not been for the presence of other colleagues, Sang Wan would have lost her temper on the spot.

But she kept her composure.

“Lu Jinnian, three times is enough!”

In front of her colleagues and Lu Xiaomu, Sang Wan didn’t want to quarrel with him.

As usual, they went to the bistro by the roadside.

But this time, Sang Wan was visibly less amiable than the night before.

Lu Jinnian handed her the menu, but she didn’t take it. Instead, she looked up at the waiter. “Just a glass of water, please.”

Lu Jinnian’s extended hand froze midair, the look on his face strained.

Sang Wan was as resolute in action as she was in words—unbothered by awkwardness herself, she left it for others. She drank only water, and occasionally wiped the pasta sauce from Lu Xiaomu’s lips.

As they left the restaurant, Sang Wan gave Lu Jinnian a cold look. “If this happens again tomorrow, I promise—”

“There won’t be a next time!” Lu Jinnian’s face was dark as thunder.

It had always been Sang Wan coaxing him. This time, he had tried to appease her for over a week, but she neither appreciated it nor softened her attitude, behaving as though he owed her millions.

Anger and humiliation warred in Lu Jinnian’s heart. He looked down at Lu Xiaomu. “See? It’s not that I don’t bring you. It’s that your mother doesn’t want to see us.”

Sang Wan’s eyes widened.

Lu Xiaomu’s mouth trembled, on the verge of tears.

Sang Wan crouched down, gazing into his eyes to comfort him. “If you miss Mommy, just tell the nanny. We’ll go play frisbee in the park or ride bumper cars at the amusement park, okay?”

Lu Xiaomu blinked in surprise.

Sang Wan spoke plainly. “It’s not that Mommy doesn’t want to see you, just that she doesn’t want to see your father. Do you understand?”

Lu Jinnian’s face darkened further.

Lu Xiaomu nodded, reaching out to hold Sang Wan’s hand. “I understand, Mommy!”

Sang Wan turned to leave.

But Lu Xiaomu tugged her back.

He looked at Lu Jinnian. “Daddy, it’s getting dark. Let’s walk Mommy downstairs, okay?”

“No—” he started.

“Let’s go,” Sang Wan said, catching sight of Lu Xiaomu’s hopeful expression.

She simply couldn’t bring herself to pull away, so she walked with Lu Xiaomu to the car.

The Mercedes rolled into the apartment complex and stopped downstairs.

Sang Wan patted Lu Xiaomu’s hand and got out.

When she opened the door and entered, she saw Lou Ye sprawled across the sofa, his eyes full of aggrieved longing.

A cucumber in one hand, the other feeding 2S, the cat. Both man and cat radiated disgruntlement.

Seeing Sang Wan step inside, Lou Ye took a particularly loud, crunchy bite.

“I didn’t eat tonight, just so I could come home and have dinner with you,” he grumbled.

Sang Wan rolled up her sleeves and headed for the kitchen.

Lou Ye laughed coldly, unimpressed. “Was it really for me? Honestly, you just couldn’t eat with Lu Jinnian’s face across the table, could you?”

Well…

Sang Wan hadn’t expected to be exposed so quickly, and a flicker of embarrassment crossed her eyes.

Ding-dong!

The doorbell rang. Sang Wan’s steps faltered.

Thinking it might be Lu Jinnian and Lu Xiaomu outside, her mind went blank for a moment.

A small voice reminded her: divorced now, it was no big deal to have a male guest at home.

Yet she felt inexplicably nervous.

Lou Ye, on the other hand, looked oddly excited.

She didn’t have time to wonder why. She grabbed Lou Ye and shoved him into the bedroom before opening the door.

“Mommy…”

Outside stood Lu Xiaomu, with Lu Jinnian behind him.

Lu Xiaomu handed her a drawing. “I made this at kindergarten—for you!”

Unfolded, it was a portrait of a cartoonish woman.

Big waves of black hair.

A smile with bright, curved eyes and exaggerated long lashes.

The woman in the picture wore a beautiful red polka-dot dress, her smile gentle.

In childish handwriting: “My Mommy.”

Below was written “Class 1, Lu Xiaomu.”

Beneath the portrait was a certificate for first prize.

Sang Wan patted Lu Xiaomu’s head. “Thank you! Mommy loves it.”

“Mommy, can I come in to see the kitten?”

He’d spotted 2S grooming itself lazily on the sofa, and made a new request.

Sang Wan refused without hesitation. “Next time, okay?”

If the drawing was a pretext, allowing him in would be opening the floodgates. Whether the young master could stay quiet in the bedroom was one thing; but once Lu Jinnian entered, tomorrow she’d probably have to redecorate—change the carpet, the sofa, everything he’d touched.

Better to avoid trouble altogether.

“It’s already late. You need to go home and sleep now. Next time, all right?” Sang Wan asked Lu Xiaomu.

He nodded without hesitation. “Okay!”

He’d figured it out over these past days: defying Dad had no serious consequences, just a darkened face for a while. But defying Mom led to far graver consequences—like not seeing her at all.

That was much worse than facing his father’s scowl.

“Daddy, let’s go…” Lu Xiaomu reached for Lu Jinnian’s hand.

Lu Jinnian’s gaze swept past Sang Wan’s doorway, then back to her face. His tone was casual, but a hint of probing intent lay beneath. “What, hiding a man in there?”

“That’s right!” Sang Wan answered readily. “Several, in fact. Want to come in and meet them all?”

Lu Jinnian’s expression grew stormier. He shot her a glare and turned to leave.

The elevator doors closed.

Sang Wan let out a long breath.

When she turned, she walked straight into Lou Ye’s arms.

Lou Ye’s feelings were tangled: half delighted—she’d admitted he was her secret lover!—half dismayed—when the bell rang, her first instinct had been to hide him. Was he so shameful?

His heart swung wildly between hope and frustration.

He looked down at Sang Wan, who was rubbing her forehead. “Sis, am I really… that much of an embarrassment to you?”