"So, for our trip to Jinhai City, would you rather stay in a hotel or at Chu Xiangxue's villa?" Lin Xiao asked.

They would be in Jinhai City soon, so they obviously needed to sort out their accommodations. Lin Xiao had been to Chu Xiangxue's villa the last time he dropped her off, and it was spacious enough for both him and Su Qingning.

"Let's just stay at a hotel," Su Qingning said after a moment's thought. "Chu Xiangxue must be busy preparing for her concert. We'd definitely be a bother if we stayed at her place."

"Alright, a hotel it is!" Lin Xiao said with a smile.

As he spoke, he gently wiped the tears from her eyes. "There, there, don't cry. Your happiness is all that matters; everything else is trivial."

A warmth spread through Su Qingning's heart.

"Lin Xiao, thank you!"

He gently tapped her delicate nose. "Silly girl," Lin Xiao laughed, "don't say things like that."

A blush crept onto Su Qingning's cheeks, though she wasn't sure if it was from the tap on her nose or from his doting words.

Just as Lin Xiao was about to offer a few more words of comfort, his phone suddenly rang.

It was a call from Tie Shankao. Looks like he already knows I'm about to arrive in Jinhai City.

Lin Xiao answered.

"Boss, you're arriving soon, right?" came Tie Shankao's respectful voice from the other end of the line.

Lin Xiao affirmed.

"Boss, I've already prepared a place for you to stay. It's just over a ten-minute walk from Miss Chu's concert venue!"

Lin Xiao was taken aback. How did this guy know he was coming for Chu Xiangxue's concert?

"How did you know I was coming for Chu Xiangxue's concert?" he asked.

Tie Shankao hurriedly replied, "My apologies, Boss, it was just a guess. After all, the biggest event in Jinhai City right now is Chu Xiangxue's concert, so I took the liberty of assuming you were here to see Miss Chu perform."

This kid is pretty sharp.

Lin Xiao chuckled. "You guessed right, I am here for her concert. Alright, send me the address."

"Understood, I'll text it to you shortly. Oh, and Boss, I already have my men waiting for you at the highway exit. You'll see me as soon as you get off the highway!"

"There's no need. Tell them all to leave. I don't like making a big scene."

"Understood!"

Lin Xiao hung up. Noticing Su Qingning's curious gaze, he smiled and explained, "A friend of mine heard I was coming to see Chu Xiangxue's concert and insisted on arranging a place for us to stay. I accepted."

Su Qingning frowned slightly. Seeing her reaction, Lin Xiao inquired, "What's wrong? You don't like the idea?"

"I just feel like we'd be troubling him too much. Maybe we should just get a hotel."

To be honest, Lin Xiao wanted to stay at a hotel too. That way, he could share a room with Su Qingning—a married couple wouldn't book two separate rooms, after all. But a villa would undoubtedly be more comfortable and allow Su Qingning to rest better. Most importantly, it was close to the concert, well within walking distance.

"Don't worry, my dear. This friend and I are very close. Since I've already accepted his offer, let's just stay there."

Since Lin Xiao had put it that way, Su Qingning could only nod in agreement.

As they spoke, the car exited the highway. Not far from the off-ramp, dozens of luxury cars were parked in a line. Dozens of men stood respectfully in front of the vehicles, seemingly waiting for an important figure.

Lin Xiao spotted Tie Shankao among them but didn't stop the car, driving straight past the procession. Tie Shankao simply gave a slight nod as Lin Xiao passed, only getting into his own car after watching Lin Xiao's vehicle disappear from view.

Su Qingning had assumed that even if Lin Xiao's friend was generous enough to lend them a house, it wouldn't be a mansion. After all, Lin Xiao wasn't a wealthy man, so she figured his friends weren't either. But when Lin Xiao parked in front of an outrageously luxurious villa, she was completely dumbfounded.

"Lin Xiao, this... this is your friend's house?"

"That's right. Come on, my dear."

Su Qingning dazedly got out of the car and followed him into the villa. To be frank, the decor and landscaping of this villa couldn't compare to their Hidden Dragon Villa. Still, owning a house like this in a top-tier international metropolis like Jinhai City was something that couldn't be achieved with a mere few tens of millions.

The vast villa was empty, but on the dining table was a spread of steaming hot food that must have just been delivered. The villa alone had been a shock to Su Qingning; seeing a table laden with such lavish dishes left her even more astonished.

She was genuinely curious about who this friend of Lin Xiao's was. Why had he never mentioned him before?

Lin Xiao noticed the doubt in her eyes and smiled. "Don't worry, my dear. He's a very good friend. I once helped him out, so he's lending me this house and prepared this meal as a simple gesture of gratitude. There's nothing more to it. He already made that clear on the phone, and if I were to refuse his kindness, it would only hurt his feelings."

Hearing his explanation, Su Qingning sighed in resignation. "Your friend is really good to you."

"Of course. Come on, let's eat!"

Su Qingning obediently agreed. It had to be said, Tie Shankao was quite dependable. He had prepared not only a feast but also fine wine.

"Care for a drink, my dear?" Lin Xiao asked with a smile.

Su Qingning thought for a moment, then nodded. With the weight finally lifted from her heart, she felt like having a small drink to celebrate making it through safely.

Lin Xiao poured her half a glass of the decanted red wine, then raised his own glass. Seated across from him, Su Qingning gently clinked her glass against his.

"Lin Xiao, thank you," she said suddenly and with genuine sincerity.

"Hm? Thank me for what? Besides, my dear, haven't I told you not to say that to me?"

"No, I have to thank you. I'll never forget what you've done for me these past two days."

"Well, you'd better remember it well!" Lin Xiao teased with a smile.

"Yes, don't worry. I'll remember it for the rest of my life."

"You don't have to go that far. The most important thing is that you remember *me*," Lin Xiao said, his voice suddenly gentle.

Su Qingning's face flushed, and she nodded softly. "I won't forget you, either."

The two clinked their glasses again.

After a few glasses, the atmosphere between them had improved considerably, and they both began to relax. A vibrant, alluring flush colored Su Qingning's cheeks.

Lin Xiao laughed. "You know, Su Qingning, this all feels like a dream."

"What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head as she looked at him.

Lin Xiao, amused by her playful gesture, smiled and said, "I used to fantasize about the kind of woman I would marry someday, but I never in my wildest dreams imagined it would be you."

"So, do you regret it?" Su Qingning asked, feigning nonchalance as she swirled the red wine in her glass. In reality, her heart tightened with nervousness the moment she posed the question.

Lin Xiao shook his head. "Of course not. I've said it before: marrying you is the best thing that has ever happened to me."

A warmth spread through Su Qingning's heart. She smiled, and her shimmering, peach-blossom eyes were so beautiful they made his heart flutter.

"Then you have to wait for me," she said, clearly a little tipsy. "Wait until I fall completely in love with you. Then, I'll give you my whole heart."

Lin Xiao's own heart skipped a beat. He was about to speak when the brightly lit villa suddenly plunged into darkness.

"AAH!" Su Qingning shrieked.

"My dear, what's wrong?"

"I-I'm afraid of the dark!" she said, her voice trembling.

The words had barely left her lips when Lin Xiao leaped through the air to land in front of her, immediately pulling her into his arms.

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