Chapter 10: Yan Qingxin’s Discovery.

The soft, sultry moans from the opposite room reached Yan Ruyue’s ears without missing a beat.

Her heart felt like a bottle of mixed emotions had been knocked over—sourness, jealousy, envy, and sadness all swirled together.

Even as these feelings consumed her, Yan Ruyue condemned herself.

She knew Lu Zhao was right, that he was doing this to provoke her for the sake of her and her daughter’s harmony.

But… she couldn’t help it.

Her tear-blurred vision grew hazy, her unfocused eyes slowly filling with longing.

Her slender fingers slowly lifted one side of her silk robe, sliding downward.

At home, she was used to wearing just a robe.

The sensations from her body mingled with the moans in her ears, blending in her mind.

In that moment, she almost hallucinated, imagining herself as the woman, picturing Lu Zhao’s flushed, reluctant yet yielding face.

The thrill of the door possibly opening at any moment mixed with the forbidden excitement in her heart.

When a suppressed moan came from her daughter’s room, Yan Ruyue collapsed against the doorframe, panting softly.

Realizing they’d finished, she hurriedly stood and shut the door.

Leaning against it, she buried her face in her knees, overwhelmed by self-loathing.

“What am I even doing…?”

“Baby, does this look off?”

“Hm? Let me see.”

After their playful romp, Yan Qingxin began preparing her evening gown.

In this world, women were generally taller than men. At nearly 1.8 meters, Yan Qingxin, in heels, was almost a head taller than Lu Zhao.

He’d never seen her in a gown before, and her transformation felt dreamlike.

The pale cherry dress, with its asymmetrical cut, highlighted her youthful shoulder blades. Three embroidered lilies at the waist trembled like morning dew on satin as she moved.

Light flowed along the folds of the backless silk, shimmering like a golden river.

She twirled on her strappy heels, the crystal chain at her ankle scattering star-like glints.

Her wavy hair brushed her collarbone, revealing a pearl earring, like moonlight stolen from a garden, hanging on the branch of a twenty-year-old summer.

“Pretty? You’re totally stunned, haha.”

A woman dresses for the one who adores her—anywhere, women delight in captivating their beloved.

Lu Zhao smiled softly. “Gorgeous. My Qingxin is stunning.”

“Hehe.” Yan Qingxin flashed her usual grin, stepping forward to adjust his collar.

“My baby’s pretty handsome too. Tonight, I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re mine—no one’s stealing you!”

Lu Zhao shook his head, chuckling. His girlfriend’s possessiveness was a bit like her mother’s.

“Alright, let’s see how your mom’s doing. She’s probably getting impatient.”

Clearly, the two of them helping each other dressed much faster than Yan Ruyue alone.

Yan Qingxin knocked, and with her mother’s permission, went in to help.

Lu Zhao stared at the closed door, a bitter taste in his heart. Had he gone too far earlier?

But then, if he didn’t take a hard stance, who knows how messy things could get? He let it go.

About twenty minutes later, Yan Qingxin emerged, excited, and said to Lu Zhao:

“Baby, don’t stare at my mom like you did me, okay? I’ll get jealous.”

Lu Zhao smirked inwardly. That’s not what your face says—you just want to see me embarrassed, don’t you?

Please, I’ve seen your mom in every way, every position, every…!

If Yan Qingxin’s look was dreamlike, Yan Ruyue’s gown was downright magical, shattering his expectations again.

If this morning’s Yan Ruyue was a pure first love, now she was a queen hidden in the deep sea.

Her inky satin gown surged like a dark tide, the deep V-neck embroidered with gilded thorn patterns, sharpening into a blade-like angle at her collarbone.

The fishtail hem’s folds gleamed with liquid-metal sheen, flickering with her steps, like molten gold locked in the ocean depths.

Her thick black hair was pinned in a Greek-style updo, stray curls at her temples dusted with star-like powder. A diamond hair clip trailed a pearl chain behind her neck, clashing with red coral earrings, scattering light that illuminated her smoky gray eyeshadow.

Her crimson lipstick bled slightly at the edges, sharpened back into place, her cheekbones highlighted like shattered glass on snow.

A gilded chain belt wrapped her waist, each link studded with diamond-winged silver, resonating with the gown’s gilded patterns as she moved, tearing elegance with dangerous allure.

Lu Zhao admitted Yan Ruyue was breathtaking—even the madness beneath her beauty, he’d seen. Yet this woman, embodying beauty itself, still quickened his pulse.

Most crucially, her eyes held a trace of weariness, her heavy makeup likely concealing slightly swollen eyelids.

Elegant and powerful, yet with a fragility foreign to her.

Even Yan Qingxin paused, stunned by her mother’s appearance.

Though Yan Ruyue dressed up for galas, this level of meticulous care was a first.

Yan Qingxin glanced at Lu Zhao, her look saying, “As expected.”

She wasn’t jealous—her mother’s allure was undeniable. What man could resist?

But staring longer would be rude!

“Ahem!” She coughed loudly.

Lu Zhao snapped back, a touch embarrassed. She’d just warned him, yet he fell into the trap. This woman was… infuriating.

Seeing Lu Zhao captivated, Yan Ruyue was pleased but hid it.

Her lips curved slightly. “Let’s go. It’s about time.”

The three headed downstairs, where a driver—an unremarkable woman—awaited.

Lu Zhao took the front seat, the mother and daughter in the back.

Ding-dong*—

A message on Lu Zhao’s phone. It was from Yan Qingxin.

Texting when we’re this close? What’s up? Her first message nearly choked him.

[Qingxin: I think my mom got dumped.]

Lu Zhao’s eyelid twitched. He knew. He did it.

[Lu Zhao: Oh? Why do you think that?]

[Qingxin: When I went in, she was putting on makeup, but I saw her red eyes. She’d clearly been crying.]

[Lu Zhao: And?]

[Qingxin: And? I’ve never seen her cry, and nothing else would make her. So, she’s definitely heartbroken!]

Lu Zhao thought for a moment before replying.

[Lu Zhao: If that’s the case, isn’t that a good thing?]

Yan Qingxin paused, sneaking a glance at her mother, who was propping her chin and staring out the window, then furiously typed.

[Qingxin: Sure, but I’m still gonna find that jerk who made her cry. I’ve never even done that! I’m gonna teach him a lesson!]

Lu Zhao sighed helplessly, pocketing his phone, one hand on his forehead.

Yan Qingxin blinked at him, confused, then kept typing.

[Qingxin: Baby, what’s wrong?]

[Qingxin: Say something! Did I mess up?]

[Qingxin: You’ll help me, right?]

[Qingxin: Hey! Answer me…]

Yan Ruyue glanced at her furiously texting daughter, then at Lu Zhao in the front, before turning back to the window.

Suddenly, she spotted a familiar car, her eyes narrowing slightly.