Chapter 40  

The dinner turned into a gathering for the Zhen Family and Jia Family. For more than a decade, it has been a habit for both families to gather together to connect and strengthen their relationships.

"Girl, here is your favorite chicken leg." Zhen Mama who always had a liking for Jia Sha, did not hesitate to pick up a big chicken leg to put into Jia Shao's bowl.

Jia Shao's eyes curved into a happy crescent and hurriedly stretched out her hand holding her bowl. "Thank you, Zhen Ma."

She stole a look at Zhen Lang and someone who was holding a bowl threw her a meaningful glance.

It seems just now, she had promised to give him the chicken leg, right?

Very naturally, Jia Shao put the chicken leg into Zhen Lang's bowl. "You can have this." She lowered her head and continued to eat the rice in her bowl.

After scooping two mouthfuls of rice into her mouth, suddenly she noticed there was silence around her and when she looked up, she found that Zhen Papa, Zhen Mama, and her parents were all looking at her in astonishment. Zhen Papa's hand holding a pair of chopsticks pinching a piece of pork ribs was frozen in mid-air as if pressure was applied on his acupuncture points*.

(Pressure applied on acupuncture points means frozen in action, immobilized. In martial arts novels, this technique is usually used on enemies during fights.)

Zhen Lang picked up the chicken leg and smoothly took a bite. The four elderly simultaneously let out a breath of relief and shifted their gaze from Zhen Lang to Jia Shao's face.

Jia Mama gave Jia Papa a nudge with her arm. "Old Man, did you see that? Girl actually gave her food to someone else."

"Yes......yes, I saw that." Jia Papa stuttered. "It has been more than a decade she had not offered her food to anyone. This is amazing."

Jia Shao looked up from her bowl and under everyone's dazed stare, guiltily she stretched out her chopsticks into Zhen Lang's bowl to grab back the chicken leg again. After taking a bite, she said. "I didn't see clearly just now. I'm eating it now."

This time, even Zhen Mama was shocked. "Girl........Zhen Lang had taken a bite on that chicken leg."

Jia Shao felt a little panicky. Holding the chicken leg that Zhen Lang had bitten and she had taken a bite, she did not know what she should do next. Looking at the four pairs of thoughtful eyes, she involuntarily tossed the chicken leg back into Zhen Lang's bowl with a flick of her chopsticks. "For you."

"Oh." Zhen Lang's eyes remained calm and behaved as if nothing had happened. He naturally picked up the chicken leg to take another bite.

"That......" Zhen Papa is really worthy to be called an experienced businessman in the business arena. With a glance, it can be seen where Zhen Lang had inherited his calm composure. He lightly coughed and asked. "How are the two of you doing over there recently?"

"Not bad." Zhen Lang calmly replied and Jia Shao responded by nodding her head.

"I think so too." Zhen Papa's smile seemed to harbor the same deep meaning. "In the past, Girl had never offered her food to others and you also never ate the food that others had eaten. In just a few short months, everything had changed so much."

*Ke! Ke!* Jia Shao seemed to choke and covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes immediately turned to Zhen Lang. "No.......how can we be different?"

The words came out too fast and she accidentally bit on her inner lip. Jia Shao sucked in a breath and grimaced in pain.

It is true that one should never do anything wrong......... Just like Jia Shao who had the constant feeling that her parents, Zhen Papa and Zhen Mama were looking at her strangely and did not even dare to look up.

Zhen Lang kept on eating as if everything was normal. "Are we not as loving as when we were young until now?"

The two pairs of parents thought for a while and then nodded.

Jia Shao, who was covering her mouth with her hand, licked her lips and sucked in her breath in pain. Miserably, she looked at Zhen Lang sitting opposite her who was laughing and joking with her parents without even sparing her a glance.

Jia Shao withdrew her eyes sadly and slowly picked on her rice without lifting her head.

Dead Zhen Lang! Rotten Zhen Lang! It's all the Jinx's fault for sitting opposite her and causing her to bite her lips when she ate.........

Jia Shao who was cursing in her heart and she jabbed fiercely into the rice in her bowl as if it was the face of the person opposite her.......forcefully........and forcefully.

Suddenly, she heard someone say. "Do you want to see both of our registration booklets?"

Jia Shao quickly got up from her chair and it toppled, crashing down in a loud noise behind her. "Zhen Lang, you......"

Didn't he promise her that he will not say anything? Why is he turning around and selling her out?

"Girl, what are you doing?" Jia Mama glared at her. "Where are your manners?!"

She found that her parents, Zhen Papa and Zhen Mama did not show any horrified expressions and the words that were on the verge of slipping out of her lips were swallowed back. "I......"

Zhen Lang's empty bowl was shoved in front of her face. "Are you going to get another bowl of rice? Help me to get one as well......thank you."

Jia Ma smiled. "No, since you had handled it, I feel rest assured. It's just updating the details, what is there to check?"

Jia Shao's heart which had flown out, hung in the air before it finally came back to her. Slowly her heart settled down and seeing that everyone was not paying her any attention, she rolled her eyes at him. Reluctantly, she took the empty bowl from him.

It was only updating the registration booklets, is there a need to say such scary words?

Forcing down the urge to tip the bowl of rice over his head, the bored Jia Shao continued to pick on her food and dissect the vegetables while she silently cursed at him.

It is his fault and if it is not for him, she will not be so nervous, acting up at the slightest instigation.

"Oh yes, the daughter of Zhang Mama passed me a wedding invitation a little while ago, inviting us to her wedding next week." Jia Mama said enviously to Zhen Mama.

Zhen Mama also contributed to the conversation. "That's right. Last month, the son of Auntie Li gave her a grandson.......so chubby and really cute."

"Two days ago, I saw Old Man Sun's son, the one whom everyone said looked shabby. He was shopping with his girlfriend and the girl looked gentle and quiet." Jia Papa also immediately joined in the lively conversation.

Zhen Papa also did not want to be left out. "Rest assured.......our future daughter-in-law will be more beautiful than her."

"Our daughter is pitiful." Jia Mama shook her head and sighed. "I don't know whether anyone will want her. Look at her.......neither a man nor a woman!"

"Who said no one wants me!" Jia Shao put down the bowl heavily. "Isn't this only all about getting married? I......."

Zhen Lang's eyes flashed and Jia Shao swallowed back her words. In front of the elderly's confused gaze, she squeezed out a sentence. "I am full. Take your time and carry on eating."

She staggered to her room and lay down on the bed with her heart beating furiously. The words nearly spilled out from her mouth.

Dangerous........dangerous...... The words that she is already someone's wife nearly came out of her mouth. Just two more words and she would have died without a burial ground to entomb her corpse*.

(Die without a burial ground to entomb a corpse means to meet a tragic end.)

This is all Zhen Lang's fault. If not, she will not be so miserable.

"Girl, wash the dishes!" Intermingled with Jia Mama's shout, there was also the rattling sound of the mahjong machine from the next room. Apparently, the two pairs of parents who were bound by their extremely good relationship had already ventured into their entertainment venue and started their post-meal activities.

"Oh." Jia Shao lazily responded. She twisted in her bed and did not want to move.

Over there, Zhen Lang had made a mess of her life and she thought by coming home, she would be able to enjoy some peace for a while but in the end........

When her thoughts turned to the two little bright red booklets, Jia Shao had the sudden urge to die. Turning over, she buried her head in the pillow and pummelled her fists on the bed.

How could she sign? Why did she sign? How did she lose her clear mind? What spell did that bastard Zhen Lang cast on her? She wants to be far away from him, the farther the better!!!

The sound of the doorknob turning drifted over and Jia Shao was too lazy to look up. Slouching on the bed, she said. "I will wash the dishes, don't rush me."

The hand that pressed on her shoulder had a familiar feeling.

Jia Shao turned over and widened her big eyes at the person in front of her.

Zhen Lang knelt down at the edge of the bed and leaned down. "I noticed you did not eat much just now. Are you hungry?"

How can she eat, her lips hurt......

Jia Shao threw him a glance and was too lazy to answer.

Zhen Lang lay on his side next to her. He placed his fingers on her cheek and caressed her lips with his thumb. "Just now, it seems you have bitten on your lip. Is it serious? Let me take a look."

Jia Shao leaned towards him and lifted her face like a cat that had been bullied and jutted out her lip. Zhen Lang placed his finger on the lip and turned it out gently. "Silly girl, how did you bite yourself so badly?"

Nonsense! Isn't this carelessness?!

Jia Shao's eyes revealed the complaints in her heart and felt very dissatisfied. Her tongue licked over the wound and the stinging pain made her suck in her breath.

"Silly, don't lick if it is painful. Take care to avoid getting an infection tomorrow. Do you want to go upstairs so I can put some medicine on the wound?" Zhen Lang was lying beside her with his arms around her waist and was intimately glued next to her ear.

Shaking her head, Jia Shao very naturally leaned on his chest, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat as all other noises diminished into the background. Only the rhythm of his heartbeat remained and it gave her a feeling of peace and tranquility.

"I have a way to make your pain go away." His low voice sounded above her head. "Do you want to give it a try?"

Jia Shao was a little sleepy and was too lazy to think. She just gave a light snort to express her curiosity.

The lips were warm and were covered with the scent of a man's breath. Inch by inch, little by little, he wandered around her lips like a bee hovering, touching and stroking her lips.

It felt itchy but the numb and limp sensation was more prominent. Jia Shao wanted to avoid him but his hands quickly held on to her nape to bring her closer to fit more snugly to his body.

Zhen Lang's actions were very gentle and his fresh masculine breath encroached on her.

This time, it is not like his usual overbearing approach nor is it a sudden encroachment on her but it slowly deepened and slowly ignited the flame in her body.

Her mind was completely clear and she was aware of every movement he made......every detail and even the moment when their lips touched including the slight twitch on his lips.

This time, the feeling surpasses beyond any of those previous times. She closed her eyes and she could feel his Adam's apple sliding up and down and could hear the tiny sound that was caught in his throat. Softly, she pressed against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist to welcome his invasion.

Zhen Lang's breathing became heavier. He turned her over and his body covered hers as his tongue slipped in, arousing her passion.

Her ear was buzzing and it seems she could not hear anything except for his breathing which she could hear so clearly. Her body was completely beyond her control but why is she so sensitive to him. She was aware of his hand on her waist, aware of the gentleness of his lips, and even his every touch seemed like a flame that was gathering heat.

She wanted to push him away but she was reluctant to release him. She wanted to ask for more and wanted to feel it for a little longer. This strange feeling is not completely unfamiliar to her.

Her fingers rubbed the back of his waist and as if she was somewhat not satisfied, her hands moved to the top of his pants. She slipped in to pull up his shirt and place her fingers on his bare skin.

The muscles on Zhen Lang tightened and pulled taut with deep strength. When she lay her fingers on him, his kiss deepen instantly.

Her hands started from careful touching to become bolder and she plastered her hands on him. Then her arms felt dissatisfied and began to roam all over his upper body.

"Girl, you still haven't washed the dishes!!! " The door was suddenly pushed open accompanied by the roar of Jia Mama's voice.

Jia Shao hurriedly gave a push and it almost used up all her strength. Zhen Lang who was lying on top of her was pushed off and rolled down from the bed to land miserably on the floor.

It was fast and fierce. As soon as the figure fell on the floor, Jia Mama entered the room and the timing was like a blink of an eye.

"What is the matter?" Jia Mama stood near the door and looked at Jia Shao sitting on the bed panting with a flushed face. "Are you not feeling well?"

"No!" Jia Shao blurted out a word and looked at the person lying on the floor on the other side of the bed and then looked at her mother standing at the door. Her heart was beating furiously and her voice caught in her throat.

"No?" Jia Mama moved two steps into the room. Jia Shao held her breath and froze. Jia Shao's expression changed with each step Jia Mama took and her eyes grew bigger and bigger as she watched her mother moving closer and closer. Her eyes turned fiercely towards Zhen Lang who lay near her feet.

Lying on the floor, Zhen Lang had one hand on his waist and the other hand covered his lips with a smile on his face. His relaxed expression was in stark contrast with the tensed expression on her face. When she looked at him stiffly, he even leisurely slid out his tongue, slipping it slowly over his lips and blew a kiss at Jia Shao.

"What are you looking at?" Jia Mama asked a question. Jia Shao stiffened even more and she did not even dare to breathe.

"Nothing!" Jia Shao immediately straightened her neck and the muscles on her face pulsated. Her heart had jumped up to her throat.

Jia Mama lifted her hands and placed them on her hips. "If nothing, then why are you still not washing the dishes? How long are you going to laze around?"

"Ah!" Without a thought, Jia Shao jumped to the floor and directly stepped on someone. Quickly, she went to her mother's side to stand in front of her. "I'm going now.......going now."

"Wait." Jia Mama pointed at Jia Shao's feet. "Wear your slippers."

Slippers! Where are her slippers?!

Jia Shao's eyes searched all four corners of the room, not at the head of the bed, not near the bed....... is it.........

The man lying on the floor had a distorted expression on his face as he silently pointed his finger to a certain part of his lower body.

How is she going to wear her slippers? Tell him to get up and get caught by her mother?

"Are you done? Have you finished giving instructions to her?" The impatient voice of Jia Papa came from the next room.

"Coming......" Jia Mama shouted and looked at her daughter. "Go upstairs and bring down Zhen Papa's top-grade tea leaves."

"Okay!" Jia Shao quickly responded and watched as her mother left before letting out a long sigh of relief.

"Ah......" Jia Mama who had one foot out the door seemed to think of something. Suddenly she turned around. "Where is Ah Lang? I don't seem to see him anywhere."

Jia Shao pointed her finger straight up in the air towards the ceiling with a forced smile. "Probably, he had gone back?"

"Oh." Jia Mama did not suspect anything and quickly ran back to the next room. The sound of mahjong started again.

Jia Shao went limp as she sat on the edge of the bed and felt a chill on her body.

"No, I can't stay home any longer. It's too dangerous."

Today she nearly said something wrong and she was almost caught in bed with him. If she were to stay for another two more days, her little secret will be exposed sooner or later. Although it is dangerous but Zhen Lang is only one person which is better than being stared at by two pairs of eyes here.

Someone sat up from the floor and leaned against the bed with his clothes in disarray. "The next time if you step so hard, I'm afraid you will remain an old virgin for the rest of your life."

"Did I step on you?" Jia Shao panicked and her next words slipped out smoothly. "Do you want me to rub for you?"