Chapter 25: Loss

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Lingxin Kong thought she must have misheard. She blinked in confusion and said, “Say that again—what do you want me to do?”

Zexiao Meng stood up and walked toward the bathroom. “Give me a bath.”

Lingxin’s brows furrowed briefly, then she turned her head aside and said, “No way.”

Meng said coldly, “The phrase ‘no way’ doesn’t exist in my dictionary.”

Lingxin pondered for a moment, then her lowered eyes suddenly brightened. “I’ll go fill the tub for you right now.”

Hearing that, Meng’s expression softened slightly. Ever since Lingxin returned from the Kong family after her miscarriage, Meng had felt that she no longer loved him as she once did. Before, her love had been a burden to him, suffocating under the weight. Logically, now that she was less emotionally intense, he should feel relief, but instead, there was a vague sense of loss within him.

Her agreeing to draw the bath brought him a small, unexpected joy.

Lingxin entered the bathroom and turned on the faucet of the bathtub, silently calculating how she might extricate herself unscathed.

Meng was still able to care for himself, so he undressed and stood at the edge of the tub.

From the sounds she heard, Lingxin could tell how far along Meng was in undressing, and her face flushed deeply. Trying to stay composed, she said, “Get in first and soak. If you lift your arm and hold it aside, no water will get in.”

Just as she turned to leave, Meng grabbed her hand roughly, pulling her close to his bare chest. His eyes brimmed with a vague, suggestive light. “I haven’t settled the score for that kick you gave me.”

Lingxin was still wearing her evening gown; the strapless dress left much of her neck and shoulders bare. Standing so close, she could feel the heat radiating from his body—and the unmistakable change in his lower half.

Both embarrassed and angry, she struggled to break free, but it was futile.

“Meng Zexiao! What exactly do you want?” She finally realized how naive she had been to think she could come to the Meng family as a sister and walk away untouched.

Meng seemed intent on holding her down, and with a sudden force, her moist, pink lips pressed against his chest.

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Meng’s eyes darkened, his deep gaze fixed on her lips as if he wanted to devour her whole.

Forced against his chest, Lingxin felt the rise and fall of his breath, each movement making her more nervous.

“Bastard! Let me go!” she struggled again, cheeks burning with shame and frustration.

Meng loosened his grip on her wrist, but didn’t let her go. Instead, his right hand encircled her slender waist, pulling her even closer.

Lingxin was stunned, then struggled fiercely.

Just as Meng was about to make another move, his phone on the bedside table suddenly rang. The ringtone was one he had set himself. Though he didn’t see the caller ID, he already knew who was calling.

He released Lingxin completely and stepped out of the bathroom. “You go out and give me some space.”

Lingxin breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart remained uneasy. She knew escaping his grasp today was pure luck. Tomorrow, if this happened again, how was she supposed to face it?

As she stepped out the door, she caught a glimpse of Meng’s bare, muscular form looking at her once before turning his attention to the phone. “What did you find out?” he asked coldly.

Those five words sent a chill down Lingxin’s spine just as the door closed. She had a faint but growing suspicion that this call was connected to her.

Could he already be doubting that she was truly Lingxin Kong?

She pressed her ear against the door but heard nothing.

Filled with fear and confusion, Lingxin slowly made her way to the third floor, to the study her sister once used. Only there could she feel her sister’s lingering presence and keep her mind clear.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom on the second floor, Meng was speaking on the phone with Wang Qi.

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Wang Qi reported, “Brother Xiao, we’ve traced the second madam’s activities over the past month.”

Meng said, “Get to the important part!”

Wang Qi relayed the facts: “After the second madam was discharged following her miscarriage, she stayed at her natal home to recuperate. According to the servants at the Kong residence, her mood and mental state were very poor; she hardly ever left the house. Ten days ago, she left a note saying she wanted to take a walk. After being gone for more than a week, she contacted the family. Your father-in-law and mother-in-law took her down south and brought her back. Since returning, the servants say she seems like a different person—much more approachable. They also said that she spent a few days at a temple down south, where she received guidance from a master, and apparently experienced some kind of enlightenment.”

Enlightenment from a master? Was her ‘enlightenment’ just a way of dismissing him? What kind of master was that! Meng said coldly, “I want concrete information, not hearsay.”

Wang Qi reassured him, “Don’t worry, Brother Xiao. I’ve already sent someone to that southern city to find out exactly what kind of master the second madam met. I’ll report back as soon as I have news.”

Meng was dissatisfied. “Your efficiency is too low! I want all information within a day, yet you only give me rumors, no verification!”

Wang Qi quickly apologized. “Brother Xiao, I’m really sorry. This is difficult. On one hand, we can’t alert your father-in-law and mother-in-law; on the other, we must investigate down south, so…”

“Enough. I’ll give you one more day.”

Meng seldom lost his temper with Wang Qi, so the seriousness of the situation was clear. Wang Qi dared not slack off; after hanging up, he bought a plane ticket and went to investigate personally.

The information from the Kong household came from a two-thousand-yuan bribe Wang Qi paid to one of the Kong family’s servants. The Kong family treated their servants well, but the servants worked to earn a living. Wang Qi’s men had casually befriended the servant in charge of Madam Kong’s daily care and learned that Lingxin had been recuperating at her family home after her miscarriage for the past month.

After accepting the two thousand yuan, the servant began to feel uneasy, suspecting something was wrong with how easily the money had come. Remembering Madam Kong’s kindness, the servant gathered courage that evening and confessed everything to her.

The servant told Madam Kong that while out shopping during the day, she met a servant from another wealthy family in City B, who claimed to be from the same hometown and warmly invited her to dinner. During the meal, the other servant subtly inquired about the young lady’s situation. Initially, the Kong family’s servant was reluctant to say much.

Seeing her tight lips, the other servant placed two thousand yuan in front of her. Since her son had just been admitted to university and needed a considerable sum, she couldn’t resist the temptation and accepted the money.

Madam Kong did not blame the servant upon hearing this. Instead, she gave her an additional two thousand yuan to help with her son’s school expenses.