Eating breakfast—
At the head of the table, Hei Long sat beside his wife, Qing Yue.
He held a pair of chopsticks with surprising gentleness, lifting a piece of fish and bringing it to her lips.
Qing Yue flushed faintly but obediently leaned forward to accept the bite, her gaze flickering nervously around.
Raised in seclusion and groomed to be quiet, graceful, and reserved, she had never once imagined being publicly doted upon like this.
Yet... she didn't hate it.
In fact, she liked it.
A lot.
Though her cheeks glowed pink with embarrassment, there was a subtle upward curve to her lips that gave her away.
She was trying very hard not to smile too obviously.
However, the entire sweet display did not go unnoticed.
Sitting just a few seats away, Li Mei watched the interaction with an increasingly pronounced pout.
Her narrowed eyes followed every chopstick movement, every affectionate glance, every soft word exchanged between her son and his wife.
She crossed her arms.
Then uncrossed them.
Then crossed them again — tighter this time.
"Ridiculous," Li Mei muttered to herself, though not quietly enough to go unheard.
Hei Zhòu who had been quietly enjoying his tofu and pickled vegetables, looked up at her in alarm.
He blinked.
"Honey," he said gently, putting his chopsticks down with care, "is everything alright?"
No response.
Li Mei didn't even glance his way.
Her eyes remained locked on her son, who was now offering Qing Yue a sip of soup.
Her son!
That sweet, filial boy who used to pour her tea every morning!
Now lavishing all his attention on that fragile little wife of his!
"I—uh—" Hei Zhòu cleared his throat and leaned closer.
"Are they being too open in front of you? I can tell them to tone it down if it's bothering you."
He whispered the last part delicately, as if offering a secret escape.
That turned out to be a terrible mistake.
Without even looking, Li Mei's hand shot out.
SLAP!
Hei Zhòu's body spun clean off his chair and flew across the room, crashing into the far wall with a dull thud.
Utensils clattered.
Dishes trembled.
Silence blanketed the room.
Qing Yue froze, a spoon halfway to her mouth.
Hei Long didn't flinch.
Li Mei blinked.
Then gasped.
"Oh—! My apologies," Li Mei said, clapping a hand to her cheek with exaggerated grace, "I thought you were someone else."
She laughed lightly and returned to sipping her tea as if nothing had happened.
Hei Zhòu groaned softly from the floor, rubbing the reddening side of his face.
Qing Yue leaned closer to her husband and whispered, "S-she didn't mean that, right?"
Hei Long's face remained stoic, but he gave a small nod. "No. She absolutely meant it."
"…" Li Mei was now pretending to enjoy the flavor of her tea, but she kept sneaking glances toward her son, quietly pleased that her casual reflex had been so effective.
No man was allowed to touch her.
Not even her husband.
Not when her sweet, perfect son sat so close.
And maybe, just maybe... if she pouted long enough... he'd pour her some tea again.
.
.
.
"And that should be the entire estate."
Hei Long exhaled slowly, brushing a strand of hair away from his face.
After nearly an hour of walking, talking, and showing her every corner of the sprawling Hei family grounds—
He was finally done.
Qing Yue clapped her hands together softly, her expression glowing.
"That was a lovely tour, hus—h-husband…" Her voice trailed into a whisper, the word still unfamiliar on her tongue.
She dipped her head, cheeks blooming with a shy pink.
Hei Long smiled.
He stepped forward and swept her into a warm embrace, wrapping his arms around her petite frame.
"Don't push yourself too hard," Hei Long whispered gently into her ear:
"Go at your own pace."
With one hand, Hei Long lifted her chin.
His fingers were warm and steady against her soft skin.
Then he kissed her.
Qing Yue gasped softly at first, then closed her eyes and melted into it.
Her hands clutched lightly at his robe as she returned the kiss, her earlier nervousness dissolving into something gentler, quieter—content.
Hei Long opened his eyes just slightly during the kiss—only to glance over her shoulder.
There, just around the corner of the walkway, was the unmistakable silhouette of someone failing miserably to hide.
Only a part of the figure was visible—specifically, a rather noticeable part:
The front of a large chest, rising and falling slightly with each breath.
Hei Long fought back a chuckle.
'She's been following us this whole time,' he thought, half-exasperated, half-entertained.
He could practically feel the burning waves of jealousy radiating from behind the corner.
It was, of course, his mother—Li Mei.
The "subtle" way she'd been tailing them through the estate would've been laughable, had it not been so predictable.
'Ah… I really do love making her jealous.'
Hei Long gently released Qing Yue from the kiss, holding her hands as she opened her eyes, dazed and glowing like dawn.
She looked like she wanted to say something more.
But she never got the chance…
BOOM!
The sound shattered the peaceful moment—an explosion that came from somewhere deep within the estate grounds.
The tiles trembled beneath their feet.
Birds shot up from the surrounding trees in alarm, and a thick plume of black smoke began curling into the sky.
Qing Yue gasped, stepping back instinctively. "Wh-what was that?!"
Hei Long turned immediately toward the source of the blast, his smile vanishing into something far more serious. "Stay here."
He was already moving before she could respond.
"…" Li Mei stepped fully into view now, her expression twisted in irritation.
Not at the explosion.
But at the kiss.
'No matter. I'll just make sure he pampers me later to make up for it,' Li Mei mused, a small smile curling at the edges of her lips.
Even just the thought of her son's arms embracing her sent a thrill down her spine, and she felt a fresh wave of arousal course through her body.
Her pussy twitched in anticipation, leaking a little more of her excitement.
'Ah~ I can't wait,' Li Mei thought.