a desert before the main course

Lu yao yin had scrolled through the internet for a long time then she got bored and unknowingly fell asleep. she checked the time and saw that she had slept for over an hour already.

"why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I called but no one picked, I see you left your phone in your office" she pointed to the phone on the desk, she had noticed it when she walked into the office.

He picked up his phone and truly there were over a dozen missed calls, not only from her but also from his mom and brother, there were even unread messages.

He sat beside her and asked in a flirty manner "so why did you come? where you missing me?"

Lu rolled her eyes and ignored his question

"are you done with your work?"

"almost why?" he asked back

"your mom requested I made sure you attended the anniversary party and I agreed, so I've come to drag you home" she replied truthfully

He let out a little chuckle, he wasn't surprised that his mom had asked help from Lu yao yin to bring him home neither was he angry instead he was happy that the two women were getting closer.

naughtily he answered "what if I refuse?"

Lu yao yin smirked evilly too "I'll drag you there if I have to"

"I'll go on one condition"

why did she suddenly have a bad feeling about this?

"what condition?" she asked suspiciously

smugly he replied " I'll only go if you give me a reward"

Lu yao yin was speechless

"..." why should I give you a reward for going home? isn't that illogical?

"ho_" she was going to protest but his thin cold lips suddenly sealed hers in a passionate kiss.

The warmth from his lips sent a fuzzy feeling through her body also blocking her senses, His tongue gently invaded her mouth, his gentleness could not cover up the longing in his kiss. Their lips stayed tangled for a while

only after the felt she was starting to suffocate did he let her lips go. Her lips were slightly swollen and her cheeks flushed.

seeing her slightly parted lips, Zi yichen fought the urge to trap them between his again. He admits he was addicted to her kiss, her lips were like a drug that he longed for everytime, but until she fully accepted him he wasn't going to give into this addiction cause her kisses were only a desert before the main course

Lu yao yin slightly glared at him as she tried to catch her breath.

He grinned "this is only a down payment of my reward, I'll collect the remaining later"

'down payment my a**!' she yelled in her head and her glare intensified.

did he really think he's the only one that knew how to tease, one they she's going to tease him till he beg for mercy!

"we better get going, every minute is precious if I'm going to collect my remaining reward"

he didn't wait for her to reply before pulling her along, they made their way out of the office and went to prepare for the anniversary party.

****

The grand hall way booming with life, countless socialite and high influential people gathered to celebrate the anniversary of the Zi couple.

people moved about, freely socialising with themselves.

"Mrs Zi you look so beautiful tonight!" an elderly woman walked up to Jia Lin and complimented her

Jia Lin smiled politely and return the compliments, on days like this she could never get swindled with compliments cause she knew most of them were just half-hearted fawning.

"mom" Zi jiayi paced hastily towards her, he was almost running, his face looked exhausted, angry and frightened at the same time.

"walk slowly!" she reprimanded him " why do you have to walk so fast?"

He ignored her question and asked with urgency in his voice " mom are you sure brother is coming?"

"yes yao yin promised she would make sure he comes so yes he is definitely going to come" she must have gotten so fond of Lu yao yin that the way she address her had also changed

"they should come quickly"

ever since the party started all the girls had been swooning around him, at first he was delighted that the girls were fascinated by him but soon enough every single one of them began wearing him out with questions about Zi yichen.

'is your brother going to come?', 'i heard your brother has a girlfriend is it true?', 'is your brother seeing anyone?', 'would your brother like a girl like me?'

Their pestering made him exhausted, angry and even frightened cause someone even went as far as trying to make a deal with him.

'Girls are monsters!' he concluded in his heart and ran off to find a hiding place

"Aunty Zi" Lui shenhui voice rang in her ears.

Jia Lin turned and saw Lui shenhui walking towards her with Lui mingrui by her side. The two had a bright smile on their face it made them look like they were walking towards a family member.

Jia Lin felt uncomfortable by their 'Familial' gaze, she knew it has always been their intentions to marry into the Zi family but they weren't so how could they act like their families were bonded by a tie.

"Prime minister Lui long time no see" she greeted him trying her best to sound distant

"Sister Lin how have you been?" Lui mingrui didn't seem to mind her distant tone.

"I've been good thank you, I guess you have been well too"

"indeed I've been good"

Lui shenhui took the initiative to step up and congratulate Madam Zi "Aunty Zi congratulations" she presented the bouquet of red roses in her hand to Jia Lin.

"thank you so much Shenhui" all though she wasn't very fond of the sender, red roses were her favourite so she had a happy smile on her face.

"Aunty do you like it? I wasn't sure which flower you like but I thought red roses was okay so I bought it" Lui shenhui said looking so thoughtful

"yeah I do, it's my favorite" although she knew Lui shenhui was lying, she still answered politely. Zi jiayi had told her that Lui shenhui had asked help from him on what gift to get for her.

"Shenhui stay with your aunty while I go and greet my old time friend" Lui mingrui said and walked off in the direction that Zi chunming was.

"Aunty how about Brother yichen is he going to come?"

"He should be here any minute from now"

Whispers broke out in the hall as Zi yichen and Lu yao yin made their way into the hall.

"Oh my god us that Zi yichen and Lu yao yin?"

"so the rumors are true, they are really together"

"I don't think so, didn't you see how Lui shenhui was with madam Zi"

"Brother!" Zi jiayi exclaimed and dashed towards the two

"Brother thank God you're here!" He almost she'd tears of happiness. at least now his brother fan girls would stop swarming to him.

He turned to greet Lu yao yin"sister_" he was going to call her sister-in-law but he immediately corrected himself. this past days, anything he wanted to gossip about her with his mom, he always called her sister-in-law

"sister Yan, you're here too"

Lu yao yin hummed in reply.

Jia Lin ditched everyone she was talking to when she saw the two of them, a satisfied smile plastered on her face.

"you both are here"

"Good evening Mrs Zi" Lu yao yin greeted

"stop being formal, you should call me Aunty Lin from now on" she was holding unto the young lady's hand as she said this.

Her heart has totally accepted the girl before her, the young lady clearly had a romantic relationship with her son but yet she wasn't being overly polite or calling her aunty like someone else would have.

"Aunty Lin" Lu yao yin called and softly making the woman face book with smiles

"don't you think you're being too biased?" She turned and reprimanded Zi yichen, she didn't elaborate what she meant but the two of them clearly understood what she was saying

for the past Five years if not six, Zi yichen had not for once attended any family party no matter how they all called and pleaded that he came, but now he readily agreed to come because Lu yao yin had asked him to.

Zi yichen shrugged "i got forced with a kiss"