Chapter 33: Why Don't You Obey?

The top-of-the-line luxury car finally stopped in the underground parking lot of an upscale residential complex. This area was home to the wealthy; there weren’t many residents, and the parking lots and elevators were separated by floor—high, middle, and low—each with its own access card, ensuring utmost privacy.

When Lu Yao had been a junior lawyer, she’d once come here with Xu Wenjie to meet a client. The client was wealthy enough, but could only afford a unit on the middle floors; the upper levels were reserved for the truly elite.

As the elevator swiftly ascended, Lu Yao watched the numbers climb and asked, “Didn’t you say we were going out for drinks? Why are we here?”

“To drink at my place.”

His place?

After three years of a secret relationship, this was the first time Lu Yao had ever been to his home. She felt an inexplicable nervousness.

The front door of the luxury apartment was equipped with the most advanced facial and bone structure recognition system. As soon as it opened, a sweet, fresh breeze greeted her, as if she had stepped onto a vast grassland.

Lu Yao entered and was taken aback. On the way up, she’d imagined Ye Zehong’s home to be resplendent, perhaps with dozens of butlers and maids waiting to greet her at the door. Instead, it was minimalist to the extreme—so bare it could be described as having nothing but four walls. Not only were there no maids, there wasn’t a soul in sight.

The entire first floor was open, as spacious as a football field, yet not a single chair or sofa could be found. Ye Zehong led her up a spiral staircase to the second floor.

The second floor was also minimalist in style, but it exuded a sense of everyday life. All the necessary furniture and appliances were arranged neatly, and the living room opened onto an enormous temperature-controlled glass-enclosed swimming pool. The water sparkled, resembling a magnificent blue sapphire from afar.

Ye Zehong walked to the wine cabinet, took out a bottle of red wine, and with a slight arch of his brow, said, “A vintage from the same year as your birth.”

Lu Yao was momentarily surprised, feeling both flattered and uneasy. After all, she was using a false identity; even her birth date was fictitious.

Her gaze fell to his chest, recalling the scene in the study just moments ago, and her eyes grew hot with emotion.

“Your chest wound hasn’t been treated yet. Should you be drinking?” she asked, concerned.

“I took care of it back at the old house while you were deep in conversation with my father.” Ye Zehong deftly opened the wine and poured two glasses. He swirled the wine in his hand and nodded to her. “Come join me.”

Lu Yao glanced at the bar stools beside the counter, her mind briefly conjuring up scenes unsuitable for children. Her cheeks flushed crimson.

She wanted to suggest drinking somewhere else, but before she could speak, Ye Zehong firmly grasped her wrist.

“Since you chose to come up here, let go of your worries and drink with me.”

“How about we sit by the pool? The air’s better there.”

Indeed, the air by the pool was fresher, tinged with the scent of grass.

They didn’t choose the lounge chairs, but simply sat along the edge of the pool. Ye Zehong raised his glass and downed three or four drinks in quick succession, his gaze lingering on the water where it met the sky, a trace of melancholy in his eyes.

Lu Yao, on the other hand, was at ease, her legs dangling in the water. She sipped the wine and nodded approvingly. “The flavor is just right—not too astringent, very smooth.”

“Did you know there’s a way to make red wine taste even richer?”

“What way?” Lu Yao looked at him with puzzlement.

In the next instant, he seized her wrist, pulling her slightly forward. Before she could react, the fragrant wine was pressed to her lips.

“Lu Yao,” Ye Zehong murmured, his voice hoarse, his lips brushing her ear, “why can’t you just do as you’re told?”