After the White Lotus Drops the Act

After the intense exercise, the tall man exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Tang You hurriedly put away her phone and greeted him obediently, “Mr. Xiao.”

Xiao Zexing lowered his eyes to look at her. “Why are you still here?”

“I was waiting for you.”

Only then did Tang You realize that everyone else on the field had already left—leaving just her and “Xiao Weijing.”

She asked, “Are you going home now?”

Instead of answering directly, Xiao Zexing continued to look down at her. “Was watching polo boring?”

“Of course not! How could it be?” Tang You quickly denied, flashing a sweet smile. “Mr. Xiao, you looked super cool and amazing playing polo! I didn’t understand a thing, but I could tell you’re incredibly skilled! You’re so great at your job, and now I see you’re just as good at polo! I think even Prince William couldn’t compare to you!”

A whole string of over-the-top flattery failed to get the expected response.

Tang You, who was already bracing herself for a storm, was stunned to see Xiao Zexing actually smile.

She definitely wasn’t mistaken.

He really smiled.

It wasn’t a sneer or a mocking grin, but a genuine, heartfelt, and joyful smile.

A faint dimple appeared on his cheek.

Tang You froze.

Still in a daze, she heard Xiao Zexing ask, “Do you know how to ride a horse?”

Tang You shook her head.

“I’ll teach you,” he said.

Huh?

Was he really offering to teach her how to ride? And not planning to “accidentally” knock her off and get rid of her?

Completely bewildered, Tang You followed Xiao Zexing. His strides were so long that she had to take quick, tiny steps just to keep up.

It wasn’t until they stopped in front of the tall, brown horse that Tang You realized she had overlooked something.

“W-Wait a second.”

Xiao Zexing glanced at her. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m wearing a dress…” Tang You’s brain went blank. “You can’t ride a horse in a dress, right?”

“You can ride side-saddle,” Xiao Zexing assessed her. “Want to get on by yourself, or do you need my help?”

Tang You immediately thought of what happened in the kitchen last night—the heat of this man’s hands. Terrified, she shook her head at once and firmly refused, “No need, thank you.”

Xiao Zexing chuckled and gently stroked the horse’s neck.

The horse shifted its hooves, kicking up a bit of dust and flicking its tail. Tang You instinctively took another small step back.

A stable hand quickly brought over a mounting block. The horse was far too tall for Tang You, so she had to use some assistance to get on.

Xiao Zexing turned to look at her. “Why are you standing so far away? Come here, touch it.”

Tang You had no choice but to step forward.

Xiao Zexing instructed, “First, place your hand on its back, let it rest on the side, and either stroke it or give it a gentle pat.”

As he spoke, he demonstrated.

Tang You reached out with a trembling hand and mimicked his actions. Whether it was due to Xiao Zexing’s reassurance earlier or sheer luck, the horse didn’t show any signs of rejection toward her.

So it’s tame.

Tang You breathed a sigh of relief. Trying to maintain her composure, she placed one foot in the stirrup and, with shaky hands, climbed onto the horse’s back.

It was her first time riding a horse, and she was so nervous she didn’t even know where to place her hands. The saddle and reins were fitted for Xiao Zexing’s physique, making them completely unsuitable for someone a full head shorter than him. The constant fear of slipping off forced Tang You to grip the reins tightly.

She didn’t dare move an inch.

Xiao Zexing stood beside her, watching as she trembled while clutching the reins. He smirked. “Are you checking the reins’ pulse?”

The horse let out a loud sneeze, startling Tang You into gripping even tighter.

Completely regretting her decision, Tang You pleaded, “Can I get down? I don’t want to ride anymore, I’m really scared.”

This wasn’t an act—she was genuinely terrified.

Her legs felt weak, and she kept imagining the horse suddenly going wild and throwing her off.

After all, in countless dramas, the scheming villainess always used this trick to bully the female lead.

“Such a coward.”

Under Tang You’s terrified gaze, Xiao Zexing effortlessly mounted the horse, naturally encircling her in his arms. He asked calmly, “Still scared?”

Shit.

Even more scared, okay?!

Terrified he might suddenly push her off!

Tang You’s body went rigid—she could probably land a role as a mummy at this point.

The man’s physique was impeccably maintained, his strong arms firmly trapping her. Her back was nearly pressed against his chest, muscles tensed, lips pursed into a thin line—she could no longer maintain her usual sweet smile.

Way too close.

She felt like prey caught by a wolf.

And Xiao Zexing was the wolf.

Tang You wanted to inch forward, but the limited space on the saddle left her no room. The fear of falling off forced her to grip the reins tightly, yet she didn’t dare pull too hard, afraid of hurting the horse.

That familiar faint scent of vanilla and milk…

Xiao Zexing’s arm brushed against the loose fabric of her T-shirt.

No direct skin contact—just empty space.

The inside of her T-shirt felt light and empty, impossibly delicate.

“Relax your muscles to absorb the impact,” Xiao Zexing instructed. “Imagine your upper body is a puddle of mud.”

Tang You: “……”

Honestly, her lower body felt more like a puddle of mud.

Xiao Zexing asked, “How does it feel?”

Tang You, voice trembling, replied, “Riding is terrifying… but with you here, I’m not afraid of anything.”

This time, the shakiness in her voice wasn’t an act—she was genuinely scared.

Xiao Zexing didn’t respond.

The veins on his hands were prominent, fingers initially gripping the reins tightly before slightly loosening. In the end, he simply gave them a light tug.

He guided the horse around the field in a slow, controlled lap before stopping.

It was really just a walk—the entire time, he kept the horse steady, without any sudden movements.

Even so, when Tang You dismounted, her legs felt weak.

Half from fear, half from pain.

She had no experience riding, her posture had been stiff the entire time, and on top of that, she was wearing a skirt!

Though she had protective riding gear, her delicate skin still suffered.

Xiao Zexing patted the horse in farewell and handed the reins to the stable hand before finally turning his gaze to Tang You, who was sitting on a bench, legs trembling.

He asked, “Legs hurt?”

Hurt? More like everything that touched the saddle hurt.

Tang You nodded.

“Pain helps you remember the lesson,” Xiao Zexing remarked, pulling out a cigarette. But after glancing at her, he put it away and said flatly, “Kids should be playing with their peers. What do you have to talk about with me?”

There was a clear note of reprimand in his tone.

Tang You froze.

She didn’t understand what “Xiao Weijing” meant by that.

It was only a five-year age gap—why did he always act like… well, like some kind of elder?

Was she imagining it?

Wait.

Could it be that Xiao Weijing didn’t like women significantly younger than him? Did he feel there was a generation gap? Or did he just dislike childishness?

If that were the case, she needed to act even more pitiful and childish!

This was the perfect opportunity to increase his annoyance!

Suppressing her inner excitement, Tang You quickly adjusted her expression and tilted her face up to look at Xiao Zexing.

The angle was just right—enough for him to see the tears welling in her eyes, stung by the sunlight.

Softly, she said, her voice slightly rising at the end in a pitifully happy tone, “Because you’re really nice to me.”

Xiao Zexing asked, “In what way?”

Tang You whispered, “The last time I rode a horse was when I was eight. You’re the second person—besides my dad—to ever take me riding.”

—Which was complete nonsense.

Tang Xiao didn’t know how to ride at all.

And their father’s love had always been reserved entirely for Tang Nan.