Chapter Twenty-Three

Mo Wansheng nestled in a corner of the room, then opened her secondary WeChat account and sent a message to "Blueberry Cake".

"I really can't take it anymore! Boss, I'm telling you, my marriage partner is too good at flirting, I really, really can't take it anymore."

"I was just suddenly kissed, and I was almost seduced by his good looks."

Blueberry cake: "? Aren't you two married?"

Mo Wansheng panicked instantly, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she tried to defend herself.

That's not the point!

"Our relationship is clearly not at that stage yet! I've already expressed my feelings before, but I've been rejected every time!"

"And what does his current action mean?!"

"But kissing is never announced in advance, is it?"

Seeing the line of text flashing on the screen, Mo Wansheng was instantly speechless.

Kissing is always a spontaneous act of love, an impulse, a desire, not a pre-arranged transaction.

But she really cared about it.

My phone vibrated slightly again.

"I think you weren't embarrassed or flustered by her kiss."

Mo Wansheng took a deep breath and tossed her phone onto the bedside table.

She turned to look at the myriad lights outside the window, and the words "blueberry cake" undoubtedly shattered her self-deception.

If she really minded that kiss, she would have pushed Huo Yuzheng away the moment he leaned down, instead of letting him continue.

However, at that time, she did not refuse; instead, she became infatuated with him and responded to him proactively.

The kiss was ended by Huo Yuzheng, not by her actively rejecting it.

The source of her inner panic and unease was never the helplessness she felt from being offended by Huo Yuzheng.

Rather, she couldn't accept that there had never been a clear beginning between them.

She reached out and touched the cold necklace around her neck, eventually taking it off. She then opened the drawer of her dressing table.

As she put down the necklace, her gaze inadvertently fell on the exquisite box beside her.

She shook her head and gently closed her eyes.

Their first kiss was a performance they put on for the audience on their wedding day.

The second kiss was Mo Wansheng's way of testing the waters, and the two of them found themselves irresistibly drawn into each other's embrace.

The third kiss was something she had never expected; it was an initiative from Huo Yuzheng.

Performing, testing, taking initiative...

She couldn't be sure what all of this meant.

The observation diary had only been going on for a few days when it suddenly took an uncontrollable turn.

That night, Mo Wansheng tossed and turned in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep.

Finally, she got up, opened the door, and prepared to go to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.

The first floor was completely dark, but the attic on the second floor was faintly lit.

Mo Wansheng filled a glass with water and then drank it all in one gulp.

The water soothed the discomfort of her dry throat.

The luminous clock in the living room shows the time: 23:56.

She carefully walked up the steps to the attic, thinking the light had been left on, but found Huo Yuzheng still working in the study.

Instinctively, she turned and left.

But then Huo Yuzheng's deep voice came from behind, "It's so late, aren't you asleep yet?"

"Mmm," she responded softly.

Mo Wansheng recalled the cool sensation that had lingered on her neck that evening, and slowly said, "The necklace, thank you for the gift."

"Mrs. Huo, you're welcome."

The two fell silent, the night exceptionally quiet.

He suddenly spoke again, "Mrs. Huo, I have a request."

Mo Wansheng, who had been facing away from Huo Yuzheng, turned around to look at him. In the dim light, his face was both three-dimensional and hazy.

"What's up?"

You haven't wished me a Merry Christmas Eve yet.

Mo Wansheng was stunned. He was unexpectedly childish, and for a moment she even wanted to laugh out loud.

The string in her heart was touched once again.

“Mr. Huo, but if I’m not mistaken, it’s already past midnight.”

Huo Yuzheng opened his phone. "Yes, it's past midnight."

“So, Mr. Huo, Merry Christmas!” Her tone became light and cheerful.

"Yes, Merry Christmas." Huo Yuzheng's lips curled up slightly, and his voice softened even more.

Mo Wansheng joked, "Get some rest, or Santa Claus won't come."

She turned and left. After coming down the stairs, she saw that Huo Yuzheng was still working and showed no sign of going back to his room immediately.

So he went into the room and rummaged through the drawer to find the gift he had specially bought some time ago.

Previously, "Blueberry Cake" suggested that she give gifts, and she did indeed give Huo Yuzheng many things that he didn't like.

As their relationship grew closer, she specially chose another gift for him.

However, every time I think of giving it to him, an unnecessary unpleasant feeling arises.

He gave her that apple-shaped diamond necklace.

Although the kiss left her bewildered, she wanted to reciprocate in kind.

On the day I went to the mall to buy pajamas, I thought of Huo Yuzheng, who always wore a black tie and seemed unapproachable.

After gesturing for a while, Mo Wansheng finally settled on a dark blue tie. The color wasn't too flashy, but it also didn't look overly serious.

Later, when passing by a jewelry counter, a pair of sapphire cufflinks caught Mo Wansheng's attention.

The gemstone's iridescent light is as serene as the deep sea, understated yet elegant.

Mo Wansheng swiped her card and bought it. She thought it would match the tie very well.

She kept these two items wrapped in an exquisite box. On the day she moved out of the suburban villa, she specially brought them to Jingyuan and kept them in a drawer ever since.

She thought about it and decided to give it to him as a Christmas present.

Mo Wansheng picked up the gift box, pushed open the door, and tiptoed out.

The light in the attic was still on. Taking advantage of his absence, she slipped into his room and placed the gift box on the bedside table.

Then, he hurriedly left his room and gently closed the door.

"Santa Claus is here?"

She turned around abruptly and pressed herself against the door. Huo Yuzheng stood in front of her, his shadow enveloping her.

Mo Wansheng stammered, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Huo Yuzheng chuckled softly, "Get some rest early, goodnight, my Santa Claus."

Seeing that he didn't make things difficult for her, Mo Wansheng quickly ran back to her bedroom.

She was panting heavily; it seemed that no matter what she did wrong, she always ran into him.

The next morning, they had breakfast together.

Mo Wansheng kept glancing at Huo Yuzheng's neck. He had changed into the dark blue tie she had given him, and the jeweled cufflinks were also fastened to his suit cuffs.

He noticed her subtle gesture. "Thank you, it suits you perfectly."

Mo Wansheng took a big gulp of milk, seemingly unconcerned, and said, "I'm glad you like it."

"Hmm, don't you like the necklace? If not, I'll pick out another one for you next time."

Huo Yuzheng noticed that she wasn't wearing the apple necklace he had given her yesterday.

She looked up abruptly, meeting his deep black eyes, and gripped the glass tightly.

She immediately retorted, "No, I really like it, it's just too expensive. Besides, I have to go to work in Douceur today, so it's not very convenient."

"Hmm." Huo Yuzheng's voice remained calm, revealing no emotion.

He continued, "Do you have time tonight?"

"We should be done by six o'clock. Is there anything I can do?" Mo Wansheng asked, puzzled. What was he up to now?

"There's a restaurant that's pretty good; I'd like to take you there to try it."

"The soufflés there are quite good; you should like them."

Mo Wansheng's eyes widened. A few days ago, she posted on her WeChat Moments that she wanted to eat soufflé.

She is someone who loves posting on WeChat Moments, and this particular post has long been buried among the many others.

Soufflé...

Surprisingly, he noticed it. He even remembered it…

"I'll pick you up at 6:30." Huo Yuzheng glanced at his watch and prepared to go to the company.

Mo Wansheng quickly stopped him, "Let's meet at home at 6:30, I need to change my clothes."

"Okay." Huo Yuzheng nodded and left.

With a lot of orders for Christmas, Mo Wansheng sped up her work.

Fortunately, she finished ahead of schedule, wrapping up all her work by 5:30.

After locking the dessert shop, she rushed home.

Mo Wansheng opened the wardrobe and picked through the dresses. She picked up one dress after another, held them up, and then put them back.

In the end, she chose the champagne pink low-cut short tulle dress.

Sweet yet sexy.

With the remaining time, she applied a light makeup.

The sound of a key turning in the lock came from the doorway; Huo Yuzheng had returned.

The footsteps grew closer, and he gently knocked on the bedroom door.

Mo Wansheng raised her voice, "Come in."

The door opened, and she turned to look at him.

"Wait a mininute."

The drawer of the dressing table was opened, and she carefully took out the apple diamond necklace.

The fallen diamond clung tightly to her bare collarbone, shimmering with infinite brilliance.

She turned slightly to the side, her back to him, and awkwardly tried to fasten the necklace.

Perhaps because of nervousness, the small clasp slipped off my fingertips several times.

Huo Yuzheng didn't say anything and silently walked behind her.

Seeing that she had tried several times without success, he moved a little closer before asking, "Do you need help?"

Mo Wansheng gave a soft "hmm".

He then reached out, his warm fingertips inadvertently brushing against the delicate skin on the back of her neck, sending a slight shiver through him.

He took the two ends of the necklace with practiced and steady movements, and with a soft "click," the clasp closed.

Huo Yuzheng gazed at her reflection in the mirror, and a voice sounded behind her, "Very beautiful."

"Thank you." Her heart was warmed by those three words of praise.

The flush on her cheeks was far more intense than any blush applied with makeup.

Huo Yuzheng's gaze met hers in the mirror, and they became intertwined.

He stepped back slightly, giving her ample space. She breathed a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

Mo Wansheng stood up, her gauze skirt rustling softly. She asked gently, "Shall we go?"

"Okay," Huo Yuzheng replied, his gaze still fixed on her.

He didn't leave immediately, but suddenly remembered something and turned to walk towards a storage compartment inside the dressing room.

The place mainly contained accessories that were not frequently used or seasonal fabrics. He rummaged through it briefly and took out a neatly folded cashmere shawl.

The color was a light beige that perfectly complemented her dress.

He walked back again and very naturally unfolded the shawl, draping it over her shoulders.

His fingertips brushed against her bare skin once again, bringing a slightly warm touch.