Chapter 16 Truly a little one that can only be raised but never truly tamed…

When Jiang Shiyuan woke up, it was still dark, and the moonlight gently shone in through the thin gauze curtains in front of the window.

The warmth beside her hadn't left; it was still pressed tightly against her body. She removed Huo Lan's arm, which was lying across her, and moved her body slightly, quietly leaving his body and getting out of bed.

She had to return to Wuzhu Pavilion before the people in the studio woke up, so as not to arouse suspicion about her relationship with Huo Lan.

Because she didn't want them to know that she had once been Huo Lan's pet canary.

However, just as she reached for the nightgown at the foot of the bed and was about to put it on, she suddenly realized that something seemed to be stuck to her fingers, heavy and tightly gripping them.

Jiang Shiyuan felt around in the dark and roughly determined that it was a ring or something similar. However, this gemstone seemed to be much, much larger than any he had given before, and it had many facets that had been cut.

It must be a very pretty ring...

Jiang Shiyuan was eager to see what the gift looked like.

She couldn't see clearly in the darkness and was afraid of waking Huo Lan, so she quietly slipped out of bed and turned on the bedside lamp.

Under the soft, warm yellow light, she saw the diamond on her finger emitting a dazzling, colorful light.

Jiang Shiyuan was unable to adapt to the sudden brilliance for a moment, and quickly looked away. Only after a while did she turn her gaze back to the ring on her finger.

When she saw the diamond ring on her hand, her heart felt like it was being squeezed, and she almost stopped breathing.

Then, for some reason, her nose suddenly felt sore, and she couldn't control her emotions. She quickly covered her mouth and ran barefoot to the corner of the stairs downstairs.

The moonlight outside the window was intense, and the brilliant blue diamond on my hand was still dazzling.

Only when she was a little further away from Huo Lan did she dare to let out a few suppressed sobs.

Jiang Shiyuan sat on the steps, hugging herself, trying to calm her chaotic emotions. After a long while, she finally raised her head and took off the diamond ring from her hand.

It shouldn't belong to her, and it can't belong to her.

She would not be accepted as the mistress of the Huo family, nor did she want to be a second Xu Feixuan.

She regained her composure quickly, and when she looked up again, her eyes were naturally indifferent.

As if dealing with something unrelated, Jiang Shiyuan returned to the master bedroom and put the blue diamond back into the velvet box on his bedside table.

The dress she wore last night was taken off by Huo Lan in the bathroom and is still damp. She had to run up to the third floor to pick out a dress that she could wear out.

Huo Lan gave her a lot of things: jewelry, jade, and high-end custom-made items. Almost every quarter, these items were delivered to Lingdang Xiaozhu in batches, each worth hundreds of millions.

So he specially expanded the building to the third floor for her, turning it into a huge walk-in closet and treasure room that could hold all her gifts.

However, Jiang Shiyuan had no interest in looking at those treasures that were impossible for the world to ignore; all she wanted now was to find a simple outfit to wear back home as soon as possible.

She didn't dare turn on the lights and only used her phone for illumination, but she still noticed many changes on the third floor.

There are many more jewelry and trinkets she has never seen before, many gowns and luxury items she has never worn, and an exclusive Suzhou embroidery cheongsam that she designs every season, which are still being added to her wardrobe.

The emotions she had managed to suppress surged up again in an instant, churning her insides and making her feel so nauseous she wanted to vomit.

She could only grab a random floral halter-neck dress and put it on before fleeing from Bell Pavilion.

In fact, Huo Lan woke up when she left his embrace.

He was always a light sleeper, but tonight he slept soundly. However, he still couldn't bear the emptiness of not having her in his arms, and he woke up.

He secretly observed her subtle movements and saw her trembling uncontrollably after turning on the gauze lamp. He thought she was overjoyed.

Even when Jiang Shiyuan ran all the way to the stairs, he still thought she was too happy to contain her emotions.

He closed his eyes again, imagining the scene of her getting out of his arms in the morning.

He wanted to delegate all his work for the day to Lin Lang, take her to the third floor to pick out a dress and jewelry she liked, have the makeup and styling team that had previously worked for her do her makeup and hair, so that she could continue to be the most noble and beautiful woman in Huo Garden, or even the world. Then he would instruct the kitchen to make her favorite chestnut cake, and take her hand to Songhe Pavilion to pick lotus pods...

He had already planned out his daytime schedule until he heard Jiang Shiyuan come down from the third floor and leave Lingdang Xiaozhu.

The door closed very softly, but to his ears it sounded like a heavy weight had been lifted.

He then opened his dark eyes.

My body felt numb, as if I had lost consciousness.

Huo Lan turned his head and saw the huge, brilliant blue diamond lying quietly in the box, like a piece of trash that had been carelessly thrown away.

After what seemed like an eternity, Huo Lan regained some strength and walked to the bedside, lifting a corner of the curtain to search for Jiang Shiyuan's figure.

But she has been gone for a long time, and downstairs there are only pure white hydrangeas hidden among the green branches, with petals falling sparsely.

Summer is almost here, and the hydrangea will no longer bloom.

Huo Lan slowly walked to the bedside table, picked up the dazzling blue diamond, but now he couldn't find a hammer to smash it.

But what if he can't break it even if he uses all his strength?

He can break.

Huo Lan took a paper cutter from a drawer in the study, then went back to his bedroom and lay down on the bed.

He greedily inhaled and savored the scent and warmth left by Jiang Shiyuan, yet he was never satisfied.

Apart from the lingering fragrance and warmth around him, there was no trace of her left in the Bell Pavilion.

He was lost in thought when suddenly something occurred to him. He excitedly got out of bed and ran into the bathroom where they had been together the night before, as if he were looking for some treasure.

Huo Lan frantically sniffed at Jiang Shiyuan's fallen clothes, ignoring the dampness on them as he pulled them into his arms.

He returned to the bedroom as if he were holding her, completely distraught, and took out the paper cutter again.

The sharp blade sliced ​​through his skin, penetrating inch by inch, before he switched to the large, vibrant blue diamond, using it to continue cutting his wound.

Huo Lan held Jiang Shiyuan's clothes tightly, feeling the near-death sensation of blood flowing rapidly from his body, his soul being peeled away piece by piece.

"She's like a little fox that can never be tamed; she always bewitches me, yet she always wants to leave me..."

Shi Teng arrived at Lingdang Xiaozhu early. It was Jiang Shiyuan's first day back, and he felt there were many things to arrange, so he got up a few hours earlier than usual and waited in the nanny's room outside Lingdang Xiaozhu.

He saw Jiang Shiyuan leave and knew she didn't want the people in the studio to know her identity, so he didn't stop her.

But he knew Huo Lan would be sad, so he hesitated downstairs for a while before getting up and going into the villa to check on Huo Lan.

As Shi Teng walked towards the second-floor corridor, he saw from afar that the master bedroom door was not closed. He was instantly alarmed and immediately ran towards the bedroom.

Huo Lan has harmed himself again, and this time it's even more serious.

He used a paper cutter to slash the veins in his wrist, and bright red blood gushed out, almost soaking the entire bed sheet in red.

Without thinking, Shi Teng quickly tore off his shirt, twisted the strips into a rope, and pressed it hard against the deepest part of Huo Lan's wound.

"Xiao Lan, Shi Yuan is back, what are you afraid of?"

Shi Teng had almost used his entire body to press hard on his wrist to slow down the bleeding.

With one hand free, he quickly took out his phone and called the medical staff, "Hurry to Bell House! Mr. Huo has cut his wrists again!!"

Huo Lan was very lucid. Shi Teng arrived quickly enough; it had only been a few minutes from when he cut his wrists to when Shi Teng discovered him and applied pressure to stop the bleeding.

He didn't cut the artery because he wanted to enjoy the pleasure of dying; if he cut the radial or ulnar artery, he would die too quickly and wouldn't feel anything.

Huo Lan didn't speak, but stared blankly at Jiang Shiyuan's dress that was spread across his chest, but the dress was already stained red with blood.

"Brother Shi Teng, do you think if Shi Yuan dies with me, we can be together forever?"

Shi Teng gasped upon hearing this, cold sweat pouring down his forehead and back, yet he continued to press desperately on his wound.

"Xiao Lan, Shi Yuan has already returned to Huo Garden. One day she will change her mind."

Huo Lan shook his head. "She didn't. She doesn't even want to admit that she was ever with me."

Shi Teng's chest heaved violently, his temper reaching its breaking point. "Huo Lan, do you even remember that you are the head of the Huo family? You are no longer the child who still had your grandfather's protection. You must shoulder the responsibility for the entire Huo family and the entire Huo Garden!!"

"After all these years, is Jiang Shiyuan the only one in your heart?"

Shi Teng recalled that when Jiang Shiyuan had just left, Huo Lan was like a walking corpse.

At that time, the Huo family patriarch was still alive, and he didn't need to get too involved in the affairs of the Huo family and the group. So he thought about Jiang Shiyuan day and night and stayed in Lingdang Xiaozhu every day without coming out.

I don't know why I suddenly started to enjoy self-harm. At first, I just used a razor blade to cut my skin and enjoy the brief pain. But later I became more and more dissatisfied and started cutting deeper and deeper.

Shi Teng lived in constant fear and anxiety, but he also began to learn nursing and became increasingly skilled at handling emergencies.

During the six months that Jiang Shiyuan ran away from the Huo family, Huo Lan frantically searched for her, using all sorts of methods, both legitimate and illegitimate. He pieced together various clues, but all he got was news that Jiang Shiyuan had flown abroad. He even narrowed it down to a few countries, but the information was a mix of truth and falsehood, and the search eventually stalled.

He received less and less information, and he began to self-harm more and more often.

The psychologist said he was sick, but Huo Lan insisted that he was not sick and refused to take medicine or see anyone.

It wasn't until... his father hanged himself due to excessive pressure, and his grandfather also passed away from grief, that Huo Lan finally regained consciousness and cooperated with the treatment.

He began to visit temples to worship Buddha and chant scriptures. He invited the most famous monk in Wancheng to Wanyuan to preach Buddhism and talk about worldly affairs. He began to pray for Buddha's protection and always had a string of small-leaf sandalwood beads in his hand.

Everyone was saying that Huo's only son had seen through the vanities of the world and was going to become a monk, and that the Huo family's ancestral property would fall into the hands of a collateral branch, thus causing quite a stir in Wancheng.

But Huo Lan could not become a monk. He still had enormous family responsibilities to shoulder, and he also needed a perfect wife and children to inherit the Huo family's nearly thousand-year-old legacy, generation after generation.

The Huo family can only have one heir, and that person must be Huo Lan.

Shi Teng knew how deep Huo Lan's pressure was, and he also knew that all his hard work over the years was only sustained by his extreme obsession with finding Jiang Shiyuan.

Now that this thread of obsession has broken, he has shattered once more.

The medical team arrived and provided emergency treatment to Huo Lan. By then, it was already broad daylight.

Shi Teng wanted Huo Lan to stay in the small house to rest today, while he and Lin Lang would take care of the rest of the Huo family's affairs, but he couldn't stop him from getting out of bed no matter what he did.

He seemed to have reverted to the aloof and unapproachable Mr. Huo, quietly dressing himself and hiding the bandages on his wrists in his sleeves, still meticulous and exquisitely refined.

But her lip color was clearly distinct and even had a faint white tinge.

"Let's go to the company."

Huo Lan glanced down at the watch on his other wrist and said, "Eight o'clock is just right, I won't be late."

*

When Jiang Shiyuan returned to Wuzhu Pavilion, it was just before dawn. In early summer, the plants in the garden were covered in dew, and she felt a bit chilly as she came out of Lingdang Xiaozhu wearing only a halter-neck dress.

When she arrived at the courtyard of Wuzhu Pavilion and was about to walk into the hall, someone suddenly called her name, which startled her.

When Jiang Shiyuan turned around, she saw Qiao Wei lying on a rocking chair under the eaves, covered with a thin blanket, holding a lit cigarette in her hand, looking at her suspiciously.

"Shi Yuan? Why are you back at this hour? Were you with Shi Teng last night?"

Upon hearing Qiao Wei's words, Jiang Shiyuan quickly waved her hands and shook her head, "No, no, how could I be with him? He's like an older brother!"

His voice was somewhat hoarse, making his words seem like an attempt to cover up something.

Qiao Wei's doubts deepened. "Then where did you go? Why is your voice so hoarse?"

"I... I guess it's because the weather's been so dry lately..." Jiang Shiyuan's mind raced, and she turned the conversation to Qiao Wei, "Why aren't you sleeping so late, Qiao Wei? It's so cold here."

Qiao Wei seemed to be thinking about something that bothered her again. Instead of pressing Jiang Shiyuan for answers, she took another drag of her cigarette and said, "I'm thinking about the grand banquet that's going to be held at Huo Garden. I feel like I'm definitely going to run into my ex-boyfriend this time. I'm so worried that I can't sleep."

Jiang Shiyuan held her breath, trying not to smell the secondhand smoke coming from Qiao Wei's mouth, and moved to stand upwind. "Ex-boyfriend?"

"Yes, that ex-boyfriend who used to treat me like a caged bird... oh right, I can't call him boyfriend, I have to call him sugar daddy. He's still rolling in money, while I'm just..."

Qiao Wei looked at herself and didn't continue.

Jiang Shiyuan disagreed, retorting, "What's wrong with it now? Isn't it great now? It's better than being someone else's mistress, isn't it? Isn't that what Sister Qiao Wei told me before?"

"That's true, but... never mind, what do you know, you're just a kid. Go back inside."

My dear friend doesn't seem to want to have a heart-to-heart talk today.

Just as Jiang Shiyuan turned to walk back into the hall, Qiao Wei suddenly asked her about her relationship with Huo Lan.

"You didn't actually date Huo Lan before, did you?"

Jiang Shiyuan froze on the spot, then looked at Qiao Wei, and after a while, she remembered to deny it, "No way!"

"What's so hard about admitting this? Who hasn't made mistakes in their youth? Besides, it's normal for a top-tier handsome guy like Huo Lan, who's one of a kind in the world, to be unable to resist temptation."

Jiang Shiyuan remembered the diamond ring she had just been wearing, and after hearing Qiao Wei's words, she asked somewhat unhappily, "Why can't Huo Lan and I have a normal relationship? Why do you say it's a mistake?"

Fearing that Qiao Wei might think she had already admitted to her relationship with Huo Lan, she quickly explained, "I mean, if, if I really had been with him before."

"Their family probably only allows couples from similar family backgrounds to date normally..."

After taking a few deep drags on her cigarette, Qiao Wei stubbed it out in the ashtray she was holding. Several cigarette butts were already extinguished in the ashtray.

"What I said is also wrong, don't listen to me. Your life is for yourself, not for others to see."

"Just be happy, there's no need to think too much. I left him because I was unhappy."

Suddenly remembering something, Qiao Wei sat up from the rocking chair, turned her head and looked Jiang Shiyuan up and down, "How come you were wearing a white cotton and linen dress when you left, and now you're wearing a silk halter dress?"

"And I feel like I've seen this dress somewhere before."

Jiang Shiyuan took a step back and walked towards her room. "Sister Qiao Wei is mistaken. No, she's not."

Qiao Wei had already gotten up from the recliner and was following closely behind Jiang Shiyuan: "I remember now, it's Balenciaga's Spring/Summer collection from this year's runway show! It's super, super, super expensive! I can't even afford to buy it!"

Jiang Shiyuan waved her hand as she walked towards her room. Just as Qiao Wei was about to catch up with her, she quickly jumped into the room and locked the door behind her.

"Sister Qiao Wei, I need to rest now, see you later!"

Jiang Shiyuan checked her phone; it was almost seven o'clock.

She quickly changed out of her expensive dress and picked out a modest ramie dress from her wardrobe. After changing, she went back to bed for a short nap.

Because of Huo Lan's indulgence last night, her body was not quite fully recovered. If it weren't for the shock she received this morning, she probably would have stayed in bed at the Bell Pavilion for a while longer.

The next few days were peaceful and uneventful. The staff at Huo Garden began preparing for the banquet, and the garden was bustling with activity every day.

What Jiang Shiyuan found strange was that Huo Lan hadn't messaged him for several days, nor had he contacted the studio about the repair project.

The people at Mengkong Studio seem to live in seclusion, diligently going to Jingheyuan every day to manage and restore the garden, completely out of place with the lively atmosphere of the other people in the garden.

The restoration of Huo Garden's collection naturally doesn't require the Huo family patriarch's attention, but since she's here, why does he suddenly seem completely indifferent?

Jiang Shiyuan was inevitably distracted these past few days, but she only thought of Huo Lan for a few moments before throwing herself back into her work.

On Friday evening, Jiang Shiyuan and her studio finished their work at Jingheyuan. After tidying up the ancient paintings they were restoring, they were about to return to Wuzhuguan with their colleagues when they ran into Huo Lan on the way.

Lin Lang was with Huo Lan, presumably discussing work matters with him. Behind them were several men and women in formal attire, all senior executives from the Huo family's group.

I don't know how they ended up bringing the group's people back to Huo Garden.

Huo Lan merely glanced at Jiang Shiyuan indifferently, her eyes devoid of emotion, and continued listening to Lin Lang talk about work.

Jiang Shiyuan felt that he must be angry, very angry!

Huo Lan only ignores her when he is extremely angry.

Jiang Shiyuan felt a little flustered, but she was already considering whether to send him a message to comfort him after she got back.

Old Chen simply nodded and greeted Huo Lan. Just as the two groups were about to pass each other, Huo Lan called out to her... team.

"How is the restoration progressing at the Garden of Eden?"

Old Chen quickly replied, "We've already started organizing things in a gradual and orderly manner. We've first categorized the different types of items and assigned tasks to them, and then we'll begin the restoration work. We've already started restoring some simple antiques."

Huo Lan nodded and handed the folder in his hand to Lin Lang.

“A verbal report is too perfunctory. I need you to demonstrate your professionalism and clearly tell me the progress of the restoration and the details of its completion. Let’s go to Wuzhu Pavilion now.”

Upon hearing this, the entire studio staff couldn't help but complain.

This is way too rushed. Where are they going to come up with a detailed report in such a short time?

Tang Tang couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "What a magnificent face, what a cold heart! I should have left Jinghe Garden later, then I wouldn't have run into them."

Lin Lang led his company people to the former Huo Garden office area, and Shi Teng arrived almost seamlessly to join them at Wuzhu Pavilion.

Shi Teng was meticulous in managing the garden and the servants. They had barely arrived at Wuzhu Pavilion when the servants had already arranged chairs in the hall and brewed hot tea for each person.

Having learned from her previous experience, Jiang Shiyuan deliberately sat in the seat closest to Huo Lan.

However, Huo Lan changed his mind as soon as he sat down.

"The meeting seems a bit rushed. I bet no one is prepared yet. I'll give you two hours to go back and prepare the materials you need and make a visual report."

She was the first one to sit down in the entire studio, and upon hearing this, she had no choice but to stand up awkwardly again.

Seeing everyone return to their rooms, Jiang Shiyuan followed suit. Just when she thought Huo Lan would come over, she turned around and saw him sitting calmly in the hall drinking tea, as if he really had only come to check on the work progress.

Jiang Shiyuan breathed a sigh of relief and continued walking towards the room. However, just as she stepped one foot into the room, she felt as if a gust of wind had blown behind her, and she was pushed in by the waist.

The door behind them was locked, and Huo Lan once again trapped her between him and the wall in an ambiguous distance.

The kiss she expected didn't come as planned. Huo Lan just watched her quietly, gently stroking her lips with a soft smile.

"Ms. Jiang, why don't you guess whether you'll have time to organize your work in these two hours?"

"I want you to please me, right here in your room."

He leaned close to her ear and deliberately breathed hot air into her ear to tease her.

"But you can't be as loud as you were at Bell Pavilion that night, or your colleagues will hear you."

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Author's note: Huo Lan: If she dares to refuse my diamond ring, I will be aloof and ignore her.

Ten minutes later, they pulled the person into a small room.

"I want kisses, hugs, and to be lifted up high!"