Chapter 63 This morbid attachment...

The archaeological team heard that Huo Lan would be coming today, and somehow the news reached the ears of some leaders at the archaeological institute.

They arrived at Bishui Village well in advance, dressed impeccably in suits and ties.

The archaeological institute has recently excavated several more sites and is also conducting digital archaeology, but it is desperately short of funds everywhere.

They didn't know why Huo Lan had time to come to Bishui Village, but they took it as an opportunity and brought everyone from the office to welcome him, hoping to secure sponsorships.

Jiang Shiyuan wasn't unaware of what was happening; she was simply struck by how Huo Lan caused a sensation wherever he went.

Many people were eyeing the Huo family's immeasurable resources, all thinking about how to get a piece of the pie. Although she felt that the Institute of Archaeology's actions were justifiable, she still felt somewhat annoyed.

Huo Lan helped her out of the car. Before she could exchange pleasantries with Teacher Cheng and the others, someone stepped forward to greet Huo Lan in advance.

"Mr. Huo, it's an honor to have you here. We never expected you to come and inspect the Bishui Village project." The leading leader shook Huo Lan's hand tightly, his enthusiasm almost excessive. "We are from the Provincial Institute of Archaeology. We received the notification that you were coming, so we waited here to welcome you!"

Upon seeing Jiang Shiyuan being half-embraced by Huo Lan, the man in the suit immediately realized, "This must be your wife. She is indeed gentle, dignified, and beautiful."

Jiang Shiyuan nodded politely in response. Huo Lan didn't want to pay attention to the person who was sticking up to her, but then she remembered that it was the archaeological institute that had taken care of Jiang Shiyuan, so she didn't give him a cold look, but instead patiently explained things, which was unusual for her.

“My wife interned at the Bishui Village project for a while before. Recently, she has been feeling a bit bored at home during her pregnancy, so she came to catch up with her former colleagues and also came back to visit.”

When the leader heard Huo Landi's explanation, his eyes lit up. Although he didn't understand how the wife of such a wealthy family could join the archaeological team, he still felt that with this connection, the project's funding was promising, so he received her even more warmly.

"Mrs. Huo is definitely an outstanding member of our team, but this construction site is too tiring. You should go back to work in the archaeological institute's office in the future."

Jiang Shiyuan exclaimed in surprise, "Ah!" How come she already had a job after just a few words with the two of them?

Huo Lan politely declined, saying, "My wife isn't considering coming to the Institute of Archaeology for the time being."

The leader looked slightly uncomfortable, but quickly regained his composure and wanted to take Huo Lan to inspect the archaeological excavation project in Bishui Village in order to bring up the topic of sponsorship.

Huo Lan frowned almost imperceptibly, his attitude distant and cold: "You're too kind, everyone. This is a private trip for me. I'm accompanying my wife to visit her former colleagues and don't want to disturb your work."

Huo Lan's tone, though calm, was unquestionable, instantly cooling down the overly enthusiastic welcoming atmosphere.

The smiles on the leaders' faces froze for a moment, and they said awkwardly, "Yes, yes, we understand. Mr. Huo, please make yourself at home. We were just worried about not being able to entertain you properly..."

Jiang Shiyuan looked up at Huo Lan and said calmly, "Archaeology is a public welfare project. It needs some sponsorship resources to make better progress. This is also a way of showing concern for cultural heritage."

Hearing her words, Huo Lan pursed his lips and smiled faintly. Shi Yuan rarely asked him for favors, and although the way he asked was tactful, it was still appreciated.

He nodded in agreement and said to the group, "You can contact my personal assistant, Lin Lang, to discuss the sponsorship details."

The leader was still a bit stunned, not expecting that Jiang Shiyuan could bring him sponsorship with just a few words. After a moment of surprise, he was overjoyed and hurriedly invited the two to have dinner at a hotel in town.

Huo Lan didn't let Lin Lang accompany him on his trip today, only to realize that he was missing someone to help him out.

At this moment, Dazhuang's van arrived in front of the archaeological team's dormitory courtyard. After finding a place to park, he rushed over, only to find a grand reception for distinguished guests in the courtyard. He didn't dare to come closer for a moment.

It was Shen Yiyi who spotted Dazhuang first, calling out to him from afar, and before FRDEE could say a word, she pulled Jiang Shiyuan toward the dormitory.

Shen Yiyi didn't care what the leaders were doing and said directly, "Director, Shi Yuan is tired. I'll take her inside to rest first."

The person addressed as "Director" repeatedly said "Good." Knowing that the sponsorship was secured, he stopped pressuring Huo Lan and took his men to town to arrange hotels and accommodations, leaving the two of them and their colleagues time to spend together.

The dormitory courtyard was less than half full, which made people feel much more relaxed.

"They're finally gone." Shen Yiyi glanced at the departing convoy and explained on behalf of the director, "Recently, the archaeological institute has been busy with digital innovation archaeology, and the funds allocated by the higher authorities are not enough. Our director is going crazy trying to get sponsorships."

"I see..."

Jiang Shiyuan turned to look at Huo Lan, her purpose self-evident. Moreover, sponsoring public welfare undertakings was a good way for the Huo family to gain prestige.

With a faint smile, Huo Lan pulled her coat tighter around her. "Lin Lang will make contact with him. You just need to relax and clear your head today."

"Shi Yuan, I didn't expect the family you were talking about was the Huo family. Didn't you say your parents didn't approve?"

Since Jiang Shiyuan left, Cheng Yinghua had been concerned about her whereabouts. Later, through Shen Yiyi, she learned that Jiang Shiyuan had not only not gone abroad to study, but was also pregnant.

"So, it was already there when you joined the team?"

Jiang Shiyuan nodded somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm sorry, Teacher Cheng, I lied to you, and I apologize to you here. However, I didn't know I was pregnant at the time."

Cheng Yinghua quickly waved her hand, indicating to Jiang Shiyuan not to blame herself, "I understand, now you should have talked things out, right? It's good that you've talked it out."

Cheng Yinghua smiled gently, recalling how Jiang Shiyuan had been busy in the exploration room before, and felt that this child had a strong will to live.

She hurriedly gestured for Jiang Shiyuan to sit down, "But the baby in your belly is really..." She didn't finish the first half of her sentence, then added, "It will definitely be lively and adorable when it's born."

The group reminisced in the cramped dormitory. After chatting briefly with everyone, Huo Lan tactfully left the dormitory.

He stood at the door with his back to them, looking at the distant mountains of Bishui Village that resembled ink paintings as they entered the forest. His 190cm height was taller than the door frame, almost blocking out most of the light inside the house.

He tried his best to give Jiang Shiyuan time to spend with them, but he still didn't want to leave her side for even a moment.

"Brother Huo Lan really likes Shi Yuan so much, he's practically inseparable from her."

Shen Yiyi sighed, suddenly remembering that she had also gone home when her sister had just gotten engaged.

“My future brother-in-law is also very good to my sister. Although the Huo family seems unapproachable, they treat their wives quite well.”

Huo Lan stood at the door and heard everything. He was secretly pleased, but pretended to be aloof and continued to stand at the door.

At this moment, Dazhuang came into view, parked the van in the yard, and began unloading goods into the warehouse.

The archaeological team's temporary dormitory was a rented house belonging to Da Zhuang, which was temporarily renovated into a dormitory. Therefore, the warehouse for loading goods was still located in the dormitory area.

Huo Lan's face grew darker and darker as he looked at him, unable to understand how such a dark-skinned, rough man could make Jiang Shiyuan laugh like that.

Da Zhuang felt uneasy under the watchful gaze, and his movements as he moved the goods slowed down slightly.

Although he didn't know who Huo Lan was, judging from Huo Lan's attire and the grand reception he had just received from the top leaders of the archaeological institute, he must be either rich or noble. So he didn't dare to pay any attention to him and just continued moving the goods on his own.

Inside the room, Shen Yiyi was chatting away, making the atmosphere among the group very lively.

"Oh, right," Shen Yiyi said while cracking sunflower seeds, "that antique stall owner who cheated us before is in jail and has been sentenced to several years. It was really satisfying."

Xia Mo quickly responded, "Yes, yes, I heard from the townspeople that they've been causing trouble in the area for a long time, and no one can afford to mess with them. If it weren't for Mr. Huo, they'd probably still be bullying people in town right now."

Huo Lan's expression, which had darkened because of Da Zhuang, softened upon hearing this, and he continued to listen quietly.

Jiang Shiyuan glanced at Huo Lan, who was pretending not to care at the door, and her heart had already softened a little.

Time passed slowly, and Jiang Shiyuan felt a little reluctant, but she still followed Huo Lan out of the dormitory.

He originally wanted to take her directly back to Huo Garden, but the journey would take at least two or three hours, and the back-and-forth trip would be exhausting. So, he had no choice but to stay at the hotel arranged by the Institute of Archaeology.

Although the hotels in town were not comparable to those star-rated hotels, they were still relatively clean. However, in Huo Lan's eyes, every place still seemed to be full of bacteria.

After having the room cleaned again, he reluctantly took Jiang Shiyuan to check into the best family room in the hotel.

However, the room was still not satisfactory after cleaning. Not only were the facilities old, but there was also a faint musty smell in the air.

After a few minutes, Huo Lan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. Although he didn't say anything, his subtle expression and the sudden chill in his aura betrayed his disdain.

"Won't staying in a place like this for too long be bad for your health?"

Huo Lan was secretly pondering whether it would be less of a hassle to take Jiang Shiyuan back to Huo Garden or to stay in this simple hotel.

After thinking for a while, I finally compromised and let Jiang Shiyuan stay, but I had someone bring over brand new bedding and an air purifier.

Seeing Huo Lan rushing around making simple renovations to the hotel, Jiang Shiyuan said helplessly, "Young Master Huo, is it really that much of an exaggeration? I think it's quite good."

Jiang Shiyuan wandered around the suite. This hotel was specially designed to accommodate government officials. Although the facilities were old, there weren't many guests, so there wasn't much of an odor.

Huo Lan, still secretly jealous, hugged Jiang Shiyuan from behind and said, "Call me husband, why are you calling me Young Master Huo?"

"Okay, okay." Jiang Shiyuan left Huo Garden and chatted with her long-lost colleagues for a long time. She was in a very good mood. "Okay, honey!"

Huo Lan smiled indulgently, lowered his head and rubbed against Jiang Shiyuan's neck like a large dog seeking affection, and said contentedly, "My wife is so good. I'm sorry to trouble you to stay here for one night."

Jiang Shiyuan looked at Huo Lan's expression, which was silent but couldn't hide his disdain, and felt a mix of amusement and inexplicable bitterness.

She didn't feel wronged at all. On the contrary, this pampered young master Huo was trying his best to adapt to an environment he would never have set foot in before, all for her sake.

Jiang Shiyuan was heavy-bodied and didn't care much about where she slept, so she quickly fell asleep.

However, Huo Lan was always particular about his bed. Even with his eyes closed and holding Jiang Shiyuan, he couldn't fall asleep until late at night. So he simply opened his eyes, got up, and started to look at her peaceful sleeping face.

The bright moon outside the hotel was hidden behind the trees, casting dappled shadows on the room and making it even more tranquil.

This was the first time he had ever lived in a house like this. If it were him in the past, he would never have stepped into it.

But because of Jiang Shiyuan, everything about him is changing.

Before he met her, he was an invincible and cold-blooded person who would never show mercy to anyone and never took anyone seriously.

He was aloof and cold-hearted, which was infuriating.

But when he was twelve, she appeared and easily deceived him, making him completely fooled.

For the first time, he forgot his mother's instructions to maintain his dignity and elegance at all times, and kept throwing plastic bottles in the auditorium to vent his anger, while she walked away gracefully.

At first, he did not send anyone to monitor her; he simply had someone investigate her situation.

But as he got to know her better, he couldn't help but think about her. He wanted to know more about her life and wanted her image to appear before him anytime, anywhere.

So he began to send people to track Jiang Shiyuan. Although he wasn't by her side, he was always there for her as she grew up.

He knew her every reaction to things and knew exactly what she liked and wanted.

Sometimes, he would reflect on his morbid attachment to her.

When Jiang Shiyuan received his first love letter from a classmate, he suddenly found himself wanting nothing more than to rush to her side and get rid of all those who coveted her...

Huo Lan then realized how terrible this morbid attachment was. He tried to cut off the surveillance on Jiang Shiyuan, but after only two days, he began to miss her madly, as if he had become addicted.

As a result, Jiang Shiyuan was no longer approached by men. Whenever such a hint appeared, he would immediately become alert and either arrange for her to transfer to another school or directly threaten her to stay away from her life.

Even during the years his family arranged for him to go abroad, the amount of information he had about Jiang Shiyuan did not decrease in the slightest.

When he returned to China that year, he was preparing to send people to intervene in those who were trying to bully Jiang Shiyuan, but he never expected that she would stagger up to the top floor and stumble into his world.

Their worlds finally intersected.

The moment Jiang Shiyuan ran into the bathroom and locked herself in, Huo Lan went to the tea room for tea, but his hands were trembling uncontrollably.

What will she do after she comes out?

Jiang Shiyuan's voice was hoarse from the effects of the medication, and it took almost all her courage to utter those words.

"Sir, can you help me?"

What she couldn't see was that Huo Lan's eyes were almost overflowing with madness and excitement at that moment.

He also knew that she was certain he was an unapproachable and powerful figure in Wancheng, so she wanted to take the opportunity to climb up to him. Even if Huo Lan refused, it would still be considered an entanglement.

But she never expected that Huo Lan would not refuse at all. When she wanted to resist, her body gave her the signal to accept.

Everything that followed seemed to fall into place naturally. He and she had their first intimate encounter. He didn't reject this intimacy; on the contrary, he seemed to be addicted to it, insisting on having sex with Jiang Shiyuan, who was already limp, several more times.

It was a dream come true, and he became hopelessly infatuated with her, even thinking for a moment that he would be forever lost in her world.

Huo Lan gently stroked Jiang Shiyuan's sleeping face, feeling more at ease and calm than ever before.

The girl he likes has his child, so she should be able to stay by his side peacefully now, right?

Seemingly noticing Huo Lan's movement, Jiang Shiyuan frowned slightly, let out a soft moan, and turned to the side.

Her pregnancy is still in its early stages and hasn't affected her sleep yet.

Huo Lan didn't want to wake her, so he lay back down in bed and looked at her face to face.

"Shi Yuan, please don't leave me again, okay?"

His voice was as soft and gentle as a feather, but unexpectedly, Jiang Shiyuan's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she opened her eyes to meet his gaze.

After a moment of silence, she asked softly, "Why do you like me?"

Jiang Shiyuan never understood why Huo Lan, who always got whatever he wanted, was so fixated on her disobedient nature. He clearly had many better options; even if it wasn't the well-educated and beautiful Shen Chuqing, there were certainly more beautiful and well-connected heiresses.

"I don't know." Huo Lan looked at her quietly, "But what I do know is that I want you to be my wife, I want you to stay by my side forever, and I will love you forever."

It wasn't a particularly touching love confession, but it made Jiang Shiyuan's heart feel as if it were being squeezed tightly, suffocating and incredibly bitter.

"Tuantuan also wants Mommy and Daddy to be together forever, doesn't she?" Huo Lan gently stroked her belly, comforting her and the little life inside her. "Tuantuan also wants Daddy to love Mommy, and Mommy to love Daddy, doesn't she?"

Jiang Shiyuan's eyes welled up with tears again, and she nodded with a red nose.

Seeing Jiang Shiyuan nod, Huo Lan's heart softened immensely, and he gently pulled her into his arms. It seemed that as long as she nodded, all the unpleasantness that had happened before would vanish.

"Shiyuan, so you're willing to be with me for the rest of your life? You won't leave again, right? I'll support you in doing anything, as long as you don't leave me."

"Hmm... okay."

Jiang Shiyuan's eyes were already red, but she smiled and said, "But I'm really sleepy. Young Master Pea, you should go to sleep too."

Huo Lan left a gentle kiss on her forehead, "With these words, no matter where he is, Young Master Pea will sleep very soundly."

Jiang Shiyuan snuggled into Huo Lan's arms again, softly humming "mmm," and gradually drifted off to sleep.

The next day, Huo Lan took Jiang Shiyuan to the archaeological site to check on the progress of the excavation.

She was afraid of disturbing her colleagues' work, so she didn't stay too long, only glancing at them from afar.

Most of the partition beams in the excavation area have been removed, and the project has basically reached the sorting stage. The excavated cultural relics will be transported to the museum piece by piece for restoration.

However, what happens after Biyue Village will be none of her concern.

Huo Lan put his arm around her shoulder and made a promise: "Shi Yuan, you will shine in your favorite field. As long as you don't leave me, you will be the youngest and most renowned archaeologist in the world."

Jiang Shiyuan didn't disbelieve him; he always kept his word.

"Although I want to pursue academic research, I also frequently conduct field archaeology, so what can I do if I can't stay by your side all the time?"

Huo Lan disagreed and replied directly, "Then don't go. With your delicate body, you shouldn't be suffering in a place like this."

He continued with a smile, rubbing her shoulder, "You just need to stay in the office or school and focus on your major. You can give lectures, publish academic papers, and attend various forums and summits, all of which are more beneficial to you than working on a construction site."

Jiang Shiyuan paused for a moment, but still nodded.

"Okay, I understand."

She couldn't push her luck any further. Now that she had decided to run a family with Huo Lan, she had to make appropriate concessions.

He had already agreed to let her pursue postgraduate studies, a doctorate, and eventually become a teacher. She should be overjoyed and shouldn't ask for anything more, even if it meant being under his control every single moment...

Jiang Shiyuan smiled brightly, "Okay, I will try my best."

"You will definitely succeed," Huo Lan said. "But in the next few months, you need to take good care of yourself and stay healthy. Try to read less and take fewer classes, okay?"