Chapter 76 Hmm...it's my husband...

Soon it was time for our agreed meeting that evening.

After dressing up simply at home, Jiang Shiyuan parked her car downstairs at the renowned French-style hotel, following the address sent by Lin Lang.

The hotel manager, who was standing in the lobby, seemed to recognize her. As soon as Jiang Shiyuan entered, he spotted her and attentively led her into the VIP elevator, pressing the button for the top floor.

"Miss Jiang, Mr. Huo said he has a surprise for you tonight."

"A surprise?" Jiang Shiyuan wasn't surprised; she was more excited. Huo Lan rarely invited her to dinner alone.

After all, for a long time after she met him, she had hardly ever left Huo Garden. She only took him out a few times when Huo Lan's possessiveness towards her wasn't so strong, but that was a long time ago.

Jiang Shiyuan's thoughts drifted away as the elevator doors slowly opened.

The waiter led the way and brought her to the door of the private room, pushing open the heavy door.

It wasn't the French candlelight dinner she had expected. The room was brightly lit, and in the center of the extremely spacious viewing box was a round table. Several people were observing and studying an object on the table, and for a moment they didn't notice that she had entered the box.

The hotel manager spoke up at the opportune moment: "Mr. Huo, Ms. Jiang has arrived."

After saying that, he respectfully closed the door of the private room and left.

At this moment, everyone's attention shifted from the things on the table. Besides Huo Lan, her mentor Li Bozhen and her senior brother Yu Zisen were also standing there.

Yu Zisen looked at her with some surprise. It was obvious that she had been called over at the last minute and did not know that she would come.

Besides the people she knew, there was also an elderly man with silver hair and a sprightly spirit.

After seeing the person's appearance clearly, Jiang Shiyuan couldn't help but get excited.

She had seen it countless times on the title page of academic journals—Mr. Qin Wangshan, a leading figure in the study of Ming and Qing artifacts in China and a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Cultural Relics.

Li Bozhen, Jiang Shiyuan's doctoral supervisor and the middleman at this dinner, introduced Jiang Shiyuan to Qin Wangshan first: "This is Jiang Shiyuan, whom I just mentioned. He is my student and is currently researching the archaeology of cloisonné enamelware. He is very hardworking and ambitious."

Li Bozhen looked at Jiang Shiyuan with satisfaction in his eyes.

When he first met her, he had a very bad impression of her. She was someone Huo Jiaqiang had sent to him, someone his old classmate Xu Sinian had specifically instructed him to take good care of.

But after three years of getting to know her, my impression of her is no longer the same as it was back then.

She almost completely severed ties with the Huo family. She was always the most motivated and hardworking student in class, achieving excellent grades in every subject during her graduate studies, giving him no reason not to help her successfully advance to her doctoral studies.

Jiang Shiyuan could not hide his excitement and expressed his admiration for Qin Wangshan.

Qin Wangshan smiled kindly and said, "You must be Jiang Shiyuan. I often hear Professor Li mention you, saying that you are the most outstanding student he has taught over the years."

After saying that, he added, "Of course, I would also like to thank Mr. Huo for being able to part with this Ming Dynasty double-eared vase and donate it to the research institute."

Jiang Shiyuan finally understood why Huo Lan had suddenly called her to dinner.

"Instead of leaving it in Huo Garden unappreciated, it would be more meaningful to donate it to the research institute to provide some research data," Huo Lan said modestly, then suddenly changed the subject, "Miss Jiang seems to have encountered some difficulties with her recent academic papers, and she and Mr. Qin should have a lot to talk about."

Huo Lan always presented a gentle and refined image in front of scholars and intellectuals, speaking eloquently and maintaining a dignified demeanor, completely lacking the ruthlessness he displayed in the business world and the haughty, aloof air he exuded.

This is also Jiang Shiyuan's favorite Huo Lan.

It was Huo Lan who, after teaching a class at the school, captivated her completely.

But he's not some noble gentleman, he's clearly a tyrant with insatiable desires!

Jiang Shiyuan was slightly lost in thought as she watched Huo Lan socializing with the crowd, only to realize that her heart seemed to be filled with his presence.

It seems she can't live without him either.

"What is Miss Jiang thinking about?" Huo Lan maintained a distant attitude, looking at Jiang Shiyuan with a smile, "Is there something wrong with this object?"

Jiang Shiyuan then turned his attention to the round table around which everyone had been gathered, where a cloisonné enamel double-eared vase, which had been restored but still retained its original marks, was placed.

She recognized the object; it was restored by Old Chen from the studio and was part of the collection displayed in Jingyuan Garden. It was an antique passed down from the Ming Dynasty by the Huo family.

Jiang Shiyuan joked, "Mr. Huo is really generous, bringing out such a precious cultural relic."

"Of course, for..." Huo Lan looked at Jiang Shiyuan meaningfully, and she knew what he wanted to say without him having to say it.

To please his wife.

"To further advance the nation's research on cultural relics!" Li Bozhen noticed the ambiguous atmosphere between the two and took the initiative to steer the conversation away from it. "Let's not just stand here, everyone, please take your seats."

Li Bozhen looks serious and unapproachable, and is demanding about everything, but he is actually a witty and humorous old man.

In the three years, he never asked her to return to Huo Garden, nor did he use Tuantuan to morally blackmail her. He simply kept making her think about what she really wanted.

He was a very important person in her life, not only academically but also in her daily life.

After the group took their seats, a waiter entered the private room and served several plates of pre-dinner desserts, authentic French cuisine.

The two old men were eating something unusual, holding the menu but not knowing what to order. Yu Zisen was left standing aside without a chance to speak, but he kept staring at Jiang Shiyuan and Huo Lan beside her.

He knew without saying that this dinner party was about Jiang Shiyuan's doctoral dissertation research on Ming Dynasty cloisonné enamel artifacts. Huo Lan had invited the most respected professor in academia, wasn't it all to pave the way for her?

What kind of relationship could make Huo Lan go to such lengths?

Yu Zisen couldn't hold back any longer and asked the question.

"Shi Yuan, is Mr. Huo the boyfriend you mentioned?"

Before this, he never believed that Jiang Shiyuan would have any connection with the head of the largest wealthy family in Wancheng, but now it seems he has no choice but to believe it.

Jiang Shiyuan paused, holding the menu, not understanding why Yu Zisen suddenly asked about this.

Huo Lan looked at Jiang Shiyuan with great interest, his fingers curling up under the table as he gently stroked the hem of her clothes, curious to see what she would say next.

“This…” Jiang Shiyuan stammered, but finally nodded and hummed a few times.

Li Bozhen roughly knew that the relationship between the two people had improved a lot, so she wasn't too surprised.

Qin Wangshan was originally there for that Ming Dynasty artifact, and Huo Lan had specifically instructed him to look after Jiang Shiyuan's academic research. Naturally, he had a general understanding of the relationship between the two and didn't take it too seriously.

Only Yu Zisen felt as if his mind had exploded after hearing this, and it took him a long time to recover.

Finally, his face turned deathly pale, and he forced a smile as he looked at the menu in his hand, but his eyes darted to Huo Lan's hand.

Huo Lan has a diamond ring on his ring finger, which is something he only wears when he gets married. Huo Lan has a wife in his family.

Jiang Shiyuan thought she rejected him because of his power.

Upon hearing Huo Lan acknowledge the relationship, although they were not husband and wife, Huo Lan was almost overjoyed, but he had to suppress it. However, he finally dared to openly take out his hand from under the table and place it on the back of Jiang Shiyuan's hand.

"Yes, we've been talking about it for many years."

Jiang Shiyuan did not dodge, letting Huo Lan hold her hand, feeling a rare sense of peace in her heart.

"Dr. Yu must be over 30 years old, right? Don't you have a girlfriend yet?" Huo Lan looked at Yu Zisen calmly, but the provocation was already very obvious.

Yu Zisen turned pale when asked the question, but dared not refuse to answer because of Huo Lan's status.

"I've been so busy with my studies that I really haven't had the time."

"Oh, then you'd better hurry up." Huo Lan was smiling, but the superior attitude in his words sent chills down one's spine. "Otherwise, always fantasizing about people you can't have... that will only make you suffer."

The two old men pretended not to notice the tension between the young people and continued discussing Song Dynasty black-bodied celadon. Yu Zisen lowered his head and continued eating, repeatedly agreeing, "Yes, yes, we really need to hurry."

"Professor Li..."

Suddenly brought it up by Huo Lan, Li Bozhen couldn't help but sigh.

They were all his students, and he was well aware of Yu Zisen's feelings for Jiang Shiyuan over such a long time.

However, he wanted to hide Jiang Shiyuan's marriage from her, and he really couldn't find a reason to make Yu Zisen let go.

Huo Lan continued, "We need to give Dr. Yu more time off; he can't always be cooped up in the lab."

Jiang Shiyuan sipped her tea, unusually refraining from offering any defense, which made Huo Lan feel somewhat smug.

Because she was so pleased with herself, she barely let go of Jiang Shiyuan's hand for the rest of the game, and only broke free after seeing the others off.

"Alright, now you can let go!" Jiang Shiyuan took a few steps back, distancing herself from Huo Lan. "Mr. Huo, even though we're boyfriend and girlfriend, we shouldn't get too close. It's hot."

"Hot?" He insisted on continuing forward even as she stepped back. "It'll get even hotter in a bit."

After saying that, he took out a room key and asked, "Miss Jiang, would you be interested in coming with me to see the suite?"

"shameless......"

Despite saying that, she still followed him into the hotel suite next door.

Huo Lan led her into the house but did not turn on the lights. Instead, he put his arm under her legs, picked her up, and carried her to the living room's French windows.

The city of Beijing was bustling with traffic and dazzling neon lights at night. Jiang Shiyuan was leaning against the window, looking down at almost half of the city, when she suddenly felt a burning kiss on the back of her neck.

"Huo Lan..." she whispered his name, "Thank you."

His chest pressed against her back, his voice already hoarse, "Thank me for what?"

Jiang Shiyuan turned around, reached out and hooked her arm around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. "Thank you for helping me find Professor Qin today, and thank you..."

She raised her head slightly, her warm breath brushing against his ear, "Thank you for giving me Tuantuan."

Huo Lan, however, seemed somewhat deflated, kneading the back of her neck with one hand to express his dissatisfaction, "Is that all?"

"Mmm...and..." She tiptoed and kissed his lips, "Thank you for giving me a complete family, a family with Tuantuan, and you."

Huo Lan's eyes welled up with tears, but thankfully the room was dark, so she probably couldn't see them.

Jiang Shiyuan still saw the light in his eyes through the moonlight streaming in from the window. She kissed him again, her tongue gently parting his lips.

Huo Lan felt as if a thin, tingling electric current had run through his entire body, making him so excited that his blood was about to burst out.

He could no longer control himself and, holding her by the back of her neck, pressed her against the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window.

The stark contrast between the icy coldness on her back and the intense heat pressed against her body caused Jiang Shiyuan to tremble slightly.

In the dark of night and in the quiet of the room, all the senses seem to be amplified infinitely, and even the sound of one's heartbeat seems to become clearer.

Tears still glistened in Huo Lan's eyes, but she couldn't hide her joy. "Baby, you've been so good tonight, how about I eat you up?"

After saying that, he wrapped the tie around her eyes, so that she could no longer see the only moonlight.

She could smell the increasingly strong, pleasant scent of ebony on him, and feel his rapid breathing and pounding heart.

"Huo Lan..."

"Huo Lan..."

"Can you call me husband, baby?"

Panting heavily, the waves continued to crash one after another, causing Jiang Shiyuan to tremble all over.

"Mmm...it's my husband..."