24 Embrace

After the underwater world episode finished airing, Ye Zhenzhen escorted Gu Sinan upstairs to wash up and go to bed.

To protect the children's feelings and to help them feel more relaxed and natural in front of the camera, the production team and the guests agreed that the children would not be allowed to watch the final edited version of the program during filming.

So she waited until Gu Sinan fell asleep before watching TV.

After going downstairs, Ye Zhenzhen found that the TV was still on and had been switched to the "Let's Go Traveling" channel. On the TV screen, a group of people were boarding a yacht and preparing to set off.

Gu Tingshen didn't go upstairs. He sat on the sofa watching TV, idly stroking the black panther with his right hand.

"..." Ye Zhenzhen hesitated, thinking about how she had quarreled with Gu Tingshen and even talked in her sleep at night, and a sense of shame suddenly came over her.

"What's wrong?" After not seeing her sit down for a while, Gu Tingshen turned his head and saw that her face was slightly flushed. He hid the smile on his lips, pretended not to know, and held up his phone to her, "It's only been a short time. You can look at it first. I'm going to take this call."

After he left, Ye Zhenzhen gritted her teeth and sat down. She was already embarrassed in front of the whole country after tonight's broadcast; one more Gu Tingshen wouldn't make a difference!

While watching TV, she opened her phone to see the reaction to Fengming's launch of its new ocean-themed series and the opening of its online store that evening.

"Finally, you opened an online store! Fengming, you finally opened an online store!!! Who understands this? I feel like an 80-year-old grandma finally knows how to use a smartphone!!"

"The ocean-themed series is so cute, it's bursting with girlish charm!! I can't believe gold jewelry can be so small and exquisite, I love it! Before following Fengming, I always thought gold was only for older women, but now I'm totally hooked!!!"

"Wow, my wallet's about to give way! What am I going to do? I really want to buy these! Those big-ticket items were beautiful, but a poor girl like me just couldn't afford them. These little cuties look so tiny, I feel like I can do it all!!"

"I heard recently that they've been hiring designers, and sure enough, the style has become much younger. The filigree inlay has also been made smaller and more delicate, making it more suitable for everyday looks. This is the first time I've truly experienced the charm of gold jewelry!"

"And I got the same jewelry as the actress!!! I've finally waited for it!! The golden butterfly set that Zhan Yan wore last time was absolutely gorgeous~~"

"The bracelet Zhou Jin showed off is exquisite and elegant, not at all effeminate. I'll get it for my boyfriend!!!"

"Ladies, the ocean-themed collection is now available online!!!! Oh my god, I'm so excited, I actually think it's so cheap!! Hurry and grab it, several items have already sold out in seconds!!!"

"It's seriously cheap! I saw in the details that it's made with high-quality materials—real gold and silver, natural pearls, and colored gemstones! My goodness, the price is incredibly reasonable! The Swarovski alloy set with artificial crystals I bought cost more than this!!! I'm going to buy it, don't try to take it from me!!!"

"Waaaaah, does everyone connect to the internet via a router?? My favorite spouting whale image disappeared as soon as I clicked on it?!?"

"Damn it, can't you stock up on more stock??? You're underestimating the purchasing power of us Phoenix Cry girls! This online store is nationwide! Do you even know that?! I want to buy Golden Clams!!!"

Ye Zhenzhen clicked into the online store, and sure enough, the newly released ocean-themed series was already sold out. She exited the store, feeling both amused and exasperated, thinking that Vice President Wang was probably experiencing a mix of pain and pleasure as he read the comments tonight.

She reposted the official Weibo post from before, which included a group photo she had just taken of Gu Tingshen, Gu Sinan, and the Black Panther. It also included the clownfish and bone design sketches that Gu Sinan had drawn.

A gold and red clownfish swayed on the red string on Gu Sinan's wrist, and a gold pendant shaped like a bone glittered in the pure black fur of the black panther.

Only after posting did I open the comments section of the "Let's Travel Together" program.

After the first episode aired, the fan base of Peach Blossom fans grew considerably, and even Gu Tingshen's account, which seemed to be an official corporate Weibo account, gained several million followers.

Fans of the other guests and casual observers were also active, making the comment section quite lively.

"A scene of the domineering CEO getting jealous—don't miss it!!! Oh my god, what kind of idol drama plot is this?! Ye Zhenzhen is wearing a one-piece long-sleeved and long-legged wetsuit, and even CEO Gu thinks it's too revealing. Tsk tsk tsk, my beautiful wife is only for me to see!!! Ahhhhh, I'm totally shipping them!!!"

GIF (Animated GIF)

"No wonder President Gu didn't want others to see!! Ye Zhenzhen's curves when she's facing away from the door are absolutely stunning! How can her waist be so slim? Is this the legendary peach butt?! I'm already getting a nosebleed even without seeing her face!!!"

"You upstairs are so bold! Didn't you see how dark Mr. Gu's face turned? Watch out for a lawyer's letter!!"

GIF (Animated GIF)

"Wherever Ye Zhenzhen goes, President Gu's eyes follow. Does he like her that much?! His possessiveness is overflowing!!!"

? ? ?

Ye Zhenzhen was completely puzzled. Jealous? What the heck?

She clicked on the GIF posted by a netizen and found that it was the scene where Gu Tingshen zipped up her zipper, and she was about to go out, but the man pulled her back into the house.

She initially thought men were old-fashioned and couldn't accept a figure-revealing wetsuit, and she was angry for a long time. Now, after being analyzed by netizens, she can't help but wonder if they've misjudged her.

Gu Tingshen? Jealous??

These two terms aren't even on the same level!

Just then, Gu Tingshen returned and handed her a glass of water.

The comments from netizens flashed through her mind instantly.

Ouch, this is poisonous!!!

She felt she could no longer look Gu Tingshen in the eye!

Lowering her head to avoid the man's gaze, Ye Zhenzhen thanked him and accepted the crystal glass.

Her slender, fair fingers accidentally touched the man's hand, and her jade-like hand trembled slightly as she tried to pull away.

But it was grabbed by his large, wheat-colored hand.

Ye Zhenzhen looked up in surprise, her eyes meeting the man's deep, ocean-like pupils.

Why are your hands so cold?

"It's nothing, it's just, uh, maybe the air conditioning is too cold..." Ye Zhenzhen hurriedly tried to pull her hand back, but the man's large hand didn't budge.

"Let Dr. Jia come and take a look." Gu Tingshen frowned as he looked at her pale lips.

"Ugh..." Ye Zhenzhen was about to say that she was fine when her lower abdomen suddenly felt like it was being stabbed with a knife. Instantly, a fine layer of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her lips lost their color.

Seeing that she was clutching her stomach in pain and unable to speak, Gu Tingshen put his arm around her and gently patted her while calling the family doctor with the other hand.

After the pain subsided, Ye Zhenzhen realized that it was probably her period. She tugged at Gu Tingshen's sleeve, trying to stand up, "I'm fine, I guess it's just my period."

"Don't move, I'll carry you upstairs. We'll have Dr. Jia take a look at you later." Gu Tingshen easily pressed her down, picked her up, and carried her up to the second floor.

He passed his health class, so of course he knew what menstruation was and that some girls would have stomach aches, but seeing her face turn pale from the pain still made him very worried.

Ye Zhenzhen was in so much pain that she had no strength left, so she relaxed and let the man carry her to the bedroom.

She had suffered from menstrual cramps since childhood. However, in her memory, the original owner's period was only slightly uncomfortable, so she didn't take it seriously.

After leaving the bathroom, Ye Zhenzhen lay down on the bed, and the man returned with a cup of brown sugar water.

The cup was placed on the bedside table, and the man naturally took her hand in his. "It's still a little cold, are you cold?"

"It's cold, my hands and feet are cold, and my stomach is cold too." Ye Zhenzhen was infected by the man's emotions and said it as if she were possessed, with an unconscious dependence and grievance on her face.

Gu Tingshen saw her pale face, huddled in the blankets, looking like a wronged little kitten, pitiful yet adorable. His heart melted. He squeezed her hand comfortingly, stood up, and said, "Wait for me."

He returned shortly after changing into his pajamas, got into bed, and immediately pulled Ye Zhenzhen into his arms, warming his large hands before placing them on her cool lower abdomen.

It was summer, and night had fallen, so he couldn't find anything like a hot water bottle to warm her up.

Through the thin nightgown, the warmth of the man's chest pressed against her back. Ye Zhenzhen was stunned as he held her, not quite understanding how things had developed into this position.

But it felt so good. A large, warm hand covered her lower abdomen, dispelling the chill. She let herself relax, even pressing her feet against the man's legs, feeling the continuous warmth emanating from behind her.

When Dr. Jia rang the doorbell, Ye Zhenzhen was still pale, but she felt a little better.

The doctor was surprisingly young, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and his medical kit contained not only common medications but also acupuncture needles.

They varied in length and thickness, with the longest exceeding ten centimeters, making Ye Zhenzhen's scalp tingle.

When two fingers touched her wrist, Ye Zhenzhen thought in a daze, "The CEO's family doctor is actually a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. How uniquely Chinese!"

"Your uterus is weak and cold, and your blood and qi are stagnant, which is why you have irregular menstruation, feel cold and have cold limbs. Take some medicine to warm the meridians and dispel cold, and soothe the liver and regulate qi. Pay attention to keeping warm, avoid getting cold and tired, and keep a cheerful mood. You will get better slowly." After taking her pulse, Dr. Jia said calmly, "If you want to relieve the pain quickly, you can also have a few acupuncture needles."

"I don't feel much pain anymore," Ye Zhenzhen quickly replied.

Some people, after experiencing great pain, raise their pain threshold and become indifferent to minor ailments.

Having endured the torment of cancer, she has become more sensitive to pain. She was terrified of the pain back then, and now she feels a bit scared when she sees these needles.

Seeing that she was scared, Gu Tingshen asked Dr. Jia a few more questions and learned that acupuncture could only provide some relief and could not be effective immediately, so he did not insist and saw Dr. Jia out.

As we went downstairs, Dr. Jia whispered a reminder, "Has your wife been frightened or stimulated recently? Judging from her pulse, there are some signs of liver qi stagnation, which is why her menstrual cramps are more severe than usual."

He stopped there, and seeing that President Gu's expression was gloomy, he took his leave.

Gu Tingshen watched Dr. Jia go downstairs. He recalled Ye Zhenzhen's pale face when he brought her out of the chaotic crowd a few days ago. He clenched his fists, stood outside the door to calm himself down, and then pushed the door open to go in.

Ye Zhenzhen had already taken the homemade pills left by Dr. Jia with brown sugar water.

Her hands and feet felt warmer now, and she was starting to feel drowsy, whether from the effects of the medicine or menstrual fatigue, she didn't know.

Hearing the door open, she opened her sleepy eyes and looked at Gu Tingshen, then shook her head, wanting to continue watching the second episode of "Let's Go Traveling" on her phone.

"Go to sleep, we'll look at it tomorrow." Gu Tingshen lay down next to her and saw that she was so sleepy that she could barely keep her eyes open, so he reached out and took her phone away.

"I'll just watch for a little while longer..." Ye Zhenzhen panicked and turned around to grab it, but she forgot how close they were and threw herself into the man's arms, her lips brushing against his neck.

She froze for a moment, carefully took a step back, and stopped talking.

The man's profile was illuminated by the light from the foot of the bed, casting a sculpted crease that made his handsome features appear even more profound and three-dimensional.

Ye Zhenzhen felt her heart pounding louder and louder, and all she could see were the man's deep, unfathomable eyes, which she almost felt like she was drowning in.

It wasn't until she was pulled into his arms and her nose touched the man's gray pajamas that she snapped back to reality, bracing herself against his firm chest with both hands and trying to back away.

"Don't move," a large hand pressed down on her lower back, stopping her movement. "Isn't your back hurting? Dr. Jia said massaging it can relieve the pain."

In the dim light, she could smell the scent of cedar on the man's body. The scent was originally cold, but now it was intertwined with the floral and fruity fragrance, and inexplicably took on a tender warmth.

[Author's Note]

Our CEO Gu is an iceberg to outsiders, but a warm and caring guy to Zhenzhen.