Chapter 20 Of course, of course I won't...
Jiang Shiyuan's toolkit appeared at Lingdang Xiaozhu the next day, along with the flower and bird painting from Jingheyuan that she had only partially restored.
Huo Lan didn't go to such extremes. Apart from not being able to leave the Bell Pavilion, she could freely go online and contact the outside world.
Three meals a day were delivered upstairs by servants, and bodyguards Chen Fei and Jiang Chen took turns monitoring them 24 hours a day.
The longer she stayed, the more anxious she became. If she didn't return for an extended period, the studio would definitely become suspicious.
Jiang Shiyuan had no choice but to contact Lao Chen and ask for a week's leave, saying that some old friends in Wancheng wanted to take this opportunity to get together for a few days.
Old Chen's first reaction was naturally to refuse the leave. One or two days would be fine, but to ask for a week's leave would mean the Jingheyuan painting and calligraphy restoration project would have to be halted just as it started.
But Jiang Shiyuan was adamant, saying that he had already left Huo Garden and met with his friends.
Old Chen felt that Jiang Shiyuan was acting differently than usual, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. Unable to persuade him otherwise, he could only grit his teeth and approve the leave slip.
Jiang Shiyuan felt a little relieved after taking leave, knowing that at least for the time being, the studio wouldn't doubt her identity.
She knew very well that her relationship with Huo Lan was like a fire wrapped in paper, and it couldn't last long, but she still wanted to keep it a secret for as long as possible.
Huo Lan is very busy now. If Huo Lan, who was not yet in charge of the household back then, could spare half a day each day to stay at Lingdang Xiaozhu with her, then Huo Lan now can probably only stay for a few hours each day.
But he still insisted on coming back every day, coaxing her to sleep, and then going back to his study alone to work overtime until very late.
There is an unavoidable time lag between transnational affairs and domestic affairs, and Huo Lan works almost non-stop every day, yet he still can't finish dealing with them all.
He would entrust some tasks to Lin Lang, but there were also some matters that he had to handle personally and could not shirk.
The two bodyguards guarding her had completely different personalities. Chen Fei was serious and rarely smiled, while Jiang Chen was the opposite of him. He was not only lively but also very talkative, and he would tell Jiang Shiyuan everything he knew every day.
Jiang Shiyuan then learned that Huo Lan had been busy with a new energy project recently. Because the Huo family lacked outstanding cases in emerging industries, the project was making some progress difficult.
The Xie family, which has always maintained a good relationship with the Huo family, entered the new energy industry in earlier years. At this time, the two families were vying for a round of financing worth hundreds of millions of yuan, which was a very intense period.
It has to be said that the information Jiang Chen provides is sometimes very useful; at least she now understands Huo Lan's situation.
That Xie family was a wealthy and powerful family that had accumulated immense wealth in Wancheng over the past century, and it was also Xie Shuning's family.
Although Xie Shuning was not a big shot in business, his older brother Xie Shuyan had an iron fist and could hold his own against Huo Lan even when they went head-to-head. He was a rare opponent for Huo Lan.
If the Huo family declined in the past few decades, then the Xie family was in a similar situation.
The family business declined due to the incompetence of the older generation, but it was only after the next generation, such as Huo Lan and Xie Shuyan, who were nurtured by the top family with all their might, grew up that the family regained its glory.
Huo Lan had two friends, Xie Shuning and Xie Shuyan.
The former became his enemy because of Jiang Shiyuan, while the latter went from childhood playmate to a formidable business rival.
In other words, Huo Lan has experienced complete loneliness in recent years.
That's why he went crazy and locked her up when she said she wanted to leave, trying to keep her there.
What she needs to do now is to do everything she can to please him. Only when he is happy will he lower his guard, and only then will she have the opportunity to make her demands.
The rain fell on and off for three days, but it wasn't as torrential as it had been that night.
Jiang Shiyuan was restoring a scroll painting at another wooden table in the study when he heard the sound of a lock being opened downstairs.
She knew Huo Lan had returned, so she got up and went downstairs to greet him.
The rain outside was drizzling, but some of it still dampened his shoulders.
Jiang Shiyuan obediently took his coat and hung it in the entryway. Before she could even loosen his tie, he pulled her into his arms.
He nuzzled against her neck, inhaling her scent as if that could chase away the day's anxieties.
"It's so good to see you as soon as I get back. It's so good to see you."
He said "that's so good" twice in a row, pulling her closer and closer into his arms, as if he wanted to embed her into his very bones.
Jiang Shiyuan endured it for a while, and only when she could no longer breathe did she gently begin to push him.
"Huo Lan, I'm having trouble breathing."
Huo Lan then released her from his embrace, but his hand began to caress her face.
"Did you eat well while I was away from home?"
Jiang Shiyuan gave him slippers and watched him change into them, then took his hand and led him to the living room.
"The lotus root and pork rib soup and fish maw soup we ate were made by Chef Li, and they were very delicious."
Huo Lan sat down on the sofa and naturally pulled Jiang Shiyuan onto his lap.
The hem of her nightgown was rolled up again, and the coolness that enveloped her soft inner thighs made her tremble all over.
Huo Lan's eyes darkened, and he sighed softly, "Still so sensitive."
"No... it's because your hands are too cold."
Jiang Shiyuan could only wrap her arms around his neck to steady her body, which was trembling from time to time.
Huo Lan then withdrew his hand, pulled down her skirt, and instead pinched her waist.
A broad, slightly cold body pressed against her, seemingly frantically drawing warmth from her.
"I've been too busy lately and can't spend as much time with you as I want."
Huo Lan gently kissed her forehead and continued, "If I could, I would want to take you with me all the time and never leave your side."
Jiang Shiyuan smiled and returned his kiss, cupping his face in her hands.
"How can that be? I have things to do too, and I need to wait for you to come home."
Seemingly pleased with her actions and words, Huo Lan's mood improved considerably.
"Oh, so what do you need to do?"
Jiang Shiyuan naturally knew what he liked to hear, and then answered cheerfully, "The clothes and jewelry on the third floor are still waiting for me to match. Should I also start renewing the team that used to do my body management? I also have to learn painting, calligraphy, flower arranging, baking... There are too many things, how can I possibly manage them all?"
Huo Lan smiled and pinched the soft flesh on her face, and for some reason her eyes reddened.
"My Shiyuan is back? Finally, she's willing to settle down and live in Huo Garden?"
After saying that, he held her head and pulled her into his arms, letting her hear his strong and surging heartbeat.
"It seems that only by using some tough measures will you come back."
Jiang Shiyuan no longer had the strength to maintain a fake smile. Where Huo Lan couldn't see, her eyes were dark and devoid of any light.
Huo Lan liked the obedient Jiang Shiyuan, the one who stayed at Huo Garden contentedly, enjoying everything he gave her, and who always went along with him and was well-behaved.
But that wasn't the real her; he never knew what she truly wanted.
After a moment of silence, Huo Lan carried her back to the master bedroom.
She was trapped in Bell House for three days, and she spent those three days being crazy with him.
No matter how busy he was at work, Huo Lan always made sure she felt needed when he came back.
Fortunately, we took precautions each time. Although the frequency was a bit high, it was only a few hours in the evening and morning, which was not unacceptable.
Because after he left, she had complete personal time and felt incredibly lonely.
After making love, Huo Lan carried her to clean up, but then brought up the topic of wanting a child.
Jiang Shiyuan lay in the bathtub with her eyes closed, pretending not to hear, but her face had already turned very pale.
Huo Lan had no choice but to shut up and didn't dare to mention it again. He gently wiped her hair, then dried it and blow-dried it.
After she finished getting everything ready and pulled her into his arms, he asked again, still unwilling to give up, "Don't you want a deeper connection with me?"
Jiang Shiyuan blurted out without thinking, "Being pregnant before marriage is not a good thing."
Huo Lan's eyes lit up again, and she quickly got up to get the blue diamond ring that she always kept in her bedside table.
That day, he still couldn't bear to destroy it. Instead, he carefully picked it up, wiped it clean, and put it back in the box, dreaming that one day the blue diamond could be worn on her hand again.
"Then let's get married."
The box was reopened, the light that had been covered was restored, and the next moment he put it on her ring finger.
"Is this proposal a bit perfunctory? But I just can't wait any longer."
The diamond ring on her hand was so heavy that she felt like she couldn't even lift her hand.
She had no way to refuse him now; she knew that if he refused, he would go crazy again, and she would really never be able to get out.
However, she quickly composed herself, gently stroked the diamond ring on her hand, and nodded.
Huo Lan felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders and relaxed completely. It was as if a spectacular fireworks display was exploding in his mind, leaving him completely unsure of how to react next. He simply kept looking at her with love, as if he wanted to etch her into his memory.
"So, you really agreed?"
After the initial excitement, his eyes welled up with tears, and this man, who rarely sheds tears, held her and cried uncontrollably.
"Shi Yuan, please don't lie to me this time. I'll give you anything you want, as long as you don't leave me again."
Jiang Shiyuan didn't know if she was right or wrong, but it was obvious that Huo Lan had softened and seemed to listen to whatever she asked.
She held him and stroked his back to help him catch his breath, continuing to soothe him, "Of course, of course I wouldn't lie to you."
She suddenly felt that she was more cruel than Huo Lan.
"So, as his fiancée, could I go to Jingheyuan tomorrow to start the restoration work? I've been working on the restoration plan for a very long time, and I really don't want to let myself down."
Jiang Shiyuan continued, "I am the future mistress of Huo Garden. How can I hide in Lingdang Pavilion every day and enjoy myself? People will say that Huo Lan's wife is a lazy bum!"
Seemingly amused by Jiang Shiyuan's words, Huo Lan released his embrace and gazed at her intently for a long time.
"The wedding will be arranged as soon as possible, so you don't need to worry about anything."
Jiang Shiyuan paused for a moment, then nodded.
"No one can stop me from marrying you now, not even the uncles and relatives of the Huo family."
Huo Lan gradually gave her a sense of security.
"When we have time, we'll visit your home. I'll invite all your relatives and friends to Huo Garden so they can all know about our marriage."
Thinking of her uncle and aunt at home, Jiang Shiyuan's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and she hurriedly replied, "Not really... no, I mean I don't have time recently."
"The banquet at Huo Garden is about to begin, and isn't the company currently vying for new energy projects? We're too busy right now, so we can put these things on hold for the time being."
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Author's Note: My dear Marseille angel~
Today's update is more than ten hours late! [laughing and crying emoji]
I need to keep writing because I can't be late for 6 AM tomorrow!! I had some writer's block for the first 2,000 words, but inspiration started coming in later. I won't break my promise tomorrow morning!! Don't forget to come!!
Let's do a giveaway tomorrow, since everyone else did one when the book went live, but I, the stingy author, didn't...
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