The day after Yang Ziyun returned to B City, Gu Zheng visited her again.
Upon hearing Yang Ziyun say that Huo Qingfeng and Ling Ruoke were already married, Gu Zheng immediately retorted, "Auntie, you've been deceived by them. I heard from my brother that Brother Huo's marriage application hasn't been approved yet."
Yang Ziyun was somewhat taken aback, but then smiled with relief. "Never mind, it's Qingfeng's choice anyway, I won't interfere."
Even if they weren't married now, given Qingfeng's personality, he would eventually marry Ling Ruoke, and she, as his mother, couldn't change that. Rather than agonizing over making her son and herself uncomfortable, she should let go and let them choose for themselves. Even if things went wrong later, it wouldn't be her fault. Her son was grown up; he was responsible for his own life, and she, as his mother, couldn't consider his needs and make decisions for him forever.
Gu Zheng almost ground her teeth to powder, but still smiled and agreed, "Auntie is right."
Although Gu Zheng was willful and capricious, she wasn't a naive woman who only knew how to cause trouble. So, she tolerated it.
Yang Ziyun's defection made Guzheng lose the will to stay in Ziyun's capital to accompany her, so she made up an excuse to leave.
No, she had to find a way to get Huo back!
...
Recently, a series of horrific murders have occurred in City B, all targeting young women. The killer's methods were extremely cruel, not only involving brutal torture during the killings but also desecrating the bodies after death. The city of B is now gripped by fear.
Recently, a police officer on patrol nearby rescued a woman who was in danger. The woman saw the assailant's face and realized that there was more than one assailant.
After being rescued, the woman was placed under police protection, but the assailant twice attempted to infiltrate her protection zone to silence her. Fortunately, the police were prepared, preventing a recurrence of the tragedy.
Because the witness was of paramount importance and her personal safety had to be ensured, the local police had to seek assistance from the military.
A few days later, Huo Qingfeng received a new assignment: to protect the survivors of a certain case, who was also the most important eyewitness in the case.
The woman was located in a detached villa in the suburbs.
It was a little after 3 p.m.
Huo Qingfeng was taken to the villa. The villa was nestled against the mountains and beside the water, boasting a beautiful view and exceptionally expansive vistas. While the villa itself wasn't exactly the most suitable location for protection, it was rumored that the woman was unusually stubborn and only agreed to accept protection there.
When Huo Qingfeng heard this answer, he merely raised an eyebrow. He'd seen plenty of pampered, spoiled, and willful young ladies. Women like that could be summed up in one word—troublesome!
"Mr. Huo, please!" The person who brought Huo Qingfeng over was the woman's brother's private lawyer, a middle-aged man around forty years old, wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
Huo Qingfeng nodded, carefully examining the villa's surroundings and furnishings. His gaze was piercing, as if he could see through everything.
Upon reaching the second floor, the lawyer led him to a table, opened a box on the table, revealing red banknotes inside. "Mr. Huo, this is 500,000 RMB. Mr. Gu asked me to give it to you."
Huo Qingfeng glanced at it but didn't utter a word.
"Mr. Huo, I'll take my leave now."
Huo Qingfeng nodded and put down what he was holding. He began to inspect and arrange the items. There was a magazine on the table, which he picked up first.
Footsteps sounded, the distinctive sound of women's high heels, gradually approaching from upstairs. Slowly, a pair of feet in high heels appeared on the stairs, followed by gracefully shaped calves, and then the hem of a white silk skirt…
"Didn't anyone teach you not to touch other people's things?" A delicate voice spoke sarcastically, but upon closer listening, there was no real sarcasm; rather, it contained something else entirely.
Huo Qingfeng slowly glanced over and saw the woman in the silk nightgown. It was Gu Zheng; he wasn't surprised. He looked away after just one glance and didn't answer.
Gu Zheng frowned slightly as he looked away. Then she smiled, a smile with a hidden meaning. Step by step, she descended the stairs with captivating grace.
"Miss, please have some tea." A servant brought the tea.
Gu Zheng leaned casually against the soft, comfortable sofa, looking incredibly languid. Her legs were crossed, left leg on top, and her silk nightgown was lifted, revealing half of her fair, delicate thigh. The entire pose was undeniably alluring to a man.
Unfortunately, Huo Qingfeng acted as if she didn't exist in the room at all, preoccupied with looking around and touching this and that. He seemed to be saying, "I'm working, please don't disturb me."
Gu Zheng was speechless with frustration, but she couldn't show it. She glared at the tall, imposing figure for a moment, then covered her mouth and laughed. She had plenty of time; she refused to believe it!
Huo Qingfeng was completely oblivious to her thoughts. From the moment he accepted the mission, he had entered the battlefield. On the battlefield, there was no room for anything else but constant vigilance and preparation for both defense and offense.
Although they had some doubts, soldiers who accepted a mission had to do their best and could not afford to make any mistakes!
Before dinner, Huo Qingfeng spent all his time surveying the terrain and setting up the defense and monitoring system. He had to be fully prepared to protect the witnesses over such a large area all by himself.
Guzheng followed closely behind, still wearing the same sheer silk nightgown that she wore. Every movement she made swayed and shimmered, exuding allure.
The servants in the villa were all middle-aged women; there were no men, otherwise, it would have been quite a sight to behold. Perhaps it was precisely because they knew about her behavior that they deliberately hired only middle-aged women.
Every time she blocked his way, Huo Qingfeng would pull her aside without even looking at her, then slip past her to continue working. His expression was focused, or perhaps "expressionless" would be a more accurate description.
Gu Zheng was furious, but she had to admit that his cool demeanor easily captivated women. Six years ago, he was just as aloof, but not as ruthless as he was now; his sharp gaze was like a flying dagger. He exuded a chilling aura, yet also gave women an undeniable sense of security—the hallmark of a mature, powerful man.
Through the black t-shirt—let's call it a t-shirt for now—you can see a bulging chest, the outline of bulging muscles, exuding a sense of power. But it's not the exaggerated and disgusting muscle-bound look of a so-called bodybuilder; it's genuine, muscular, like a thick wall that can shield you from the wind and rain.
Guzheng never knew she would feel this kind of fascination. At first, she was just being mischievous, trying to get his attention. Later, it turned into admiration, appreciating the charm he exuded in every move he made.
But all of this was her personal action and idea.
Huo Qingfeng practically ignored her presence; he didn't even notice her following him or her gaze. Once a soldier is on the battlefield, the only thing he senses is danger. Only by reaching this level can one perform better!
Several hours passed quickly, and before we knew it, it was dinnertime.
After examining all the food, Huo Qingfeng coldly said, "It's ready to eat."
Gu Zheng picked up her chopsticks and poked at the dishes in front of her. "Sit down and eat with me."
Huo Qingfeng glanced at her, went to the kitchen, took a large bowl, filled it halfway with rice, and then added some vegetables. He sat down at the coffee table, eating his rice while watching the surveillance footage.
Gu Zheng looked at him, unsure whether to laugh or cry. So she instructed a servant to bring a large bowl, filled it with some food like he had, and sat down next to him to watch the surveillance footage together.
Actually, Guzheng wasn't really so pathetic as to want him to pounce on her. She wanted to see expression on his face, not a cold, distant look as if he didn't recognize her at all. They had once been the closest of people, and being ignored like this was unbearable for anyone, especially someone as proud as Guzheng!
What Gu Zheng didn't know was that Huo Qingfeng's expression wasn't directed at her. Aside from Ruo Ke, the colonel always wore this expressionless face in front of other women. He was a man whose heart and eyes could only hold one woman; once he had made up his mind, he wouldn't look at any other. Just like when he was with Gu Zheng, he never gave other women a second glance. Now, Gu Zheng was just another woman to him, so naturally he wouldn't give her any extra attention.
Huo Qingfeng detested nothing more than women flirting in public. Gu Zheng had inadvertently violated this taboo, so it's no wonder he ignored her even more thoroughly. The colonel's first principle regarding people and things he disliked was to eliminate them; if elimination wasn't possible, then complete ignoring them was the best approach.
Guzheng sat down next to him, eating and looking at the screen, but she didn't lean against him.
Huo Qingfeng seemed oblivious to the presence of another person beside him, focusing intently on his meal and the screen. Hmm, the surveillance camera location here isn't optimal; it needs to be changed…
After finishing his meal, Huo Qingfeng went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. He picked up his things and headed straight for the spot where he had just discovered the problem.
This time, Guzheng didn't follow, but went to the French windows. Soon, a tall, imposing figure came into her view. He deftly moved a ladder, leaped up, and moved as nimbly as a leopard on the savanna.
Gu Zheng ate absentmindedly, barely touching her food even as it grew cold. Several times, she was so engrossed in watching that she spilled her food on the floor. Eventually, she simply sat there, holding her bowl and staring blankly.
Looking back now, they actually had no conflicts when they were together. Back then, Huo Qingfeng treated her very well, his eyes were only on her, and he never noticed the beautiful women passing by on the street. Except for not being able to spend much time with her, he was extremely indulgent and doting on her.
However, I was too young back then, and I magnified the sesame seeds while failing to see the watermelon.
Having resolved the issue of the surveillance camera location, Huo Qingfeng opened the door to the master bedroom. He checked everything inside and out, changed the bedding to clean ones, and replaced everything in the bathroom, from the shower gel and skincare products to the bath towels.
"You can wash now." Huo Qingfeng carried his clothes out of the bedroom.
Gu Zheng looked at his tall, straight back, shrugged, and sighed. This guy is such a blockhead!
"Hmph, blockhead!" Gu Zheng muttered under her breath, pulled off her nightgown, and went into the bathroom. There was no scented shower gel, no flower petals, only a bathtub full of plain water. And on the glass counter, a pitiful bar of Safeguard soap lay there!
I slowly lay down in the bathtub, stretching out my limbs. The hot water washed over me, and I felt every pore on my body open up, an indescribable comfort. After running around with that piece of wood all afternoon, wearing high heels, my legs were incredibly sore.
Having spent these past few years abroad, I've gotten used to being chased and fawned over. How long has it been since I've paid this much attention to someone myself? Originally, I just didn't want him to get married so easily, but now, it seems I really don't want to let go. That feeling of being infatuated with him back then has suddenly returned, even stronger than before!
I close my eyes and try to picture that face, which I haven't seen for six years but has now become clear and vivid again. The more I think about it, the more my heart flutters.
Just then, she seemed to feel something crawling past her, making a scraping sound on the floor. She opened her eyes and screamed in terror, "Aaaaaah—!"
Huo Qingfeng was watching the surveillance video outside when he heard the scream. He drew his gun, leaped up, kicked open the door, and rushed inside.
After Gu Zheng screamed, she was so terrified her blood seemed to freeze. Seeing Huo Qingfeng rush in, she finally shouted, "Snake!"
Huo Qingfeng leaped up, grabbed the snake by the neck with one hand and strangled it to death. He caught the guzheng that was lunging at him with his gun and pushed her back, aiming the gun at the window.
He jumped out the window to check, but no one was there. The snake's appearance was rather suspicious. He swiftly cleaned up the "crime scene." "It's alright now."
"I'm scared!" Guzheng grabbed his arm. She was trembling all over and desperately clung to him.
Huo Qingfeng pulled her arm down and raised an eyebrow. "The snake has been dealt with and won't reappear." With that, he opened the door to leave.
Guzheng lunged forward and hugged him tightly from behind. "I'm scared! Don't leave the room, just wait here."
Huo Qingfeng paused for a second, then pulled his arm away, went downstairs to get his laptop, and returned to sit on the chair by the bed. Gu Zheng, standing naked to the side, received no attention from him whatsoever.
Gu Zheng pouted, gave a cold snort, and went back into the bathroom. After showering, she changed into a barely-there nightgown, this time in black.
"I'm done washing," she said, intending for him to turn around.
As a result, Huo Qingfeng picked up his computer, walked past her without looking at her, and opened the door to leave.
"Huo Qingfeng!" Gu Zheng was furious.
Huo Qingfeng stopped and turned back to look at her calmly, his gaze fixed on her angry face. He silently asked, "Is there something you need?"
Gu Zheng stomped her foot hard, her lips pouting so much they could hang a bag on them. "I'm afraid to sleep alone tonight, you have to stay with me!"
“I’ll sleep outside your door.” With that, he stepped outside.
"No way!" Guzheng followed her out. "If you're sleeping outside, then I'll sleep next to you!"
Huo Qingfeng glanced at her indifferently, his tone remaining flat. "Whatever." The colonel had never shown much chivalry towards women.
Huo Qingfeng did as instructed, laying a mat outside the room and leaning against the wall with his computer on his lap.
Guzheng went to the room to get the quilt and snuggled up next to him, watching him. After a while, the man remained unmoved, and she felt a fire burning inside her, so she slowly moved closer to him.
She was no ordinary woman; a mere glance from her could drive men wild. Occasionally, strolling down the street, a playful wink at a man would send him tumbling to his knees. Once, in a restaurant, she made a flirtatious gesture to a man who glanced at her before leaving, causing him to stumble and fall flat on his face at the door. Even in Paris, a city supposedly overflowing with beauties, she was the object of many men's affections. She possessed the tall, slender figure of a Western woman, yet the beautiful face of an Eastern woman—a combination that was itself a deadly allure.
"Don't move." A cold command. Only the voice; he didn't even glance at her.
Gu Zheng gritted her teeth and wanted to snatch his broken computer and smash it.
Huo Qingfeng reacted quickly, lifting the computer high in an instant to dodge her clutches. His handsome, sword-like eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly.
"Am I not prettier than your crappy computer?" Gu Zheng blurted out, throwing herself at him and hugging his waist tightly. "You're so upset just looking at me? Am I not pretty?"
Huo Qingfeng grabbed her wrist and pulled her away.
Gu Zheng suddenly tugged at the belt around her waist, causing her silk nightgown to fall and form a black circle on the floor. Her naked body beneath the nightgown was abruptly and strikingly revealed to Huo Qingfeng.
Huo Qingfeng glanced towards the door, then darted over, yanked the blanket up, threw it at her face, spun her around a few times, and bound her completely with the blanket. With a sudden burst of strength, he lifted her inside like a slingshot and tossed her onto the bed.
"You, you blockhead! You're not a man at all! You must be impotent! You're definitely incapable!" Gu Zheng cried out, trapped inside and unable to move. This kind of thing, offered to her so readily and rejected by others, was a humiliating blow to her!
Huo Qingfeng didn't react to this kind of talk that men find most unbearable. Only if these words came from Ling Ruoke would they have any meaning for him. If other women said them, they would be nothing but nonsense.
The door slammed shut, and Guzheng cursed inside for a long time without getting any response. Finally, exhausted, she fell asleep.
The next day, because her hands and feet had been in the same position the whole time, Gu Zheng's whole body was a little stiff, especially her hands and feet.
"Huo Qingfeng, I hate you! I hate you!" Gu Zheng shouted, baring her teeth and brandishing her claws. She, who had always been so pampered, had never been treated like this before!
Huo Qingfeng looked at her and said calmly, "You can ask your brother to replace you." He knew, in truth, that Gu Zheng couldn't be replaced. In fact, his being sent on this mission was probably part of her plan as well.
"Don't even think about it!" Gu Zheng rushed up to him, looking up at him. "Huo Qingfeng, just keep pretending! The more indifferent you pretend to be, the more it shows you still care about me! If you really didn't care about me, you wouldn't be acting so cold! So, I won't fall for your tricks!"
"You have a rich imagination," Huo Qingfeng said, looking at her. Then he left the villa to continue examining the surveillance and defense equipment, looking for potential vulnerabilities to improve it.
This answer made Gu Zheng want to rush over and tear off his face to see if he was wearing a mask. But she didn't have the ability, nor did she dare; Huo Qingfeng wouldn't tolerate anyone!
So all she could do was stomp her feet and smash things. But after stomping and smashing, everything remained the same.
Breakfast was checked again as usual.
He filled a large bowl and then wanted to move it.
"Eat here, or I'll go on a hunger strike! If something happens to the person being protected like this, you'll be responsible, right?" Gu Zheng resorted to a drastic measure.
Huo Qingfeng only thought for a second before sitting down and eating heartily. He hadn't intentionally wanted to argue with Gu Zheng; if he weren't at home, he would have preferred to eat alone from a large bowl.
Throughout breakfast, no matter what Guzheng said or did, he only focused on eating. After finishing, he stood up. "I'm done eating," he said, taking his bowl into the kitchen to wash it.
Looking back, it's back to work, as usual.
"I want to swim!"
The swimming pool is right outside the villa, semi-open-air. It's perfect for swimming in the height of summer.
Gu Zheng changed into her sexiest swimsuit, darting around in the water like a mermaid, displaying a myriad of graceful movements. Her slender figure became even more alluring and seductive amidst the rippling water.
Huo Qingfeng stood straddling the edge of the pool. Wearing sunglasses, his gaze behind them warily swept over the surroundings, occasionally glancing at the mermaid but never lingering.
He wouldn't try to guess what Gu Zheng was thinking. In his eyes, there was only the mission; she was merely someone he needed to protect.
Wearing a glamorous swimsuit and swimming in various alluring poses, Guzheng couldn't see her eyes behind her sunglasses, but she was confident that his gaze couldn't possibly be elsewhere in this situation. His glancing around was merely out of embarrassment. She even glanced at his lower body, but unfortunately, his pants were too loose, and she couldn't see anything.
Swimming is actually quite physically demanding, which is why many people use it as a way to lose weight. If you also have to perform various poses in the water, it becomes a bit like synchronized swimming, and you can imagine how tiring it is.
She swam until she was completely out of breath. She had to lie on her back on the water, gasping for air. The sunlight was wonderful, shining on the awning as if golden particles were falling from it.
Gu Zheng squinted to appreciate the music, when suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her left calf. She cried out and quickly reached to touch it—a cramp! "My leg, my leg..."
After a quick assessment, Huo Qingfeng jumped in, retrieved the guzheng, and placed it on the bank in the shallow water. "Give it a rub," he said, leaping back to his original spot.
Gu Zheng couldn't even be angry with him anymore; it really hurt too much. She dared not rub it too hard, but the cramps didn't get any better. The pain made her scream even louder, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Huo Qingfeng finally strode over, squatted down, paused for a moment, and reached out to vigorously knead the muscles that were already tangled together.
Gu Zheng looked at the man in front of her, who was focused on his work with his eyes downcast. She forgot the pain from her cramps and only felt that he was so handsome and attractive! His face had a well-defined outline, and his features were exceptionally masculine. His thin lips were tightly pursed, yet they exuded a silent allure.
Six years ago, when they first got together, he was the center of attention for all women. Six years later, his charm has only grown stronger. This charm doesn't come from well-tailored designer clothes, nor from money; it comes from the person he is.
This man once belonged to her, and only to her!
Gu Zheng suddenly reached out and hugged his neck tightly, pressing her lips forcefully against his.
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