Chapter 2 A Hero Saves a Beauty
Chapter 2 A Hero Saves a Beauty
This was not the first time the two kissed, although Yan Zhen did not admit that it was an accident.
The first time was two years ago, on Christmas Eve.
A group of people were having a party in the villa, drinking and playing games around the Christmas tree in the living room. Yan Zhen drew a dare, which required her to hug a member of the opposite sex for ten seconds.
This was too easy for her because Yan Zhao was right there.
But she walked around the living room and couldn't find Yan Zhao. Instead, she saw Chen Huaixu standing by the floor-to-ceiling window smoking.
He was looking down, lost in thought. Moonlight streamed in, casting a long, cold shadow behind him. Sparks flickered faintly from his fingertips, as if about to go out at any moment.
After noticing Yan Zhen, he put out his cigarette, threw it into the ashtray, and asked her in a low voice: "What's wrong?"
Someone behind her urged Yan Zhen to hurry up, saying that the time was almost up and if she didn't finish, she would have to drink more. In a fit of rage, she rushed forward and hugged Chen Huaixu.
He seemed quite surprised, and his body paused for a moment. In front of everyone, Yan Zhen was afraid that he would push her away, so she grabbed his clothes from behind and threatened him fiercely, "Don't push me away."
Like a kitten with bared teeth and claws.
Chen Huaixu lowered his head to look at her without saying a word. Amid the whistles of the crowd, he raised his arms and gently embraced her.
"Six, five, four..." The onlookers began to make a countdown. Yan Zhen buried her head in Chen Huaixu's arms and pretended to be dead. Her nose was filled with his fresh scent, which made her ears hot. She felt that every second was extremely unbearable.
When she counted to "one", Yan Zhen hurriedly tried to release her hand, but the lights suddenly dimmed as if by appointment. In an instant, everything was dark, with only the bright moonlight outside the window shining dimly in.
There was a panic in the living room, and she was no exception. She walked in a hurry, and her slippers stepped on the hem of her long skirt. She was about to fall, but Chen Huaixu reached out and pulled her back into his arms.
She was still frightened and subconsciously turned her head to say "thank you" to him, but she didn't expect that he just lowered his head. The distance between the two was very close, and her lips just brushed against his.
Warm and soft touch.
As soon as it brushed past, a tingling electric current was generated, drilling densely into the body.
It seemed as if my breathing stopped at that moment.
His pupils were dark as he lowered his eyes to look at her. The moonlight fell on his shoulders, giving him a thin layer of silver light.
The crowd surrounding the Christmas tree behind them erupted in cheers. Yan Zhen remembered that someone had planned to confess their love tonight and had prepared a surprise, using the "countdown" as a secret signal. But the atmosphere had been so heated that everyone had forgotten about it. The person confessing was probably confused by the early countdown, but they still went through with the confession and turned off all the lights.
The living room was bustling with activity, but in the lonely corner by the window not far away, two people were staring at each other silently.
Yan Zhen had no idea who had taken the initiative. Perhaps it was the darkness that gave her a sense of escapism, or perhaps it was the wonderful atmosphere, coupled with the alcohol, but by the time she realized what was happening, she and Chen Huaixu were already kissing.
A wet, lingering touch.
Like the rising and falling tide, it beats against the sand on the shore in rhythm with breathing, seeping in bit by bit until it is completely soaked. The dry sand is filled with the scent of the waves.
Yan Zhen felt that she was also filled with his scent.
She felt dizzy from the kiss and uttered an unsteady "hmm". She tried to move away, but her head was firmly held. He held her waist close to him, lowered his head, and deepened the kiss.
The kiss in the darkness is silently indulgent, the panting and heartbeats are infinitely amplified, bit by bit eroding people's sanity and dragging them into the abyss of addiction.
The people behind him finally stopped making a fuss and someone shouted to turn on the light. Yan Zhen suddenly came to her senses and reached out to push him away.
She thought her brain was broken. After their lips and tongues parted, she gasped softly, and the first words she said were complaints: "I hate the smell of cigarettes."
Chen Huaixu was startled, then smiled, a rare gesture. He pinched her cheek and said, "Okay."
It seemed that since then, Yan Zhen had never seen him smoke in front of her.
However, this ambiguity ended there. Yan Zhen went back to her room and slept for a while. The next day, she was fully recovered and there was no trace of the hazy state she was in the previous night. When she met Chen Huaixu again, their eyes met silently. After a moment of silence, it was Yan Zhen who spoke first: "Where's my brother?"
Chen Huaixu said calmly, "He went down first."
"You didn't even wait for me!" She turned around and ran downstairs without looking back.
One of them pretended to be stupid, and the other pretended to be stupid with her. The two of them tacitly put aside what happened that night and continued to be mortal enemies.
It is normal for single adult men and women to occasionally fall in love. Yan Zhen thinks this is an accident and a mistake.
She thought Chen Huaixu should think so too.
The sweet taste of grapes filled his lips, and was gradually pushed into the depths of his mouth. The grape that Chen Huaixu had not eaten just now, he now tasted its flavor in a different way.
Yan Zhen was pressed against the door, forced to tilt her head back and kiss him. Behind her was the hard door panel, in front of her was his strong chest. She had no way to avoid it. She reached out and tried to push him away, but he grabbed her wrist and lifted it above his head, pinning her down completely.
"Chen..." She struggled to speak, but it was useless. He came with such force that it seemed to drown her completely.
At this time, there was a knock on the door from Aunt Cui.
"Mr. Chen?"
She was startled, and as if waking from a dream, she bit his lips hard. Chen Huaixu frowned, and finally stepped back, his thin lips wet with water. He lowered his eyes and stared at her for a while, then reached out and put his arm around her waist, pulling her aside. With his other hand, he opened the door, revealing only half of his body, and said, "Aunt Cui, what's wrong?"
"I went upstairs and heard the door open. I saw some fruit spilled on the floor, so I came to ask what was going on."
Chen Huaixu glanced at the "corpse" of the fruit and said, "Sorry, I didn't hold it firmly and accidentally knocked it over. I'll clean it up later."
"It's okay, I'll bring another one."
"No, it's getting late. Aunt Cui, you should go to bed early too."
Aunt Cui hesitated to speak: "Mr. Chen, Zhenzhen..."
When Yan Zhen heard her own name, she thought she was going to be discovered. She couldn't help but get nervous and grabbed the corner of Chen Huaixu's clothes with her fingertips.
Chen Huaixu reached down and clasped her fingers, his eyes still looking out the door: "Hmm?"
"Zhenzhen is simple-minded. She's been well-protected by her family since she was a child. She's a little spoiled, and sometimes her tone can be a bit harsh, but she's not a bad person by nature. Besides, if she really hates someone, she won't say a word to them."
Chen Huaixu said calmly: "I know, thank you Aunt Cui."
After closing the door, he turned to look at her. Just as Yan Zhen was about to explode, she saw blood slowly seeping from his lips, which was hard to ignore.
Chen Huaixu noticed that her gaze was fixed on his lips. He reached out and rubbed the stinging area, leaving a bloody mark on his fingertips.
"You deserve it." She bit her lip guiltily, "Who told you to kiss me so suddenly?"
He said calmly, "Weren't you the one who provoked me first?"
Yan Zhen knew she was in the wrong, but she refused to admit defeat: "That doesn't mean you can do anything to me."
The officials are allowed to set fires, but the common people are not allowed to light lamps. This is indeed Miss Yan Zhen's usual style.
Chen Huaixu pinched the blood with his fingertips and said nonchalantly, "I dare to do something even more extreme. Do you want to give it a try?"
There was heavy rain outside the window, accompanied by occasional thunder that brightened up a corner of the night sky.
Yan Zhen was being stared at by those dark eyes, and in a trance she felt like a prey being targeted.
She subconsciously took a step back, her back touching the hard door panel, as if she had suddenly grabbed a life-saving piece of driftwood in a torrent. She immediately turned around, opened the door and fled outside, leaving him with only a weak sentence: "You dare!"
The door slowly rebounded with her intense movements and closed in front of him with a "click".
Chen Huaixu reached out and touched his lips again, smiling silently.
Yan Zhen fled back to her room and lay in bed for a long time, her heart still pounding violently. Her mind was full of the kiss just now, and she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. The moment she closed her eyes, she saw Chen Huaixu's face so close to her. His strength seemed to still linger on her lips, and they seemed numb even now.
All the politeness and gentlemanliness were just a false appearance he put on in front of others!
"I'm so annoyed! I'm so annoyed!" She buried her head in the pillow depressedly, "I can't sleep. It's all your fault, Chen Huaixu!"
The next morning, the heavy rain had stopped, and the air was filled with a damp, fresh scent. Yan Zhen, with two huge dark circles under her eyes, walked down the stairs with unsteady steps.
Aunt Cui was busy at the dining table. She looked up and saw Yan Zhen and said with a smile, "That's great. Come and have breakfast."
She sat down, yawned, and asked, "Where's Chen Huaixu?"
"Mr. Chen got up early to exercise and just came back. He should be washing and changing clothes now."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs behind him. Chen Huaixu walked to the table, pulled out a chair and sat down, greeting politely, "Good morning."
He was dressed meticulously, his shirt buttoned neatly to the top, his back straight, calm and composed, still the perfect industry elite. However, the wound on his lip had formed a dark scab after a night, making it even more conspicuous.
Aunt Cui brought breakfast and exclaimed, "Mr. Chen, what's wrong with your lips?"
Yan Zhen panicked and kicked him under the table.
"It's okay." Chen Huaixu remained motionless. "I accidentally bit it while eating fruit."
He didn't take it seriously, and Aunt Cui didn't say anything more. Instead, she turned and went to the kitchen. Yan Zhen's heart gradually settled down.
Chocolate was scurrying around under the table, its soft fur rubbing against Yan Zhen's calves. Feeling a little itchy, she reached down to touch its head, then pointed at Chen Huaixu and said solemnly, "Remember this bad guy sitting next to you. He's Mom's enemy. Yell at him when you see him next time, okay?"
The Samoyed looked at her with its round black eyes, and then turned around and rubbed Chen Huaixu's legs affectionately.
Yan Zhen gritted her teeth and said, "I've raised you in vain, you little traitor!"
Chen Huaixu leaned over and stroked its snow-white fur. He was clearly in a good mood and asked, "What generation should I be?"
She said perfunctorily, "Uncle."
"Want to be my niece?"
She glared at him and said, "I didn't call you, so don't take advantage of me."
Chocolate leaned her head into his palm. He scratched her chin with his fingertips and concluded slowly, "It sounds better to call you daddy."
Yan Zhen thought he was pushing her too far: "You're dreaming, I'm your father."
After breakfast, Chen Huaixu drove to the company.
It wasn't office time yet, and not many people were in the office yet. Groups of three or four were chatting over coffee. They caught a glimpse of Chen Huaixu out of the corner of their eyes and immediately dispersed. "Mr. Chen, good morning."
"Good morning." He nodded, but found that they were all staring at his face in surprise.
He realized what they were staring at, but didn't react and walked towards his office as usual.
The discussion quietly exploded behind him, like a stone thrown into a pond, splashing layers of ripples and stirring up the stagnant morning.
When assistant Mo Cheng came in as usual in the morning to report the itinerary, he stared at Chen Huaixu's face for a long time.
"Have you seen enough?" Chen Huaixu tapped the table lightly with the tip of his pen, his tone full of calmness. "If you've seen enough, get back to work."
"Ah? Oh!" After he came to his senses, he lowered his head in panic.
It wasn't his fault. After all, Chen Huaixu was always meticulous and rigorous. Mo Cheng rarely saw him show any emotion, let alone a wound on such an ambiguous place as his lips. It was like a fine piece of white jade suddenly appearing with a tiny crack, making one want to explore the cause.
He calmed himself down and began to sort out the work one by one.
"... Newsweek would like to arrange an interview with you, tentatively scheduled for next week. Here's their initial draft plan. Please take a look."
Chen Huaixu quickly flipped through it and said, "Okay, let's send the interview transcript to the PR department for review first."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned to the last page and his eyes fell on a name: "Liang Yu? Is this interview the theme of a series?"
"Yes. They plan to invite young talents from various fields, including finance, law, architecture, and so on." Mo Cheng had heard of Liang Yu and casually mentioned him, "Mr. Liang Yu seems to be a very accomplished young photographer. He just won an award abroad and is returning to China soon."
Chen Huaixu remained silent for a long time. Mo Cheng was confused and asked, "Boss?"
He paused for a moment and said calmly, "I understand."
In the evening, Yan Zhen was curled up on the sofa and browsing on her tablet when she heard the sound of a car coming from the gate of the villa.
After a while, the door opened and clear footsteps were heard.
Without even raising her head, she said, "Young Master, have you finally decided to go home?"
Yan Zhaozheng took off his coat and handed it to Aunt Cui. Hearing this, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "Who made you unhappy again?"
Without waiting for Yan Zhen to answer, he said slowly: "Oh, I remember, Aunt Cui, was Huai Xu staying at our house last night?"
Upon hearing the name, Yan Zhen immediately sat up from the sofa and said, "It's all your fault. You insisted on making me go to that forum. Why didn't you tell me that he was going there too?"
Yan Zhao walked over to the sofa, sat down, and leaned back loosely. He picked up Chocolate, who was wagging his tail at him, and slowly stroked his fur, saying, "So what if he went? I didn't ask you to go see him. You two, one a guest and the other a tourist, I'm also very curious about how you met."
The brother and sister shared the same facial features, especially their eyes. But unlike Yan Zhen, Yan Zhao's eyes were more sharply curved. Even though he was always smiling, he didn't seem to have much softness in his eyes, making him perfect for playing the game of business.
Yan Zhen was speechless and fell back on the sofa in a depressed mood.
Sometimes, fate is really something mysterious.
After dinner, Yan Zhen wanted to go for a chocolate walk. Yan Zhao, who had no work to attend to after work, went out with her. The two of them strolled along the path in the villa area.
This hillside villa complex is located on the outskirts of the city, too far from the city center. Young people rarely live here, but the older generation prefers to retire here. After strolling for more than ten minutes, they encountered several elderly people taking their dogs for an after-dinner walk. Chocolate blended in with the dogs, having a great time.
At this time, Yan Zhao received a call from Lu Jingxuan.
"What's wrong?" He put one hand in his pocket and stood by the tree. The evening breeze blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness from the spring night.
Lu Jingxuan's tone was as off-key as ever: "Are you free this weekend? The Xishan Lakeview Hotel I invested in last time is having its soft opening. Let's go and have some fun, just to show our support."
"Lakeview Hotel?" Yan Zhao laughed. "Didn't they say at the time that the funding chain was broken and the project couldn't be completed?"
"I've already invested all my money, so how could I let it fail?" Lu Jingxuan sighed. "I begged and pleaded with everyone, and finally my second uncle lent a hand, but he also took control."
He sighed again in frustration, "I'll never do this kind of thing again. I've been so worried lately that I'm almost turning gray."
"Huai Xu warned you a long time ago that the joint investment party was not very reliable. You are too stubborn, who can you blame?"
"Blame me, blame me. The main thing I'm thinking about is that Xia and I are both involved in venture capital in sectors like technology and biology, so we might not even have a superficial understanding of real estate." Lu Jingxuan said with a hint of melancholy, "After a couple of drinks, I don't even believe what my brother says anymore. I've really fallen flat on my face this time."
Yan Zhao thought for a moment and said, "I should be free this weekend."
"Okay, then call a few more people and let's drive over. The mountain scenery along the way is quite beautiful."
After explaining everything that needed to be explained, Lu Jingxuan didn't hang up the phone: "That..."
"What's wrong?"
"Huai Xu...would you mind making a phone call for me?"
Yan Zhao casually moved the drooping leaves with his fingertips and said, "He doesn't want to go?"
"Not really." Lu Jingxuan hesitated. "I'm just worried. After all, I didn't listen to his advice. I'm afraid he'll have all sorts of thoughts in his mind when the time comes."
Yan Zhao laughed and said, "Do you think everyone is as sentimental as you? It's not his money that was lost. He'd be very lucky if you didn't blame him for not persuading him enough."
Lu Jingxuan was still sighing.
"How about this, find a helper." Yan Zhao looked at Yan Zhen squatting on the side and smiled thoughtfully, "I'll invite Chen Huaixu's ancestors over for you."
"Chen Huaixu's ancestor?" Lu Jingxuan was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized, "Your precious sister?"
"Xiaolu, you wouldn't mind arranging an extra room, right?"
"Why would I mind?" Lu Jingxuan was very happy, patting his chest, "If my sister wants to come, I will welcome her with open arms and feet! Even if I have to stick you and Chen Huaixu against the wall, I have to make sure our sister has a place to stay."
Chocolate went crazy when he met other puppies, and Yan Zhen couldn't stop him no matter how hard she tried. He jumped and danced around her, the leash wrapped around her calf. Yan Zhen squatted down to untie it, then turned to call Yan Zhao, "Brother, come and help."
Yan Zhao walked over to untie the rope for Yan Zhen and pulled Chocolate back. He was so strong that Chocolate could only watch his puppy go away unwillingly, flapping his legs and making pitiful whimpers in his throat.
He shook the phone he was on and gestured to Yan Zhen, "Are you free this weekend?"
"Hmm? I think there should be."
"Your brother Lu is having a soft opening at the Lake View Hotel in Xishan and invited me to come along. Do you want to come?"
Yan Zhen asked with some doubt: "Didn't they say the funding chain was broken?"
Lu Jingxuan cursed on the other end.
"How did this spread so widely? I've lost all my face!"
Yan Zhao smiled and said, "Anyway, he's done it. Let's drive there this weekend and stay overnight. Do you want to go?"
"Go!" Yan Zhen was very enthusiastic. "I've been waiting for my supervisor to be free recently, afraid that he will ask me to revise my thesis at any time. I dare not go far away. I'm so bored."
Yan Zhao suddenly sighed again and said, "Forget it."
Yan Zhen was a little confused and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I suddenly remembered that Chen Huaixu is going too." Yan Zhao pretended to be regretful and said, "After all, you don't want to see him, so forget it. I'll take you there next time when I'm free."
Although Lu Jingxuan's brain was not very bright, he could also understand what Yan Zhao was saying: "Yan Zhao, you..."
It's no wonder Yan Zhao and Chen Huaixu are good friends. Although they have different personalities, they are just as scheming as each other.
"What's wrong with him going? If he goes, can't I go too? Just because he breathes on Earth, can't I breathe?" Yan Zhen really took the bait and snorted, "I'm going there to have fun, so I don't care about him. If he doesn't like me, tell him not to go."
Yan Zhao smiled slightly and said to the other end of the phone, "Did you hear that, Xiaolu? The ancestor is leaving, so you have to take good care of him."
The weather was exceptionally good over the weekend. Daybreak arrived a little after six o'clock, and the hazy morning sun peeked out from afar, tinting the waking sky a rosy red.
Yan Zhen yawned as she got into Yan Zhao's car and was taken to the agreed location in a drowsy state.
There were already several luxury cars parked in the open space, shining brightly in the morning breeze.
The people who came today were all close friends, both men and women, and the atmosphere was very harmonious. Yan Zhen was always dignified in front of outsiders, so she politely followed Yan Zhao in greeting and recognizing everyone one by one.
When the topic turned to Chen Huaixu, Yan Zhao relaxed even more and started to tease, "Mr. Chen has been having a lot of fun lately. I've even vaguely heard about your scandal."
Gossip? Wen Yanzhen pricked up her ears attentively.
Chen Huaixu glanced at Yan Zhen inconspicuously and said, "It's just a broken lip. They like to make up stories out of their own imaginations. Do you believe that?"
He was wearing a camel-colored windbreaker today, which made him look taller and longer-legged. His shirt was not buttoned to the top as usual, but with two buttons loose and the collar casually folded, which unexpectedly made him look more casual.
Lu Jingxuan came over at this time, hooked his hands around the shoulders of the two people, and smiled at Yan Zhen: "It's been a long time since we last met, little sister. You are really getting more and more beautiful."
Yan Zhen was very pleased to be praised, so she reciprocated the compliment and said sweetly, "Brother Lu is becoming more and more handsome."
Lu Jingxuan laughed heartily and said, "Sister, have fun today. If you have any problems, come to me and I will protect you. If Chen Huaixu dares to bully you, come to me too! You, your cheap brother, can only watch the fun. I will support you."
Upon hearing this, Yan Zhen unconsciously glanced at Chen Huaixu, only to find that he was also looking at her.
Their eyes met, and he caught her red-handed. She glared back with a bluff. Chen Huaixu's lips curled slightly, and he looked away, immersing himself in the conversation beside him.
"Everyone's here, listen to me." Lu Jingxuan walked to the center of the crowd, flipped over and sat on the hood of the SUV, his long legs swaying casually, looking like a real dandy. "Thank you all for coming to support me today. We are all old friends, so I won't say too many polite words. In short, our purpose is to eat well, drink well, and have fun."
Someone applauded him, and he raised his hand to indicate that he hadn't finished speaking. "We'll start from here and drive to Khe Sanh. The whole journey will take about an hour and a half. To keep everyone from getting lonely during the drive, I've prepared a little game."
Someone raised an objection: "Lao Lu, are you crazy? How can you play games while driving?"
"Can't you just listen to me?" Lu Jingxuan snorted. "There are so many of us, an even number. We'll form a group of two. One will drive, and the other will play the game. If you want to switch, you can do so in the rest area. This game has three rounds, and it's not free play. The last place finisher in each round will be punished. The first round loser will cover all of our gas for the day. The second round loser will cover all of our drinks tonight. The third round loser..." He deliberately kept it a secret, "The punishment will be announced tonight."
"Lu Jingxuan, has this hotel with a broken capital chain bankrupted you? If you don't have any money, I can lend you some. There's no need to think of this method."
Lu Jingxuan was hit in the gut, instantly becoming furious and rolling up his sleeves as he jumped out of the driveway. "Why are you bringing up such a big issue? I think you're just itching for trouble."
The sound of laughter came from the crowd, and Yan Zhen sighed, "He looks so stupid."
Hearing this, Yan Zhao turned his head and looked at her, smiled, and said, "Don't criticize him either. You two are the same."
Yan Zhen: “What?”
Is there any brother who talks about his sister like this?
After a while of playing around, Lu Jingxuan straightened his messy hair, took a breath and said, "Okay, it's almost time, we're about to set off, hurry up and form a team."
He looked at Yan Zhao and Yan Zhen and said, "You two brothers, why don't you come together?"
"No!" Yan Zhen immediately refused, unwillingly saying, "I want to be in the same group with you."
What an idiot, he insisted on getting first place to prove it to Yan Zhao.
"Don't." Yan Zhao said slowly, "Your brother Lu is on the verge of bankruptcy, you'd better not harm him."
"What kind of trouble is this? You are the one—"
Yan Zhen suddenly stopped, vaguely feeling that the word sounded familiar—
"Really? Then you'd better be prepared to be in trouble with me. I won't let you go."
"At your service any time."
She immediately had an idea in her mind: "Then I will be in a group with Brother Huaixu."
As she spoke, she turned her head, smiled at the man beside her, and said, "Brother Huaixu, you won't disagree, right?"
Although the two of them didn't get along very well in private, Yan Zhen still had to maintain basic courtesy in front of outsiders, so she hypocritically called Chen Huaixu "brother".
She wasn't good at lying, and the ill intentions in her smile were too obvious. However, Chen Huaixu didn't say anything, but just gently tilted his head and said, "Get in the car."
Watching the two people walk away, Lu Jingxuan was a little confused and asked, "The sun rises from the west?"
"You're really stupid." Yan Zhao put his phone in his pocket. "Get ready to thank Mr. Chen tonight. Someone's picking up the bill."
The game that Lu Jingxuan prepared was playing cards.
In the first round, Yan Zhen either played the wrong card or gave up her home. In short, she couldn't win every time and "honorably" finished last. She looked at Chen Huaixu innocently and said, "I really don't know how to play. I'm so sorry."
Chen Huaixu didn't say anything.
In the second round, Yan Zhen sighed again, almost squeezing out a few tears, and said, "They are so good at playing cards! How come I lost again?"
She lowered her head, and her long black hair fell from her shoulders, covering her fair face, making her look quite pitiful.
If it weren't for the curve of her lips that betrayed her.
Chen Huaixu glanced at her.
In the third round, Yan Zhen saw that his goal of harming Chen Huaixu had been achieved, so he finally decided to show his skills and demonstrate his true level. However, he was still ruthlessly killed without a trace of his armor left.
"I……"
"I lost again, I know."
Thus, this little game in the car ended successfully with the Yan Zhen and Chen Huaixu team coming in last in all three rounds.
The car drove to the lakeside, and just in time, Lu Jingxuan organized everyone to set up the barbecue grill. Yan Zhen got up early to put on makeup and dress up, and she had just been concentrating on playing games in the car, so she was now drowsy. She was leaning against the car window with her head down, looking like she was about to fall asleep.
Lu Jingxuan thought she was unhappy because she lost, so he stepped forward to comfort her like a caring older brother, "Isn't it just a loss? It's okay. With Chen Huaixu here, how can I ask you to pay?"
Yan Zhen responded vaguely.
Lu Jingxuan studied her expression and said, "Are you carsick? Go lie down in the back seat for a while. I have some medicine in the car. Can I get you some?"
"No, I'm just a little sleepy." She rubbed her eyes. "I'll be fine in a while."
Yan Zhen climbed onto the back seat of the car to rest. In a daze, she heard the car door being opened and someone getting in.
She lifted her eyelids and found that it was Chen Huaixu. She yawned lazily and said coquettishly, "If you want to rest, go somewhere else. This place belongs to me."
Chen Huaixu answered the question irrelevantly and said slowly: "Do you know how much money I spent today?"
Yan Zhen was so sleepy that she said, "You earn so much, so what's wrong with spending a little? Don't be so stingy."
"Spending money is indeed nothing, but aren't you deliberately asking me to spend every penny?"
Yan Zhen felt a little guilty, hesitantly leaned to the other side, and answered the question irrelevantly: "I'm very sleepy, I need to take a nap."
Chen Huaixu raised his eyes and looked out the window, reached out and pressed the button, and the car window slowly rose and closed.
She was confused by the sudden darkness and just as she was about to open her eyes, a warm palm gripped the back of her neck and pulled her sideways with force. She was caught off guard, her shoulder colliding with his chest, and then her chin was pinched and lifted. Chen Huaixu lowered his head, looking into her eyes at a very close distance, and lowered his head to press closer.
That face magnified infinitely. She was stunned for a moment, then her whole face turned red. She reached out her hand and pushed him hard, saying, "Chen Huaixu, you..."
Chen Huaixu held her with one hand, restraining her so that she couldn't move, but his voice remained calm: "There are people outside."
Threatening openly.
Yan Zhen didn't dare to struggle now, and glared at him fiercely, feeling embarrassed and angry.
He lowered his eyes, stroked her cheek with his fingertips, and said, "According to what you said, I have always been a calculative person, so -
"Is it too much to ask for some compensation?"
His voice was very low, like a whisper between lovers, hot and ambiguous.
Yan Zhen inevitably thought of the kiss at the Yan family a few days ago.
Her hands went around the back of her neck, trying to pry his hands apart. He sensed her intention and tightened his grip even more, bringing their faces even closer, as if they were about to kiss in the next moment.
She was the first to lose her nerve and tried to reason: "What compensation do you want?"
Her lips opened and closed, accidentally brushing against his.
It was like a tiny spark falling on a pile of dry grass, and a raging fire instantly ignited, spreading across the prairie.
Chen Huaixu hugged her tightly and kissed her with his head tilted to the side.
Things always seem to happen this way. Going from zero to one is often a huge leap, but once you break through, the threshold for it to happen again will be infinitely lowered, and the level of acceptance will also increase accordingly.
For example, now.
Yan Zhen wanted to struggle, but she felt a little powerless. His actions were firm and did not give her any chance to refuse.
She looked at him with her eyes open, and as if they had telepathy, he happened to open his eyes too.
Their eyes met hers, and in his dark eyes, an indescribable strong emotion burst out.
Yan Zhen was a little afraid of his aggressive gaze and turned her head to avoid him, but he caught her again.
Chen Huaixu leaned forward and pressed her down on the seat.
It wasn't until someone approached the car and tried to open the door but couldn't, and the crisp sound of the handle bouncing back shook him, that he let go of her.
Yan Zhen took the opportunity to push him away, quickly scrambling to her feet and shrank back, her back pressed against the car door, creating some distance between them. Her hair was disheveled, her cheeks and ears flushed red. She glared at him fiercely, but it seemed coquettish and not aggressive at all, which only made him want to do something even more extreme.
Chen Huaixu looked away from her, pressed the car key to unlock it, turned around and opened the window. A cool breeze suddenly rushed in, blowing away the charming atmosphere in the car.
He deliberately blocked the view of people outside the car who were looking behind him and asked, "What's wrong?"
"What are you doing wrong? Why are you locking the car?" Lu Jingxuan complained casually, "It's your sister who's carsick, not you. Why are you dawdling in the car? Get out and work."
Yan Zhen closed his eyes and pretended to be dead.
"I have to pay for it and do the work. Isn't that unfair?"
"Didn't I let you rest for ten minutes? Are you still not satisfied?"
Chen Huaixu seemed to be in a good mood and didn't think too much of it. He said, "I'll be there right away."
After Lu Jingxuan walked away, he closed the car window again. Yan Zhen thought he was going to continue, so she subconsciously curled up and said through gritted teeth, "Chen Huaixu, you stingy guy, I'll just compensate you! Don't push your luck!"
He just reached out and pinched her cheek and said, "Go to sleep."
He took off his coat and covered her with it, then got out of the car.
The moment the door closed, Chen Huaixu heard her muffled voice: "Pervert!"
His fingertips stayed on the car door for a few seconds, then he retracted them, turned around, and did not refute what Yan Zhen had just said.
He is indeed a pervert, thinking about her for so many years.
After Chen Huaixu left, Yan Zhen couldn't fall asleep. His scent still lingered on her nose, making her feel numb and tingling. She looked out the window at his back and complained bitterly. She pulled a mirror from her bag and began to fix her appearance.
After confirming again and again that there was nothing unusual, she pushed open the door, got out of the car, and walked towards Yan Zhao.
Young Master Yan Zhao was sitting on a chair nearby, playing with his phone, looking quite relaxed. Yan Zhen found this a bit unbelievable and asked, "Everyone is busy, what are you doing here?"
"I'm done." Yan Zhao replied, "But you and Chen Huaixu stayed in the car for so long, what were you doing?"
"I was carsick and sleeping, so how could I know what he was doing?" Yan Zhen hurriedly changed the subject. "I haven't settled accounts with you yet. Why didn't you let me win in the last round? Are you happy to see your sister lose like this?"
Yan Zhao turned his head and squinted his eyes at her in the sunlight, smiling faintly, "Anyway, Chen Huaixu is paying, so what are you afraid of? You don't care about his money but not your brother's, do you?"
Yan Zhen was a little angry and pretended to pinch him. Yan Zhao dodged to the side, and the brother and sister played together, and the laughter lasted for a long time.
Everyone had a barbecue by the lake, and the afternoon was free for some activities: some went hiking, some played cards. Yan Zhen felt sleepy again, so she simply went back to her room and slept all afternoon. When she opened her eyes again, night had already fallen. Looking down from the hotel balcony, she saw a row of colorful lights lining the lake, suffusing and seeping into the endless night.
She tidied herself briefly and hurried upstairs. On the top floor of the hotel was a large open-air terrace, offering sweeping views of the river, mountains, and lake. Lu Jingxuan had argued with his co-investors for years over his insistence on building this frivolous platform, causing the project to be repeatedly delayed until its funding chain collapsed.
Now it seems that Yan Zhen feels that he still has some taste, although the price is very heavy.
A group of people had been drinking and chatting on the platform for a long time. When they saw Yan Zhen coming, someone laughed and said, "You really didn't arrive at the right time."
"What's wrong?"
"We are just about to carry out the third round of punishment. If you come later, Chen Huaixu will have to bear the punishment alone."
Yan Zhen felt a little unsure, so she asked, "What's the punishment?"
Lu Jingxuan carried two bottles of wine, opened them neatly, and placed them on the table. He said, "The most original way to play is Truth or Dare. Either you blow through a bottle within 30 seconds, or you answer a truth question."
She couldn't drink much, and asked hesitantly, "What's the truth?"
Yan Zhao raised his eyes and glanced at Lu Jingxuan, who was obviously a little drunk, and warned him, "Be more restrained."
He was drunk and his mouth was out of control, he could make any joke, so Yan Zhao certainly couldn't let him ask his sister dirty questions.
"Of course, who do you take me for?" Lu Jingxuan stretched out his hand and waved it, "Let's keep it simple tonight.
"How's the first person you liked doing now?"
After he finished speaking, he said excitedly, "How is it? Easy enough, right? Who of you will go first?"
Chen Huaixu picked up a bottle of wine and gestured calmly.
"Forget it, I knew your mouth was harder than iron." Lu Jingxuan looked at his watch, "The timer has started!"
Chen Huaixu was obviously not afraid of drinking. He drank a whole bottle without any sign of emotion.
It was Yan Zhen's turn. She hesitated for once: "I..."
Before he could finish his words, a hand reached out and picked up another bottle of wine. Everyone started whistling and cheering, and Chen Huaixu raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.
Yan Zhen looked at him with a little surprise.
As he swallowed, a little wine overflowed from his lips, dripping down crystal clear, wetting his neck and staining his Adam's apple, which slid up and down, with a shimmering watery light.
There's something inexplicably sexy about it.
In less than thirty seconds, Chen Huaixu finished another bottle. He tilted the bottle downward, indicating it was completely empty. The crowd cheered approvingly, and he raised his eyebrows slightly, a rare, sharp look between his usually calm features.
It was as if he was back to the summer when Yan Zhen first met him, on that basketball court where he was sweating profusely.
"Alright, alright." Lu Jingxuan saw that Chen Huaixu was trying to help Yan Zhen out, so he said, "You're brave, you're a hero saving the damsel in distress."
Yan Zhen followed Chen Huaixu back to his seat and frowned, saying, "You don't have to drink it. It's not like I can't answer this question."
"I don't want to hear it." His voice was faint. "Can I?"
Yan Zhen felt that his tone was very strange, as if he was in a bad mood.
But it was strange, she didn't force him to drink it.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
