Gu Nianzhi was so immersed in the kiss that she didn’t know that her own plump lips were also irresistible to Huo Shaoheng. Seeing that she was about to slide onto the floor, Huo Shaoheng quickly supported her head with one hand and lifted her up to prop against the sofa. He pressed against her, tongue delving between her lips. This time, the pair didn’t seem to require skillful kissing to make the each other pant. Their bodies grew more sensitive and electricity seemed to flow between their lips, bringing on waves of numbness and sparks.
Gu Nianzhi encircled her arms with satisfaction, embracing Huo Shaoheng’s neck and muttering against his lips, “…When can we kiss in public?”
Huo Shaoheng, “…Never.”
“Why not?” Gu Nianzhi smiled mischievously as she stuck out a finger to separate her lips from Huo Shaoheng’s, “So many people kiss in front of others too. Sometimes the moment is right and you can’t help it.”
“Well, then you have to keep trying and when you finally seduce me, I’ll… kiss you in front of other people.” Huo Shaoheng’s voice was calm and even, but it made Gu Nianzhi’s heart thud uncontrollably.
“Really? Don’t lie to me?”
“When did I ever lie to you?”
“Fine, I’ll keep trying!” Gu Nianzhi rubbed her firts and was about to make a vow.
Huo Shaoheng rubbed her head and gave a conflicted took before kissing her forehead.
“Nianzhi, give me some time to think about this.”
His voice was so gentle that Gu Nianzhi was drunk on it and didn’t react to the words until a while after. She immediately climbed on him to grab his collar, asking anxiously, “What you mean think about this?! Didn’t you agree already! You promised that you’re mine if I can seduce you!”
Huo Shaoheng pulled his hand away with a smile, “I just said that to test you, and you really believed it?”
“Don’t test me like that!” Of course I believed it!” Gu Nianzhi panicked, “I knew you have a special status, and I’ll accommodate you, just don’t… just don’t back out now, ok?” Her eyes were full of fear and helplessness, like a child who was about to have her favourite toy taken away. She looked at him with innocence and grief, and the feeling of complete trust and reliance was like a gentle arrow that struck Huo Shaoheng in the heart.
“Fine, I won’t back out. But you have to be good, ok?” Huo Shaoheng gave her a hug, “Ok, it’s getting late, go back to your room to sleep.”
Gu Nianzhi took her time and refused to go, whispering to him, “Then Huo Shao, can you at least keep your door open so I can see the light from my room?”
Huo Shaoheng silently looked at her for a while. When Gu Nianzhi first became under his care, she had just received a great shock and was timid, so she used to slept on a little bed in his room. As she grew up, she moved to her own room but he still kept his light on before she fell asleep, so she wouldn’t get scared. They did this up until she left for college. Now that Gu Nianzhi was requesting this again, it must mean he gave her too much pressure and frightened her? Huo Shaoheng grazed her lips with his thumb to feel the soft tenderness and a gentle expression appeared on his face, “Ok, I’ll keep my door open until you asleep.”
“Huo Shao treats me the best!” Gu Nianzhi broke into a huge grin and hugged his neck, tilting her head to proceed with another unreasonable request, “Then you can carry me back to my room tonight!” Carrying her out would mean that they would pass the hallway with 24 hour surveillance cameras, and that meant they would be exposed…
Huo Shaoheng saw through her little trick, “…No, you go back yourself.” As he spoke, he rose up and returned to his desk to continue working. Gu Nianzhi’s ploy failed, so she could only rub her nose and return to her room alone. But when she shut off the lights in her room, she found that Huo Shaoheng’s door was probably open. Light seeped through from across the hallway, and the dim yellow light stretched into long and narrow pools by her door. She instantly felt warmth. When a person truly loved another, even simply basking in the same light was enough to fill their heart with happiness. Gu Nianzhi smiled as she closed her eyes and prepared to fall asleep. Before she totally passed out, she could sense Huo Shaoheng walk in and stand at her bedside for a while. She laid on the bed, covered with a light down duvet. She opened her groggy eyes to stare at Huo Shaoheng’s strapping figure and handsome jawline, muttering, “Huo Shao…”
“Yeah, I’m here. Sleep now.” Huo Shaoheng bent over to adjust he blankets and kissed her forehead, “Goodnight.”
“You sleep early too, don’t stay up again…” Gu Nianzhi murmured, but her conscious as getting blurry and she quickly fell asleep. A faint smile flashed across Huo Shaoheng’s impassive face.
…
Gu Nianzhi slept deeply that night and didn’t toss and turn at all. She woke up early next morning in a great mood and voluntarily ran ten laps in the track of the headquarters base. January was very cold in the Imperial capital, a light frost was in the air and fog swirled in the distance. The sun shone with a pale yellow glow through the thick fog, appearing like pieces of egg yolk in a fried egg. It felt incredibly intimate. Donning black sportswear, camo pants, camo print sneakers and a ponytail, Gu Nianzhi’s forehead beaded with sweat. Her fair skin was rosy and carried the glow of perkiness and youth after a workout when she returned to Huo Shaoheng’s official residence.
“Oh, Nianzhi went for a run so early? Let me see, did the sun hadn’t rise from the west? –It’s still from the east!” Yin Shixiong saw Gu Nianzhi at the entrance to the dining room and joked with her.
Gu Nianzhi waved her fists at him, “Brother Xiong, I’m now a great athlete. Don’t mess with me!”
“I’m so scared! I’m totally scared! Forgive me Captain Gu!” Yin Shixiong quickly began to bow for mercy and made Gu Nianzhi giggle.
Zhao Liangze carried his breakfast and was walking towards the dining room when he passed by Gu Nianzhi. He sniffed the air purposely, “Oh my! How many days ago did you shower, Nianzhi? You reek of sweat!”
“What do you mean! I just showered yesterday!” Gu Nianzhi was so mad she immediately forgot about Yin Shixiong and blocked Zhao Liangze’s way, “Smell again! You must’ve smelled wrong! I can’t smell anything!”
“Let me smell…” Zhao Liangze was used to joking around with Gu Nianzhi, so he immediately leaned forward so far that his head nearly touched her cheek, “I’ll have a sniff! Hmm–Very… sweet!”
Gu Nianzhi shrunk her neck back and just giggled, “Hey! You didn’t have to be so close!” Suddenly, she heard Zhao Liangze scream as he was picked up and thrown to the side. He stumbled a few steps back and hurriedly protected his plate of food, turning around to shout, “Big Xiong, you want to die!”
However the one standing in front of Gu Nianzhi was an expressionless Huo Shaoheng. Yin Shixiong was winking beside him as he tried to not laugh.
Zhao Liangze deflated immediately and chuckled, “…Mr. Huo, don’t get angry. I was just playing around with little Nianzhi, just playing…”
“I know.” Huo Shaoheng nodded calmly, “But she’s grown up now and can’t act like a kid anymore.”
“Yes, Chief!” Zhao Liangze and Yin Shixiong immediately answered in unison, snapping their heels together in salute.
Feeling awkward, Gu Nianzhi muttered from behind Huo Shaoheng, “Huo Shao, Brother Ze didn’t do anything. They won’t dare to play with me again if you talk like that.”
Huo Shaoheng glanced at her and didn’t bother replying before walking to the dining room.
Gu Nianzhi shuffled around the door with her head down and didn’t want to go in, so she went back to her room to shower. Huo Shaoheng sat down in the dining room and noticed that Gu Nianzhi didn’t actually follow him in. He glanced at the door.
Zhao Liangze hastily tried to butter Huo Shaoheng up, “Mr. Huo, Nianzhi is throwing a tantrum. She got upset from being scolded by you, so she went back to her room without having breakfast.”
“Yes, yes, yes! The young lady’s temper is getting worse! We’ve got to educate her! It won’t do to not educate her!” Yin Shixiong decided to join in the fun, but secretly supported Gu Nianzhi. Little Nianzhi was the first person in the Special Ops to defy Mr. Huo!
“Really?” Huo Shaoheng shifted his gaze to glance at Zhao Liangze and Yin Shixiong, “Since you two are so nosy, did you become the apprentices of Chen Lie?”