Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Huo Shaoheng took the wine bottle away from her hand with a straight face, “You’ve finished drinking it. There’s no more.”

Song Jinning could hold her liquor really well. She laughed while looking at the Gu Nianzhi who was almost drunk, and told Huo Shaoheng: “Nianzhi cannot hold her liquor well. Don’t allow her to drink outside in the future.”

Huo Shaoheng understood. He responded casually to Song Jinning, helping Gu Nianzhi up by holding her waist: “You should watch your alcohol intake as well, although this is red wine, the effects must be strong after having this much.”

Smiling, Song Jinning stood up and pushed her chair aside. Shaking her head, she replied: “This is really nothing, wines like these, I can drink at least 2 bottles in a go.”

Huo Shaoheng: “…”

After thinking through, Huo Shaoheng filled Song Jinning about the meeting, which involved her today. “You’ll be able to return to work at the Institute of High Energy Physics after the New Year. Bai Jinyi has been sentenced; the board intends to have you take over the position of Director for the Institute.”

Song Jinning nodded. She did not seemed surprised at all, “I don’t mind not being the director if there was anyone better than me, but if there isn’t, I wouldn’t be happy doing research under an incapable leader.”

It’s in the nature of scientists to have this pride in them.

Huo Shaoheng understood this characteristic about his mother. That was the reason why he arbitrated for her.

Even though she was ill for 16 years and has almost lost touch with the outside world, her achievements were still legendary till date.

Based on experience and capabilities, no one was her match in the Institute. Not even now.

“You can use the time during the New Year to look through the achievements from the Institute for these past years. This might help you to get better in line with the research direction in the future.” Huo Shaoheng was still holding Gu Nianzhi by her waist, and left the restaurant with Song Jinning. “The army hopes to continue with the research.”

If not, there was no reason to risk offending the technical department and cabinet just to push her back to the position of being the Director.

Even though Song Jinning had the talent and capabilities, she was ill for a good 16 years. Her network and contacts in the industry have been gone long ago.

The Bai’s were definitely not going to support her. The army accepted Huo Shaoheng’s suggestion of letting her be director based on being the sole survivor of the previous research.

Song Jinning nodded, “I hope to restart the research as well, I needn’t return to the institute if not for this.”

On top of that, there were the data received from the telecommunications company in Huo Guanyuan’s personal phone. Song Jinning had been thinking about them over and over again; she already had a rough idea what was going on. She couldn’t wait to support her hypotheses with research.

Each time her the research sparked her interest, she wouldn’t be able to think of other things anymore; just like that, she left for the level three.

Huo Shaoheng smiled as he looked at the disappearing back of Song Jinning; he understood her curiosity too well. Carrying Gu Nianzhi, he entered her room.

Darkness engulfed him as the door closed behind him; the lights in the house were turned off.

After placing Gu Nianzhi onto the sofa, he intended to turn the lights on.

Darkness encourages boldness in people, they say.

Albeit drunk, Gu Nianzhi wasn’t unconscious. She knew that Huo Shaoheng was the one who brought her into the room. She didn’t want him to leave. Pulling him onto the sofa, she pulled him by the collar, wanting to be close to him.

Even though he was rugged, his lips were soft. Gu Nianzhi loved kissing him.

Her heart was beating furiously. Using her newfound courage due to the alcohol, she held on tightly to his collar, refusing to let go. She kissed him over and over again, like she was devouring a delicious cake.

Huo Shaoheng did not move. He remained seated on the sofa casually, while Gu Nianzhi looked like an accessory on him. She seemed drunk, but he wasn’t sure if she was conscious.

After a while, she realized that he wasn’t responding. He was merely holding her by the waist in an attempt to not let her fall.

Shame filled Gu Nianzhi all of a sudden. She stood up abruptly, and ran out of the room.

“…Where are you going? This is your room. Are you that drunk?” Huo Shaoheng held out his arm and pulled her back into his arms. He took some wet wipes from the coffee table and cleaned her face gently, “You’ve had too much to drink, please rest early.” Carrying her in a swift motion, he brought her into her bedroom.

He carried her into the bedroom just like that, her head buried in his arms.

The main light wasn’t turned on in the house; but Gu Nianzhi’s room had a light which was turned on all the time – it lights up automatically when it’s dark. A warm yellow light that calms people well.

What Gu Nianzhi did not know, was that Huo Shaoheng already got people to bring in the night light that Gu Nianzhi was used to using when he was building this mansion.

The door to her bedroom opened, the warm yellow light poured upon them.

Huo Shaoheng carried her in, and closed the door with a light kick.

He wanted to put her down onto the bed, but Gu Nianzhi struggled, wanting to get off him, mumbling: “Bathroom…”

She still knew that she had to wash up before turning in.

Huo Shaoheng couldn’t argue with her. He carried her into the bathroom, made sure she was standing properly before leaving.

Gu Nianzhi looked into the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, and lips, red. She looked like a newly blossomed rose in summer.

Patting her face lightly, she held her toothbrush and brushed her teeth thoroughly.

She was still groggy, so quite a bit of water splashed onto her chest as she was washing up.

Her silk white top was wet. No matter what she did, she couldn’t dry it. It made her really uncomfortable.

She tried cleaning with a dry towel; nope, it was still wet. She decided to unbutton the row of pearl buttons in front of her chest.

But she was drunk; and her actions were not steady. It was going to be a chore having to unbutton so many pearl buttons.

She opened them one by one, but the buttons kept slipping out of her fingers. She couldn’t even unbutton a single one.

“Stop moving! I’m going to hit you if you move!” Gu Nianzhi scolded the buttons.

Huo Shaoheng had been standing in Gu Nianzhi’s room for while now. He was contemplating if he should leave now, or wait until Gu Nianzhi was done washing up.

Just then, he heard Gu Nianzhi’s voice from the bathroom. It was loud.

Stunned, he walked over and opened the door to the bathroom.

He was greeted with a Gu Nianzhi whose head was lowered, facing the mirror.

She was halfway through trying to unbutton her top.

Huo Shaoheng gulped. He couldn’t move.

Gu Nianzhi was extremely frustrated at herself for being unable to unbutton her top. She frowned, tightened her jaws, and tore her top open.

Huo Shaoheng finally found his voice. Hoarsely, he said: “Stop tearing…”

Gu Nianzhi heard the voice from behind. She was still a little slow in response.

She turned around. Almost crying, she told Huo Shaoheng: “…Can’t open the buttons.”

Huo Shaoheng tightened his grip on the door.

He mist in the bathroom stopped him from seeing Gu Nianzhi clearly, even though she was just standing there. Everything looked like a dream.

Her skin was milky white, but her face, flushed.

Her eyes were huge, but her brows, thin. It softened her curious eyes that often dart around.

When she looked at you with those eyes that were filled with unjust, it just feels like you are going to melt.

Utilizing all the control he had, Huo Shaoheng walked over and knelt down: “…I’ll help you.”

His long fingers were calloused but warm. They brushed across the skin on her chest, again and again, and gave her butterflies in her stomach.

Gu Nianzhi lowered her head, and saw that Huo Shaoheng’s head was directly in front of her chest, fingers moving in quick motions, unbuttoning the buttons for her.

Huo Shaoheng tried his best to not have any skin to skin contact with her, but the buttons were way to small; it wasn’t an easy task.

She felt herself going weak, so she quickly supported herself on the graphite counter to prevent herself from falling.

It was so quiet in the bathroom, you can hear the both of them breathing.

It felt awkward, but at the same time, it felt like something was emerging.

Huo Shaoheng broke the awkward silence. He gulped and asked, as he was unbuttoning the buttons: “…have you showered?”

Gu Nianzhi nodded frantically: “Yes, I spent the entire afternoon showering.”

Huo Shaoheng: “…”

“Why would you still want to remove your clothes when you’ve already showered?”

“…It became wet when I was washing up.”

Huo Shaoheng’s throat tightened. You could see the veins popping up from his forehead, “…When did you get this? The amount of buttons is endless.”

It wasn’t exactly about the number of buttons; the point was that they were tiny and made of pearls, so they were extremely fragile.

Huo Shaoheng had immense strength. He felt that he could’ve crushed the buttons if he wasn’t careful.

“Hmm,” Gu Nianzhi replied. She turned around and looked at the mirror behind her, and grumbled, “Bought it last year, it isn’t pretty?”

The small and tiny pearl buttons trailed directly up to her neck. According to her roommate in university, it looked seductive…

Huo Shaoheng pursed his lips. He finally managed to undo the last button.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Nianzhi’s eyes met Huo Shaoheng’s. She very much wanted to look into his thoughts, to know what was on his mind.

She couldn’t, though, the moment she looked at him, she felt warm and fuzzy all over.

Huo Shaoheng remained on one knee, and looked at Gu Nianzhi quietly. He began to feel something burning within him.

Gu Nianzhi could only hear a couple of pops. The next thing she knew, the hooks of her brassiere gave way…

How could her brassiere give way just because he looked at them? Such lecherous brassiere…

Gu Nianzhi couldn’t think anymore.

——

He hugged her tightly; this skin to skin contact was the only way she felt close to him, like they’re a couple.

Her hands went round Huo Shaoheng’s neck, feeling his muscles, and softly trailed down to his shoulders.

She gripped onto his shoulders; they were so firm to the touch. She loosened her grip; she was worried she’d hurt him. Who knew, when she gripped tightly, the strength in his hands increased as well.

She let out a moan; ready to let whatever happens, happen…

How addicted Huo Shaoheng was.

He tried so hard to put that memory behind, but his bodily reactions were honest; the moment their bodies were in contact, his body remembered everything.

That alluring night, that sense of closeness… He had to stop himself before he lost control again.

Gu Nianzhi couldn’t contain her nervousness. She whispered into his ear: “Hu Shao, this is my first time…”

First time…

These three words worked like a pail of ice-cold water, it totally cleared his mind.

His hands stopped moving. He stopped in his tracks, and sighed heavily.

He was so out of control just now…

Huo Shaoheng pursed his lips tightly, pulled the baby pink bathrobe from the door, wrapped Gu Nianzhi up snugly and carried her out of the bathroom.

He covered her with her quilt, picked up a black t-shirt, threw it to her and told her: “Change into your nightgown. Have an early rest. We have a shopping trip tomorrow.”

Narrowing her eyes, looking at Huo Shaoheng, Gu Nianzhi panted lightly under her quilt. She was overwhelmed with emotions. She couldn’t tell if she was happy or regretful.

Just a little more; just a little more and she would be his person…

She really wanted to save herself for Huo Shaoheng, because she loves him. She wanted to be together with him. She could only be happy if he was happy.

“Huo Shao…” Gu Nianzhi bit her lips. Throwing her bathrobe from under her quilt, she put the t-shirt over her head. Pouting, she asked, “…Don’t you like me?”

Huo Shaoheng caressed her head, “You’re thinking too much,.”

Gu Nianzhi wanted to know the reason of him stopping all of a sudden just now. He was already somewhere there, but he still had too much rationality in him.

Gu Nianzhi knew that he was a man who was extremely rational; lot of self-control.

But when she thought about how his rationality won his feelings towards her, she was really upset about it.

It was almost like; he didn’t love her if he didn’t ‘devour’ her just now…

She knew that it was wrong to think like that, it was extreme and superficial, but she just could not control herself.

Huo Shaoheng did not wish to continue with the discussion. He sat on her bed and tucked her in, “Where would you like to go tomorrow? Have you thought about it?”