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

James discreetly revealed the locations of bugs and pinhole cameras in Tan Guiren’s home. Now that Huo Shaoheng was in Tan Guiren’s home, he could find the equipment or destroy it. Huo Shaoheng smiled at Tan Guiren as he folded the letter and put it back into the envelope. “It’s still early, and I’m a bit thirsty.”

“Oh, come inside, then. I’ll make you tea…” Tan Guiren got excited because Huo Shaoheng had always refused to come inside previously, but now he willingly entered once he read the letter. Did this mean he wanted to give his thanks? Tan Guiren swiftly walked alongside Huo Shaoheng. “Mr… Mr. Gu, what should I call you?”

Huo Shaoheng looked at the yard’s layout as he felt the controls of the wireless electronic probe in his headset. There was not a bit of wireless interference or transmitting devices within five miles. James had truy cleaned up the place. Huo Shaoheng was able to feel a bit reassured. This time, he finally followed Tan Guiren inside her home. She turned around and ran into a room in her villa, appearing somewhat frazzled.

Huo Shaoheng’s smile didn’t change as he stood under the large tree before the iron gates with one hand carrying a tennis bag. The tree leaves fluttered gently making tiny sounds that melded with the distant crashing of waves. This was the sight Tan Guiren saw when she came back with James’ letter. Her heart hammered, and it was all she could hear in her ears. Tan Guiren remembered how Huo Shaoheng was only willing to stand at her door for a while before asking her for help.

The past was still fresh in her mind, and combined with their near death experience together, Tan Guiren, who was typically aloof with strangers and not skilled at socializing, somehow found herself not feeling awkward with Huo Shaoheng at all. It was like she had known him for a long time. Though they had just met, it felt like they’d known each other forever. Tan Guiren personally made a cup of Dahongpao tea for him and carried it over to set on the coffee table in front of Huo Shaoheng. A silvery-white royal jasmine along with a small copper Buddha figurine sat on the transparent, post-modern glass coffee table.

Huo Shaoheng nodded politely and picked it up with a smile. “This is Dahongpao? It smells pretty good.”

Tan Guiren cocked her head with a smile, her long, dark hair cascading like water. “You have great taste.”

Huo Shaoheng set the teacup down and stood up to walk in a circle to basically locate all the bugs and pinhole cameras James had notified him of. He reached into his trouser pockets to press on his phone, and the ringtone sounded. Taking it out to unlock, Huo Shaoheng spoke into it before saying to Tan Guiren, “Sorry, my friend is still waiting for me.”

“Oh…” Tan Guiren was a bit disappointed, because she thought she could spend a bit more time with Huo Shaoheng. However, she didn’t force him to stay and only replied politely, “Then you go ahead. Come back when you have time. My home will always be ready to welcome you.”

“Thank you.” Huo Shaoheng nodded and picked up his tennis bag to leave.

Tan Guiren walked him to door and started to speak but failed several times. She finally called out just as Huo Shaoheng was passing through the iron gates. “Can you leave me a phone number? That way I can directly contact you if you need anything else in the future.” This was the first time in all her life Tan Guiren had asked for a man’s phone number. In the past, all the men were desperately trying to ask for her number. She had been very annoyed but didn’t expect the tables to turn so that she would have to ask a man for his number one day. However, this was for business and to help him, right? Tan Guiren convinced herself with those excuses, but her heart hammered wildly, and she felt very warm from embarrassment.

Huo Shaoheng turned around to smile at her. “I’ll come find Miss Tan if I need anything. Goodbye.” He left just like that and didn’t leave a phone number after all. Tan Guiren was a bit disappointed as she stood under the large tree in front of her door. She watched Huo Shaoheng’s back disappear from view and reluctantly went back inside when she couldn’t see him anymore.

…

James visited Tan Guiren’s home again only a few days after Huo Shaoheng had left. He was now the Director of the CIA Asian Intelligence Branch, while Tan Guiren was the only daughter of the current popular candidate for the next Hua Xia Imperial Prime Minister, Tan Dongbang. She was living in the United States, and as the Director of the CIA Asian Intelligence Branch, James visiting her could be considered “monitoring.” No one could say anything to him, so James could come “visit” Tan Guiren from time to time, as this was part of his job and didn’t elicit any suspicion.

“Miss Tan, are you living comfortably here? Do you need our help with anything?” James asked politely. “Please let us know if you need anything at all.”

Tan Guiren quickly shook her head. “I’m quite comfortable here. It’s safer than the school. But…” She hesitated, “The letter you asked me to forward last time…”

“Oh? I would’ve forgotten if you didn’t mention it.” James laughed, his eyes focused on Tan Guiren’s face to read her true emotions from her expressions and to see if she was lying or not.

Tan Guiren set a brand new bottle of spring water on the coffee table in front of James. “Please enjoy.” She then continued, “Mr. Gu has already picked up the letter.”

James sighed deeply as if relieved from a great burden. “When did he come to pick it up? It seems like it’s been a long time already. I can’t even remember anymore.”

“Yeah, he didn’t come for a long time, and I couldn’t find him, either.” Tan Guiren spoke carefully, “It was after 16 days that he came back to my house.”

She actually remembered it so clearly. James cast a shocked look at her and couldn’t help smiling, as he could read her mind from the fading blush on her cheeks. It looked like this mysterious Major General Huo also had a weakness… No wonder he personally rescued her. It must have been because it was none other than Miss Tan. No wonder his people chose Tan Guiren as the hostage. They knew the relationship between those two. And Huo Shaoheng didn’t stay with Tan Guiren after rescuing her but tried his best to distance himself. From James’ perspective, it made sense. It was to protect Tan Guiren. To love her meant ignoring her, and that way she could stay safe. James thought about it from beginning to end and grew even more convinced his analysis made sense. He didn’t rely on Huo Shaoheng or Tan Guiren to publicly reveal their relationship, but James assumed he had discovered the truth from the clues.

He didn’t touch the bottled spring water Tan Guiren set in front of him before standing up to shake her hand. “Thank you for the help, Miss Tan. From now on, I’ll be stopping by Miss Tan’s home every three days to have tea. If Mr. Gu is free, he is welcome to join as well.”

Tan Guiren raised her brows in surprise. “You like tea as well? I should’ve served it earlier, then.” She didn’t like coffee and only liked everything that was rustic, like tea or water. She never touched coffee or other drinks. James was a Westerner, and although they also loved tea, it was different from the kind from the Hua Xia Empire. She thought he wouldn’t like Hua Xia tea.

“I love tea from the Hua Xia Empire,” James said before leaving.

Tan Guiren made sure to remember this, but Huo Shaoheng didn’t come for some time. It was not until one evening that the sky outside had suddenly darkened, thunder boomed, and the waves crashed on the ocean. Dark, oppressive clouds moved in from the edge of the sky, and the whole thing looked as if it were about to collapse. Although it was a frightening scene, the people living on the seashore were all accustomed to it. It was only a hurricane. Why would anyone living on the seashore still be scared by hurricanes? Anyone afraid would’ve moved away already, so everyone leisurely went on with their days. The TV stations had already predicted the hurricane a few days ago, and this one was named “Isabella.”

As the sea winds grew stronger, Tan Guiren was being driven back home in the caretaker’s by her servant, Mrs. Fen. Opening the iron gates with the remote, the car drove all the way into the garage. It was attached to the house, so they wouldn’t get wet getting out of the car. The truth was, the torrential rain from the storm had started to fall as soon as they drove into the garage. The sky seemed to be torn open, and the water from heaven’s river splashed down. The raindrops were so heavy, they nearly made welts in the ground. Getting out of the car, Tan Guiren quickly walked through the small door of the garage into the house.

Mrs. Fen brought in the food and supplies they bought from the trunk. Because of the hurricane and the risk of losing water and electricity, as well as the fact that roads would become dangerous, everyone was accustomed to stocking their fridges before the storm came.

Tan Guiren had just gone inside the house when she could hear the video phone on the living room wall begin to beep. The phone was connected to the main entrance outside, and visiting guests normally called the house through the video phone before they could come inside. She instantly froze when she glanced at the video phone. She instinctively looked at the falling rain outside and didn’t say anything before dashing outside.

Mrs. Fen just so happened to be bringing several large bags of food and toiletries into the living room when she saw the door wide open, and the howling storm bringing fierce wind and torrential rain inside. The cashmere carpet in the living room was instantly soaked. When she looked out the main entrance, she could see Tan Guiren’s running figure. Mrs. Fen was in shock as she set down the bags and from the door, she quickly picked up the large black umbrella she normally used. She also ran out into the rain and shouted, “Miss! Miss! It’s storming! You need an umbrella!”

Tan Guiren ignored her calls. All she could see was the rain-soaked figure standing close to the iron gates! She had seen Huo Shaoheng standing outside her gates in the video phone just now! It was raining so hard, he must be completely soaked! Tan Guiren panted as she ran to the front of the yard and quickly opened the iron gates. She moved aside. “Hurry inside! Why didn’t you bring an umbrella with this kind of rain?”

Huo Shaoheng carried his tennis bag and was holding a racket as he walked inside. He glanced at Tan Guiren, “Thank you.”

Tan Guiren actually didn’t have an umbrella, either, and was already completely wet after walking only a few steps. Her silk dress totally clung to her body, revealing the beautiful shape of her breasts, slim waist, and long legs. Her hair was also wet. The rainwater dripped down her slender neck and into the shadows of her cleavage. By then, Mrs. Fen had already arrived with the large black umbrella and quickly covered Tan Guiren with it. She kept sneaking glances at the rain-soaked Huo Shaoheng. He was still in the same tennis outfit and wearing large sunglasses. He looked at Mrs. Fen’s curious expression. “Hurry inside, your mistress is all wet now. I came to play tennis and got caught in the storm, so I wanted to get some shelter from the rain.”