The moonlight was soft, shadows overlapping.
Huo Rou had no mind for anything else, and in the dark, bumpy ride, she clutched Qin Ningyi’s neck.
This feeling of complete surrender was quite… rare.
Qin Ningyi slowed his steps on the stairs, his deep voice chuckling, "I won't let you fall."
"Mhm," Huo Rou responded softly. "I know."
"You… don't…"
Before she could finish, her words were scattered by the autumn wind.
She only saw autumn leaves swirling outside the window, dancing wildly in the wind.
Qin Ningyi chuckled softly, "Don't what?"
"Why are you like this today?"
Huo Rou's voice was husky, scratching at his heart, making him itch.
Qin Ningyi held her easily, leaning against the railing, refusing to move.
He asked innocently, "What's wrong with me?"
Huo Rou felt a touch of annoyance. "Are you jealous?"
As her voice trailed off, the wind outside grew stronger.
The branches of the trees trembled violently in the wind.
Qin Ningyi looked at the trembling branches and listened to the whimpering sound in his ears.
He asked in a lingering tone, "Eat what?"
Huo Rou fell silent.
Allowing a pond of autumn water to ripple endlessly.
Huo Rou was so tired that she fell asleep well past midnight.
Qin Ningyi looked at her peaceful sleeping face and gently kissed her.
Just then, Huo Rou's phone screen lit up.
He glanced at the message notification, it was from Si Nian.
"He won't confess, he wants to see you."
A simple and clear sentence.
It was Si Nian's usual style.
Won't confess…
Qin Ningyi pondered for a moment, then found an eye mask to shield Huo Rou from the light, and picked up his phone to send a message.
Walkerbit…
He should be from Country M.
He could still manage to inquire about someone.
Huo Rou slept exceptionally soundly, and when she woke up, it was almost noon.
Qin Ningyi had actually moved a desk and was sitting by her side, handling official business.
Huo Rou turned over, burying half her face in the quilt, and looked at him. "You didn't go to the company?"
Huo Rou's voice was tinged with the huskiness from the autumn wind. Qin Ningyi turned his head and saw the laziness in her eyes.
Qin Ningyi was mesmerized, his gaze lingering on her features.
A beauty waking up, like a delicate orchid blooming.
Unaware of her fragrance, she was incomparably beautiful.
"It's getting colder today," he lowered his head and kissed her moist eyes. "Warming your bed."
She was really getting more and more brazen.
Huo Rou's gaze deliberately fell on the air conditioner switch not far away.
The meaning was obvious.
He avoided the topic and just smiled, asking her, "Are you getting up?"
"Mhm."
Qin Ningyi once again provided thoughtful service. Huo Rou looked at his slow-moving fingers and, crossing her arms, reminded him, "I'm cold."
"The air conditioner is on."
Qin Ningyi paid no mind to his inconsistency, changing Huo Rou's clothes at his own pace, and then took her to wash up and go downstairs.
The dishes in the kitchen had been kept warm, waiting for her to wake up from her sleep.
Qin Ningyi ladled out the soup and placed it by her hand. "An An specifically instructed this before she left, a nourishing meal."
Huo Rou looked at the ingredients in the soup and recalled An An's lengthy list, guessing the flavor of this soup.
"Can I not drink it?" she felt her body didn't need such replenishment…
Qin Ningyi looked at the emotion in her eyes, released by her own doing. "No."
He said it matter-of-factly, but his heart was already soft to the core.
Huo Rou, perhaps without realizing it herself, was slowly letting her guard down.
…in front of him.
Qin Ningyi couldn't suppress a smile at this thought. He scooped a spoonful of soup with his spoon. "Shall I feed you?"
Huo Rou looked at the smile in his eyes, feeling a bit vexed.
She could already imagine what this soup, brewed with those ingredients, would taste like. It wouldn't be good.
She didn't want to drink it…
"Come, drink the soup and eat something. I have something to tell you."
Qin Ningyi dangled a lure, gently coaxing her to open her mouth.
Huo Rou had no choice but to control her expression and take a sip.
"Oh?"
The moment her eyes lit up, Qin Ningyi's smile bloomed completely.
"The cooking isn't bad, is it?" Qin Ningyi ruffled her head and scooped another spoonful for her. "Compared to the ginseng cake and dendrobium soup?"
Huo Rou looked at his smug expression and "pffft"ed with laughter.
Her eyes twinkled, and she cleared her throat.
As if answering a different question, she said, "君美甚，徐公何能及君也?"
She swayed her head after reciting the phrase and, smiling, took the bowl from his hand.
Under Qin Ningyi's gaze, she drank it all in one go.
Qin Ningyi's eyes were filled with tender affection. He lowered his voice, looking at her intently, and murmured.
"吾妻之美我者，私我也."