Chapter 34

Slightly Sweet You (04)

Chapter Thirty-Four

"So, can I pursue you?

Miss Mu Yangyang."

Already dizzy from his kiss, Mu He was completely stunned now.

She could hear every word clearly, yet she didn’t understand what it meant.

Wait, why did he speak her line?

He wants to pursue her?

Wasn’t he never someone who took the initiative to chase anyone?

Is he confessing to her?

Wait, how did the topic shift from her failed confession to him confessing instead?

Also, didn’t he only consider her a friend? Then why did he kiss her?

No, no, Mu He felt her brain couldn’t handle it. She needed to calm down, but with this huge source of disturbance in her arms, she couldn’t, so she let go, took two steps back, and turned around.

Her childish move made Huo Shiheng smile slightly.

Tonight was New Year’s Eve. After dinner, he rushed back from Fuchun City to Jinyue Bay. When he entered the house and didn’t see her, he knew she was still outside. He came downstairs so she could see him sooner.

It was expected that she would rush to hug him, but the confession shouldn’t come from her.

So, even if the situation wasn’t ideal, he directly laid his cards on the table. Seeing her stunned expression was exceptionally endearing, so following his heart, he kissed her.

In the coldest winter, Mu He felt her whole body heat up, unable to resist biting her lips, which still seemed to carry the warmth of his. A blush spread across her cheeks, even her ears flushed thoroughly.

Going over everything that happened since meeting him, she felt both excited and shy. Her heart was so full of joy it might overflow. Her lips curled uncontrollably, truly wanting to run three thousand meters. Thinking he was still behind waiting for her reply, she didn’t want to leave. Jumping around would look too silly, so she simply crouched down.

She wanted to laugh, yet her eyes somehow welled up with tears.

She was like a gambler cornered, playing her last chip, ready to lose. But before even getting to the table, she was told—the wealth of the world was hers.

Then, what was there to wait for?

Mu He stood up too quickly, her legs went numb. She ignored it and threw herself back into his arms, her face completely red, eyes sparkling like stars: "No need to chase, I’m willing to be your girlfriend."

Huo Shiheng didn’t seem surprised to hear this answer, his voice gentle even in the wind and snow: "No second thoughts?"

A snowflake landed on her neck. Mu He shivered, giving all her weight to him: "No."

Why would she reconsider?

Only a fool would. This was her dream come true, all as she wished.

She nuzzled happily against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, strong and rhythmic like hers. Besides the kiss just now, she found more proof of his feelings.

Earlier, on the road down from Banruo Temple, when he carried her, the heartbeat she heard—was it his?

"Xi Heng, when did you start liking me?"

Huo Shiheng gently brushed the snow from her hair: "When you didn’t know."

Mu He: "……Does it even matter if you answer?"

After nightfall, the temperature dropped sharply. He took her coat and hat and covered her: "Let’s go inside."

Mu He reached out, touching the back of his hand. He wrapped it in his palm naturally, warmth spreading through her. She lightly scratched, and he held her tighter.

The room maintained a constant warm temperature, like spring, just like Mu He’s current euphoric mood. She put her coat on the sofa and sneezed to the side.

Huo Shiheng pulled out a tissue for her: "Go shower first."

"No."

Mu He took it, wiped, crumpled it, and tossed it in the trash, shaking their intertwined hands: "Hold it a bit longer."

Huo Shiheng could only let her.

His hands were beautiful, his face handsome, his entire being perfect. From now on, he was hers.

It was still unbelievable. Previously, she tried everything to get him, worried he might leave and not return, or even if he came back, he might belong to another woman. Now they were officially together?

She really wanted to post on Weibo to announce to the world that Mu Yangyang had a boyfriend!

But she could only imagine it.

Now that she had a boyfriend hidden in the golden house, she needed to work hard, earn more to support him, have cars and houses, maybe even buy this apartment outright so she wouldn’t worry about the company finding out…

Mu He’s heart raced more and more thinking about it.

"Mu Yangyang?"

Huo Shiheng saw her lost in thought and reminded her: "It’s late."

Mu He knew she couldn’t delay any longer. Reluctantly, she let go and went back to her room.

Half an hour later, she came out of the bathroom. Her snow-white skin was radiant, eyes glistening wet. She lay on the bed, rolling in the covers, raising her hand to write his name in the air, each stroke filled with sweetness.

On this annual reunion night, her boyfriend was just a wall away. She had no reason to sleep alone.

From experience, Mu He grabbed the blanket and knocked on the next room’s door, entering. Her excuse was strong: "What if tomorrow I wake up and you’re gone?"

Huo Shiheng had already showered, wearing deep blue striped pajamas, leaning against the bedhead. He noticed her long hair on the pillow, her unique scent—it wasn’t hard to see that during her absence, she had slept here.

His heart was softened again. He lay down, patting the bed: "Come up."

Mu He climbed onto the bed with the blanket, obediently lying beside him, yet her restless hand reached out through two layers of covers, finding his hand and holding it.

Still not satisfied, she slowly shifted closer, peeking at him from the corner of her eyes. Her courage grew; she moved completely into his side of the bed, wrapping her arms around his lean waist, feeling content.

While bathing, she had sorted out many questions.

The most important first: "Was the engagement really cancelled?"

Huo Shiheng murmured, "Mm."

It took quite some effort. Huo Yue’s side was fine, but the biggest obstacle was the old master. As the head of the Huo family for over thirty years, changing his mind wasn’t easy. Fortunately, after much effort, he was persuaded.

Mu He curiously asked: "How was it cancelled?"

Huo Shiheng replied succinctly: "A cousin was very keen on this marriage, so I went along with it."

"Your family is this chaotic?"

Won’t it be awkward when everyone meets in the future?

He smiled without answering, ruffling her hair.

Mu He asked again: "And the double-headed eagle ring, what’s the meaning behind it?"

Since he liked her, the ring couldn’t just symbolize friendship.

Huo Shiheng chuckled before saying: "That’s not a double-headed eagle."

"Ah, then what is it?"

"Black eagle and white crane."

Mu He half-understood: "White crane is me, black eagle is you?"

Thinking about the design of them being joined as one, Mu He found it hard not to imagine something impure. Ahem ahem ahem, she pulled her mind back and brought up old grievances with him: "Last time I asked, why didn’t you explain clearly?"

And misled me into wild thoughts.

Huo Shiheng smiled helplessly: "I didn’t expect someone to have such a vivid imagination."

Mu He pouted slightly and retorted: "I didn’t expect someone to confess in such a subtle way either."

She said it, then giggled.

"Subtle?"

Huo Shiheng didn’t seem to agree with that. She liked directness?

His eyes deepened. "Once you wear it, you’re mine."

Mu He thought of the New Year’s Eve party, when she wore this ring. According to him, from that moment on, she had been his?

Another flush of heat and racing heartbeat.

"Xi Heng, what does that Russian phrase mean?"

This time, he used Chinese, with that clear, intoxicating tone: "Of course, baby, I’ve long been enchanted by you."

Just the voice was intoxicating, let alone the content. Mu He stared at him, drawn into a dizzying whirlwind of emotions, only reacting after a long moment. She suddenly sat up: "Xi Heng, you… are too bad!"

So, when she had feelings for him, when she thought she suffered from unrequited love, he wasn’t indifferent. He had been responding to her in his own way.

She just never knew!

How many things was he still hiding from her?

!

When he asked if he could pursue her, why did she so readily agree to date him?

!

Wasn’t that too easy for him?

!

"I’m taking it back."

Mu He finally came back to her senses from the sweet atmosphere, feeling she had been tricked into a bottomless pit. She lay on him, eyes locked with his, and solemnly declared: "I take back being your girlfriend."

"I want you to pursue me, clearly and unambiguously."

Now, she held the initiative.

She couldn’t just be caught by him blindly; she wanted to fully enjoy being pursued.

Huo Shiheng, feeling the warmth and softness in his arms, remained calm, lazily saying: "What, did I backfire?"

In fact, this coincided with his original intention. He stopped her from confessing and took the initiative to pursue her so that she would have no regrets later.

Their love belonged only to each other. In this unfamiliar realm, he had no experience, but as a girl, all her beautiful imaginations about love, he would strive to fulfill them.

She deserved all the best the world could give.

"I don’t care."

Mu He shook her head like a rattle: "No discussion. I’m taking it back anyway."

She’d suffered enough, she had to stop the loss in time.

With her light shaking, some soft sensation became even clearer…

Huo Shiheng, unusually restless, held her waist, a smile full of indulgence: "Taking it back is valid."

That simple?

Could he have a hidden trick?

"Really?"

Mu He confirmed with him, "Unconditionally?"

Huo Shiheng said softly: "You’re already an ex. What right do you have to set conditions?"

Mu He laughed uncontrollably. Could they be the fastest couple to break up in history?

Regardless, she was quite satisfied with the outcome, even feeling a hint of sympathy for him.

After all, on New Year’s Eve, he rushed back thousands of miles to accompany her. Not only did she take advantage of that, but the boyfriend seat hadn’t even warmed up before he became an ex.

She wanted to laugh but felt soft-hearted: "You leave tonight, didn’t your family say anything?"

If his family knew that on such an important day, he left home just for her, wouldn’t she seem like a seductress?

Huo Shiheng had already taken care of everything over there. He never attended the ancestral rites on the first day of the lunar year. Although the old master had complaints, he could do nothing. As for the cunning Huo Shiyue, he had been forced out from the shadows into the open, leaving no worries. With the Huo family in his hands, it was only a matter of time.

"I was afraid you wouldn’t come back," he said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, "Some little crybaby would spill tears into West Lake tonight."

He was actually right. Mu He, guilty, buried herself in his chest, lacking the courage to argue: "You’re talking nonsense. I wouldn’t."

Outside, faint sounds of fireworks came through, unclear, accompanied by the howling cold wind, like a lullaby. Mu He, exhausted from the day, grew heavy-eyed and gradually lost consciousness, pressing herself against him as she fell asleep.

Huo Shiheng waited until her breathing slowed, then gently moved her to the side, kissed her soft lips: "Good night."

During those ten days at the Huo residence, busy by day and sleepless at night, she wasn’t by his side. Now that she was close, within reach, he closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, Huo Shiheng woke to find half his body pressed by her, especially her ankle, right on a certain sensitive spot…

His whole body tensed. After several minutes, he carefully moved her ankle aside, looked down, shook his head helplessly, then turned and went into the bathroom.

When he came out after finishing, the person on the bed was awake, drowsily looking at him, eyes blurry yet pure: "Xi Heng, why are you showering so early?"