"What are you doing?! Stop it!" He was mortified, his face bursting red. He had never met a woman as brave and bold as this one. "You can't just change in front of a guy! Do you do this often?"
"N-no…" Yang Ruqin sniffled, her eyes welling with tears. Oh goodness, here comes the waterworks. A drunk Yang Ruqin was a crybaby. "I-I'm sensitive...Don't yell at me."
Huo Qiudong panicked. The only thing he could do was engulfing her in his arms. He soothingly rubbed his hands on her back.
"I'm sorry, I won't yell again, I promise. You can take off your clothes all you want and I won't mind. Rob my house and take my dignity too, I also won't care. Just… just don't cry on me, okay?" He shakily breathed out. Tears. Tears were his only weakness. He couldn't stand it when he saw a woman cry. He didn't know the proper way to react.
Yang Ruqin calmed down. She hugged him back tightly. She needed this hug, more than anything, especially after she ran into Yu Pingluo at the club. He was in the VIP room and she was on her way back from the bathroom. He didn't see her, but she saw him. He was surrounded by friends but was drinking by himself. Even with women frequently appearing by his side, desperately seeking his attention, he did not spare them any glances.
She had not seen him for years. When she saw him without warning, the pain came back. The only way she knew how to deal with the pain was something she learned from movies: drinking herself stupid.
After Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei had left, Yang Ruqin was left alone. The thought of Yu Pingluo still lingered in her mind. She wanted to distract herself so she went to Cerulean Water Pavilion, changed her clothes, and headed to the club. She didn't think he would be there.
"Will you wait for me to finish showering?" Her voice was quiet and soft, like a hesitant child asking to sleep with her parents after experiencing a nightmare. She was the kid hiding behind the door.
"Of course. Anything for you," he said without too much thought. The words naturally left his mouth and by the time he regretted it, it was too late. He only hoped she would wake up tomorrow and forget all about this. After all, she was still drunk.
"Now, go and take a shower alright? I'll be outside when you're done." He detangled his arms around her and let her do her thing.
She began to take off her clothes again.
Huo Qiudong turned around fast enough for him to only see her toss her clothes aside. Like the gentleman he was, he left without taking a glance or fantasizing about her supermodel body. He closed the door behind him and slumped onto the couch.
What. A. Night.
He wondered if he should tell his Boss about this. Yang Ruqin was Zhao Lifei's best friend. But what if she didn't want the President to know? Wouldn't it be better to tell the truth?
The Angel and Devil on his shoulders argued back and forth about what to do. In the end, he gave up on what to do by the time it was morning. He made his way to the guest bedroom and began to change the blankets and mattress covers. By the time he was done placing the pillows, she had finally stepped out of the shower.
Huo Qiudong tried not to gulp at the sight of her. So maybe it was a bad idea to give her shorts. He could see her legs, stretching for miles long. They were healthy and well-toned, but still very feminine and eye-catching. He looked away before she realized anything.
"We're not sleeping together?"
Huo Qiudong choked on his spit. "N-no. We are not." he coughed, pounding on his chest for air. He tried to not think about the quote, "A drunk mind speaks a sober heart."
"Oh." Yang Ruqin became sad again for no apparent reason.
Huo Qiudong planned to not give in to her. "Little fawn, you're a grown adult. You can't go around sleeping with strange men," he chided her, walking to her and guiding her towards the freshly-organized bed. He opened the blanket and allowed her to climb in, then he tucked her in.
"Little fawn…?" She tiredly asked, yawning and stretching, smiling up at him like a fool. He didn't know where this nickname came from. To him, she looked like an adorable baby deer, harmless and dainty, but too good for this world.
His blush traveled to his ears. He had not been this flustered in a long time. "C-close your eyes and sleep." He stammered, bringing his large hands to cover her eyes.
She hummed and closed them. "You know... "she trailed off, growing sleepier and sleepier. "Big hands…"
"What?" He asked her, confused and flustered that she was still speaking. He wished he could bury himself into a hole after the nickname he just gave her.
"Big hands....big…" She fell asleep, leaving him confused and bewildered at whatever she was going to say next.
- - - - -
Yang Feng was the first one to wake up in the morning — as he usually does. He felt something in his hair and resting on his back. Blinking and squinting, he finally registered the soft pillow he was laying on. He swallowed and tried his best to keep the morning wood at bay, especially when he was laying upon two...hills. Detangling himself from her arms, he let out a lethargic sigh. Day 109 of cold morning showers.
"Mm, good morning wifey." Zhao Lifei let out a small yawn and groaned in pain. Her breast felt sore from the uncomfortable sleeping position. She was too lazy to open her eyes and kept them closed. Tossing one leg over the blanket, she hugged it like a pillow.
Yang Feng's nonchalant face toughened. "Wifey?"
"Yes, the nickname is going to stay." She shivered at the cold. Usually, she woke up warm because of his body heat. This morning was particularly freezing. Where was her personal heater?
"What does that make you? The hubby?" He sarcastically said, his lips thinning into a straight line for her. She kept her eyes closed and waved at him, "What's wrong with that?"
"I'm not a wife."
"But you behave like one." She cheekily said, opening her eyes and presenting him with a grin. She widely opened her arms. "I wanted a hug."
Yang Feng narrowed his eyes. Regardless of his attitude, he hugged her. Robotically, he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"Well, I'm not." He coldly said.
Zhao Lifei hummed in reply, relishing in his heat. She snuggled into his arms and by doing so, successfully dragged him back into bed with her.
She threw her leg over his body and hugged him. "Yes, yes, you're not." She readily said just so he could stay in bed with her all day long. Truthfully, she didn't want to head to work today, especially not with an angry Vice President ready to greet her with a passive-aggressive smile.
"And you'll stop calling me that."
"Hm, yes, yes, I will."
"And you'll behave when the doctor comes."
"I always behave."
"And you'll spend my money."
"No, no, I won't do that." Zhao Lifei giggled, burying her face into his neck and snuggling deeper into his arms. "That trick is never going to work."
"Technically, you're already using the money since our accounts have been joint." Yang Feng hummed in reply. He was distracted by the strands of hair he lifted and rolled in his fingers.
As long as she continued to hug him like her life depended on it, he was willing to spend the entire morning with her. Little did he know, she was just a cold-blooded animal seeking the warmth of the light lamp.
"And technically, I'm using my own money from a separate account I made." Zhao Lifei shrugged her shoulders. She knew something like this would happen, thus, made preparations in advance.
"Perfect, thank you for notifying me of your plan."
Zhao Lifei's eyes widened. The lazy expression on her face melted off. She opened her mouth to tell him off and rapidly, the warm pillow left her. He was gone before she knew it. "You can't do that!"
"You make it sound like I'm doing something unfair." He scoffed, poking his head out from the bathroom and then sticking it back in to brush his teeth and freshen up.
"B-but…" Zhao Lifei sputtered. She felt like she was doing something unfair by wasting his money, even though it was practically their money. She didn't like to rely on her husband's money and preferred to use her own. Too bad for her, though, the overly-giving wifey would not allow that.