-029- A Born Flirt!
-029-
After finishing his work in Hushi, Zhou Dang rushed back to Jingbei as soon as possible. When his plane landed in Jingbei, he called Xuan Yang, but no one answered. Not only that, but the messages he had sent her the previous night also went unanswered. Later, Zhou Dang contacted the driver he had arranged for Xuan Yang and learned that she hadn't asked the driver to pick her up from the Xuan Family Villa. When Zhou Dang returned to Shangtian Mansion, Xuan Yang wasn't there either. So he went to her rental apartment. They had discussed living together before, and Xuan Yang had given him a spare key. After opening the door with the spare key, Zhou Dang found Xuan Yang unconscious with a high fever and immediately took her to the hospital.
...
"Zhou Dang." After hearing the whole story, Xuan Yang felt something swell in her warm chest. She looked at him, hesitated, and then spoke. Zhou Dang vaguely guessed what she wanted to say. He leaned in, raising an eyebrow in a threatening manner: "If you say thank you again, I'll kiss you."
Xuan Yang: "..."
The fluorescent light in the ward was bright and glaring. Zhou Dang stared at Xuan Yang's frozen expression, then decided against it and began to pull back. Unexpectedly, she grabbed his shirt. Zhou Dang froze, maintaining his bent-over position. He looked into her pitch-black eyes. Her clear and beautiful eyes held a fragility that only illness brings, like a spring soaking him. For some reason, Zhou Dang didn't move, hovering above her, his gaze deep and fixed on her. Until Xuan Yang spoke softly, "Thank you for agreeing to marry me."
If choosing to get married to Zhou Dang had been a gamble for Xuan Yang, she was now sure she had won. Even without love, Zhou Dang was someone worth entrusting her life to, she thought. Unexpectedly, the next second, warm and soft lips pressed against her cool forehead. Zhou Dang had indeed kissed her. Xuan Yang's eyes trembled slightly, flustered as she met his smiling gaze. He didn't immediately straighten up after kissing her forehead, but instead leaned by the bedside, looking closely into the starry sea of her eyes: "I should be the one saying that. Thank you for being willing to marry me."
Close eye contact easily breeds intimacy, especially when Xuan Yang's heart was racing, deeply immersed in Zhou Dang's dark and complex eyes. His gaze felt like an invisible hand, firmly grasping her. Then the distance closed again, and his thin lips brushed against hers, his Adam's apple bobbing, as if waiting for her to close her eyes. But Xuan Yang turned her head away, her breath quickening, her cheeks burning, and she spoke nervously: "I have a cold... it might infect you."
That was the real thought that had flashed through her mind at that moment. Having a cold was unpleasant and disruptive. Zhou Dang, as the CEO of Zhou Group, was busy every day with critical work matters. If he caught a cold because of her, she would feel guilty towards the Zhou family. As she was lost in thought, a strong hand pinched her chin, turning her face back. Her eyes met Zhou Dang's again, locking onto his deep, affectionate gaze. She held her breath. A faint smile curled at the corner of Zhou Dang's lips, making him look like a seductive demon. His hot, thin lips brushed against hers, lightly touching and rubbing. His voice was hoarse: "That would be even better."
Xuan Yang: "?"
While she was pondering the meaning of his words, Zhou Dang kissed her deeply, his scorching lips pressing against hers, nibbling, sucking, making her feel ticklish and sending her mind into a chaotic boil.
...
Zhou Dang kissed her for a long time until her breathing became unsteady and her eyes closed. Then he released her reddened, tender lips, pulled away his hand that had been holding her wrist against the pillow, and said panting, his voice hoarse: "If it infects me, you'll be cured."
Xuan Yang: "..."
Her head was still spinning, lingering on the tingling sensation of tongue contact from the last moment. Although it wasn't a deep entanglement, just a tentative touch, it felt like an electric current running through her, setting all her cells ablaze. It was like having a fever again.
The room fell into a long silence, broken only by the faint breathing of the two. Xuan Yang looked away, her ears burning: "What nonsense."
She certainly didn't believe Zhou Dang's excuse, and she was genuinely worried about passing her cold to him. But obviously, Zhou Dang wasn't afraid or concerned. The intimate contact had once again crossed Xuan Yang's boundaries, and she didn't know what to say or what expression to make in front of Zhou Dang. At the beginning of their marriage, she hadn't imagined that their relationship would progress so quickly. She felt that after this kiss, the already ambiguous boundaries had become meaningless. From now on, anything could happen naturally when they were alone. As Xuan Yang was lost in thought, the door was knocked twice, then pushed open, and Zhou Dang's assistant, Shen Li, walked in: "President Zhou, the porridge you asked for."
Shen Li had actually arrived earlier, when they were close together and the atmosphere had become ambiguous. He had already put his hand on the doorknob, but survival instinct stopped him. Although he had never been in a relationship, he had read many romance novels and had a feeling about what was happening. The second time he looked through the window, he indeed saw his boss kissing the boss's wife. The kiss was awkward, restrained, and innocent, quite different from what he had imagined. But watching the boss kiss was still thrilling, so he didn't look away. He even made a simple evaluation of their first kiss in his mind: awkward and innocent, like two rookies sparring. The boss was wasting his good looks; he was almost thirty and still so unskilled at kissing. How could he only kiss the lips? He should explore further, kiss until the world spins! When Shen Li entered, Xuan Yang silently pulled the blanket over half her face, but her red ears betrayed her turmoil. Zhou Dang seemed much calmer. He licked his lips, his Adam's apple bobbing as if still savoring the moment. He took the takeout bag from Shen Li: "Thanks for the trouble. Go back and rest early."
It was already late, and Shen Li could finally clock out. After leaving the ward, he couldn't help sending Zhou Dang a message: [President Zhou, do you need me to compile some 'learning materials'?]
When Zhou Dang saw the message, he had already fed Xuan Yang the porridge and settled her down to sleep. He was staying overnight in the ward, lying on the sofa, staring at the message for a long time. The phrase "learning materials" was in quotes, which made it seem suggestive. Plus, the way Shen Li had looked at him, he must have seen everything. Frowning for a moment, Zhou Dang's gaze fell on Xuan Yang, who was sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed. The dim nightlight cast a soft glow on her brows and nose, making her look like a painting. Zhou Dang replied to Shen Li: [My wife is shy. Keep your mouth shut.] After a moment, he coldly added: [Send them to me once you've compiled them.]
-
After being discharged from the hospital, Xuan Yang officially moved into Shangtian Mansion. On the day of her discharge, Zhou Dang came to pick her up and asked where she wanted to live. If she wanted to return to the rental, he would have his things moved there, claiming that as her husband, it was his responsibility to take care of her since she didn't know how to look after herself. Before, Xuan Yang would have unhesitatingly chosen the rental. She thought that even if Zhou Dang could stay in her small place for a few days, he wouldn't last long, because she doubted he could endure the harsh conditions there. But now, Xuan Yang found herself thinking that if Zhou Dang actually moved into the rental with her, he would suffer too much. He had always considered her feelings and treated her well since their marriage. If she continued to be so self-centered, she would be too heartless. So she asked Zhou Dang to take her back to the rental first to pack her things, then find a moving company to move her belongings to Shangtian Mansion. Zhou Dang was happy to oblige and handled the move that same day. He also contacted Xuan Yang's landlord, paid triple the compensation for breaking the lease, and terminated the rental contract. Xuan Yang was speechless. She had originally planned to keep the rental vacant, as she had already paid the rent, which was cheaper than the triple compensation Zhou Dang paid. "President Zhou, do you have too much money?" she said in exasperation, thinking he was a spendthrift. Zhou Dang smiled and immediately handed over all his assets to her: "I might not be the world's richest, but I'm definitely in the top twenty. Madam Zhou, please accept."
At that time, Xuan Yang was having breakfast. She had recovered and couldn't afford to delay her work; the case she was involved in was about to go to court. Zhou Dang had made breakfast himself—rich, nutritious, and delicious. Xuan Yang enjoyed it. She hadn't expected Zhou Dang to be so impulsive; just a couple of days ago at the hospital, he had said he would hand over financial control, and now he had organized his assets and presented them to her. She couldn't help but admire his execution ability—a true representative of action-oriented people. Sighing inwardly, she didn't take the folder. "It's better to let professionals handle professional matters. I'm a lawyer; I'm not good at managing finances or running a household." That was true. Her work at the law firm was already enough to worry about. Handling all of Zhou Dang's assets would only add to her stress. Taking a bite of the corn pancake, she looked at Zhou Dang: "Besides, if you do this, others might think I married you for your money."
Zhou Dang raised an eyebrow: "Is it shameful to want my money?"
Xuan Yang: "?"
She thought Zhou Dang's logic was unusual. He said: "Shouldn't marriage be about each taking what they need? If you didn't want anything by marrying me, wouldn't that be a loss for you?"
Xuan Yang frowned, following his train of thought. Zhou Dang continued: "So, wife, you have to want either money or me. That way, I'll feel at ease."
Xuan Yang: "..."
A smile curved her lips. Her almond eyes sparkled with mischief, rare for her, and she teased him: "What if I want both?"
Zhou Dang paused in the middle of drinking milk. He looked at Xuan Yang, catching a hint of playfulness. Licking his wet lips, he leaned in close, his gaze deep and serious: "I've already given you the money. As for me, how about tonight?"
Xuan Yang was stunned, her heart racing as his handsome face drew near. His magnetic voice was earnest, but she couldn't help imagining many unspeakable scenes. Her face burned instantly. Zhou Dang was a born flirt!