Volume One, Chapter 21: Don’t Sleep in the Living Room

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It didn’t feel right. If the two had never met before and didn’t know each other, Xiao Huo’s behavior seemed far too impulsive. There was no way they could establish a relationship after just one meeting. Besides, the time they spent talking in the small grove was brief; after buying the watermelon, they immediately returned without much interaction.

Su Wan had long anticipated that, given the original identity's reputation, she wouldn’t be easily trusted. Moreover, Su Xiaohui was deliberately sowing discord, hoping to make things difficult for her. This was a high-stakes slap in the face that would determine whether she could remain in the Beiping qualifying tournament.

Having her cook the next day was Su Xiaohui’s firm belief that Su Wan wouldn’t be able to manage it, hoping the Huo family would send her back to her hometown. Unfortunately, she might be disappointed.

So Su Wan followed Secretary Yang’s lead, saying, “Auntie, I don’t know Captain Huo personally. But when I escorted him downstairs at noon today, he did mention this matter to me. However, as your family’s housekeeper, I would definitely need approval from Principal Song and you.”

“Xiao Huo took you to the small grove just to talk about this?” Secretary Yang hadn’t expected things to take such a different turn. Now, everything seemed to make sense.

“Yes,” Su Wan nodded, wearing an expression of innocent bewilderment, as if what else could there be to say.

Seeing that Secretary Yang had witnessed everything at noon, Su Wan casually fabricated a plausible continuation, “Captain Huo is very filial. He asked me to write down some recipes that elderly people like, so the housekeeper at home could prepare them.”

That explained why Xiao Huo had sent her back and helped carry the watermelon.

Secretary Yang was somewhat disappointed, having thought that Xiao Huo had taken a liking to Su Wan. Yet, wasn’t this also a way of getting closer to her?

After all, she had truly seen that scene where Xiao Huo helped her eat the fatty meat.

“You girl, why didn’t you tell us when you came back?”

“I was just about to tell you. Tomorrow is Saturday; our whole family is going to visit the Wenbo family, and we’ll return at night. Tomorrow, you’ll go to the Huo family with Xiao Huo and cook a birthday dinner for Grandma Huo.”

Secretary Yang smiled as she instructed Su Wan to only prepare their breakfast and then return to her room.

“All right, Auntie,” Su Wan replied crisply.

This was a trap Su Xiaohui had insisted on setting for her up close. She wondered what excuse she would use to get out of it.

The next morning at nine, Principal Song and his family of three finished breakfast and, all dressed up, took the earlier-bought gifts to their future in-laws.

After tidying the house, Su Wan took out her high school textbooks from her backpack and sat on the sofa to study.

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She planned to leave for the Huo family around two in the afternoon—not too late.

The knowledge from high school was still relatively simple, roughly equivalent to middle school back in later times. Subjects like math and physics had foundational knowledge she just needed to review formulas for.

However, subjects like Chinese and history required some memorization. Fortunately, she had worked hard during her college entrance exams back then, so the foundation remained strong. A few readings would quickly commit the material to memory.

At lunchtime, Su Wan had a bowl of noodles and boiled a corn cob. After eating, she resumed reading on the sofa but soon started yawning.

She put down the book, spread a bamboo mat on the living room floor, and planned to take a nap.

The breeze from the balcony was cool and comfortable, not hot at all. Su Wan soon fell asleep.

At two in the afternoon, Huo Xiaohan arrived at the residential building. When he reached Principal Song’s door, he casually glanced through the window.

He saw Su Wan, head resting on her Chinese textbook, lying sideways on the bamboo mat, sound asleep.

Her snow-white skin, black hair, delicate and upright nose, soft and smooth lips—her entire being exuded a gentle, watery grace and charm, tender and delicate like a freshly shelled lychee cradled in the palm.

Because of the heat, two buttons at her chest were undone. Combined with her sleeping posture, her neckline was pulled down, revealing a large area of snow-white, smooth skin—delicate and supple as if soft as pastry.

Through the slightly opened neckline, faint pink innerwear was visible.

Her arms rested beside her head, wrists white and flushed, tender as lotus roots.

Huo Xiaohan’s dark eyes quickly darkened, his gaze scorched as if by fire. He swiftly turned away, the scorching sunlight casting a burning flush across his cold, tense face.

This woman was sleeping in the living room with her clothes disheveled.

Fortunately, there were only two households per floor in this building. Unless someone came to see Principal Song, no one would pass by.

He clenched his jaw tightly, gritted his back teeth, and knocked on Principal Song’s door.

Su Wan was fast asleep, dreaming of holding bunches of keys, going door to door collecting rent, when she suddenly heard knocking.

But her hands had stopped knocking—how could there still be a sound?

She turned over, but the knocking continued. Frowning and a bit annoyed, she murmured, “Stop knocking.”

Her voice in the dream was like a young warbler’s first song—soft, gentle, tinged with the coquettishness of a maiden.

Sure enough, the knocking ceased.

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Huo Xiaohan stood outside the door, feeling somewhat hot, tugging at the collar button of his shirt.

Then he stepped aside, gazing at the distant rolling green hills, his brows tightly furrowed.

After a while, Su Wan slowly woke from her dream, sitting up half-awake, as if she had really heard the knocking.

She got up, put on her shoes, and opened the door to look outside. Her body was still soft and limp from just waking, leaning against the door.

Seeing the tall, straight, and firm figure in the hallway, she rubbed her eyes and said, “Captain Huo, what are you doing here?”

Her voice, just awakened, was soft and sweet, like she had a mouthful of glutinous rice balls.

Huo Xiaohan turned around.

Su Wan’s neckline was still untidy, crooked, and her two braided pigtails were a bit messy.

Just as he was about to scold her harshly, he caught her dark eyes, shining like pools of water, staring at him gently and tenderly—like a flower bud just blooming in early spring, evoking affection.

Huo Xiaohan paused briefly, averted his gaze, his face tense, and said coldly, “Get dressed and let’s go.”

“What time is it now?” Su Wan rubbed her eyes and yawned, clearly not fully rested.

“Two fifteen. We still need to get the cake we ordered. Should be at the Huo family by three,” Huo Xiaohan glanced at his watch, his eyes cold and deep.

“All right,” Su Wan replied softly. She had slept surprisingly long.

She turned and lightly patted her cheeks, put away her high school textbooks, then rolled up the bamboo mat and put it back in her room.

Finally, she went to the bathroom. Seeing her braids were a bit messy in the mirror and wanting to save time, she untied them and braided her hair into a single plait.

Huo Xiaohan had been waiting outside the door all the while. Seeing Su Wan actually studying her high school material caught him somewhat off guard.

When Su Wan came out, Huo Xiaohan glanced at her indifferently, then headed downstairs.

Reaching the stairs, he thought that Su Wan might nap like this in the living room again and turned back with a furrowed brow, coldly warning her, “A girl should be mindful of her image. If you want to nap, go to your room.”

Then he suddenly wondered if she was doing this on purpose, knowing he would come…