IJLHTW - 29

Huo Ci stared at her phone screen absentmindedly when Xu Siyang beside her complained, “No phones at the dinner table. What’s so interesting on your phone?”

As he spoke, he leaned over.

Huo Ci quickly covered the screen with her hand. Xu Siyang was startled and smirked mischievously: “A message from your boyfriend?”

After laughing, he glanced at Yi Zecheng, feeling a bit sympathetic.

“Why are you so nosy? Why don’t you switch careers and become a paparazzi?” Huo Ci snorted.

Ye Mingshi across the table suddenly giggled softly and asked teasingly, “Xu Siyang is just curious. Don’t be mad at him, Huo Ci. But really, is it from your boyfriend?”

Ye Mingshi deliberately asked.

Yi Zecheng had never given her a sliver of hope, but she still couldn’t let go. She had been by his side for so long—how could someone who had only known him for less than a few months snatch him away?

Just because she’s prettier?

Ye Mingshi couldn’t help but feel disappointed again. She hadn’t expected him to be like this—a man who judged by looks and figure.

“I don’t have a boyfriend right now,” Huo Ci said indifferently, pressing the lock button and flipping the phone face down on the table. The man across from her looked up, and she licked her lips.

Xu Siyang slammed the table and burst out laughing: “I don’t have a girlfriend either. Isn’t that a coincidence?”

Huo Ci: “...” Coincidence my ass.

Pan Chen watched them and chuckled, “Young people these days—they all prefer being single. Their standards are too high. It wasn’t like that in our time; if we liked someone, we’d marry them.”

“Brother Pan, you’re only a few years older than us,” Ye Mingshi giggled behind her hand.

Pan Chen shook his head and turned to look at Yi Zecheng, asking, “Is Zecheng still single?”

Instantly, everyone at the table turned their eyes toward him. His fingers were tapping idly on the upside-down phone on the table.

“I don’t have a girlfriend right now,” Yi Zecheng said calmly. The reactions around the table varied. Ye Mingshi’s obvious sigh of relief was hard to miss, Pan Chen simply shook his head, Xu Siyang snorted with dissatisfaction, and only Huo Ci remained calm, her expression unruffled despite slightly lifting her eyelids.

Then, he added faintly, “But soon.”

Xu Siyang’s face immediately turned incredulous. This was some serious trolling.

Ye Mingshi’s face paled, her lips trembling, but she didn’t dare ask anything. Her eyes, however, were fixed on Huo Ci.

Jealousy grew wildly in her heart like vines.

The most relaxed person was Pan Chen. Upon hearing this, he laughed heartily. He had known Yi Zecheng for several years. With his good looks and family background, it was surprising that he was still single. It wasn’t as if there weren’t women showing interest—he probably just rejected everyone.

Pan Chen was genuinely curious and asked, “What kind of girl is she? If there’s an opportunity next time, introduce us.”

“Sure,” Yi Zecheng nodded and added, “She’s a bit wild.”

Fearless, willing to risk her life over a camera—how could she not be wild?

“She’s perfect for you. You’re just too reserved,” Pan Chen said earnestly, playing the role of an elder brother.

Xu Siyang’s eyes darted between him and Huo Ci—one appeared relaxed, the other outwardly calm. They didn’t seem like two people concealing any hidden tension.

Could it be that he was wrong? Was there truly nothing going on between them?

Xu Siyang rarely thought clearly, but now he was confused again by these two.

“Come on, let’s drink a toast. First, to send off Siyang and wish him success in the rally race. Let’s make our fellow Chinese proud. Second, I hope Zecheng can soon find his beauty and leave the ranks of singlehood—not ‘soon,’ but immediately,” Pan Chen raised his glass, trying to be trendy for once.

“Thank you, Brother Pan,” Yi Zecheng clinked glasses with him, glancing at Huo Ci and softly saying, “Definitely.”

Beside them, Ye Mingshi’s eyes reddened. If she hadn’t held back fiercely, tears would’ve fallen.

It couldn’t be said that the meal ended joyfully, because later, Ye Mingshi toasted everyone at the table. A bottle of red wine wasn’t enough, so she ordered another one.

Everyone present knew what was on her mind, but Yi Zecheng had never given her even a shred of hope.

In the end, she got drunk, and Pan Chen had to persuade her: “Mingshi, tomorrow will be our last day in Guinea, and we’ll have a meeting with MSF colleagues stationed here. Stop drinking—we should all rest.”

By this point, Ye Mingshi was already quite drunk.

Pan Chen said awkwardly, “Huo Ci, since you’re a girl, could you take her upstairs to rest?”

After settling Ye Mingshi, Huo Ci returned to her room. She opened her laptop and transferred all the photos she had taken today onto it. There were also previous photos—all temporarily stored on the computer due to lack of facilities here. She planned to print them after returning home.

Her studio had a full set of equipment. In this digital age, printing photos was something only professionals did.

Unconsciously, it was already past midnight.

She thought of that text message, chuckled lightly, and went to take a shower. When she came out in her spaghetti-strap pajamas, she heard two buzzes from her phone on the table.

She walked over and picked it up, seeing the message: Open the door.

This man—he was so sure of himself.

Huo Ci pursed her lips and started drying her hair slowly with a towel. After two more buzzes, she read another message:

“Do you want me to knock and let both sides know?”

Huo Ci sneered and finally stood up. Walking to the door, she clicked it open. Before she could pull it fully, the door was pushed open from the outside. With a click, the light switch beside the door was pressed. The entire room plunged into darkness, and Huo Ci was immediately pinned against the door by a firm grip on her waist.

The man didn’t speak. He immediately pressed her down, found her lips, and forced his tongue in, dominating and leaving no room for retreat. The sound of heavy breathing filled the pitch-black room, unmistakably intimate.

Lips and tongues entwined, their breaths mingling chaotically, inseparable.

When he finally released her, he inhaled the fresh scent on her body and whispered hoarsely, “Just finished showering?”

His voice was breathy, and Huo Ci couldn’t resist it. She must truly be a sound fetishist—whenever he spoke like this, she lost all principles.

She retaliated by standing on her tiptoes and biting his neck, directly hitting his Adam’s apple. His throat moved slightly, and the protruding bone shifted along with it.

This man—so seductive.

He chuckled softly, “Little rascal.”

“You keep it down,” Huo Ci playfully hit him, her voice soft like flowing silk.

“Do we have anything to hide?” Yi Zecheng’s voice in the dark was deep and captivating.

Huo Ci’s cheeks flushed, and she hummed, “I’m afraid of waking the neighbors and causing her more distress.”

Her words sounded considerate.

In the darkness, Yi Zecheng remained silent for a long while before he softly said, “I’ve always hoped she wouldn’t waste her time on me.”

Huo Ci naturally understood his character and smiled faintly, “You may not give her any hope, but you can’t stop someone from falling deeply in love.”

Once a woman falls deeply in love, she’ll willingly jump into a fire pit. And Yi Zecheng wasn’t a fire pit—he was a rare delicacy. Anyone who saw him would be tempted to take a bite. Thinking of this, Huo Ci wanted to bite him again.

“After this trip ends, I won’t see her anymore,” the man murmured.

Huo Ci’s heart soared. His coldness was genuine—when it came to those he didn’t like, he was always decisive. So perhaps, deep down, he hadn’t rejected her advances earlier.

“You…” Huo Ci tried to speak, but her words were abruptly muffled.

The man’s scorching breath enveloped her completely. Their lips and tongues entangled again, her soft moans seemingly pleasing him. She was pushed toward the bed, their bodies intertwined until she was pinned down.

Yi Zecheng leaned over her: “Too talkative.”

He should silence her lips so she wouldn’t mention anyone else.

When the man kissed down her neck and paused at her chest, she realized she was wearing only her nightgown after the bath. Her breasts were soft and smooth.

He stopped moving, and Huo Ci grew anxious. She pushed him away and whispered, “Not here.”

Yi Zecheng rolled off her and lay on his back, chuckling lowly: “So why were you teasing me all along?”

His voice was naturally somewhat cold, but now it carried a lazy, husky rasp—seductive and enticing. If Huo Ci hadn’t restrained herself, she would’ve jumped on him right then.

She suddenly remembered Mo Xingchen’s words: Everyone wants to sleep with him, but no one can.

“You’re like an iceberg. If I didn’t tease you, would you melt?” Huo Ci pouted.

Yi Zecheng flipped her over again, pinning her down with an amused expression: “Are you complaining that I responded too quickly?”

This greedy little thing—she had teased him relentlessly before, and now she acted like this.

Still, he understood Huo Ci’s meaning. They were part of the same team. Although they weren’t surrounded by gossip, word might spread, and it wouldn’t sound good. Yi Zecheng didn’t want their relationship to be labeled as a fleeting fling during the journey.

Tonight, when he asked her to leave the door open, he intended to explain things clearly to her, fearing she might overthink.

Who would’ve thought she was clearer-headed than him?

This was the first time he had responded so openly to a woman, and he wanted to give her the best.

Before leaving, he suddenly pulled her close and whispered, “Stay away from Xu Siyang in the future. He’s not very smart.”

Huo Ci froze, then recalled the “coincidence” Xu Siyang mentioned at the dinner table.

Even jealous of his own little uncle...