Chapter 113: A Pleasant Surprise

Huo Lingtian sat wearily at his desk, forcing himself to work day and night, if only to dampen the surging tide of longing and the chill that he could not shake off at any hour. He stared at his cold phone, and in the end, he dialed that number he knew by heart. "Beep... beep... beep..." The call connected just before it was about to hang up. Noisy, chaotic sounds filled his ear.

"Baby, are you filming? It’s so noisy over there." Sitting in his cold office, Huo Lingtian glanced at the clock; it was past ten. His grip tightened on the phone, and his brow furrowed deeper.

Rong Qing looked around guiltily. The departure terminal was bustling with noise. Covering the microphone with her hand, she said with a hint of urgency, "Yeah, the director wants to rush the work today. We’ll wrap up once we finish this scene." She kept glancing toward the boarding gate.

Huo Lingtian was heavy-hearted. What kind of terrible director was this, demanding overtime in the middle of the night? Was there no respect for human rights? The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. Who knew what kind of grievances his treasure was suffering at the hands of those Americans? He truly regretted not taking the opportunity to acquire that blasted film company back then. Of course, our Young Master Huo would never remember that there was such a thing as "night shoots." "Baby, if you’re being treated unfairly, let’s just quit. Dingsheng has a partnership with a major American production company next year. When that time comes, we’ll work for ourselves. You won't have to put up with that nonsense anymore."

Rong Qing was caught between laughter and tears. While it was true that Chinese actors often faced poor treatment and discrimination abroad, since joining the crew, Director Evans’s dedication and the friendly support of the other international stars had been invaluable to her. How could she possibly have any grievances? She saw the crowd surging toward the boarding gate and could no longer spare the time to talk. Lugging her suitcase, she dashed off. "Lingtian... Lingtian, I can't talk anymore, the director needs me. I'm hanging up."

"Qing..." *Beep, beep, beep, beep.* Huo Lingtian clutched his cold phone, wishing he could burn a hole through it. Although it was normal for his treasure to be busy with work, not having seen her for over a month left him feeling increasingly hollow, a surge of indescribable loss churning within him.

Huo Lingtian, who had originally planned to work overtime, now found it utterly flavorless. He grabbed his suit jacket from the rack and headed for the garage. Upon returning to the Huo residence, he washed up and collapsed into bed. Perhaps only this way could he soothe the boundless loneliness in his heart.

At night, while the world slept in silence, a dark shadow, exhausted and dragging luggage, quietly returned to the Huo residence. Rong Qing reassured the startled security staff and returned to the grand home she shared with Lingtian. Standing at the door and seeing the man fast asleep, his eyes framed by heavy dark circles, her heart ached. Her man had lost weight and looked haggard. Although his body remained as powerful and perfect as ever, she could feel his exhaustion and toil with a single glance.

Her breathing was light. Even as she crouched quietly by the bedside, he did not detect her presence. Instead, his previously furrowed brow relaxed completely, and the stern, cold lines around his eyes softened. This must be the effect of their connection; even in deep sleep, he could sense Rong Qing's presence, feeling that sense of peace and natural comfort.

Rong Qing lay by the side of the bed. She didn't sleep; she just watched Huo Lingtian quietly, feeling sweet and energized. She knew every inch of this man by heart, and she found even his cold, arrogant lips to be adorable and sexy. She cherished every moment with him. If he were to open his eyes on such a quiet night, he would see the things he loved most reflected in the eyes of the woman he cherished.

In truth, he was the one who couldn't bear to part with her. She playfully pinched the bridge of Huo Lingtian’s firm nose. Though she was suffering terribly inside, she always kept a calm and composed appearance. He always thought about what was best for her, giving her the greatest space to realize her dreams, rather than worrying about what he might lose. She gently stroked the man’s lips. If only he would say, "I don't want you to leave," she would never abandon him. She would stay obediently by his side, but he never said a word.

How fortunate was she to have obtained such a powerful and perfect man? Her eyes grew moist, and she whispered into his ear, "Hubby, happy birthday! Thank you for loving me so much—"

She looked at the sky outside the window, which was beginning to glow with a faint light. She climbed out of bed on tiptoe; dawn was approaching, and the things she needed weren't ready yet. She closed the door softly, not noticing the man on the bed frown ever so slightly.

Huo Lingtian woke from his slumber to a bright sky. Since his baby left, he had only been sleeping a few hours each night, yet he had never slept so peacefully. He sat on the bed, dazed. Last night, he had dreamed that his baby had returned—the familiar scent, the sweet words. Was it just a dream? He touched the cold bedding beside him, and the light of hope that had risen in his eyes was instantly extinguished.

Before meeting Rong Qing, Huo Lingtian’s life was simple and monotonous. Apart from work and sleep, there were only tedious business gatherings. His life was tightly scheduled like a piece of cold, orderly machinery. Yet, the major change in his life had infused his entire being with vitality. He had developed intense feelings; he could laugh and feel pain. He never imagined that such a vivid, lively woman would have such a profound impact on him. He had fallen into a trap of emotion, unable to resist, only able to sink deeper step by step. Yet, without Rong Qing’s company, he seemed to have returned to his initial life—cold and orderly—though it seemed somewhat different now. Sometimes he would stare at his phone for an entire morning; sometimes he felt gloomy and irritable... at the very least, he had begun to become alive and emotional, with the focus of his life gradually shifting.

Huo Lingtian walked down the stairs in a daze. The entire villa felt cold and vast; how lonely it was without Rong Qing. However, unlike before, the commotion in the kitchen made his nerves jump sharply.

"You're up? There's soup on the table, drink some first." Rong Qing was wearing an apron, her hands and nose covered in flour. She smiled at him sillily, her tone intimate and natural, as if she had never left.

Huo Lingtian’s cold, stagnant heart skipped a beat. This sense of warmth was damnably overwhelming; he could feel his heart pounding irregularly. His stunned body suddenly snapped into action. With a somber face, he walked up to Rong Qing and gripped her delicate shoulders. His deep eyes stared at his treasure—it was real, not a dream, not a hallucination. Rong Qing had truly returned!

The emotion in the man's eyes was too direct and intense, making her face flush a deep red. Huo Lingtian pulled her into a fierce embrace, his strength so great it felt as if he were trying to pull her into his very body. Rong Qing looked blankly at the flour on her fingers; well, they were both big messy kittens now.

What followed was the same harmony as always. The man sat at the dining table drinking the soup she had prepared, but his deep, lake-like gaze had been fixed on the bowl for half an hour. He looked dazed and incredibly cute. Rong Qing was busy in the kitchen; she took off her apron, washed her hands, and sat down opposite him.

The man clearly missed her terribly, but he would steal glances when he thought she wasn't looking. When she caught his eye, those burning, fiery pupils would instantly shift away. He wouldn't even talk to her, falling into a strange cycle of self-imposed silence.

"Hubby, I'm back, aren't you going to talk to me?" Rong Qing pouted, though her eyes twinkled with a smile.

Sure enough, Huo Lingtian’s expression shifted, though he only asked coolly, "You were at the airport when you called last night?" Seeing Rong Qing nod, his expression turned even darker. "You came back in the middle of the night?" Rong Qing touched the tip of her nose; well, she guiltily nodded again.

Huo Lingtian gave a look of "I knew it." "It was dangerous for you to come home alone at night, and I didn't even notice. You came back, and I didn't know." He then fell into complete silence.

Rong Qing’s mouth fell open. (+﹏+)~ She hadn't expected this powerful man to be so self-loathing and prone to self-punishment. She couldn't sit still any longer. She scooted over and shamelessly sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his waist. Heh, he couldn't pull her off now!

"Hubby, I just wanted to give you a surprise. If you had found out, all that preparation would have been for nothing." Rong Qing coaxed him with sweet words, then added pitifully, "It was so hard to come back, and sigh... I have to leave again tomorrow." She put on an even more pathetic expression.

Rong Qing’s skills in acting cute and soothing him were masterful. Before long, the man grumbled, "In the future, you are not allowed to be out in the middle of the night! It's dangerous! And you are never allowed to keep things from me!"

"Mhmm," Rong Qing wagged her tail obediently. What others saw was the cold-blooded, ruthless side of the man; only she enjoyed the secret: when he was angry, he was like a prideful cat that only responded to being soothed and petted.

"Master Hubby, would you like to taste the birthday gift I prepared for you?" Rong Qing mysteriously brought a tray out of the oven, which radiated a sweet, fragrant aroma.

A look of wonder suddenly rose in Huo Lingtian’s eyes, and his hard, cold lips curled into a charming arc, making the stubble on his chin appear even more masculine. The void of loss was instantly filled, and he felt a warmth flowing through him, ready to overflow.

Rong Qing took out the cake she had prepared. It featured the simplest design, with the most intimate and simple words traced in dark chocolate: "Hubby, happy birthday." The simplest of gifts, yet it warmed the man to his very core.

Huo Lingtian carefully took a spoonful and put it in his mouth. He usually found such sweet, childish things unappealing, but he couldn't get enough of this, spoonful after spoonful, wishing he could fill his entire stomach with it.

Rong Qing narrowed her eyes. For the rest of the morning, she and Huo Lingtian took turns feeding each other, eating the entire cake without realizing it. A quiet sense of happiness flowed between them; in their eyes, there was no one else but each other.

News of Rong Qing’s return to the main family spread quickly. Even the old man was alerted, and many eager relatives scrambled to pay a visit. But before these people could even enter the door, they were chased away by the head of the house with a darkened face. Huo Lingtian glared huffily at the troublesome crowd: Rong Qing belonged only to him! She could only accompany him alone; no one could steal away this precious, rare time!