Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Hawke Building

In my heart, once I, Huo Lingtian, have chosen someone, no other woman could ever catch my eye!

That earnest declaration echoed in Rong Qing’s mind like an incantation, stirring up waves beneath her seemingly calm surface. So distracted was she that when swiping her card, she didn’t even notice she’d missed a zero.

After their meal, Huo Lingtian took her to the headquarters of the Huo Corporation. When the modern and lavishly extravagant signature domed penthouse came into view, Rong Qing was once again forced to keep her composure. Damn it, she passed by that ostentatious, wealth-flaunting, cloud-piercing skyscraper every day, never expecting it to be Huo Lingtian’s stronghold. She could work diligently for a whole year and still not afford a bathroom in this place, yet Huo Lingtian made investments for fun and raked in fortunes with ease. The gulf between rich and poor was truly infuriating.

Standing atop a hundred-story building, gazing down upon the city, the feeling was indescribably exhilarating. No wonder so many wealthy people were obsessed with building skyscrapers—standing at the summit, looking out over the world, cocooned in clouds, it felt as if the earth lay at one’s feet. The transparent glass, depending on the angle, could refract vistas stretching for thousands of miles. From near to far, lush and verdant, every indistinct dot formed a sweeping oil painting. Sunlight poured into the domed sky garden, refracted by the latest nanotechnology into seven different hues, bathing the entire space in the colors of a rainbow. Rong Qing half-closed her eyes, soaking up the warm sunlight. Looking out at the world, everything seemed to brighten her mood.

A warm embrace enveloped her from behind. Rong Qing luxuriated in the man’s arms, thinking that if she had a cradle, she might just drift off to sleep. The man seemed to know her every thought; the next moment, she found herself reclined on a lounge chair, its supple leather enveloping her like the sea. She kicked off her high heels and curled up in his arms with the grace of a pampered Persian cat. She felt the heat of his breath, the warmth of his broad palm reaching her very heart. Her eyelids grew heavy, her mind foggy, and soon, soft and even breaths betrayed her slumber.

Huo Lingtian gazed tenderly at the treasure in his arms. He wondered where it had all gone wrong—a relationship that had started as a mere transaction of bodies had cost him both body and soul. Yet his beloved seemed in no hurry to hold him accountable. When his pride was shattered by her stubbornness, cold indifference met with cool detachment, and for the first time in his life, Huo Lingtian—born with a silver spoon—tasted defeat. Rong Qing, tucked away in her shell, withdrew at the first sign of outside threat. When she reemerged, her heart seemed locked in chains—rational to the point of helplessness, stubborn enough to break one’s heart. Even scarred and battered, she licked her wounds alone, never again losing herself so easily.

Was it because of that man? At the thought, Huo Lingtian’s face darkened completely. Remembering how that useless, spineless man had once so cruelly wounded the woman in his arms—setting her on such a difficult path to love—he was seized with murderous rage. The young master of the Wang family? Did he really think he was something special—a frog playing at prince, dreaming himself the fairy-tale hero? Huo Lingtian had no qualms about letting them see their true worth. Did they really think his woman was an easy target? Absolutely not.

Once the woman was sound asleep, the man gently slipped his arm from under her, adjusted the lighting in the room to a gentle, tranquil glow, and finally left with peace of mind.

She had no idea how long she’d slept; half-awake, faint voices drifted to her ears.

“Hmm, she’s pretty good-looking, and her figure’s not bad. The boss has good taste.”

“A bit thin, though. Look at those skinny arms and legs—one gun could knock her flat,” came a gruff voice.

“Idiot, not everyone’s like you, running around the world with guns blazing.”

“But can someone this weak really be worthy of the boss?”

The voices grew louder, and being openly discussed right in front of her, even the sleepiest person would be roused. “Shut up.” Rong Qing’s eyes snapped open, blazing with fury, and she instantly locked gazes with the four onlookers gathered around her.

The four: ...

Rong Qing: o(╯□╰)o

The first to recover was Xing Hao, the CEO of Ding Sheng, who was standing nearby. He rubbed his nose and offered a rather dry smile. “Heh, Rong Qing, what a coincidence.”

The other three shot glances at her—Ah, so her name is Rong Qing.

Rong Qing swept her eyes over them, brows knitting. “Oh? I never knew the CEO of Ding Sheng and the others were in the habit of peeping.” She poured herself a glass of water with casual grace, then sat on the imported French sofa, crossed her legs, and assumed the posture of a queen.

Her sharp gaze met those of the four titans, unflinching. In fact, it was they who had lost the upper hand by spying first.

“Woman, you think we wanted to look at you? If it weren’t for—mmph, mmm—” Yan Dong’s mouth was immediately covered by the ever-smiling Gu Lingfei beside him.

“Sorry, his head’s a bit thick,” Gu Lingfei said. Hell, if the lot of them confessed, given how obedient Huo is around this woman, who knows what fate would await them! He had no desire to spend three hundred sixty-five days drilling oil in the desert—he’d truly become a country bumpkin then.

------Author’s Note------

Save, save, save, save, save, save, save! Lanlan is here to beg for votes... Things are busy lately, I have to write a thesis, sob. There’s so much homework!