C34 Are You with Young Master Huo?
C34 Are You with Young Master Huo?
"What kind of ointment is this?" Jian Yun couldn't help but exclaim as she stared at the ointment in her hand, trying to find a significant trademark. Her eyes glimmered with admiration. This was probably the best ointment she had ever tried. "The effects are amazing, and it doesn't hurt anymore. Do you know where else I could buy it?"
"Really? Let me have a look." Just as they had reached a stoplight, he bent over and held her delicate chin, turning her towards him. His thumb stroke her skin, observing the fading mark on the side of her face.
A soft buzz filled her eardrums. There was something about the way he had turned her that seemed so natural like they were any other couple just going on a date. Her eyes widened momentarily as her hands lay on her lap as if frozen into place.
When Jian Yun finally came to her senses, they were already millimeters apart. At a closer glance, she could even see her own reflection in his dark eyes. His hot breath fanned her face, and a burning feeling coursed through her entire system. Somehow, his gaze didn't seem as cold as it had been from afar. In fact, it was hiding a little bit of warmth–one that she didn't expect to see.
She slowly turned her head and tried to break free from Huo Liancheng's hand. However, no matter how much she pulled and turned, she was still unable to break free from his hold. The back of her head was pressed against the corner between the seat and the car window, and if possible, he had inched even closer to her.
She waited in bated breath. Beads of sweat rolled down the back of her neck, and her legs quaked as various thoughts entered her mind. Was he going to kiss her again? But they didn't even know each other that well! Hell, they weren't even friends! Was this his way of trying to flirt with her?
"President Huo..." Jian Yun stared at his nose, not daring to look at him in the eye. She wanted to tell him that the stoplight was about to turn green, but she found herself a little bit tongue-tied. Her fingertips tugged the fabric of her shirt as if trying to get her to snap out of it.
"You're right. Your face isn't swelling anymore." However, Huo Liancheng didn't kiss her as she had expected. Instead, he slowly let her go and let his eyes turn to the road ahead of them.
The green light had turned on, and right on time, he leaned back against the driver's seat and drove the car past the intersection. It was as if nothing had happened.
Jian Yun clawed on her chest, trying to calm her beating heart. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she tried to register what just happened. What the hell did President Huo mean? Her fingers brushed against her lips. Why did he have to lean in so close to her just to say that the swelling had subsided? Couldn't he have noticed that from afar?
He must've done that on purpose! To make a fool out of herself!
She had been too busy making faces at her own reflection, venting her dissatisfaction with the entire ordeal, that she had forgotten that there was someone sitting right beside her. Huo Liancheng could see all funny expressions from his rear-view mirror, watching her range from feelings of frustration to anger all in one go.
He retracted his gaze, and the corners of his lips inched upwards.
"You can't buy the ointment anywhere else," he later offered after a moment of silence. "If you like it so much, I can get Yin Che to make some more for you."
"No, please, I don't want to trouble you." Hearing this, Jian Yun bowed her head and waved her hand. It wouldn't be right to ask a favor this large from him, as they weren't all that familiar with each other.
Huo Liancheng simply glanced back at her and said nothing more.
Yet no matter how many minutes had passed, Jian Yun still couldn't calm herself. From time to time, she would look at Liancheng's direction and feel her heart beat even faster than the last. It was like a curse in the making. It was obvious that she didn't like him, but why was she so affected by his presence?
She rubbed her chest, shaking her thoughts away. It was best to keep her distance, otherwise, she'd die from a heart attack.
"Have your hands recovered?" He steadily steered the wheel to the right.
"What?" Jian Yun blinked. When she saw him eyeing her left hand, she immediately remembered her blisters from the night before. She raised it up into the air and showed it to him. Although the blisters had faded, there were still scars to remind her of what had happened. The doctor had said that it would take some more time for them to fade completely. "It's already scarring."
"The ointment can remove the scars as well."
"Oh...uhm, thank you." Although the tension had disappeared, the awkwardness still floated around the car like a heavy blanket. Her hand fidgeted, and she found herself inching closer and closer to the car door. When she looked up, she saw that they were already heading towards the city center. Her eyebrows furrowed over. Were they already heading to the party? But it was too early. "President Huo, where are we going now?"
"We're going to pick up some clothes for you," he responded.
"There's really no need. I already have a dress," Jian Yun tried to say, but one glance from him made her shut her mouth. She shook her head repeatedly. "Pretend I didn't say anything."
This time, she didn't hold any suspicions in her heart. After all, they won't be attending just any regular party. If she had any guesses, she could bet that a hundred percent of the guests who would be going would be decked with designer clothing from head to toe. If she dressed too poorly for the night, she'd be the highlight of the night–and not in a good way either.
After twenty minutes, they had finally arrived at a building. After stepping out of the car, he led her to the 12th floor.
Immediately, as the elevator doors opened, someone came up to them and bowed respectfully. "Mr. Huo," he greeted with so much pretense and respect that Jian Yun thought he was greeting the emperor. "This way please."
Jian Yun followed behind him and looked around curiously. With dozens of racks at either side of the room and large posters of models up on the walls, she could tell it was a clothing studio. Various fabrics were laid out in display, and even she couldn't help but swoon at the sight. Some of these fabrics were exclusive and rare, one that she couldn't even dream of wearing. What the hell was she doing here?
Hearing the voice from the other end, the double doors opened, and a fashionably dressed woman came striding out. The moment she saw Liancheng, her eyes lit up and her arms opened wide. She rushed over like a mother reuniting with her son, yelling out, "It's really you, Mr. Huo! When Cheng Muze called in to say that you were coming, I didn't believe him at first, but here you are!"
Liancheng dodged her bear hug and placed an arm around Jian Yun's shoulder, pushing her forward. "Ou Xueli," he greeted. "I need you to pick out a set of clothes for her."
The woman was hiding behind his back this entire time that Ou Xueli didn't even notice her. When Jian Yun was brought forward, she clasped her hands together in surprise. "Such a pretty little girl! Where did you find her?"
Taking her arm affectionately, Ou Xueli cooed, "You can call me Shirley, okay? Just give me an hour, Mr. Huo, and I'll transform this sweet little girl into a goddess!"
Without much of a warning, Jian Yun was pulled into the room. She couldn't help but look back at Huo Liancheng who was also gazing at her. There was so much intensity in his eyes, that she couldn't help but shiver. Yet, a part of her was fine with it. This was far better than the coldness that had greeted her any other day. Ou Xueli happened to turn around just in time to see the two sharing at each other like a pair of lovebirds. Smiling secretly, she closed the door.
"What's your name?" Ou Xueli quickly called over her two assistants. One of them immediately started brushing Jian Yun's hair while the other brought out a large makeup kit.
"Jian Yun." She smiled, not being able to help it. Their enthusiasm was far too infectious.
"Are you and Mr. Huo together?" Ou Xueli and her assistants all asked at the same time as they thought of various styles they could try with her long hair.
"No!" She sputtered out, trying to get a hold of herself. Why did everyone assume they were together? It wasn't as if they acted as if they were together! "He's the CEO of the company where I work. I can't possibly be with him."
"Really?" Ou Xueli squinted her eyes, chuckling. She began to comb her hair, separating them into thinner strands. "But I feel like Mr. Huo treats you differently than any other woman he's met. In fact, you're the first woman he ever brought to my place."
Jian Yun blinked. "Doesn't he stay overseas?"
"Who says so?" She snorted, shaking her head. "I swear the man had done tons of crazy things in the last few years. Not only had he left his own company, which for your information, has a net value of over trillions of dollars, but he also became a professional manager for god knows what reason! Says he wanted to challenge himself, but I doubt that the reasoning is that simple. To be honest with you, he seems to be looking for someone."
"Looking for someone?" Jian Yun's heart skipped a beat.
"That's what my husband says. They came from the same family," Ou Xueli hurriedly explained before sighing. "But after seeing how detached he is, that reasoning is somehow hard to believe."
Jian Yun didn't know why she was saying all of these things to her, but she also didn't ask any further. After all, she didn't want to invade the Liancheng's privacy.
It took both of the assistants more than an hour to fix her hair and makeup. By the time they were finished, Ou Xueli pulled out a black fish-tailed dress from the racks. It was a backless, low-cut dress that almost leaves nothing to the imagination.
When Jian Yun put it on, the silky dress hugged her on all the right sides that even the assistants gasped in surprise. "Sister Jian, it's like the outfit was made for you!"
"We should let Mr. Huo look for himself." Ou Xueli pushed her towards the doorway, sounding even more excited than Jian Yun.
"Wait, isn't this too much?" Jian Yun gazed at her exposed cleavage, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Although the dress looked beautiful, it was far too revealing for her taste. A blush crept up to her cheeks as she struggled to cover herself.