Chapter 322: Chapter 322; You know, that’s a good idea
Tinghao’s little fists finally unclenched. "So... you won’t leave?"
The question cut her deep, a blade she hadn’t expected. She kissed the crown of his head, her lips brushing the stiff fabric of his cap. "Never. I’ll never leave you."
For a moment, the van was quiet again, but softer this time, the tension easing into something fragile but warm.
Feihao leaned against her arm, Zhihao shifted closer, and Minghao clung tighter, as though anchoring themselves to her words.
Tang Fei exhaled slowly, gazing out the window at the passing streets. Her heart was still raw, her mind still on Huo Ting Cheng in the car behind them. But right now, with their little hands wrapped around hers, she knew what mattered most. And that was shielding them from their shortcomings.
- - - - - - - -
The second SUV trailed behind, its interior taut with silence. The hum of the road beneath the tires did little to mask the heaviness that clung to the air.
Huo Ting Cheng sat in the back seat, one arm braced on the leather rest, his long frame stretched with deceptive ease. But the sharp line of his jaw and the way his fingers tapped once, twice, against his knee betrayed the storm brewing beneath his calm.
Secretary Li, seated opposite, adjusted his glasses carefully. He hesitated before speaking, his tone cautious. "Ting Cheng... forgive me for asking, but... is there something wrong between you and her?"
The question hung, bold enough that even Huo Qi, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced back, his expression tightening.
Huo Ting Cheng didn’t answer immediately. He stared out the tinted window instead, watching the van ahead of them where Tang Fei sat with the children. His gaze was hard, unblinking, as if he could see straight through the metal and glass.
Finally, his voice came, low and edged like tempered steel. "She decided to take another car."
"Geez! Sometimes I wonder if the two of you want to behave like children," Secretary Li muttered, eyeing Huo Ting Cheng for a beat before dropping his gaze back to the tablet in his hands. "Tang Fei has been restless since last night. What did you do?"
Tang Fei had already changed so much, reformed in ways none of them had expected. What could have driven her into such a storm again? Women could be moody, yes, but not this early in the morning without a reason.
"Her reasons are irrelevant," Huo Ting Cheng cut him off, his words soft but cutting. "She should be by my side. Always. I’m her priority."
Huo Qi exhaled slowly, his tone steady but laced with caution. "Sixth Master, you know how Madam is. If you tighten your grip too much, she’ll slip away, feeling suffocated. Surely you don’t want to turn your love into a cage?"
Huo Ting Cheng’s jaw flexed, his gaze fixed out the tinted window. "I haven’t caged her... Enough. Just find and book me a proper place for a honeymoon."
Both Huo Qi and Secretary Li froze, exchanging a look. They had been speaking of restraint and patience, yet his mind had veered in an entirely different direction.
It hit them a moment later.
Secretary Li’s eyes widened, his voice cracking with disbelief. "Ting Cheng... are you planning to get Tang Fei pregnant?"
"Stop asking me questions and do what I told you," Huo Ting Cheng cut in coldly, his dark blue eyes flashing as he glared at Huo Qi, fury simmering beneath the surface.
Huo Qi hesitated, then asked carefully, "What kind of place are you looking for, Sixth Master?"
"I said find one, and you’re still asking me? Just somewhere decent. A quiet getaway with security." His tone was clipped, impatient, as he pulled his tablet closer and began scrolling through his emails. For the first time that morning, the words blurred. His concentration was shot.
Huo Qi spread his arms, exasperated. "We’ve never gone on a honeymoon before, Sixth Master. I don’t even know what kind of place Madam would like. You’ll have to give me some hint, at least."
He sat back in silence, caught between deciding everything himself or asking her directly. After all, once Tinghao, Feihao, and Zhihao were dropped at the military academy, Minghao would be at school, and since she studied alongside Qin Xinyu, the chauffeur could bring them home together.
As for Qing Qing... he could reschedule her surgery, or let Nanny Yu handle it with the guards escorting her. But, for such a matter, it was best if he handled it himself.... Just in case...
There was no need for anything extravagant. Staying close by for a night or two would be enough. Simple. Manageable. This could work.
"Ting Cheng, you have several penthouses and villas. If you want somewhere quiet, just the two of you with no disturbances, why not choose one of those?" Secretary Li suggested, noting his conflicted look.
Besides, Tang Fei would never like sleeping in a hotel room already used by countless others, a bed shared by strangers and couples before them. In their own penthouse, they had privacy and freedom, every space from the sitting room to the bedroom within reach, untouched by anyone else.
"You know, that’s a good idea!" Huo Ting Cheng admitted, realizing Secretary Li had voiced exactly what he’d been thinking. Being a clean freak himself, the idea of doing anything intimate in a place used by countless others irritated him.
"Huo Qi, out of all the penthouses I own, which one do you think would work best?"
Huo Qi straightened in his seat, fingers drumming lightly against the folder in his lap. "If you want peace and privacy, I’d say the Riverside Penthouse. It’s quiet, secure, and has a rooftop garden that Tang Fei would like. She prefers open spaces, you know she’ll feel trapped if it’s just four walls."
Secretary Li raised his brows. "Or the Seaview Villa. She always calms down when she’s near the water. You should know that by now, Sixth Master."