Chapter 323: Chapter 323; How about asking her?
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."
Both men exchanged a glance, silently gauging his reaction.
Huo Ting Cheng leaned back against the leather seat, the fine lines of his jaw tightening as his gaze flickered between them. "So, in short, you two know my wife better than me now?" His voice carried a sharp edge, but the faint glint in his eyes betrayed something else, an uncomfortable recognition that perhaps, just perhaps, they weren’t entirely wrong.
"Not that we know her better," Secretary Li replied carefully, adjusting his glasses before returning his eyes to the tablet on his lap. "It’s just... the most comfortable and safest place for you both to spend time together. After all, you two have been starving for years. It’s time you fed each other." His smirk was subtle as he let his gaze drift toward the blur of the highway outside.
"Starving? Are we dogs now?" Huo Ting Cheng’s lips curved into a humorless smirk, though annoyance flickered across his face. The words stung, not because they were crude, but because they touched a truth he didn’t want voiced aloud. It wasn’t as if he didn’t crave intimacy with her, he did, but more than that, he wanted her heart, her trust, her willingness. Possessing her body alone was never enough. He wanted her wholly.
"Hehehe... I didn’t mean it like that!" Secretary Li chuckled, quickly waving his hand as if brushing off his words. "I know you’re a responsible and loyal man, Ting Cheng, but come on... It’s been years. We can’t deny it... She’s human too. She has her own needs, her own cravings. It’s normal, nothing shameful about that."
He smirked a little, though this time it was gentler, almost teasing. "And since you two are officially married now, it’s justifiable to have some more of those moments you know..."
" Tsk... Talking as if you are married! Only singles dare to advise the married..." He hummed lightly.
Huo Ting Cheng leaned back, his long fingers gently tapping against the armrest. His eyes narrowed slightly, weighing the two options he was being given. They actually weren’t that bad; he just felt sour that they knew what kind of place he needed.
"Riverside Penthouse... or Seaview Villa..." he repeated slowly, almost to himself, they were in the best location and somewhere nobody was going to disturb them.
Silence filled the car once again, broken only by the steady hum of the engine.
Huo Qi and Secretary Li waited, neither daring to interrupt his thoughts. They both knew his decisions never came lightly, especially when it concerned Tang Fei. They also needed to check on the security matters.
Finally, Huo Ting Cheng spoke, his tone low but steady. "The villa by the sea will do I guess."
Huo Qi’s gaze flickered briefly toward Secretary Li before he nodded. "Understood. I’ll make the arrangements right away. We’ll have the staff prepare the villa in advance, discreetly. No one else will know."
"Good," Huo Ting Cheng replied, his voice low and calm, yet his thumb rubbed once against the edge of his tablet, betraying a restless energy he didn’t show on his face.
Secretary Li cleared his throat, deciding to take the risk. "Ting Cheng, forgive me if I’m overstepping, but... if you want Tang Fei to feel at ease, you should ask her what she likes. Not everything has to be arranged by us. You need to ask for her opinion for example, or what she wants..."
The words lingered in the air and for a moment, Huo Ting Cheng didn’t answer, his gaze still fixed on the van ahead of them. Through the tinted glass, he couldn’t see her, but he knew she was there, with the children, choosing their company over his.
His jaw slightly tightened.
Ask her? He wanted to, but what if she refused? What if she used that moment to push him away even further? But then again, he wanted to give a surprise....
"No," he said at last, his tone clipped. "She won’t refuse if I don’t give her the choice."
Secretary Li pressed his lips together, wisely deciding not to argue.
The rest of the ride settled into silence again, heavy but resolute.
Huo Ting Cheng closed his eyes briefly, leaning back against the leather seat. In his mind, he could already picture it, the sound of the waves crashing outside the villa, the quiet nights with no interruptions, Tang Fei beside him with nowhere else to run.
This time, he thought grimly, she wouldn’t slip through his fingers.
"What else do you want me to prepare for you? Can I have the details?" Huo Qi asked, already holding his tablet, fingers poised to type as his eyes flicked up to study him.
"Probably just stock the fridge with fresh ingredients or food," Huo Ting Cheng answered after a pause, his tone casual. Then, with the faintest smirk, he added, "But then again... you can be my food delivery." Other than that, nothing else really came to mind.
Secretary Li couldn’t hold back a small giggle, shaking his head in amusement. Even though Sixth Master Huo was married, but when it came to romance, he really was a novice, a complete blank book.
"What?" Ting Cheng shot him a glare, clearly annoyed at being laughed at. Sure, he wasn’t experienced in these things, but did they have to rub it in?
Huo Qi cleared his throat and, with a straight face, suggested, "How about decorating the place with flowers? Roses, of all kinds. Maybe even prepare some... sexy outfits for Madam?" He lifted the tablet slightly, scrolling through ideas as if he were completely serious.