Fog Returns to the Capital

Chapter 78 Don't Treat Me Like This

……

When Li Wu returned, it was almost midnight.

She stood outside the gate, frozen in place for several seconds.

After calming herself down and adjusting her facial expression, Li Wu gently pressed her finger onto the fingerprint lock.

Li Wu moved very quietly from beginning to end.

When the door closes, it makes almost no sound.

But as she passed through the living room, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

The spacious living room was brightly lit.

Zhou Jinghuai sat in the middle of the sofa. He wore a simple white shirt and black trousers, exuding an air of refined elegance.

But apart from him.

His secretary was also standing in the living room, along with two other men in suits.

Li Wu assumed Zhou Jinghuai was still handling official business and subconsciously said, "I'm sorry, did I disturb you? I'll go back to my room right away..."

Even when she said this, Li Wu didn't look at Zhou Jinghuai.

After saying that, Li Wu quickly turned around and prepared to go to the bedroom.

But just as she turned around, a deep, calm voice rang out—

"come over."

Li Wu's back suddenly stiffened, and she stopped in her tracks.

There was a moment of silence, perhaps two or three seconds, or perhaps longer.

Li Wu turned around without looking at Zhou Jinghuai, her low, muffled voice barely audible to herself, "What..."

Zhou Jinghuai looked at her quietly.

Li Wu unconsciously tightened her grip on her side, and after a few seconds, she walked towards Zhou Jinghuai.

As she approached.

Zhou Jinghuai grasped her slender, fair wrist and pulled her onto his lap to sit down.

Li Wu neither struggled nor refused, remaining obedient and gentle, as if Zhou Jinghuai could do whatever he wanted.

Seeing her like this.

Zhou Jinghuai felt a slight sting in his heart.

Let those people leave first.

Zhou Jinghuai then looked at Li Wu, who had her head slightly lowered, and asked in a gentle and calm voice, "Are you still angry with me?"

"No." Li Wu's eyelashes trembled slightly, her voice low and soft, "It's that you don't want to see me."

"When did I ever say I didn't want to see you?" Zhou Jinghuai's voice was deep and gentle.

"You told me to go out that day, but you locked me out..." Li Wu's voice was very low, and every word was extremely difficult to utter.

Unconsciously, Li Wu's eyes reddened again.

Although a long time has passed, the scene of her being locked out and crying all night feels like it happened just yesterday.

Even now, she can still feel the biting cold wind, making her feel as if she has fallen into an ice cellar.

"..."

Zhou Jinghuai remained silent for a moment.

He raised his hand, his warm fingertips gently touching the girl's reddened eyes. His deep voice was a little hoarse, "I was angry that day, and what I said wasn't very rational. Don't take it to heart, okay?"

Li Wu kept her eyes closed and did not respond.

Be quiet for a few seconds.

Zhou Jinghuai sighed helplessly, his voice low and hoarse, "Then I'll apologize to you, okay?"

"I'm sorry," he said.

This was the first time Zhou Jinghuai had ever bowed his head to someone.

He never bowed his head in front of his father or his grandfather.

Li Wu's heart skipped a beat.

When she finally looked up at Zhou Jinghuai, there was obvious shock and disbelief in her eyes.

She knew from the beginning that getting someone like Zhou Jinghuai to bow his head and apologize was practically a pipe dream.

To put it more firmly, it's simply impossible.

But now...

Zhou Jinghuai lowered his head, his deep black eyes fixed on Li Wu, his low, calm voice saying, "Li Li, don't give me the silent treatment. I don't like it."

"If you have any complaints, you can vent them to me directly."

"..."

Li Wu's pupils widened instantly. She looked at the man who was clearly trying to shift the blame, her voice trembling with anger, "You're talking nonsense! You were the one who ignored me first!"

Her voice suddenly rose several octaves as she relentlessly accused him.

Zhou Jinghuai chuckled softly, pulling her closer with his arms, his deep voice gentle and tender, "Then don't be angry anymore, okay?"

"..."

In fact, the moment Zhou Jinghuai bowed his head and apologized to her, the emotions that had been building up in Li Wu's heart had already dissipated.

She knew that Zhou Jinghuai was not actually wrong.

However, his attitude that day still hurt her somewhat.

As long as he speaks to her properly, there's nothing she can't listen to him about.

Seeing that Li Wu didn't speak, Zhou Jinghuai's dark eyes deepened slightly. But he didn't say anything, only gesturing for her to look at the documents placed in front of her.

"have a look."

Li Wu's gaze followed to the thick stack of documents on the dark marble coffee table.

When Li Wu entered, she saw Zhou Jinghuai's secretary and two other men in suits standing in the living room.

She assumed they were handling work.

It turned out not to be.

Zhou Jinghuai transferred all seven properties—a villa in the suburbs of Beijing, a courtyard house in the sky in Manyuan, a large flat overlooking the river in the bay area, a house in a hutong in Xicheng District, and the top-tier flat they currently live in—to Li Wu's name.

……

read it.

Li Wu was stunned and speechless.

Zhou Jinghuai looked down at her, his hands tightening around her waist slightly. His gentle and dignified voice was low and calm, each word clear.

"Since you've been with me, I've tried my best to give you everything you want. I've never skimped on your food, clothing, shelter, or transportation."

“Even every part of this house is still free for you to modify as you please.”

“I thought that by being considerate and attentive to you in every way, I could completely dispel your worries and restraints and make you feel at home here, but you still don’t feel any sense of belonging.”

"Now that this house is in your name, you have complete and absolute rights to use it. From now on, it's only possible that you'll be the one to ask me to leave."

Zhou Jinghuai looked into Li Wu's eyes, "Will this eliminate the barriers in your heart?"

There was a pause of one second, then it was quick.

Zhou Jinghuai continued, "If not, Lili, tell me what I should do."

He has already tried his best to make her happy.

If that still doesn't work, then he will do whatever she asks.

The words fell.

The huge living room instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Li Wu stared blankly at Zhou Jinghuai, seemingly still reeling from what he had just said.

There was silence for quite a while.

Li Wucai heard her own trembling voice say, "How could you be this kind of person..."

It can make a person feel as low as dust, and in the blink of an eye, it can lift a person up high.

Li Wu sniffed, paused, and then reached out to hug Zhou Jinghuai, resting her head on his shoulder.

In a low, soft voice, he said, "I didn't want you to do anything."

"If you explain things to me properly, I will definitely listen to whatever you say."

Zhou Jinghuai responded softly, then reached out and pulled Li Wu into his arms, his deep and gentle voice falling on her ear.

"So, this matter is considered over?"

There was silence for quite a while.

Li Wu, with her head resting on Zhou Jinghuai's shoulder, finally managed to utter a single, muffled syllable.

"Um……"

Zhou Jinghuai patted her, turned his head and kissed her delicate, fair cheek, then naturally moved to her soft, rosy lips.

His breath was as warm and comforting as ever, and the faint, elegant, and clean scent of sandalwood almost overwhelmed her, enveloping her completely.

Li Wu wrapped her arms weakly around Zhou Jinghuai's neck, tilting her head back and obediently letting him kiss her.

Her slender, pale neck arched gracefully, her breathing became increasingly rapid and erratic, and her heartbeat became noticeably disordered.

Being kissed so deeply by him, Li Wu even had a strange feeling—

She would drown in his tender kiss.

……

After a long, deep kiss, Li Wu couldn't take it anymore and started to push Zhou Jinghuai away.

The little bit of force that fell on Zhou Jinghuai was as good as nothing.

But Zhou Jinghuai still let her go.

I watched the girl panting heavily, her moist lips slightly parted as she gasped for fresh air.

Zhou Jinghuai's eyes darkened slightly, and his deep, elegant voice carried a faint chuckle, "How come Lili still can't learn to breathe properly after all this time?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Wu blushed, her wet eyes glaring at her. Her soft, seductive voice was strangely endearing, "It's all your fault! Every time you kiss me, it gets fiercer..."

No matter how well she breathes, she can't keep up.

Zhou Jinghuai smiled.

soon.

Li Wu's arms, which had just wrapped around his neck, fell away, and she felt weak and limp in his embrace.

Zhou Jinghuai unzipped her down jacket, then patted her to signal her to get up.

Li Wu bit her lip slightly, reached out and supported herself on Zhou Jinghuai's broad shoulders, and barely managed to kneel on his lap.

Li Wu is sensitive to the cold and always wears a lot of clothes.

The higher the pure white sweater was pushed up, the more her delicate and petite face appeared rosy.

When the clasp came undone, the last piece slid down.

Li Wu instinctively snuggled into Zhou Jinghuai's arms.

She actually really liked his scent. Clean, crisp, and elegant, like a pine forest covered in snow on a mountaintop, yet with an indescribable gentleness.

Zhou Jinghuai looked at the naked girl curled up tightly in his arms. He lowered his head and lovingly kissed her reddened eyes, his deep, gentle voice whispering beneath her eyelashes, "Cold?"

Li Wu shook her head and didn't speak, but she still snuggled into his arms. Her smooth, fair body trembled slightly.

Zhou Jinghuai lowered his head again and kissed her lips. Then, his lips slowly and gently moved downwards...

……

……

Li Wu's legs were also very beautiful—slender, white, long, and straight. The curve of her legs when she bent them was especially beautiful.

……

Before long, Li Wu's fair and slender legs stiffened instantly, and her whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Li Wu only knew that when Zhou Jinghuai kissed her, it felt warm and comfortable.

……

……

I don’t know how long it took.

Li Wu was completely dazed and almost lost consciousness.

But when she was completely soaked, Zhou Jinghuai pulled her back into his arms.

Li Wu finally couldn't hold back and burst into tears.

Nearly collapsed.

Zhou Jinghuai smiled and showered her sweaty face with gentle kisses. He comforted her softly for a while, "It's nothing, Lili is very happy, isn't she?"

Just as Zhou Jinghuai was about to kiss her lips, Li Wu cried and dodged away.

"..."

Zhou Jinghuai chuckled, "Even Lili herself dislikes it?"

The words fell.

Li Wu's body suddenly stiffened.

……

last of the last.

When Zhou Jinghuai carried her to the bathroom to wash up, Li Wu cried uncontrollably.

She leaned on Zhou Jinghuai's shoulder, and a few fragmented words escaped her sobbing voice, "They're all... all broken..."

Her response was a low, gentle word.

"will not."

……

……

Li Wu was eventually appeased.

It was only after that day that Li Wu belatedly realized something—

Zhou Jinghuai knew that she had bought an apartment in Beijing.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have given her so many properties that day.

only.

Li Wu thought Zhou Jinghuai would ask her about it.

but no.

He didn't ask a single question.

Later, it's unclear whether Li Wu forgot due to being busy, or whether she deliberately didn't mention it to Zhou Jinghuai.

Zhou Jinghuai didn't realize she had appeared on the Spring Festival Gala until he saw Li Wu on the television screen.

Wow, I know her!

Zhou Lingxi, dressed in a festive bright red suit, was busy eating melon seeds and nuts, but still spoke with great enthusiasm, "Li Wu! She's a very, very beautiful actress!"

"I stayed up all night to watch all three dramas she starred in! I didn't know she could sing so well too..."

A noblewoman dressed in a dark cheongsam and wearing a matching Shu embroidery shawl placed a peeled orange beside her hand and said softly, "How many times have I told you not to stay up late? Why don't you ever listen?"

"It only happened once or twice, Mom, I promise you!" The little girl smiled, her face bright and cheerful.

the other side.

Zhou Jinghuai, who was listening to Old Zhou speak, looked up when he heard the familiar voice—

On the television screen, the little girl in red looked exceptionally beautiful and charming.

Her beautiful and delicate face was stunning at first glance. When she smiled, her eyes were so beautiful and lively that it was almost impossible to look away.

Zhou Bowen, the eldest brother who was also listening to Zhou Lao speak, followed Zhou Jinghuai's gaze and glanced at the little girl on the screen.

Subsequently.

Zhou Bowen withdrew his gaze, picked up the teacup in front of him, took a small sip, and remained silent.

Staying at the old house to celebrate the Lunar New Year's Eve.

The Zhou family's rules.

……

It's normal for Li Wu to feel nervous about stepping onto such a prestigious stage for the first time.

But during her performance.

Shen Yichen even sat down at the table in front of her and waved to her to cheer her on.

That moment.

The tension in Li Wu's body suddenly disappeared.

Even her final performance and demeanor on stage were better than in any previous rehearsal.

after the end.

When Shen Yichen found Li Wu backstage, the first thing he said to her was to praise her, "You did a great job, you were fantastic."

Li Wu smiled and said, "Thank you, Director Shen."

Shen Yichen handed her a bouquet of flowers he had prepared in advance, saying, "Lili, Happy New Year."

It was a bunch of white camellias.

Li Wu accepted it and replied, "Happy New Year."

No sooner had he finished speaking than someone called Shen Yichen.

"Then you go ahead and get busy," Li Wu said tactfully.

Shen Yichen quickly responded in the earpiece, then looked at Li Wu, who was dressed in bright red and looked stunning, and asked, "Do you want me to arrange for someone to take you back?"

"no need."

Li Wu politely declined, saying, "I have a driver waiting for me outside."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yichen knew her situation and didn't ask any further questions, only telling her to be careful when she went back.

In just a short time, four or five groups of people had already called him, so Shen Yichen had no choice but to leave in a hurry.

……

After leaving the venue.

Having removed her makeup and changed into her own clothes, Li Wu felt completely relaxed.

The long street is brightly lit, neon lights flash on the high-rise buildings, and thousands of lights in the distance stretch endlessly, making the whole city seem like daytime.

The hustle and bustle of the daytime has gradually faded away.

In the silence, Li Wu stood on the brightly lit street.

She wore an exquisite and stylish red coat. Her long, seaweed-like hair was casually draped over her shoulders, with a few strands occasionally brushing against her cheeks in the breeze.

She stood there, looking dazed, as if she didn't know where to go.

It has no origin and no destination.

It was quiet for a while.

Li Wu raised her hand to cover her face with her mask before taking out her phone to hail a taxi home.

She had already given the driver a day off.

After all, on such a joyous occasion for the whole family, he also has his own family to spend time with.

But at times like these, there are almost no people willing to take orders.

After a long time, Li Wu still couldn't hail a taxi, and she was feeling a bit lost.

A black Mercedes-Benz G-Class slowly pulled up in front of her.

The car window rolled down slowly and steadily, revealing a clear and dignified face.

(End of this chapter)