The Cold-hearted Mr. Huo's Gentle Trap

"Feeling nervous?" The man's husky, magnetic voice whispered in Fu Yan's ear. "Are you crazy? This is the Huo family..." She tried to evade him, her body trembling involuntarily, fingers clutching the sofa cover tightly. Her flushed cheeks only fueled the man's wildness behind her. Outside the tea room, footsteps came and went. Tonight was the Huo family's banquet, and many had returned. Fu Yan worried that someone might burst in at any moment. She dared not make a sound, but the man seemed intent on teasing her, pushing her to the brink of crying out. The glass reflected the man's sharply defined face, his eyes filled with a hint of mockery, watching her panicked expression. "What are you afraid of?" The man curved his lips, satisfied with her reaction. It wasn't until someone called out to the old master from a distance that he gripped Fu Yan's waist and hastily ended their encounter. The man withdrew, leaving Fu Yan to collapse onto the floor, overwhelmed. Before her was a mirror, perfect for tidying up. Fu Yan saw her face, flushed as if painted with rouge, her clothes disheveled, while behind her stood Huo Mingzheng— Impeccably dressed, elegant, and handsome. He was the second grandson in the Huo family, with an elder cousin above him, yet he was the true heir, powerful and untouchable. His gaze fell on the marks on Fu Yan's waist. Discarding his handkerchief, he lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly. The jade ring on his left thumb glowed faintly, cold and rare, the finest dragon stone jade from northern Myanmar. "I heard you're looking at cars recently. Shall I buy you one?" "No need, I'll buy it myself." Fu Yan dressed, clenching her fingers, avoiding his gaze in the mirror. She knew he was angry, having tormented her earlier, and this offer only added fuel to the fire. "Are you really planning to cut ties with me?" Fu Yan lowered her head, buttoning her shirt in silence, her fingers pale from gripping too hard. "Fu Yan, you've really grown bold." Huo Mingzheng sneered. His eyes moved away from her waist. After a few more puffs, he stubbed out his cigarette. Fu Yan got up from the floor and rushed into the bathroom to compose herself. The tea room door opened and closed; she knew Huo Mingzheng had left. After a while, once the redness on her face had completely subsided and she was sure there were no marks, she emerged from the bathroom. By the time she reached the dining room, most people had already gathered. At the Huo family's banquet, three large round tables were filled with lively chatter, but no one approached Fu Yan. Fu Yan didn't want to deal with the Huo family either, keeping her head down as she found her seat. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you, and you didn't answer your phone." Her mother, Song Qingshuang, grabbed her hand, glaring discontentedly. Fu Yan discreetly withdrew her hand, whispering, "I didn't hear it." In truth, she had heard it, but Huo Mingzheng hadn't allowed her to answer. In such matters, he disliked interruptions and would get angry, making things even more difficult. Just as Fu Yan sat down, someone at the main table remarked, "Second Brother, your sleeve is wet." She heard Huo Mingzheng chuckle lightly, "It got wet from some water earlier." Whether it was her sensitivity or not, Fu Yan felt that Huo Mingzheng glanced at her after saying this. She nervously looked up. Huo Mingzheng's right sleeve was slightly damp, though not very noticeable on his black outfit. She recalled how he had held her with that hand earlier, whispering heatedly in her ear that she was made of water. Fu Yan's face flushed crimson. Huo Mingzheng removed his jacket and draped it over the chair back, responding nonchalantly to those speaking to him. No one dared to criticize him. He was always the center of attention in the Huo family. Unlike Fu Yan. She had entered the Huo family following her mother's remarriage to Huo Mingzheng's fifth uncle. Among the Huo grandchildren, from the eldest to the youngest, their titles reflected their status in the family. But she, called "Miss Fu" by the servants, was an outsider. Song Qingshuang whispered to her. "The old master is already displeased with us. How could you be so careless? Don't you know today is the family banquet? Thankfully, the old master didn't blame us." Her mother, having remarried, had always been viewed with prejudice, especially after Huo Mingzheng's fifth uncle passed away. They were even less welcome. Servants secretly gossiped that Song Qingshuang was a jinx and that Fu Yan was bad luck. Thus, Song Qingshuang adhered strictly to the Huo family rules. Fu Yan was used to it and didn't pay much heed to her mother's complaints, her mind preoccupied with Huo Mingzheng's last meaningful words. She occasionally glanced towards the main table. The inextricable bond with Huo Mingzheng drew her thoughts back to two years ago. On the night of her college graduation, she had gotten drunk with her classmates. She had never touched alcohol before, but that night was different because the Huo family was preparing a marriage for Huo Mingzheng. Huo Mingzheng, the man she had secretly loved for many years. Unexpectedly, Huo Mingzheng was also at the bar that night. Emboldened by alcohol, she approached him and asked—Huo Mingzheng, what do you think of me? Huo Mingzheng removed her hand from his shoulder, smiling mockingly, "What do you mean?" Fu Yan had never imagined that the usually well-behaved girl would do something so rebellious. Huo Mingzheng was her nominal cousin. She whispered in his ear, "Be your woman." Huo Mingzheng leaned against the wall, lighting a cigarette. Through the swirling smoke, he asked, "Do you dare?" Fu Yan lightly kissed his chin, provocatively wrapping her arms around his neck, "What about you? Do you dare?" Huo Mingzheng stubbed out his cigarette without answering, just smiling. His eyes, in the interplay of lights, seemed like deep, unfathomable abysses or flames ready to consume. That night, she became Huo Mingzheng's woman. In the throes of passion, he bit her earlobe, "Fu Yan, remember what you said tonight." Fu Yan had said many things that night, so many that she couldn't recall which one Huo Mingzheng referred to. Afterward, Fu Yan was somewhat fearful. Entangling with a man like Huo Mingzheng was dangerous. Their relationship was clandestine, meaning Huo Mingzheng would never acknowledge her. She liked Huo Mingzheng, having silently loved him for so many years, she couldn't bear to let go. But he was destined to marry and have children. It was said the old master had already chosen a bride for him. He never mentioned it, implicitly acknowledging her hidden status—mistress, third party. Fu Yan didn't dare dwell on it. If this love was destined to be unequal, she was unwilling to remain humble. So last weekend, she messaged Huo Mingzheng, wanting to end their abnormal relationship. Until today, Huo Mingzheng hadn't responded. That evening, she returned to the Huo mansion and encountered him. In the deserted corridor, she lowered her head, intending to pass by, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the tea room... Judging by his demeanor, she had angered him. As dishes were served, Fu Yan's thoughts were pulled back to the present. A servant brought in a fish dish, the seafood flown in from abroad. The steamed fish, drizzled with hot oil, emitted a tantalizing aroma. Fu Yan, struggling to suppress her discomfort, tried to avoid the smell but couldn't help but retch, "Ugh..."