Shen Li didn't dare to protest again; she could tell that it wasn't just Huo Siyu's crankiness upon waking up—he was genuinely feeling unwell.
"Huff..." Huo Siyu sat up gloomily, his expression even more sour.
Shen Li huddled in the blanket; she really didn't want to provoke him. She had a premonition that if she dared to talk back to Huo Siyu now, she would end up in a miserable state.
Huo Siyu raised his hand to ring for service, and soon a row of maids entered with trays holding his clothes and a variety of grooming items.
Shen Li had intended to play dead, but the grandiose attendance scared her quite a bit.
Two maids stepped forward, skillfully helping Huo Siyu dress without him lifting a hand. He remained in a stinky mood, and the maids seemed to notice, keeping their heads down very low.
"Aren't you getting up?" Huo Siyu said in a deep voice.
Shen Li quickly crawled out of the blanket. As two maids approached with trays, she hurriedly said, "No need, I don't need it, I'll do it myself."
To let others help dress her... what kind of living habit was that?
Snatching the underwear, Shen Li put it on under the covers before proceeding to dress normally. Although there were only maids in the room, being seen still felt odd.
Breakfast was served in the bedroom. Huo Siyu had no appetite at all, and Shen Li only drank a glass of milk.
Just as Shen Li was unsure of what would happen next, massage therapists arrived—one for Huo Siyu's head, one for Shen Li's waist. Although Shen Li felt somewhat uncomfortable, she didn't feel especially unwell. It was Huo Sisi who, ever since the early morning, had been resting with closed eyes, his complexion as unsightly as ever. And now he called for a massage therapist—was his sleep that poor?
If he was so afraid of being disturbed, why not sleep separately? Why insist on squeezing into the same bed with her?
"Sir," Mr. Situ entered, stepping lightly and speaking in a hushed tone.
Huo Siyu had trouble sleeping and found it difficult to fall asleep. If he was woken up halfway through, the consequences would be dire. He'd feel unwell throughout the whole day, and it would be even harder to sleep at night.
He glanced involuntarily at Shen Li beside him, noting that since his adulthood due to his sleep issues, Huo Siyu hadn't shared a bed with anyone.
After being woken up, it was totally out of character for him not to throw her out but to call for a massage therapist instead.
Huo Siyu continued to rest with closed eyes, and Mr. Situ whispered, "The plane is ready; we can leave at any time."
With the new year approaching, the Huo Family was a major Chinese clan, and the Spring Festival was a time for family gatherings. According to the plan, Huo Siyu should have set out yesterday but had delayed until now.
"How is the acquisition of the British Railway Company going?" Huo Siyu asked.
Mr. Situ responded, "Not very smooth; Charles is quite stubborn about the shares."
"It's just that they think the money is too little. Those Brits, add more funds and make sure to complete it before the new year," Huo Siyu said.
"Yes, I will personally go to the United Kingdom the day after tomorrow," Mr. Situ said.
After finishing his report, Mr. Situ walked out the door. On his way out, he glanced involuntarily at Shen Li who was lying down for the massage.
She seemed quite ordinary, so why did she move Huo Siyu's heart so much?
After the massage session was over, just as Shen Li was looking for an excuse to leave for the police station, she was surrounded by maids and assistants.
First, they measured her, then did her hair and beauty treatments. A woman's love for beauty was natural, but all Shen Li could think about was the police station; she wasn't in the mood for this. She stole a glance at Huo Siyu. Although he wasn't as gloomy as earlier, after the massage, he still had a stern face and appeared to be in a poor mood, surrounded by a group of assistants, seemingly being briefed on work.
"Mr. Huo will be leaving soon; Miss Shen is welcome to continue staying here. If you need anything, just tell the butler," Mr. Situ came over and said. He added, "I've sent a lawyer to the police station. If anything like this happens again, you can call the lawyer; there's no need for you to appear in person."
As he spoke, Mr. Situ handed Shen Li the lawyer's business card. Shen Li received it with a puzzled look and couldn't help asking, "How... how did you know?"
Mr. Situ smiled, teasingly looking at Shen Li and said, "I'm Mr. Huo's assistant. Anything related to Mr. Huo is within my job scope. I understand Miss Shen's feelings about calling the police, wanting to get retribution for being betrayed by one's own family is only natural. The police have started an investigation; you can share any thoughts with the lawyer, and he will be able to assist you. As for the rest... surely Miss Shen isn't thinking of calling the police to arrest Mr. Huo, is she?"
When he brought up the last point, Mr. Situ's tone was clearly mocking.
Shen Li subconsciously pursed her lips. She truly had not thought about it, but—if calling the police could free her from this relationship, at least she had hoped so.
Mr. Situ's blunt words shattered her last hope. Bought for one hundred million U.S. dollars, and living in such a mansion, a man who didn't even dress himself, was not somebody she could afford to provoke.
"Miss Shen is still young; being delayed for a year won't be a hindrance. Conversely, in a year's time, she could earn a lifetime's worth of money that many people can't even beg for," Mr. Situ said with a smile, continuing, "Mr. Huo has so much wealth that he can't even keep track of it all. He is very generous, and after this relationship ends, in addition to the gifts received during this period, he will also provide a large sum of money. If you think about it, Miss Shen, don't you find that to be a good thing?"
As for the one hundred million U.S. dollars spent at the beginning, it was like spending money to buy a beloved item; it would not be expected back from Shen Li.
"I don't think so; I just feel disgusted with myself," Shen Li spoke with her head down, her hands subconsciously clenched into fists.
Mr. Situ's voice was very soothing, and his reasoning was clear. She could understand, but she couldn't accept. If she were one to resign herself to her fate, she would have become weak and easily bullied during the time Fang Hongxia mistreated her.
Her life shouldn't be like this; she had her plans, and selling herself was definitely not included.
Mr. Situ was momentarily taken aback, looking at Shen Li with a hint of surprise. Judging from Shen Li's expression, he could tell she was serious and not just putting on a show. Shen Li's family was quite ordinary—she probably hadn't seen much money. The opulence of this house and car didn't tantalize her; her willpower was quite impressive.
"Mr. Situ, the helicopter is ready," a junior assistant came over and said.
Mr. Situ nodded, smiled at Shen Li to end their conversation, and stood up to walk over to Huo Siyu.