The photo shoot was quickly arranged. Once Nan Wan agreed, in the afternoon, Shu Wei took her to the location.
It was the school's winding flower path, a long stone-paved lane beneath a sturdy wooden framework. Vines and flowering branches sprawled across the structure, beautifully set against the crimson fence, evoking a sense of classical elegance.
Nan Wan, dressed in a white knee-length skirt, stood on the flower path, effortlessly blending into the scene.
There was no need for her to pose excessively. Shu Wei, watching from the side, couldn't help but praise her choice, thinking to herself that she'd found the perfect person for this.
The shoot ended quickly. Shu Wei, her voice brimming with excitement, told her, "I'll get you a copy of the journal once it's out! You've never joined us for a meal before; this time, you absolutely have to come!" Nan Wan nodded obediently and agreed.
Everything she had missed in her past life, she was determined to make up for in this one.
As for her college life, she hoped that one day, when she looked back, all that remained in her memories would be the sweetness of those moments.
In her previous life, her reputation in school wasn't the best. So when her relationship with Huo Xunzhou was exposed, no one believed she was innocent.
Looking back now, she realized how muddled and aimless her life had been.
Her gentle nature and her father's teachings to always be kind to others led people to think she was easy to deceive.
She never participated in group activities, and the beautiful college life written about in books had no connection to her own experience.
But change is inevitable. From the moment she was reborn, her life had already begun to transform.
This time, she would no longer let her life be so miserable.
That night, when she returned to the Huo household, she felt that Huo Xunzhou's gaze upon her seemed a little strange. However, she didn't give it much thought.
Tomorrow, she would return home, and she would finally see her father again.
Chapter Title: A Tenuous Balance
Her mood lifted considerably, and with it, even her perception of Huo Xunzhou seemed a touch more pleasant. For the first time, she flashed him a smile, her voice as soft and sweet as cotton candy. "What's wrong with you?"
Huo Xunzhou froze for a moment, an unusual reaction for him. He was always the one in control, poised and unflappable.
The brief moment of surprise, though lasting no more than a second, amused Nan Wan. Yet, she refrained from openly laughing, instead pressing her lips together in a suppressed smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Huo Xunzhou waved her over, and she walked to his side, standing above him.
At that moment, Nan Wan felt a sudden surge of boldness within her, as if she had transformed into an unbeatable hero.
She felt a bit self-conscious, a faint flush coloring her cheeks.
Huo Xunzhou curved his lips in a smile, took her hand, and gently pulled her down beside him.
Reclining against the couch, he loosely draped an arm around her shoulders and lazily asked, "I remember you have a white dress."
"Ah?" Nan Wan was confused. His sudden change of topic caught her off guard.
Huo Xunzhou, however, wasn't in a hurry. His fingers tangled in her hair, idly playing with the strands.
After a moment, Nan Wan's face reddened, and some colorful images flickered in her mind.
"No!" she denied, flustered and a little frantic.
Huo Xunzhou let out a quiet chuckle but chose to let her off the hook.
"Are you going back home tomorrow?" he asked casually.
The mention of it caused Nan Wan's nerves to flutter. Though they had already discussed it, she couldn't help but worry he might change his mind.
She nodded anxiously and reassured him, "I'll be back soon. It's only a three-day break for May Day."
Her eyes widened slightly, pleading without words: Please don't change your mind.
"Three days," Huo Xunzhou mused, "How do you plan to make it up to me?"
"Umm..." Nan Wan stared at him, utterly baffled.
"If you don't go back for those three days, we'll stay together."
His tone was lazy, like a lounging tiger in the afternoon, seemingly harmless, yet the pressure from the food chain still made Nan Wan—like a small rabbit—tremble.
"Or..." She fidgeted with her fingers, clearly conflicted, before hesitantly looking up at him, "I'll bring you some local specialties when I return."
Her eyes were wide, like a little hamster begging for food, so sweet and innocent.
Huo Xunzhou snorted softly, his Adam's apple shifting as he did.
With a subtle shift, he pulled her into his arms, and she found herself leaning against his chest.
Her eyes were wide with panic, her body frozen as if she were a startled animal.
"I think I'll collect that debt now," he murmured, referring to the days she would spend away from him, to be paid back with interest.
Nan Wan stiffened, afraid to move.
Huo Xunzhou was close—too close—and despite his cold demeanor, his body felt impossibly warm.
She could feel the heat of his breath against her neck, and her face grew crimson, even her neck flushing with a faint pink hue.
Huo Xunzhou chuckled, clearly in a good mood.
He lowered his head and nipped gently at her reddened earlobe.
She shuddered, and though he found it amusing, he didn't care whether she was willing or not.
He was a man who never denied himself pleasure, and with Nan Wan, he was content to indulge in a little more. After all, she seemed to smell sweetly intoxicating, impossible to resist.
His embrace tightened, and Nan Wan felt her chest ache—his body was hard, and hers so soft. What had been a comfortable fit now felt constricting as she was pressed even closer to him.
She dared not move, her heart pounding in her chest.
His hand pressed further into her back, as if trying to fuse her to his body.
Nan Wan felt increasingly uncomfortable, biting her lower lip until she could taste the sharp pressure of her teeth.
Huo Xunzhou's breath enveloped her, and she thought she might suffocate.
Warm lips brushed against her ear, and though she was too scared to move, her body betrayed her, trembling despite herself.
Huo Xunzhou didn't stop. His lips moved from her ear to her neck, the heat of his kiss sending shivers through her.
For a moment, she felt warmth, but as his lips passed over her skin, the sudden coldness left her heart shivering in surprise.
Her teeth chattered, unable to stop their trembling, a faint sound escaping her.
Chapter Title: Return to Roots
A sudden sting pierced her neck—Huo Xunzhou had bitten her.
Nan Wan immediately pushed him away, terrified. The intensity of his bite felt as though he might have wanted to tear her apart.
Huo Xunzhou released her, and Nan Wan, her heart pounding, shrank into a corner. She didn't even dare to curse.
The sight of her trembling, her body still slightly shaking, was oddly adorable.
Huo Xunzhou ran his tongue across the roof of his mouth, seemingly savoring the earlier sensation. A devilish smile crept across his lips as he mockingly said, "Alright, don't forget the souvenirs."
Nan Wan clenched her fist and muttered a soft, obedient "Mm-hmm."
Inside, she seethed with fury—how dare he ask for souvenirs after all that? Greedy!
Though it had been difficult, painful even, and she had endured much, at least there would be a good outcome.
The next day, Nan Wan packed up her things and prepared to head home.
As she was leaving the villa, Huo Xunzhou was nowhere to be found. Song Ma, spotting her with a suitcase, said, "Miss, why don't you wait for Sir to come back before you leave?"
"There's no need, Song Ma. I don't want to trouble him," Nan Wan declined politely, unwilling to admit she had timed her departure specifically for when Huo Xunzhou wouldn't be around.
Song Ma sighed. She truly believed the young lady was too good-natured, but men, after all, liked it when the ones they cared for relied on them, didn't they?
She felt the need to help this kind, obedient young lady.
So, she dialed Huo Xunzhou's number.
"Sir, Miss has already left. She's carrying a lot of things and said she didn't want to trouble you."
"Alright, she just left?"
Song Ma hung up with a satisfied smile. Huo Xunzhou was clearly concerned about Nan Wan—he'd wanted to send her off as soon as he heard she was gone.
Song Ma thought the young lady should be a little sharper and not always so obedient.
Nan Wan, unable to afford a taxi, had to take the bus. She was still quite poor, and the car model payment she had hoped for never came through. Most of the allowance her father gave her had been saved up, and this time, she had used it all to buy gifts for him.
Dragging her suitcase, she boarded the bus, not feeling particularly tired.
She had booked an afternoon train ticket. After getting off the bus, she headed to the ticket counter, but she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her.
Nan Wan turned around cautiously, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. How strange.
She quickened her pace, and once she entered the waiting area, the sensation of being watched seemed to fade.
Meanwhile, Huo Xunzhou sat in his car, the window slightly down. He held a cigarette between his fingers, the smoke curling into the air.
Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his cold eyes followed Nan Wan as she rushed into the waiting hall, almost as though she were fleeing.
His lips curved into a small, mocking smile.
"Book me a ticket for tomorrow to Linwan."
He was curious to see what kind of reaction she'd have when she saw him in Linwan.
She had done everything to avoid him coming, but now, it seemed he had made up his mind to follow her.
Once Nan Wan was out of sight, Huo Xunzhou raised his hand, and Uncle Zhang turned the car around.
Though Huo Xunzhou had an important meeting in two days, he was confident he would make it back in time. Once Huo Xunzhou made a decision, no one could change it.
Haicheng and Linwan were not far apart—just three hours by train. They were in neighboring provinces.
Haicheng was a provincial capital, while Linwan was merely a small county. In all aspects, Haicheng dwarfed Linwan, yet in Nan Wan's heart, Linwan held a special, irreplaceable significance.
She often found herself reminiscing about the days before she went to university, when she had lived in Linwan.
Her mother had passed away early, and it was her father who had raised her. He never remarried, worried that a stepmother might treat her poorly.
Nan Wan always believed her father was the best man in the world, dedicating himself entirely to their family and doing everything he could for her.
If her father hadn't fallen ill later, their lives would have been perfect, she thought.
As she walked down the familiar streets, everything felt simultaneously familiar and strange. It had been so long since she had been home.
The closer she got to home, the more she slowed her pace.
From a distance, she heard someone calling her name—an aunt from the neighborhood.
She smiled politely, a bit shy.
"Wanwan, you're back."
Nan Wan looked up and saw her father standing at the entrance of the community, waving at her.
Her throat tightened, and her eyes grew moist. Before she knew it, tears were falling.