He didn’t take the initiative either, but he made no move to stop her.
Sheng He kissed him with complete focus. As she felt him gradually lose himself in the moment, she quietly opened her eyes.
Watching the usually stoic He Xiao stand there obediently, letting her kiss him while wearing his trademark cold expression, she couldn’t help smiling.
A soft laugh escaped her lips.
The sound brought He Xiao back to his senses. He slowly opened his eyes as well.
Taking the opportunity, Sheng He stepped back.
“What are you laughing at?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“I just think you’re very nice to kiss.”
He Xiao said nothing.
His face remained expressionless.
But his rising favorability betrayed what he really felt.
His favorability toward her had already climbed to 30.
Their first kiss had earned her ten points.
This one had earned another ten.
Sheng He immediately came to a conclusion.
He Xiao seemed to enjoy being kissed by her.
Maybe if she kept going, she could earn the remaining twenty points all at once.
Without wasting another second, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again.
What began as light, tentative kisses gradually deepened.
Little by little, He Xiao stopped remaining passive.
Unable to restrain himself, he finally began responding to her.
A smug glint flashed through Sheng He’s fox-like eyes.
Without pausing, she gently pulled him down into the bathtub with her.
The moment they both settled into the water, it overflowed onto the floor.
Neither of them paid it any attention.
They were completely absorbed in each other.
The night before, He Xiao had been forced into everything.
Today, while he still hadn’t taken the initiative, he also hadn’t resisted.
He could no longer deceive himself.
He was completely sober this time.
And he had willingly stayed with Sheng He.
By the end…
He even found himself reluctant for her to stop.
…
Their second time together was far smoother than the previous night.
Still, Sheng He couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
After everything, He Xiao’s favorability had only increased by another five points.
Even after she coaxed him into another round, it refused to rise any further.
Apparently…
Those remaining fifteen points wouldn’t come easily.
She sat weakly in the bathtub, resting her chin on her hand as she thought things over, allowing He Xiao to wash her.
Yes.
He Xiao was the one bathing her now.
He was all bark and no bite.
This time she hadn’t even needed to ask.
After quickly washing himself, he’d quietly begun washing her as well.
He carefully wiped her down with a towel.
Although he still avoided looking directly at her body, he was no longer nearly as awkward or flustered.
Even when Sheng He teased him, he simply remained silent instead of angrily snapping back.
She was quite pleased with the progress.
At least the entire morning hadn’t been a waste.
But time was running short, and her thoughts were entirely occupied by those last fifteen points.
Physical intimacy clearly wasn’t going to work anymore.
At least not for now.
If she wanted the remaining favorability, she’d have to reach his heart instead.
The problem was…
He Xiao seemed so emotionally guarded that even Sheng He wasn’t sure where to begin.
After they finished bathing, she didn’t ask him to carry her this time.
She simply slipped into a bathrobe and walked out on her own.
He Xiao’s face darkened.
“So you were lying earlier.”
“You claimed your legs were too weak to walk.”
Sheng He didn’t look embarrassed in the slightest after being caught.
Blinking innocently, she explained,
“They really were weak earlier, so I asked you to carry me.”
“Now they’re better, so I’m walking by myself.”
“I just didn’t want you getting angry.”
Her explanation sounded perfectly reasonable.
She’d even managed to make it sound as though she were being considerate.
He Xiao was so irritated that his chest rose and fell sharply.
After putting on his own bathrobe, he walked out with a cold expression.
Sheng He didn’t mind.
Having him around now wouldn’t accomplish anything anyway.
His favorability wasn’t increasing.
He’d only get in the way while she figured out how to earn those final fifteen points.
She couldn’t think of a solution immediately.
Still, she had to eat.
After changing into a comfortable set of loungewear, she headed downstairs for breakfast.
Housekeeper Zheng had already prepared the meal according to the original Sheng He’s tastes.
Sheng He glanced over the dishes.
To her surprise, she liked every one of them.
She sat down and began eating.
“Miss, is there anything you’d like for lunch? I’ll make whatever you’re craving.”
Auntie Zheng watched her eating with warm, affectionate eyes.
She couldn’t help asking.
Auntie Zheng had been hired by Sheng He’s father when Sheng He was still a child.
Her only responsibility had been caring for her.
Over the years, no matter where Sheng He moved, Auntie Zheng always went with her.
She had spent more time with Sheng He than with her own children.
In many ways, she had long regarded Sheng He as one of her own.
At the same time, she always remembered her place.
She never overstepped her role.
Perhaps that was exactly why the two of them had gotten along so well for all these years.
At the moment, Sheng He wasn’t in the mood to think about lunch.
She was about to tell Auntie Zheng to cook whatever she liked since her cooking was always delicious.
Then inspiration suddenly struck.
Her eyes lit up.
Turning toward Auntie Zheng, she said earnestly,
“Auntie Zheng, when you go out later, could you help me buy some groceries?”
The request caught Auntie Zheng by surprise, but she nodded immediately.
“Of course.”
She couldn’t help wondering why the young lady wanted groceries.
After all, she’d never cooked before.
Still, she kept the question to herself.
Sheng He thanked her and listed everything she needed.
Auntie Zheng nodded.
“I’ve got it all.”
After breakfast, Sheng He didn’t see He Xiao.
According to Auntie Zheng, he hadn’t gone out, so he was probably in his room.
Auntie Zheng had always been close to the original Sheng He.
The original owner treated her like an elder she trusted deeply, telling her almost everything.
Naturally, that included her feelings for He Xiao.
So when Sheng He asked where he was, Auntie Zheng wasn’t the least bit surprised.
A little while later, Auntie Zheng headed out.
Sheng He returned to her room.
The apocalypse would officially begin tomorrow night.
Some things were already too late to change.
Others…
There was still time.
She took out her phone and called Sheng He’s father, who was still overseas.
No one answered.
He seemed to be busy.
A trace of anxiety crossed her face.
Since she had inherited the original Sheng He’s body…
She intended to protect the people the original owner had cared about.
She considered it a way of repaying her.
She couldn’t remember whether Sheng He’s father had survived in the original story.
She only knew that when the original Sheng He died…
Her father hadn’t been there.
Perhaps…
He’d never made it back.
Whatever the reason, she wanted to make sure he returned home this time.
When he still didn’t answer, she sent him a message asking him to call her back as soon as he finished.
Even then, she wasn’t reassured.
She found the number for his secretary and dialed it.
Whenever Sheng He’s father became too busy to answer her calls, he always told her to contact his secretary instead.
The original Sheng He knew him well.
The call was answered almost immediately.
“Secretary Wang, what is my dad doing right now?”
“He’s currently in a business meeting discussing a partnership,” Secretary Wang replied.
Just as she’d expected.
“When will he be finished?”
Secretary Wang glanced toward the meeting room.
“About another hour, I think.”
Sheng He calculated the timing.
There was still enough time.
“Secretary Wang, book plane tickets immediately.”
“As soon as the meeting ends, bring my dad back home.”
Her tone was unusually serious.
Secretary Wang hesitated.
The young miss rarely involved herself in President Sheng’s business affairs.
Why was she acting so differently today?
This was a major deal—one President Sheng valued greatly.
Even after the negotiations concluded, there was no way he’d return to China immediately.
He was scheduled to attend social engagements for another day or two afterward.
At the earliest, he had planned to fly back the following day.