After finally surviving the ordeal of applying medicine and eating dinner, Su Jiuyue felt like she desperately needed a shower to calm herself down.
Taking advantage of the moment while Huo Zhixing went downstairs to wash the dishes, she hopped into the bathroom on one foot. Steam filled the room as warm water cascaded over her body, washing away some of her exhaustion.
She finished quickly and turned off the water, reaching for the towel on the rack.
Unfortunately, that cursed bar of soap hadn’t been put away properly.
“Whoosh—”
Her foot slipped.
“Ah!”
If she fell for real, her already fractured foot might be ruined.
She shut her eyes in despair, bracing herself for the pain.
But instead of crashing onto the cold tile floor…
Bang!
The bathroom door burst open.
The next second, she fell into a scorching hot, solid embrace still damp with steam.
Time seemed to freeze.
Steam swirled through the bathroom. Su Jiuyue was completely naked, and the peach-like fragrance that erupted from her in fright became even sweeter and richer, filling every corner of the room.
One of Huo Zhixing’s hands clamped tightly around her waist.
The other…
Unfortunately, it was supporting the soft curve of her full backside.
The silky, delicate touch beneath his palm was enough to drive any man insane.
Their eyes met.
Su Jiuyue’s face instantly turned crimson. Water droplets clung to her long lashes before trembling loose, making her look pitiful… and irresistibly alluring.
“G-Get… out…”
Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz. She crossed her arms over her chest, but there was no concealing what mattered.
Huo Zhixing swallowed hard.
His dark eyes grew even deeper.
He had seen everything.
Every last inch.
Every single part of her matched his ideal perfectly.
“Su Jiuyue.”
His voice was frighteningly hoarse, laced with restrained fury.
Not only did he refuse to let go, he pulled her even closer.
“What? Planning to break your neck in the bathroom so I’d become a widower right after getting married?”
Without waiting for her reply, he grabbed a bath towel, hastily wrapped her in it, scooped her into his arms, and strode back to the bedroom.
He set the warm, soft bundle down onto the bed.
Like a fish thrown onto shore, Su Jiuyue hadn’t even managed to burrow beneath the blanket before the man’s burning body loomed over her.
One knee rested on the mattress while both hands braced themselves beside her head.
Those wolf-like eyes locked onto hers.
The sweetness in the air intertwined wildly with the cold, dangerous aura surrounding him.
“You little temptress…”
He muttered through gritted teeth.
As if punishing her—and venting his own frustration—he lowered his head and left a firm kiss against her collarbone.
“Mmm…”
Her entire body trembled as an unfamiliar current shot up her spine.
Just as things teetered on the edge of going too far…
Huo Zhixing forced himself to stop.
His gaze landed on her swollen ankle.
Drawing a deep breath, he pushed himself upright with sheer willpower before turning and marching back into the bathroom.
The sound of rushing water soon echoed inside.
Wrapped tightly in the blanket like a cocoon, Su Jiuyue’s face burned hot enough to fry an egg.
He…
Actually let her off?
That night, Huo Zhixing slept more soundly than he had in years.
Her fresh, sweet fragrance soothed the nightmares and phantom battlefields that had haunted his mind for three long years.
The next morning.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains.
When Huo Zhixing woke, he felt an odd weight pressing against his chest.
Looking down, he froze.
Some octopus-like creature had completely wrapped itself around him in its sleep.
One pale, slender leg was draped boldly across his waist.
And his own hand…
Was resting perfectly over an incredibly soft place.
His body’s natural morning reaction reached its peak in an instant.
Huo Zhixing stiffened like steel.
He felt as though he were about to explode.
Just then—
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Urgent pounding shattered the silence.
“Report, Commander! Elder Qin and Doctor Zhao Man have arrived for your routine consultation!”
Guard Xiao Zhang’s anxious voice came from outside.
Su Jiuyue slowly opened her eyes, still half asleep.
She met Huo Zhixing’s dark, desire-filled gaze.
Then she realized where her leg had been…
“Ah!”
She yelped and instantly retreated beneath the blanket.
Huo Zhixing stared at the suddenly empty space in his arms, his expression dark as the bottom of a pot.
He climbed out of bed, grabbed his military uniform jacket, and said coldly,
“I’m coming downstairs.”
Before he could leave, a gentle female voice drifted in from outside.
“Elder Qin, look—the door’s still closed even though it’s already late in the morning. Brother Huo has always been extremely disciplined. He’s never behaved like this before. His mental condition isn’t good to begin with, and the last thing he should be doing is overindulging himself…”
After a slight pause, the woman continued in an even more considerate tone.
“I’m just worried that Miss Su is young and doesn’t understand these things. Country girls aren’t exactly known for proper manners. If she ends up draining the vitality Brother Huo worked so hard to recover, that would be terrible.”
Hidden beneath the blanket, Su Jiuyue’s ears twitched.
Oh?
Young and ignorant?
Draining his vitality?
Those seemingly caring words sounded polite on the surface, but underneath they painted her as nothing more than a shameless seductress who knew no restraint.
Zhao Man…
The military doctor from the original novel who wanted to marry into the Huo family.
Su Jiuyue threw back the blanket.
The embarrassment on her face vanished, replaced by icy determination.
Trying to build your “professional and considerate” image by trampling on my reputation?
Hoping I’ll be too ashamed to show my face?
Dream on.
“Zhixing~ I want to get up too~”
She cleared her throat.
If Zhao Man wanted to make a scene…
Then she’d give her one.
Her gaze swept across her still-damp clothes before settling on the crisp olive-green military jacket hanging on the wall.
In this era, that uniform represented both status and identity.
A playful smile curved her lips.
Since you’ve already imagined we spent the whole night “overindulging”…
I’d be letting you down if I didn’t make it look convincing.
She reached for the jacket that still carried his warmth and the clean scent of soap, draping it leisurely over herself.
The oversized uniform hung loosely on her petite frame.
The long sleeves swallowed her hands, exposing only the tips of her slender fingers.
Beneath the open front peeked a floral cotton undershirt, revealing flashes of her graceful collarbone.
She paired it with a pair of oversized dark-blue work pants, cinched carelessly at the waist with a strip of cloth.
The rolled-up pant legs exposed her fair ankles and bare feet.
Reflected in the mirror, wrapped in the masculine military jacket, she looked even more alluring.
Relaxed.
Soft.
Like a newly cherished wife who had secretly slipped into her husband’s clothes, radiating an effortless, unguarded charm.
Huo Zhixing had just reached the door when he stopped.
Turning back to look at the little temptress wearing his jacket, his Adam’s apple bobbed once again.
“Take your time getting ready. I’ll go downstairs first.”
The moment the words left his mouth, he practically fled.
Was this woman heaven’s way of sending someone specifically to defeat him?
Bonus Scene
After Commander Huo went downstairs, Guard Xiao Zhang noticed the tips of his commander’s ears were bright red.
“Commander… do you have a fever?”
Huo Zhixing replied with a cold face,
“…Too much talking. Go run laps.”
But inwardly, he was thinking:
After Jiuyue wore that uniform… I’m probably never going to have the heart to wash it again.