Outside the window, the lights of the half-mountain estate had already lit up in the night.
Lin Nianxi got out of the car holding the gift box.
The moment she pushed open the villa door, a rich, savory aroma washed over her.
It was the scent of meat broth, mingled with the clean bitterness of medicinal herbs and the sweetness of red dates.
Lin Nianxi’s eyes instantly lit up.
She set the gift box down on the entryway cabinet, changed into soft-soled slippers, and hurried toward the dining room with quick, light steps.
The long table was already laden with dishes.
There was angelica and astragalus stewed with black-bone chicken soup—the broth golden and clear, floating with plump, soaked red dates and goji berries, its fragrance so rich it seemed to envelop a person completely.
Steamed mandarin fish, its flesh snowy white and tender, drizzled with a thin layer of steamed fish soy sauce, topped with fine shreds of ginger and scallion.
Matsutake sashimi, sliced thin and arranged on an ice plate, its texture clear and distinct, carrying the fresh scent of the mountains.
And a bowl of blood bird’s nest stewed with peach gum, served in a white porcelain double-boiler, its lid lifted to release a cloud of steam.
The final dish was handmade fresh shrimp wontons, plump and full, their wrappers thin and translucent pink, revealing the outline of whole shrimp inside, all soaking in a rich, milky pork bone broth.
Lin Nianxi circled the dining table, leaning in to sniff each dish curiously.
When she was little and watched TV dramas depicting the dining tables of wealthy families, she thought it was all just acting.
She never imagined that one day she would live such a life herself.
“Madam, these dishes were specially customized by the nutritionist according to your physical condition,” the butler approached and respectfully explained. “Mr. Huo specifically instructed that the soup should be stewed for two extra hours to fully extract the essence of the medicinal herbs.”
Mr. Huo instructed?
Lin Nianxi was taken aback.
He was in meetings at the company, yet he still remembered to have soup stewed for her?
A corner of her heart softened.
“Where is Mr. Huo?” she asked.
“Mr. Huo is already on his way and will be home shortly.”
As soon as the words were spoken, steady footsteps of leather shoes against the floor sounded from the entrance.
Lin Nianxi turned her head.
Huo Jingmo pushed the door open and walked in.
The man had just come from the company. His deep black, custom-tailored suit hugged his broad shoulders, accentuating his wide shoulders and narrow waist—a physique so perfect it seemed to follow the golden ratio.
His long, cool, pale hands were unbuttoning his suit jacket. He leisurely took it off and handed it to the butler standing nearby.
Now wearing only a white dress shirt, the thin, well-fitted fabric outlined the contours of his broad shoulders and narrow waist. The material between the first two buttons on his chest was pulled slightly taut by the curve of his pectoral muscles.
Standing under the warm yellow light, he exuded an aura of both restraint and raw magnetism—a noble yet aggressively masculine presence that washed over her.
Lin Nianxi’s gaze involuntarily followed his movements, only to flit away in a fluster when he lifted his eyes to look at her.
Mr. Huo… was just too sexy.
He was practically walking testosterone.
Huo Jingmo strode toward the dining table with long steps. Looking down, he saw the girl standing by the table, her small face flushed, like a kitten caught stealing food.
“Hungry?” His voice carried the distinctive low huskiness of someone just off work.
Lin Nianxi nodded. “A little.”
Huo Jingmo said, “Let’s eat.”
Lin Nianxi pulled out the chair opposite Huo Jingmo and was just about to sit down—
“Nianxi.”
The man’s deep, seductive voice came from across the table.
Lin Nianxi looked up to see Huo Jingmo already seated in the master’s chair. His slender hand rested on the armrest. “Be good. Sit here.”
Lin Nianxi blinked, her gaze falling on his legs, and she realized what he meant.
Her small face instantly flushed bright red.
“This… isn’t appropriate, is it?” She pursed her lips.
Hearing this, Huo Jingmo gave a lazy smile.
The amusement spread from the depths of his profound eyes, carrying a hint of satiated nonchalance.
“We’re a proper married couple. What’s inappropriate about it?”
He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his voice low, like the lowest string of a cello being gently plucked.
The butler, ever perceptive, silently led the two maids out of the dining room, gently sliding the door shut behind them.
Now, only the two of them remained in the dining room.
The warm yellow pendant light cast a soft glow over the long table, and steam still rose gently from the soup tureen.
Huo Jingmo sat there, the cuffs of his white shirt casually rolled up twice, revealing his sturdy forearms where veins faintly traced under the warm light. He spread his arms slightly, his posture relaxed and natural.
“Xi Bao,” he called her, his voice dropping even lower, carrying a slight huskiness, as if laced with fine grains of sand. “Can you sit on your husband’s lap and let him hold you for a while?”
That word “husband,” coming from a man like him, was deep and sensual, like strong liquor wrapped in mint, exuding a bewitching allure.
The tips of Lin Nianxi’s ears turned so red they seemed about to drip blood.
Biting her lower lip, she shuffled over in small steps.
As soon as she reached him, a pair of large hands firmly encircled her waist.
With a gentle tug, Huo Jingmo effortlessly pulled her onto his lap.
Lin Nianxi was completely enveloped in his embrace, her back leaning against his broad chest, where she could clearly feel the steady, powerful beat of his heart.
Huo Jingmo’s arms wrapped around her waist, his large hands almost able to fully grasp her palm-sized waist. His fingertips unconsciously stroked lightly over the fabric of her clothes, tracing the soft, slender curve of her waist.
He lowered his head slightly, burying his nose in the long hair at the side of her neck.
She carried a lovely scent—a sweet, milky fragrance unique to a young girl’s skin.
His little girl was fragrant and soft.
So sweet.
Huo Jingmo felt the weariness of the entire day slowly dissipate, as if gently wiped away by something.
Deep within, he experienced an unprecedented sense of peace and tranquility.
This was a state of complete relaxation and contentment.
“What would Xi Bao like to eat?” His lips almost brushed against her earlobe as his warm breath swept over it. “Your husband will feed you.”
Lin Nianxi’s body trembled lightly.
“I… I can eat by myself,” she whispered, her voice turning soft and timid from shyness, her face as red as a boiled shrimp.
Huo Jingmo let out a soft chuckle.
The laughter rumbled in his chest, vibrating through her back where they were pressed together, making her heart tremble in response.
“But your husband wants to feed Xi Bao.”
He said it earnestly, his low, husky voice carrying a tender, teasing quality.
With that, he reached out and picked up the chopsticks from the table. His well-defined fingers held the redwood chopsticks as he picked up a wonton, dipped it lightly in the soup, and brought it to her lips.
“Try this first.”
Lin Nianxi looked at the wonton offered to her, hesitated for a second, then obediently opened her mouth.
The young girl’s rosy lips closed around the wonton.
The wrapper was thin, the filling generous. The savory richness of the pork bone broth and the springy texture of the shrimp burst in her mouth. She narrowed her eyes, her cheeks puffed out as she chewed, like a little kitten that had just caught a dried fish.
Huo Jingmo picked up another tender piece of osmanthus fish, carefully removed every bone, and brought it to her lips.
“Try this too.”
Lin Nianxi obediently opened her mouth.
The fish melted in her mouth, so fresh and tender that she narrowed her eyes again, letting out a soft, satisfied hum: “Mmm… so delicious.”
Watching her like this, the curve of Huo Jingmo’s lips deepened further.
How could there be a girl in this world who fit him so perfectly?
Obedient, soft, and able to light up with joy over a single meal.
She ate whatever he fed her.
So incredibly docile.
If he were to feed her something “else,” would she obediently eat that too?
Huo Jingmo’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, his deep, dark eyes shadowed with intensity, concealed beneath a gentle gaze.
After chewing the fish in her mouth, Lin Nianxi suddenly turned her head and looked at his handsome face.
“You should eat too,” the girl’s voice was sweet and soft. “You’ve been feeding me the whole time, and you haven’t taken a single bite.”
As she spoke, she took the chopsticks from his hand, picked up a blanched piece of broccoli, and held it to his mouth.
Huo Jingmo cooperatively opened his mouth slightly and took the broccoli in.
Lin Nianxi then fed him a slice of matsutake sashimi, followed by a bite of black chicken meat.
She fed him with great care, each bite delivered cautiously, occasionally cupping her hand beneath to catch any dripping sauce.
Huo Jingmo ate the food she offered, but his gaze remained fixed on her face.
“Have another sip of soup,” he scooped a spoonful of black chicken soup stewed with angelica and astragalus, blew on it gently, and brought it to her lips.
Lin Nianxi obediently took the porcelain spoon into her mouth, sipping the golden broth in small, delicate swallows.
The soup had been stewed until rich and thick, the bitterness of the herbs perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the red dates.
After a few more bites, Lin Nianxi patted her small belly and let out a contented sigh.
Just then—
She shifted slightly and suddenly felt something hard pressing against her from below.
It was quite noticeable.
Lin Nianxi frowned slightly and spoke softly, a hint of complaint in her voice. “Husband… your car keys are poking me.”
Huo Jingmo’s voice came from above her head, low and tinged with a barely perceptible huskiness.
“I don’t have car keys in my pocket.”
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Lin Nianxi’s soft, delicate face went blank.
What was pressing against her was—
Realizing what it was, a blush spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, burning all the way down her neck until even her collarbone flushed a faint pink.
Unbidden, memories of that night—the one that made her want to bury her head under the covers in shame—flashed through her mind.
It was the first time she had witnessed how astonishingly large it could be.
So hot.
So burning.
She couldn’t possibly take it all.
Snapping back to reality, Lin Nianxi’s eyelashes fluttered as she hurriedly picked up a napkin from the table, pretending to wipe her mouth nonchalantly.
“I… I’m full,” her voice wavered, the end trembling slightly.
Huo Jingmo chuckled softly.
“Really full?”
Instead of letting her go, he reached out and gently placed his large hand over her small belly, covering it through her clothes.
His palm was broad and warm, almost covering her entire lower abdomen.
Her belly was flat and soft, but at that moment, it did bulge out ever so slightly.
His thumb pressed gently, feeling the soft, full texture.
“Hmm—” his voice, tinged with amusement, was undeniably seductive. “It is a little swollen. It seems you really are full.”
Lin Nianxi’s ears were practically burning.
His hand still rested on her stomach, the warmth of his palm seeping through the thin fabric of her clothes and against her skin, making her entire body feel feverish.
“Was it good?” he asked.
Lin Nianxi nodded hurriedly, trying to mask her flustered state by answering the question: “Yes, it was delicious. I really liked it.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she tried to stand up—
“Let your husband have a taste too.”
His voice suddenly dropped to an extremely low pitch.
Before the words had fully left his mouth, a large hand firmly cupped the back of her head.
Huo Jingmo’s fingers slid into her soft hair, his palm cradling the back of her head as he effortlessly turned her face toward him.
Then, he kissed her.
His thin lips precisely covered her slightly parted ones.
He gave her no time to react.
His kiss was aggressive, his tongue prying open her teeth and sweeping through every corner of her mouth.
It carried the freshness of the soup, the tenderness of the fish, and the unique, delicate sweetness of her own lips and tongue.
His tongue tangled with hers, leisurely capturing every lingering trace of flavor in her mouth.
Lin Nianxi’s mind went completely blank.
Kissed senseless, her hands had nowhere to go, so she instinctively clutched the front of his shirt, the thin, soft fabric crumpling under her grip.
She couldn’t keep up with his rhythm at all.
He kissed her deeply, intensely, with the effortless control of an experienced man.
She could only passively endure it, her small mouth being kissed over and over, her breath completely disrupted by him, her nostrils filled with the crisp scent of cedar from his body.
She didn’t know how much time had passed.
Finally, Huo Jingmo released her.
His thumb brushed over her swollen, moist lower lip, wiping away a trace of transparent moisture from the corner of her mouth.
The man’s eyes were slightly red at the corners, his pupils as deep and dark as ink, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping against strings.
“Mmm, it really is delicious.”
Lin Nianxi’s eyelashes were damp, her face flushed like a ripe peach, trembling under his gaze.
She buried her face in his chest.
Too afraid to look at him.
Her heart was pounding so fast it felt like it might leap out of her throat.
Huo Jingmo chuckled softly, resting his chin on the top of her head as his arms tightened, pulling her even deeper into his embrace.
His hand patted her back slowly, rhythmically.
As if soothing a frightened kitten.
“Xi Bao’s hair is very beautiful,” the man murmured, his slender fingers gently stroking the girl’s soft, slightly curly locks.
The little girl was only twenty, still carrying a hint of youthful innocence in her youth.
As she grew older and blossomed further, Huo Jingmo could imagine just how enchanting and alluring the little one in his arms would become.
Lin Nianxi’s face flushed even redder, and she buried it against the man’s chest muscles.
“Then… is my husband full?” she asked in a soft, sweet voice.
“My stomach is full,” the man replied, his voice low and velvety. “But little Huo Jingmo is still hungry.”
Lin Nianxi’s face burned fiercely.
“Once Xi Bao has recovered her health,” the man said, holding the soft, delicate girl in his arms, “you can feed your husband properly, alright?”
Lin Nianxi’s face was burning intensely, and she let out a soft, affirmative hum.
Then, she remembered something—
“Husband, wait a moment.”
With that, the little girl wriggled out of the man’s embrace, slipped off his lap, and hurried over to the sideboard. She picked up the gift box tied with a navy blue satin ribbon, then scurried back and stood in front of Huo Jingmo.
“I… I have a gift for you.”
The girl held the gift box in both hands, offering it to him, her dark, moist almond-shaped eyes sparkling as she gazed at him.