Wen Ci felt a mix of nerves and anticipation. 'The guest house only has one room left... doesn't that mean I'm going to sleep with Huo Jingyuan tonight?!'
They walked into the room on the third floor of the guest house.
There was a modest bed, flanked by two armchairs. Near the entrance was a private bathroom equipped with a water heater.
Sea City was the provincial capital of the Northwest Region, a city with a promising future. Its guest houses were even equipped with water heaters, a convenience for visiting officials to wash up.
Wen Ci's eyes lit up with pleasant surprise when she saw the water heater.
She had thought she would have to boil water to bathe. She pulled a change of clothes from her luggage, her eyes curving into crescents and her lips hooking into a smile. "Want to wash up together?" she asked.
Upon hearing this, Huo Jingyuan looked utterly stunned.
Immediately, a faint blush spread across his tanned skin at a visible rate, making him look just like a Red Fuji apple.
"You... I..." Huo Jingyuan stammered nervously.
Wen Ci quickly explained, "Don't they shut the water heater off after a certain time at night? If we don't go together, there might not be any hot water left in a little while."
"It's fine."
The guesthouse bathroom was only shielded by a single door. As Huo Jingyuan sat in the armchair listening to the sound of running water, he could feel his body growing hot.
From his vantage point, he could see her silhouette behind the door.
Huo Jingyuan lowered his gaze. His Adam's apple bobbed as his body grew hotter and hotter. His deep eyes shimmered with forcefully suppressed desire.
Wen Ci blissfully hummed a little tune as she enjoyed her hot shower.
She'd had more than her fill of the slow, green-skinned train. After showering for nearly half an hour, Wen Ci noticed the water temperature was beginning to drop.
She quickly finished, changed her clothes, and stepped out of the bathroom.
The moment she stepped out, Wen Ci's eyes met Huo Jingyuan's. The man's gaze was deep and searing, his eyes swirling with an unspoken passion.
A smile touched Wen Ci's lips. "Mr. Huo, the hot water is gone."
"I'm fine with a cold shower," Huo Jingyuan replied.
The June weather in the Northwest wasn't cold, and a cold shower would help suppress his urges. He looked at Wen Ci's hair, dripping with water, and asked, "Do you want me to help you dry it?"
He had seen many married couples do things like this for each other.
"Okay."
Wen Ci sat sideways on the edge of the bed. Huo Jingyuan held a dry towel. He supported her wet hair with one hand and gently began to dry it.
Gazing at Wen Ci's fair neck, Huo Jingyuan couldn't stop his large, warm palm from gently stroking her skin. He slowly leaned in closer, his eyes as deep as an abyss.
"Wen Ci."
His voice was low, as if he were trying to suppress something with great effort.
Reason triumphed over desire. Once Huo Jingyuan finished drying her hair, he said, "I'm going to take a shower." With those words, he made a flustered escape.
Wen Ci watched his retreating back, smiling and shaking her head. 'He can actually resist temptation. I wonder if his stamina is as impressive as he claims.'
When Huo Jingyuan had caressed her neck, she'd felt the heat radiating from his body and thought things would progress naturally.
And yet...
The cold water drenched Huo Jingyuan from head to toe, gradually suppressing the heat in his body.
Huo Jingyuan stared up at the ceiling. 'Even though Wen Ci and I are a legally married couple, we still need to build our emotional connection.'
'I won't use my status as her husband to force myself on her!'
Inside the bathroom, Huo Jingyuan ran his hands through his hair, combing it back. Just as he was about to apply shampoo, the door suddenly swung open.
Wen Ci was sitting in the spot Huo Jingyuan had occupied earlier.