"Miss Ling, are you shy?"
Seemingly having discovered something amusing, Gu Zhong raised an eyebrow, tossed the box into the trunk, and then casually wrapped his arm around the woman in front of him.
Forced to huddle close to the back of the car, Lingyan's heart churned once more.
She quickly pushed Gu Zhong away, hurriedly closed the trunk, and rushed towards the driver's seat, saying as she went.
"It's getting late, we should hurry back—"
Seeing her fleeing in panic, Gu Zhong chuckled with pleasure and walked briskly toward the passenger seat.
——
Linjiang Bay is currently the most luxurious villa area on Hong Kong Island.
In Hong Kong Island, where every inch of land is incredibly expensive, only those who can afford to live in a villa can be considered truly wealthy.
Not to mention that Linjiang Bay is adjacent to Xiangjiang, nestled among lush green mountains and forests.
There are not many villas available for sale in this area, and it is very difficult to even find one. Only the truly wealthy and powerful can afford to live there.
Apart from the richest man who owns a luxurious castle, almost all the well-known tycoons in the area live here, including the former Gu family.
However, the villa that Gu Zhong had grown up in since childhood had become an asset used to pay off debts. It was sealed off and handed over to the court for auction, awaiting the arrival of a new owner.
Looking at the familiar street scenes along the way, Gu Zhong couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow for things that had changed and people who were no longer the same.
From being a host who could return home at any time to being a guest who could only stay temporarily, the joys and sorrows of life are unknown to anyone.
As the white sedan approached, the security guard, who had already known the homeowner's arrival through surveillance cameras, pressed the electric button, and the sturdy iron gate in front slowly opened.
Another advantage of Linjiang Bay is its absolute safety.
No one will cause trouble here, since most of the residents are people they can't afford to offend.
After parking the car and walking to the door, Lingyan saw Gu Zhong's gaze wandering as he looked at a dark building not far away.
"One day, you will be able to buy it back."
Realizing that it was the mortgaged Gu family villa, Ling Yan gently comforted him, her words possessing a captivating charm.
"Miss Ling, I'm thinking about something else."
Gu Zhong turned his gaze to her and spoke slowly.
"Um?"
Lingyan responded with a puzzled look.
"Should we share a bed tonight?"
--------------------
Author's Note:
Ahem, it was supposed to be a domineering CEO's forced love story, but... Ah Yan is really such a bottom...
Chapter 101 The Newly Rich CEO and the Fallen Heiress (Part 7)
==================================
The words that Gu Zhong uttered were like a thunderclap in Ling Yan's ears, leaving her mind blank.
"Huh? Isn't this too fast?"
After a long silence, Ling Yan finally uttered a sentence in a daze.
"—What I mean is, this house has many guest rooms, enough for you—"
The moment the words left her mouth, Ling Yan realized what she had said, her face flushed red like a boiled shrimp, and she hurriedly explained.
"Miss Ling, you... are truly adorably innocent."
Her flustered reaction elicited another soft chuckle from Gu Zhong.
Seeing Gu Zhong's teasing gaze, Ling Yan belatedly realized that she had been tricked by this man again.
An inexplicable sense of frustration rose in Lingyan's heart. She lowered her head, took out her room key, and opened the wide yet understated gilded door.
My hand, which was reaching to turn on the light switch, was suddenly pulled back.
"Miss Gu, please be serious."
Ling Yan helplessly pulled her hand away from Gu Zhong's and sighed.
"Miss Ling, please forgive me. I may have a bad nature, and I apologize if you feel offended."
But I'm serious, it's really too late tonight, we can't possibly prepare another guest room.
Miss Ling, could I have half of your pillow?
Gu Zhong put away all his teasing and spoke in an extremely serious tone.
What she said wasn't without reason. Because she preferred peace and quiet, Lingyan didn't hire a live-in housekeeper, and she lived alone in the huge villa.
The guest rooms, which had been unoccupied for a long time, were mostly covered in dust. If we had tried to clean them then, it would probably have taken until dawn to finish.
As for spending a miserable night on the sofa—Miss Gu had never even considered that option.
So it seems the two of them really will have to share a bed tonight.
“I’m not angry, it’s just that I’m usually serious and not good at joking.”
To avoid giving her any reason to overthink, Lingyan tried to explain her earlier discomfort in a gentle tone and casually agreed.
"Then tonight, Miss Gu will have to make do."
"Don't mention it, it's Miss Ling who's been wronged."
Gu Zhong reached out and turned on the light for Ling Yan. As the soft light came on, a smile returned to her face, tinged with a hint of nonchalance.
Perhaps this is her true nature in this life—exactly the same as Gu Zhong in the past.
He appears extremely proper, yet he harbors many scoundrel-like behaviors, much like a playboy who wanders among women, unknowingly capturing the hearts of countless young girls.
However, a wealthy young lady who has been carefree since childhood and has seen a lot should be able to be so unrestrained and dissolute.
Even though she is currently at a low point and in dire straits, she will not be humble or bow her head, but will still maintain an open-minded and cheerful attitude.
If no one deliberately suppresses her, with Gu Zhong's abilities, even if she is alone, she will one day be able to restore the family's glory.
——
After lying in bed for an hour without being able to fall asleep, Lingyan couldn't help but regret her rash decision to agree to Gu Zhong's proposal. She wished she could kick the person clinging to her like an octopus off the bed.
Who would have thought her sleeping posture was so bad, so restless!
Miss Gu was sleeping soundly, hugging Ling Yan tightly with both hands and feet, treating her like a giant pillow.
After several attempts to pull Gu Zhong off her, Ling Yan couldn't manage it. Worried about waking him, she gave up and lay flat on the bed, closing her eyes and trying to force herself to fall asleep.
However, the sweet and alluring scent of her bed partner after his bath wafted into Lingyan's nostrils.
Because of the heat, both of them were only wearing very thin silk nightgowns, with large areas of skin almost completely exposed.
Whether it was due to the hot weather or some other reason, fine sweat broke out at the point where they were pressed tightly together, making them feel strangely uncomfortable.
I could hear soft, even breathing nearby, which, in the quiet of the night, drowned out the cicadas chirping outside the window and sounded particularly clear.
Unable to ignore what she heard, touched, and felt, Lingyan's heart was filled with increasing turmoil, but she could only secretly make a firm decision in her heart: never again would she share a bed with Gu Zhong.
Lingyan finally lost consciousness, exhausted from staying up all night, when the birdsong outside rang out.
—Have the housekeeping service come first thing tomorrow morning. Ideally, get all the guest rooms cleaned! Then Gu Zhong can sleep in whichever room he wants!
This was her last and most sincere thought.
When Ling Yan slowly woke up, the warm bed seemed very empty. The other half of the bed that she could reach was clearly empty, but there were traces that someone had lain there.
Lying in bed for a few moments, she gradually began to recall the previous night.
Gu Zhong was taken home by her.
The two shared a bed and slept together all night.
Nothing else happened.
Ling Yan slowly sat up, turned on the bedside lamp, and checked the time on the pocket watch on the bedside table. It was already noon.
The heavy curtains have an excellent light-blocking effect, preventing any outside light from getting in and making it easy to lose track of time.
Come to think of it, it had been a long time since she had indulged in sleeping in so late since she came into this world.
Lingyan lazily got out of bed, put on a thin white knitted cardigan, shuffled to the window in her slippers, and pulled back the curtains. Bright, dazzling sunlight streamed through the transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the entire room.
Lingyan instinctively closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, the drowsy look in her eyes fading away, replaced by clarity.
She walked slowly to the door and opened the heavy mahogany door.
As she walked out to the railing, she glanced down and saw Gu Zhong, who had changed into a cool short-sleeved casual outfit, sitting at the dining table on the first floor reading a newspaper.
Seemingly hearing the noise upstairs, Gu Zhong looked up, his eyes curving into a beautiful smile, his words filled with pleasure.
"Miss Ling, you're awake?"
Seeing the various dishes on the table, Lingyan was somewhat surprised, as she had not called her live-in nanny today.
"These dishes?"
"I made this. Miss Ling, please try it. Do you like it?"
Gu Zhong was acting all ingratiating; if she had a tail, it would be wagging it very vigorously right now.
"I never expected that Miss Gu would have such excellent culinary skills, comparable to a master chef."
Only when she got closer did Lingyan get a good look at the dishes Gu Zhong had prepared.
It was just a simple meal of three dishes and a soup, but it was prepared with great care.
A plate of vibrant green bok choy, with each stem distinct and glistening with soy sauce, looks incredibly appetizing.
The scrambled eggs with shrimp are made with perfectly prepared, smooth egg liquid that coats the large, red shrimp and gives off an irresistible aroma.
The white-cut chicken, with its yellow skin and white flesh, is chopped into pieces and then reassembled into its original shape and arranged on a plate. Scallion segments are decorated as a garnish, and a dish of soy sauce is served on the side, making it incredibly appetizing.