CH 30

Bai Zhen Zhen didn’t agree to Song Ling’s invitation. Using the excuse that she was not feeling well, they returned to the hotel room.

Huo Xiang and Bai Zhen Zhen stayed on the sixteenth floor. The type of room that they were staying in had been fully booked, thus they were not staying on the same floor as the others.

After showering and changing into a new set of clothes, Huo Xiang visited Bai Zhen Zhen’s room through the balcony.

“Zhen Zhen, are you in a bad mood?” What Huo Xiang actually wanted to know was why Bai Zhen Zhen’s happiness index would suddenly drop by ten points.

Bai Zhen Zhen looked despondent, sighing: “Would you be in a good mood upon seeing them?”

“It doesn’t matter to me!” Huo Xiang spreaded his hands, “There’s always a solution to a problem; you just need to deal with it according to the situation. Didn’t we make that pair of siblings speechless with just our words? What are you afraid of!”

Bai Zhen Zhen pursed her lips, and replied wearily: “I’m not afraid of them; I’m afraid it’ll be troublesome! Thus, I wanted to hide away and avoid them if I could. We’ve only been here for a day, yet these persistent ghosts are already haunting us…”

She quickly added: “There’s even a new one! Tell me, isn’t it infuriating!”

Huo Xiang muttered in his heart — Who asked you to be the female lead! If these people don’t follow you, how could there be a novel?!

“Alright, don’t be upset anymore. Aren’t I still here? If they want to bully you, I’ll be the first to fight back!” Huo Xiang said.

Bai Zhen Zhen finally cheered up.

She sat cross-legged on the bed, nodding solemnly: “You’re right. I still have you, the heir to the richest man, supporting me from behind! Although I would prefer to avoid troublesome matters, but if I can’t avoid it, I can still deal with it decisively when the time comes. Don’t worry!”

“Then let’s go eat?”

Bai Zhen Zhen stretched lazily: “I don’t want to move. Why don’t we order delivery?”

“Delivery?!” Huo Xiang was taken aback.

Wasn’t this novel written some time back? Was there food delivery already back then?!

Bai Zhen Zhen also realised that she had almost exposed herself. Afraid that Huo Xiang would become suspicious, she quickly changed her words: “What I meant was, the hotel should have room service.”

There was no problem with this sentence.

Huo Xiang breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that he had thought too much!

Huo Xiang called the hotel and placed their orders. Within half an hour, the scrumptious dishes were delivered to Bai Zhen Zhen’s room.

As they ate, they continued making plans for their vacation.

“We can play on the beach for the next two days before going camping in the mountains.”

“Camping?” Bai Zhen Zhen was interested, “Camping sounds good! I haven’t gone camping before! Last time, the group activity my class participated in was camping. Unfortunately, I fell sick on that very same day, so I couldn’t go…”

“Last time?” Huo Xiang blinked, looking at Bai Zhen Zhen in curiosity.

Bai Zhen Zhen gulped, instantly making up a story: “Yes… Five or six years ago, when I was in high school…”

“You had such group activities in high school? Your school sure gives its students a lot of freedom!” Huo Xiang smiled.

Bai Zhen Zhen also smiled along.

“I think that camping in the mountains is a great idea, we can also take care of each other!” Bai Zhen Zhen said.

She thought to herself – After Huo Xiang leaves, she would be here alone. At most, she could only go hiking or play on the beach. Camping and other similar activities would be too dangerous for her to experience alone. She should take the opportunity while there is still someone reliable beside her to experience all the activities that she wanted to partake in.

Huo Xiang peeled a mantis shrimp for her, teasing her as he handed it over: “A man and a woman camping together on a mountain. Aren’t you afraid that I will make a move on you?”

It was rare that Bai Zhen Zhen didn’t shoot him down. Instead, she replied with a sincere expression: “Here, you are the one I trust the most, and also the one I’m willing to open up to.”

Huo Xiang heard her sincere confession, and said with emotion: “Indeed, you speak highly of me after taking advantage of me! Come, I’ll peel another mantis shrimp for you! Continue to praise me!”

****

After eating their fill, Bai Zhen Zhen and Huo Xiang returned to their respective rooms and had a restful nap.

Neither of them had much rest yesterday, especially Huo Xiang. They only woke up in the evening.

They were still rather full from lunch, thus they wore a pair of sandals and strolled along the private beach behind the hotel.

It was currently 5.30pm. The sun was slowly setting, casting an orange glow across the cloudless sky, and contrasting against the clear blue waters that stretched along the horizon. It was a picturesque scene, showing off the beauty of the world.

Huo Xiang strolled along the beach leisurely. As they passed by the hotel’s infinity pool, he exclaimed to Bai Zhen Zhen: “When you’re in a better condition tomorrow, let’s go for a swim!”

“I- I don’t know how to swim…” Bai Zhen Zhen frowned, glancing at the infinity pool with longing, “I really want to learn how to swim, and I also enjoy the feeling of being in the water. However, I just can’t seem to learn how to hold my breath. There were a few times where I almost drowned.”

“That’s probably because your coach wasn’t good at teaching.” Huo Xiang remarked.

“Nonsense! My dad…” Bai Zhen Zhen cut off abruptly in the middle of her words.

Huo Xiang looked at her in puzzlement.

“I wish I could hire the best coach…” Bai Zhen Zhen quickly ad-libbed, changing the meaning of her words.*

Actually, what she wanted to say was “My dad is amazing at swimming, it’s just that I’m not good at learning”. However, this “dad” was her “real father”. If she ever exposed this truth one day, it would cause unnecessary trouble.

She would just leave as quietly as she came, and not disturb the minds of the people in the novel. After all, to them, the world they lived in was real.

“Brother Huo Xiang!” Standing on the beach, Xi Xixi saw Huo Xiang walking over and hurriedly waved to him.

Su Meng stood beside him.

Su Meng had changed into a loose T-shirt, but she still wore her baseball cap, showing off a free and easy style.

“I guessed that I would be able to meet you by waiting here. I didn’t expect that we really met!” Su Meng laughed.

Su Meng and Xi Xixi walked towards Huo Xiang and Bai Zhen Zhen. Su Meng asked: “This is the third time we’ve met. Can you give me your phone number now?”

She even specially gave Bai Zhen Zhen a look: “Zhen Zhen, don’t worry. I’m not trying to be a third wheel. I have my own principles. Since you’re already married to Huo Xiang, then he can only be my sworn brother!”

Bai Zhen Zhen couldn’t help laughing.

A girl like Su Meng was truly bold and straightforward, always speaking her mind frankly without fear.

Actually, even if Su Meng wanted to be a third wheel, Bai Zhen Zhen would only be glad for Huo Xiang. Huo Xiang would still need to get married sooner or later. Meeting a girl that “understood him” so well, it was worth trying to develop their relationship.

Huo Xiang heard Su Meng’s words and turned his head to ask Bai Zhen Zhen: “Darling, can I give her my number?”

Bai Zhen Zhen answered without thinking: “Sure! She’s such a good sworn sister, you should add her on QQ too!”

Saying so, Bai Zhen Zhen gave her own QQ number to Su Meng. Su Meng immediately added her as a friend. By the side, Xi Xixi had overheard everything. He also added Huo Xiang and Bai Zhen Zhen’s phone number and QQ to his phone.

“Ok, done! Do you want to grab a drink over there, and enjoy the scenery on the way?” Su Meng suggested.

“Sure!” Bai Zhen Zhen agreed immediately.

Huo Xiang was stunned, giving Bai Zhen Zhen a meaningful look — Can’t you tell that she’s clearly interested in your husband?!

Bai Zhen Zhen put on an innocent look — She already said that she would treat you as a sworn brother. Don’t be narcissistic!

Huo Xiang: “….”

The four of them found an available small round table and sat down.

The beach chairs were arranged in a semicircle, making it convenient for friends to chat and enjoy the sea view.

A waiter came over and took their orders.

Huo Xiang and Su Meng said simultaneously: “Give me a cup of kumquat lemon tea.”

After speaking, the two of them looked at each other. Su Meng was the first to laugh: “Looks like the two of us are of the same mind! Am I also a missing relative of richest man?”

Su Meng’s words eased the awkward atmosphere.

Bai Zhen Zhen played along, saying: “Xiang Xiang, why don’t you call and ask? See if you have any uncles and aunts that lost a daughter?”

Su Meng and Bai Zhen Zhen laughed together.

On the other hand, Huo Xiang pouted.

Why was his wife and her love rival gossiping so well together?! They even started calling each other “sisters”! What does this mean?!

“I’ll just get a glass of bubble tea.” Xi Xixi took a look at the menu, and said after a long hesitation.

“Me too, a glass of bubble tea, 50% sugar.” Bai Zhen Zhen said.

“Sister Zhen Zhen, you also like to drink bubble tea?” Xi Xixi couldn’t resist glancing at Bai Zhen Zhen.

Bai Zhen Zhen frowned, casually responding: “There’s so many people in this world that likes to drink bubble tea, don’t you think so?”

“Well, yes…” Xi Xixi nodded, embarrassed.

Bai Zhen Zhen sighed in her heart: Little brother, it’s not that I don’t want to treat you well. I just want to nip your feelings for me in the bud…”

“However, to simultaneously order kumquat lemon tea, the two of you sure have chemistry~” Bai Zhen Zhen gave Huo Xiang a meaningful look.

Su Meng smiled: “Zhen Zhen, back at the airport, I only asked for Huo Xiang’s phone number. You shouldn’t hold a grudge just because of that!”

“I’m not!” Bai Zhen Zhen answered sincerely, “I just feel that we were destined to meet Sister Meng. I’m very happy to have met you!”

“Really?”

“Really!” Bai Zhen Zhen replied frankly, before asking, “Ah, Sister Meng, do you have a boyfriend?”

“Of course not!” Su Meng replied, “If I met Huo Xiang earlier than you, I might be your most difficult love rival today.”

“I think so too!” Bai Zhen Zhen smiled ambiguously.

“I’m going to the toilet.” Huo Xiang said suddenly.

Standing up, he even winked at Bai Zhen Zhen.

Bai Zhen Zhen was stunned for a moment, before standing up as well: “Oh, I also need to go. Then let’s go together…”

The two of them headed to the toilet next to the pool, but didn’t go in. They stood at a corner and starting talking.

“Didn’t you want to hide our fake marriage from those people?!” Huo Xiang questioned, “Why are you still trying to push me towards Su Meng!”

“At that time, the fake marriage was to get rid of Ling Hao Chen and the rest. It has nothing to do with Su Meng! Besides, you will eventually get a girlfriend. I think she’s pretty good!” Bai Zhen Zhen replied.

As soon as she spoke, a voice faintly sounded in their ears.

“The two of you… are in a fake marriage?!”