Hu Li went out to handle some matters, leaving Hua Yan alone in the empty room. She tried to read but barely turned a page in half a day; even when she closed her eyes to sleep, her mind was unusually alert, making her more uncomfortable with each passing minute.

At that moment, the phone in the room rang. Shangguan Ning, not knowing Hua Yan’s current phone number, had asked for the number of the room she had stayed in the day before. He contacted her to extend an invitation.

Receiving an unexpected invitation was just what Hua Yan needed, so she accepted, leading to the scene Hu Li would later witness.

Shangguan Ning and Hu Li shook hands, their interaction like a silent battle, outwardly calm but internally tumultuous.

"Let go! Shaking hands shouldn’t be like a fight," Hua Yan suddenly noticed the tension between the two men and stood up to break their grip.

The two men, with surprising tacit understanding, reined in their hostility, and the conversation among the three became very pleasant. During their chat, Hu Li and Shangguan Ning recognized each other’s merits, discussing topics from tea to business operations and long-term development.

The one feeling most out of place was Hua Yan. Just a moment ago, the atmosphere was tense, but now they were chatting like old friends.

Hu Li and Hua Yan were both concerned about Hu Er, so they didn’t chat with Shangguan Ning for long. Shangguan Ning watched the two leave, arm in arm, feeling a stab of pain and helplessness.

In a corner, a delicate-looking woman had been watching Shangguan Ning. After a moment of complicated emotions, she took a deep breath and finally gathered the courage to approach him, determined to fight for her happiness.

Meanwhile, having long forgotten about Shangguan Ning, Hua Yan and Hu Li walked together. Hua Yan asked, "Has Hu Er been rescued?"

"He's upstairs. No major issues, just fainted from hunger."

"Hungry? Truly, even heroes can be felled by hunger," Hua Yan said, her expression relaxing. But she was still curious about how quickly Hu Li had returned. "But you got back so fast. I can’t believe Cai Cai was that cooperative," she added, her sharp brows hinting at suspicion.

Hu Li smiled and pulled her into his arms, teasingly saying, "What, you wanted her to keep me there?"

"Stop fooling around. Of course not. I was just worried about you," Hua Yan replied, trying to fend off his advances.

There were surveillance cameras in the elevator, so Hu Li refrained from any overt displays of affection, settling down after a bit of teasing. With a more serious expression, he explained, "I prepared three plans before going to the meeting. When I confirmed that Cai Cai didn’t have Hu Er with her, I used the quickest plan, Plan A.

"An unexpected twist occurred when Ke Shaozheng showed up, disrupting Cai Cai's plans. After Hu Da rescued Hu Er, I returned immediately," Hu Li said, his expression serious as he worried that his movements might quickly be reported back to the Hu family.

If the Hu family learned of his whereabouts, they would come to block him immediately, and it might also draw those plotting against him to attempt an assassination. But he didn’t want to share these concerns with Hua Yan. He intended to spend Christmas here with her.

"It seems even the heavens aren’t helping Cai Cai," Hua Yan guessed that Ke Shaozheng’s appearance would reveal their location, alerting Hu’s father and the others.

She felt that as long as she stayed by Hu Li’s side, whether living a simple life in a retreat or accompanying him back to the Hu family to deal with all sorts of people daily, it didn’t matter.

After checking on Hu Er, who only had some superficial injuries and no serious damage, and hearing his even breathing, Hua Yan was completely relieved.

That night, due to the effects of the medicine, Hu Li felt a burning desire, but his body didn’t respond, making him so frustrated that his face, hidden in the darkness, was almost black with anger.

Hua Yan, who slept like an octopus draped over Hu Li, was blissfully unaware of his predicament. After Hu Li’s thirty years of abstinence, now that he had tasted passion, his hunger was tormenting Hua Yan.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Being able to sleep peacefully like tonight was a rare luxury, so when Hua Yan woke up the next morning, she looked radiant, while Hu Li was unshaven, with dark circles and bloodshot eyes.

"Hu Li, didn’t you sleep well last night?" Hua Yan asked in surprise, seeing his disheveled appearance. She had never seen him look so worn out.

Hu Li rubbed his scratchy chin, feeling a bit awkward but maintaining his pride, he replied casually, "Nothing, just not used to the bed."

"Oh." Hua Yan’s mind was slow in the morning, so she didn’t doubt his words. Hu Li, still concerned about another matter, quickly washed up and left, saying he had something to do, leaving Hua Yan to have breakfast on her own.

Once out the door and seeing that Hua Yan had no suspicions, Hu Li immediately went to the room where Hu Da and Hu Er were staying. Knocking and entering, he found Hu Da already prepared and waiting for him. Hu Er had only woken up in the middle of the night to drink some water and had continued sleeping until now.

Seeing that Hu Er’s complexion had improved since the previous night, Hu Li asked Hu Da, "Is everything ready?"

"Master, everything is prepared."

Hu Li said no more, laying on the bed that clearly had fresh sheets. He rolled up his sleeve. Hu Da, with practiced hands, set up the IV, hanging a transparent bag of white liquid from the hook at the top of a metal stand.

Once the air was expelled from the IV line, Hu Da quickly inserted the dripping liquid into the vein in Hu Li's elbow.

After ensuring that Hu Li had no adverse reactions, Hu Da finally relaxed.

"Any movements from the Hu family?" Hu Li asked, closing his eyes as he felt dizzy, his stomach churning as if he might vomit up all his internal organs.

"Should we stop the caloric solution?" Hu Da, who had been monitoring Hu Li's condition, noticed something was wrong and, face turning pale, jumped to Hu Li's side to remove the IV.

However, he was halted by Hu Li’s displeased gaze. With a tearful voice, Hu Da pleaded, "Master, your health is the most important. We should stop this."

"No need, I’m already feeling better. Sit back down." Indeed, the discomfort had lessened significantly, and his complexion had improved. Hu Da noticed this change too and reluctantly sat back down.

He reported, "Young Master Ke has been in that villa since yesterday and hasn’t come out. There haven’t been any calls made to or from his phone, so the Old Master still doesn’t know about your presence here."

"That's good. Just one bag of the caloric solution?" Hu Li asked, increasing the IV drip speed with difficulty due to his weakening body, eventually managing to adjust the roller.

"Master..." Hu Da wanted to intervene but, seeing Hu Li’s look, swallowed his words. "One bag is enough to restore your energy."

When Hua Yan came to check on Hu Er, Hu Li had finished the IV and was talking to Hu Da with his clothes neatly arranged.

Hua Yan, having expected Hu Li to be there, wasn’t surprised.

"What do you want for breakfast? I can order it."

"I don’t have an appetite. Maybe later." Remembering that Hu Li hadn’t slept well last night, Hua Yan figured he probably wasn’t hungry yet and didn’t insist.

At that moment, Hu Er woke up, and his stomach growled loudly. Hua Yan had already arranged for the hotel to prepare a nutritious meat porridge and coarse grain corn cakes for him.

Hua Yan wanted to feed Hu Er herself, but under Hu Li’s intimidating gaze, neither Hu Da nor Hu Er dared to agree. Hu Da reluctantly took the bowl of meat porridge.

"You two are so ungrateful. The hotel didn’t have these; I specifically asked them to prepare it..."

Suddenly, both Hu Da and Hu Er broke into a cold sweat, and Hu Er couldn’t bring himself to take another bite of the delicious meat porridge under Hu Li’s piercing gaze.

However, Hu Li soon withdrew his murderous look and signaled Hu Da to continue feeding Hu Er. Then, turning to Hua Yan, he said, "Yan’er, I’m hungry too."

"Oh, now you're hungry? That was quick. What do you want to eat?"

"Let’s go back to our room first." He said, guiding Hua Yan back to their room. Once there, he dropped his facade, showing his jealousy and complaining, "Meat porridge and corn cakes."

Hu Li being hungry made Hua Yan happy, so she immediately ordered breakfast. While placing the order, she noticed Hu Li's unusual behavior. Putting two and two together, she realized the reason behind it.

Seeing Hu Li’s rare expression, she decided not to expose him. Instead, she played along, teasing him gently and pretending to be caring. When breakfast arrived, she even offered to feed him.

But after just a few bites, Hu Li didn’t seem to enjoy it. His face changed as he felt the lingering side effects of the caloric solution.

"Are you feeling unwell?" Hua Yan asked, noticing his discomfort.

Hu Li suppressed the churning in his stomach and smiled lightly, "It’s nothing. The porridge is really tasty."

Hua Yan, silently observing Hu Li’s face, didn’t notice anything else amiss after a while. She continued to feed him, concerned, "If you feel unwell, you need to tell me."

"It’s okay, maybe I wasn’t used to eating on an empty stomach," he replied.

"Why are you eating so fast? There's no one here to take your food," Hua Yan scolded playfully.

"With my dear wife serving me, the food tastes even better. I couldn't help but eat quickly," Hu Li replied, his previously tense face softening as he looked at Hua Yan.

It wasn’t until Hua Yan pinched him a few times that Hu Li settled down. He didn't actually want this kind of treatment every day, but he immensely enjoyed seeing her worry about him and coax him to eat more like he was a child.

Hu Li rarely forgot the dining etiquette he had learned: to only eat until he was seventy percent full. But now, his normally flat stomach had a slight bulge.

After thoroughly enjoying the meal, Hu Li's discomfort disappeared.

"Today is Christmas. Where do you want to go?" Hu Li asked Hua Yan, who was resting her head on his lap.

"Let's go skiing." Last time she had learned to ski from Jiu Cheng, but due to Li Dong's interference, she hadn't fully enjoyed it. Seeing the thick snow on the houses, roads, and streetlights outside the window made her desire to ski even stronger.

As long as it was her wish, Hu Li never disagreed. He made a few calls, and soon they arrived at the best ski resort.