Chapter 288: The Pleasure All Men Are Eager to Pursue

The two of them fumbled in a panic, and the car couldn't help but sway on the road; Fang Hong quickly steadied it.

Fortunately, the road was slippery this season, so the car wasn't going fast, and there weren't many cars on the holiday road either.

Otherwise the two of them would make the papers: {Liu Tianxian hits Principal's private area causing a rollover. }

This news would absolutely be the front-page headline, and make people laugh at them.

Liu Tianxian's car still had quite a lot of interior space, and didn't feel that cramped.

The atmosphere in the car suddenly seemed a bit silent, somewhat awkward; Liu Tianxian's eyes secretly glanced at his crotch, then shifted her gaze upward.

Watching Fang Hong drive, her hand wanted to reach down, but stopped mid-air, and gripped the steering wheel instead.

The movement was a bit unnatural, but her expression was normal.

This was Fang Hong wanting to touch that thing, adjust its position, but feeling it was too lewd, so he held back for now, he'd deal with it once they arrived.

"Are you okay?" Liu Tianxian asked softly.

"I'm fine." Fang Hong shook his head.

How could he say there was something wrong with that thing!

Hearing him say that, Liu Tianxian fell silent, but her eyes still glanced at him from time to time, still concerned in her heart.

That was his lifeline; she'd heard that thing was quite fragile?

The car quickly came to a steady stop in the Villa district; Xu Liyun was already waiting at the door, with the tall and mighty Heizi by her side.

Xu Liyun, wearing an apron, came forward to greet them, lifting the apron to wipe her hands.

"Auntie!" Liu Tianxian got out of the car.

"It's been so long since you came, you've gotten even prettier." Xu Liyun smiled, looking her up and down.

"You're getting younger and younger too." Liu Tianxian smiled the same way.

After getting out of the car and closing the door, Fang Hong didn't say a word, heading straight for the house as if he had something to do.

"This child?"

Xu Liyun turned to look at her son, her tone carrying reproach: "How can you just leave without saying hello, so rude."

"Don't blame him, he has something to do." Liu Tianxian defended him.

"Oh, you just favor him too much." Xu Liyun said so, but in her heart she was quite comforted—this girl sided with her son.

Liu Tianxian smiled without speaking, and walked toward the house with Xu Liyun, her gaze watching the direction where Fang Hong had disappeared.

This man must have gone to the bathroom.

Entering the house, Xu Liyun called out: "Feifei, just play around, treat it like your own home, I'll go busy myself in the kitchen for a while."

"Okay, Auntie."

Liu Tianxian nodded, saw Fang Hong hadn't come out yet, then saw Heizi right beside her, and playfully reached out to pat Heizi's dog head.

This dog was almost up to her waist, so big and tall.

She wasn't afraid either; she'd been here many times, this dog was practically something she'd watched grow up, she was already familiar with it and had developed some affection.

However, Heizi had no particular affection for her, shook its head in resistance, but didn't growl, still quite well-behaved, remembering this person wasn't to be messed with.

But she'd never fed it either, so there wasn't much goodwill.

Liu Tianxian squatted down, smoothing the fur on Heizi's back, and said to its dog head: "Do you still remember me?"

Heizi's dog head tilted to one side, as if it didn't recognize her.

"Hey, you don't welcome me anymore? Look at me, look at who I am?" Liu Tianxian turned its dog head to face her.

Heizi had no choice but to let this woman do as she pleased, its eyes darting about but looking elsewhere.

"Do you remember who I am yet?" Liu Tianxian was competing with this dog here.

At this moment, Fang Hong happened to come out of the bathroom.

Liu Tianxian looked up, stood up and walked toward him, her gaze involuntarily drifting downward: "Are you okay?"

"Definitely fine."

Fang Hong's tone was firm, looking quite upright.

Liu Tianxian found it funny, patted his shoulder: "Good that you're fine."

She had been deeply afraid of smashing some serious injury into this man, then she really wouldn't know what to do.

Fang Hong put his arm around her shoulder, leaned close to her ear and whispered: "I checked for you, mighty and domineering."

Liu Tianxian elbowed his chest, her face flushing hot from what he said.

But she didn't dislike Fang Hong saying dirty jokes in front of her; they were both adults now, and with their relationship, she wasn't some innocent young girl.

Although she hadn't eaten pork, information was well-developed now, she'd seen pigs run.

"What were you just saying to Heizi?"

Fang Hong looked at Heizi wagging its tail as it walked over—seeing Liu Tianxian it wasn't happy, but seeing him it was thrilled.

"It forgot about me, so I made it remember me." Liu Tianxian was in the crook of his arm.

"It can't even remember you, I'll chop it up and feed it to the dogs later." Fang Hong joked.

This remark made Liu Tianxian laugh "hehe" nonstop, holding her stomach as she laughed without stopping, laughing until her stomach hurt.

Poor Heizi still didn't know what was going on, still wagging its tail around.

"Come eat." Xu Liyun called.

The two walked toward the kitchen, chatting as they went, Liu Tianxian still laughing nonstop.

"Feifei, why so happy?" Xu Liyun set out the bowls and chopsticks.

"He said he'd chop up Heizi." Liu Tianxian tattled.

"Nonsense, how could you chop it." Xu Liyun gave her son a reproachful look.

She'd finally raised it big, raised it for two or three years, took it with her every day, she'd already developed an attachment to it.

Liu Tianxian said playfully to Fang Hong: "Did you hear? You can't chop it."

"Yes, yes, I won't chop it." Fang Hong tugged at Liu Tianxian's arm, signaling her to sit down.

The three sat down at the dining table, which was laden with a generous spread of home-cooked dishes — they didn't look like much, but they tasted quite good.

Liu Tianxian picked up a piece of shrimp, popped it in her mouth — fragrant, spicy, delicious — and said contentedly: "Mm, Auntie, what you make is really too good."

"Right? If it's good, eat more." Xu Liyun was also happy.

"You eat too."

Liu Tianxian put some dishes into Fang Hong's bowl.

Xu Liyun, watching, said: "Feifei, what does your mother usually do?"

"Usually she just manages my agency business, and when there's nothing to do she goes shopping and has afternoon tea, that sort of thing." Liu Tianxian said.

Her mother had a circle of rich-lady friends, and unlike Xu Liyun she wasn't so bored — her life was actually quite rich and colorful.

Xu Liyun took a bite of rice, wanting to say something but not saying it, unsure if the timing was right.

"Auntie, from now on just call me by my nickname Xixi, no need to call me Feifei — my mom calls me Xixi." Liu Tianxian said after taking a bite of rice.

Normally nobody called her Feifei; only Fang Hong liked to call her that randomly. Her mom always called her Xixi.

"Then I'll call you Xixi." A kindly smile appeared on Xu Liyun's face.

"Mm!"

Liu Tianxian nodded, ate the meat off the pork rib in her bowl: "Here, Heizi, you have some too."

She tossed the bone to Heizi, who was lying not far away.

Seeing there was something tasty, Heizi immediately stood up and trotted over, biting the bone in her hand and gnawing away.

Liu Tianxian nudged the silent Fang Hong beside her with her elbow: "Look, doesn't he look just like you."

Fang Hong immediately stopped eating and looked at her with a wounded, resentful gaze.

"Aiya, poor thing, poor thing, hehe, I'll feed you." Liu Tianxian giggled, used her own chopsticks to pick up some fish meat, and fed it into his mouth — he was cheered up in an instant.

The two of them loved to tease each other back and forth.

Watching the two interact so affectionately, Xu Liyun also broke into an auntie-like smile — if there were children in the future, that would be even better.

After the meal was finished, the sky outside gradually darkened — in winter it gets dark early.

Liu Tianxian helped Xu Liyun clean up the dishes in the kitchen, while Fang Hong, head down looking at his phone, paced back and forth in the living room to help his digestion.

"Xixi, it's getting late — just stay here tonight, I'll fix up a room for you." Xu Liyun invited from the side.

This was a customary probe: if the girl was willing to stay at the boy's home, then it was basically settled, and one could start preparing for what came next.

Of course, the boy going to stay at the girl's home worked the same way.

"Next time, next time I'll come stay — this time I didn't tell my mom, and she's home alone." Liu Tianxian set the dishes in the sink.

"Okay."

Xu Liyun was delighted — this meant she'd agreed — and stepped forward to take the work from her hands: "You go on, I'll wash the dishes."

"No need, you rest a bit." Liu Tianxian took the work back.

"Let me do it — how could I let you do this kind of work?" Xu Liyun said.

"I'm not that delicate. I can't cook, but I can wash dishes."

Liu Tianxian gestured: "You're tired, go rest."

Watching this girl be so virtuous and considerate, Xu Liyun felt like her own son had won the lottery with dog poop luck.

Her son at home never did any chores — after eating he'd just toss his bowl aside as if it were someone else's business. What virtue or ability did he have to deserve this!

After tidying up the kitchen, Liu Tianxian saw Fang Hong still pacing with his head down in the living room, walked over, and suddenly hopped right in front of him, bending over to look up at him.

"What are you looking at? Let me see." Liu Tianxian stood beside him and looked at his phone.

Fang Hong tilted his phone toward her.

The phone displayed a black man whose whole body was set on fire, then doing a backflip off a diving board into a swimming pool.

The video was very short, with strong visual impact and entertainment value.

Seeing this thrilling, exciting scene, Liu Tianxian's eyes went wide: "This is Best Special Effects, right? It's fake."

"It's fake. Let me show you something else."

Fang Hong pulled up another video for her to watch — the video playing was scenery.

"What's there to see in this?" Liu Tianxian said. "Watch carefully — if you watch closely there's a surprise." Fang Hong moved the phone a bit closer to her eyes.

Liu Tianxian did as he said, both eyes fixed on the screen. The video played normally — still scenery — and she couldn't make out any detail; it was just a very ordinary video.

"Ah—!"

With a scream, Liu Tianxian was scared out of her wits, her features contorted, and she even leapt up.

Fang Hong turned off his phone and quickly pulled her into his arms.

The scream was loud and shrill — it startled even Heizi, who warily checked all around to see if there were any bad people trying to harm his master.

Even Xu Liyun was alarmed; she ran out and said: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing, just playing around." Fang Hong waved his hand.

"Don't keep bullying Xixi." Xu Liyun gave her son a warning look, and seeing Liu Tianxian patting her chest, she knew her son had been bullying her again.

Fang Hong replied "Okay," then looked at the still-shaken Liu Tianxian: "And you got scared by that."

"Surprise? I'll kill you." Liu Tianxian punched his back twice, then kicked him twice more.

That video had truly scared her — it had been a perfectly normal video, and then suddenly a demon-like skull appeared, opening a bloody great maw at her.

These kinds of videos were common in this day and age, including on social media — you're watching a picture of a beauty, really getting into it, and suddenly the beauty turns into a blood-drenched demon, complete with sound effects.

It frightens people out of their wits.

But here Fang Hong had turned the sound effects off — if he hadn't, it would have been too scary; he was scared of it himself.

Liu Tianxian stopped what she was doing and calmed herself down.

When you suddenly see it, you get a fright, but once you look away and calm down, you feel it's nothing much.

"Your nerve is way too fragile," Fang Hong said.

"Next time I'll give you a scare and see how brave you really are," Liu Tianxian shot back.

"Sure, let me have a taste of being scared too," Fang Hong said with a smile.

Liu Tianxian shot him a look, too lazy to argue: "Take me home."

Evening. There was packed snow on the road outside; walking through it made a "creak, creak" sound.

The two walked side by side. Liu Tianxian said, "You don't have a car. How will you get to work tomorrow?"

"Bus, or a cab," Fang Hong said.

"You don't plan to buy a car of your own?"

"Can save."

Fang Hong immediately corrected himself: "If we can save a bit, we should save a bit. Frugality is a virtue."

Liu Tianxian couldn't stand his clownish nonsense. She pulled open the car door and got in: "I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning. Wait for me."

With that, she floored the gas and the car roared off, spraying up a sheet of snow.

Early the next morning, Fang Hong was hopping from foot to foot in the snow, sleeves pulled tight around his hands, when at last he spotted that familiar Ferrari and hurried over to pull open the door and climb in.

"You're really not punctual at all — I've already been late by an hour," Fang Hong breathed on his hands. It was just too cold outside.

"Of course I have to sleep enough. If I don't, how could I possibly get up?" Liu Tianxian said, not the least bit guilty, and somehow it sounded perfectly reasonable.

She reached into the back seat, grabbed a wrapped package, and tossed it into his lap: "See if it fits."

"What?" Fang Hong pulled open the package and peered inside.

"Bought you a coat — Swakara Lambskin. Didn't want you freezing." Liu Tianxian said it casually, but her heart was full of concern.

She noticed Fang Hong usually didn't wear much and didn't fuss over his clothes, so she bought him some high-end pieces.

This one was a fur even more expensive than mink.

"Xiao Feifei, you're the best."

The complaint on Fang Hong's face melted away, replaced by a thoroughly ingratiating grin.

"Silly you." Liu Tianxian smiled, indulgent.

Fang Hong took out the jet-black coat — it looked high-end and luxurious at a glance, felt soft and supple to the touch, the hand-feel was excellent, clearly something a successful man would wear.

"Wow, it's really beautiful."

"Try it on," Liu Tianxian said.

Fang Hong took off the windbreaker he was wearing and put on this coat instead. It felt very comfortable and warm.

Only he couldn't stretch out properly inside the car.

Liu Tianxian leaned over and tugged at the shoulders on both sides, then looked him over: "It fits, right?"

"It fits," Fang Hong nodded.

Liu Tianxian looked at him — his whole bearing had changed, now looking wealthy and handsome. Clothes really do make the man.

The car quickly arrived beneath the Jade Rabbit building. This time Liu Tianxian was driving so Fang Hong could try out his new gear.

After getting out, Fang Hong stretched himself out and brushed off his coat: "Your eye is still the best."

"Hey, who's the one who used to always say my taste was terrible?" Liu Tianxian said.

It was already work hours now, and there was no one around.

"Your taste only applies to me, not to yourself," Fang Hong said, pointing at himself.

"Meaning you only have an eye when it comes to me, and for everything else you're blind, huh?" Liu Tianxian said.

"You could understand it that way," Fang Hong said.

Liu Tianxian lightly patted his head, and the two chatted and laughed as they took the elevator up to the eighteenth floor.

Stepping into the office area, a cute little secretary named Ouyang Xue, files clutched to her chest, happened to come face-to-face with the Principal walking in. Her eyes lit up at once: "Director Fang, you look really handsome today."

"Sweet talker," Fang Hong praised.

Ouyang Xue gave a shy smile, then glanced at the fair-skinned, beautiful Liu Tianxian beside him, and a touch of self-conscious inferiority crept across her face.

That one was a fairy sister; she was just one of the little secretaries — one of many, meaning there were several little secretaries just like her.

Whether it was status, looks, or poise, the gap between them was like heaven and earth!

The two passed by her without lingering to chat.

Liu Tianxian wore a calm, even smile on her face, with no trace of looking down on anyone or discrimination. She was like that with everyone.

As usual, Liu Tianxian kept Fang Hong company while he worked. If he was busy, she'd sit in his office reading, scrolling her phone, or, more often than not, chatting.

Chatting about the past, the future, life, dreams, philosophy, romance.

Liu Tianxian pulled over a chair, sat beside Fang Hong, and watched him stare at reports on his computer: "Staring at this stuff every day, don't you ever get bored?"

"No. Every day when I look at these numbers, it's like watching the Jade Rabbit grow stronger and stronger. There's an indescribable sense of fulfillment inside me," Fang Hong said, glancing at her.

Liu Tianxian nodded. This must be the pursuit men are passionate about: mastering power, mastering influence, mastering wealth.

"Didi di di."

Just as the two were chatting, Liu Tianxian's phone suddenly rang. She picked it up and looked at the screen, frowning: "Strange, why is Xiaoming calling me?"

Fang Hong glanced at her phone: "Maybe something's up!"

Liu Tianxian picked up, and Huang Xiaoming's voice came through, greeting her: "Tianxian, Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year, Xiaoming. Is there something you needed?" Liu Tianxian said.

New Year's Day counts as New Year, so the greeting wasn't out of place.

"There's something I need to ask you, I really don't know how to bring it up." Huang Xiaoming was being oddly coy.

"You say it, and if I can help, I definitely will." Liu Tianxian acted very generous.

"It's like this, I have a friend who offended you a bit, and wants to say sorry to you." Huang Xiaoming said.

Liu Tianxian found it strange — this was the first time someone had called through an intermediary to apologize to her.

She glanced at Fang Hong and said: "Who?"

Fang Hong also didn't know what they were talking about; Liu Tianxian hadn't turned on the speaker, the phone was held by her ear.

"Yao Dazui, she may have some misunderstanding about you, and wants to ask you to say a word to the Principal, to get him to back off." Huang Xiaoming finally stated his purpose.

He was acting on Xiao Wang's General Manager's request, otherwise he wouldn't do this kind of thing — it was a bit hard on his pride.

But he also gained a favor from Xiao Wang's General Manager!

"I see!" Liu Tianxian murmured thoughtfully.

"Her side has already pulled your Publicity Draft, there's some misunderstanding in the middle, let me explain it to you."

Huang Xiaoming explained over the phone; Liu Tianxian put the phone by Fang Hong's ear, letting him listen.

Fang Hong listened carefully for a while; after catching a couple of lines at random he already knew what it was about, tilted his head to the side, signaling that he understood.

Liu Tianxian took the phone away, her eyes on him, watching to see what he'd say.

"Do whatever you think is right." Fang Hong said softly in colloquial speech.

Liu Tianxian nodded, then into the phone: "Xiaoming, I'll mention this to Fang Hong, but I don't know if it'll work — I'm just passing the message along."

"That's fine too, once there's news, give me a call." Huang Xiaoming didn't see any problem with it.

Liu Tianxian didn't agree outright — this matter definitely needed a buffer period, otherwise people would know she could decide things for Fang Hong.

In the future, whenever these people had something, they'd all come begging her, or asking for some resource or role — she couldn't stand these people, and couldn't agree to it either.

Besides, the matter of Jade Rabbit, she shouldn't meddle too much.

"I heard when filming The Return of the Condor Heroes before, you fell into the water, and Huang Xiaoming saved you?" Seeing her hang up the phone, Fang Hong said from the side.

"I suppose so."

Liu Tianxian placed her phone on the table: "He just gave a pull — it was an assistant director surnamed Gao who jumped into the water to save 【me】."

"He just did a favor." Fang Hong said.

"Yes, there were a lot of people there at the time, he was just one of them." Liu Tianxian nodded.

(End of chapter)