Chapter 364: The world seemed to fade
As if they had crafted it with her story in mind.
She turned page after page, the breeze occasionally flipping the corners. The scent of flowers surrounded her. The quiet was soothing.
Without realizing it, her tense shoulders relaxed.
The sunlight dimmed slowly, transitioning from gold to amber. Her eyes grew heavier. The lines of text blurred gently as exhaustion — the kind that only arrives after months of emotional strain — crept over her.
Still holding the proposal loosely in her lap, Hua Jing drifted into sleep.
By the time Fu Jingrong returned home, evening had settled over Yellow Garden. He stepped inside, loosening his tie slightly, the fatigue of the workday evident in the subtle tension of his posture.
Before he could ask for her, a servant approached quietly, holding a folded blanket.
"Sir," the servant said softly, "Madam is in the garden. She fell asleep."
Fu Jingrong paused for a brief second, then handed his briefcase over without another word. His expression softened almost imperceptibly.
He walked toward the garden.
The sight that greeted him made him stop in his tracks.
There she was.
Hua Jing lay curled slightly on the swing, the proposal papers slipping from her lap to the ground. The fading light brushed against her face, outlining her features in a gentle glow. A few strands of hair had fallen across her cheek, moving slightly with the breeze.
Even in sleep, she managed to steal his breath.
He exhaled slowly, almost helplessly.
He truly was doomed in this lifetime, he thought. Doomed to love this woman beyond reason. And yet, no matter how much he loved her, it never felt enough. Every day, every glance, every smile made him feel as though his heart had not reached its limit yet.
He walked closer, careful not to disturb her.
Her sleeping posture was not elegant in the least. One hand was tucked awkwardly beneath her cheek. Her lips were slightly parted. A tiny, almost invisible trail of saliva glistened at the corner of her mouth.
It was ridiculously unrefined.
Ridiculously silly.
And yet to him, she was devastatingly beautiful.
Beautiful not in the polished way she appeared on camera, but in this unguarded, vulnerable state. This was the Hua Jing only he could see.
He crouched down and picked up the proposal from the floor, scanning the cover briefly. Indigo Beauty.
His eyes flicked through a few lines. A global ambassador. Impressive.
He did not read further. Whatever she chose, he would support her.
Carefully, he unfolded the blanket and draped it over her shoulders. His movements were slow, deliberate, as though handling something precious and fragile.
Despite his gentleness, the slight shift in warmth stirred her.
Hua Jing’s lashes fluttered.
She blinked once, twice, still caught between sleep and awareness. When her vision cleared and she saw his face above her, her lips curved instinctively.
"You’re back?" she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.
Fu Jingrong’s gaze softened even further.
"I’m back," he replied quietly.
She stretched slightly, the blanket sliding down her arms. Realizing she must have fallen asleep outside, she straightened a bit, embarrassed.
"Did I drool?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.
He raised an eyebrow, deliberately silent.
Her eyes widened. "I did, didn’t I?"
He could not help it. A low chuckle escaped him — rare, warm, genuine.
"A little."
Hua Jing groaned and immediately wiped at her mouth, mortified. "Why didn’t you wake me earlier?"
"Because you looked peaceful," he answered simply.
There was no teasing in his tone now. Only sincerity.
He reached up and brushed the stray hair away from her cheek, his fingers lingering just a second longer than necessary. The simple touch made her heart skip.
"You’ve been thinking too much lately," he said quietly. "Even in your sleep, your brows were slightly furrowed."
Her gaze softened.
"I was reading a proposal," she admitted, glancing toward the papers he held. "Indigo Beauty wants me as their global ambassador."
His expression did not show surprise.
"That’s a good offer."
"You’re not worried?" she asked.
"About what?"
"Backlash. Pressure. More enemies."
Fu Jingrong leaned forward slightly, his forehead almost touching hers.
"If the sky falls," he said calmly, "I’ll hold it up for you."
Her breath caught.
He was not being dramatic. He never was. When he said things like that, they were simply statements of fact to him.
Hua Jing felt warmth flood her chest.
"Fu Jingrong," she whispered softly.
"Mm?"
"I feel like I don’t deserve you sometimes."
His hand gently cupped her face, thumb brushing against her cheek.
"Then spend the rest of your life making it up to me," he said.
She laughed softly, eyes shining.
He stood and extended his hand to her. "Come inside. The evening air is getting cold."
She placed her hand in his without hesitation.
As he pulled her up, Hua Jing’s legs felt slightly numb from sleeping in the same position for too long. She swayed, and before she could steady herself, Fu Jingrong’s arm circled firmly around her waist, drawing her against him.
The sun was already sinking beyond the horizon, scattering streaks of amber and rose across the sky. The light filtered through the leaves and cast dancing shadows across his face, sharpening the line of his jaw, deepening the curve of his eyes.
He looked unfairly handsome.
For a brief second, she simply stared.
Then something playful flickered in her gaze.
With his hand still secured at her waist, Hua Jing suddenly lifted her arms and jumped.
Fu Jingrong’s reflexes were immediate. His other arm came up swiftly, catching her without effort. In the blink of an eye, her legs had wrapped around his waist, her body pressed flush against his.
And before he could even question her sudden boldness—
Her lips met his.
Soft.
Warm.
Unexpected.
For half a heartbeat, he froze.
Then he smiled against her mouth.
The kiss deepened.
What had begun as mischief quickly turned into something heavier, slower, more deliberate. His grip tightened at her waist, anchoring her securely as his lips moved against hers with growing intensity. The faint scent of flowers lingered in the air, mingling with the warmth between them.
Hua Jing’s fingers slid into his hair, tugging lightly, and that small motion was enough to draw a low, almost inaudible sound from him. The hand supporting her shifted upward, steady but possessive, as though afraid she might disappear if he did not hold her close enough.
The world around them seemed to fade.
