Blinded by Lust chapter 50

Huo Zhanyan wasn’t lying. He was really in a hurry to get back to school. After leaving the rented apartment complex, he took a taxi directly home to grab some things. His sister Zhanting was in her room having a tutoring session, and at the stairwell corner, he ran into Huo Zhanxing, who was about to head out.

“Whoa, what happened to your face?” Huo Zhanxing had some drinks last night and canceled that morning’s meeting, only preparing to head to the company in the afternoon. He didn’t expect to run into Huo Zhanyan.

Huo Zhanyan instinctively stepped back. He had forgotten about the bruise on his face and came up with an excuse. “I fell off my bike.”

“Didn’t I tell you to be careful? Haven’t you learned from your last trip to the hospital?”

Huo Zhanyan would have argued with his brother if it weren’t for lying about Wu Bie. “I know, I know.”

“You seem annoyed. That motorbike really isn’t safe. If you really want to ride, I’ll get you a different one.”

“No need.” Huo Zhanyan dismissed it. “We’ll talk about it later. I need to head back to school today.”

Watching Huo Zhanyan’s retreating figure, Huo Zhanxing couldn’t help but shout, “You just came home for one day, and you’re already staying out. Are you really homesick? Wait… are you dating someone?”

By the time he finished asking, Huo Zhanyan was already out of sight. Cursing under his breath, Huo Zhanxing went downstairs, too annoyed to eat, and decided to drive out. When he entered the garage, he noticed Huo Zhanyan’s motorcycle parked deep inside.

With all the cars blocking the way, how did Huo Zhanyan get the bike out? He hadn’t even ridden it. He was lying.

Thinking it over, Huo Zhanxing wondered if his brother got into a fight over a girl and didn’t want to admit it, so he made up an excuse.

Well, he’s grown up. Can’t stop him from dating, can I? Imagining his brother in a relationship, Huo Zhanxing decided the girl shouldn’t have to spend money. He called his assistant to transfer some money to Huo Zhanyan’s card.

The bank deposit notification chimed just as Huo Zhanyan stood at Zhanting’s room door. He looked at the number, puzzled. Is it allowance day already?

With that interruption, Huo Zhanyan decided not to interrupt Zhanting’s tutoring session. He packed his things and sent her a message.

“Zhanting, when you have time, please help me place some hydroponic plants in the rental. I’m heading back to school.”

Outside, a car engine roared. Zhanting glanced at her phone and immediately stood up, just in time to see her brother getting into a taxi.

“Hey? Tingting, we’re still in the middle of a lesson.” The university student tutoring her adjusted her glasses, confused at Zhanting’s sudden departure.

Waving her hand, Zhanting said, “That’s enough for today. I have something to do.”

The student, a serious and diligent person, felt uneasy about leaving before the scheduled time. “But our time isn’t up yet.”

Tutoring the family once a week paid well, and she didn’t feel right leaving early. Rich families like this were so carefree, especially Zhanting, who seemed young but acted so mature.

Ignoring the student’s protests, Zhanting continued, “I need to go out. I’ll have the driver drop you back at school.”

The student had planned her time carefully—after tutoring Zhanting, she’d have a half-hour walk to the bus stop at the base of the hill and would catch the bus just in time. But if she left now, there was no telling when the next bus would come, and taking a taxi wasn’t cost-effective. She couldn’t refuse Zhanting’s offer.

“Well… okay.”

On the drive, the student kept trying to discuss making up for the missed lesson, but Zhanting, feeling annoyed, was relieved when they finally arrived at the school gate.

“No need,” Zhanting said firmly, signaling the driver to open the door. She then turned to the student, “We’re here. You can head back. I have other things to do.”

The student had no choice but to accept, meekly saying “thank you” before getting out. The private car sped off as soon as she closed the door, leaving her feeling unsettled.

“Did she think my teaching wasn’t good enough?”

When her second brother asked for something, Zhanting never postponed it to the next day. She went straight to the flower market, carefully selected a bunch of hydroponic plants, and had them delivered to the rental house.

At the apartment complex, Zhanting told the driver to wait at the entrance while she went upstairs with the workers from the flower market.

….

The elevator card to Huo Zhanyan’s apartment had been sitting in Wu Bie’s pocket for half a day. Every time he reached into his pocket, he felt a burning sensation. Why had Huo Zhanyan forced it on him? Why had he even taken it?

“No.”

Wu Bie suddenly stood up. He couldn’t let Huo Zhanyan control him. He couldn’t just do whatever Huo Zhanyan said. That apartment had nothing to do with him, and he was going to return the elevator card right away.

Without delay, he stealthily entered the elevator and pressed the button for the ninth floor. For some reason, he felt like a thief. Even though he knew the other apartment on that floor was unoccupied, he still felt nervous about anyone finding out he was entering Huo Zhanyan’s place.

The fingerprint lock, which he had used countless times, now felt unfamiliar. When it beeped to signal the door unlocking, his heart raced. He gripped the door handle, reassuring himself that he was just returning something—he’d drop off the elevator card and leave immediately.

After giving himself a mental pep talk, Wu Bie slowly opened Huo Zhanyan’s apartment door. He had been there once before, but it had been too chaotic at the time for him to notice the décor.

The apartment on the ninth floor had been bought a while ago, but the owner had been living elsewhere, so it was mostly unused. Most of the furniture looked brand new, probably purchased by Huo Zhanyan when he moved in.

That guy must have some extra cash. Renting a place and buying new furniture without even a second thought. Most university students couldn’t afford rent like this. Even sailors who had been working for years on the ship didn’t earn as much as the monthly rent for this place. But Huo Zhanyan rented it without a care and left it empty most of the time, without worrying about the money at all.

He remembered how he felt sorry for him being alone in the hospital, worrying that he might not have enough money, but maybe the money in his pocket was even more than his own. He couldn’t help but think that the little change he had might be amusing to Huo Zhanyan behind his back.

The more Wu Bie thought about it, the angrier he became. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the lamp stand next to the sofa, and he recognized it as the gift he had brought back for Zhanyan from Cherbourg.

He remembered that day when he had gone to the hospital, clanging with all the stuff he was carrying, just to see Zhanyan. After realizing he had been tricked, he was furious and couldn’t recall where he had thrown all those things. It turned out that Huo Zhanyan really had kept them safe.

Seeing these gifts again, Wu Bie’s mind flashed back to the moments on the boat when he was video chatting with Zhanyan. Those images even overlapped with Huo Zhanyan’s face. Whether he admitted it or not, Zhanyan was indeed Huo Zhanyan himself.

Suddenly, the sound of an elevator came from behind, and while Wu Bie was lost in his thoughts, he turned to see a familiar little girl stepping off the elevator with a large group of men.

The group exchanged glances, and the leading man asked the girl, “Is this the place?”

The girl nodded and stepped aside for the workers, her gaze lingering on Wu Bie.

Those eyes…

Wu Bie racked his brain and finally remembered where he had seen her before. She looked a lot like Huo Zhanyan, and that day at the hospital, this girl had also been there. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was Huo Zhanyan’s sister.

Of course, Huo Zhanting remembered the man who had beaten her second brother in front of her. Her eyes were filled with wariness and vigilance, but she suddenly realized that the man could only be here because her brother had given him the elevator card and fingerprint lock. All her displeasure gradually turned into confusion.

“You are Wu Bie, right?” Huo Zhanting took the initiative to speak.

Wu Bie raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised, and felt powerless at the same time. How did this girl with yellow hair know about his issues with Huo Zhanyan?

“You are Huo Zhanyan’s sister.”

“Huo Zhanting.”

Huo Zhanting looked both like and not like Huo Zhanyan. They had similar eyes, but in other ways, they didn’t resemble each other much. Their personalities were even more different. Despite her young age, she was already cold and distant. The girl probably looked a bit more like her father, but she was still a beauty in the making.

Wu Bie didn’t correct her on how to address him and pulled the elevator card from his pocket. “Huo Zhanting? Perfect. Remember to return this elevator card to your brother for me.”

Huo Zhanting stood still, clearly having no intention of taking the card.

Wu Bie looked confused. “Take it.”

“No.” Huo Zhanting shook her head. “My brother gave it to you, so I can’t take it back for him. If you want to return it, do it yourself.”

Although she didn’t have a good impression of Wu Bie, her brother rented this place for him, and no matter how much she disliked him, she couldn’t mess up her brother’s affairs.

Once the plants were set down, Huo Zhanting led the group downstairs. Wu Bie held the elevator card and followed her. In the cramped elevator, the several big men squeezed together, almost exceeding the weight limit.

With so many people around, Wu Bie felt embarrassed to discuss his issues with Huo Zhanyan. He lowered his voice and spoke to Huo Zhanting, “He insisted on giving this to me, and now he’s gone back to school. Where am I supposed to return it? Aren’t you his sister? You can return it to him.”

“No.” Huo Zhanting decisively refused. “My brother specifically rented this apartment for you, and the elevator card is for you. Just keep it.”

The way she said it made it sound as if Huo Zhanyan was keeping him like a mistress, specifically renting an apartment for him. The workers nearby began to look at Wu Bie strangely.

“What do you mean he did it for me?” Wu Bie stumbled over his words. This girl should just stop talking. “Tell him to return the apartment.”

“He doesn’t listen to me. If he rented it for you, you should talk to him yourself.”

The elevator chimed and stopped on the first floor. Huo Zhanting led the group of men out of the building, and some people turned to look at Wu Bie with strange glances.

Once they completely disappeared from sight, Wu Bie finally came to his senses, muttering, “This brother and sister pair, each one is more infuriating than the other.”