CHAPTER 399: CHAPTER 399; HONEYMOON PHASE 1 (D)

A gentle breeze carried the scent of salt and grilled fish.

"This doesn’t look like something you come to ’sometimes,’" Tang Fei murmured as she sat down.

Huo Ting Cheng’s lips curved faintly as he took the seat across from her. "I built this one myself. It was supposed to be a private dining spot for investors."

"And yet you brought me."

"You’re more difficult to impress than an investor," he said dryly, signaling the waiter.

She gave a quiet laugh, resting her chin on her hand as the waiter poured wine into two crystal glasses. "So that’s what this is? An attempt to impress me?"

He didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he raised his glass, his gaze steady on hers. "Would it work if it were?"

Tang Fei met his eyes for a moment before looking away, her tone soft but teasing. "Maybe. If you don’t try to scare me again."

His quiet laugh was low and warm. "No promises."

The food arrived in courses, grilled fish with herbs and lemon, fresh oysters on ice, steamed prawns still glistening with butter, and delicate side dishes that complemented the seafood perfectly.

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of the waves providing a soothing backdrop.

Tang Fei found herself relaxing despite her earlier wariness.

There was something about this place, the openness of the sea, the warmth of the lights, the quiet intimacy of the setting, that made it hard to stay guarded.

"You’re different tonight," she observed softly, setting down her fork.

"Different how?"

"Quieter. Less... interrogative." She observed him. "I expected questions. Demands for explanations."

Huo Ting Cheng was quiet for a moment, swirling the wine in his glass. "Would you have answered them?"

"No," she admitted honestly.

"Then what would be the point?" He looked up at her, his expression surprisingly gentle. "I didn’t bring you here to interrogate you, Tang Fei. I brought you here because..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Because I wanted time with my wife. Just us. No agendas, no suspicions, no walls."

Tang Fei’s heart clenched unexpectedly. "That’s... surprisingly reasonable of you."

"Don’t sound so shocked," he said with a faint smile. "I can be reasonable when I want to be."

"Can you?" she teased softly. "I hadn’t noticed."

His smile widened slightly. "Then maybe this trip will be full of surprises for both of us."

They continued their meal, the conversation flowing more easily now, with lighter topics, shared observations about the food, and comments about the view.

It felt almost normal, almost like they were just a regular couple enjoying a romantic dinner by the sea.

Almost.

Because beneath the surface, they both knew the truth.

They were two people with secrets, trying to navigate the dangerous waters between honesty and survival.

But for tonight, at least, they could pretend.

And perhaps, in that pretending, they might find something real.

The waiter brought dessert, a delicate panna cotta with fresh berries, and more wine.

The moon had risen higher now, casting a silver path across the water that seemed to lead directly to their table.

"It’s beautiful here," Tang Fei said softly, her gaze on the moonlit sea.

"Yes," Huo Ting Cheng agreed, but when she glanced at him, she found he was looking at her, not the view.

Her cheeks warmed slightly, and she looked away, taking a sip of wine to cover her sudden nervousness.

"Tang Fei."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for coming with me."

She looked at him, surprised by the genuine warmth in his voice. "You didn’t exactly give me a choice."

"You could have refused."

"Could I have?" she challenged gently.

"Yes," he said simply. "You always have a choice with me. Even if you don’t believe that yet."

Tang Fei studied him for a long moment, trying to read the truth in his eyes.

What she found there made her breath catch slightly, sincerity, vulnerability, and something else she couldn’t quite name.

"Then I’m glad I chose to come," she said quietly.

His expression softened. "So am I."

They finished their dessert in companionable silence, and when they finally stood to leave, Huo Ting Cheng offered her his hand again.

This time, when she took it, it felt less like an obligation and more like a choice.

And as they walked back along the moonlit beach toward the villa, Tang Fei found herself thinking that maybe, just maybe, this honeymoon might be more than just an elaborate trap or a calculated strategy.

Maybe it could be something else entirely.

Something real.

Something they both needed, even if neither of them was ready to admit it yet.

The waves whispered against the shore, and somewhere in the distance, the soft notes of music drifted on the breeze.

And for the first time in a very long time, Tang Fei felt something close to peace.

The villa’s glass doors slid shut behind them, sealing out the sound of the outside world until only the muffled rhythm of the sea remained.

Huo Ting Cheng walked ahead, his tall frame casting long shadows over the pale marble as late afternoon light streamed through the sheer curtains.

He loosened his cuffs, silent, composed, the kind of silence that didn’t need words to claim a space.

Tang Fei followed him in, her sandals slapping softly against the floor before she stopped to take one long breath.

The air smelled of ocean salt and cedar oil, clean, grounding, real.

After the intensity of the evening at the restaurant and the walk on the beach, it almost felt like another life. Like she was entirely on another planet.

She shrugged off her suit jacket and tossed it carelessly over the armrest of the nearest couch.

It landed half-folded, the gesture uncharacteristically casual for her. "You really brought me here," she murmured, her voice low, almost amused.

"I said I would."

Huo Ting Cheng’s reply came without looking up as he undid his cufflinks, tie, smooth and unhurried.

The black silk slipped loose between his fingers, a small rebellion against his usual restraint.