Surrounded by Wolves
It looked very much like the packaging of a candy box.
Huo Lingyi narrowed his dark eyes, a dangerous shadow creeping into them. He took both boxes out and studied the words and patterns printed on them. They were unopened, unused.
But just how well do a brother and sister have to get along to keep something like this in the house?
In that instant, countless possibilities flashed through Huo Lingyi’s mind. A sullen, chilling glint gradually crept into the corners of his eyes.
No.
Huo Qingzhi hadn’t bought them. The width of this size was only 65 mm. It didn’t seem to match the measurements of any of the three brothers. The most likely explanation was that Jiang Wu had bought them herself.
After reaching that conclusion, Huo Lingyi checked the manufacturing date, and it was within the past two months. Taking into account the time needed for distribution, stocking, and time on the shelf, and the fact that the boxes had been kept in this cabinet without gathering any dust, she could only have bought them within the past month.
Huo Lingyi turned the items over in his hands. She had bought them herself. So, it really was her…
That conclusion left his thoughts even darker and heavier than if Huo Qingzhi had bought them.
His little sister had grown up. She was thinking about men now. The only question was, which man was she thinking about?
The first name that came to Huo Lingyi’s mind was Gu Jingsong.
But he knew Gu Jingsong’s schedule inside out. Although he was indeed in Beijing at the moment, he would be leaving soon.
If the two of them were together, Gu Jingsong wouldn’t have been willing to leave so soon.
Or perhaps they had been considering something before, only for Huo Qingzhi to show up and break them apart. That would explain why the boxes were still unopened.
But that was only one possibility.
If it wasn’t Gu Jingsong, then it had to be…
Huo Lingyi thought of the way Jiang Wu had looked yesterday. His expression grew darker, and a dangerous, wolf-cub-like glint crept into his clear, deep-set eyes.
Just then, he heard the front door opening.
Once the door swung open, a light, cheerful voice rang out. “I’m home!”
Huo Lingyi looked over. A few loose strands of hair fell across the corners of his eyes, hiding every trace of danger deep within them. He casually returned the items to their original place.
Jiang Wu came in through the entryway and was pleasantly surprised to see him. “You’re home!”
“Have you finished getting your room ready?”
“Let me see.” Jiang Wu set down her things and walked over to the newly arranged room.
The room had originally been Huo Qingzhi’s small meeting room and screening room. Now, though, it had been tidied up quite nicely.
The furniture was all in place, arranged just right, and the housekeeper had even put a vase of fresh flowers on the windowsill.
When Jiang Wu came back out, she asked, “Is there anything else you need? I can go shopping with you tonight.”
“Sure.” Huo Lingyi didn’t refuse. Instead, he smiled. The smile carried an indescribable sinister trait. “Let’s go out.”
After the evening rush hour, the deep-blue streets were steeped in a cool, hushed stillness.
As they walked, Jiang Wu casually asked him about his visit to the company that day. Huo Lingyi answered each question in turn.
Occasionally, the evening breeze swept through the poplar and willow tops with a rustle.
As Jiang Wu’s hair blew into disarray, she unconsciously pulled her coat tighter around herself.
Huo Lingyi noticed the little movement. “Cold?”
“A little.”
The temperature in Beijing was still rather unpredictable, fluctuating between warm and cold. Accustomed to Hong Kong’s climate, Jiang Wu tended to dress too lightly.
Huo Lingyi took off his own coat and offered it to her, and Jiang Wu reached out to take it, but Huo Lingyi evaded her hand. Instead, he slipped an arm around her shoulders and draped the coat directly over her.
For an instant, the air around them seemed to freeze.
Taking advantage of their position, Huo Lingyi lowered himself toward her. His breathing and the beating of his heart seemed to shut out the noise of traffic around them, leaving her with only one thing to think about: what lay between them.
Then he asked, “Ah Wu, is there anything you’re hiding from me?”
His voice was very close. As if it could pierce straight through her eardrum and into her body, sending a shiver through her.
Jiang Wu looked up and found him just as close, only inches away. The loose hair on Huo Lingyi’s forehead swayed right before her eyes, and his gaze was sharp, staring straight at her.
Jiang Wu felt a little uneasy. “What could I possibly be hiding from you?”
She walked a few steps ahead, but Huo Lingyi’s voice came from behind her again. “During the month Big Brother was here taking care of you…”
“How well has he been taking care of you?”
Clutching his coat, Jiang Wu answered evasively, “Pretty well. Why?”
Huo Lingyi let out a silent laugh. “No reason. Just curious.” He continued, “I suddenly remembered that I spent two years with you in the United States, too.”
Jiang Wu felt that something seemed off about Third Brother. “Why are you suddenly bringing that up?”
Huo Lingyi remained silent for a long time before speaking in an unhurried tone. “Because I was wondering whether you felt more comfortable with him taking care of you…”
“Or whether you felt more comfortable with me taking care of you.”
Jiang Wu found the question difficult to answer. “You’re both good to me.”
“Why compare the two of you?” She turned back and tugged at Huo Lingyi, urging him to go shopping with her. “You each have your own strengths.”
In Jiang Wu’s memory, Third Brother had always loved asking questions like this.
Am I better, or is he?
Do you miss me more, or do you miss him more?
They were the kind of questions people asked when they lacked a sense of security.
Jiang Wu understood his personality and also knew that he needed to feel that he mattered to her.
“When I was here, I often thought about the time we spent studying abroad together, too,” she told him. “Big Brother was stricter with me, while you let me do pretty much whatever I wanted.”
Huo Lingyi listened, then ruffled the top of her head. “Forget it. We’ll talk about it after you finish your work.”
A moment later, he was back to his usual self. “Come on. Let’s go shopping.”
Jiang Wu had no idea what he really wanted to say. Whenever she pressed him, Huo Lingyi seemed perfectly normal again.
Yet she could always sense something faintly dangerous beneath the surface, something hidden under the outward calm that was slowly closing in around her.
They went to a furniture store and picked out a few things for his room together.
It reminded them of several years ago, when they had lived in the United States and would occasionally go shopping at the supermarket together.
They stayed until nine, finally heading home when the furniture store was about to close.
Huo Qingzhi was standing by the kitchen island when they walked in. He glanced at them and remarked casually, “You’re back.”
Jiang Wu answered him.
Huo Qingzhi’s gaze paused briefly when he noticed the man’s coat Jiang Wu was wearing.
Just then, Jiang Wu took it off and handed it back to Huo Lingyi. After letting both brothers know she was going to rest, she headed to her room first.
Huo Lingyi casually took the coat and went to the island to pour a glass of water for himself.
The kitchen island had been spacious enough, but with two grown men standing there, it suddenly felt rather cramped.
Huo Qingzhi was about to leave when Huo Lingyi suddenly caught him by the arm. “What exactly is your relationship with her now?”
Huo Qingzhi replied offhandedly, “The same as it was before I came here.”
“Be more specific.”
Huo Qingzhi had no intention of answering him. “What are you trying to ask?”
“I want to know, given your relationship now, if Ah Wu spent the entire evening wearing my clothes, would you get angry with her?”
Huo Lingyi moved a little closer, probing him. “After all, she’s covered in my scent now.”
Huo Qingzhi’s fingers tightened around his glass. The tendons in his wrist tensed, and the veins beneath his skin stood out clearly. But he only threw out one word. “Childish.”
Then he walked away from the kitchen island.
Huo Lingyi remained where he was, taking a sip of water. His gaze was restrained, almost vacant.
So, what if it’s childish?
Huo Lingyi felt he had already been rational enough in holding himself back for Ah Wu’s sake, so he wouldn’t interfere with her work.
Otherwise, he would have loved to drop all pretense and confront Huo Qingzhi head-on.
He had been at the airport, ready to leave, when Huo Qingzhi called him back. He had no choice but to postpone his departure by a month. He should have been the one to arrive first.
This stretch of time, the time that should have been his and Jiang Wu. During that time, they could…
But he knew perfectly well that he couldn’t.
If he had the same standing and resources as Big Brother, he could do whatever he wanted, just as Huo Qingzhi did.
Huo Qingzhi returned to his room, appearing as though nothing had happened, yet his younger brother’s somewhat childish possessiveness had stirred up a restless irritation in him.
It was difficult not to think about the woman who had only just become his wife, inside and out, now wrapped in another man’s scent. Just as the thought crossed his mind, his entire mood darkened.
Jiang Wu had no idea that a battle was raging outside her room. Tired, she washed up and went to bed.
She hadn’t slept well the night before, and after spending the entire day out and about, she could finally look forward to a good night’s rest.
Whatever the two men were like behind her back, everything remained peaceful and calm in her presence.
Huo Qingzhi and Huo Lingyi still exchanged barbs from time to time, but as long as Jiang Wu was there, things never got too ugly.
The subsequent stages of Jiang Wu’s project proceeded smoothly. They even finished a little earlier than they had originally anticipated.
Her team submitted the complete restoration results along with the deciphered texts.
The results were submitted and reported up, awaiting the museum’s professional evaluation and review.
The project funding would be approved based on the outcome.
The museum would then incorporate their findings into the chain of evidence and help advance the investigation into the artifacts’ origins.
On the day of the presentation, Jiang Wu spotted a senior female schoolmate among the reviewers.
As a member of a related project, her senior had been closely involved in this kind of work for some time and therefore had a better understanding of what the project’s results were needed for.
The entire acceptance review went very smoothly.
Afterward, Jiang Wu stayed to chat with them for a while.
Her senior couldn’t help remarking, “We were actually worried that something might go wrong midway through the project.”
She phrased it tactfully. Although she didn’t specify what kind of mishap she meant, everyone present who had witnessed Jiang Wu’s information being wiped knew exactly what she was referring to.
“But I heard Professor Li say that an outside technical organization had volunteered to assist with this project to prevent any information leaks. They really were reliable. Not a single word got out.”
Yao Peixue was curious. “Which organization did they find? Their information security work is impressive.”
Her senior shook her head. “I haven’t asked about that yet. But they were involved in the work of the entire museum, not just your project.”
“Last month, the museum won its case at the International Court of Justice and brought back a jade ruyi. We might hold an internal celebration banquet sometime soon. I believe all the representatives who assisted us have been invited.”
Her senior took out her phone. “I think I have the guest list.”
After looking through it for a while, she handed the phone to them. “Though I don’t recognize any of these people.”
“Let me see. We might need to work with them again in the future.” Yao Peixue took the phone.
Bu Yu’s eyes lit up first. “Wen Ciying?”
Jiang Wu, who had been organizing documents, stopped what she was doing and looked up. “Who?”
Bu Yu read the name from the list. “Wen Ciying, CEO of Yuanqi Group. Isn’t that…” She stopped halfway through her sentence.
That major news story from last year had made those names all too familiar to Bu Yu, especially since she lived in Hong Kong, but she didn’t know the details of Wen Ciying’s relationship with Jiang Wu. Afraid of saying the wrong thing, she decided not to continue.
Yao Peixue handed the phone to Jiang Wu. “You know her?”
“Though that name sounds really familiar to me, too. I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before.”
Jiang Wu immediately took the phone and examined the list. Sure enough, Wen Ciying’s name appeared on the very first line under the organization providing voluntary assistance.
Then Jiang Wu noticed the name on the line below.
Zhengda Hengyu, Chief Operating Officer: Huo Lingyi.
Her heart gave a little jolt.
These two companies provided the primary pro bono support. Everyone else listed was a practicing professional brought in by one of the two companies.
Their involvement extended far beyond Jiang Wu’s project, covering numerous other tasks as well. Even so, the period during which they had provided assistance coincided exactly with Jiang Wu’s time in Beijing, from her arrival until her departure.
Her senior called Jiang Wu’s name twice before she finally came back to herself and returned the phone. Her senior asked, “Do you know them?”
Jiang Wu answered openly, “I do.”
They were her brother and sister.
“Then that’s perfect!” Her senior smiled. “When the banquet comes around, you’ll have to introduce us properly. That way, we can keep in touch and explore further opportunities for collaboration.”
“Of course.”
Jiang Wu found it difficult to describe what she was feeling.
Huo Lingyi had mentioned a long time ago that he was coming to help establish a subsidiary here. Neither of them had told her that they had also helped protect her information during this project.
If she hadn’t discovered it today, they probably would never have mentioned it at all. Only now did Jiang Wu begin to feel the belated ache of guilt, the fondness, and the tenderness that came with realizing how much they had done for her.
She often experienced this feeling.
It was just like when she discovered that Huo Qingzhi had been quietly keeping up her family ties in Beijing, and wondered then, too, why he treated her so well.
Jiang Wu always felt that she ought to be a little better to them.
A little better, but this kind of reciprocation always had limits.
She found herself wishing that her brothers and sister would reveal a little more, then she could give them something in return.
When she had a free moment, she sent Wen Ciying a message. [Are you free? I want to take you out for a meal.]
It took Wen Ciying quite a while to reply. [What’s wrong? Missing me again?]
[Missing you like crazy.]
Wen Ciying narrowed her eyes. [Do you talk to your brothers like that, too?]
[Nope]
Jiang Wu pressed her. [Are you free or not? Are you? Are you?]
Wen Ciying: [No.]
[Big Sis…]
Wen Ciying: [We’ll see each other at the dinner next week.]
Wen Ciying replied casually. [But if I find out then that you only said you missed me without meaning it…]
[Then pray for yourself, sweetie.]
Wen Ciying knew why Jiang Wu had come looking for her. She didn’t need Jiang Wu to do anything for her.
She simply couldn’t understand why this girl always felt that whenever someone treated her well, she had to repay them twice over. Why couldn’t she consider that perhaps she deserved those things in the first place?
Wen Ciying was currently trying her hand at managing her maternal grandmother’s family business, and that position had originally been meant for Jiang Wu.
Wen Ciying had asked her before whether she wanted to return. Her uncle was willing to pass the business on to her, but Jiang Wu’s heart wasn’t in it.
She had declined half-jokingly, “Whoever is best suited for the job should do it. What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine between us. Just remember to give me a few more shares, Big Sis.”
If Wen Ciying was sitting in someone else’s place and handling things on her behalf, wasn’t that only natural?
It was just like how Jiang Wu had always tried to find ways to keep Wen Ciying from being bullied in Hong Kong.
Although Wen Ciying couldn’t control what happened to Jiang Wu in Hong Kong, as long as Jiang Wu was in Beijing, she could make sure no one mistreated her.
Still, when it came to protecting Jiang Wu’s information, Huo Lingyi had been the one to bring up the idea with her in the first place.
If Jiang Wu wanted to thank the person who had started it all, Huo Lingyi had done far more than she had.
Since she couldn’t see Wen Ciying in person, Jiang Wu turned to the other side.
Huo Lingyi was free, but his reply consisted of just one short message. [Wait for me at home], which confused Jiang Wu.
She stopped by the Baijia Courtyard to pick up some food, only to find that Third Brother had already made dinner.
The moment she walked in, she sensed that Huo Lingyi was quieter than she had ever seen him.
She circled the dining table once. “You prepared all this?”
“Surprised?”
“Not really.” Jiang Wu knew he could cook. After all, during those two years they had studied in the United States, they had taken turns making meals for each other, but it was rare for him to prepare such a formal dinner.
Huo Lingyi explained, “Big Brother isn’t home today, so it’s my turn to take care of you.”
Jiang Wu glanced around. “Is Big Brother busy today?”
Huo Lingyi brought out some fruit for dessert. “Something came up at the office. He’ll probably be back very late.”
In reality, Huo Lingyi had deliberately caused his eldest brother a little trouble, forcing Huo Qingzhi to stay behind and deal with matters at the group. Tonight, he didn’t want anyone to interrupt them.
“I see.” Jiang Wu stepped forward and rolled up her sleeves. “Let me help.”
“Go sit down.”
“No way.” Jiang Wu took the apple from his hand. “How can I just sit there and watch you do everything?”
“Besides, you’ve helped me so much, too.”
Huo Lingyi didn’t leave. He remained standing beside the sink. “What have I helped you with?”
He seemed unable to recall having done anything in particular. To him, it had always been his responsibility. Besides, his mind was elsewhere entirely at the moment.
“My project…” Jiang Wu began, then turned on the tap but twisted it in the wrong direction, and a stream of icy water immediately chilled her fingers. She forgot what she had been about to say and yelped. “Ah! That’s cold!”
The person beside her reacted almost immediately. Huo Lingyi tried to take the apple from her, but Jiang Wu wouldn’t let him.
So, Huo Lingyi simply took advantage of their position and reached around her from behind, enclosing the hand she was using to wash the apple in his own.
His body build was much like Huo Qingzhi’s. In an instant, Jiang Wu found herself enveloped by him from behind and went rigid for a second.
When she realized what Third Brother was doing, her body grew even more rigid.
Huo Lingyi pressed his hands over hers, guiding her as they slowly washed the apple together. “If you don’t want me washing it by myself, then we’ll do it together.”
“Th-then maybe I should…” Jiang Wu started to pull her hand away, but Huo Lingyi gently pressed it back into place.
He asked, “Is the water still cold?”
His voice was right beside her ear.
The strange feeling in Jiang Wu’s chest grew more and more intense. “Brother…”
“Let go first.”
“We shouldn’t…”
“We shouldn’t what?” Huo Lingyi finished washing the apple and placed it in the fruit basket. His forearm, the veins standing out beneath the skin, braced against the counter beside her. “Actually, I’m curious about just how far you and Big Brother have gone?”
“Do the two of you do this when you’re alone at home?”