Looking at the delicate and graceful girl before him, Xiao Yufan felt his throat go dry.
“What’s wrong? I came all this way, and you’re not even a little happy to see me!”
Hu Yingluo’s beautiful eyes fixed intently on Xiao Yufan’s mature and determined face. Deep within her gaze, tenderness quietly surfaced, and the corners of her lips lifted into a charming curve.
“Yingluo…”
Xiao Yufan’s eyes burned as he gazed at her breathtaking profile. His voice was hoarse with emotion as he murmured her name, the deep longing in his eyes finally spilling over.
“I missed you!”
His expression shifting from fascination to ecstatic joy, Xiao Yufan slowly rose and stepped toward her, wrapping his arms around her slender waist. He buried his face in her silky long hair, inhaling deeply before whispering again, “You’re finally back!”
Startled by his sudden embrace but making no move to resist, Hu Yingluo’s blushing face flushed an even deeper shade of red.
Feeling the long-missed tenderness, Yingluo’s lips curled into a gentle smile. Though her heart usually remained calm in the face of anything, it now blossomed like a blooming parasol tree, igniting with joy that spread through her entirely.
After parting ways, hadn’t she also been consumed by longing…
As time passed, their feelings gradually became deeply rooted in their hearts. That vague and tender yearning drew their hearts ever closer. In Xiao Yufan’s heart, Yingluo’s position had become no less significant than any other woman’s.
“Can you let go for a moment? I can hardly breathe in your arms!”
Yingluo gently bit her lip, her eyes growing hazy as she was tightly held in Xiao Yufan’s embrace. She felt her breathing becoming increasingly labored.
“Oh… Sorry!”
Only then did Xiao Yufan snap back to reality. Seeing Yingluo’s flushed face, he offered a slightly apologetic smile. He had been too excited just now, momentarily losing his composure. Fortunately, this girl had reminded him in time.
“Who asked you to apologize? You really don’t know how to be gentle with a girl!”
Yingluo playfully glared at Xiao Yufan, her face brimming with happiness. Although she hadn’t expected him to have so many outstanding women around him, as long as he still held a place for her in his heart, that was enough.
“How could I not cherish someone as beautiful as our Yingluo? I was just too excited…”
He chuckled. For Xiao Yufan, Yingluo’s return was the best news possible. After all, they had been apart for two whole years. Although the longing caused by the separation had been somewhat eased by the women around him, the ache had remained strong.
“Flattering talk. Why didn’t I notice it back then?”
Hu Yingluo said with a smile, as if recalling the scene of their first meeting. At that time, how could she have imagined that this seemingly ordinary man would undergo such a tremendous transformation? Even the elders in her clan who had opposed their relationship had softened their stance somewhat.
“Flattering talk, you say? Then why don’t you test it yourself, Yingluo?”
Even a sage would struggle to maintain composure in the presence of such an extraordinary woman, let alone Xiao Yufan, who never claimed to be as virtuous as a sage. Gazing at Yingluo’s coquettish expression, his heart raced with desire.
“I don’t feel like talking to you!” She idly played with her loosely flowing hair, appearing unusually serene. If the Hu family in Britain knew their little princess had such an obedient side, they would surely be shocked.
“Why did you suddenly come back? I thought I would have to go to the Hu family in Britain to get you back!”
Thinking about what An, the butler, had said during the financial summit, Xiao Yufan’s lips curved into a mysterious smile. Although he wasn’t exactly sure how powerful the Hu family was, with his current strength, he had little fear.
“Does that mean you didn’t want me back…”
Her beautiful eyes fluttered, long lashes dancing. Yingluo’s sly, fox-like smile always brought warmth to his heart.
“Of course I wanted you back! Besides, I know you must have a reason for returning. But this time, I won’t let you leave again!”
Although Xiao Yufan’s face bore a smile, his tone had turned slightly colder by the end. Earlier, Yi Han had told him that Yingluo was only back temporarily. If that were true, he would have to endure separation once more.
No matter what, this time he would never allow the Hu family in Britain to take this girl away from him again. If they dared to forcefully intervene, Xiao Yufan wouldn’t mind showing them no mercy. Aside from the butler An and Yingluo, he had no particular fondness for anyone else in the Hu family.
She had originally wanted to say something else, but seeing Xiao Yufan’s expression, Hu Yingluo simply obediently nodded. After all, she hadn’t returned alone this time…
“You still haven’t told me why you came back. Was it just because you missed me?”
Satisfied with Yingluo’s response, Xiao Yufan secretly resolved himself: no matter what kind of powerful figures the British Hu family might be, this was now his territory. If they were dragons, they would have to coil; if tigers, they would have to lie low.
“We received an invitation from the Hidden Gu family, so we came back…”
Her melodious voice stirred emotions, but when Xiao Yufan heard the mention of the Hidden Gu family, an involuntary chill crossed his face. What was the Hidden Gu family planning? The Hu family had left China a century ago, so why would they receive an invitation?
“Shouldn’t the Hu family have little influence left in China? Why would the Hidden Gu family send an invitation to the Hu family?”
“It seems you already know about the Hidden Gu family. Actually, it’s not hard to understand. Although the Hu family left China a century ago, they’ve always maintained intricate connections with the homeland. Since the Hidden Gu family is organizing a martial arts gathering, they naturally want to cover all bases.”
Hu Yingluo wasn’t particularly surprised. Although she had never returned before, she had always kept a close watch on this man’s affairs. When Xiao Yufan had been seriously injured by the Hidden Gu family back then, she had even wanted to return to China to confront them, but was stopped by the elders in her family.
“Hehe, so that’s how it is. It seems the Hidden Gu family really is making big moves!”
Xiao Yufan now felt even more certain that the Hidden Gu family must have some powerful backing. Otherwise, how could they have achieved this level of influence with their strength alone?
Since the Hidden Gu family clearly had no good intentions, he wouldn’t mind humiliating them during the martial arts gathering. He would also settle accounts with that old dog and Gu Junyu—taking their lives as well.
Looking up and meeting his gaze, which shimmered with cold light, Hu Yingluo’s lips curled into a slight smile. This man was even more extraordinary than she had imagined…
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage