CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 136: GO EASY ON THE GARLIC, KISSING GETS AWKWARD

The next morning.

Sophia Lowell’s soft tongue was being sucked.

Her mind was in a haze, moaning, half-awake and half-asleep, suffocated by a kiss.

"You..." She opened her sleepy eyes.

The man’s face was buried in her neck.

Sophia exhaled long, "Why... up so early..."

"Continuing what was unfinished last night..." he murmured.

Last night, after the press conference, he came home, showered, and lay in bed waiting for her. He waited and waited until he fell asleep.

While Sophia had been busy all night in the study, hugging her laptop.

When she returned to the room, she discovered this man lying on the bed, not a stitch on him, obviously waiting for her.

Later, she didn’t want to disturb him, so she burrowed into his arms, holding him as she fell asleep.

At this moment, she didn’t expect the man in front of her to be so clingy.

Sophia was no longer sleepy.

The alarm rang, and he stretched out his long arm, picked up the phone from the bedside table, and swiped it off.

"...You should go to work..." Sophia bit her lip.

"Hmm?" He chuckled, the pressure not light but heavy, "Do you know what you’re saying?"

He leaned over, hugging the woman tightly.

Sophia knew he wouldn’t let her go easily.

She was just a bit tired from staying up last night, and later she had to go to the little courtyard as well. They had agreed to meet at eight to discuss the opening details for tomorrow.

Zane Sterling kissed her lips hard, coming on strong.

She was afraid the servants making breakfast downstairs might hear them.

Last night, it seemed they forgot to close the door, left half-open, and could vaguely hear the busy sounds from the kitchen downstairs.

"Can you focus a bit?"

He spoke with a hoarse voice, opened his eyes, looking at the woman in front.

Sophia blushed, covering his eyes.

He chuckled, making continuous sounds next to her ear.

His voice was the perfect stimulant, the ongoing temptation.

Sophia was both embarrassed and annoyed. She was rejecting, thinking the alarm might make him finish quickly, but he ended up toying with her for over half an hour.

Feeling even more tired, Sophia sent a message to Hugh Irving, then drowsily lay back down to sleep for another half hour.

Later, Hugh called, and it was Zane who answered.

When she left, Zane had already gone to the company.

Sophia arrived at the studio at nine-thirty, coincidentally running into Hugh.

"You didn’t just wake up, did you?" Hugh looked her up and down, this woman who never arrived late.

Hugh snorted, hooked her arm around Sophia’s shoulder, and the two walked into the courtyard together.

"Your man said you couldn’t get up, why did I come so early then?"

Sophia gave her a sidelong glance, "There’s something off about you."

Hugh yawned, "What, only the officials can set fires, and the commoners can’t light lamps?"

That’s when she noticed the kiss marks on the back of Hugh’s neck, she smirked, "Which gentleman was it?"

Hugh blushed, pushing her away, "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

She had clearly checked this morning, her neck seemed fine, but she didn’t notice this hidden spot on the back of her neck still marked by him.

Sophia smiled, saying nothing.

They were all adults, exposing it wouldn’t be fun.

Hugh breathed a sigh of relief, at least Sophia hadn’t asked anything more.

Don’t let Ethan’s usual gentle demeanor fool you, after drinking a bit, he’s quite bold.

A twenty-three-year-old youngster, full of vigor, Hugh couldn’t handle it at all, she didn’t even know how many times they went at it last night, her thighs were sore and limp.

She couldn’t even remember when she got entangled with Ethan, it just naturally happened that they ended up in the same bed.

Just as they entered the courtyard, Eve Reid came in saying someone was visiting, a person named Faye Ellison.

Sophia walked to the teahouse door, pursed her lips, nodded, signaling him to come in.

The teahouse was styled with low tables and meditation cushions, displaying a Zen-like style.

She took off her shoes and went in, sitting at the tea table to brew tea.

Hugh sat across from her, holding documents that she hadn’t had a chance to open before Faye knocked on the door frame and came in.

"Am I interrupting?" asked Faye.

"What kind of wind has blown Boss Ellison over to our little courtyard lately," Hugh teased, gesturing for him to join for tea.

Faye sighed, saying, "My mom made boneless chicken feet, she said you two loved it the most, insisted I bring it over."

With that, he placed a box of chicken feet on the tea table.

"Haven’t had the teacher’s chicken feet in a long time, I remember the garlic-flavored simmered lotus and mushrooms were the best!" Hugh opened the box.

Sophia placed the documents aside, fearing they’d get splashed, and then opened the box together.

Faye handed them disposable gloves.

"Try it, see if the taste has changed." Faye raised his chin slightly.

Sophia didn’t refuse, but as she ate, she seemed a bit dazed.

They used to meet often in school, but after entering the real world and starting his own career, they didn’t meet as often.

If it wasn’t for both becoming disciples of Professor Carter, they’d barely have seen each other.

And recently, Faye’s appearances were indeed a bit more frequent.

Especially after he saved her life in the hospital.

However, he didn’t show any obvious hints, it looked like just a bit more concern than a regular friend.

Who knows if Zane’s worries are really necessary.

They chatted for a few minutes, the topic remaining on the chicken feet, discussing nothing else.

After some small talk, Faye left, his attitude towards Sophia and Hugh seemed not much different.

This put Sophia at ease.

As soon as Faye left, Eve came in carrying a bag of desserts.

Hugh was momentarily dazed, "Who sent this now?"

"Mr. Sterling sent it." Eve handed it in with a cheerful smile.

Hugh gave a knowing "oh," "Since Ms. Lowell left Henry Quinn, this peach blossom just keeps blooming more and more beautifully!"

"He sent it?" Sophia looked up, a bit surprised.

"Yes, brought it himself. He said he was passing by and bought it along the way, left it and went." Eve’s smile was almost squinting her eyes into a line.

"He personally brought it?" Sophia was taken aback, her eyes confirming again and again.

"Yes, and he specifically reminded us to eat it while it’s warm, everyone got a piece! You know, this place always has a long queue."

Eve and the rest had already been gossiping about Zane and Sophia, and with Faye dropping by frequently too, the rumor mill was buzzing, all watching how Mr. Sterling would make his move.

Sophia let out a deep breath.

Oh no, could he have run into Faye?

Could it really be such a coincidence?

She pouted, snapping a picture of the chicken feet to report to him.

She didn’t expect a quick reply from him.

[Eat less of the garlic-flavored ones, they make your breath stink, kissing won’t be convenient, eat more desserts.]

Sophia was speechless.

This man, outwardly proper and suited up, but inwardly a rascal, so rebellious.

This time, the desserts besides the familiar ones, included a new item from the shop: Durian Delight.

The names were getting more and more flamboyant.

She suspected this shop owner was a woman.