First, then, love.

One hour later.

An SUV was packed full, with the trunk filled with cat food, dog food, nutritional supplements, and cat litter.

The car was parked downstairs at Qiaoqiao's apartment building.

He Zheng pushed open the car door, picked up two huge woven bags with one hand, and held the leash of the God of War with the other.

Shu Yao followed behind carrying four cat-shaped bags, while the princess walked haughtily at her feet, not needing to carry any bags.

Qiaoqiao, wearing oversized floral pajamas and sporting a messy head of hair, opened the door with a look of utter despair.

Upon seeing the massive animal army outside the door, Qiaoqiao's face turned green.

"Shu Yao! Are you turning my house into an animal shelter?!" Qiao Qiao screamed, grabbing her hair in frustration. "If the Crown Prince saw these bastards, he'd definitely buy a standing-room-only ticket and run away tonight!"

The voice just fell.

The "crown prince" of the Qiao family strolled out of the bedroom with an air of indifference.

Upon seeing the God of War standing at the door, a figure as large as a black bear, he froze in his tracks.

The God of War stared at it expressionlessly, letting out a low, warning growl: "Woo—"

The prince's fur stood on end instantly, making him look like a hedgehog.

It let out a pitiful "meow," took off from the spot, and leaped onto the top of the two-meter-high wardrobe, where it clung to it, trembling.

Qiaoqiao covered her face in despair.

"What a tragedy..."

He Zheng strode in and slammed the two large bags of rations onto the floor.

It made a muffled "bang".

He turned his head and looked at Qiao Qiao, his face expressionless.

"All meals are covered, and you'll have to pay for any damaged furniture. The War God won't bark randomly; it'll be responsible for guarding the door."

Qiaoqiao swallowed hard, her legs went weak, and she dared not utter a single word of dissent.

"Captain He, you're too kind. It's only right that I, as the grandmother, pay for the sins committed by the Crown Prince. You can go with peace of mind, leave the family to me." Qiao Qiao immediately put on a fawning smile and even made a "please" gesture.

He Zheng nodded, turned around and took Shu Yao's hand.

"Walk."

It was concise and to the point, without any unnecessary words.

*

The outskirts of the city.

Hidden Spring High-End Private Hot Spring Resort.

Nestled amidst mountains and water, surrounded by bamboo forests, this place boasts tight security and is usually reserved for high-level members with black cards.

The SUV came to a steady stop in front of the grand, antique-style lobby of the resort.

Two uniformed doormen quickly came forward and respectfully opened the car door.

Shu Yao got out of the car wearing oversized black sunglasses and high heels.

A gentle breeze blew by, causing her skirt to sway, making her look stunningly beautiful.

He Zheng got out of the driver's seat.

He was wearing only a simple pair of black casual trousers and a stiff black short-sleeved shirt.

Broad shoulders and a narrow waist; the muscular lines make the shirt look full.

The two stood side by side, their striking contrast drawing the attention of everyone in the lobby.

The lobby manager personally came out to greet them.

"Mr. He, Ms. Shu, your private hot spring villa is ready. This way, please."

The manager walked ahead to lead the way, but secretly sized up He Zheng.

Walk along a quiet stone path, with lush green bamboo on both sides.

The manager pushed open a heavy wooden gate.

A separate Japanese-style garden with blue bricks and gray tiles.

In the very center of the courtyard is an open-air hot spring pool built of natural bluestone. The water is crystal clear, with white mist swirling around the surface and steam rising from it.

A stone table sits by the pool, on which sits a bottle of chilled Canadian ice wine and several plates of delicate refreshments.

Surrounded by a tall bamboo fence, it offers the ultimate in privacy.

"Please feel free to ring the bell if you need anything. We won't disturb you any longer." The manager bowed respectfully, withdrew, and closed the courtyard gate tightly.

The courtyard fell completely silent.

Only the hot spring water flowed from the bamboo tube in the corner of the wall, making a crisp "splashing" sound.

Shu Yao took off her sunglasses and casually placed them on the stone table.

She turned around, her hands naturally encircling He Zheng's neck, her peach blossom eyes shimmering with a captivating smile.

"Officer He, two days off. What are your plans?" Her eyes sparkled, and her voice was soft and sweet.

He Zheng lowered his head, his deep black eyes fixed on her rosy lips.

He wrapped his large hand around her slender waist and pulled her sharply into his arms, their bodies pressed tightly together.

What do you think?

His voice was low and hoarse as he brushed his fingertips against her chin.

"Go change your clothes first, I'll wait for you in the water."

He Zheng released her and turned to walk into the villa's dressing room.

Ten minutes later.

He Zheng, wearing a pair of black swim trunks, pushed open the glass door and walked out.

His abdominal muscles were clearly defined, and his V-line disappeared into his swim trunks.

He took a long stride and stepped directly into the hot spring pool.

The spring water instantly enveloped my entire body, and the fatigue from working non-stop in the provincial department's supervision team for days was briefly relieved at this moment.

He leaned against the edge of the bluestone, picked up the iced wine from the stone table, and poured half a glass.

He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

"Splash!"

The locker room door opened.

He Zheng turned his head, his dark eyes freezing instantly.

Shu Yao was wearing a black bikini with very little fabric.

Her fair skin, set against the black backdrop, was dazzling; her slender waist, which could be encircled with one hand, and her straight, long legs were displayed openly in the air without any concealment.

She walked barefoot, step by step, on the bluestone slabs.

"Where's the swimsuit I brought for you?" He Zheng's voice was deep and hoarse, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

"It's so ugly, I left it at home."

Shu Yao answered confidently and walked to the edge of the pool.

I stretched out my toes to test the water temperature, then stepped onto the steps and slowly walked into the water.

The water rippled and the steam rose.

She walked over to He Zheng, straddled his strong thighs, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"There are no outsiders here, who are you afraid of seeing?" She whispered in his ear, her breath sweet as orchids.

He Zheng gasped.

The hands underwater gripped her waist tightly, so hard they almost left red marks on her fair skin.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself."

He gritted his teeth and spat out a sentence.

Shu Yao chuckled softly, picked up the wine bottle, poured herself a glass of ice wine, took a sip, and the sweet aroma of the wine lingered on her lips and teeth.

She leaned against He Zheng's broad chest, listening to his strong and powerful heartbeat.

"He Zheng".

"Um."

"When you first met me on that blind date, were you really annoyed with me?" Shu Yao suddenly asked, tracing circles on the outline of his pectoral muscles with her finger.

He Zheng looked down at her.

"Annoying, spoiled, dramatic, unreasonable. Her makeup makes her look like a ghost."

He answered without hesitation, showing no desire to survive whatsoever.

"I have to be picky about the cup when I drink water, and I'm afraid of getting my shoes dirty when I walk. It's a real headache."

Shu Yao pouted and pinched his chest.

"Then why are you still going to marry her?"

He Zheng grunted, grabbed her mischievous hand, and pressed it against his chest.

"At the time, I thought it didn't matter who I married, I might as well marry a pretty face to keep at home so the old man wouldn't nag me every day."

He paused for a moment, his dark eyes becoming deep through the mist.

"Later we found out that the vase was fake, and the prickly little wildcat was the real one."

Shu Yao looked up at his angular jawline and raised an eyebrow.

"I used to find you annoying too. Rude, barbaric, like an unevolved primitive man, your words could choke you to death."

She spoke softly.

"I thought we'd live our own lives, keeping to ourselves. But..."

Shu Yao's gaze fell on He Zheng's scars.

She stretched out her fingers and gently stroked the uneven skin.

"But the one who helps me fight bad guys is a primitive man, the one who takes care of my life and emotions is also a primitive man, the one who shelters me from the wind and rain is a primitive man, and the one who seeks justice for his comrades is also a primitive man."

Shu Yao's voice became somewhat choked, and her eyes reddened slightly.

"He Zheng, I never thought I would so willingly give myself to a man."

From a blind date where the couple disliked each other, to a soul-stirring connection where they would entrust their lives to each other.

They shattered each other's prejudices and squeezed into each other's completely different worlds.

He Zheng listened to what she said.

The hard heart inside my chest felt completely softened, as if it had been soaked in water.

He lowered his head and sealed her lips with his burning hot lips.

"My life has long been yours."

He took a breath and swore in a hoarse voice.

The water rippled violently.

The water in the hot spring pool splashed against the edge of the bluestone, making a sound that made one blush and their heart race.

The fog grew thicker, obscuring the intertwined figures in the pool.

……