78 DO YOU NEED HELP?

Zhong Feng looked at Hu Lei from the moment she entered the house. For some reason, he felt worried that she would not like it. When he saw the twinkling feline-like eyes, he felt gratified. Unfortunately, she looked downcast immediately afterwards. He could more or less guest her thoughts. But he did not care about these hidden fears because she would realise soon that they were all unfounded.

"Would you like to eat first?" He asked.

She had only nibbled on some peanuts even though he had had someone prepare food in the private plane after they separated from the soldiers and their prisoners. She had also refused vehemently to shower in the plane or even sleep. Even though she closed her eyes, it was obvious that she did not sleep even for a minute.

Hu Lei thought for a moment before she shook her head.

"Would you like to bathe?"

She nodded.

Zhong Feng led her up the stairs with a frown on his face. He wondered when she would begin talking. He knew that he should probably have sent her to the Zhong family hospital for recovery and perhaps psychological trauma treatment. After all, she had been in captivity for so long.

But he did not want to expose her to possible sources of stress at this point that would without a doubt crop up if he sent her to hospital. He had also looked into her medical history. Sending her to an unfamiliar hospital under the circumstances would be an unfortunate repeat of a terrible history.

In any case, his personal doctor on the plane had indicated that her physical condition was good, she just needed more nutrition.

For now, he would observe her and act as the situation demanded. He knew he was being unreasonable and even selfish for bringing her to this isolated place. Still, how could he not want to be close to her after yearning for so long? He had hungered for even a little smile from her. But all he could do was comfort himself by learning more about her, reading her books and plotting for her return.

After a little internal deliberation, he took her to the bedroom overlooking the garden. The outer walls of this room were made of reinforced glass. These walls were essentially sliding doors and could be opened to reveal the garden-viewing terrace.

Under normal circumstances, he would not feel comfortable with her stay in this room. The walls did not provide enough security or privacy. However, he could not bear to shut her into a room which would remind her of imprisonment. Even if this room was confining, it would provide an open outdoor view.

The soft glow of the lamps lighted up the room, giving it an ethereal glow. Hu Lei felt satisfied with the room even though it had glass walls like those cages. She felt reassured when she saw the trees in the distant swaying in the darkness.

Zhong Feng directly entered the bathroom and filled the bathtub. She stood awkwardly at the door looking at him. He also let the shower run before opening the cabinets to take out towels. Hu Lei wanted to smile at the domestic actions, but her face felt frozen. Once again, her throat seemed to clog up with tears.

However, her iced heart cracked a little bit as she felt that this scene was familiar. She felt reassured by this man's kind and selfless actions.

"Do you need help?" Zhong Feng asked, entirely serious.

The lifeless looking Hu Lei felt righteous indignation at those words. She was, after all, a girl, even though she had not showered in a very long time. She did not realise it, but more cracks formed in the casing surrounding her heart.

Zhong Feng felt amused when he saw the brilliant glow in those large eyes. Even though she did not speak, her eyes said a lot. His question had actually been completely pure. He was sincerely worried about her wellbeing.

"I will leave clothes on the bed for you." He said before leaving the room.

Again, Hu Lei felt as if she was taken back into another time. He had said this before. The strangeness in her mind seemed to shift a little more. She could feel her memories. Usually, every time she thought about him and their short time together, she would feel as if she had watched the entire thing as a ghost or in a movie. It was like the memories weren't hers. But now… she was remembering the feeling over again, and there seemed to be something more that she couldn't quite grasp.

She did not dare dwell on it.

After a long shower and soaking in the bath, she finally came out, regretful that she had to leave the heat of the water. It had been a long time since she had felt warmth of any kind. When she had been sequestered in the prison, the level had only been kept warm enough to prevent her death.

Thinking about that place, she felt a chill settle back in her bones.

She found that Zhong Feng had placed a yellowish fluffy onesie on the bed. When she put it on, she found that it had a cat design, complete with feline ears and removable paw-like mittens. She felt warmth seep from deep within and into her heart.

'What kind of hobbies has he picked up?' A question suddenly came to her mind.

Mmmh… The sense of déjà vu became stronger with that thought. Though she could not grasp it completely, she could feel the palpitations of her heart. She lifted a paw and placed it over her chest in a strange kind of wonder. How long had it been since she had felt this excitement if she even had in the past?

While she was revelling in the beating of her heart, Zhong Feng came back. He looked at her with satisfaction before taking her back downstairs for a meal.

The kitchen in this house was very spacious, but it looked practical for daily use. Zhong Feng pulled a chair out for Hu Lei at the kitchen island. He then placed a glass filled with a red liquid before her. She hesitated as the memories of being sedated flowed into her mind.

"Do not worry. It is not drugged. It is simply a combination of strawberries, orange juice and honey." Zhong Feng was not offended by her suspicion.

He took the glass and took a small sip to reassure her. Hu Lei felt embarrassed and frustrated with herself. She knew that she should not doubt him; he had rescued her when she had been on the verge of giving everything up. But she could not help feeling like fate would play a joke on her.

Zhong Feng placed a bowl of fragrant congee before her, disrupting her self-recrimination. He did not know how to smile in comfort, so he could only pet her clean but tangled hair lightly. For now, this was enough.