He tilted his head, pretending to consider it. "Not far enough," he said, his gaze dropping briefly to her bare feet near the surf.
Tang Fei laughed again, backing up a small step, slightly unnerved at having those words gotten into her head. "You’re terrible. You just want to scare ."
He looked at her, amusent flickering in his eyes. "If I wanted to scare you, I’d tell you the part about the sea pulling people under when it finds soone it likes."
Her eyes widened a little, but her smile didn’t fade. "And what if it likes you instead? After all, you’re more handso and richer than ."
"Then it’ll have to wait," he replied quietly, having taken a few steps back toward higher ground, his tone softening. "You’re the one standing at the edge."
For a mont, their gazes t, the sound of the waves filling the space between them.
Tang Fei turned back to the sea, her smile still lingering. "You sound like you actually believe those stories. You haven’t lived on the coast, so all of that must be children’s tales."
Huo Ting Cheng’s voice ca from behind her, calm and steady. "Who told you I haven’t? Sotis stories are truer than they seem."
Tang Fei went silent.
It was true, she didn’t know much about him.
The original Tang Fei had been equally clueless.
Perhaps he had lived by the sea before.
The waves reached for her feet again, then pulled away.
She didn’t move this ti, just watched the foam dissolve into the sand. "Then maybe tonight," she said softly, "I’ll believe it too."
Huo Ting Cheng watched her quietly, his expression unreadable in the dim light.
Then a faint glimr of mischief crossed his eyes.
"They also say," he murmured, stepping closer until his shadow mingled with hers, "that the sirens don’t always sing. Sotis they wait... right beneath the water. Very silent. Watching... Watching very keenly..."
Tang Fei froze slightly, her gaze flicking toward the rolling waves. "Stop it," she said, half-laughing, half-nervous.
He continued anyway, his tone calm and almost too serious. "And when soone stands too long by the shore, they reach up...."
Before he could finish, a sudden wave rushed in, stronger than before, washing over her ankles with a cold splash.
Tang Fei gasped and stumbled back with a startled squeal, straight into Huo Ting Cheng’s chest.
He caught her easily, one arm sliding around her waist to steady her.
The quiet rumble of his laughter vibrated against her back.
"See?" he said lightly, leaning down so his voice brushed against her ear. "I warned you."
Tang Fei turned her head, glaring at him with wide eyes. "You did that on purpose!"
"Maybe the sea just likes you," he replied, his lips curving faintly.
Her heart was still racing, and she could feel his hand lingering a second too long before he let go.
She huffed, brushing at her damp pants. "You’re terrible, Huo Ting Cheng."
He only smiled. "You’re the one who jumped into my arms."
"Because you scared !" she protested, but there was no real anger in her voice, just embarrassnt.
He didn’t answer, just looked at her for a mont, his gaze softer now. "Co," he said finally, his tone even again. "There’s a place nearby. You’ll warm up there."
"Where are we going?" she asked, still eyeing him suspiciously.
"The restaurant ahead," he replied, nodding toward the glowing line of lanterns in the distance. "They make the best grilled fish on this coast."
As they walked along the beach, the glow of the lights and music grew clearer.
Tang Fei noticed how the staff standing near the entrance imdiately straightened the mont they saw Huo Ting Cheng approach, bowing slightly with a mix of respect and quiet nervousness.
She frowned slightly, feeling a twinge of sothing sour. "You co here often?"
How did they know him so well? Did he bring other won here? Yes, she was jealous and it was normal.
"Sotis," he said casually. "It’s part of my company, under the Hospitality division."
She blinked in surprise. "The restaurant?"
His gaze swept lazily across the coastline, the rows of lights stretching out, the silhouette of distant yachts, and the faint outlines of cruise ships glimring far at sea.
"Restaurants," he corrected softly. "Hotels, docks, private beaches... yachts, ships, even the cruise lines."
Tang Fei stopped walking, staring at him. "Really?"
She was genuinely surprised.
She hadn’t expected his wealth to stretch this far.
He turned to her with the faintest smirk. "Eighty percent of this coastline," he said simply. "So yes... I suppose it’s fair to say you’re on my shore tonight."
She blinked again, still not sure if he was teasing or serious.
If he owned eighty percent, what could other people possibly claim? "You say that like it’s nothing."
"It’s just business, like any other," he replied easily, stepping ahead of her toward the entrance.
Then, glancing over his shoulder, he added quietly, "I loved the sea. And this was my beginning."
Tang Fei followed him slowly, amazed.
As the sea breeze carried the scent of grilled seafood and salt, she realized sothing unsettling: every ti she thought she had learned who Huo Ting Cheng really was, he revealed just enough to make her wonder how much she still didn’t know.
The restaurant sat right at the edge of the sea, a glass-walled structure where the sound of the waves blended softly with low music and the faint hum of conversation.
Warm lights glowed from hanging lanterns, their reflections rippling across the water like scattered gold.
The staff greeted Huo Ting Cheng with quiet deference, leading them not through the main dining area but toward a secluded terrace that stretched out over the water.
Tang Fei followed, her sandals moving lightly against the polished wood, her eyes taking in the view.
The table was set for two, positioned so close to the sea that when the tide rose, the waves would brush against the support beams below.
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