Chapter Sixty-One: The "Expensive" Watch (Part Three)

Page 1/3

A deeper smile spread across Zhao Chen’s face, yet his eyes remained devoid of warmth. With deliberate grace, he lifted his left hand, his long fingers elegantly resting on the platinum watch case. A gentle press undone the clasp with smooth, natural ease, embodying the calm of one who controls everything.

He removed the timepiece—what many had dismissed as a “convincing fake”—from his wrist.

“Grade-A counterfeit?” he chuckled softly, his voice low but clear enough for everyone to hear, tinged with playful mockery. “Seems Supervisor Wang hasn’t quite delved deep enough into the HOriZOn brand.” Holding the strap between his fingers, he flipped the watch over to reveal its back.

Engraved on the smooth platinum caseback was a fine line of tiny English letters and a string of numbers: “HOriZOn Deep GaZe Limited EditiOn NO.007.”

“The ‘Deep Space Gaze’ limited edition from HOriZOn, platinum case, equipped with the HZ-001 ultra-thin, high-precision movement, limited globally to just fifty pieces.”

Zhao Chen’s voice was steady and clear, as if stating the simplest of facts. “Each piece bears a unique serial number etched on the back. The official website allows verification of each number, showing all corresponding information, including purchase records and authenticity codes.”

He paused briefly, his gaze pitying as it settled on Supervisor Wang, whose face was already paling.

“Since you’re so knowledgeable, Supervisor Wang,” he said, casually extending the watch toward her with a near-charitable elegance, “why not check it right now?”

In an instant, all color drained from Supervisor Wang’s face. She stared at the watch in Zhao Chen’s hand, the cold metallic gleam catching the light, and fixed her eyes on the crystal-clear “NO.007” engraved on the back. Meeting Zhao Chen’s amber eyes—deep and unfathomable, as if seeing through everything—a chill surged from the soles of her feet straight to her mind.

Of course, she knew the HOriZOn limited editions bore unique serial numbers and could be verified online! Her earlier mockery was rooted entirely in disdain for Ling and her so-called “ordinary employee” husband. She never imagined the watch could be genuine!

The looks from the surrounding colleagues shifted instantly—from awkward spectators to shocked onlookers hungry for drama. Their gazes pierced Supervisor Wang like needles.

Her fingers began trembling uncontrollably. She glanced at the watch offered before her like it was a searing-hot iron. Should she take it? If it turned out fake, she could salvage some dignity. But what if… what if it was real? The thought terrified her.

“Go ahead and check, Supervisor Wang,” Zhao Chen’s voice took on a lazy, teasing tone, like a predator toying with its prey. “It’s a good chance to open everyone’s eyes—see just how much this ‘Grade-A’ gift from my wife is worth.”

The pressure crushed down on Supervisor Wang like a tangible mountain. Cold sweat beaded at her temples, and under the silent scrutiny of her peers, overwhelming fear and humiliation finally broke her.

She abruptly stepped back, as if fleeing some raging beast, lips trembling, face pale as paper, utterly speechless, eyes wide with terror and disbelief.

---

Page 2/3

A faint, scornful snort escaped Zhao Chen’s lips. He withdrew the watch, gracefully securing the precious “Deep Space Gaze” back on his wrist with a crisp “click” of the platinum clasp, the sound sharp and clear in the silent corridor.

He cast no further glance at the ashen, trembling Supervisor Wang, treating her like a mere speck of dust. He turned slightly and took Ling’s hand in his. Her palm was cold and slightly trembling.

Lowering his gaze to her face, the icy chill that had frozen a thousand miles instantly melted away, replaced by an overwhelming tenderness that could drown a soul. He clasped her cool hand gently, lifting it with care. Then, under the astonished, envious, and incredulous eyes of everyone present, he bent down and pressed a warm, reverent kiss to the tip of Ling’s ring finger.

The kiss was as soft as a feather’s caress, yet burning with heat and commanding ownership.

“Who cares how much it’s worth?” he murmured, amber eyes sparkling like stars, reflecting only Ling’s figure. His voice, low and lingering, carried clearly down the quiet corridor. “If it’s a gift from my wife, it’s priceless.”

Nightfall draped the half-mountain hot spring villa terrace in ink-black silence. The vast infinity pool rippled gently, mirroring the scattered stars above. Steam from the hot springs mingled with a faint sulfur scent, shrouding a large lounge chair draped with thick plush blankets in a hazy, comforting warmth.

Ling lay like a thoroughly soothed cat, soft and limp in Zhao Chen’s warm embrace. He wore only a loosely tied dark velvet robe, revealing a broad, firm chest. Ling’s cheek rested against his slightly warm skin, feeling the steady, powerful beat of his heart—the most soothing rhythm in the world.

The day’s harrowing events and the final exquisite sweetness had seemingly drained all her strength. Wrapped in the warm spring water and held by his even warmer arms, her taut nerves finally relaxed, leaving only boundless languor and peace. Her eyes closed, long lashes casting a shadow beneath them, her breath even and deep, nearly drifting into sleep.

Zhao Chen’s hand rested on her smooth shoulder, while his other hand absentmindedly stroked the damp strands of her hair resting on his chest. He tilted his head slightly, chin gently touching the top of her hair, his gaze fixed on the dazzling city lights far below the mountain, deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.

Only a low, softly glowing floor lamp lit the terrace, casting a warm halo in the misty steam.

On the small table beside them, an ultra-thin laptop glowed faintly. Its screen didn’t display work files but a complex, ever-scrolling stream of data and 3D modeling graphics. The window’s title bar bore several cold English words: “HOriZOn GlObal SeCUrity NetWOrk.” At the bottom right, a tiny silver-gray “HOriZOn” group logo watermark shimmered faintly in the screen’s light.

Half-dreaming, Ling seemed to sense a slight movement of Zhao Chen’s arm around her. She instinctively curled closer into his embrace, pressing her cheek against his warm skin, letting out a sleepy, unconscious murmur.

Her drowsy eyes fluttered open, blurred gaze drifting over the glowing screen on the side table. The relentless flow of complex data and 3D models resembled an incomprehensible ocean to her. Her gaze eventually settled on the small silver-gray logo at the screen’s bottom right.

“Hmm…” she mumbled, voice thick with nasal tones, barely audible like sleep talk, “Honey, why does your game guide have the HOriZOn Group’s secret logo…”

Her voice dwindled, the last syllable almost caught between lips and teeth. Her eyelids grew heavy and closed again, breath steady and long, sinking fully into sweet, deep sleep. That faint murmuring seemed nothing more than unconscious babble before slumber.

---

Page 3/3

Zhao Chen’s fingers caressing her hair paused ever so slightly.

He slowly lowered his head, eyes resting on the unguarded sleeping face in his arms. The steam from the hot springs flushed her pale cheeks with an alluring pink. Her long lashes lay quietly closed, lips slightly puckered like an innocent child. That faint, indistinct murmur brushed gently across the tightest chord deep within his heart.

His deep eyes gazed at her in the dim light, swirling with complex emotions—sharp scrutiny from having glimpsed a core secret, touched by her unreserved trust, helplessness at her subtle intuition in sleep. Yet all these emotions settled into a profound, fathomless tenderness, rich and unfading.

He silently curved his lips into a faint smile, delicate yet overflowing with infinite adoration.

Then, with utmost care to avoid disturbing the sleeping treasure in his arms, he extended the hand not wrapped around her, reaching over her body. His long fingers gently tapped the laptop’s touchpad.

The screen instantly darkened. All data streams, modeling images, and that small silver-gray group logo vanished into pure blackness.

Having done this, he drew her closer, holding his precious even tighter. He lowered his head and pressed a warm, tender kiss on Ling’s smooth forehead.

The warm breath brushed her skin.

“My little fool,” he whispered close to her temple, in a voice only he could hear—low, lingering, and affectionate—“that’s not a secret…”

His voice faltered briefly, eyes glancing at the now-silent laptop on the table before returning to her serene sleeping face. The smile in his eyes was so gentle it could drown a soul.

“…It’s a security system upgrade plan designed for your hot spring villa.” He chuckled softly, tinged with helpless indulgence, kissing her brow again, his voice as light as the night breeze brushing petals.

“Sleep well, my darling.”

“Game guide… I’ll show you tomorrow.”