70: Chapter 70 Under the Hazy Moonlight: The Gentle Paradise of a Ruthless Tycoon

The door to the field headquarters office closed slowly.

The room was very quiet, so quiet that only the breathing of the two could be heard.

The retro floor lamp emitted a hazy yellow light, like a translucent veil draped over Li Lanzhi.

She stood there, her head slightly lowered, her hands nervously twisted together. Her slender neck was bathed in a delicate, warm hue from the light, and even the shy crimson blush at the roots of her ears appeared exceptionally moving.

Zhang Cheng watched her. This strong woman, who was usually decisive and managed the vast civil affairs of the autonomous region for him with impeccable order, now looked like a newlywed bride, both nervous and full of anticipation.

"Lan Zhi." Zhang Cheng called out softly, his voice lacking its usual cold hardness from issuing commands, replaced by a rare hint of hoarseness.

Li Lanzhi raised her head abruptly; the eyes that always seemed to hold water now appeared to hide two flames.

She did not speak, but took steps with slightly weak legs, walking toward Zhang Cheng until only the distance of a single breath remained between them.

"Brother Cheng…" She finally spoke, her voice trembling like a leaf in the wind, "I… I am not afraid. As long as it is you, I am not afraid of anything."

This sentence was like a fire, instantly igniting the long-suppressed emotions deep within Zhang Cheng's heart.

He was a man, a normal, hot-blooded man. For the past six months, he had been dancing on the edge of a knife and rolling in piles of corpses, his nerves constantly on edge.

And at this moment, the woman before him was like a gentle, clear spring, allowing his heart, encased in iron and blood, to finally find a gap to catch its breath.

He no longer hesitated, reaching out his arms to pull Li Lanzhi into his embrace.

Li Lanzhi gasped, her whole body colliding with that solid, scorching embrace. She could clearly hear the steady, powerful heartbeat within Zhang Cheng's chest, "thump, thump, thump," each beat striking the very tip of her heart.

She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around Zhang Cheng's waist, and buried her face deep into his chest, greedily absorbing his scent—a mixture of tobacco, a faint smell of gunpowder, and the unique pheromones of a man, which made her feel incredibly at ease.

"Do you know that if you follow me, there may be no peaceful days ahead?" Zhang Cheng asked in a low voice, his fingers gently stroking her long hair.

"With you here, those are peaceful days." Li Lanzhi looked up, her eyes stubborn and burning, "Even if we have to flee tomorrow, even if we have to eat grass roots and tree bark in the jungle, as long as I am with you, I feel it is a good life."

Zhang Cheng looked at her, and the last line of defense in his heart collapsed completely. He lowered his head and kissed those rosy lips fiercely.

"Mmph…"

Li Lanzhi's body stiffened, then immediately became soft as water. Her response was awkward yet passionate; it was the outpouring of long-repressed emotions.

Zhang Cheng swept her up horizontally and strode toward the inner bedroom. Li Lanzhi subconsciously tightened her arms around his neck, burying her burning cheek into the crook of his neck, afraid to look at him, yet unwilling to let go.

The light in the bedroom was dimmer, and the moonlight filtering through the gap in the curtains flowed silently on the floor like silver water.

Zhang Cheng placed her gently on the bed, his movements as tender as if he were treating a rare, priceless treasure. He leaned over her, his tall figure completely enveloping her.

"Lan Zhi, look at me."

Li Lanzhi opened her eyes tremulously. In those eyes, deep as the sea, she saw her own reflection and also saw a surging, overwhelming depth of affection she had never seen before.

"I am yours." She said softly, like some kind of sacred vow.

That night, the moonlight was perfect. The wind outside the window seemed to have become gentle, softly tapping against the window lattice. In the room, two hearts drifting in troubled times finally pressed tightly together at this moment, never to be separated again.

The next morning, the first ray of sunlight peeked through the gap in the curtains and mischievously jumped onto the bed.

Li Lanzhi woke up first. She did not rush to get up, but lay on her side, quietly watching the man sleeping soundly beside her.

When Zhang Cheng slept, his brows were still slightly furrowed, as if even in his dreams he was thinking about how to deal with Bao Youxiang in the south, or how to solve the food problem in the new district. His chiseled face lacked some of its usual cold severity, replaced by a childlike tranquility.

As Li Lanzhi watched, she couldn't help but extend her finger, gently smoothing out the wrinkles between his brows. The warmth from her fingertips sent ripples of sweetness through her heart.

This was her man. The man who had pulled her out of hell, given her dignity, and brought hope to this land. He was also the man who had been so gentle last night that it made her want to cry.

Seemingly feeling the touch on his face, Zhang Cheng's eyelashes trembled, and he opened his eyes. The momentary confusion quickly dissipated, replaced by clarity and… a hint of a smile.

He grabbed Li Lanzhi's mischievous hand, pressed it to his lips, and kissed it, his voice carrying the hoarseness of just waking up: "Awake so early?"

"Mmh…" Li Lanzhi blushed, wanting to pull her hand back, but couldn't. She could only say in a low voice with a flushed face, "It's time to get up. Today… today there is a morning meeting for Civil Affairs regarding the site selection for the new school."

Zhang Cheng did not let go; instead, he exerted force with his arm, pulling her back into his embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head, and said lazily: "No rush, lie down for a while longer. You are the Chief of Civil Affairs, who would dare say anything if you are a little late?"

"You are teaching me to abuse my privileges." Li Lanzhi rubbed against him in his arms, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up, "If Old K saw you like this, he would definitely say with a blank expression, 'Please, Master, pay attention to your sleep schedule.'"

Mentioning Old K, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but laugh: "That guy is a 'robot'. But with him around, I can steal these thirty minutes of laziness."

The two held each other quietly, enjoying this rare moment of tenderness. No official documents, no intelligence, no headache-inducing power struggles, only each other's body heat and heartbeats.

After a long while, the sound of guards changing shifts came from outside; that was the signal that a new day had begun.

Zhang Cheng sighed, released his grip, and sat up: "Time to get up. There is a tough battle to fight today. The group from the Engineering Department is probably already waiting at the door of the conference room to cry poor."

Li Lanzhi also sat up, tidying her slightly messy hair while virtuously helping Zhang Cheng take the clothes placed at the head of the bed: "They are also anxious; work needs to start everywhere now, and equipment and building materials are in short supply. Don't push them too hard."

"Short supply? Hmph." Zhang Cheng put on his shirt, buttoning it up, and revealed a mysterious smile, "Today I will let them know, working with me, Zhang Cheng, we can be short of anything, but we will never be short of supplies!"

Watching Zhang Cheng's confident back, Li Lanzhi felt a sense of security in her heart. She knew that no matter what difficulties they encountered, as long as this man was there, the sky would not collapse.

The two finished washing up and ate breakfast together in the small dining room of the office. Li Lanzhi meticulously peeled eggs and served porridge for Zhang Cheng, her natural demeanor making it seem as if they had been a long-married couple.

After eating, Li Lanzhi tidied her appearance and returned to being the capable Chief of Civil Affairs. She stopped at the door, turned back to look at Zhang Cheng, her eyes filled with a hint of shyness and anticipation: "Then… shall I come over again tonight?"

Zhang Cheng was reading the morning paper delivered by Old K. Hearing this, he looked up, his gaze falling gently upon her: "Yes, I'll be waiting for you. Tonight, I'll have the kitchen make the hot and sour fish you love."

The smile on Li Lanzhi's face bloomed instantly, brighter than the sunlight outside. She nodded, turned, and left with a light step.

Zhang Cheng watched her leave, and not until the door closed did the tenderness on his face slowly recede, restoring that deep, sea-like majesty.

"Old K."

"Present." In the shadows, Old K's figure emerged.

"Notify the Engineering Department and the Long Country expert group to meet in Conference Room No. 2 in half an hour. Also…" Zhang Cheng stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the awakening city of Pangkham in the distance, "Prepare the convoy and take them to Warehouse No. 3 and No. 4. It is time to show them what I've got."