The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 700 Much Grows In The Woods

Charles helped Sheryl up the hill, sensing her exhaustion.

Eventually, they reached the summit by 6:00 p.m. and got a chance to see the mountain resort from a bird's-eye view.

The scenery was something to die for. The sun cast its weak light into the clouds. The sky looked painted by a mighty hand. Layers of purple, orange and yellow blended into each other as the sun started sinking into the horizon. Sheryl gazed across the vast splendor of the mountains and the valley, feeling minute in comparison to it all.

Shortly after, darkness began taking over the stunning view.

The chills were creeping in through their clothes.

The temperature was dropping really low really soon, and the trail's visibility would be limited soon as well. Therefore, Charles suggested they start going back quickly to avoid any risks.

"Yes, you're right. Let's go," agreed Sheryl. Charles used his cellphone flashlight to illuminate their walk downhill.

If it wasn't for the fact that he was there, Sheryl would have not dared go up or down the hill at that hour.

However, his being there also made her more cautious. The road was dark and, in trying to walk carefully, she found herself getting quite close to Charles; too close for her comfort.

After about half an hour later, they started getting closer to the foothill. Charles remembered some rough terrain around that area and paid closer attention to the roads.

Noticing Sheryl going directly towards a large drop, he shouted, "Watch your step!" However, it was too late for her to be on guard.

She plunged into the hole, slightly twisting her ankle, and fell over Charles who rushed to hold her. He lost his balance trying to catch Sheryl, dragging her into a roll together down the hill. They plummeted down the mountainside for a few seconds before Charles decided to do something about it. In an attempt to halt their dangerous cruise, he abruptly pulled Sheryl closer as he used all his weight to break their skid.

The sudden move brought her lips atop of his. In the darkness, they couldn't see each other but they could feel their heartbeats. They stopped sliding down and remained still for a moment, their lips glued together.

Sheryl's soft touch and hot breath felt so tempting to Charles, but he contained his urges in order to avoid making her uncomfortable.

None of them dared to take it any further and, therefore, the situation quickly turned awkward.

Sheryl soon regained her composure and propped herself up against Charles' muscular chest. That intimate touch made her flush and cringe as if her willpower was at war with the temptation she felt. Through the dim flashlight, Charles caught sight of Sheryl's face. He felt exactly the same way but could do a better job at keeping it together. With a poker face, he inquired, "Sheryl, are you injured?" "No, I am okay," Sheryl replied quickly. Her embarrassment was obvious.

"Aah!" Charles screamed all of a sudden as Sheryl pushed herself off him rapidly. He had stopped their skid with his back and arms, scraping them considerably against the gravel.

Noticing Charles' immense pain, Sheryl got concerned. Alarmed, she asked, "Are you hurt?"

"Oh, it's nothing serious. Don't worry," he answered nonchalantly. He was trying hard to downplay his injury, though he was fully aware of its severity.

Biting his tongue, he rose and picked up his cellphone, urging Sheryl to resume their walk. It was already late and they needed to get back in time for the party.

He also didn't want Sheryl to get worried, so he tried to hide his pain.

Upon entering the guesthouse, however, Sheryl noticed Charles' ripped shirt tinted with blood stains.

She immediately exclaimed in concern, "Charles, your back is bleeding!"

"It's just a bit scraped," he claimed. He didn't want to call much attention toward himself.

So he kept dodging the subject, "I'm going to go upstairs and change into new clothes for our barbecue tonight."

Sheryl ignored Charles' avoidance and immediately went over to her room, grabbing her first-aid kit and bringing it over to Charles' room.

By the time she got there, he had already taken a shower and barely heard the knocks on the door. The hot water had aggravated his wounds, so he decided to wait before throwing his shirt on. Charles assumed it was David knocking on the door, so he opened it half naked. As soon as she saw his well-defined figure, Sheryl quickly veered her sight away and turned red with embarrassment. At that moment, Charles hastened to put on a shirt but welcomed her in, leaving the door cracked open.

Avoiding direct eye contact, Sheryl explained her reason for coming over. She couldn't shake her concern off and had to make sure he was okay.

She asked Charles to take off the clothes he had just put on, in order for her to properly treat his wounds.

She had brought that first-aid kit in case something were to happen to Shirley; however, it proved useful for Charles as well.

Charles unveiled the crisscross wounds on his bare back.

Sheryl was shocked by the condition of his injuries. More than half of his back was swollen and red.

She gently sprayed some blood clotting solution all over the inflamed area and then applied a generous amount of antibiotic ointment to the wounds.

Seeing how worried Sheryl was about him, Charles smiled and commented, "Thank you, Sheryl, but you really don't need to worry a lot. They're just small cuts. They'll heal soon."

Sheryl smiled softly at his attempt to lighten the mood. Following his lead, she added while poking one unharmed muscle, "Right, no amount of pain can get through all this buffer."

That gesture reminded both of them of their accidental kiss on the trail, but none found it necessary to address it. So silence settled in for a short moment until Sheryl interrupted it by wrapping up her treatment Charles then changed into proper attire for the party and, as soon as he finished, David came over and informed him he was ready to leave.

"Let's go," Charles said in support. He quickly locked the door and led the way, followed by Sheryl and David. Sheryl glanced at David and stated, "I hope my daughter wasn't causing too much trouble for you and Alice this afternoon."

"Shirley is definitely well-educated and well-behaved. She caused no trouble at all," answered David encouragingly. He returned a smiled and added, "She took a long nap after watching some cartoons on TV. Alice has been getting along really well with her."

"Really?" asked Sheryl rhetorically. Grateful for his kindness, she insisted, "Thank you again for taking care of my daughter. I really appreciate it."

"Miss Xia, please don't bother with the formalities," David requested courteously. He was being particularly respectful toward her since Charles was witnessing their conversation. Charles had definitely taken note of David's intentions and was pleased with him as well.

As they were walking, Sheryl remembered Charles' scarred back once she got another good glance at it. She wanted to touch him and made sure the wounds were getting better but had to hold herself back due to David's presence.

He and Alice had gone to great lengths to throw the barbecue party. They incorporated all the bells and whistles that Charles had requested. The catering was exceptional; the food was excellent and the swimming pool was well illuminated.

Kitty decided to wear an especially sexy swimsuit in order to seduce Charles. Her face lit up as soon as he stepped out to the pool area. However, his eyes were focused only on Sheryl's attractive figure which was turning multiple heads, making her extremely jealous.

'Sheryl is more of a rival than I've thought!' Kitty realized.