"Wait."
The instant the elevator doors began to close, she reached out and pressed the open button.
The metal doors slid open again, and she looked at Pei Yi, who stood outside looking somewhat surprised. Her voice was quiet. "I… I'm still a little worried. Let me go back and check on him."
"Huh?!"
"Great!"
Pei Yi was startled for a moment, then a smile spread across his face. He courteously held the door open for her. "See, this is why you need siblings! Look at the difference—your brother's always a lone wolf, nobody cares about him. But now that his little sister's here? Totally different treatment."
Jiang Ningchu walked back and asked in a low voice, "Normally… what?"
"Uh…"
Pei Yi felt he'd overacted a bit. He scratched the back of his head and said vaguely, "Normally… normally he's fine. Heheh. It's mainly that your brother, well, you know him—immune to both the carrot and the stick. Treats kindness like a donkey's lungs."
Jiang Ningchu didn't reply.
He wasn't… exactly wrong.
Jiang Heng always carried that air of aloof, aristocratic detachment, radiating a chill that kept strangers at bay. Even Su Wanqing's daily warm greetings couldn't always win him a pleasant expression, let alone anyone else.
For no reason at all, a faint pang of bitterness rose in her heart.
Perhaps…
He'd actually been lonely all along.
Jiang Ningchu followed Pei Yi back to the door of the private room.
The door was left ajar, and a sliver of warm yellow light leaked through the gap.
Jiang Heng was still lying in the spacious dark-brown leather sofa, his long legs propped up carelessly.
One arm draped over his forehead, covering most of his face, leaving only his tightly pressed lips and sharply defined jaw exposed.
The top two buttons of his shirt had come undone at some point, and his slender neck showed a faint flush in the dim light.
Pei Yi held the door for her and called out eagerly, "Young Master Jiang, stop pretending to sleep! Look who's come to check on you~"
Jiang Ningchu stepped lightly to the bar in the corner of the room and poured half a glass of warm water.
Then she slowly walked back to the sofa and half-knelt on the thick carpet at his side.
From this angle, she could see more clearly his slightly furrowed brow and the taut line of his jaw.
His breathing seemed heavier than usual, carrying a faint scent of alcohol mingled with the marine-and-cedar cool fragrance he always wore.
"Big brother," she said, her voice very soft, gentler than usual, "would you like some warm water…"
Jiang Heng kept his eyes closed, a flicker of impatience crossing his brow.
Several glasses of strong liquor, and instead of dousing the nameless fire in his chest, they'd only made it burn more chaotically.
Even his hearing seemed to be malfunctioning now—he could actually mistake someone else for…
Absurd.
Sensing the person drawing near, his brow knitted tightly. Without even lifting his eyelids, his voice came out deep and cold. "Get lost."
"Brother…"
Jiang Ningchu froze at the unexpected cold rebuke. Thinking her closeness had offended him, she hurriedly tried to stand up and back away.
In her haste, she failed to notice the low stool behind and to the side, and her shin slammed hard into it.
"Ah—"
Dull pain shot through her, and with a panicked loss of balance, she cried out softly as her whole body toppled backward, beyond her control.
The next second, a scorching hand clamped around her wrist and yanked her back fiercely.
The world spun.
She fell heavily into a firm, burning-hot embrace.
The glass in his other hand swayed with the movement, and the warm water inside splashed out—
Most of it doused the back of her hand and her sleeve, while some splattered and rolled down onto her light-colored skirt.
"Oh my god…"
Pei Yi sucked in a sharp breath and quickly pulled out a few paper towels to hand over. "Little Jiang, are you okay?"
He guessed that Jiang Heng had probably mistaken her for someone else in his drunken state, and muttered under his breath in exasperation, "Seriously, Young Master Jiang, you can't even recognize your own little sister…"
Jiang Heng lifted his eyelids, shooting a glare his way.
Pei Yi raised his eyebrows and wisely swallowed the rest of the sentence.
Jiang Ningchu took the paper towels and lowered her head to wipe the water from the back of her hand and her skirt. "I'm fine, it's fine. The water was warm, just a little wet."
"Did you get bumped?"
Jiang Heng's gaze landed on the faint red marks around her wrist, his brow tightening silently.
"No."
Jiang Ningchu looked up and met his lowered gaze.
Those eyes, always so impenetrably deep, for the first time allowed her to clearly sense an unfamiliar emotion—
A measure of unhidden concern, and a trace of something almost imperceptible… guilt.
"Brother."
Jiang Ningchu steadied her breathing, putting on an air that nothing had happened. "Did you… drink a lot tonight?"
"No."
Jiang Heng denied it briefly, while unobtrusively shifting his casually outstretched long legs aside, making a little space for her at the edge of the sofa.
His gaze still lingered on her, his voice dropping lower. "You didn't get bumped, right?"
He asked again.
Jiang Ningchu gave him a reassuring, well-behaved smile and shook her head. "Really, I'm fine. My clothes are just a bit wet. I'll go to the restroom to take care of it."
With that, she turned to look at Pei Yi.
"Yes, yes, yes."
"We have a changing room with a hair dryer inside."
Pei Yi immediately pushed open the glass door. "Just turn left when you go out. Or you can wait here—I'll have someone bring you a new set right away!"
"No need to trouble yourself."
Jiang Ningchu looked down at the hem of her skirt; the color wasn't too dark. "It looks okay. I'll just clean it up and blow it dry."
Every detail of ChillPark's top floor echoed the theme of seclusion and luxury, and the restroom area was no exception.
The black-and-white space was designed in a modern labyrinth style, the polished black stone floor reflecting the cold glow of the linear light strips overhead.
Geometrically cut mirrors intersected with pure white walls, creating a calm, detached futuristic atmosphere.
This area was open only to a handful of specially invited guests on the top floor, and at the moment it was so empty that only her footsteps could be heard.
Jiang Ningchu walked into the spacious wash area, carefully washed her hands, then used wet wipes to clean the obvious water stains on her skirt.
Afterward, she entered the changing room, turned on the hair dryer, set it to a gentle setting, and carefully dried the wet parts of her sleeve and the hem of her top.
The warm air hummed, drawing the dampness out of the fabric and temporarily blocking out the sounds of the outside world.
A few minutes later, she turned off the hair dryer.
The world instantly fell into silence.
However, just as she was giving herself a final check in the mirror, a strange sound—faint yet distinct—pierced through the door panel.
It was… rapid, tangled breathing, mixed with indistinct, suppressed low moans.
Jiang Ningchu froze in place, stunned for a moment before immediately realizing what was happening outside the door.
Her cheeks instantly burned hot. Almost without thinking, her hand shot toward the door handle—she just wanted to escape this unbearably awkward scene immediately.
But the instant her fingertips were about to touch the metal handle—
Bang!
A moderate thud, accompanied by a short, delicate cry.
The man and woman, clearly lost in passion, stumbled against the very door she was behind.
The door panel vibrated distinctly, bearing the weight of pressed bodies.
Jiang Ningchu yanked her hand back as if scorched, heart pounding wildly, mind blank—she even instinctively held her breath.
The naked flirtation outside continued on, seeping through the door panel, brazenly assaulting her senses:
"Mm… what did you just call me in there? Hmm?" The man's voice was low and hoarse.
"Called you… boss…" The woman's voice was coquettish and soft. "Isn't that right?"
"I told you not to call me that…" The man chuckled low. "Why can you never remember?"
"Then… you'll just have to help me… remember better…"
"Mmph…"
What followed was even more ambiguous moaning.
…
Jiang Ningchu felt all the blood in her body rush straight to her head; her cheeks and ears burned so hot they ached.
What was she supposed to do…
Trembling, she fished out her phone. Her first instinct, oddly enough, was to tap on Jiang Heng's profile in her WeChat list.
But…
In this situation, a voice call was obviously out of the question—and what could she even say in a text message?
Gripping her phone, brow furrowed, she racked her brain for some vaguely plausible excuse.
The situation outside grew ever more heated, and the thin air sapped away whatever capacity for thought she had left.
Just as she was at a complete loss, a familiar voice came from not far away.
"Jiang Ningchu."
It was Jiang Heng.
"Big brother!" Jiang Ningchu practically leaped to answer.
The moment she heard his voice, any qualms about rudely interrupting, any embarrassment or shame—she couldn't have cared less.
She just wanted to let the two people outside know, in some dignified way, that someone was in the changing room, then turn invisible, open the door, and slip away.
The passion outside was indeed interrupted.
The woman let out an "Ah!" and lowered her voice. "Stop it, someone's here~"
"Who cares," the man panted with a laugh. "They're probably here for the same thing we are."
Immediately after, the two of them scrambled away as if they'd encountered something terrifying.
Jiang Ningchu's ears were hot enough to catch fire.
She felt the door panel go light, but didn't dare open it and step out right away.
Knock knock knock—
A knock sounded on the changing room door.
"Jiang Ningchu." Jiang Heng's calm voice came from outside. "It's me."
Jiang Ningchu let out a long breath of relief.
She turned the lock and pulled the door open a crack.
The cold light of the corridor illuminated Jiang Heng's expressionless face.
He stood tall and straight, his gaze calm, though a trace of impatience seemed to stir in the depths of his eyes.
"Bro…" Her eyes lit up as if she'd finally been rescued, the weight lifting from her shoulders.
"Mm," Jiang Heng said. "Cover your ears."
"Okay…" Jiang Ningchu nodded obediently, shoved her phone into her pocket, raised both hands, and pressed them tightly over her ears.
She looked up at Jiang Heng, waiting for his next instruction.
The next second, a warm, dry palm covered her eyes, blocking her view.
His long, well-defined fingers carried the faintly cool touch unique to his skin, granting her a moment of clarity.
Jiang Ningchu's lashes trembled slightly, and she obediently closed her eyes.
Then she felt an arm wrap loosely around her shoulders, with a steady, firm strength, guiding her to slowly turn around, take a step, and move away from that changing room.
"It's all your fault~ So embarrassing~" A woman's coquettish, whining voice sounded in her ears.
Jiang Ningchu could still hear it, but it was muffled now, much quieter, its impact blunted.
The man seemed struck by some silent aura of menace. He swallowed hard before forcing out a scoff: "What's there to be afraid of? What can they do to us…?"
Jiang Ningchu shielded her in front of him as she moved forward with careful little steps.
Anxiously, she wanted to leave this den of trouble at once, but with her eyes covered and ears blocked, she didn't dare walk fast.
She couldn't help quietly opening her eyes.
Her long lashes brushed like little brushes against Jiang Ningchu's palm covering her eyes.
Through the gaps between his fingers, she could see a sliver of light.
The surroundings suddenly fell silent.
As if nothing had happened at all.
Jiang Ningchu instinctively tilted her head, wanting to move the hand off her ear to check.
"Don't worry about it," Jiang Ningchu's voice was almost pressed against the top of her ear, the arm around her shoulder tightening slightly. "Walk."
The corridor from the restroom was barely a hundred meters, but Jiang Ningchu had no idea how she made it through.
She was entirely enveloped in the limited space Jiang Ningchu circled around her, every breath filled with his cedar scent mixed with alcohol, her ears ringing with her own drumbeat heartbeat.
Intimate, and yet… reassuring.
"Whoa, what's going on here?"
Pei Yi pushed through the glass door and saw the two walking back one behind the other. "What are you two playing at? Trust-walk for two?"
Jiang Ningchu let go, his gaze lingering on Jiang Ningchu's wrist for a few seconds, then silently walked back.
Jiang Ningchu lowered her hands and rubbed her eyes, taking a few seconds to refocus before following.
At the entrance to the private room, Jiang Heng passed by Pei Yi's side and murmured something in his ear.
Pei Yi exploded. "Damn it! Pulling this filthy crap on my turf?!"
He whipped his head toward Jiang Ningchu, his face full of apology and fury. "Xiao Sheng, I'm so sorry… It's big brother Pei Yi's fault for not keeping my people in line, scaring you like that! Come in and sit down, have a drink to calm your nerves. I'm going to clear the place right now!"
With that, he waved at the security guards stationed by the door nearby, then spun around furiously and strode off toward the restroom.
Jiang Heng had already sunk back into the depths of the sofa without so much as a backward glance.
He leaned back, head resting against the sofa's backrest, facing the dim ceiling above, and closed his eyes.
The light spilled down over him, casting a deep shadow along one side of his straight nose.
"Brother…"
Jiang Ningchu walked over to the sofa. She hadn't fully shaken off the awkwardness from before, but she still remembered why she'd come back.
She looked at Jiang Heng's expressionless profile and spoke very softly. "Are you… still feeling unwell?"
"I'm fine," Jiang Heng replied flatly.
"…"
Jiang Ningchu had so many questions she wanted to ask.
She wanted to ask why he wasn't sleeping at night, wanted to ask if he'd really drunk too much just now, wanted to ask if… he was really in such a bad mood.
But the words died on her lips—she was afraid every answer would be that same perfunctory indifference.
"You…" She thought for a moment and switched to the most practical angle of approach. "How much have you had to drink?"
Jiang Heng was silent for a moment. "A few glasses."
"…"
Jiang Ningchu was at a loss for words again.
He had technically answered, but he'd still shut down any possibility of continuing the conversation.
She gave up on beating around the bush and got straight to the point. "Then… let's go home, okay?"
Jiang Heng slowly sat up straight, turned his face toward her, and let his gaze settle directly on her face.
Being stared at like that made Jiang Ningchu's skin crawl.
She looked down at her freshly blow-dried skirt, then glanced up at the old-fashioned wall clock behind the wine cabinet.
It was almost midnight.
"Wh… what's wrong?" she asked uncertainly. "You… don't want to go home?"
Only at hearing the keyword a second time, as if some passive switch had finally been triggered, did Jiang Heng nod. "Home."
"Then…"
Jiang Ningchu thought for a moment, then sat down across from him and asked gently, "Are you feeling really awful? Do you need a minute? Should I… pour you another glass of water?"
Jiang Heng said nothing, just quietly watched her.
The light in the private room was dim, and something seemed to stir in the depths of his dark eyes.
The restlessness in her blood had, at some point, settled down.
In its place was an unfamiliar warmth.
"No need. Let's go home."
He stood up, casually picked up the car keys from the table, and tossed them to Jiang Ningchu. "You drive."
Jiang Ningchu turned and instinctively caught the keys, then froze in place.
Driving… was honestly a huge challenge for her.
The summer after her freshman year, she'd followed her roommates in joining the craze of getting a driver's license.
But there wasn't much need for a car during college, so the license just sat there after she got it.
Now that she'd graduated, she had thought about getting some practice and buying a car for convenience.
But practicing at home would make too much of a commotion and would surely cause Su Wanqing unnecessary worry, and Zhou Yichi was always busy. Only occasionally, when she went out with Lin Wei, did she get the chance to drive a short stretch on the way back.
"Let's just call a designated driver."
Jiang Ningchu was uncharacteristically decisive. "My driving skills… let's just forget it."
"What?"
Jiang Heng still seemed a bit dizzy. He pressed a hand to his temple, brow slightly furrowed. "No license? Wasted your lessons?"
"…"
Jiang Ningchu lacked confidence, but holding the keys in her hand, a faint urge to give it a try bubbled up inside her.
Torn, her voice grew smaller. "I do have a license, but I've really barely ever driven…"
Jiang Heng said nothing more, brushed past her, and headed straight for the door.
"Hey, hey, hey?"
Remembering how he'd steadied himself on the sofa when he stood up, Jiang Ningchu assumed the alcohol hadn't worn off and his footing was unsteady, and quickly hurried after him with small steps. "Walk slower, don't fall."
Jiang Heng stopped, turned his head, and met her eyes, which were full of concern.
The corner of his mouth curved into a slightly playful arc. Then he stretched out an arm, draped it casually over her slender shoulder, and pressed the weight of most of his body solidly onto her.
"Can you hold me up?"
"Cou—" Jiang Ningchu gritted her teeth. "Course I can!"
Normally, she only had a vague impression of Jiang Heng as tall and well-built.
Only now, with his weight genuinely pressing down on her shoulder, did she truly realize from the bottom of her heart that Jiang Heng's physique… was seriously imposing.
And so the two of them staggered their way to the parking lot.
Jiang Ningchu struggled to stuff the completely checked-out Jiang Heng into the passenger seat, then walked around, settled into the driver's seat, and took a deep breath.
It'll be fine.
It wasn't her first time driving.
Jiang Ningchu clutched the car keys in her palm, hands clasped together.
After fiercely psyching herself up, she pressed the start button.
The engine let out a low hum.
Three chilly words drifted over from the passenger seat. "Seatbelt."
"…"
Jiang Ningchu smiled politely, forcing herself to stay calm. "We're not there yet. No rush."
She pulled the seatbelt across and buckled it, then, following the checklist she'd memorized back in driving school, checked the mirrors and lights one by one, then looked down to confirm the positions of the accelerator and brake.
Only after all that did she nervously turn her head toward the passenger seat.
At some point, Jiang Heng had already reclined his seat, eyes closed, breathing steady.
He had clearly entered sleep mode.
"You… don't sleep."
Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. "At least… keep an eye on things."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Jiang Heng replied flatly. "There's insurance."
Even so, he raised a hand and pressed a button, and the seatback slowly rose back to a more upright angle.
"Mm…"
Jiang Ningchu looked at him, feeling inexplicably guilty.
He trusted her this much, but she was completely unfamiliar with the car. What if she messed it up…
One thought started, and then a chaotic flood of them came rushing in.
She bit her lower lip, her gaze settling on Jiang Heng's face, a little dazed.
At some point, Jiang Heng had opened his eyes and was looking at her.
Their gazes met. He was silent for a few seconds before slowly adding, "I have life insurance too."
"…"
Jiang Ningchu froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. "It won't come to that!"
As the words left her mouth, her hands flicked on the turn signal and she lightly pressed the accelerator.
The car glided smoothly out of the underground garage and merged into the main lane.
Light and shadow flowed past the windows, her smile still lingering at the corners of her mouth.
"What were you even thinking…" she muttered under her breath, a relaxation in her tone she hadn't even noticed herself. "So ridiculous…"
In the corner of her eye as she glanced at the rearview mirror, she caught a fleeting smile at the corner of Jiang Heng's eye.
She suddenly remembered that night at the campsite—Jiang Heng's jab that had made her laugh through her tears, and the dead-serious tone he'd used: "Got the car impounded for stealing it?"
The corners of her mouth curved up without her noticing, and at some point her grip on the steering wheel had loosened.
Her heart suddenly went soft.
For some reason, she had the illusion that this was how things had always been meant to be between them—chatting and laughing, warm and easy.
Like any brother and sister in the world.
Thinking back on how, all these years, she'd been avoiding Jiang Heng like he was the plague…
A trace of guilt welled up in her heart.
"What are you thinking about?" Jiang Heng's low voice cut through her thoughts.
She watched the road ahead, and in the gap while shifting gears, turned her head. The words slipped out. "I was thinking about why I used to be so scared of you."
Jiang Heng seemed to have caught only the first and last words.
He gave the faintest scoff, the corner of his mouth lifting, but didn't reply.
He simply leaned deeper into the seat and closed his eyes again.
At some point, Jiang Ningchu had grown used to silences like this.
She didn't press further, just turned back to focus on the road.
The whole drive, she was surprisingly steady.
After parking the Maybach, Jiang Ningchu let out a soft breath and hopped out of the car, brimming with a sense of accomplishment.
Jiang Heng pushed open the door and got out.
Having lain down the whole way, the alcohol had actually been jolted somewhat awake by the motion, seeping back up in wisps.
He stood for a moment, one hand braced against the car door.
Jiang Ningchu hurried to his side, took his arm over her shoulder as a matter of course, and looked up at him. "You okay?"
Jiang Heng froze.
He lowered his eyes, meeting her glistening, deer-like gaze for an instant before quickly looking away.
When no one cared, he never noticed it—but when someone actually did…
Only then did he realize he was probably truly drunk.
The two of them stumbled their way up to the second floor.
For the first time, Jiang Ningchu stepped into Jiang Heng's room.
The black, white, and gray color scheme felt cold and desolate, like a place no one truly lived in—even the air carried a chill.
She sat down lightly on the edge of the bed and murmured softly, "There isn't even a water glass… Should I go downstairs and get you some water?"
Jiang Heng leaned against the headboard. "No need."
"Okay." Jiang Ningchu didn't insist. She glanced around, then braced herself to stand up. "Get some sleep soon then, Big brother."
She rose and headed for the door.
In an instant, Jiang Heng suddenly reached out and caught her wrist.
The unexpected force pulled Jiang Ningchu back around.
The distance between them abruptly closed.
At some point, Jiang Heng had already leaned in, his lips nearly brushing the loose strands of hair by her ear.
The room fell terrifyingly silent.
Only their tangled, somewhat ragged breathing remained.
Jiang Ningchu froze in place, her mind completely blank.
Warm breath brushed against her temple, carrying a clearer trace of alcohol than before, mingling with the rich scent of cedar on him, enveloping her densely.
Heat flared instantly from her cheeks to the back of her neck, her heartbeat pounding so hard her ears buzzed.
Just as she was about to pull back, Jiang Heng turned his head away first.
He leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes.
His Adam's apple bobbed heavily.
Jiang Ningchu's lashes trembled, and she woke as if from a dream. "Brother…"