Beep—
The sound of the lock opening was especially clear in the silent night.
Si Yuan froze.
So, he lived here too?
Jiang Wang turned back and saw her stunned expression, a playful smile curling at the corner of his lips. “Neighbor, not going to say hello?”
Si Yuan’s ears instantly burned.
Oh. She’d been overthinking again.
“I…” She opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.
Jiang Wang leaned against the doorframe, moonlight casting a silver edge around him.
He spoke leisurely, “Si Yuan, were you overthinking things again just now?”
Si Yuan jerked her head up, meeting his teasing gaze.
He’d seen right through her again.
“I—I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Good night, neighbor.”
Jiang Wang cut her off, flashed her a smile, and turned into his apartment.
The moment the door closed, Si Yuan finally let out a long breath.
What a… coincidence.
That night, Si Yuan couldn’t sleep.
She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the occasional sound of wind outside the window.
Over the past five years, her insomnia had worsened, and she could only manage to fall asleep with medication.
Tonight, she’d even taken two pills.
Dawn arrived before she knew it. Morning sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, and when Si Yuan opened her eyes, she realized with a start that the night had passed.
Rubbing her sore, tired eyes, she got up to wash up.
The person in the mirror looked pale, with faint dark circles under her eyes.
She sighed, splashing cold water on her face to try and wake herself up.
She had to go back to the Song family at noon for a family banquet.
This was the second challenge—she couldn’t afford to fail.
Her adoptive parents’ voices on the phone last night had sounded both familiar and distant. Five years had built an invisible wall between them.
It was only ever a temporary bond, after all.
When her parents’ business failed, her father took his own life, and her mother died of depression, she was only ten. Her father’s friend took her in and raised her. Si Yuan was genuinely grateful for that.
It was her own fault for not living up to expectations.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Si Yuan considered making a cup of coffee.
Just then, there was a short, sharp knock at the door.
Si Yuan froze, instinctively glancing at the surveillance screen by the door.
On the screen, Jiang Wang stood lazily outside, wearing a loose black sleepshirt with the collar slightly open, revealing a glimpse of his collarbone.
His hair was still somewhat messy, clearly having just woken up.
Si Yuan frowned.
She walked to the door, cautiously opening it a crack, and looked at him warily. “…Can I help you?”
Jiang Wang looked down at her from his height, a lazy smile in his eyes.
“Do I eat people?” he asked suddenly.
Si Yuan was taken aback and shook her head.
“Then why are you so afraid of me?” He raised an eyebrow.
Si Yuan pressed her lips together, thinking—Heir to the largest conglomerate in Hai City, young master of the Macau Underground Group. Who wouldn’t be afraid of him?
If she had known his identity back then, she would never have been naive enough to see him as a lifeline.
Jiang Wang seemed to see through her thoughts, letting out a low chuckle before suddenly saying, “Little neighbor, got anything to eat here?”
Si Yuan was clearly taken aback by his matter-of-fact request for food.
She paused, then shook her head. “…No.”
It had been a long time since she’d had the habit of eating breakfast.
When she was abroad, she often worked on an empty stomach until noon, and over time, she just stopped eating in the mornings.
Jiang Wang frowned. “After all these years, you still don’t eat breakfast?”
Si Yuan fell silent for a moment, then said softly, “There are no ingredients at home, sorry.”
Jiang Wang stared at her for two seconds before suddenly saying, “My place has some.”
Si Yuan: “……?”
He tilted his head slightly and gestured, “Come to my place… sit.”
The word “sit” was emphasized in Jiang Wang’s hoarse voice, ambiguous and faint.
It sounded like… “do.”
Standing behind the door crack, Si Yuan unconsciously dug her fingertips into her palm, her heart tightening slightly.
“Coming or not?”
Jiang Wang’s words sounded like both a trap and a joke, but the certainty in his eyes told her—he was serious.
“I…” She opened her mouth, words of refusal swirling on the tip of her tongue.
Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow, perfectly at ease: “Not coming?”
His tone seemed to ask, “Afraid to come?”
Or rather: If you don’t come, you’re done for.
Si Yuan frowned slightly—after all these years, she was still afraid of him.
She sighed inwardly, opened the door, and followed him out.
Outside, spring sunlight was brilliant, fresh after the rain.
Somehow, it felt like Jiang Wang was leading her not just out the door, but away from the gray shadows of the past.
Si Yuan blinked, secretly glancing up at the back of this man who stood a full two heads taller than her. A corner of her heart softened for an instant.
Jiang Wang’s villa was nearly twice the size of hers, but the decor style was completely different.
Pushing the door open, they were met with the crisp scent of cedar, mingled with a faint hint of tobacco.
The entire space was dominated by black, white, and gray tones, with clean, sharp lines—much like the impression its owner gave: sharp, restrained, and untouchable.
“Make yourself at home.” Jiang Wang pointed toward the living room before heading to the dining table. “The fridge is over there, take a look.”
Si Yuan’s gaze swept across the living room, noticing several expensive jackets casually tossed on the sofa. The one on the armrest was the same one Jiang Wang wore yesterday—the one that had caught her hair.
“What are you looking at so intently?” Jiang Wang’s voice suddenly sounded close to her ear.
Si Yuan snapped back to reality, realizing he had somehow ended up standing right behind her, very close.
She hurriedly took a step forward, feeling somewhat guilty. “N-nothing.”
Jiang Wang followed her previous line of sight, his eyes landing on that jacket. The corner of his lips quirked up slightly, but he said nothing.
“Jiang Shao.” Si Yuan quickly walked toward the kitchen, changing the subject. “What would you like to eat?”
Jiang Wang lazily followed her. “Anything’s fine.”
When Si Yuan opened the refrigerator, she was stunned by the well-stocked contents.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, quality meats, various dairy products… This didn’t look like the fridge of a solitary young master.
She couldn’t help turning back. “Do you usually cook?”
“The housekeeper stocks it.” Jiang Wang leaned against the kitchen island, casually picking up an apple to toss. “I don’t often eat at home.”
Si Yuan nodded, selecting a few eggs, bacon, and toast. “How about something simple, then?”
“Up to you.” Jiang Wang took a bite of the apple.
Si Yuan started cooking.
She heated the frying pan, poured in a little oil, and cracked in the eggs. The sizzling sound was particularly clear in the quiet kitchen.
“You…”
Si Yuan noticed Jiang Wang was standing too close—so close that if she leaned back even slightly, she would bump into his chest.
She wanted to remind him but didn’t know how to phrase it.
Jiang Wang had always been very measured and maintained clear boundaries. Even during those transactional nights between them back then, he knew when to stop, never revealing a hint of extra emotion.
He certainly never offered intimacy.
So why now…
“Flip it.”
Jiang Wang’s low voice reminded her.
Si Yuan finally snapped back to reality, hastily flipping the fried egg with flustered movements, her heartbeat racing uncontrollably.
After all, the current scene was somewhat too bizarre.
They hadn’t seen each other for five years, and this was only their second meeting—yet here they were sharing a kitchen to make breakfast like long-term partners?
“Should I heat the milk?” she attempted to change the subject.
“Mhm.” Jiang Wang had already stepped back, sitting at the dining table with his cheeks propped in his hands, resembling an elementary school student waiting for a meal. “Add honey—I like it sweet.”
Si Yuan froze for a moment, then frowned strangely and chuckled.
The feared heir of the Jiang family in Hai City’s business world actually preferred honey milk for breakfast?
“What’s so funny?” Jiang Wang narrowed his eyes.
“Nothing.” Si Yuan pressed her lips together, pouring the warmed milk into a cup and stirring in a spoonful of honey. “Here.”
“Sit.” Jiang Wang pointed to the chair opposite him.
Si Yuan hesitated. “I’m actually not hungry…”
“Little neighbor.” Jiang Wang set down his cup, locking eyes with her. “If you’ve made it, you have to eat it. Are you going to waste food?”
His gaze was too sharp, as if it could see right through all her thoughts.
Si Yuan surrendered, slowly sitting down and picking up a slice of toast to nibble on.
Jiang Wang ate in silence, neither of them speaking.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window, casting dappled shadows between them.
For a moment, only the soft clinking of cutlery could be heard.
So quiet.
Surprisingly, Si Yuan felt her heart grow calm too.
…
But the next second, Si Yuan’s phone suddenly rang.
It was Song Yan calling.
The phone lay right in the middle of the table, so Jiang Wang saw it too.
Jiang Wang stared at the characters “Song Yan” on Si Yuan’s phone screen, his eyes instantly turning cold.
He frowned impatiently and slammed his milk cup back onto the table.
The noise was rather loud, startling Si Yuan.
Si Yuan startled too easily, yet Jiang Wang always seemed to startle her.
The phone kept ringing, so Si Yuan had no choice but to answer. “Hello, Ge?”
On the other end, Song Yan’s voice was gentle. “Xiao Yuan, since you just returned to the country and might find it inconvenient, I’ve sent someone to pick you up and bring you home.”