Morning light seeped sparingly through the gaps in the heavy curtains, releasing the bedroom from pure darkness and tinting it with a hazy gray-blue.
Li Yanzhou’s biological clock precisely woke him at six-thirty.
The moment his consciousness returned, the first thing he felt was not the softness of the mattress beneath him, nor the slight chill of the morning, but the familiar sense of restraint on his body.
He tilted his head slightly and glanced down.
Sure enough, Wen Yan was “koala-hugging” him again.
This time, she seemed to be sleeping even more soundly than before—and more… unrestrained.
She had almost rolled completely onto her side, one arm draped boldly across his waist, her cheek pressed against his arm. Her breathing was long and steady, her warm breath brushing against his exposed skin.
A few strands of her long hair lay scattered on his pillow, carrying the faint scent of shampoo.
This time, Li Yanzhou found that he had also slept surprisingly deeply, not even waking up midway from this sudden “koala hug.”
It was only now, upon waking, that he realized he had once again been turned into a “human-shaped pillow.”
He didn’t move immediately, just lay quietly, feeling the weight of her arm around his waist and the warmth of her cheek pressed against him.
In the faint morning light, he could see the shallow shadows cast by her long eyelashes beneath her eyes. She slept without a hint of guard, even with a childlike dependence.
The embarrassment and suppressed tears from last night’s banquet seemed to have dissipated with her deep sleep.
He watched her for a few seconds, then carefully and very slowly lifted his arm. With his other hand, he gently grasped her wrist where it rested on his waist, attempting to move her arm away.
In her sleep, Wen Yan seemed to sense that her “pillow” was trying to escape. She mumbled discontentedly, not only refusing to let go but instinctively tightening her arm and snuggling closer to him.
Li Yanzhou: “…”
He paused, waiting for her to settle back into steady, even breathing before trying again.
This time, he was even gentler, gradually peeling her arm away from his waist while slowly shifting his body to the other side.
The entire process was time-consuming and laborious, comparable to performing a delicate surgical procedure.
By the time he finally freed himself, a thin layer of sweat had even formed on his temples.
He glanced back at the bed.
Having lost her “pillow,” Wen Yan seemed uneasy. She frowned in her sleep, her arm groping around the bed until she finally hugged the pillow beside her. She nuzzled against it and fell back into a deep sleep.
Watching this, Li Yanzhou shook his head, a slight tug at the corner of his mouth.
Barefoot on the soft carpet, he walked to the window and pulled the curtains open a little wider, letting in more morning light but avoiding direct exposure to the bed.
Then, he picked up the wristwatch he had left on the nightstand the previous night and put it on. Moving to the desk, he pulled out a sticky note, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote a few lines.
After finishing, he walked into the bathroom with almost no sound at all.
Washing up, shaving… Throughout the entire process, he deliberately kept his movements light, even turning the faucet to the smallest flow to avoid making too much noise.
After tidying up, he took one last look at Wen Yan, who was still sleeping soundly in bed. His gaze lingered for a moment on her profile as she hugged the pillow, then he turned and gently closed the bedroom door.
Downstairs in the villa, in the open-plan kitchen.
Li Yanzhou skillfully prepared a simple breakfast—fruit salad, sandwiches, and warm milk.
He carefully sealed Wen Yan’s portion with plastic wrap and placed it in a conspicuous spot next to the microwave.
He then checked the coffee maker, confirming there was enough coffee beans and water inside.
After finishing all this, he finally left the villa.
A little past nine in the morning, the piercing ring of a phone shattered the tranquility of the master bedroom and finally pulled Wen Yan out of her deep sleep.
Groggily, she reached for her phone and pressed the answer button before her eyes were even fully open.
“Hello…” Her voice was thick with sleep and hoarseness.
“Yanbao! Are you up yet?” Su Wan’s energetic voice immediately burst through the line. “We agreed to meet at the mall entrance at ten! Don’t tell me you’re still sleeping?”
Wen Yan rubbed her eyes and looked out the window. The sunlight was already quite bright.
She struggled to sit up, realizing she had somehow ended up hugging the pillow.
“Just woke up…” She yawned. “Slept pretty heavily last night.”
“Hehe, newlyweds, I get it, I get it!” Su Wan chuckled mischievously on the other end.
“By the way, is that CEO Li of yours home?”
Wen Yan glanced around the empty, quiet bedroom and listened for any sounds outside—complete silence.
“No, he’s gone to the company,” she replied.
“To the company? Working this hard even on the weekend?” Su Wan clicked her tongue, then grew excited again. “Well, that’s perfect! Send me your address. I’ll drive over to pick you up. We can head out from your place, and let me take a tour of CEO Li’s mansion while I’m at it!”
Wen Yan hesitated for a moment.
Let Su Wan come to the house? Li Yanzhou didn’t seem to like outsiders entering his private space… But Su Wan was her best friend, and he wasn’t home today anyway…
“Alright,” she finally agreed. “I’ll send you the location. Ring the doorbell when you get here.”
“Great! Wait for me!” Su Wan cheerfully hung up.
Wen Yan put down her phone and stretched.
Just as she was about to get out of bed, her gaze inadvertently fell on her bedside table.
There was a pale yellow sticky note there.
Curious, she picked it up.
On the paper were several lines of bold, clear, and neat handwriting:
“I made breakfast for you. It’s in the kitchen next to the microwave. Heat it up and eat after you get up. Be careful when you go out. Call if you need anything. —Li”
Wen Yan held the sticky note, a wave of incredibly complex emotions washing over her.
He had made breakfast and left her a note.
This simple message stirred a sense of disorientation in her even more than his forceful protection at last night’s banquet.
She carefully placed the sticky note back on the bedside table and got out of bed.
Walking into the kitchen, she indeed saw the breakfast plate sealed with plastic wrap, with a glass of poured milk beside it.
She placed the sandwich and milk in the microwave to heat up. As the machine hummed softly, her gaze drifted uncontrollably toward the bright sunlight outside the window and the trees standing quietly in the courtyard.
A new day had begun.
There was the light anticipation of her best friend’s visit, the excitement of exploring a new mall, and a faint warmth lingering in her heart.
The microwave beeped, interrupting her train of thought.
The aroma of the sandwich filled the air.
She picked up the plate, walked to the dining table, and sat down.
Better fill my stomach first, she told herself.
Then, when Su Wan arrives, we can enjoy this rare moment of leisure together.