22 – Turn Off the Light
Unlike the unexpected encounter outside the airport.
Wen Man was pressed firmly against Wen Yanchuan’s chest, his heartbeat steady and calm, completely soothing her emotions in that moment.
She had thought that hiding in Wen Yanchuan’s embrace and being comforted by him would cause her to break down in tears, releasing all her pent-up feelings. But Wen Man didn’t. She quietly listened to Wen Yanchuan’s heartbeat, and everything within her settled.
Even as she leaned against Wen Yanchuan’s chest, he maintained his gentlemanly demeanor and restraint. His arms loosely encircled Wen Man, not holding her tightly but gently creating a safe harbor for her, without overstepping any boundaries.
Wen Man was captivated by Wen Yanchuan’s gentlemanly ways.
But it was only for a moment before Wen Man withdrew from his embrace.
Wen Yanchuan glanced down at Wen Man, his voice calm. “I thought Miss Wen would cry.”
Wen Man raised an eyebrow, half-jokingly saying, “Is Mr. Wen disappointed? A mature woman like me never cries easily in front of a man.”
Wen Yanchuan chuckled softly, raising a hand to rub his temple.
The fireworks had long ended. Wen Yanchuan made a call, summoning the bearded driver back to the car.
The Maybach circled around London Bridge, gliding along the Thames River breeze, and came to a stop in front of a villa.
Wen Man stepped out of the car and surveyed the villa before her. The ancient green door was adorned with gold accents, and inside the front yard stood a cream-colored circular fountain. Surrounding it were warm white lights from standing lamps, and around the fountain lay a garden. At this time of year, nothing much was planted—only some small green trees dotted with tiny white flowers that looked like jasmine. Wen Man didn’t recognize the flower species and couldn’t tell what they were.
The entire villa was painted in white, resembling a medieval castle, standing about four or five stories tall. Small round white lights were embedded along its exterior, illuminating each other and making the villa appear to shimmer.
At the main entrance of the villa stood two cream-colored stone-carved pillars, adorned with ancient Greek-style statues from the European era. A woman’s hand rested on her shoulder, while the other supported a stone platform atop the pillar, crowned with intricate carved and hollowed decorations, looking exquisitely crafted.
Wen Man stood there for a moment, realizing this wasn’t the place where Wen Yanchuan had sent her the photo of the little snowman.
It was already past one in the morning. As Wen Yanchuan entered the villa with Wen Man, they were greeted by a row of servants who bowed slightly in greeting.
“Prepare nightwear and toiletries for Miss Wen, and arrange a bedroom for her.”
Wen Yanchuan’s English was even deeper than his usual Mandarin, spoken with a flawless London accent that Wen Man loved to hear.
He turned to Wen Man and asked, “Does Miss Wen have any specific preferences?”
Wen Man shook her head. “I’m not that particular. Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Wen.”
Wen Yanchuan responded with a low “Mm,” then turned to the servants and said, “Follow Miss Wen’s preferences.”
The villa’s servants were always efficient. Wen Yanchuan loosened two buttons on his shirt collar, tilting his head slightly as he looked down at Wen Man. “Would you like a tour?”
Wen Man looked at the furnishings in the first-floor hall. The beige staircase featured a gold-carved handrail, semi-circular and wrapping around both sides of the hall. The chandelier on the ceiling was adorned with crystal glass pendants, with oval light bulbs resembling candles. The walls were covered in European-style murals.
Wen Man felt as if she had stepped into a royal castle, as opulent as the European palaces she had seen in movies. At this moment, she shouldn’t be wearing a turtleneck base layer and a coat but rather a crinoline dress with a voluminous skirt.
She bit her lip, truly feeling Wen Yanchuan’s “wealth” for the first time.
After the servants had everything prepared, they escorted Wen Man to the guest room to freshen up and rest. Having flown overnight and endured a whole evening of exhaustion, she finally relaxed upon entering the room.
The servants had thoughtfully filled the bathtub with water and a bath bomb for Wen Man. Foam bubbled up like clouds, while a lit scented candle and a decanted glass of red wine sat nearby.
Even after finishing her bath and lying on the soft, spacious bed, Wen Man still hadn’t fully processed everything.
It all felt like a dream—too surreal, too unreal.
Before Wen Man could ponder further, a burning pain and itchiness spread across her waist.
Unable to resist, she scratched the area a couple of times, and pain instantly surged. She clenched her lips and gasped sharply.
She lifted herself up, thinking something might be on the bed. Wen Man leaned over the bed, feeling the silk quilt—smooth and flawless, with nothing amiss.
The sensation on her lower back gradually intensified. Wen Man examined herself in the bathroom mirror for a long time, but the mirror was too high—even at her height of 1.7 meters, she had to stand on tiptoe.
Yet, after looking for a while, Wen Man still couldn’t locate the source of the pain.
After much deliberation, Wen Man finally took out her phone and opened WeChat.
Manman: 【Mr. Wen, are you asleep?】
Almost instantly, a reply came from the other end.
Wen: 【What’s wrong?】
Wen Man bit her lip, her cheeks flushing slightly: 【May I come see you?】
Wen: 【?】
Wen Man quickly explained, her fingers flying across the screen, afraid Wen Yanchuan might misunderstand.
Manman: 【I think I’m having an allergic reaction, but I can’t see it myself. Could you take a look for me, Mr. Wen?】
No reply came for a long time after the message was sent. Wen Man’s ears flushed red, and she wanted to retract the message, but it was already too late.
The next second, a knock sounded at the door.
Wen Man froze, then got up and opened the door.
The familiar scent of cedar greeted her. Wen Yanchuan had changed into loungewear—black silk fabric that looked incredibly soft, clinging to his frame without the restraint of a suit or shirt. Wen Man was momentarily stunned, as if seeing a different side of Wen Yanchuan for the first time.
“Mr. Wen, sorry to disturb you…”
Wen Yanchuan studied Wen Man. The nightgown prepared by the servants was a champagne-colored silk slip dress with a hem that brushed against her snow-white skin just above the knees. The waist was slightly cinched, hinting at Wen Man’s hourglass figure.
After her bath, Wen Man looked fresh and delicate, her usual glamour softened. Her long hair cascaded down to her waist, appearing fluffy and smooth.
A name instantly flashed through Wen Yanchuan’s mind: Rapunzel.
Wen Yanchuan’s voice was low as he asked, “Where is the allergic reaction?”
Wen Man felt a bit embarrassed, her hands clasped tightly behind her back. Wen Yanchuan was still standing at the doorway, not having entered. She lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum.
“Mr. Wen, please come in.”
Mr. Wen was taken aback, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes.
Wen Man lowered her head even further, turning to walk into the room, her voice barely audible.
“Turn off the lights…”