Xie Guanlan had originally intended to return to the villa, but halfway there, he had the driver turn around and bring him here instead.
He actually couldn’t stop worrying about Yin Shuyang.
The suite was quiet, but unlike his usual visits, the cushions on the sofa were no longer neatly arranged, the TV remote lay discarded on the couch, and a fruit platter sat on the coffee table—adding a touch of liveliness.
At this hour, she should be asleep.
Xie Guanlan didn’t disturb Yin Shuyang and instead headed toward his own room.
He pushed the door open, turned on the light, and walked inside.
On the usually smooth bed, there was now a slight bulge in the center. A slender, pale leg peeked out from under the light gray blanket, and silky black hair covered half of her face.
The scene was peaceful and serene, evoking a feeling of home—like a doting wife waiting for her husband to return from a social engagement, only to fall asleep while waiting.
She stirred slightly, and Xie Guanlan held his breath, instinctively stepping back.
Seeing she hadn’t woken, he tiptoed over, retrieved a set of pajamas from the walk-in closet, and walked back out.
“Brother Xie~”
Xie Guanlan turned around with the clothes in hand, meeting Yin Shuyang’s gaze as she propped herself up, fighting off sleepiness.
She rubbed her eyes, and they instantly lit up. She jumped off the bed barefoot and rushed over to him, excitedly wrapping her arms around him. “You’re back!!”
“I thought I was seeing things…”
Xie Guanlan’s body stiffened, not daring to react, though his breathing grew slightly heavier. His dark eyes fixed intently on her.
After a moment, Yin Shuyang slowly released him, awkwardly clasping her hands behind her back. She explained softly, “I was scared alone. I thought you weren’t coming back, so… I slept in your room. It smells like you here, and it felt like you were with me, so I wasn’t afraid anymore…”
Xie Guanlan tightened his grip on the pajamas, his tone as calm and steady as ever. “If you’re scared, go home to sleep.”
Yin Shuyang turned around, straightened his bed, walked up to him, and bowed. “Alright, then I’m sorry.”
She was on the verge of tears as she left the room.
Kicking her out in the middle of the night—how cruel.
Didn’t he know it wasn’t safe for a girl to go out at this hour?
Xie Guanlan stood still for a few minutes, tilted his head slightly, loosened his tie with one hand, and headed to the bathroom.
After his shower, he stared at the neatly made bed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and felt an inexplicable unease.
When he stepped out of the room, he saw the living room brightly lit. Yin Shuyang had changed into the dress washed by the housekeeper and put on the high heels she’d arrived in. She was crouching in the hallway, hugging her knees.
She looked just like a little kitten abandoned by its owner—pitiful and helpless.
“Yangyang.”
Yin Shuyang looked up, her moist eyes meeting his. Tears instantly welled up at the corners of her eyes, two clear streams tracing down her cheeks and hanging from her chin.
She slowly stood up, wiping away her tears. “I don’t know if it’s safe to go out and hail a taxi at this hour… I’m a little scared…”
“I didn’t mean for you to leave now,” Xie Guanlan explained.
Yin Shuyang leaned weakly against the wall. “What’s the difference between leaving tomorrow and leaving now~”
There was a big difference.
It was the middle of the night.
Xie Guanlan strode over. Thankfully, he had come out to check. If he hadn’t, would Yin Shuyang have crouched by the door until dawn?
She was quite stubborn.
Her temperament was nothing like the clever and perceptive Yin Shujun.
He said firmly, “Go back to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Since I’m going to be kicked out tomorrow anyway, I’ll just stay here~” Yin Shuyang wiped her tears, looking utterly pitiful.
Xie Guanlan directly scooped her up in his arms. “Kick off your high heels.”
Yin Shuyang obediently kicked off her high heels.
Xie Guanlan carried her toward the guest room.
Yin Shuyang wrapped her arms around his neck, wiping her tears on his pajamas. “I’m sorry. If you mind, I’ll wash the bedsheets for you tomorrow~”
“I told my mom today that I went traveling. If you kick me out, I’ll have to stay in a hotel for a few days.”
“A girl like me, staying alone in a hotel—I wonder if it’s safe~”
“My brother is away on a business trip and hasn’t returned yet~”
Xie Guanlan placed her on the bed. “Don’t enter my room. You can go anywhere else. I’ll allow you to stay.”
She never knew her potential until she played the innocent card.
Tonight, she successfully stirred Xie Guanlan’s concern.
“Should I still wash the bedsheets?”
A pampered young lady who had never washed her own bedsheets at home, now running to another man’s house to wash his bedsheets?
Xie Guanlan leaned down, his deep, dark eyes meeting hers. “Yin Shuyang, whether you like me or other men, washing bedsheets is not something you need to do. The lavish, carefree life a young lady leads before marriage should remain the same after falling in love and after marriage. Don’t lower your quality of life. Don’t try to do things you normally wouldn’t just to impress a man. Men aren’t moved by such trivial matters.”
Yin Shuyang softly hummed in agreement. “I wouldn’t like other men. I only like you—love at first sight! That day when you and my brother came out of the airport, you looked so handsome! You’re still so handsome now…”
Xie Guanlan’s ears flushed red. That handsome, aloof face of his actually showed a hint of desire.
Was it her imagination?
Yin Shuyang blinked, her eyes still misty with unshed tears, the corners tinged with red as she pitifully stared at Xie Guanlan’s sensual thin lips.
If only she could kiss them.
Then her mood would surely lift.
Xie Guanlan didn’t like her, so he definitely wouldn’t let her kiss him.
A kiss on the cheek would do, or the neck, or the collarbone~
She just wanted a kiss~
Xie Guanlan sensed the ambiguous meaning in Yin Shuyang’s shifting gaze. He tugged at the collar of his pajamas and straightened up. “Go wash your face before sleeping.”
Crying had turned her into a little mess. Not washing her face would surely make her uncomfortable tomorrow.
Yin Shuyang tugged at the hem of his clothes. “At home, when I cry, my brother always washes my face for me.”
“Are you treating me like your brother?”
“No! Like my future husband.” Yin Shuyang smiled softly and sweetly. “Shouldn’t a future husband take care of his wife~”
Had her little brain forgotten that she had been rejected?
But now, Xie Guanlan truly couldn’t bring himself to refuse such a simple request.
He needed to comfort the little kitten, make her sleep obediently, and stop causing trouble.
Xie Guanlan went to fetch a damp towel, but he had no experience wiping someone else’s face.
Yin Shuyang obediently tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and waited. Perhaps feeling uneasy, her eyelashes kept fluttering, trembling like a butterfly about to take flight.
Xie Guanlan was careful not to hurt her, gently and lightly wiping her face a few times. “Done.”
“Not yet, wipe a few more times.”
She wasn’t wearing makeup—just a few streaks of tears.
Xie Guanlan wiped a few more times. Yin Shuyang’s little face was fair and tender, slightly red around the eyes from crying, yet exceptionally beautiful.
She slowly opened her eyes, her beautiful, clear eyes revealing a gentle smile—not aloof at all. Xie Guanlan was very gentle.
This contrast made her like him even more. What should she do!
“Thank you~”
“Sleep well.” Xie Guanlan turned and left.
Only after stepping out of the guest room did he realize he had accidentally taken the towel with him.
It was inconvenient for him to go back, so he carried the towel to his own room and lay down on the bed where Yin Shuyang had slept. Threads of her delicate, refreshing fragrance enveloped him.