As they stepped out of the racecourse, Assistant Jin was already waiting by the roadside with the car.
He froze for a moment when he saw them—hand in hand. In all the years he had worked for his boss, this was the first time he had ever seen him holding a woman’s hand.
Wanyi bent down and slipped into the open back seat.
Still dressed in her formal gown from the day, she could only gather the hem carefully and sit with utmost caution. The dress was stunning—clearly expensive beyond her means. If it were damaged, she knew she could never afford to replace it.
Noticing how stiffly she sat beside him, Shen Yuxun gently drew her closer, letting her lean against him.
“Tired?” he murmured, lowering his head. His warm breath brushed against her forehead. He caught a faint, clean floral scent from her—nothing like the heavy, cloying perfumes other women wore.
“No,” she muttered, though there was an unconscious hint of soft complaint in her tone, almost like a spoiled child.
Up front, Assistant Jin focused intently on driving, not daring to glance back.
“Are we going back tomorrow?” Wanyi asked, a trace of reluctance in her voice. Everything here felt like a dream—would it all vanish once they returned, leaving things as they were before?
“Don’t want to go back?” Shen Yuxun pressed a gentle kiss to her smooth forehead, his voice so soft it seemed afraid to disturb the moment.
“A little,” she admitted, her tone light but carrying an innocent charm.
“I have something to take care of tomorrow morning. I’ll spend the afternoon with you, alright?” He rubbed her bare shoulder, noticing the slight chill, and instinctively tightened his hold. “If you don’t want to leave, I can have Assistant Jin change the tickets to the day after.”
“Mm… no, it’s fine. I shouldn’t make special arrangements.”
“Alright. Next time you want to come, just tell me.”
When they got out of the car, the air still carried a hint of cold. Shen Yuxun removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
After walking her back to her room, he lingered at the door, softly wishing her goodnight and reminding her to apply her medicine before turning to leave.
Wanyi closed the door behind her and leaned against it, eyes shut.
She replayed everything that had happened today—
His warmth.
His hands.
His kiss.
It had all felt so natural.
So… were they really together now?
It was hard to believe.
She unwrapped the gauze around her foot. After two days, the wound had mostly healed. It had only been a small cut to begin with—hardly needing bandaging at all.
With a cotton swab, she gently applied antiseptic.
It should be almost healed by now.
Back in his room, Shen Yuxun received a call from Gu Cheng.
“Young Master Shen,” Gu Cheng’s voice came through, barely concealing his amusement, “I hear you’ve been spotted at the Hong Kong racecourse, dating a beauty. The paparazzi got photos.”
“You’re quite free, checking gossip,” Shen Yuxun replied, unsurprised. After kissing her in such a public place, he had already anticipated the consequences.
“Traveling all that way for a secret rendezvous? Planning to keep a beauty hidden away?”
“Nothing secret about it,” he said lazily, lighting a cigarette.
“When are you bringing her around for us to see?”
“We’ll talk after I’m back.” His circle of friends could be unruly—he didn’t want to scare her.
“You’ve made quite a stir. The news has already spread in our circle. I heard before that you took a beauty to dinner at the club—I thought it was nonsense. Didn’t expect you to be serious this time.” Gu Cheng paused, then added, “Be careful. Your old man probably knows by now.”
“Mm.” Shen Wenliang’s temper was something he understood well. When the time came, they would need to have a proper conversation.
“What about the new phase of the Hong Kong resort expansion? Still investing?”
“Negotiations are nearly done.” The final agreement would be settled tomorrow morning; the contract terms were already drafted.
“I heard Chen Zhang is planning to join in too. And that plot of land in the east of the city—sounds like he’s been making moves behind the scenes.”
“Him?” Shen Yuxun scoffed faintly. “He doesn’t have the capability.” Chen Zhang had only gotten this far through family connections. A project requiring such massive capital was far beyond him.
Taking a deep drag of his cigarette, Shen Yuxun ended the call.
When Wanyi woke up, daylight had already filled the room.
She picked up her phone—9 a.m.
It had been a long time since she’d slept so peacefully.
Her phone rang.
“Wanyi, come have breakfast,” Anna’s voice called.
“Okay.”
After a quick wash, Wanyi headed to the seaside restaurant on the first floor.
It was her first time dining there.
Standing by the buffet, she picked something simple—orange juice and a sandwich. The juice was chilled, sweet and tangy, just the way she liked it.
She carried her tray and sat across from Anna.
“Sleeping in today?” Anna teased.
“The hotel bed is too comfortable.”
“Our flight’s in the afternoon. Why don’t we go look around this morning?”
“Sure.” She had nothing planned anyway.
“Can you swim?”
“A little.” She had learned as a child, though not well—just enough to keep from drowning.
“Then after breakfast, let’s change into swimsuits and meet by the pool.”
The weather was perfect—ideal for a swim.
The hotel had a heated infinity pool by the sea, perfect for photos.
After changing, Wanyi settled onto a lounge chair by the pool. The sun was bright, so she wore sunglasses and a wide-brimmed straw hat, every bit the picture of a vacationer.
“Wanyi!” Anna’s voice drew closer.
Wanyi turned and saw her approaching—with a man about their age following behind. He wore swim trunks and black sunglasses, exuding a cool, distant air.
“Anna.” Wanyi waved as they came nearer.
“This is Tom, a good friend of mine here in Hong Kong. And this is my assistant, Wanyi,” Anna introduced. “We’re leaving this afternoon, so you’ve got to show us locals a good time.”
“Hello, Wanyi. Welcome to Hong Kong.” Tom extended his hand with a smile, his cold aura instantly dissolving—he seemed much warmer than he first appeared.
“Thank you.”
Wanyi wore a blue-and-white swimsuit patterned like an oil painting, paired with a light white cover-up. Beneath the flowing fabric, her legs appeared long and slender. Her bare, fair feet brushed against the poolside as she walked—effortlessly drawing attention without even trying.
She hesitated at the edge, a little afraid to step into the deeper water.
“Come on!” Anna called out to her from the pool, waving enthusiastically. The sea, the sky, the shimmering blue water—everything felt perfectly in place.
Wanyi gripped the handrails on either side, moving clumsily, afraid she might slip. Slowly, she eased herself into the water.
Seeing her struggle, Tom stepped closer and gently supported her arm from behind.
“Thank you… I haven’t swum in a long time,” she said, a little embarrassed, feeling like an inexperienced amateur among them.
Tom was tall and broad-shouldered, his toned chest glistening under the sunlight. His voice carried a distinct Hong Kong accent.
There were only a few people scattered around the pool. In a playful mood, Anna began splashing water toward Wanyi.
Wanyi raised her arms to shield herself, but her hair was quickly soaked. Laughing, she switched hands and splashed back.
Soon, water flew everywhere, laughter echoing across the pool—men and women caught up in carefree play.
When Shen Yuxun stepped out of the car, this was the scene that greeted him.
Men and women laughing, splashing, carefree—
And among them, the woman who had been in his arms just the night before.
He hadn’t known she could smile like that—so bright, so unguarded.
One hand slipped into the pocket of his suit trousers, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His dark eyes fixed unwaveringly on the pool. Yet the smile never reached them—instead, something sharper flickered beneath, a quiet, dangerous edge as he walked closer.
“Wanwan.”
He stood at the edge of the pool, looking down at her.
He wore a crisp white shirt, a silk-patterned tie, his suit jacket draped over his arm—as if he had just stepped out of a meeting.
“Mr… Mr. Shen.” Wanyi turned, her voice soft.
She could feel the weight in his presence—low, restrained. Has the meeting gone badly?
She climbed out of the pool, grabbing a towel from the lounge chair and drying her dripping hair.
But he seemed impatient. Taking hold of her wrist, he pulled her toward the hotel without a word.
“What’s wrong?” she asked quietly, sensing his urgency.
He led her straight into the elevator, all the way up to the top-floor room.
The moment the door shut, his kiss came down on her—sudden, overwhelming.
“Mm—”
Startled, Wanyi pushed against his chest, trying to make him stop, to calm him.
But she didn’t understand men well enough.
The more she resisted, the more relentless he became.
His lips moved from hers, trailing down along her jaw, her chin, to her neck. His breath burned against her skin, making her shrink slightly from the ticklish heat.
“Did you have fun?” he murmured against her ear, his voice low, thick with something darker. The warmth of his breath sent a shiver through her.
“Fun…” she answered instinctively, confused, not understanding what had upset him.
The moment the words left her lips, he kissed her again.
This time it felt almost like punishment—his lips pressing firmly against hers, teeth grazing lightly.
The faint sting mixed with an unfamiliar sensation, leaving her unsettled.
“Mr. Shen…” she whispered softly, hoping he would stop.
“Still calling me ‘Mr. Shen’?”
He lifted his head, dark eyes locking onto hers, searching—as if trying to read something hidden deep within.
“Shen… Yuxun…” she breathed, the name coming out unsteady. It was the first time she had called him that.
“Wanwan… was it fun, being with another man?”
He lowered his head again, his lips brushing against her delicate collarbone and the curve of her shoulder.
Her cover-up had slipped away during the struggle, leaving only the thin straps of her swimsuit barely clinging to her shoulders.
His hand moved over her shoulder and arm, and she trembled slightly.
So that was it—
He was angry because of that.
“He’s Anna’s friend. I don’t even know him,” Wanyi said, tilting her head back slightly, lightly tapping his shoulder. The sensation of his touch made her feel strangely restless, like a thousand tiny sparks dancing across her skin.
“You looked like you were enjoying yourself.”
His breath warmed the thin fabric over her chest, as if the heat seeped straight into her heart, igniting something she couldn’t name.
“I was just waiting for you to come back.”
She sounded almost like an innocent wife, gently complaining to a jealous husband.
Looking at her—her eyes faintly reddened—Shen Yuxun suddenly realized he had frightened her.
“My fault.”
He released her quickly, afraid that if he went any further, he would lose control completely.
It wasn’t time yet.
“…You’re awful,” Wanyi choked out, tears welling up instead, her voice breaking as the tension spilled over.
He pulled her back into his arms, this time gently, protectively. His hand moved soothingly along her slender back, her skin smooth and cool beneath his touch.
“My fault,” he murmured again near her ear.
For a moment—just that moment—when he saw her smiling at another man, he had truly lost his composure.
That wasn’t like him.
Wanyi clung to his shoulder, sobbing softly, like a lost kitten making small, helpless sounds.
Something in his chest tightened painfully.
He realized then—
When it came to this woman, he had no defenses at all.
Carrying her over, he sat down on the wide, comfortable sofa, holding her in his arms.
Then he crouched slightly, lifting her foot to examine it.
“The doctor said not to get it wet. Did you forget so quickly?” His tone was stern.
“Mm… it’s almost healed,” Wanyi replied, a little guilty.
He rested her pale foot on his knee, studying the wound on her sole.
After being soaked, her skin looked even fairer—but the wound had softened and slightly reopened at the edges.
His fingers brushed lightly over it, and she instinctively pulled back.
“Don’t move.”
He brought over fresh antiseptic, dabbing it carefully with a cotton swab.
“It’s really almost better,” she murmured, lowering her head.
“You can’t even take care of a small injury like this—how am I supposed to feel at ease leaving you alone at school?” His tone carried that familiar mix of reproach and concern.
“I’ve been doing fine at school…” she said softly. She had always managed on her own—but somehow, after hearing him say that, it felt as though her past independence had been nothing more than quiet endurance.
“If you do this again,” he said, lowering his head to gently blow on the treated wound, brow furrowed, “I’ll have no choice but to take care of you myself.”