The elevator takes about a minute to ascend from the basement level to the 46th floor without stopping.
Pei Yuexuan had never felt this minute to be so long.
Today, it was particularly unbearable.
Some women become arrogant because they are spoiled.
While other women are born delicate.
The whole world should naturally revolve around her, and everyone should dote on her.
Xia Zhi, being carefully held in Pei Yuexuan’s arms and protected by him, didn’t see any problem with it.
She had no strength, couldn’t walk steadily in high heels,
and her close big brother had offered to carry her upstairs—this should be his honor.
Xia Zhi found a comfortable angle, gently resting her head against Pei Yuexuan’s chest, calm and lazy.
The elevator in this high-end residential building had clear inner walls, like several mirrors put together.
Pei Yuexuan didn’t dare to look at the woman in his arms, so he fixed his gaze on the reflection in front of him.
Xia Zhi’s bare height was only 170 cm. Even in high heels, her forehead only reached Pei Yuexuan’s chin.
Slender and soft, her skin was snow-white all over, glowing even in the mirror.
Her waist was so slim it seemed it could be held in one hand, and even her shoulders were exceptionally adorable.
Held in the tall man’s arms, the contrast in their physiques was magnified.
The contrast between ruggedness and delicacy was particularly stimulating to the eyes.
Due to the car ride, Xia Zhi’s dress was slightly wrinkled and messy.
The hem of her skirt slid down the middle of her thighs because of the angle she was being carried, boldly revealing a pair of long, straight legs.
Her long legs rested on the man’s sturdy arms, casually crossed, unintentionally rising and falling slightly with her breathing.
The skirt beneath her hung lightly, brushing against his suit pants,
more like brushing against the man’s heart.
Pei Yuexuan withdrew his gaze, not even daring to look at the reflections in the elevator anymore.
But Xia Zhi remained completely unaware.
She nestled softly in the man’s arms, her slender fingers idly playing with the logo on his shirt collar.
Her fingertips traced the embroidery pattern, stroking it aimlessly.
The muscles beneath the fabric couldn’t help but tense up.
…
“Ahem…”
Pei Yuexuan spoke up, feeling that if he didn’t say something, his breathing would give him away.
“Rere, are you hungry?”
“Mhm.”
“What would you like to eat? Shanghainese cuisine?”
“No, too greasy…”
Even her picky demeanor seemed adorable to the man.
After thinking for a moment, he asked again, “Then… Cantonese cuisine?”
Xia Zhi nodded lightly, “Sure.”
Her hair brushed against his chest, tickling him exceptionally.
Pei Yuexuan pretended to be composed,
“There’s no staff here. I’ll have the chef from Yunfeng Restaurant come to cook.”
The woman in his arms looked indifferent, not finding this troublesome at all.
She casually replied,
“Okay.”
“Brother Yuexuan, aren’t you going to the company today?”
Once home, Xia Zhi curled up on the sofa.
She turned on the TV and randomly selected a variety show.
The man took off his jacket and loosened his collar with one hand,
“Not going today.”
Xia Zhi was a bit surprised, “I heard from Yu Huan that you’re swamped with work…”
The man nodded, smiling nonchalantly,
“Work doesn’t have to be done at the company.”
Implying that he could work from home.
Xia Zhi turned her head to look at Pei Yuexuan, who was fetching juice for her from the fridge.
Two years ago, Pei Yuexuan graduated from Fudan University and immediately took over a subsidiary of the Pei Group as its CEO.
In those two years, he led the subsidiary to go public, increasing its market value by over a hundredfold.
At just 25 years old, Pei Yuexuan was already one of the most promising and shrewd business magnates in S City.
Yet, the Pei Group was waiting for him to inherit it.
And he was devastatingly handsome.
Moreover, he maintained a clean reputation, with no women ever by his side.
Xia Zhi tilted her face upward and praised sincerely,
“Brother Yuexuan, you’re really amazing.”
“Heh…”
Pei Yuexuan chuckled softly.
With his right hand, he handed her a glass of orange juice, while his left hand gently stroked her hair,
“I’m honored you think so.”
The gentlemanly humility cultivated since childhood inadvertently exuded a hint of sensuality.
Xia Zhi didn’t take the glass. Instead, she leaned forward and took a sip directly from his hand.
Pei Yuexuan was momentarily stunned, then carefully adjusted the angle of the glass to let her take another sip of juice.
After drinking, the delicate woman leaned back, licking the sweet and tangy residue from her lips.
She continued the earlier topic, praising,
“I wasn’t just being polite. I really think Brother Yuexuan is incredible, truly remarkable.”
Pei Yuexuan glanced at her lips, then turned away, finishing the remaining juice in the glass in one gulp.
“Rere, don’t praise men like that in the future.”
“What?”
“…Never mind…”
The ringing of a phone broke the brief, delicate warmth.
Pei Yuexuan answered the call, his eyes still fixed on Xia Zhi’s face,
“Yes, we can finalize it… Prepare for a video conference in ten minutes… Send me the materials…”
Once he started talking about work, an invisible aura seemed to envelop him, giving off an unattainable air.
Come to think of it, Pei Yuexuan always appeared unattainable in front of others.
Only in front of Xia Zhi would he willingly lower his guard.
It was just that… Xia Zhi had been spoiled and indulged by everyone around her, so no one found it strange.
Xia Zhi waved at Pei Yuexuan,
“Brother Yuexuan, go ahead with your meeting. Lend me your computer.”
The man went to the study and brought back a silver laptop, casually asking,
“Looking up something?”
Xia Zhi nodded, “I’m browsing Fudan University’s forum… Oh, right, you graduated from Fudan. Do you have the link?”
Pei Yuexuan crouched beside the sofa, helping her turn on the computer,
“It should be in the bookmarks… Yes, this one.”
After opening the webpage, he turned the laptop toward Xia Zhi,
“Rere, why are you interested in Fudan?”
Xia Zhi propped herself up with her elbows, leaning over the computer and staring at the screen.
She replied, “I’m not going back to England. I’m coming back to study at Fudan.”
A few seconds passed without a response from the man. Puzzled, she looked up and saw Pei Yuexuan frozen in place.
She waved a hand in front of his eyes, “Brother Yuexuan?”
Pei Yuexuan snapped back to reality and stood up.
He said lightly, “That’s good.”
Turning to walk toward the study, he couldn’t help but let a smile curl at the corner of his lips.
Pei Yuexuan’s apartment was exceptionally spacious and open. The two of them occupied separate corners, able to see each other but not disturb one another.
Xia Zhi curled up on the sofa, casually scrolling through the forum while watching a variety show, completely at ease.
Pei Yuexuan, on the other hand, was all business, attending meetings and handling work, occasionally glancing in Xia Zhi’s direction.
Their coexistence was harmonious.
Before long, Assistant Wang entered, leading a group of chefs dressed in white uniforms and hats. They tiptoed into the kitchen to prepare the meal.
Once finished, they quietly left, leaving only the fragrant aroma of food lingering in the air.
Xia Zhi and Pei Yuexuan sat facing each other at the dining table, eating in silence.
After putting down her chopsticks and taking a sip of the refreshing coconut flower gum soup, Xia Zhi finally spoke,
“Brother Yuexuan, why is your forum account name ‘Provoking Poets to Play with the Moon’?”
“Ahem…”
The elegant young master nearly choked on his food.
A flicker of regret passed through Pei Yuexuan’s eyes. He hadn’t expected his old account to automatically log in.
And he felt… a flush of embarrassment at his past frivolity.
“I don’t remember. It was probably the system’s default name,” he replied.
“Oh, I see~”
Xia Zhi looked into his eyes, smiling brightly.
“My name and Brother Yuexuan’s name are in the same line of poetry. It sounds lovely.”
Pei Yuexuan lowered his gaze, unable to suppress a smile.
“…Mhm.”
But Jiaojiao across from him showed no signs of letting up.
Xia Zhi held the teacup by its handle, taking a small sip.
Her eyes clear and innocent, she asked the man curiously,
“How do you interpret the word ‘play’ in that phrase?”
Pei Yuexuan also took a sip of tea.
“It probably means to worship or praise.”
Heaven, he didn’t even know what he was saying himself.
Then, Jiaojiao across from him opened her phone and, right in front of him, changed her WeChat name to two characters:
【Play with the Moon】
“I admire you, Brother Yuexuan.”
It wasn’t until Xia Zhi was picked up by her life assistant to try on her gown.
In the apartment, Pei Yuexuan stared at those two characters on his phone.
The restlessness refused to fade.