Pei Yanzhou went straight upstairs.
The master bedroom door was ajar, warm light spilling out from inside. He gently pushed it open, and the familiar, soothing scent greeted him.
The room was quiet, with only the soft, even sound of her breathing.
He walked lightly toward her.
Shu Hua was lying on her side, fast asleep.
Her thick, seaweed-like hair fanned out over the pillow, framing her delicate face, which looked even paler and more translucent in the soft light—so perfect that one could hardly see a pore.
Beneath her upturned nose, her pink lips were slightly pursed, carrying a defenseless innocence and childish charm, a stark contrast to the gentle, composed Mrs. Pei she was during the day.
Pei Yanzhou’s eyes darkened unconsciously.
He leaned down, carefully tucking the blanket around her. His fingertips brushed lightly against her jaw, warm and soft to the touch.
She was sleeping so soundly.
Some corner of his heart seemed to soften as well.
At that moment, Shu Hua’s long eyelashes fluttered, and she sleepily opened her eyes.
Her blurry gaze met his deep, penetrating eyes.
“Mm…?”
Her voice was thick with sleepiness, soft and sweet, like she was coaxing him. “You’re back… have you eaten?”
“I have,” Pei Yanzhou said softly. “You keep sleeping; I’ll handle some work in the study.”
“Mm…” Shu Hua murmured, her voice lazy. Like a contented cat, she rubbed against his palm, then snuggled back into the covers, soon becoming still again.
Pei Yanzhou stayed in place for a moment before turning and gently closing the door, heading to the study.
…
In the study, Pei Yanzhou sat behind the large desk. The computer screen emitted a faint blue glow, highlighting the sharp contours of his face.
He tried to focus on the complex merger documents on the screen, but his mind kept intruding with flashes of last night.
Her reddened eye corners, the soft, fragmented sobs, and that sweet, enticing scent she carried…
He tugged at his collar in irritation.
What the hell—
Since when did Pei Yanzhou get so easily distracted?
Just as he was forcing himself to concentrate—
“Bang!”
The study lights went out abruptly, plunging the room into darkness.
Almost simultaneously, a pale streak of lightning ripped through the night sky outside, followed immediately by a deafening clap of thunder.
“Boom—!”
The sound seemed to explode right above the roof.
Pei Yanzhou frowned, about to rise.
“Ah—!”
A short, startled scream came from the direction of the master bedroom, followed by hurried, panicked footsteps.
The study door swung open with a loud bang!
Before he could react, a petite figure, like a frightened fawn, lunged straight into his arms, plopping onto his lap without warning!
He instinctively reached out and steadied her.
Shu Hua clutched his neck tightly, burying her entire face in the crook of his firm shoulder. Her body trembled slightly as she breathed heavily.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, tightening his arms around her slender waist, his voice low and steady.
“The… the power went out…” Her voice quivered, tinged with fear. “I’m a little scared.”
As if to punctuate her words, another flash of lightning lit up the sky outside, followed by rolling thunder.
Frightened, she shivered in his arms, hugging him even tighter. Pei Yanzhou could clearly feel her fear and helplessness. The heart that was usually as cold and hard as iron in the business world seemed to be struck by something, sending a sharp, subtle ache through him.
He drew her closer, wrapping her tightly in his arms, his large hand gently patting her back.
“It’s just thunder,” his voice carried an unexpected softness, even to himself. “Probably a circuit tripped. It’ll be fine soon.”
“But I’m scared…” she murmured, nuzzling his neck, her voice tinged with complaint.
She wouldn’t have come running if she weren’t afraid, after all.
She wasn’t just afraid of the dark—she feared those invisible, intangible “things”! Even though she’d never seen any, the world was vast and strange. As the elders said, during thunderstorms, those things were most active!
At that moment, a soft “beep” sounded. The lights in the hallway and rooms flickered back on, restoring power.
Only the study remained dim; since he usually only used the desk lamp at night, the room still relied on the computer and lamp for light.
The brightness chased away the darkness, and Shu Hua’s taut nerves immediately relaxed.
She sheepishly loosened her grip on his neck, cheeks flushed.
“Uh… the power’s back.”
She tried to get down from his lap, but he held her waist firmly.
Pei Yanzhou, in the dim light, took the time to look at her carefully.
Strands of hair at her forehead were damp with cold sweat, sticking to her smooth skin.
Her eyes were red-rimmed, still glistening with lingering moisture, like glass fogged over, delicate and pitiful.
A surge of tenderness and something unusual spread through his chest.
He lifted his hand, gently brushing the stray hairs from her cheek behind her ear, then carefully wiped away the moisture at the corner of her eyes with his fingertip.
“So scared?” he asked softly, his eyes deep and serious.
Shu Hua nodded obediently, still trembling from fright. “Yes. That thunder was so loud… it felt like the whole house was shaking.”
She had been overly protected growing up, almost pampered in a honeyed cocoon. During her years studying abroad, her mother worried she couldn’t take care of herself, so she accompanied her, and whenever her father had free time, he would fly over. She had rarely faced darkness and thunder alone.
Pei Yanzhou imagined her in those moments, curled under the covers, silently crying, and it made his chest ache.
He squeezed her fingers gently.
“What did you do in the past when this happened?”
“My mom would stay with me,” she said matter-of-factly, a hint of spoiled dependence in her tone. “Even when I studied abroad, she stayed with me.”
Pei Yanzhou fell silent for a moment, pressing her closer to his chest again, his chin resting atop her hair, his voice low and firm:
“From now on, I’ll be with you.”
The words slipped out naturally, surprising even himself.
Shu Hua’s heart skipped a beat. She lifted her head, meeting his deep gaze in the dim light.
Was he… promising?
A warmth spread through her chest, mixed with a little confusion.
“You… aren’t you supposed to be busy with work?” she whispered.
Without hesitation, he replied,
“Work can wait until tomorrow,” he paused, then added, “But my wife is important too.”
The word “wife” rolled off his tongue, magnetic and intoxicating, making Shu Hua’s heart flutter.
He looked at her still-sleepy, delicate face.
“Can you still sleep?”
Shu Hua nodded.
The fright passed, and drowsiness returned.
“Yes… sleepy.”
“Good.” Pei Yanzhou scooped her up horizontally, his movements steady. “No more work. I’ll sleep with you.”
The sudden weightlessness made Shu Hua instinctively hug his neck again.
His arms were broad and warm, carrying a crisp, pleasant masculine scent, filling her with an unparalleled sense of safety.
He carried her steadily back to the bedroom, where the lights had returned, and gently placed her in the center of the soft, large bed.
After tucking the covers around her, Pei Yanzhou didn’t lie down immediately, instead standing upright.
“Where are you going?” Shu Hua immediately grabbed the hem of his shirt, her eyes filled with a hint of dependence.