Jin Zongmin was actually here too.
Standing beside him was Duan Sikai, the two of them engaged in quiet conversation. Duan Sikai noticed them first, a smile immediately spreading across his face as he waved in their direction and strode over.
Xu Youqing tugged at Xu Weiyue's sleeve. "How come Boss Duan and the others… are here too?"
"This hotel was recommended to me by Duan Sikai. He said the environment was nice and peaceful."
Xu Weiyue didn't think much of it, smiling as she responded to the approaching Duan Sikai, "What are you doing here?"
"I just remembered—I had nothing to do this weekend, so I called Zongmin to come along." Duan Sikai smiled, his gaze sweeping across Xu Youqing's face before flickering to Jin Zongmin, who stood a few steps away, watching them with an indifferent expression.
"Zongmin, what a coincidence—Miss Xu and her friend are here too." Duan Sikai's smile carried a hint of meaning.
Jin Zongmin strolled over, his gaze calmly passing over Xu Weiyue before finally settling on Xu Youqing.
Xu Youqing lowered her lashes, avoiding his line of sight. She gave a slight nod, acknowledging the greeting.
The atmosphere froze for a subtle moment.
Duan Sikai looked between them, teasing, "Oh? What's this? Miss Xu, Zongmin—you two… acting like complete strangers meeting for the first time?"
Xu Youqing pressed her lips together, saying nothing. Jin Zongmin remained silent too, his gaze still fixed on the side of Xu Youqing's face.
Xu Weiyue had often attended gatherings with the Duan brothers where Jin Zongmin was present, and over time, she'd gotten reasonably familiar with him.
But even she sometimes felt intimidated by Jin Zongmin, let alone Xu Youqing.
"Come on, let's not stand around—we'll head to our rooms and drop off our things first." Xu Weiyue smiled, smoothing things over.
With their own thoughts weighing on each of them, the group made their way toward the guest rooms.
…
That evening.
Xu Youqing finished her shower and felt thirsty, wrapping herself in a towel as she came out to pour some water. The rooms at the mountaintop were few and far between, exceptionally quiet—outside the window, only the chirping of insects and the occasional rustle of wind could be heard. She had just taken a sip from her cup when suddenly, with a sharp "pop," the lights in the hallway went out.
She froze for a moment, set down the cup, walked to the door, and pulled it open to look outside. The corridor was pitch black, with only the faint glow of the emergency light in the distance.
Just as she was about to retreat back inside, a small furry creature suddenly darted out from the corner of the wall, charging straight toward her feet. Startled, she flinched back and let out a cry.
"What's wrong?"
A hurried male voice came from the other end of the hallway.
Before Xu Youqing could react, Jin Zongmin had already appeared at the doorway.
Xu Youqing was wrapped in nothing but a towel.
Her damp hair clung to her neck and collarbone, the towel barely covering her chest, revealing a stretch of fair shoulder and slender legs.
Startled, her chest rose and fell slightly, her eyes wide open.
Jin Zongmin's steps came to an abrupt halt, his gaze involuntarily lingering on her for a moment.
Following his line of sight, Xu Youqing looked down—"Turn around!"
She hugged herself tightly, her voice flustered and embarrassed. "How did you get in?"
Jin Zongmin turned his head away, shifting his gaze elsewhere. "Your door was open."
"I'm fine… just get out." Xu Youqing wished she could disappear on the spot, her fingers clutching tightly at the edge of the towel over her chest.
Jin Zongmin had only taken a few steps.
"Click."
The room plunged into darkness.
Deep in the mountain top, there were no streetlights, no moonlight—not even the faint glow of emergency lights seeped through. Darkness surged in from all directions like a tide, so thick it was almost suffocating.
Xu Youqing had been afraid of the dark since childhood. Darkness magnified every unsettling thought, and she panicked instantly, forgetting the awkwardness from moments before as she urgently called out toward the door, "Jin, Jin Zongmin… are you still there?"
The moment her words fell, her hand was grasped by someone.
"I'm here." Jin Zongmin's voice sounded.
Xu Youqing instinctively clutched his sleeve with her other hand. "Is it a power outage?"
"Probably a circuit issue. It should be restored soon." Jin Zongmin's low voice was soothing.
No sooner had he spoken than the light above them buzzed and flickered back on abruptly.
Almost simultaneously, Jin Zongmin moved with lightning speed, shrugging off his jacket and draping it over Xu Youqing.
Footsteps and a staff member's voice came from the corridor outside the door: "Excuse me, guest, the circuit just tripped. Is everything alright on your end?"
The hotel staff member had already reached the doorway, just in time to see Jin Zongmin draping his jacket over Xu Youqing, and politely averted his gaze.
"We're fine." Jin Zongmin shifted sideways, blocking most of Xu Youqing from view, and glanced at the staff member.
The staff member understood and immediately bowed before retreating.
Xu Youqing was about to breathe a sigh of relief and tell Jin Zongmin to leave as well, when Xu Weiyue's voice came from the corridor: "The circuit tripped?"
Then Xu Weiyue's voice grew closer. "Youqing, are you alright over there?"
The way she looked right now, and Jin Zongmin still in her room…
Without a second thought, Xu Youqing grabbed Jin Zongmin's arm and shoved him toward the bathroom.
"Hide for a moment."
Jin Zongmin looked down at her, as if he found it amusing, or as if he were savoring something. He said nothing, letting her push him into the bathroom.
Xu Youqing closed the bathroom door, took a deep breath, and turned to face Xu Weiyue, who had already walked in.
"Youqing, are you okay? The staff said the circuit tripped on our floor." Xu Weiyue asked with concern.
"I'm fine. It just suddenly went dark, a bit startling." Xu Youqing forced herself to stay calm.
"Why is your face so red?" Xu Weiyue studied her.
"The bath was a bit stuffy."
Xu Weiyue gave an "oh" and didn't press further.
"Then get changed and come to the front. We're playing cards—we need a fourth." Xu Weiyue said as she headed out, pausing at the door to add, "Hurry up."
The door clicked shut.
Xu Youqing leaned against the wall, letting out a long breath. Then she turned and pushed open the bathroom door.
Jin Zongmin stood by the sink, idly looking around. His gaze was just withdrawing from a certain direction.
That direction—it was her clothes laid out on the counter. On top, her white lace underwear.
Her brain completely short-circuited at that moment.
She rushed over, blocking the entire counter with her body, her face flushed crimson. "You can leave now…"
Jin Zongmin slowly withdrew his gaze, shifting it to Xu Youqing's deeply flushed face.
Instead of leaving, he stepped forward, bracing his hands on the edges of the counter on either side of her, caging her between himself and the sink.
He lowered his head, his warm breath brushing against her sensitive ear, his voice dripping with teasing amusement.
"Xu Youqing," he drawled lazily, "first you tell me to come in, then you chase me out…"
He paused, tilting his head slightly.
"What," Jin Zongmin laughed, "are you toying with me now?"
Xu Youqing was trapped in his confined space, the cold countertop behind her and his aggressively overwhelming presence in front of her.
She pressed tightly at the edge of her bath towel, turning her face away, her voice carrying a pleading tone, "C-can you step out first… I need to change."
Watching her lashes tremble slightly, her neck flushing pink with embarrassment, Jin Zongmin didn't press further.
He chuckled, withdrew his hands, straightened up, and walked past her.
He casually closed the door behind him.
Xu Youqing stood in place, her heart racing.
…
When she changed and went to the recreation room, Jin Zongmin was leaning against the windowsill with Duan Sikai, smoking. Jin Zongmin turned his head, and his gaze landed on her.
An off-white knit sweater, the collar slightly open, revealing a stretch of delicate collarbone. Her hair was already blow-dried, loosely draped over her shoulders, making her face look even smaller and fairer, like a budding lily of the valley.
He looked at the off-white knit sweater and thought of the white lace underwear on the bathroom counter. Was she wearing it underneath right now? He lowered his eyes, took a drag of his cigarette, and exhaled the thought along with the smoke.
"Youqing! Come, sit here!" Xu Weiyue called out to her.
Duan Sikai stubbed out his cigarette and walked over, tactfully swapping seats with Xu Weiyue: "Miss Xu, you take my seat, let Miss Xu sit across."
He winked at Jin Zongmin.
Xu Youqing had no choice but to sit across from Jin Zongmin. She had played a few rounds of cards at home with her aunt and the others during the New Year, just for fun, but she wasn't really familiar with the rules and played very slowly.
Jin Zongmin hated slow players the most when playing cards—that was something Duan Sikai knew. But today, Jin Zongmin was extremely patient, even slowing down his own play.
After a few rounds, Duan Sikai couldn't help but tease: "You two aren't colluding, are you? Whatever Miss Xu wants, you feed her."
Jin Zongmin leisurely played a card, lifting his eyes to glance at Duan Sikai. "Your own hand's bad, and you blame others."
Xu Weiyue was also puzzled: "Youqing, your beginner's luck is way too strong! You're practically sweeping the table! No way, you're definitely buying tonight's drinks!"
The card game ended amid Duan Sikai's teasing and Xu Weiyue's laughter. Sure enough, Xu Youqing won the most.
The group moved over to the lounge bar area.
Jin Zongmin held his glass, leaning against the bar counter, his gaze barely leaving Xu Youqing. The look was too direct, carrying something that made her heart flutter with unease.
Xu Weiyue was chatting and laughing, not noticing. Duan Sikai was perceptive and used the excuse of inviting Xu Weiyue to play billiards, pulling her away.
Xu Youqing felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, wanting to find an excuse to leave. Just as she set down her glass, she heard Jin Zongmin's deep voice ring out,
"Let's talk?"
Xu Youqing's heart trembled, and she looked up at him. Jin Zongmin was watching her, his gaze deep.
She forced herself to stay calm: "About what?"
Jin Zongmin let out a low laugh, swirling the amber liquid in his glass, his eyes locked on her: "You're smart. You know what I want to talk about."
Xu Youqing pretended not to understand. "I don't know what you mean."
The atmosphere grew tense.
Fortunately, at that moment, Xu Weiyue returned, bringing along a friend she'd run into by chance, and the mood livened up again. The group drank, chatted, and played for a while longer.
Xu Weiyue was in high spirits, but Xu Youqing could no longer sit still. Especially with Jin Zongmin's presence, like an invisible net, suffocating her.
She stood up, using fatigue as an excuse to return to her room first.
"I'm heading back too. I'll walk you." Jin Zongmin set down his glass and rose as well.
"No need." Xu Youqing refused quickly.
"This mountain hotel, late at night, any kind of 'little creature' might come out." Jin Zongmin's words carried a double meaning, his gaze sweeping over her. "What if you get startled again?"
He was referring to the squirrel from before, but to Xu Youqing's ears, his words seemed laden with hidden meaning, making her even more uneasy.
"Really, there's no need." Xu Youqing insisted, then hurriedly left the lounge bar.
She deliberately took a detour, hoping to avoid walking the same path back as Jin Zongmin.
The mountain path at night was quiet and deep, with only the soft glow of ground lights casting a hazy halo.
Just as she rounded a corner, a tall figure stepped out from the shadows of the bamboo grove, precisely blocking her path.
"Xu Youqing."
It was Jin Zongmin. He seemed to have been waiting here all along.
Before Xu Youqing could react, his fingers had already closed around her wrist, his thumb pressing against her tensed wrist bone.
"Avoiding me?"
He lowered his head, his breath brushing across her forehead.
Xu Youqing stepped back half a pace, her back pressing against the cold wall. "Mr. Jin, we're not from the same world."
Jin Zongmin chuckled softly, his scorching breath tangling around her earlobe. "Then I'll pave a path for you. Want it?"
The words were so direct there was no room for ambiguity. His intentions, his determination to have her, were laid bare before her.
"I don't want it." Xu Youqing said coldly.
The faint smile at the corner of Jin Zongmin's lips vanished instantly. His gaze darkened, a brooding impatience surfacing.
Xu Youqing clenched her fingertips and continued, "I have a boyfriend. We're very happy together."
She paused, lifting her eyes to meet Jin Zongmin's.
"Mr. Jin, you and I are people from two different worlds. Please… have mercy and let me go."
"Have mercy and let you go?" Jin Zongmin repeated the words, as if he'd heard some absurd joke.
He stared at her, something churning in his gaze that he couldn't suppress.
"Then tell me, why did you call Secretary Gao the day you left?"
He stepped forward, trapping her completely between himself and the wall. "Xu Youqing, is there truly not even a trace… of you caring about me?"
He stared intently into her eyes, not missing a single subtle change in her expression. He was waiting for her answer, yet he was afraid she would lie, and even more afraid she wouldn't.
That gaze pressed down on her, heavy and suffocating.
"I…"
She barely uttered a single word.
He kissed her, cutting off every word she hadn't yet spoken.
There was nothing gentle about this kiss. Jin Zongmin held her waist firmly with one arm, pressing her hard against the wall, while his other hand gripped her chin, forcing her head up to endure it.
"Mm…" Xu Youqing's eyes flew wide in shock. She struggled desperately, pushing against him with both hands, but couldn't budge him an inch.
Jin Zongmin held her face, his thumb pressing against her jawbone, forcing her head slightly upward to accept this kiss laden with punishment.
Then, his lips met the salty taste of moisture.
She was crying. Tears slid silently from the corners of her eyes, trailing over his fingers that gripped her chin—scalding hot.
Jin Zongmin looked at her, releasing his grip on her chin and slowly stepping back.
Seizing that moment of his distraction, Xu Youqing pushed him away with all her strength. She ran quickly, stumbling, and raised her hand to wipe hard at the corner of her mouth where he had touched.
Jin Zongmin stood in place, not chasing after her.
…
At the bar, Xu Weiyue had wanted to check on Xu Youqing several times. She felt that something was off about her tonight—she seemed subdued and withdrawn, and she worried that Xu Youqing might be scared but wouldn't say so. However, every time she tried, Duan Sikai stopped her with various excuses.
Xu Weiyue finally sensed something was wrong and frowned. "Duan Sikai, have you been deliberately stopping me all night from going to see Youqing?"
Duan Sikai, caught out, didn't look embarrassed at all. He raised an eyebrow. "You noticed?"
"What are you playing at?" Xu Weiyue asked suspiciously.
"Let Xu Youqing and Zongmin sort out their own matters," Duan Sikai said casually, swirling his glass, his tone light but meaningful.
"The two of them? What matters?" Xu Weiyue was taken aback, then realization dawned, and her voice rose. "Youqing has a boyfriend! What do you mean by this? Zongmin-ge… he… he's interested in Youqing…"
"Relax," Duan Sikai cut her off, his tone confident. "Xu Youqing won't come to any harm. Have you ever seen Zongmin give any woman a second glance? Xu Youqing… I think he'd be afraid of breaking her if he held her in his hands."
"Don't you dare mess around!" Xu Weiyue was anxious and stood up. "If anything happens to Youqing, I'll have your head!" She made to leave.
Duan Sikai quickly grabbed her arm. "I'll stake my head on it that Xu Youqing will be fine, alright?"
"Who wants your lousy head!" Xu Weiyue shook him off.
"How about my brother's then? Does his count?" Duan Sikai said half-jokingly.
"Don't give me that!" Xu Weiyue glared at him and moved to leave again.
Duan Sikai stopped her once more, this time with a more serious expression. "Weiyue, don't you know Zongmin's temperament? He's in the thick of it right now. If anyone goes stirring things up and riles him, then no one will be able to clean up the mess."
Xu Weiyue paused mid-step.
Duan Sikai looked at her and softened his tone. "Have you ever seen Zongmin care this much about any woman? Because I… certainly haven't."
Xu Weiyue was silent for a few seconds, but ultimately pushed him aside and hurried toward the guest room area. "No, I'm not at ease. I need to go check on her."
At Xu Youqing's door, Xu Weiyue pressed the doorbell.
Soon, the door was pulled open.
Xu Weiyue stared at Xu Youqing, hesitating. "You and Zongmin-ge… nothing happened, right?"
Xu Youqing didn't want to cause Xu Weiyue any trouble, so she shook her head. "Nothing happened."
Xu Weiyue was half-convinced. "Really?"
Xu Youqing nodded. "Really."
Only then did Xu Weiyue relax.
"Weiyue, I just remembered I have some things to do tomorrow, so I'll need to leave early," Xu Youqing said.
Xu Weiyue was taken aback. "That's fine. Then we'll head back early tomorrow."
"Didn't you run into a friend here? You should hang out with them. Han Zheng will come pick me up tomorrow morning."
Xu Weiyue hesitated. "Are you sure you don't need me to stay?"
Xu Youqing forced a light smile. "Really, I don't. You should go back and rest too."
Xu Weiyue nodded and finally went back with peace of mind.
…
The next morning.
When Duan Sikai and Jin Zongmin came over for breakfast, Xu Youqing's seat was empty.
"Youqing's boyfriend came by early this morning and picked her up," Xu Weiyue said, glancing at Jin Zongmin.
She was usually rather intimidated by Jin Zongmin. But remembering what Duan Sikai had said yesterday, and how she'd felt that Xu Youqing seemed off ever since, she chose her words carefully, not wanting to embarrass Jin Zongmin.
"Brother Zongmin," Xu Weiyue began, "Youqing is a fairly simple girl. She might… not fit into certain circles."
She paused, then added, "Youqing and her boyfriend grew up together as childhood sweethearts. They're very close. She's also someone who values relationships deeply."
The implication was clear enough for Jin Zongmin to understand.
Jin Zongmin said nothing, merely picking up the coffee before him and taking a slow sip.
…
After returning from the hotel, Jin Zongmin sat in the car and took out his phone.
He scrolled to her number and tapped it.
A mechanical voice came through the receiver: "The number you have dialed is currently on another call…"
He hung up and dialed again.
"The number you have dialed is powered off…"
Not on another call—powered off. Had she blocked him?
He stared at the name on the screen for a long time. The last shred of patience in his eyes was slowly ground to dust.
When they reached their destination, the driver Xiao Li pulled over to the curb. Jin Zongmin tossed his phone aside, leaned back into his seat, and closed his eyes.
"Call Secretary Gao."
He spoke to the driver.