The man’s voice was calm, almost indifferent: “I got the key from the guesthouse staff.”
Lin Yuqiu wanted to ask why he had come so late.
But the words caught in her throat, and she swallowed them back.
Silence stretched through the darkness. She suddenly thought of something but felt too embarrassed to ask, her voice softening slightly, carrying a tentative note she hadn’t noticed herself: “Are you… leaving tonight?”
The moment she spoke, her cheeks burned, even her ears felt hot.
The darkness hid her blush, but it couldn’t mask the quickened rhythm of her breathing.
The man stood up. His tall figure in the dark wasn’t intimidating; somehow, it carried a sense of safety she couldn’t explain.
“I’ll sit in the chair all night. You get some rest you have to go get your papers tomorrow.”
His voice remained calm, unreadable in emotion, yet imbued with a gentle firmness that left no room for refusal.
That gentle firmness, inexplicably, tugged at a flicker of guilt deep in her heart.
Lin Yuqiu burrowed back under the covers, watching his silhouette move toward the chair.
He sat down, his tall frame curled slightly in the narrow chair, looking somewhat cramped.
Her heart softened unexpectedly. She bit her lip and murmured almost inaudibly: “Why don’t you sleep in the bed instead?”
The words left her cheeks even hotter.
She tightly closed her eyes, not daring to look at his reaction, her heart pounding anew.
For a long while, there was no sound in the darkness.
She even thought he hadn’t heard her.
Suddenly, she heard him rise.
Then, the sound of footsteps slowly approached the bed.
He didn’t remove his clothes or shoes. He simply lay down beside her fully dressed.
Lin Yuqiu could hear steady breathing from behind, as if at a distance that was neither too far nor too near.
She had rarely shared a bed with anyone in her life—even with her mother, it was only until she was three.
Tonight, for the first time, a man lay in her bed.
The bedding held no inappropriate contact, yet her cheeks burned as if they could melt snow, her heart felt clawed at, flustered and disordered.
The presence behind her was quiet as a mountain, yet overwhelmingly tangible.
Each calm breath fell on the back of her neck, making her too tense to move, let alone ignore him.
Softly, she said: “I just had a nightmare.”
The man only gave a low hum, asking nothing, probing nothing, his tone spare and neutral.
Lin Yuqiu couldn’t tell if she felt disappointed or something else. Her mind involuntarily recalled the female doctor.
Perhaps he still thought of his childhood sweetheart, marrying her out of obligation rather than romantic affection.
A sour ache rose to her nose, her throat tightening. She realized with surprise that after only a few days of knowing him, she had grown so dependent.
But exhaustion softened her tense nerves, and she fell into a deep sleep.
In her dream, she thought she was alone, muttering as she turned, drifting sweetly back to sleep.
Beside her, the man sensed a faint, delicate scent in the darkness, drifting into his nose, keeping him from sleeping.
That faint fragrance stirred a tender flutter in his heart.
It wasn’t fierce desire, but something more primal wanting to be close, wanting to possess.
His breathing deepened slightly. He quietly turned to look at the sleeping woman in the moonlight.
Her sleeping expression was innocent and charming, cheek resting on her hand, soft curves pressing gently against it so endearing he could not look away.
As if afraid the delicate beauty would vanish, he held his gaze, reluctant to blink, reluctant to look away.
He had barely slept all night. In the morning, upon opening his eyes and rubbing his brow, he saw a scene that stole his breath away.
In the snow-white morning light, her skin was translucent as jade, with a delicate golden glow.
Her slender arm lay lazily outside the blanket, the wrist delicate as if it could break with a bend.
Her fair, fragile neck tilted slightly, tracing a graceful curve.
Below the neck, the thin, pale fabric couldn’t conceal her curves.
The woman was beautiful in a languid, gentle way—resting among the morning glow, breathtakingly so.
Her feminine fragrance, subtle yet penetrating, wafted from beside him, making his breathing immediately heavier.
Desire surged violently, no longer the vague flutter of the previous night.
His gaze locked on her flawless, graceful face, the impulse seared through him, primal and raw, as if it could consume him.
The man suddenly sat up, hurriedly left the bed, and strode out of the room.
Not long after, Lin Yuqiu woke from her sleep. As awareness returned, she instinctively turned, only to find the space beside her empty.
The room was quiet, save for the loud broadcast from outside.
Her eyes swept over the exposed arm and the small white tank top she was wearing.
A rush of heat shot from her neck to her cheeks, turning them cherry-red.
Flustered, she tidied her slightly messy hair, grabbed the blanket to wrap herself, and shakily reached for clothes on the nearby hanger.
How had she slept last night?
Had he seen her in such a disheveled state?
The night had hidden it, but the bright morning light revealed the full embarrassment.
Her heart pounded like a trapped rabbit.
She set her eyes on the maroon dress and changed into it.
There was no mirror in the room, but it fit perfectly at the waist.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of the door opening behind her.
She didn’t notice the brief intensity in his gaze as she turned: “You’re back?”
His Adam’s apple moved. His gaze lingered on her for a few seconds before shifting. His voice had a faint, almost imperceptible huskiness: “I made breakfast. I’ll come eat after washing up.”
Lin Yuqiu nodded. The casual familiarity of the moment struck her it felt like two people who had been living together.
Her heart thumped nervously, aware she was stepping into a new stage of life. She murmured softly.
After washing up, she sat at the table.
The man joined her only after she finished washing.
She looked at him, noticing his strong, striking features not the gentlemanly refinement of Xie Qingwei, but the kind that could make legs go weak at a glance.
Zhou Runqing seemed to notice her gaze and met her eyes.
In that moment, Lin Yuqiu realized his eyes weren’t warm they were like a lion, a lone wolf, an eagle, born with focus and control, cold almost to cruelty, sharp enough to pierce the soul.
Surely, any thought she tried to hide would be bare before him.
Her heart pounded. She lowered her head and ate.
The breakfast surprised her.
Four lunch boxes and a bottle of fresh milk.
Inside were one box of white porridge, one of soy milk, and two boxes each containing two boiled eggs, a bun, and a steamed bread roll.
He opened the milk and handed it to her, along with one of the soy milk boxes and a lunch box with a large meat bun, steamed bread, and two eggs.
This breakfast must have cost quite a bit. At the sanatorium for high-ranking officials’ families, prices were higher.
Fresh milk: 0.3 yuan; boiled egg: 0.25 yuan; meat bun: 0.45 yuan; steamed bun: 0.2 yuan; porridge and soy milk slightly cheaper at 0.1 yuan.
Eating like this for a month could cost the wages of an ordinary worker.
Lin Yuqiu nervously said: “If we eat like this, can we even afford life later?”
The man paused, then said calmly: “I’m used to being extravagant. From now on, the steward will give the salary directly to you you’ll manage it.”
After breakfast, they tidied up and went downstairs.
Xiao Liu, the security guard, was already waiting. Seeing them, he immediately saluted: “Commander, sister-in-law, good morning!”
It was the first time Lin Yuqiu had heard Xiao Liu call her that. She wasn’t used to it and blushed, sneaking a glance at the man.
After getting in the car, the jeep drove smoothly, first heading to the police station.