“S-s-sorry…”
Cheng Sisi’s first reaction was to apologize while covering her face.
She was so frightened that she thought if she did this, Jiang Zhuo wouldn’t recognize her.
That’s right—the man before her was Jiang Xin’s older brother, Jiang Zhuo!
At this moment, Jiang Zhuo was looking at her with great interest, from head to toe, almost not missing a single inch.
But there was nothing dirty in his gaze; instead, it was as if he were admiring a work of art!
It took a long while for Cheng Sisi to realize what she must look like right now. Embarrassed and flustered, she turned around, but since it was the same outfit, what difference did it make whether she faced front or back?
She knew this herself, but there was nowhere to hide now. Overwhelmed, she burst into tears on the spot.
Hearing her sobs, Jiang Zhuo curled his lips and turned his back.
The last thing he saw was her slender waist, its alluring curve stirring turbulent waves in his eyes.
Before the waves could recede, a blazing fire ignited within him.
The fusion of water and fire converged in his gaze, forming a wild and dangerous glint.
That glint was named possession!
Yet on the surface, he remained composed, calmly untying his robe and taking it off before handing it to her over his shoulder.
“I won’t look. Put this on.”
Cheng Sisi, still sobbing helplessly, turned her head and saw the gray robe being offered to her. After hesitating for a moment, she took it and draped it over herself. Though she knew she shouldn’t wear a strange man’s intimate clothing, she had no choice—it was better than the sheer nightgown that left nothing to the imagination.
The silk robe still carried Jiang Zhuo’s body heat, inexplicably warming her entire body, all the way to the tips of her ears.
But for her, this wasn’t embarrassment—it was humiliation!
She felt utterly improper. Twice now, she had appeared before Jiang Zhuo in such an unseemly manner. Would he think she was a frivolous and wanton woman?
After all, he was Jiang Si’s older brother!
She didn’t want to leave a bad impression on Jiang Si’s family, and to Jiang Xin, Jiang Zhuo was like a father figure.
Naturally, Cheng Sisi also regarded Jiang Zhuo as an elder.
To appear so indecently dressed before an elder was truly shameful and humiliating!
How she wished a crack would open in the floor right now, so she could fall in and never climb back out!
“Wait here for a moment. I’ll go put on some clothes.”
Since Jiang Zhuo had given her his robe, it meant he was now shirtless. This only deepened her embarrassment, leaving her unable to speak, with tears falling one after another.
For a long time, she remained rooted to the spot like a nail, not daring to move an inch.
Finally, she heard Jiang Zhuo knocking on Jiang Xin’s door, scolding her for being too outrageous and immature.
But the movie in Jiang Xin’s room was blaring so loudly, the sound waves seemed ready to lift the roof off—how could she possibly hear Jiang Zhuo calling her from outside the door?
In the end, Jiang Zhuo had no choice but to return to Cheng Sisi.
“I’m sorry. My sister was being immature. I apologize on her behalf.”
Hearing his apology, Cheng Sisi was still too ashamed to turn around. She simply lowered her head and shook it gently, indicating that it wasn’t his fault.
“I’m sorry, but she keeps all the spare keys to her room with her, so I can’t open the door. Why don’t you go sit on the sofa for a while? When she comes out, I’ll make sure to reprimand her.”
Jiang Zhuo’s voice was gentle and refined, the kind that instantly filled people with infinite goodwill.
In his soft apologies, Cheng Sisi gradually calmed down. She wiped the tears from her face and slowly walked toward the small tea table ahead.
She sat down in the corner of the sofa, timidly raising her eyes to look at Jiang Zhuo, who had come over with her, and spoke softly, “Thank you, Mr. Jiang. I’m sorry for troubling you!”
“You’re the same age as Jiang Xin. Just call me what she calls me—no need to be so formal.”
Jiang Zhuo walked past her, deliberately avoiding looking at her to spare her further embarrassment. He simply picked up a cup from the tea table, turned to the wall cabinet, took out a carton of milk, and poured it into the cup.
Of course, he was facing away from her, so she couldn’t see any of his small movements.
When he turned back and walked toward her, offering the milk, she respectfully stood up to take it, even saying thank you.
“I heard you have an interview early tomorrow morning, and it’s already quite late. Staying up any longer might leave you tired tomorrow. I’ll go tidy up the guest room. You should get to bed soon so you can face the interviewer in your best state tomorrow.”
As he spoke, he only glanced at her briefly, not lingering on her.
This attitude made Cheng Sisi feel at ease. She thought to herself that he truly was a gentleman, considerate of others’ discomfort and embarrassment, never making anyone feel uneasy.
Cheng Sisi didn’t want to be overly fussy either. She stood up and asked quietly, “Won’t it be too much trouble?”
“A guest is a guest. You’re Jiang Xin’s guest, and she didn’t take good care of you. I already feel quite ashamed on her behalf, so I certainly don’t find it any trouble.”
He nodded gently at her, signaling for her to sit down.
“I’ll go tidy up first. Drink the milk—it’ll help you sleep.”
With that, he left her side.
Cheng Sisi watched his retreating figure and quietly sighed in relief.
By the time he returned, she had finished the entire glass of milk. Jiang Zhuo seemed to glance at it unintentionally, his eyebrows slightly raised, revealing a hint of barely noticeable excitement.
Seeing him return, Cheng Sisi immediately stood up. “Is… is the guest room ready?”
“Yes,” he replied calmly, then extended his hand toward her. “Give me the cup. You should go to bed.”
“Okay, okay.” She quickly handed over the cup.
After taking it, he immediately stepped aside and gestured toward the guest room. “It’s the one at the end of the hallway. The light is on inside.”
“Th-thank you… thank you, Brother Jiang Zhuo!”
She kept her head down, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
Jiang Zhuo didn’t mind at all, still speaking gently. “It’s nothing. Go ahead.”
But Cheng Sisi didn’t move, hesitating as if she had something left to say. She glanced up and noticed Jiang Zhuo patiently waiting for her to continue, so she blushed and asked again, “Um… about Jiang Si…”
Didn’t they say he’d be here soon?
Why hasn’t he come back after all this time?
She didn’t finish her sentence, but Jiang Zhuo already understood. He once again answered considerately, “When I went back to my room to change earlier, I saw a message from him saying he won’t be coming home tonight.”
Hearing this, Cheng Sisi felt a pang of disappointment.
But not wanting her emotions to affect Jiang Zhuo again, she could only suppress her feelings, thank him once more, and walk toward the guest room.
She took a few steps, then paused and turned back to say, “Brother Jiang Zhuo, the pajamas… I’ll wash them clean and return them to you tomorrow.”
Jiang Zhuo did not reply, only giving her a slight smile to ease her worries.
She left with peace of mind until she was out of sight, and only then did a sharp glint appear in Jiang Zhuo’s eyes.
Especially when he recalled the expectant expression on Cheng Sisi’s face when she asked about Jiang Si, the cold, piercing edge in his gaze grew even more intense.
The night slowly deepened, and the speakers in Jiang Xin’s room fell silent.
At the end of the hallway, outside the guest room door, stood a tall figure, appearing ghostly under the moonlight.
It was Jiang Zhuo.
In his hands, he held a pair of silver handcuffs and a professional camera, but the most chilling thing was the icy smile curling at the corner of his lips.