Chapter 9: Blushing?

In the dead of night, the entire estate had settled into silence.

[Host, I’ve found it.]

Xiao Shui was referring to the secret room that Song Chuhe had once mentioned to Yu Zhi in her memories.

Yu Zhi opened her eyes and got out of bed.

“Are you sure A Yue is asleep?”

[Don’t worry, Host. I’ve checked multiple times—he won’t wake up.]

Yu Zhi turned on her phone’s flashlight and slowly descended the stairs. Guided by Xiao Shui, she passed through a verdant bamboo grove until her view gradually widened, revealing a door equipped with a password lock.

The code had long been deciphered by Xiao Shui, so Yu Zhi encountered no obstacles.

She walked through the dimly lit corridor, twisting and turning, until she finally stood before a rusted, weathered door.

[My scans indicate it’s inside here.]

Though it was just a step away, Yu Zhi hesitated.

Xiao Shui didn’t rush her, waiting for Yu Zhi to prepare herself mentally.

Taking a deep breath, Yu Zhi pushed open the heavy door with force and fumbled in the dark to switch on the wall light.

The harsh glare made her squint uncomfortably. Before she could even take in her surroundings, she first heard Xiao Shui’s confusion.

[Huh? It’s just a storage room. That can’t be right.]

Before her eyes were dusty shelves covered with old cloth, the miscellaneous items beneath looking like they hadn’t been touched in years.

Yu Zhi casually rummaged through, stirring up clouds of dust that choked her so badly she couldn’t stay any longer. Covered in grime, she hurried out.

“Xiao Shui, is this the so-called ‘torture chamber’ you mentioned?”

Xiao Shui began doubting its own scan data.

[Maybe you should go back in and check again. There might be hidden mechanisms or secret compartments.]

“It’s filthy! Go in yourself if you want to!” Covered in dust and sticky with sweat from her frantic escape, Yu Zhi felt so gross she wanted to dive straight into a lake.

Stomping back in her slippers, she grumbled, “If I believe another word from Song Chuhe, I’m a dog.”

Too preoccupied with thoughts of a shower, Yu Zhi didn’t notice the slight gap in Pei Yuezhou’s bedroom door.

The man leaned against the doorframe, his room unlit. Only the silvery moonlight filtered through the window, casting a faint glow over him.

It wasn’t until he heard the opposite door close that the storm in his eyes gradually stilled, though the cold solitude around him grew even more profound.

Meanwhile, by the time Yu Zhi dried her hair, it was already the wee hours of the morning.

Before bed, she specifically instructed Xiao Shui: “Stop wasting your efforts. Look into Pei Qingsong instead.”

Pei Qingsong was Pei Yuezhou’s uncle.

Exhaustion soon overtook her, and she didn’t even know if the system acknowledged her request before she collapsed into sleep.

Naturally, she also didn’t know that after she fell asleep, her door was silently opened.

Pei Yuezhou approached the bedside, looking down at the woman’s peaceful face with an intensity of possessiveness that threatened to spill over.

Xiao Shui was the first to react, watching him warily.

But Pei Yuezhou merely bent down, pressing a restrained kiss to Yu Zhi’s forehead before withdrawing without further action.

Xiao Shui agonized over whether to forcibly wake Yu Zhi, but the man only gave her one deep glance before turning to leave.

It couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

**

The sun had barely risen over the horizon when chaos erupted at Song Private Hospital.

Song Chuhe had just stepped into the ward when a glass cup nearly smashed into his head.

“Song Chuyin, what nonsense are you up to now?”

Though he was angry, his demeanor remained gentle and composed, so the young girl who had been thrown off the bed showed no fear.  

Her eyes were filled with a darkness and malice unbefitting her age: “You promised to give me Yu Zhi’s heart! I’m being tortured to the point of madness—go and capture Yu Zhi right now!”  

Song Chuhe sat down on a sofa not far from Song Chuyin, ignoring his younger sister’s hysterics. “It’s not possible now. Don’t even think about laying a hand on her. I’ll find another way to treat your illness later.”  

Song Chuyin pushed away the nurse who tried to help her up and stood on her own, seething with resentment.  

“Song Chuhe, do you even hear yourself? What did you promise me when you asked me to do your dirty work? The moment I helped you get rid of Song Yu, you’re already trying to burn the bridge?”  

Song Chuhe was growing weary of dealing with her. He rubbed his temples, suppressing his irritation. “Calm down. I won’t abandon you.”  

“How can I calm down?! I’m the one dying, not you! Bring Yu Zhi to me right now, or else everything you’ve done will be exposed—”  

Before she could finish her threat, Song Chuhe stepped forward and gripped her throat, his expression colder and more ruthless than she had ever seen. “Trying to threaten me? Have you forgotten why you’ve been allowed to live this long?”  

He didn’t hold back, and the oxygen available to the girl dwindled rapidly. Her pale face turned a sickly shade of purple as sheer terror overwhelmed her.  

Her brother had always been such a master of disguise that she often forgot just how cruel and cold-blooded he truly was.  

This was someone who wouldn’t hesitate to harm his own parents—let alone a sister who had outlived her usefulness.  

“B-Brother… I… I was wrong,” she gasped, lowering herself in a desperate bid for his mercy.  

Song Chuhe shoved her away in disgust.  

“There’s a match for you among the new batch of goods at the auction house. If you behave, I’ll arrange the surgery as soon as possible.”  

Gasping for air, Song Chuyin scrambled to his feet and knelt before him, looking up with none of her earlier arrogance. “I-I will. Brother, please save me… It hurts so much…”  

Song Chuhe stepped away impatiently and left without another word.  

Song Chuyin stared at his retreating figure, biting her lip until it bled.  

**  

Though Pei Yuezhou had mostly recovered from his injuries, he still showed no intention of returning to the corporate office.  

Meanwhile, Yu Zhi had grown close to the two female assistants by his side, and the three of them were gathered in the living room, chatting about gossip.  

“Hey, have you heard about the Song family’s engagement with the Zhao family?”  

Yu Zhi instinctively asked, “Who’s marrying who?”  

It couldn’t be Song Yu—she remembered he already had someone he liked.  

As for Song Nuan, she was still too young, and Song Yu, being the overprotective brother he was, would never agree.  

“Song Chuyin and Zhao Xiangluo.”  

The pairing took Yu Zhi by surprise.  

She still had some memories of Zhao Xiangluo—they had been high school classmates. The man was nothing but a reckless playboy, changing girlfriends faster than clothes. There had even been a scandal about him getting a girl pregnant, which caused quite a stir back then.  

In short, he was a complete scumbag.  

The two assistants didn’t have a high opinion of Zhao Xiangluo either.

“Gossip about romantic scandals is flying everywhere, surrounded by either minor celebrities or internet influencers. I bet Song Chuyin won’t have an easy time in the future.”  

“Pfft, these wealthy arranged marriages only care about benefits. They wouldn’t bother with anything else.”  

Yu Zhi nodded in agreement, but she never expected that the next second, she would find herself at the center of the gossip storm.  

The two assistants stared at her with sparkling eyes. “Madam, was your marriage with our Chairman Pei also an arranged wealthy marriage that turned into love?”  

Yu Zhi desperately wanted to change the subject, but the assistants, now transformed into fortune-tellers, mercilessly cornered her, blocking her escape from both sides.  

“Please, just tell us! We swear we won’t spread it around!”  

They swore repeatedly.  

Unable to withstand their relentless pestering, Yu Zhi finally gave in. “No, we started dating in college.”  

Their eyes lit up even brighter. “Then who pursued whom?”  

Yu Zhi suddenly felt a little embarrassed. “It wasn’t exactly pursuing… but I was the one who spoke up first…”  

“Ahhhh! Oh my god! What was Chairman Pei’s reaction then? Did he blush? Who was shyer when you two kissed for the first time?”  

As the questions grew increasingly bold, Yu Zhi’s face flushed red. Struggling to her feet, she made up a flimsy excuse. “Uh, I’m going back for a nap. You two focus on your work.”  

Watching her flee in panic, the two burst into laughter without restraint.  

Yu Zhi took the stairs, too focused on escaping to watch where she was going—and crashed straight into Pei Yuezhou, who was coming down.  

Dressed in casual homewear, Pei Yuezhou seemed less stern than usual. Instead of immediately letting go of Yu Zhi, he held her steady and looked down at her with a questioning gaze.  

“It’s nothing, nothing…” Yu Zhi, afraid he might notice something unusual, just wanted to slip away quickly.  

But he pulled her back.  

This time, Yu Zhi managed to steady herself, avoiding another collision.  

Pei Yuezhou leaned closer, one hand brushing against her flushed cheek.  

His beautifully curved eyes locked onto hers. “Why is your face so red… Are you feeling unwell?”  

His husky voice seemed to carry an invisible hook, entangling her heart with every word.  

Faced with such allure, Yu Zhi couldn’t resist. She stood on her tiptoes and planted a firm kiss on his lips before darting away like a fugitive.  

Pei Yuezhou chuckled softly, his eyes betraying a hint of triumph.  

The two assistants, carrying files upstairs, hadn’t even had time to greet him when they heard their boss’s heavenly voice: “Double the bonuses this month.”  

His tone was lazily pleased.  

The assistants: Long live the boss!!!