Chapter 18

Lin Jinshen remained in his current position, propping himself up beside her, as though enclosing her in a private space without actually touching her.

The two locked eyes silently.

He lowered his gaze, prompting Lu Yi to follow suit. Realizing what was happening, she hastily pulled the thin blanket up to her chest—a gesture that was as much revealing as it was an attempt to hide her thoughts.

“What are you thinking?” Lin Jinshen’s expression was cold, his tone restrained and austere.

His voice seemed to ask: Is your mind only filled with… dirty thoughts?

“Isn’t it?” Lu Yi countered, referencing the way he grabbed her arm earlier and the current position they were in.

Lin Jinshen’s tone didn’t waver, even becoming more serious and clinical. “Your hands were crossed over your chest earlier. That sleeping posture compresses the heart, potentially causing palpitations and nightmares that wake you up. I was adjusting your posture for you.”

“You were helping me adjust my posture?” Lu Yi paused, stunned.

“What else would it be?” Lin Jinshen shot back, his tone sharp and questioning—challenging her very assumptions about his character.

“…”

Realizing her overreaction, Lu Yi released her grip on the blanket. She admitted she had misinterpreted the situation but felt it wasn’t entirely her fault.

Lin Jinshen leaned back and lay down again, assuming a proper sleeping posture with his arms by his sides.

Separated by an invisible barrier between them, the two occupied their respective sides of the bed in peace, neither disturbing the other.

Lu Yi woke up multiple times throughout the night, her drowsiness piling up like a tidal wave. Eventually, her eyelids drooped, and she drifted into deep, steady sleep.

Lin Jinshen, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep.

His routine had been disrupted. It was past his usual bedtime, and the recent shower only added to his restlessness. Lying flat on the bed, staring into the darkness, he wondered why he had come back at all.

A wave of inexplicable frustration surged within his chest.

Lin Jinshen pressed a hand to his brow, trying to ease the growing fatigue in his eyes, forcing himself to sleep.

Then, thud. A hand flopped onto him.

Next, Lu Yi shifted in her sleep, turning onto her side. She draped one leg over his and rested her forehead against his arm.

“…”

This wasn’t the first time.

The last time, early one morning, she had done the same thing—clumsily pressing her limbs against him, like a warm, fragrant furnace.

He hadn’t controlled himself then, but that was in the early hours when such instincts were natural. Her scent and warmth had an almost tangible presence, enveloping him completely.

There had even been another occasion, not early morning but evening. Adjusting the timing to fit their unspoken rules seemed fair enough.

But now? Lin Jinshen pulled her hand away, gently lowering her leg back into place. He lightly pushed against her shoulder to guide her into a proper sleeping position.

After finishing, he lay down again, closing his eyes in an effort to rest.

A few minutes later, she shifted again. This time, her leg wrapped around his, her face pressing into his arm, her soft breaths warming his skin through the fabric.

The warmth of her body, her soft skin, her faintly sweet scent… Something in his chest seemed to malfunction, alternately racing and freezing.

Lin Jinshen’s face tightened as discomfort flickered across his expression. He repeated the same maneuver to adjust her position. Once. Twice. Three times. Four.

There was no way he could sleep like this.

Come morning, he would have to inform her about her less-than-ideal sleeping habits.

When she turned toward him again, Lin Jinshen finally spoke in a low, restrained voice, “Lu Yi.”

She didn’t respond.

Each time he finally felt he could settle, she would unconsciously draw close again. It was maddening. Frustrated, he got up from the bed, turned on the bedside lamp, and went into the bathroom.

Lu Yi slept unusually soundly that night.

It wasn’t exactly restful. When the alarm went off, she remained groggy, struggling to turn it off. Just as she reached out, a hand stretched past hers and silenced the alarm. The room returned to quiet.

Startled awake, Lu Yi opened her eyes just in time to see the back of a figure leaving the bed. Lin Jinshen rose, slipped on his slippers, and walked toward the bathroom.

She glanced at the clock—it was 7:30, her usual alarm time.

Typically, Lin Jinshen would already be back from his morning run and at the office by now.

Today, he had woken up at the same time as her. Considering he’d returned at 2 a.m. the previous night, it wasn’t surprising. He was human, after all, not made of iron.

After waiting ten minutes for him to finish in the bathroom, Lu Yi darted inside to freshen up.

The sink was as immaculate as ever, but there were several crumpled paper towels in the trash. Did he find some area that Aunt Fang had missed and clean it himself?

That was borderline obsessive-compulsive.

After brushing her teeth, Lu Yi paused outside the stairwell, overhearing Lin Jinshen talking to Aunt Fang, who had just arrived.

Aunt Fang, always warm and friendly, greeted him and asked if work had been busy. She reminded him to take care of his health—nothing was more important.

She added, “It’s not just me who worries about you. The lady of the house is concerned too. She mentioned preparing your favorite dishes and sending them to you. Home-cooked meals just aren’t the same as takeout.”

Lu Yi marveled at Aunt Fang’s ability to spin the truth.

She had taken her suggestion from yesterday and attributed it to Lu Yi herself.

Aunt Fang continued, “There are some things the lady of the house might not say, but she really hopes you’ll come home more often…”

Lu Yi coughed lightly, creating the sound of someone about to come downstairs.

Lin Jinshen’s reply was subdued, his voice faintly hoarse. “Understood. Thank you for your efforts during this time.”

“You don’t sound quite right. Are you sick?” Aunt Fang asked with concern.

“No, just didn’t sleep well.”

“See? I told you to take care of yourself. Being sick is miserable.” Aunt Fang gently admonished.

After thanking her, Lin Jinshen changed his shoes and left.

Once the door shut behind him, Lu Yi casually descended the stairs to greet Aunt Fang.

Aunt Fang beamed at her. “What would you like for breakfast this morning?”

“Nothing, I’m running late. I’ll grab something at the office,” Lu Yi said, filling Puff’s bowl with cat food. She timed her departure perfectly, calculating how long it would take Lin Jinshen to reach the first floor by elevator.

After saying goodbye to Aunt Fang, she left for work.

At the office, her coworkers’ curious gazes immediately zeroed in on her.

They sidled up to her, eager to gossip. But before anyone could speak, Lu Yi raised her hand in a subtle gesture, smiling politely. “Work-related discussions are fine, but personal questions are off-limits.”

Though they tried to persist, she quickly adopted a professional demeanor.

Lu Yi had a reputation for being warm and approachable but also maintaining boundaries. To colleagues, she was friendly and cooperative. Outside of work, however, she kept a polite distance, as if they were strangers.

At 6:00 p.m. sharp, Lu Yi left work.

That Friday, just as she got home, Mrs. Xu called, perfectly timing her break.

“Have you eaten yet?” Mrs. Xu asked.

“Yes.”

“At home or outside?”

“At home,” Lu Yi replied.

Mrs. Xu, knowing about their housekeeper, asked, “Is one housekeeper enough? Should I help you find another?”

“We’re rarely home, so one is fine. Aunt Fang is great—her cooking is excellent too.”

Mrs. Xu caught on quickly. “So, Jinshen isn’t home often, is he? Since the wedding dress fitting, you probably haven’t seen much of him?”

“…We’ve seen each other,” Lu Yi muttered.

As she spoke, Puff sneakily sipped water from her glass. Lu Yi, still holding the phone, pretended to shoo the cat away, only to let it return moments later for another drink.

A trick she had learned online: cats may not like their own water bowls, but they’ll happily drink from their owner’s cup if given the chance.

Lu Yi smiled triumphantly and mentioned Lin Jinshen’s visit to the exhibition on its opening day.

“What about you? Have you gone to his company to check on him? I heard from your father that he’s been putting in a lot of effort for this KS acquisition. His team is on high alert. Have you shown him any concern?”

“…”

Lu Yi stayed silent, which, in Mrs.Xu’s eyes, was as good as admitting she hadn’t.

“This weekend you don’t have much going on, right? Take the initiative and visit him,” Mrs. Xu suggested. “He’s come to see you. Isn’t it normal for you to do the same?”

“Got it,” Lu Yi replied, saying she’d go if she had the time.

Mrs. Xu’s tone turned stern immediately: “Tomorrow at noon is a great time. Have lunch together. If you’re too embarrassed to go alone, I’ll go with you.”

“No need!”

“I’ll go, I’ll go tomorrow,” Lu Yi reassured her.

“I’ll make sure to complete the mission assigned by the organization, take photos as proof, and report back for review,” she added humorously.

Mrs. Xu chuckled, calling her a little rascal: “Don’t just say that to humor me. Be sincere, not just going through the motions.”

“I understand.”

When she was younger, while her father, Lu Kangcheng, was busy with work, Mrs. Xu often took her to her grandparents’ house. Over time, she picked up their dialect.

After hanging up, Lu Yi had no choice but to turn to Aunt Fang for help.

Aunt Fang was delighted, thinking Lu Yi had suddenly come to her senses. “I’ve been waiting for this,” she said.

The next day, Aunt Fang prepared several dishes, packing them into insulated containers. She wiped each one clean, ending up with five containers in total.

“Isn’t this too much? He might not finish it all,” Lu Yi asked.

“It’s for both of you to share! Since you’re going there anyway, running back and forth is too much trouble.”

This wasn’t part of Lu Yi’s plan.

Aunt Fang carried three containers herself and helped load them into the car.

“Thank you, Aunt Fang. You can finish early today. Get some rest,” Lu Yi said as she buckled her seatbelt.

“It’s no trouble. You don’t give me much to do as it is, and you pay me well. If I don’t do something, I feel uneasy. Being helpful makes me feel useful.”

“Don’t say that. I’m off now,” Lu Yi replied.

“Go on,” Aunt Fang said with a smile.

Before heading over, Lu Yi had informed Lin Jinshen in advance to avoid any surprises or overlapping plans. He arranged for Jiang Xun to meet her when she arrived.

At the parking lot, Lu Yi sent a message: [Assistant Jiang, I’ve arrived.]

She also sent a photo of her parking spot for convenience.

Jiang Xun jogged over quickly and greeted her with a smile. “Hello, ma’am.”

“There’s quite a bit to carry, so I’ll need your help,” Lu Yi said, opening the trunk to reveal the neatly arranged containers.

Jiang Xun bent down, took four containers—two in each hand—and left the last one for her.

“This way, ma’am. Mr. Lin’s private elevator leads directly to his office.”

“Thank you.”

In the elevator, Jiang Xun said earnestly, “You’re so kind to Mr. Lin. He’s been extremely busy lately—so busy he sometimes skips lunch.”

Lu Yi felt a pang of guilt and nodded silently.

Jiang Xun continued, “Although he hasn’t been home much lately, he’s been staying at a hotel near the company. Other than me, there’s no one else by his side.”

He emphasized no one else, clearly wanting to reassure her.

Lu Yi understood the implied message and smiled faintly. “I trust him.”

Jiang Xun smiled shyly and took the opportunity to pledge his loyalty: “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him for you.”

“…Thanks for your hard work,” Lu Yi replied.

The elevator stopped at the executive floor, leading directly to Lin Jinshen’s office.

Jiang Xun had already informed his colleagues, so the assistants in the office stood up and greeted Lu Yi in unison.

“You all go back to work; don’t mind me,” Lu Yi said, feeling uneasy with the attention. She knocked on the office door and heard a voice from inside: “Come in.”

She pushed the door open and entered. Jiang Xun followed behind with the containers.

Lin Jinshen sat at his desk, still engrossed in work. He looked up when he heard her and their eyes met.

“Should I wait until you’re done?” she asked instinctively.

“Five minutes.”

“Alright.”

Lu Yi placed the containers on the coffee table and glanced around. It was her first time in his office. Her initial impression was that it was spacious but cold, much like their home at Chengxi Garden. The gray tones and metallic elements added to the unwelcoming atmosphere.

Jiang Xun set down the containers and excused himself.

Lu Yi opened each container one by one, hearing the faint rustle of papers from his desk as she arranged the dishes. Aunt Fang had prepared plenty, including both his and her favorite dishes.

Five minutes later, she heard the sound of a chair being pushed back. Lin Jinshen walked over, and she handed him chopsticks. Her gaze fell to his tie—it was the one she had gifted him.

“Didn’t you say you don’t wear other brands of ties?”

“All my ties are at home. I’ve used up the ones here, so this is the only one left,” he replied, sitting down on the single-seater sofa opposite her.

If he needed ties, Jiang Xun could easily bring a new batch from home with a single call.

Lu Yi glanced at the tie again. It suited him well, so she didn’t press further.

“Aunt Fang made these?”

“Yes.”

“Thank her for me.”

“…”

They ate in silence, their conversations few and far between.

They’d eaten together before, adhering to their agreement to share at least one meal a week. Initially, they’d forced themselves to exchange a few words, but it always ended like this.

Without exception.

Instead of fostering closeness, it only seemed to highlight the state of their marriage.

“When will you be done with work?” Lu Yi asked, making a token effort to show concern.

Lin Jinshen looked up. “If everything goes smoothly, within two weeks.”

“That’s soon.”

“Hmm.”

His voice was hoarse, and he sipped water after eating a few bites of rice. He had little appetite but remained polite, trying to eat as much as possible.

Lu Yi noticed his unusual tone, seemingly worse than in the morning. His complexion also looked off—pale yet flushed in an unhealthy way.

She put down her chopsticks after eating and observed him quietly, arriving at a conclusion. She instinctively reached out with the back of her hand to feel his forehead.

The moment her hand touched his skin, it felt hot, confirming her suspicion.

It lasted only a second before Lin Jinshen leaned back, his face turning redder. He looked at her warily, his hoarse voice tinged with annoyance: “What are you doing?”

The scent she carried, which had haunted him all night, came rushing back, triggering an involuntary response he despised.

It was as if he’d been tainted, and he wanted to keep his distance, fearing the consequences of losing control.

Lu Yi was baffled. He hadn’t been this bashful in bed.

Now, just touching his forehead seemed to threaten his integrity.

Frowning, she said softly, “Do you realize you have a fever?”

Strange.

He’d been fine last night. How did he fall ill so quickly?