When Zhou Siyang returned home, he saw his grandfather standing at the entrance to the back yard, seemingly admiring the view with the Shi family couple.

Zhou Siyang thought for a moment about what could be so beautiful in the backyard—could it be that the iron tree had bloomed?

He walked over, greeting everyone in turn, and then raised his eyes to look.

He saw Shi Yin holding a phone, taking a picture of his sickly little uncle while sneakily covering her mouth with a pencil and giggling.

Meanwhile, his frail little uncle was leaning on Shi Yin’s shoulder, pretending to sleep.

Zhou Siyang quickly looked away, barely suppressing a frown. Only then did he notice that his little uncle’s cheeks had been drawn on with three horizontal lines, like cat whiskers, and there was a black mark on the tip of his nose, with the character “王” written on his forehead.

Oh, it’s a tiger.

Zhou Siyang’s face remained indifferent.

Grandfather Zhou smiled and said, “Look, the bond between these two children is so good. Other people wouldn’t dare to treat Chengyuan like this, and Chengyuan would never allow others to do this to him.”

Shi Mingyuan agreed, “Yes, only a young couple could act so recklessly. It’s actually quite amusing to watch.”

Tang Yulin originally didn’t believe Shi Yin had fallen for Zhou Chengyuan, the sickly man who was counting down his last days, but seeing her treat Zhou Chengyuan this way with her own eyes, she had no choice but to accept it.

Zhou Siyang felt a knot in his stomach as he listened to the conversation between Zhou Jin Feng and Shi Mingyuan. He didn’t linger any longer and greeted Zhou Jin Feng before heading upstairs to his room.

Although Zhou Siyang had entered his bedroom, he could still see the scene in the backyard through the back window.

He tossed his suit jacket on the bed and walked over to the window, looking down.

To his frustration, he saw his little uncle waking up. Zhou Siyang was even more upset.

Zhou Chengyuan hadn’t actually been asleep; he had been pretending to sleep, leaning on Shi Yin’s shoulder.

He had known all along that Shi Yin was drawing on his face and taking photos.

He had even heard what Shi Yin said about him having only three months to live.

He had thought that she didn’t know, but it turned out she was fully aware of how much time he had left.

He wondered how Shi Yin would react when she found out he wouldn’t die after all.

When Zhou Chengyuan opened his eyes, Shi Yin was about to take the last photo. She pressed the button just as he opened his eyes, and Zhou Chengyuan’s half-awake expression was captured in her phone.

Shi Yin froze for a moment, then looked at him innocently, trying to hold back a smile, and said seriously, “You’re awake?”

Zhou Chengyuan rubbed his neck and nodded, “Mm.”

Shi Yin bit her lip, trying to suppress her laughter, and with a concerned tone asked, “Do you want to sit here for a while longer, or should we go back to your room?”

Zhou Chengyuan pretended not to know what was going on and replied, “Let’s go back.”

“I’ll call Chen Meng to bring over the wheelchair…” Shi Yin said, standing up, but she intended to pull her hand away from his.

She sighed with relief in her heart—finally, no more hand-holding.

However, as soon as she stood up, instead of pulling her hand away, it was pulled back toward him.

Shi Yin lost her balance and fell directly into Zhou Chengyuan’s arms.

She ended up sitting on his lap, her eyes wide with surprise, her mouth slightly open, looking completely startled.

Zhou Chengyuan wrapped his arm around her waist, lowered his gaze at the girl sitting on his lap, and lazily said, “No need, I can walk, but I need you to support me.”

Although Shi Yin had played intimate roles with male leads in dramas before, this was her first experience like this in real life.

After all, she had always been single up until now.

She flustered and hurriedly stood up from his lap, “Sorry,” she asked in concern, “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to make you fall.”

Zhou Chengyuan laughed, looking at her and extending his hand for her to help him up, saying, “It’s fine.”

“My body’s a bit weak, but I can still handle it if my wife sits on me.”

Shi Yin’s face flushed.

This man!

Couldn’t he be a little more reserved? They aren’t even married yet!

Shi Yin originally planned to help him by supporting his arm, but as soon as he stood up, he naturally draped his arm around her shoulder.

Reluctantly, Shi Yin had to support him by holding his arm, with her other arm around his waist, guiding him slowly through the corridor and into the room.

His waist was very thin, though not as exaggerated as the books describe. Still, he was tall, over 1.8 meters, so he seemed a bit lean.

By the time they entered the room, Zhou Jin Feng and Shi Mingyuan were no longer by the door; they were sitting in the living room, drinking tea.

As soon as they walked in, everyone looked over. Shi Yin greeted them, “I’m just helping Chengyuan’s little uncle back to his room.”

She guided him toward the elevator, pressing the button.

Soon, the elevator doors slowly opened.

Shi Yin froze.

The Zhou family’s elevator had mirrors.

This elevator had been specially installed for Zhou Chengyuan. Although Shi Yin had frequently visited the Zhou family, she had never used this elevator before, so she didn’t know about the mirrors.

Now, they were facing the mirror in the elevator. Zhou Chengyuan’s pale face, with the whiskers drawn on it, the black mark on his nose, and the character “王” written on his forehead, caught their reflection.

Zhou Chengyuan turned his head toward Shi Yin.

Shi Yin hadn’t expected to face such a large, bright mirror. She felt a little embarrassed and forced a laugh, just as she was about to speak, Zhou Chengyuan said, “Let’s get on the elevator first.”

“We’ll talk about family matters in the room.”

Shi Yin: “?”

She helped Zhou Chengyuan into the elevator, and as it ascended, Shi Yin, trying to save face, suggested, “How about… I draw on your face too?”

Zhou Chengyuan squinted and calmly replied, “I don’t do childish things.”

Just as Shi Yin was thinking of another way, she heard him say, “But if you want me to, I’ll do it for you.”

Shi Yin: “…”

Forget it. I don’t want you to do it.

Shi Yin, half-supporting Zhou Chengyuan, walked out of the elevator, chattering as they went toward his room: “But you know, it actually looks pretty cool! The little tiger, so imposing! So majestic! It’s perfect for you!”

“Chengyuan, you have this ‘kingly aura’ about you, just like the ‘king of the jungle,’ the tiger. Both are born to be kings, which is why I drew a tiger.”

“Because, in my heart, you will always be my king.”

Shi Yin almost convinced herself with her own flattery. Zhou Chengyuan smiled slightly, and when they reached the bed, she helped him sit down, intending to leave.

“Then little uncle, you rest, I’ll be going now…”

Before she could finish, Zhou Chengyuan interrupted: “Wait.”

Heart pounding, Shi Yin turned her head mechanically, forcing a smile and blinking innocently, “Is there something else, little uncle?”

Zhou Chengyuan opened the drawer, pulled out a box, and handed it to her.

Shi Yin, puzzled, took it and opened the box. Inside was a sparkling diamond.

Her eyes widened, and her thoughts turned to money.

What the heck!!!

Such a large pink diamond—it was blinding!

Though Shi Yin was a small-time celebrity with enough to live on, this was on a completely different level.

And the diamond was so stunning!

“Is this for me?” Shi Yin asked, her voice filled with surprise. “But this is too precious…”

Zhou Chengyuan replied, “The most precious thing isn’t this, it’s you.”

Shi Yin froze.

Was he flirting with her?

Mom, help!

“If you’re still shy, maybe you could start fulfilling your duties as a wife?”

Shi Yin: “???”

What was he thinking?

Besides, who would do such a thing before marriage?

Flushed with embarrassment, Shi Yin slammed the box shut and threw it back at Zhou Chengyuan, “I don’t want it!”

Although she wasn’t as rich as him, Shi Yin was still from a wealthy family, and there was no way she would sell her body for a diamond.

Who doesn’t have any self-respect?

She turned to leave, but Zhou Chengyuan grabbed her, chuckling, “What are you thinking?”

“Don’t you want to help me clean my face?”

What?

Help you clean your face?

You should’ve said that earlier, and we wouldn’t have had all this trouble!

Shi Yin turned, saw his face covered in the traces of the eyebrow pencil, and immediately smiled brightly, saying, “Of course! I’d be more than happy to!”

“Then… does the engagement gift still count?” Zhou Chengyuan teased, his eyes fixed on the pink diamond.

Self-respect? Who cares about that when there’s a pink diamond?!

Shi Yin eagerly grabbed the box, shoved it into her bag, and hurried to the bathroom, “I’ll go wash the towel for you!”

Zhou Chengyuan watched her retreating figure, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.

She was easy to trick.

While Shi Yin was in the bathroom, Zhou Chengyuan took advantage of her absence to stretch, feeling much better, and sat back on the bed.

When Shi Yin came back with the damp towel, she stood between his legs and gently wiped away the marks on his face.

She was focused and relaxed, completely unaware that Zhou Chengyuan, after thinking for a moment, casually asked, “You came to the door a few days ago but didn’t come in. Why did you secretly take pictures of me outside?”

Shi Yin, startled, quickly realized what he meant.

She had lied to him about the day she had come with Zhou Siyang, saying she hadn’t been allowed in, but she had forgotten one important detail.

Zhou Chengyuan had been on the balcony, so he must have seen her leave with Zhou Siyang…

She cursed herself for lying in the first place.

Quickly, Shi Yin put on a shy, almost flirtatious expression, and hesitantly explained, “My parents always say that girls should be reserved, even if they like someone. Otherwise, it might be too much…”

“Originally, I just wanted to visit you after work, but then I remembered what my parents said, and I was worried I might be bothering you by coming too often…”

Her head lowered, looking like she had done something wrong, squeezing the towel and saying in a sad voice, “I was afraid you wouldn’t like me or might even hate me, so I just secretly took one photo of you outside.”

Zhou Chengyuan suppressed his satisfaction and pulled her into his lap, softly comforting her, “How could I not like you?”

“You’re so adorable, little uncle likes you the most, did you know that?”

He added in a low voice, “I like you so much, I want to carve you into my bones and merge with you.”

“Then, no one can ever covet my Yin Yin again, and you’ll never escape.”