Chapter 15

“How did you get back so quickly?” Yun Yin asked, spotting Pei Yu lounging on the sofa as she descended the stairs. Her fingers tightened briefly on the banister.

“Don’t you want me here?” Pei Yu turned to face her, his expression unreadable.

“No,” Yun Yin replied immediately, walking to the other side of the sofa and sitting down.

She was simply surprised. Pei Yu had just video-called her less than an hour ago, and now he was standing right in front of her.

“Did you take your medicine today?” Pei Yu asked.

Yun Yin hesitated, unsure of his motives, but answered truthfully, “No. I feel almost completely recovered and don’t need it anymore.”

“Then why did Aunt Lin say you were still coughing?”

Yun Yin fell silent, her fingers curling at her side. An inexplicable sense of guilt, as if she’d been caught in a lie, washed over her.

Observing her reaction, Pei Yu recalled information he’d uncovered about her a few days prior. His eyes darkened. “It seems A-Yin doesn’t need my concern anymore?”

“How could that be?” Yun Yin’s eyes darted around. “It’s just a minor issue, nothing to worry about.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me you changed your number, A-Yin?” Pei Yu paused, then looked up at her meaningfully. “Could it be… there’s another admirer besides me?”

The moment the words left his lips, Yun Yin’s head snapped up to meet his gaze.

His tone was calm, as if the question had been tossed out casually.

Yun Yin wasn’t naive enough to think Pei Yu was genuinely upset about her not telling him about the number change. She knew he was setting another trap for her.

He must still be holding a grudge about her earlier accusation of “emotional abuse” over the phone.

Does this man have to be so petty and vindictive?

As expected of a villain—they never let anything go.

A torrent of silent complaints flooded her mind, but Yun Yin’s expression remained perfectly composed. She tilted her head slightly and played along with his game. “Isn’t it normal for someone as beautiful as me to have admirers?”

As she spoke, she casually brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, inadvertently revealing her delicate, exquisitely shaped ear.

Pei Yu’s gaze lingered on the slightly flushed earlobe, a faint smile flickering in his eyes.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Yun Yin’s eyes flickered with unease at his prolonged silence. Raising her voice slightly, as if to cover her discomfort, she demanded, “Am I not pretty enough?”

Pei Yu gazed at Yun Yin’s stunningly beautiful face. Even someone as critical as him found it difficult to utter the words “not beautiful.”

“Beautiful,” Pei Yu finally said slowly, just as Yun Yin was about to lose patience.

He had to admit that her face held an indescribable allure for him.

In his previous life, he had been bewitched, keeping her by his side despite knowing she harbored ulterior motives. Yet he had been utterly uninterested in her.

But in this life, he wasn’t so sure…

Unaware of Pei Yu’s inner turmoil, Yun Yin’s lips curved into a haughty smile, and she let out a soft “hmph” filled with pride and arrogance.

“Then how do I compare to Zhou Wenze?” Pei Yu’s dark eyes locked onto her face, his fingers pausing mid-motion.

Yun Yin’s delicate brows furrowed at the mention of that detested name. “Why would you compare yourself to him? He’s not even my suitor.”

A few seconds after she spoke, Pei Yu’s mood shifted abruptly. His expression turned cold, his thin lips pressed into a tight line, and his deep voice carried a hint of displeasure. “I can’t compare myself to him?”

Yun Yin sensed his change in mood. After reviewing her words, she realized why he was angry.

The next moment, Yun Yin hastily interjected, “What I meant was, how could someone like Zhou Wenze possibly be compared to you? Do you think my taste is that bad?”

After speaking, Yun Yin stole a glance at the man beside her, only to find his expression still cold and indifferent.

“I lied to you earlier,” Yun Yin said, lifting her gaze again. Unexpectedly, her eyes met his. The air seemed to freeze for a moment as she stared into his dark eyes, her heart fluttering slightly. She curled her fingertips inward.

“I only have one suitor.”

“I don’t understand what you mean,” Pei Yu’s deep voice rumbled, his gaze enigmatic.

Yun Yin’s pupils widened slightly. She looked up at him, as if wanting to speak but unsure how to begin.

Pei Yu observed every nuance of her expression. He seemed amused by her momentary confusion, though the fleeting smile in his eyes went unnoticed by Yun Yin.

Yun Yin knew Pei Yu was deliberately provoking her. This was the limit of her ability to coax him. Now, she simply gave up in exasperation. “If you don’t understand, then forget it.”

Difficult to coax.

Petty.

Vindictive.

Another label was added to Pei Yu in Yun Yin’s mind.

Yes, difficult to coax.

“If you don’t explain clearly, how am I supposed to know?” Pei Yu’s lips curled slightly, his expression visibly softening.

Yun Yin remained silent, her head bowed as she fiddled with the cushion in her arms.

She knew what Pei Yu wanted to hear, but she had no intention of saying it.

“Is it me?”

The question hung in the air, plunging the living room into silence.

A faint, ambiguous tension dissolved into the air, spreading between them like threads unraveling from a cocoon.

After a few seconds, Yun Yin averted her gaze, her eyes flickering. “I don’t know either.”

“It doesn’t matter if A-Yin doesn’t know,” Pei Yu murmured, a low chuckle brushing against her ear. “As long as I do.”

Time flew by, and before they knew it, the day of the Beijing Suburb Project bid arrived.

During this time, neither Zhou Wenze nor the Yun Family had contacted her, confirming that their plan was progressing as intended.

Meanwhile, Pei Yu had been returning to Yunman Lake for several days, showing no signs of suspicion.

Yun Yin felt relieved. She had made her intentions so obvious, she couldn’t believe Pei Yu hadn’t noticed.

Now, it was all up to him.

—

The atmosphere in the conference room was tense and heavy.

The fiercely contested Beijing Suburb Project was finally about to be awarded.

Representatives from Yujiang Group and Zhou Group, the two frontrunners, sat at opposite ends of the table, each exuding confidence.

Pei Yu hadn’t attended, sending instead Yujiang’s general manager, Lu Lin, to represent the company.

Zhou Wenze felt a vague sense of unease, but the wealth of information he had gathered quickly pushed it aside. He was determined to secure this project.

“After a rigorous and orderly bidding process, we are pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the project… Following careful deliberation and comprehensive evaluation, we have selected Zhou Group as our partner.”

The room erupted in applause as everyone stood to offer congratulations.

“Now we must rely on President Zhou.”

“…”

Zhou Wenze ignored the well-wishers and strode directly to the table displaying Yujiang Group’s business cards.

Seeing him approach, Lu Lin closed his file and rose with deliberate grace. “Congratulations, President Zhou,” he said to the beaming Zhou Wenze.

“It’s a pity President Pei couldn’t be here today,” Zhou Wenze said with feigned regret. When Lu Lin remained silent, he added, “If Yujiang is still interested in participating in this project, Zhou Group might consider it.”

Lu Lin’s expression remained unchanged, maintaining his refined demeanor. “We thank President Zhou for his kind offer in advance.”

Finding Lu Lin impenetrable, Zhou Wenze lost interest. With a final remark, he swept out of the conference room surrounded by his entourage.

“Lastly, he asked me to give you a message.”

“This is just the beginning.”

Pei Yu shifted his gaze from the computer, his eyes fixed on the black USB drive on the desk, his expression profound and sharp. After a moment, a glint flashed in his eyes, though his face remained impassive. A faint smile curled the corner of his lips.

“He’s right. This is just the beginning.”

Lu Lin knew Pei Yu had his own plans, but after working so hard and coming so close, he couldn’t help feeling a pang of reluctance. “Are we really giving up on the Beijing Suburb Project just like that?”

“This is only temporary.” As if struck by an idea, Pei Yu picked up a file from the desk and handed it to him. “Here’s the New Port Project in the eastern district. Take a look.”

Lu Lin accepted the file, initially skimming through it casually. But then something caught his eye, and he began flipping through the pages rapidly, his eyes growing increasingly fervent.

A new project that rivaled the Beijing Suburb Project in every way.

I knew it, Lu Lin thought. Pei Yu would never let such a juicy piece of meat slip through his fingers.

It seemed he still didn’t trust Pei Yu enough.

Night fell.

Yun Yin finished her dinner and prepared to go upstairs to continue tinkering with the equipment she had recently purchased.

“Miss Yun, Mr. Pei’s flight arrived this afternoon. He should be home around ten tonight,” Aunt Lin said warmly.

Yun Yin stopped in her tracks. She had only learned a few days ago that Pei Yu had gone abroad on a business trip, and he hadn’t even mentioned it to her.

This was the first time she had heard about Pei Yu’s travel plans, but what did it have to do with her?

She gave a perfunctory nod and went upstairs.

The night deepened.

The gates of Yunman Lake slowly swung open, and a black Maybach glided into the villa.

In the darkness, a pair of long legs encased in dress pants emerged from the car, followed by a tall, imposing man.

He entered the living room, adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses, and surveyed the room with an indifferent expression, his gaze searching for someone who wasn’t there.

“Mr. Pei,” Aunt Lin greeted him.

Pei Yu nodded, glancing upstairs. “Did you tell her I was coming home tonight?”

“Yes, I did,” Aunt Lin replied quickly.

“What did she say?”

Aunt Lin recalled Yun Yin’s reaction at dinner and hesitated, unsure how to answer. Finally, she stammered, “Miss Yun didn’t say anything.”

“Is she asleep?” Pei Yu lowered his eyes to check his wristwatch.

It was only eleven o’clock.

Aunt Lin recalled Miss Yun’s usual schedule, uncertainly saying, “She shouldn’t be asleep yet.”

This time, Pei Yu said nothing. He simply picked up a beautifully wrapped gift box from the side and went upstairs.

In a bedroom on the second floor, the person sleeping on the bed remained completely unaware that the door had been pushed open.

As the door opened, the hallway light followed Pei Yu into the room. The space was dim, illuminated only by the warm, yellow glow of a bedside lamp.

In the soft light, Pei Yu could see a small lump beneath the covers. As he approached, he noticed a dark crown of hair. The person on the bed was curled into a tight ball, most of their face buried in the soft, fluffy duvet.

Pei Yu gently tugged at the blanket, brushing aside the long strands of hair that had fallen across the face and pillow. Only then was Yun Yin’s delicate, beautiful face fully revealed.

Watching her sleep, Pei Yu’s hand involuntarily reached out. His fingertip brushed against her exceptionally soft lips, pausing briefly before slowly tracing downward. His large palm then gently wrapped around her slender neck.

Yun Yin was a light sleeper. Half-asleep, she felt someone touching her, murmured incoherently, and slowly opened her dazed eyes.

“Ah!”

In the darkness, Yun Yin opened her eyes to find a man standing beside her bed. Caught completely off guard, she gasped in shock.