Chapter 16

“It’s me.”

A low, slightly hoarse voice echoed in the quiet, dimly lit bedroom.

Yun Yin’s heart raced uncontrollably as she stared at the man standing before her bed. When she recognized him, she visibly relaxed. “Why aren’t you asleep so late? What’s gotten into you?”

Pei Yu realized he had startled her. He leaned over and switched on the bedroom light, his voice slightly awkward. “I just wanted to check if you were asleep.”

He hadn’t realized Yun Yin was such a light sleeper.

Yun Yin closed her eyes in utter resignation.

He could have just come home without waking me up.

The next moment, Pei Yu said, “Didn’t Aunt Lin tell you I was coming back tonight?”

“She did,” Yun Yin replied, sitting up in bed, her hair disheveled and her face still groggy. Already prone to morning grumpiness, her gaze turned even more resentful. “So?”

What does his coming home have to do with me?

It’s the middle of the night.

He can stay up if he wants, but I need to sleep!

Pei Yu was momentarily speechless.

“I just came to check on you,” he explained after a few seconds.

Yun Yin didn’t care about his excuses. Her temper was frayed, and she needed someone to vent her frustration on. Naturally, that someone was the one who had woken her up.

She tilted her head to look at him, her tone a mix of petulance and coquettishness. “I want some water,” she said casually.

When he remained silent and motionless, Yun Yin tightened the blanket around herself and added, “You’re the one who woke me up.”

The implication was clear, it wasn’t too much to ask for him to pour her a glass of water.

Pei Yu lowered his gaze to Yun Yin, who sat on the bed with an air of entitlement. Without warning, he reached out and gently touched her smooth forehead.

Startled by his sudden gesture, Yun Yin stared at him fixedly. “You don’t have a fever anymore,” he murmured.

“It’s gone,” she realized his intention. She subtly shifted backward. “I still want some water.”

As if oblivious to her small movement, Pei Yu withdrew his hand naturally. “Wait here.”

After Pei Yu left the room, Yun Yin’s shoulders slumped in relief.

Soon, Pei Yu returned with a cup of warm water.

Yun Yin took the cup, drank a sip, and then placed it back in Pei Yu’s hand, her eyes still heavy with sleep. “I don’t want to drink anymore.”

Pei Yu glanced at the mostly full cup in his hand, realizing the young miss was deliberately teasing him. He didn’t get angry. “Were you scared just now?”

Yun Yin had been calming down, but the mention of it reignited her morning grumpiness. “I was scared to death just now!”

Pei Yu’s brow furrowed involuntarily at a particular word. “Don’t throw around the word ‘death’ so casually.”

“But it’s true!” Yun Yin protested, noticing his frown. “You’re so mean.”

Didn’t he know she had a weak heart? If she’d been truly frightened, she could have died!

Pei Yu lowered his gaze to see the pampered young miss’s lips pouting slightly, her face a picture of displeasure. He sighed helplessly. “I wasn’t being mean.”

“Yes, you were!” Yun Yin insisted. “I don’t want to talk to you. I’m going back to sleep.”

After speaking, Yun Yin turned her back to Pei Yu and lay down.

Remembering their last encounter, Pei Yu was once again struck by the intensity of her morning grumpiness. He had previously feared that if he woke her, she would throw a tantrum without restraint.

Staring at the bundled-up figure, Pei Yu remained silent. He leaned over and tapped the sensor on the bedside table.

Instantly, the bedroom lights dimmed, leaving only the soft, amber glow of the bedside lamp.

After uttering those words, Yun Yin closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, wondering why Pei Yu would disturb her so late at night.

Could he have discovered my true identity and is testing me? she thought. But I’ve never tried to hide it.

The day after the bidding results for the Jingjiao project were announced, Pei Yu had left the country to negotiate a partnership.

With that plot point resolved, she had served her purpose and was no longer of use to him.

Yet she sensed Pei Yu’s increasing attention toward her.

Is he planning something else?

As Yun Yin’s thoughts swirled, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until she drifted into sleep, unaware of when the man left the room.

The next day, Yun Yin woke up naturally, feeling refreshed.

After she finished washing up, a knock came from outside her bedroom. Aunt Lin’s voice called out, “Miss Yun, would you like me to bring breakfast up, or will you come downstairs to eat?”

“I’ll come downstairs,” Yun Yin replied, raising her voice.

“Very well,” Aunt Lin answered.

When Yun Yin descended, she found someone already seated at the usually empty dining table.

She glanced at the wall clock—it was past nine. Why hadn’t Pei Yu left for work yet?

Noticing her hesitation, Pei Yu spoke first. “Come over here.”

Yun Yin averted her gaze and slowly walked to the dining room, choosing a seat neither too close nor too far from him. “Aren’t you going to work today?”

“It’s Saturday.”

“Oh,” Yun Yin murmured inwardly. No wonder.

“Do you always eat breakfast this late?” Pei Yu asked.

Yun Yin took a sip of her milk and shook her head. “Not usually.”

Most days, she couldn’t even drag herself out of bed for breakfast. Nine o’clock was considered early for her.

Pei Yu clearly misunderstood her meaning. “You should eat breakfast on time.”

Yun Yin stared at him strangely. Something was definitely off.

Why was the villain suddenly acting so caring?

After a moment of fruitless observation, Yun Yin politely replied, “You too.”

Yun Yin never ate much in the mornings, so she finished quickly. As she stood to leave, Pei Yu called out to her.

“I left something in your room last night. Could you go get it for me?”

She hadn’t noticed anything in her bedroom that morning, but since Pei Yu insisted, Yun Yin went upstairs to retrieve it.

She entered the bedroom and scanned the room. On a cabinet to one side, she spotted an exquisitely wrapped gift box.

This must be what Pei Yu left behind, she thought.

She picked up the box and headed downstairs.

“Is this it?” Yun Yin held the gift box out to Pei Yu.

Pei Yu didn’t take it. “Open it,” he said calmly.

“Is it for me?”

Pei Yu nodded, signaling her to open it.

Under his watchful gaze, Yun Yin unwrapped the gift.

A signed black vinyl record lay nestled on black velvet.

Yun Yin froze for a moment, stunned.

She recognized the record instantly. It was from her favorite band in this world, a band whose records had been out of print for years. This was even a collector’s edition, a priceless treasure.

For someone who adored collecting records, this was an overwhelming surprise.

Even her heart fluttered with excitement.

“Do you like it?”

Yun Yin hugged the box, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. “I love it!” she declared without reservation.

Pei Yu watched her clutching the record, a faint smile surfacing in his eyes. “There’s also a record player arriving tomorrow.”

As soon as he said this, Yun Yin’s eyes lit up even brighter.

This record wasn’t easy to find; even Pei Yu had put in considerable effort to acquire it. But seeing her so delighted, he—who usually weighed every action by its profit and loss—found himself thinking it was worth it.

Observing her rare burst of energy, Pei Yu’s smile deepened. “Still angry?”

Remembering the previous night, Yun Yin looked up at him, pressing her lips together to suppress a smile. She feigned composure and said, “I forgive you.”

Unaware that her every expression was being thoroughly observed.

“Then accompany me to a banquet the day after tomorrow?” Pei Yu’s lips curved slightly. “There’ll be quite a show.”

“What kind of show?” Yun Yin asked instinctively.

“You’ll have to come to find out,” Pei Yu teased.

“Do I have to go?” Yun Yin asked uncertainly.

Pei Yu gazed at her, his voice low and resonant, his soft words carrying an unspoken allure. “A Yin doesn’t want to go?”

……

Finally, the day of the banquet arrived, and Yun Yin accompanied Pei Yu.

It wasn’t until they arrived that Yun Yin learned the event was hosted by the Zhou Group.

She was once again certain that Pei Yu had deliberately brought her here.

As everyone knew, the Zhou Group had secured the multi-billion-dollar suburban Beijing project, while Yujiang, the original frontrunner, had suffered a shocking upset.

In an instant, countless people were eager to see Pei Yu’s downfall, but no one dared openly mock him.

For this reason, Pei Yu was unusually free from his usual throng of admirers. After exchanging greetings, the guests dispersed, mindful that today was the Zhou Group’s stage.

Pei Yu seemed completely unbothered, listening intently to the person beside him.

“You lied! There’s no good show to watch at all. It’s so boring…”

Yun Yin’s words were cut short as someone suddenly stumbled into her path. Before she could react, Pei Yu grabbed her arm, pulled her firmly into his embrace, and stepped back. The unsuspecting person lost their balance and fell to the ground.

Yun Yin now saw clearly that the person who had fallen was a woman. She had a delicate face and wore a long dress, and she was looking at Pei Yu with a pitiful expression. “President Pei,” she murmured, her voice so soft it seemed to drip like water.

After a long moment, Pei Yu hadn’t even glanced at her, as if he hadn’t heard. Undeterred, the woman persisted, “President Pei, I think I’ve twisted my ankle. Could you please help me up?”

Only then did Pei Yu slowly raise his eyes to meet hers. His gaze was indifferent, his tone utterly flat. “Are you sure you want me to help you?”

The man’s eyes were deep and dark, and his tall frame blocked the light. The woman opened her mouth, a chill creeping up her spine, and found herself unable to speak.

The tense silence didn’t last long. Yun Yin, who had been standing nearby, bent down and helped the woman up. “Are you alright?”

The woman looked at Yun Yin, the fear in her heart subsiding slightly. She resumed her pitiful demeanor. “I’m fine.”

“Good to hear.” Yun Yin paused, a troubled expression on her face. “Anyone who didn’t know better might think you were trying to scam us.”

The woman’s expression instantly soured. Yun Yin had always suspected she was up to no good, and her pitiful facade began to crumble. “I wasn’t trying to scam you.”

Yun Yin took in the woman’s reaction, and recognition dawned. This was Cheng Wenwen, one of the male lead’s later romantic interests. Cheng Wenwen had known the original owner of Yun Yin’s body, and their relationship had been strained, each despising the other.

“My apologies for the misunderstanding,” Yun Yin said, tilting her head with haughty arrogance. “I’m rather possessive. I don’t like anyone touching what’s mine.”

Cheng Wenwen’s composure shattered. “Yun Yin, don’t go too far! President Pei isn’t yours to claim.”

Yun Yin shrugged indifferently. “You’ll have to ask Pei Yu about that.”

Cheng Wenwen instinctively glanced at Pei Yu.

Pei Yu’s hand still rested on Yun Yin’s slender waist. Without even looking at Cheng Wenwen, he gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, murmuring softly, “Don’t be angry. I belong to you alone.”