Chapter 37

After the check-up, the day was growing late, and it was time to return to Cloud-Veiled Lake.

The car was smooth and warm. Yun Yin, who had woken up early that morning, leaned against Pei Yu and began to feel drowsy again.

“Tired?”

Yun Yin nodded, her voice muffled. “I woke up too early today.”

Since leaving the hospital, Yun Yin hadn’t asked Pei Yu about the results of the check-up. She acted as if they had simply gone out for a casual errand, showing no sign of concern.

Pei Yu wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to his chest. “Go to sleep,” he murmured. “It’s still early.”

Yun Yin rested against his chest and closed her eyes.

Pei Yu lowered his gaze to the woman in his arms, his expression complex.

She showed no curiosity about her test results, as if she had already anticipated them. She accepted the outcome with remarkable composure, showing no panic or confusion.

It was as if she had been preparing for this all along.

Suddenly, Pei Yu remembered her earlier words:

“My illness is difficult to treat. I don’t think I have much time left.”

Perhaps she had known about her condition since then, which explained her unwavering calm.

When they arrived at Cloud-Veiled Lake, Pei Yu didn’t wake Yun Yin. Instead, he simply carried her out of the car. She only woke up as they were about to go upstairs.

Even awake, Yun Yin remained nestled in Pei Yu’s arms, letting him carry her upstairs.

In the bedroom, Pei Yu gently placed her on the bed and asked, “Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

Yun Yin hesitated, then asked uncertainly, “Is that… alright?”

Despite the torrential rain that had poured all night, she had slept remarkably well. She had drifted through dreamless slumber and woken feeling completely refreshed, unlike her usual groggy mornings.

Pei Yu gazed at her. Her eyes were clear and pure, devoid of ulterior motives or…

Lust.

She didn’t seem to understand what this meant.

She simply felt comfortable, safe, and trusted him not to take advantage of her.

In the past, that would have been enough for Pei Yu.

But now, he greedily wanted more.

Pei Yu lowered his gaze, his eyes darkening. Yet his voice remained soft and gentle, as if promising to fulfill all her desires. “Yes, it’s alright.”

“The weather forecast says it’s going to rain for the next few days. If your heart acts up, I’ll be able to notice right away.”

To ease Pei Yu’s worries, Yun Yin explained, “Yesterday’s discomfort was just because the thunder was so loud.”

Pei Yu’s lips curved slightly, his gaze soft. “But I’m still worried.”

Yun Yin had grown accustomed to Pei Yu’s presence, and a habitual reliance on him had taken root in her heart. After a moment’s hesitation, she agreed, “Okay.”

What she didn’t tell Pei Yu was that her heart had been acting up intermittently lately, sometimes for as little as ten seconds, with no discernible pattern. The episodes seemed to increase in frequency at night.

With Pei Yu by her side, at least she wouldn’t be alone if a serious episode occurred.

Yun Yin still believed she was a good sleeper. Her bed was wide enough for them to sleep separately without disturbing Pei Yu.

The next morning, Pei Yu woke up early. Not only did he wake up himself, but he also roused Yun Yin, insisting she get up for breakfast.

The soft, fluffy duvet was so comfortable that Yun Yin wanted nothing more than to burrow under it and sleep forever. Reluctantly opening her eyes after being forcibly awakened, she groaned, “I’m not hungry. I’ll eat after I’ve had my fill of sleep.”

Pei Yu refused without mercy. “No. Eat first, then sleep.”

Yun Yin, cradled in his arms, looked utterly dejected. “If I eat, I won’t be sleepy anymore.”

Undeterred, Pei Yu calmly replied, “Perfect. Then you can come to work with me.”

“The doctor said you need more exercise. Some activity would be good for you.”

Yun Yin pursed her lips, her expression darkening further. “…Never mind.”

By the time they had dressed and come downstairs, Aunt Lin had already prepared breakfast and set it on the table.

Seeing Yun Yin descending with Pei Yu, Aunt Lin’s face lit up with surprise. “Miss Yun, you’re up so early today! Do you have somewhere to go?”

Yun Yin settled into her seat at the table and answered languidly, “No.”

Pei Yu glanced at Yun Yin, who was pouting beside him, clearly displeased. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he turned to Aunt Lin. “Aunt Lin, if I’m not here, please wake her up at this time every day for breakfast.”

Aunt Lin gasped. “But…”

Yun Yin set down her cup and glared at him. “I don’t have a job. Why would I need to wake up so early every day?”

Pei Yu met her gaze calmly. “You can go back to sleep after you eat.”

Yun Yin fell silent for a moment, then shot him a glare and huffed loudly to express her displeasure.

It seemed breakfast was unavoidable.

“Be good,” Pei Yu said, patting her head. “There will be a gift this afternoon.”

Yun Yin instinctively asked, “What kind of gift?”

“You’ll find out this afternoon,” Pei Yu replied. “You’ll like it.”

“What if I don’t?” Yun Yin rolled her eyes, deliberately saying the opposite of what she meant.

“If you don’t…” Pei Yu paused thoughtfully. “Then we’ll exchange it for something else.”

“…”

Yun Yin fell silent, turning her head away from him. Only the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her true mood.

“Not angry anymore?” Pei Yu’s voice, laced with amusement, echoed in her ear.

Yun Yin turned back to him, protesting, “I wasn’t angry to begin with!”

She wasn’t like him, getting upset so easily. At most…

At most, she was just a little annoyed at being woken up.

Pei Yu spoke slowly, “Then I’ll wake you up again tomorrow.”

Yun Yin: “???”

So his earlier question had been deliberate.

Yun Yin’s peach blossom eyes widened, making her look like a kitten whose affections had been betrayed, her gaze filled with disbelief.

“Pei Yu,” Yun Yin said, genuinely angry now, her delicate brows furrowing, “You’re so annoying.”

Faced with her fierce accusation, Pei Yu’s smile deepened, the laughter in his eyes growing stronger.

Seeing this, Yun Yin lowered her head and refused to meet his gaze, focusing instead on eating her breakfast.

She resolved to stop speaking to Pei Yu from that moment onward.

Pei Yu knew he couldn’t tease her any further. Any more and the little girl would truly get angry.

Pei Yu had nearly finished eating. He glanced at Yun Yin beside him, who was still eating slowly, and his brow furrowed slightly. After quite some time, she had barely eaten half of her meal.

He wanted to say something, but he restrained himself.

A moment later, he stood up, put on his coat, and held a navy blue tie in his hand.

“Yun Yin.”

Yun Yin looked up, instinctively wanting to respond, but stopped herself. She had just resolved not to speak to Pei Yu.

Pei Yu strode to her side and offered her the tie. “Help me tie it.”

Yun Yin stared at him, still silent.

Pei Yu exercised regularly but not excessively, giving him broad shoulders and a narrow waist—a natural model’s physique. His well-tailored suit accentuated his tall, slender frame, and his every movement exuded an air of refined restraint.

Now, his narrow phoenix eyes were lowered as he calmly fastened his cufflinks with his long-fingered hand.

Yun Yin recognized them instantly—the pair she had given him.

She had to admit, her taste was impeccable. They suited him perfectly.

Pei Yu raised his gaze and immediately caught Yun Yin’s lingering stare.

“Why aren’t you talking?” he asked.

Yun Yin’s heart skipped a beat, a wave of embarrassment washing over her as if she’d been caught red-handed. She quickly lowered her head, pretending nothing had happened, and avoided answering Pei Yu’s question.

Pei Yu’s gaze darkened.

In the next moment, he leaned closer to Yun Yin, his fingers gently pinching her delicate chin.

“Didn’t you say you weren’t angry?” Pei Yu asked, his tone teasing. “What’s wrong now?”

Yun Yin met his gaze, unable to look away. Finally, she had no choice but to speak.

“I just don’t want to talk.”

Pei Yu stared at her for a long moment before releasing her. He then offered her the tie in his hand. “Help me tie it.”

Without hesitation, Yun Yin refused. “No.”

“A new dessert shop opened downstairs at the office. Secretary Chen said it’s quite good,” Pei Yu remarked, glancing subtly at the still-silent figure beside them.

After a few seconds, he slowly asked, “Want to try it?”

Yun Yin pressed her lips together, her eyes lingering on the bland nutritional porridge before her. Ultimately, she couldn’t resist the allure of dessert. With a lack of resolve, she nodded. “Yes.”

Pei Yu remained silent, lifting his chin slightly.

Their eyes met, and Yun Yin sighed inwardly.

She stood up and took the tie from Pei Yu’s hand.

Pei Yu was too tall. Yun Yin looked up at him, but he didn’t move. Helpless, she tugged at his sleeve and ordered, “Bend down.”

Yun Yin wrapped the tie around his neck, then paused at his chest. Only then did she belatedly realize she had no idea how to tie a tie.

Holding the tie, she suddenly felt flustered. A low, husky voice came from above: “Why aren’t you continuing?”

Biting her lip, Yun Yin threw caution to the wind. “I don’t know how.”

Pei Yu sensed her embarrassment and chuckled softly. He placed his hand over hers. “It’s alright. I’ll teach you.”

Yun Yin found the idea tedious. She blinked and said bluntly, “Wouldn’t it be faster if you just did it yourself?”

“…”

Pei Yu’s hand paused. He said calmly, “Don’t you want dessert anymore?”

“I do,” Yun Yin conceded again.

“Cross the wide end over the narrow end, then fold it back… and tighten.” With that final motion, the tie was neatly knotted.

Pei Yu’s hand remained over Yun Yin’s, not letting go.

“Got it?” His voice was low and deep.

Yun Yin let out a soft “Ah,” clearly having not retained a word he’d said.

They stood so close that their breaths mingled as they spoke. While he tied her tie, Yun Yin had been completely absorbed in watching his Adam’s apple bob rhythmically, paying no attention to Pei Yu’s instructions.

Seeing her distracted, Pei Yu knew she’d been daydreaming. He repeated his question: “Did you learn it?”

Yun Yin finally snapped back to attention. Her gaze darted nervously as she replied awkwardly, “No.”

Pei Yu glanced at the wall clock. It was getting late, and he had a morning meeting. He’d wanted to teach her again, but now that idea had to be abandoned.

He gave her cheek a light pinch, exasperated. “Why can’t you focus on anything?”

Yun Yin huffed softly, muttering, “I was too.”

Besides, she didn’t wear suits or need to tie ties. This skill was utterly pointless for her.

Still…

Yun Yin tugged at his sleeve, tentatively asking, “Remember to bring me dessert after work.”

Pei Yu: “……”