Chapter 38: I’m Here

The bedroom curtains of the small apartment were drawn tightly, plunging the room into complete darkness.

But the person who had been sleeping peacefully on the bed suddenly jolted awake, as if startled by something.

Jiang Yaoyao, shaken from her dream, fumbled to turn on the light and pressed a hand against her burning face.

The moment her fingertips brushed over her lips, that breath-stealing sensation of being kissed came rushing back.

Even the tip of her tongue felt a little numb.

Her almond-shaped eyes shimmered with moisture, and she felt like she was about to go crazy from this tormenting feeling.

Embarrassment.

Shame.

And her face was burning up.

What on earth was she dreaming about?

Last time she dreamt of Pei Heng, he was still a little glutinous rice dumpling of a child, but this time…

Could it be that she had been single for too long? And then, after meeting Pei Heng—a man who perfectly matched her aesthetic preferences—she had unconsciously turned him into a fantasy?

I’m guilty.

She pulled the blanket over her face, covering her flushed cheeks, and collapsed onto the soft, fluffy bed.

Her phone, resting on the bedside table, vibrated twice. Jiang Yaoyao picked it up and unlocked the screen.

A message from Pei Heng popped up.

[Yaoyao, Director Gu said you don’t have any scenes to shoot tomorrow morning, so I’ll have someone bring over the dresses then. You can pick one out, okay?]

The timing of this message was way too perfect.

The lingering sensation of being overpowered in her dream hadn’t completely faded, and now, seeing Pei Heng’s name suddenly appear before her eyes, she felt as though she’d been caught red-handed.

The little beauty, her cheeks flushed red, quickly swiped across the screen and sent a reply.

[Okay.]

—

Jiang Yaoyao slept in.

The sound of her phone ringing woke her up—it was the manager of a luxury boutique. The woman’s voice was warm and polished, incredibly polite and friendly.

After confirming the time, Jiang Yaoyao had just finished washing up when the doorbell rang.

She opened the door—

And was completely stunned.

Last night, Pei Heng had mentioned letting her pick a dress, so she had assumed it meant choosing from a handful of options.

But now, seeing this entourage standing in her small apartment, she was completely dumbfounded.

Had he… moved the entire luxury store here?

Her apartment wasn’t small, and she hadn’t filled it with too much furniture, so it usually felt quite spacious.

But now, it was packed to the brim—there was barely any room to stand.

Dresses, casual outfits, handbags, jewelry, shoes, watches…

All dazzlingly displayed.

The woman leading the group, dressed in a formal uniform, had a warm smile on her face as she enthusiastically explained the latest autumn-winter collections.

Another staff member stepped forward and invited her to sit down. They even brought an elegant afternoon tea set, placed it on a branded tablecloth, and brewed a cup of fresh-ground coffee just for her.

“Miss Jiang, we’ve also brought professional fitting models. Would you like us to style the outfits and have them showcase them for you, or would you prefer to try them on yourself?”

The delicate beauty, her fair face untouched by makeup, looked even more radiant in her natural state, like a lotus emerging from clear water—pure and breathtaking.

Even her voice was soft and sweet.

“I’ll try them on myself.”

“Actually, this is too much. It must have been such a hassle to bring everything over.”

“Not at all, Miss Jiang, you’re too kind. It’s our honor to serve you.”

The manager smiled warmly, her eyes curving into crescents. “The bill has already been covered by Mr. Pei.”

“Miss Jiang, why don’t we start by selecting your evening gown? If I may ask, what kind of event will you be attending? I can help match some options for you…”

By the time the team of luxury store staff finally left, it was already late afternoon.

They had been so enthusiastic—nothing like the aloof attitude she had encountered when shopping in their store before.

Jiang Yaoyao collapsed onto her sofa. Her wardrobe was now completely filled to the brim. She picked up her phone and sent Pei Heng a message.

It didn’t take long for him to reply.

[It wasn’t expensive, don’t worry.]

[We’re good friends, and friends don’t need to be so formal.]

[Did you have fun picking out the dresses?]

The screen reflected her face—bright eyes shimmering with delight.

Today, she had truly experienced what it felt like to be in a makeover montage. The little beauty sent an emoji.

[So much fun!]

The man holding his phone lowered his long lashes, a small smile playing on his lips.

[Then, how about I treat you to dinner after you wrap up work this afternoon?]

A reply came almost instantly.

[Mr. Pei, let me treat you!]

—

That evening, they went to a secluded, members-only French restaurant.

The ambiance was tranquil. Through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, the distant, peaceful mountains stretched into view.

Soft music drifted through the air. Jiang Yaoyao took a tiny sip of wine, a faint pink blush dusting her cheeks.

“Jinling told me that today’s shoot was your audition scene? The one called Sudden Change, right?”

The warm, golden light cast a glow over her fair, porcelain-like face. Her expressive eyes sparkled vividly.

She nodded obediently, her eyes shimmering with excitement.

“Yes! The director explained the scene to me beforehand, and it really helped. I felt completely at ease performing it—no retakes at all!”

“Yaoyao, you’re amazing.”

His deep, magnetic voice carried a hint of admiration.

“Even at the audition, your performance was stunning.”

“By the way, since joining the cast, have you been receiving more invitations for variety shows or film projects? Are you too busy?”

The little beauty blinked. “Yes! So many!”

“Xu Lu—my manager—filtered out some and gave me a few scripts to consider, but I don’t really want to accept them.”

His voice was steady and reassuring.

“There’s no rush. Once Imperial Palace is released, you’ll get even better offers. You have real talent, Yaoyao—there’s no need to waste it on subpar projects.”

“Take things step by step. Aim for that Grand Slam Best Actress win sooner rather than later.”

The little beauty covered her mouth with her hands. The gesture made her look especially adorable.

Her soft voice lowered into a whisper, as if sharing a secret.

“How did you know that’s my dream?”

“I don’t even dare to say it out loud, afraid people will laugh at me for being too ambitious.”

His gaze was gentle as he raised his glass, mirroring her hushed tone.

“Yaoyao, you’re naturally gifted for this industry. It wasn’t hard to guess.”

Her bright eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. “Then don’t tell anyone, Mr. Pei.”

“I won’t.”

His deep voice was soothing, like coaxing a child.

“It’ll be our secret. Until you achieve your dream, only you and I will know.”

—

After dinner, Pei Heng led his little beauty outside.

She had indulged a bit too much, sneaking in several small sips of wine throughout the meal.

The wine was smooth and sweet, but its alcohol content was dangerously high.

Now, the effects had set in. Her eyes were hazy, her cheeks rosy—like a delicately painted masterpiece.

As he helped her into the car, he placed his hand over the door frame to keep her from bumping her head.

But instead of letting him go, she clutched at his suit, tugging him closer.

A soft, wine-scented breath brushed against his face.

Her gaze, dewy and slow, lingered on him.

His Yaoyao… seemed a little drunk.

He reached out and gently patted her head. “I still haven’t thanked you for dinner.”

Her eyes sparkled, her long lashes fluttering. Her voice was sweet and earnest.

“It’s okay! I have money!”

She finally let go of the fabric of Pei Heng’s clothes, patted her chest, and declared,

“I have a lot, a lot of money!”

The man chuckled softly.

The little beauty raised her face in a daze, looking at him as if afraid he wouldn’t believe her. She quickly stretched out both hands, forming fists.

One by one, her fingers popped out as she counted,

“I have this much money…”

Her voice was crisp, like a chirping little bird.

“It’s all money I swindled from Pei Heng!”

The amusement in the man’s eyes deepened, full of indulgence and affection. His warm breath brushed against the little beauty’s cheek.

“Our Yaoyao is this capable?”

He gently touched Jiang Yaoyao’s soft little face and coaxed her,

“Does Yaoyao still recognize who I am?”

She tilted her head, her eyes shimmering. After carefully studying him for a long moment, she suddenly reacted, covering her mouth in shock.

“Pei Heng!”

The handsome man simply smiled at her.

The little beauty shrank back, putting some distance between them, mumbling to herself in a soft voice,

“Why am I dreaming again…”

Pei Heng laughed.

He reached for a blanket and carefully draped it over his Yaoyao.

The little beauty turned her face to look at him, resting her small hands beneath her cheeks, eyes wide open, not blinking at all.

She just stared at him, as if he were some kind of delicious treat.

The handsome man had a faint smile on his lips, his voice deep and smooth.

“Yaoyao, are you looking at me?”

The little beauty obediently nodded.

The man chuckled again, his voice carrying an almost teasing hook that seemed to latch onto Jiang Yaoyao’s heart.

Even the tips of her heart trembled with a soft, numbing sensation.

His well-defined features were partially hidden in the flickering light. His sharp jawline, high nose bridge, and deep gaze locked onto the small figure before him. His voice carried a seductive lilt.

“Why are you staring at me?”

The little beauty’s eyes twinkled. She answered sweetly, “Because you’re good-looking.”

Pei Heng’s smile froze for a moment.

It seemed that, aside from Jiang Yaoyao, no one had ever told him he was good-looking.

His features closely resembled his mother’s.

And in the Pei family, his mother was a forbidden topic.

Because he looked like her, his furious father would curse, saying that just seeing his face annoyed him. That stepmother, too, never missed a chance to sneer at him.

Then, he grew up.

He took the Pei family from that old bastard’s hands, securing most of its assets under his control.

From that moment on, no one dared to make remarks about his appearance.

No one would ever dare say he was good-looking.

To him, appearances were just flesh and bones. Pei Heng never really cared.

But when his Yaoyao said he was handsome, something dark and dangerous stirred inside him. Heat surged through his veins like molten lava. His fingers clenched slightly against the armrest.

Out of nowhere—

He suddenly wanted to test something.

He wanted to use this face to seduce her.

As long as he could make his little fairy fall in love with him, he was willing to do anything.

His fingers loosened his tie slightly—a simple movement, yet when he did it, it carried a lazy elegance.

Pei Heng leaned in slightly.

But just as he was about to speak, the driver’s grave voice cut through the moment.

“Mr. Pei, there’s a car tailing us!”

Pei Heng’s actions halted. He lifted his eyes toward the rearview mirror.

Sure enough, a car was following them closely, sticking to their bumper like it was afraid of losing them.

The man furrowed his brows and turned to glance at the little beauty beside him, who was yawning.

He had encountered tailing and surveillance countless times before. Over the years, he had survived numerous life-threatening situations.

Such petty tricks wouldn’t normally even register in his mind.

But this time was different.

His Yaoyao was in the car.

A dark, dangerous glint flashed in his eyes as he pulled out his phone and made a call.

“Bring our people to my location—”

A sharp metallic crash rang out as their car was violently struck.

Pei Heng instinctively pulled Jiang Yaoyao into his arms, pressing her head against his chest.

The originally smooth ride suddenly lurched. The tires screeched against the pavement in a piercing sound.

The driver gripped the wheel tightly, his voice quick and urgent.

“Sir! A car just sped out from an intersection and rammed into us!”

This area was all mountain roads, winding and treacherous. Though the roads had been widened over the years, they still couldn’t withstand this kind of impact.

When the first attempt to force their car off the cliff failed, the pursuing vehicle and the one from the intersection both accelerated again, closing in.

Even a driver used to high-stakes situations like Pei Heng’s couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.

“Sir, I’ll slow down in a moment. For your safety, you need to jump out of the car!”

“I’ll take the young lady and lead them away!”

In the back seat, Pei Heng’s expression turned ice-cold. His sharp gaze locked onto the reflection of the approaching vehicles in the rearview mirror, his face dark with murderous intent.

His arms tightened around the person in his embrace, his palm pressing firmly against her small head—afraid that the car behind them, like a rabid dog, would slam into them again, hurting his Yaoyao.

“Speed up and shake them off. Pull over in thirty seconds.”

His voice was calm and steady, arranging everything with practiced ease.

If not for the chilling ruthlessness in his black eyes, he would seem no different from usual.

The little figure in his arms stirred.

Pei Heng lowered his head, pressing a soft kiss to her silky hair, gently reassuring her.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

The car shot forward like an arrow. The driver’s forehead was drenched in sweat.

“Sir, if you take Miss Jiang with you, you’ll be a bigger target—it’s too dangerous! You—”