Chapter 9: Did You Sleep Well Last Night?

The man sighed helplessly as he patted her head. He had never imagined that the little fairy who always appeared in his dreams would turn into such an adorable yet stubborn creature after getting drunk.

Completely different from the soft and gentle version of her from before.

Now, in her drunken state, she was even more endearing, as if she had let down all her defenses—crying when she wanted to cry, causing a fuss when she wanted to, and even arguing with him in her soft little voice.

Pei Heng couldn’t win against her, so he simply pulled her into his arms and gently pressed her small head onto his shoulder.

If she couldn’t see it, she wouldn’t be afraid of the injection.

The alcohol-soaked cotton swab lightly swiped across her vein before a slender needle punctured her skin, drawing bright red blood into the syringe, drop by drop.

Her soft little face was pressed against his shoulder, staying obediently still without any resistance.

Then, a puzzled voice suddenly rose, slow and drawn out, as if struggling to understand something:

“It hurts a little…”

The man’s large hand gently stroked the back of her neck, his tone especially patient as he coaxed her,

“No, it doesn’t.”

“The shot is for me. How could it possibly hurt you, Yaoyao?”

The little head resting on his shoulder nodded, as if convinced by his reasoning. She continued lying there obediently, not even struggling.

Her soft, sweet breath was steady and even, tickling the side of Pei Heng’s neck like a whisper of warmth.

The handsome man pretended not to notice, maintaining an outward composure, but in reality, even his breathing had unconsciously slowed.

By the time the blood was drawn, the girl resting on his shoulder had fallen silent.

In just this short moment, she had already fallen asleep.

Her thick, curled lashes cast deep shadows beneath her eyes.

Snow-white skin, rosy lips—her sleeping face was breathtakingly beautiful.

She nestled in his arms, completely defenseless.

Even the way her soft cheek pressed against his chest was so obedient.

Delicate and clingy, beautiful yet fragile.

It was as if she had been snatched away by a dragon and carried into its castle, now resting atop a mountain of gold and jewels—utterly unaware of the danger she was in.

She had no idea how many dark and twisted thoughts the man holding her harbored.

If he were to voice them out loud, his precious Yaoyao would probably be terrified…

Pei Heng lazily lifted his eyelids and reined in his thoughts.

With careful movements, he placed her onto the bed.

Just as he covered her with the blanket and was about to leave, she unconsciously lifted her leg and, with one swift motion, kicked the blanket off the bed.

“Prepare a set of clothes for Miss Jiang and have Aunt Zhang come help her change,” Pei Heng instructed.

The butler readily agreed but had only taken a step before suddenly stopping and turning back.

“Sir, we don’t have any clothes suitable for Miss Yaoyao in the house.”

After all these years, their master had lived an ascetic life to the extreme—not only had he never brought a woman home, but he hadn’t even let a single female mosquito in.

And now, out of nowhere, he suddenly needed to change Miss Jiang into new clothes. It put the butler in a bit of a dilemma.

Pei Heng seemed to realize this as well. His phoenix-like eyes half-lidded as he gazed at the sleeping beauty on the bed. The sharp contours of his face softened slightly with a trace of amusement.

Even his words carried an unmistakable tenderness:

“Call the store and have them send over the latest seasonal styles as soon as possible.”

“Go to my wardrobe and fetch a new shirt—something soft, with no embellishments. I don’t want anything scratching her.”

“And bring Aunt Zhang over to help dress Yaoyao.”

—

By the time the doctor returned with the test results, Pei Heng was standing on the balcony, smoking. The cigarette’s ember flickered between his fingertips, casting faint red glows against the dim light. His tall figure was half-shrouded in shadow, like a fallen god lurking in the darkness.

“Sir, Miss Jiang is just drunk—there are no other concerns,” the doctor reported.

Pei Heng extinguished his cigarette, stepping out from behind the lush flowers on the balcony.

He clapped the doctor on the shoulder. “Thank you for your hard work.”

His deep voice carried a slight upward lilt at the end, suggesting that he was in a very good mood.

—

The next morning.

The phone buzzed nonstop.

Underneath the intricate, carved bed frame, a small mound stirred beneath the blankets. A delicate hand reached out and efficiently silenced the alarm.

A few minutes later, a dazed little beauty sat up from beneath the covers.

Her memories from last night were a bit hazy.

She remembered being taken to the director’s private room and then being forced to drink by that awful man…

Her hazy memory flickered, and Pei Heng’s face appeared in the blur.

So… was it Pei Heng who saved her?

She patted her groggy head, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something strange—her clothes had changed.

Jiang Yaoyao blinked, lowered her gaze, and realized that her white T-shirt and jeans had been replaced with a men’s dress shirt. Instantly, alarm bells rang in her mind.

Who had done this to her?

Pei Heng?

No, it definitely couldn’t be Pei Heng.

She had read that novel up until the author abandoned it, so she was quite familiar with Pei Heng’s character.

That man had no interest in love or relationships—his only focus was on his career.

Back when she read about Pei Heng’s arranged marriage, she had assumed he was about to embark on a “marriage-before-love” trope.

But before she even finished the chapter, his fiancée was dead.

From that moment on, the most powerful figure in the imperial capital, Pei Heng, earned a notorious reputation as a “wife killer.”

Despite this, plenty of people still lined up to push their daughters toward him, given his status.

But Pei Heng had changed his tune.

He claimed he missed his late wife and would never marry again.

Of course, any avid reader knew that was just an excuse.

Women only slowed him down.

Pei Heng was the last person who would ever fall in love.

Though… yesterday, his words had been oddly strange.

But thinking back, it actually fit his personality quite well.

He was always unpredictable and enigmatic.

His flirtatious words might sound sweet, but for all she knew, he was secretly plotting how to stab her in the back.

Jiang Yaoyao scoffed internally at the thought, slipping on her shoes and getting out of bed.

Just as she steadied herself, there was a knock on the door.

Footsteps rang crisply through the room, and when the door opened, she was met with a familiar face—just as she had expected.

“Did you sleep well last night? Does your head still hurt?”

He looked like he had just taken a shower. A faint coolness lingered around him, his half-damp hair casually falling over his forehead, giving him an unexpectedly relaxed, at-home vibe.

The little beauty batted her long lashes and softly called out, “Mr. Pei.”

She looked so obedient, as if she hadn’t just been secretly badmouthing him in her head moments ago.

Pei Heng let out a low “Mm” and gazed at her quietly, waiting for her answer.

His eyes were stunning.

Like snow atop a cold mountain, like a deep, ancient well, like emotions hidden beneath the vast blue sea—unfathomable.

His face was the epitome of cool indifference, yet for some reason, when their eyes met, it felt as if he were someone who loved deeply.

The way he looked at her was incredibly gentle.

So gentle that it almost felt like he was caring for his sick little girlfriend.

The sudden thought made Jiang Yaoyao’s eyelids twitch, and for some reason, her heart began to race wildly.

She quickly averted her gaze, no longer daring to look into his eyes.

Instead, she answered obediently,

“I slept very well, and my head doesn’t hurt.”

“And… thank you for everything yesterday, Mr. Pei.”

Her long, thick lashes trembled slightly, as if she was still a little shaken from what had happened the night before.

After a moment of hesitation, she lifted her delicate face again, her tone sincere,

“Mr. Pei, I will always remember your kindness.”

“Thank you for saving me yesterday. I will definitely repay you in the future.”