Xie Rongzhuo let go of her.

His body felt like a warm furnace. Once they separated, Shen Mi immediately shivered in the cold wind. A pair of hands wrapped around her neck as Xie Rongzhuo lowered his head to help her adjust her coat collar and wrap her loose scarf properly.

He said, “Take it slow, you always rush.”

Suddenly, Shen Mi thought of countless bewildering days, remembering the warm and encouraging words from her master.

— “No need to rush, take your time.”

— “It’s okay, you can do it.”

— “Don’t be afraid, I have a way.”

— “Try again, don’t hurry.”

The facade she had been maintaining instantly dissolved. She pressed her lips together and said, “Okay.”

•  

Shen Mi got her driver’s license in her sophomore year, but she had very little actual driving experience. She drove slowly and arrived at Xie Rongzhuo’s house just before eleven-thirty.

Knowing that Xie Rongzhuo had a serious cleanliness obsession and would never go to bed if he felt unclean, Shen Mi helped him sit down on the sofa and went to the bathroom to get a wet towel. “Can you manage on your own?”

Xie Rongzhuo took off his glasses. Shen Mi reached out to take them, put the hot towel in his hand, put the glasses away, then went to pour warm water and add a small amount of honey.

“Why did you drink so much tonight?”

If it were before, Shen Mi wouldn’t have asked. This wasn’t something she should know.

Xie Rongzhuo leaned back against the sofa, his languid gaze falling on her face. “I wasn’t drinking, I just don’t want you to drink.”

Tonight wasn’t just a regular business partner, most of them were Xie Rongzhuo’s elders. The older generation loved drinking culture, going for enjoyment rather than life or death. No matter how good Xie Rongzhuo’s liquor tolerance was, he couldn’t stand up to dozens of people taking turns toasting him.

Shen Mi helped him wipe the lenses of his glasses clean and asked, “Do you want this?”

“No need,” Xie Rongzhuo was still looking at her, “It’s better if I can’t see.”

Shen Mi knew Xie Rongzhuo’s prescription, over three hundred, but he wasn’t completely dependent on glasses.

She sat next to him, handed him the honey water, watched him finish it, took the empty cup, and pulled out a tissue to hand him.

“You can’t take a shower immediately after drinking. Go to bed and lie down? Don’t worry about getting it dirty, I’ll come early tomorrow to change the sheets for you.”

The person beside her was quiet. Shen Mi turned her head and saw that Xie Rongzhuo had already fallen asleep.

He closed his eyes quietly, his eyelashes casting a shadow on his sharp and handsome face. Shen Mi had never seen Xie Rongzhuo like this.

Cold, aloof, these were Xie Rongzhuo’s labels.

He was an overlord who could only be admired from afar, even his gaze could bring invisible pressure to people. But now, he was completely unguarded, sleeping beside her like this.

If he was just Xie Rongzhuo, and she was just his secretary, would he still trust her like this?

No.

Xie Rongzhuo was a very picky person. Regardless of whether he would believe her or not, with her less than a year of work experience, she would never be kept by him.

He was Xie Rongzhuo, but also her Master.

Finally, Shen Mi accepted this fact.

She turned on the heater and went to the bedroom to get a blanket to cover Xie Rongzhuo.

Afraid he wouldn’t be comfortable sleeping like this, Shen Mi put her hands on his shoulders and tried to push him down.

Xie Rongzhuo remained unmoved.

Shen Mi changed tactics and pulled his arm.

“…”

She couldn’t budge him.

Shen Mi had seen people who liked to hit and yell when they were drunk, and she had also seen people who cried as soon as they got drunk. Thankfully, Xie Rongzhuo was very civilized when he got drunk, he didn’t cry or make a fuss.

Fearing he might have trouble breathing, Shen Mi helped him loosen his tie and unbuttoned one button on his shirt.

As she was about to unbutton the second button, Xie Rongzhuo suddenly opened his eyes.

Their eyes met. Shen Mi blinked. “I was afraid you— Aih!???”

She was caught off guard and pressed onto the sofa. Shen Mi was a little dazed.

He was so heavy! She was about to be flattened.

She felt a warm, soft touch on her neck.

It was Xie Rongzhuo’s mouth.

Followed by a sharp sting.

？？？

He was biting her!!!

Shen Mi was so surprised she forgot to resist.

The wetness felt like a million tiny needles pricking her neck, the tingling and intense nervousness made her almost hold her breath.

“Xie Rongzhuo.”

Shen Mi called out his full name.

She turned her head. “Wake up.”

She had just praised him for being civilized, and now he was biting her!

Shen Mi clenched her fists, if he bit her again, she would punch him!

Xie Rongzhuo didn’t bite her again.

Shen Mi loosened her fist.

He started pressing her head again, his palm cupping the back of her head and pushing her towards his chest. Shen Mi’s entire face was pressed against him, her nose was blocked, and she felt like she was about to suffocate.

She tugged at his clothes, ready to take harsh action.

“Shen Mi…”

Xie Rongzhuo suddenly called her name in a low voice, as if he had suffered some blow, his tone revealing a vulnerability he had never shown before.

Shen Mi felt a moment of softness in her heart, unable to bully a drunken man: “What’s wrong? Do you want some water?”

Xie Rongzhuo wrapped her in his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder, his hot breath teasingly burrowing into her collar. He tilted his head and fell asleep again.

Shen Mi blinked in confusion and tilted her head: “Xie Rongzhuo? Xie Rongzhuo!” She pushed hard against his shoulders with both hands: “Wake up, don’t sleep! You’re still on top of me!”

Author’s note:

Xie Rongzhuo: Jealousy, please do not disturb.