Yu Xi felt a bit heavy in her chest and lost interest in chatting with Jiang Chuyi. She made an excuse to end the conversation and went to take a bath.

Around six o’clock, Xie Pu sent her a text saying that the car he had arranged was downstairs to pick her up.

With mixed feelings, Yu Xi went downstairs, letting him take her to the hotel that Shen Shu had booked.

Shen Shu had reserved the presidential suite, which was spacious, living quarters, office area and reception area, all equipped with everything. There was even a designated area in each corner, and the east side had a terrace, with a door leading out to it.

When Yu Xi entered the room, she paused, unsure why he had booked a hotel. Didn’t they plan to go home tonight?

Shen Shu was sitting at the wooden desk, dealing with paperwork. When he heard the sound, he put down his pen, loosened his sleeve, and walked over to her with a smile, saying in a low voice, “You’re here?”

Yu Xi nodded.

As he got closer, he naturally tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, took her hand, and smiled, asking, “Why aren’t you wearing the ring I picked for you?”

Yu Xi typed on her phone: [It’s too expensive. I’m afraid it might get damaged, so I put it away. Otherwise, I won’t be able to use it later.]

Shen Shu found her serious expression quite cute. “How could a diamond get damaged?”

Yu Xi was momentarily caught off guard by his question.

Shen Shu didn’t tease her further. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist.

She was wearing a satin dress, with a waist-cinching coat on top. Even though the coat was thick, her waist was still so slender and soft, easily gripped by him.

With a slight pressure, she was already in his arms, quickly reaching out to hold his shoulder.

He smelled faintly of pinewood, with a hint of tobacco.

Yu Xi thought he had probably just smoked.

She had noticed before that Shen Shu had a heavy smoking habit, especially when he was working. He hadn’t smoked in front of her, but she often caught a faint smell of tobacco on him, which probably meant he smoked before returning home.

He probably thought he hid it well.

Despite his elegant, clean, and proper appearance, he turned out to be a heavy smoker.

From his looks, it was impossible to tell.

But she could understand. With his busy work and high pressure, he probably needed a way to unwind, especially when he was alone.

They had dinner downstairs at the western restaurant.

As usual, Shen Shu ordered for her, always asking for her opinion before continuing after picking one item.

He chose all her favorites: foie gras, cod fillet, pine nuts… Each dish was served one by one.

He was always so thoughtful. With him around, Yu Xi felt like she didn’t have to do anything. She just let him take care of everything.

But this didn’t feel much like a couple’s dynamic. It felt more like she was the freebie in a buy-one-get-one offer… He treated her almost as if she were a child. Maybe her appearance and figure met his tastes, so he didn’t hesitate to smile at her.

Yu Xi felt a bit frustrated and suffocated.

“I have an important partner to meet later.” He explained as they were finishing dinner. “I won’t be going back tonight. I was worried you’d be scared alone.”

Yu Xi paused and looked at him.

“Wait for me. I’ll come back to keep you company once I finish my work tonight,” Shen Shu said.

Yu Xi felt uncomfortable under his intense gaze, unsure if she misunderstood his intentions, but she still nodded.

After finishing dinner, Shen Shu left, putting on his coat and lifting his phone to talk as he walked.

“Madam, this way please.” Xie Pu raised his hand slightly, ready to escort her.

Yu Xi followed Xie Pu back to the presidential suite.

The night grew late, and she found the lights too harsh. Only a dim wall lamp was on, the rest of the lights were turned off.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the trees cast shadows as the moon quietly climbed the treetops, casting a faint and lonely glow on the balcony. The wind rustled the leaves.

Yu Xi sat, feeling a bit bored, glancing at the clock— it was already past 10 p.m.

She curled her knees and buried her head into her arms.

He said he’d come back tonight…

Was he just saying that casually?

She wasn’t even sure why she had waited so long, but she couldn’t explain the feeling in her heart. She wasn’t really angry, just a bit inexplicably disappointed.

Thinking back to Shen Shu’s gentle and deep smile, his broad and tolerant gaze, it truly felt like he was the entire world to her. Unfortunately, the reality was that he never truly cared about her. After all, those were just casual words spoken in passing. But then again, someone like him could never really care for her, could he?

Yu Xi didn’t wait for him. She changed into her sleepwear, hugged a pillow, and quickly fell asleep.

It was around midnight when Shen Shu returned. He opened the door quietly, careful not to make a sound.

Yu Xi was already asleep. Her nightgown couldn’t cover her long, fair legs, and much of her calf was exposed, with the blanket dragging on the floor.

He moved even more quietly, his tall figure casting a shadow that gradually moved toward the bed and stopped by her side. In an instant, her body was engulfed by his presence.

Yu Xi furrowed her brow slightly, seemingly uncomfortable with the sudden darkness. She appeared to be in a deep sleep, her delicate brows drawn together.

It seemed like she lacked a sense of security, as she was tightly hugging another pillow.

Her pale, light pink nightgown was short, and as she turned over, the thin straps of her gown slid to one side, revealing a large expanse of smooth, fair skin, inviting countless thoughts.

Yu Xi had a pure face, but her figure was undeniably alluring.

Shen Shu paused at the bedside for a moment, then unexpectedly took off his jacket, placing it aside, and loosened his tie.

Though he had drunk a bit, he wasn’t drunk. However, perhaps due to the warmth from the indoor heating, it felt like a flame had been ignited within him.

He sat down beside the bed, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, pressing his fingers to his forehead.

After calming himself, he turned and pulled Yu Xi into his embrace.

The sudden shift made her instinctively grab onto his shoulder. Uncomfortable, she squirmed in his arms, trying to find a more comfortable position.

“Yu Xi,” Shen Shu whispered, gently patting her arm.

Yu Xi was half awake, her eyelids heavy.

“Sorry, I was discussing an important case and came back late,” Shen Shu explained. When there was no reply, he looked back and saw that she had fallen deeply asleep.

He chuckled softly and shook his head, his gaze softening as it lingered on her peaceful sleeping face.

Her milk-like white skin made her lips appear even more full and moist. A stir of emotion moved within him, and he bent down to kiss her.

He kissed her gently, but she gave a subtle resistance.

She seemed to be really too tired, groaning softly in discomfort, clearly annoyed by the disturbance, her small hand gently patting his shoulder.

But her weak resistance was nothing compared to his strength, and Shen Shu held her half in his arms, with no intention of letting her go.

He pried open her lips, kissing her along the seam of her mouth, deepening the kiss, which left him feeling a little overwhelmed.

However, she didn’t seem to cooperate, her eyes half open in a daze, then closing again in exhaustion. She made soft whimpering sounds, her voice carrying a hint of tears, as though begging for mercy, saying she was too tired and wanted to sleep.

She could faintly smell the alcohol on him. Though Shen Shu was usually restrained, drinking always made him a bit more impulsive.

But today, she was simply too exhausted, and her heart felt a bit aggrieved.

Noticing her clear resistance, Shen Shu finally released her, gazing at her blurry face, his heart softening. Yet, his lips still spoke, “I’ll let you go, but kiss your husband.”

Yu Xi, who had almost fallen asleep, suddenly snapped awake as though struck by a blow. Her expression was innocent, even somewhat incredulous, as if she couldn’t believe someone could be so unreasonable, even bullying her at a time like this.

Shen Shu’s eyes were full of deep amusement. He said nothing more, simply letting her be.

He carefully placed her back in the bed, tucking her in. As soon as she was freed, Yu Xi immediately closed her eyes, falling back into a deep sleep.

Shen Shu sat beside her for a while, gazing at her helplessly before smiling to himself. He got up, took off his clothes, and headed to the bathroom.

…

Yu Xi slept soundly through the night. When she woke up the next morning, Shen Shu was already gone.

Around 9 a.m., Xie Pu came to pick her up. “Mr. Shen has gone abroad. He asked me to take you back. Breakfast is ready. Would you like to eat in the dining room, or have it brought to your room?”

Yu Xi shook her head and got up, deciding to eat by herself.

Sitting in the nearly empty dining room, she nibbled on her bread while thinking: He really just wanted to sleep with me…

The breakfast was tasteless, like chewing wax.

She didn’t send him any messages. After finishing her meal, she returned home.

For the next few days, she focused on work. Her life was no different from before, until that Monday morning, when the general manager, Gu Yan, walked in with a carefree young man. He introduced him to everyone in the office, saying, “This is the new planning director, Xiao Lin. Please get to know him.”

Yu Xi, curious like everyone else, looked toward the young man.

The man appeared to be in his mid-20s. Although he was handsome, his style was very fashionable, with bleached blonde hair and a blue diamond earring in his ear, giving off a rather unreliable vibe.

He walked with his hands in his pockets, his eyelids drooping with boredom, and his face showed a clear “don’t bother me” expression. He certainly didn’t look like someone there to work.

But Gu Yan acted as though he didn’t see it, finishing the introduction and walking away.

Yu Xi had no doubt that this man was some high-ranking official’s relative, someone sent to pass the time at work.

Yu Xi, always obedient, didn’t think too much about it. She lowered her head, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

Xiao Lin was cold and a bit arrogant. He had his own office at the end of the hallway and rarely communicated with others, only occasionally coming out to direct work.

“He has a stern face all day long, as if we owe him millions! He asked me to revise a quarterly project plan again and again, and he never stops nitpicking!” Xu Weiwei walked over with a gloomy face.

Yu Xi immediately understood. She must have just come from Xiao Lin’s office.

She didn’t want to get involved and was about to focus on her own tasks when Xu Weiwei caught her and started complaining. “Do you think there’s something wrong with him? He’s just some connected person. What makes him think he can act like this? I’m really fed up!”

Another colleague also chimed in, “Exactly! I can’t stand him either!”

“If you can’t stand it, just say it to my face.” A cold voice interrupted from behind.

The group immediately grew serious and awkwardly turned around.

Xiao Lin stood calmly behind them, holding a stack of documents. With a sharp “thud,” he tossed them onto the desk in front of them.

Then, in front of everyone, he turned to Xu Weiwei and asked, “Can you explain to me why, despite both being translation companies, with the same level of investment and effort, the website domain weight of AEC company surpasses that of Hai Rui…” One question followed another, not too harsh but each hitting the mark, leaving Xu Weiwei speechless.

These were issues that would typically be swept under the rug in most companies, and who would usually take the time to analyze them so thoroughly?

He then turned to Yu Xi, frowning as he glanced past her, before addressing Song Ke beside her. After a round of questioning, the entire office fell silent.

Before this, everyone thought he was just passing time, but no one expected him to be so sharp with data.

The following week, Xiao Lin carried out major restructuring in the company. He merged positions with high overlap and cut a significant number of staff.

At first, there was a lot of resentment and fear, but as performance improved, he generously distributed bonuses. With a balanced approach of reward and discipline, he quickly won people’s trust, and the atmosphere in the office shifted.

All this happened in just a few days.

“Actually, Mr. Xiao is pretty handsome and quite capable. I don’t understand why he has such an unreliable hairstyle. At first, I thought he was just some punk,” Xu Weiwei said, smiling as she walked out with Yu Xi after work.

Yu Xi could only smile back.

Xu Weiwei continued, “I wonder if he has a girlfriend…”

Just then, the elevator arrived, and Yu Xi looked up, stunned when she saw who was standing outside.

Xu Weiwei was also taken aback, blushing.

Xiao Lin glanced at them with indifference and said, “Excuse me, coming through.”

Yu Xi realized she had blocked his way and quickly stepped aside.

Xiao Lin gave her a brief glance and smiled slightly, then walked in with his hands casually in his pockets.

Xu Weiwei kept stealing glances at him, prompting Xiao Lin to turn around, giving her a full view and even smiling at her.

Xu Weiwei awkwardly looked away.

Xiao Lin got off two floors later.

Once the elevator doors closed again, Xu Weiwei excitedly grabbed Yu Xi’s hand and said, “How did I never notice that Mr. Xiao is so handsome? His smile is so infectious!”

Yu Xi remained silent. She thought to herself, Who was it that kept calling him ‘that picky punk’ just before?

The two parted ways at the entrance, and Yu Xi headed to the subway station to wait for the train.

Strangely, she had been waiting for over half an hour with no sign of the subway.

Then, the announcement came over the speakers: “Due to road collapse, Line 1, Line 3… are partially suspended today.”

Yu Xi felt like she’d been struck by lightning. She opened her ride-hailing app, only to find the wait time was over an hour.

Feeling deflated, she decided to grab a meal at a nearby restaurant.

Just as she stepped out of the subway station, she ran into Xiao Lin, who was on the phone. The voice on the other end was a high-pitched, frantic woman saying, “I don’t want to break up! I regret it! Xiao Lin, if you don’t come, I will commit suicide…”

The woman rambled on, and Xiao Lin held the phone away slightly, seeming bothered by the noise. He coldly replied, “Do whatever you want.”

He walked quickly, and Yu Xi didn’t have time to dodge, so they collided.

His phone fell to the ground with a loud “crack,” and the screen shattered.

Xiao Lin paused for a moment, then looked at her, both annoyed and amused. “How unlucky can I be? Running into two troublesome women in one day.”

Yu Xi thought, Are we that familiar? What does he mean by ‘troublesome women’?

If he weren’t her boss, she’d really want to… well, she couldn’t really do anything about it.

Xiao Lin had a good reason for saying that.

The big boss behind Hai Rui, Fu Silang, was his uncle. However, Fu Silang owned many businesses, and he had no involvement in this company. He left it to Gu Yan to manage while not bothering with it.

Xiao Lin was mainly here because he didn’t want to go home to take over the family business and also wanted to avoid the endless matchmaking arranged by his father.

Fu Silang hadn’t given him much direction, only telling him to keep an eye on Yu Xi, at least not to make things difficult for her, clearly aware of his nephew’s nature.

After seeing her photo, Xiao Lin raised an eyebrow with a rare smile, teasing, “Uncle, your girl? She looks good.”

This made Fu Silang put out his cigarette and laugh, scolding, “Get lost! I’m not into that. She’s taken, I’m just helping a friend look after her.”

Anyone Fu Silang considered a friend and looked after had some background, so Xiao Lin initially paid more attention to Yu Xi.

When he realized she was mute, he was even more surprised.

Later, when he inadvertently saw the translations she’d worked on, he was impressed by her professionalism and dropped his initial prejudice.

“You live nearby? Let me give you a ride,” Xiao Lin said, pulling out his phone without blinking, then threw his useless phone into the trash bin.

Yu Xi was about to refuse, but seeing his casual manner, she thought it wasn’t worth arguing and decided not to protest.

Xiao Lin’s car was a blue Ferrari, and it sped along. He didn’t speak a word to her as he drove her to her neighborhood.

Shouchuang Tianxi was a well-known luxury residence in Beijing, but Xiao Lin didn’t bat an eye, dropping her off and leaving.

Yu Xi watched his car drive away, thinking to herself: What a strange person.

Thanks to these interruptions, her mood lightened a bit, and she didn’t feel too sad about returning to her empty apartment.

She carried her bag upstairs and unlocked the door.

As she opened the door, she froze. A familiar figure was standing in the living room.

It was Shen Shu, sitting sideways at his desk. The dim light from his laptop screen illuminated his handsome face.

Hearing the sound, he looked up and smiled, “You’re back?”

Yu Xi put down her bag, finding it hard to handle this unexpected situation.

Shen Shu closed his laptop and walked over. He was tall, with long legs, and each step seemed to echo in her heart.

Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms, lowering his head to kiss her forehead, feeling the warm, gentle breath against her skin. His heart softened, “Why are you so dazed?”

He spoke with a tone that carried a hint of amusement, as if there was also a barely noticeable tenderness in his words.

Yu Xi hesitated before lifting her hands to wrap them around his lean waist, pressing her cheek against his firm chest without saying a word.

Shen Shu looked at her quiet, delicate face, noticing the slightly tense, pale fingers that revealed her unease. His heart sank, heavy with a feeling he couldn’t shake.

Without thinking, he tightened his hold on her.

Shen Shu was a very rational person. Back in school, his professors described him as rational, objective, and trustworthy.

Once he threw himself into work, he did so wholeheartedly, always striving for perfection. He was someone who enjoyed solitude and could endure loneliness; locking himself in his office for an entire week to focus on his work was nothing unusual.

His job was unpredictable. Whenever urgent matters arose, he would hop on a private jet and fly abroad at a moment’s notice.

This trip had been urgent as well, and he hadn’t had the time to even say goodbye to Yu Xi.

By the time he arrived, all he had time for was a quick shower and a change of clothes before heading into meetings. He had been busy for two days straight, only then remembering the girl he had left behind at the hotel.

He stood in front of the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling window, silently observing the bustling city below, with the vibrant night lights stretching far and wide.

For some reason, his heart felt strangely empty, and a sense of guilt crept in.

She never spoke much, and when she did, she struggled to express her feelings. Most of the time, she kept everything inside.

He had been busy and didn’t have the time to communicate with her properly.

But he could sense her inner fear and confusion about the future.

He was firm and authoritative with his subordinates, able to manage them well, and his relationships with family and friends were pleasant. But when it came to this little wife of his… she was a headache. He didn’t know how best to treat her.

She was delicate and sensitive, often making him second-guess his every word, careful not to accidentally hurt her.

Shen Shu thought for a moment before speaking softly, “Yu Xi, let’s talk.”