Hug

Ruan Yuexi stubbornly clung to Shang Yao’s hand, and he seemed to have no choice but to slow down his pace.

By the time they returned to the villa from the scenic area, it was already evening. Exhausted, Ruan Yuexi followed Shang Yao into the villa.

Ruan Yuexi was on the verge of tears from fatigue. She was sure that Shang Yao had deliberately taken her on a route filled with stairs, as a way to mess with her.

It was clear to her that he was exacting revenge. She had thought the scenic area only had stairs, but upon descending, she discovered there were cable cars and tour buses. Shang Yao had intentionally avoided all the best spots in the scenic area.

Ruan Yuexi was fuming inside but couldn’t vent her frustration on Shang Yao. Although she couldn’t confront him directly, she could scheme against him behind his back.

Shang Yao, however, was not the least bit tired. Only Ruan Yuexi appeared disheveled and worn out.

She fantasized about Shang Yao begging her for mercy, which made her feel slightly better. When she finally returned to the villa, she realized that they were not alone. Lu Yiliang, Ye Yishen, Tang Qingqing, and the others were also there. Ruan Yuexi was bewildered. It seemed like the protagonists’ halo always ensured they met wherever they went. Or perhaps Shang Yao had secretly arranged all this?

With a detective-like gaze, Ruan Yuexi scrutinized Shang Yao, pretending to adjust imaginary glasses.

Shang Yao’s cold eyes glanced at her, seemingly aware of her wild imagination.

“Why are you here?” Shang Yao asked coldly.

Ruan Yuexi’s lips curled into a smug smile, as if to say, “Keep pretending.”

Shang Yao glanced at her strange expression, his handsome face revealing a hint of helplessness.

Ning Chen retracted his gaze from Ruan Yuexi. “All the villas in the scenic area are fully booked. This is the only large one left.”

Feng Yi grumbled discontentedly, “What a day! Not a single extra villa, and now we’re all crammed into one. It’s impossible to even flirt with anyone.”

Tang Qingqing and Lu Yiliang sat by the sofa. Tang Qingqing kept glancing at Shang Yao, while Lu Yiliang, after looking at Ruan Yuexi a few times, lowered his eyes and didn’t seem interested in joining the conversation.

Ye Yishen sipped his drink, paying no attention to Ruan Yuexi and Shang Yao’s return.

Ruan Yuexi, seeing Shang Yao’s feigned ignorance, rolled her eyes again. He was good at pretending.

Her legs were shaking from exhaustion. She didn’t care about Shang Yao’s cat-and-mouse game with the female lead. She just wanted to rest.

She threw herself onto the soft sofa. It felt so comfortable that she almost wanted to fall asleep right there.

Little did people know how seductive she looked at this moment. Her long black hair fell on her frail shoulders, and her long skirt covered her slender white calves, leaving only a part of her pale ankles exposed. Her entire being exuded a sense of frailty that made one want to protect her.

Ye Yishen’s fingers tightened around his wine glass, his dark eyes locked onto Ruan Yuexi.

Ning Chen wiped his pocket and leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on the sofa with an obscure look, and he remained motionless for a long time.

Even Lu Yiliang, who had his eyes lowered, was now deeply drawn to the figure on the sofa.

Shang Yao’s eyes fell on her flawless ankles, a dark gleam flickering in his gaze.

Ruan Yuexi was so comfortable that she almost drifted off to sleep, but suddenly, a coat was draped over her, startling her awake.

It was Shang Yao. “Brother Yao, I’m not cold,” Ruan Yuexi mumbled, confused as to why he had covered her with a coat.

Shang Yao looked down at her. “If you’re going to sleep, go upstairs,” he said, and then he headed up the stairs.

Ruan Yuexi grumbled in dissatisfaction, pushing his coat aside. She was too tired to continue acting.

Dragging her weary body upstairs, Ruan Yuexi didn’t pay much attention to the room’s layout. She spotted the bathroom and quickly went in to take a shower.

Too exhausted to even think about dinner, she pushed herself to shower and changed into a nightgown. The gown’s hem fell just above her ankles, leaving her smooth, fair feet exposed.

Ruan Yuexi collapsed onto the bed, hugging a pillow and rubbing her face against it.

Before she could fall asleep, she heard a noise in the room. Wide awake now, she sat up and looked around warily.

Only then did she notice another door in the room, which was now opening.

A damp-haired Shang Yao, wearing a bathrobe, stared at her with a cold expression.

Ruan Yuexi nearly screamed. “Brother Yao… why are you here?” She barely swallowed her scream.

Shang Yao didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on her delicate feet.

Her jade-like feet were small and enticing under the light, with her round, smooth toes adding to the allure.

Shang Yao’s eyes darkened, and Ruan Yuexi could sense the danger intensifying.

Realizing he was staring at her feet, Ruan Yuexi quickly pulled her legs back under the covers. “Brother Yao, I’m going to sleep. I’m really tired,” she said, yawning to feign ignorance.

Fortunately, Shang Yao didn’t press further. He closed the door and left. Ruan Yuexi, still on edge, quickly got up and locked the door from the inside.

She wasn’t going to take any chances with Shang Yao. If he lost control and cornered her like before, she’d be in big trouble.

So scary! Ruan Yuexi pulled the covers over her head. Exhausted, she fell asleep quickly and didn’t wake up until the next morning.

Still groggy, she stared at the ceiling, momentarily forgetting where she was.

After a few minutes, she got up to wash. Her stomach growling with hunger, she opened the door and found Ye Yishen standing there. He smiled at her.

“Good morning. Breakfast is ready.”

Ruan Yuexi was pleasantly surprised. “Really? I’m starving. Thank you.” She hurried downstairs.

However, the floor, which had been dry yesterday, was now unusually slippery. Losing her footing, she started to fall down the stairs, but a strong arm quickly wrapped around her waist…