Chapter 29

Shen Chi glanced at her. The corners of his lips tipped upward.

He started the engine and drove toward the villa. Since Xu Zhaomu wasn’t speaking, he didn’t speak either.

The night was as cool as a flowing freshwater stream. Beyond the windows of the car, trees towered over them and then disappeared behind them, and streetlights flickered dimly. As they got closer to the villa, the number of people out of doors gradually diminished.

Soon, the car arrived at Fairview Country.

The lamps outside the Shen family’s villa were still shining brightly. They were vintage European-style hanging lamps crafted out of copper. They appeared especially beautiful in the tranquil night of that quiet neighborhood. The Shen residence had never been a lively place, and, when night descended, it appeared as sleepy as an abandoned castle in a fairy tale.

Shen Chi parked the car in the garage before glancing at Xu Zhaomu, who was seated beside him. “We’re home.”

Xu Zhaomu ignored him. Her head remained turned toward the window.

Shen Chi laughed. She was making a scene again.

He got out of the car and opened the passenger door for her. Bending over, he looked at her closely.

Xu Zhaomu turned her head away. She wasn’t going to look at him.

Shen Chi extended his hands to grab her. He scooped her up bridal style, taking her out of the car.

A faint fragrance seemed to emanate from the girl’s body. It seemed to resemble the scent of that bottle of bust-enhancing essential oil. Had she really retrieved the bottle that he had tossed out?

“Boys and girls should maintain a proper distance. Don’t you understand this concept?” Xu Zhaomu grumbled as she glanced at him.

“Hold on tight, don’t fall.”

Shen Chi strode into the house. Xu Zhaomu’s little hands were wrapped around his neck tightly, and she buried her head in his chest.

This was the first time he had voluntarily held her for such an extended period of time. And this was also the first time he hadn’t resisted when she’d leaned against his chest.

However, the price she’d had to pay for this privilege had been large. Her head still hurt quite a bit. She wondered if Shen Chi was feeling guilty. Otherwise, why would he be willing to carry her for such a long time?

She could only take advantage of this chance to rub against him. As she rested against his chest, she could hear his heart beating steadily and evenly. However, her heart was already pounding: Ba-dum! Ba-dum! It pounded unceasingly.

His chest felt very warm. Even his steady breathing was elegant, possessing a mature sense of charm.

“We’re here.” Shen Chi walked to Xu Zhaomu’s room.

“Ah? That was too fast…” Xu Zhaomu felt that this journey had been way too short.

Shen Chi lowered his head and glanced at Xu Zhaomu, who was still in his arms. “How are you planning to get down?”

“Is it possible for me not to get down?”

“Who was it who just told me that boys and girls should maintain a proper distance?” Shen Chi raised his eyebrows.

All right, it had been her.

She didn’t say a word as her arms remained wrapped around his neck, refusing to let go. Shen Chi had no choice but to walk up to her bed and put her down gently. However, Xu Zhaomu still refused to release her arms.

“Get your hands off.” Shen Chi muttered nonchalantly with a frown. Although he hadn’t raised his voice, he still spoke in that characteristic tyrannical tone.

“I am a patient.” Xu Zhaomu pouted.

“And so?”

“And so I want to make a few requests.”

“Let me hear them.”

Xu Zhaomu’s little hands continued to hang onto Shen Chi’s neck as she stared directly into his eyes. How could he be so handsome? His eyes possessed such profound depths.

“Look how terribly I’ve been hurt at your hands. The pain might rouse me from my sleep tonight. If there is no one taking care of me, what will happen if I lose consciousness?”

Xu Zhaomu blinked her eyes at him. Implicitly, what she meant was, tonight you must serve me and sleep with me.

“The doctor said that it was nothing serious,” Shen Chi replied nonchalantly.

“What if something happens? I’m saying what if…”

“You sleep very messily and soundly every night. Don’t worry, you won’t be roused from your sleep.”

Occasionally, Shen Chi would walk out of his room and take a look at Xu Zhaomu when he couldn’t sleep at night.

Xu Zhaomu slept in a very uncivilized manner. Out of the ten times he had seen her, there was a 70 or 80 percent chance that her blanket would be lying on the floor. She would even kick her pillow off the bed.

And every single time, he would have to tuck her in exasperatedly.

She was a deep sleeper. Occasionally, he would spend some time sitting by her bed.

“Why are you scolding me again…” Xu Zhaomu was getting upset. All that studying had exhausted her. How could he comment on her sleeping habits?

Shen Chi plucked off Xu Zhaomu’s fingers one at a time. “Sleep well, don’t make a fuss.”

Xu Zhaomu refused to give in. She had almost lost her life in exchange for this chance.

It was rare for Shen Chi to show such a gentle side to her. She grabbed his waist unscrupulously the moment he turned around.

“You’re not allowed to leave. Fourth Brother, spend the night with me. Just one night. Look at my head. Aiya, it hurts, it hurts…”

Shen Chi turned around. He was at his wit’s end.

“Call me if anything happens.”

“If I lose consciousness due to the pain, I won’t be able to call you. Aiya, my head hurts…” Xu Zhaomu grabbed his sleeve while pressing her head with her other hand.

She looked just like Sun Wukong after he had been bound by Xuan Zang’s incantation. [1] However, she was not a skilled enough actor. It was obvious that she was putting on an act.

“Be good and sleep!” Shen Chi pried her hands off in exasperation. Then he walked out of the room and casually switched off the lights.

The moment he left, Xu Zhaomu sat on her bed in despair and started to sob. He hated her so much. Or maybe she was unlikable.

As she cried, Xu Zhaomu fell asleep.

When Shen Chi returned to his room, he realized that Xu Zhaomu’s textbook was still on his table.

He walked over and flipped open the book. The interior of Xu Zhaomu’s textbook was completely spotless. If this went on, it would be impossible for her to get into university.

Shen Chi shook his head helplessly before closing the book.

As he walked to his bed, he realized that the blood on his bedside table had already dried up. As he used a paper napkin to wipe off the bloodstains, his heart stopped for a moment. It felt as though a stone was weighing it down.

At midnight, the entire house was plunged into silence. Within the Shen family villa, only Shen Chi’s room light was still on.

He lay on the bed with both arms crossed under his head. His eyes were fixed on the chandelier hanging from his ceiling.

He gazed at it for two whole hours. He couldn’t sleep no matter how hard he tried. Finally, he got up and stood on the balcony.

A gust of cold wind blew over. He walked over to his wine rack and retrieved a bottle of red wine. After removing the cork, the wine slowly trickled down the sides of his wine glass, filling it from the bottom up. It looked just like a shiny ruby as the captivating scent of fruit wafted from it.

An intoxicating spring breeze, a blurry night scene, and a crescent moon.

Once he had finished half the bottle of red wine, he finally got up and left the balcony.

He pushed open the doors of Xu Zhaomu’s room to check on her. She appeared to be having a nightmare.

“Mother, come back. I miss you, I want to hug you…”

Her little hands clawed at the air haphazardly. She didn’t manage to hold onto anything and started crying. She cried with great sadness.

Shen Chi walked over and picked her blanket up off the ground and draped it over her.

“Mother, come back. Zhaomu really misses you…” Two trails of tears slid down her cheeks. She seemed to be in great pain as she sobbed.

Shen Chi held her icy little hands and hugged her. “Don’t be frightened. I am here.”

Xu Zhaomu grabbed onto Shen Chi tightly. She thought that her Mother had decided not to leave. She whispered Mother a few more times, before falling into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Shen Chi simply lay down by her side. That night, Xu Zhaomu felt completely at peace. She didn’t have any more nightmares, and neither did she kick her blanket onto the ground.

He touched her forehead, and a doting expression appeared on his face.

When the first rays of sunlight peeped through the green curtains of Xu Zhaomu’s room, Shen Chi finally let go of her. He tucked her into her blanket once more before taking his leave silently.

******[1] Characters from the famous 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West” by Wu Cheng’en.