The room fell silent again. Xiao Cheng lay back down on the bed, arms folded behind his head. He took two deep breaths before closing his eyes.
He’d expected to be tormented by dreams as he had been countless times before, but this time he slept soundly all the way until noon the next day. When he woke, he felt refreshed and clear-headed—and in a correspondingly good mood.
He sat up, reached for the cigarette pack on the side table, and got to his feet. Strolling to the window, he glanced down casually—and his eyes narrowed slightly.
The usually empty courtyard now had a few extra things in it: clothes fluttering in the breeze, and a woman standing on tiptoe to reach them.
He hadn’t noticed last night, but wearing his clothes, she had a certain charm all her own.
Xiao Cheng held the cigarette between his lips, his gaze unabashedly raking over her from head to toe with a hint of playfulness.
The clothes that fit him perfectly were several sizes too large on her. The contrast of black and white only made her fair skin stand out more. Sunlight spilled over her, illuminating her face—her strikingly beautiful features always made people look twice.
The breeze blew gently, lifting her hair and the fabric at her waist. The hem rose just enough to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of her figure—a flat stomach, a slender waist, two full, rounded curves that caught the eye, especially when she moved to cover them.
Her slender neck bore no ornament, only two delicate collarbones. As the ends of her hair brushed across them, it seemed to leave an indescribable, teasing itch on his heart as well.
Watching her, Xiao Cheng suddenly remembered the last time he’d slept so well. Oh, right—it had been in the Liu family’s courtyard, under similarly good sunlight, with this same woman by his side.
Once was coincidence. Twice was not.
A slow smile curled at the corners of his lips.
—
The clothes she’d washed last night had been drying outside all morning and were long since dry. Lin Aiyun brought them in, changed back into her own things, washed the ones she’d worn the night before, and finally sat down to rest.
The soft sofa faced the stairway on the second floor. She glanced up from time to time, wondering whether Xiao Cheng had gone out early or was still asleep.
She then looked at Zhou Jin, who stood at the entrance of the hall. Apart from using the bathroom, he hadn’t left all morning—wasn’t he tired?
But since he was still here, that meant Xiao Cheng hadn’t left either.
After sitting for a while, she got up and headed to the kitchen, quietly starting to prepare lunch. She’d recently asked Auntie Hui for some recipes that helped with sleep. Though she’d never actually made them before and didn’t know how they’d turn out, she was confident in her cooking skills—they shouldn’t be bad.
A cook had come by in the morning to stock the kitchen with more ingredients, so she had almost everything she needed.
Four-Herb Soup—she’d need pork ribs, red dates, Chinese yam, poria, and lotus seeds. After stir-frying and simmering, the aroma soon filled the air. She turned down the heat to a low simmer. Daylilies, also known as “calming vegetables,” were rich in high-quality protein and amino acids, with a soothing effect on the nerves that helped with insomnia. They cooked quickly, so she’d add them at the very end, just before the soup was done.
Remembering that Xiao Cheng was from the capital and loved Northern cuisine, Lin Aiyun wanted to make a few of his old favorites. But she was just a Southerner who’d never left her hometown—how could she explain knowing how to cook Beijing dishes?
It wouldn’t be easy to explain, so she settled for making two local dishes instead.
The moment the food came out of the pan, a crisp “Brother Cheng” sounded from nearby. Lin Aiyun instinctively turned her head and saw Xiao Cheng, fully dressed, walking down the stairs.
“Mr. Xiao.”
Hearing her voice, Xiao Cheng followed the sound, his gaze sweeping over Lin Aiyun’s face before landing on the abundant dishes on the dining table. He seemed to think of something, and instead of heading for the door as he’d intended, he changed course and walked toward her.
“How rude of me to let a guest do the cooking.”
“You saved me—cooking a meal is nothing.” Lin Aiyun waved her hand, a flicker of confusion passing through her eyes. Just last night, Xiao Cheng had looked like he was about to kill someone any second. How was it that today, he’d turned into a courteous gentleman?
The shift caught her off guard, and she couldn’t help feeling that something was off.
Xiao Cheng smiled but said nothing more. He took his seat at the head of the table and watched with apparent satisfaction as Lin Aiyun bustled about, serving rice and ladling soup, making no move to help.
His mouth was dry, so he picked up the soup bowl and took a couple of sips. His eyebrows lifted slightly—the flavor was surprisingly good. If the soup was this good, the stir-fried dishes were even better. The sweet-and-sour pork had just the right balance of sweetness and tang. The wood ear mushrooms with bamboo shoots and the stir-fried pork with peppers were also excellent—soft, refreshing, and satisfying.
Xiao Cheng was very pleased with the meal. And since he was pleased, Lin Aiyun naturally felt happy too. She asked: “Does it suit your taste?”
“Very good.” Xiao Cheng set down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and leaned back in his chair, languidly lifting his eyelids to look at her.
Being stared at like that, she guessed he had something to say. She too set down her chopsticks.
Sure enough, Xiao Cheng smiled and spoke: “I recall your handwriting is quite good, isn’t it?”
Lin Aiyun was taken aback, looking up at him in surprise, not understanding why he’d suddenly bring that up. But since he’d asked, she could only say: “It’s just average—nothing special.”
“You’re being modest.” Xiao Cheng’s smile deepened. Then, out of nowhere, he said: “I’ll pay you triple your salary. Stay here and be my calligraphy teacher.”
It should have been a question, yet coming from him, it sounded like a statement.
Lin Aiyun knew perfectly well what Xiao Cheng’s calligraphy level was—he’d be more qualified to teach her than the other way around. So why make this request? What was his purpose?
But his thoughts had never been easy to read. Even as his closest companion, she’d sometimes found him inscrutable.
In the brief pause she took to think, Xiao Cheng mistook her silence for hesitation. He couldn’t see what there was to deliberate—wasn’t the money enough?
What a hassle.
Xiao Cheng’s thick brows drew together. He crossed his long legs, his tone turning cold: “Miss Lin, one shouldn’t be ungrateful. I just saved your life last night, shut down all the gossiping mouths, and preserved your reputation. Asking you to be my calligraphy teacher isn’t an unreasonable request, is it?”
When bribery failed, he immediately switched to moral coercion—classic Xiao Cheng.
Lin Aiyun’s mouth twitched. If she refused now, threats would probably come next. She took a deep breath: “I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it. It’s just that my skill is limited—I’m barely a half-baked amateur myself. I might not be able to teach you well.”
“Just agree. The rest is none of your concern.” Xiao Cheng cut her off. He wasn’t actually interested in learning calligraphy—whether she taught well or not didn’t matter.
“But what about Auntie Hui’s place…”
“Not important.” So many questions.
“Should I come every morning? What time?”
“What are you thinking? You’ll stay here.” If she didn’t sleep here, how could he confirm his suspicions?
“But my aunt might not agree to me living out.” Especially at a male employer’s house.
“Not just anyone can get in here—it’s perfectly safe. But if you want to get kidnapped again, by all means, walk two hours each way every day. Just know that no one will come save you next time.”
Watching Lin Aiyun’s face visibly pale, Xiao Cheng knew she was frightened by the memory of last night’s ordeal.
“Then why did you come to save me this time, Mr. Xiao?” Lin Aiyun pressed her lips together and asked suddenly.
Hearing this, Xiao Cheng’s swinging legs paused.
Even Zhou Jin at the door looked over. He was curious too—anyone who knew Xiao Cheng even a little understood that he was a businessman who never did a losing deal. But saving Lin Aiyun? Not only was there no profit to be made, he’d had to shell out quite a bit in hush money.
The scale of last night’s operation was enough to turn Lanxi County upside down. From the moment he’d found out, he’d rounded up people for questioning, searched house by house, and finally tracked her down.
And back in the capital, he’d spent a fortune circulating a portrait far and wide. Zhou Jin had assumed she was either a woman Xiao Cheng wanted or someone important. But now that they’d found her, she didn’t seem to fit either category.
And all Xiao Cheng wanted was to keep her around as a calligraphy teacher?
None of it seemed like something he’d do. It was utterly baffling.
The spacious living room fell into silence. Lin Aiyun could hear her own heart pounding, over and over. Finally, Xiao Cheng spoke: “I just happened to come back yesterday. Liu Chengzhang and his daughter are kind-hearted people—they begged me to help. I did it as a favor.”
So it really was Doctor Liu and Auntie Hui who’d pleaded on her behalf.
Lin Aiyun believed it. Zhou Jin, however, didn’t. In his surprise, he failed to look away in time and met Xiao Cheng’s sharp gaze. Startled, he lowered his head and dared not look again.
“I’d like to go back and get some things, then come back—can I?” Lin Aiyun tucked away her complicated emotions and asked cautiously. This was her agreement to his earlier terms.
“Zhou Jin.”
“Yes.”
“Drive her back. Be back by eight.”
With that, Xiao Cheng was the first to leave the house. Soon, the sound of a car engine starting came from outside—he must have driven off.
“Miss Lin, this way.” Zhou Jin glanced at Lin Aiyun’s still-confused pretty face and reminded her.
“Mm, alright.”
Lin Aiyun first had Zhou Jin take her to the Liu household. When they arrived, the gate was tightly shut. She knocked for a long time before someone opened it. Though they’d only been apart for a day, those on either side of the door looked as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. They stood frozen for a long moment before embracing.
“Aiyun, I’m so glad you’re okay.” Liu Hui looked haggard, her eyes bloodshot—clearly she hadn’t slept all night.
“If it weren’t for you and Auntie Hui, and Mr. Xiao, I probably would have…” Lin Aiyun’s eyes reddened too. Knowing the doorway wasn’t the place for a long talk, they went inside.
Just as Liu Hui was about to close the door, she noticed Zhou Jin standing by the car. He was a stranger, but one glance told her whose man he was—and that Lin Aiyun had clearly been brought back by him.
Thinking of this, Liu Hui opened her mouth as if to say something, then held back.
Once inside, Lin Aiyun first went to thank Liu Chengzhang personally before being pulled into the room by Liu Hui for a private chat. When it came to recounting what had happened, she hesitated, then simplified and glossed over the more violent details.
“They’re all animals—disgusting. Even the eighteenth level of hell wouldn’t be punishment enough.” Liu Hui gritted her teeth in anger, then patted Lin Aiyun’s back and said gently: “It’s all over now. Don’t dwell on it, or it’ll eat away at you over time.”
“I know. Thank you, Auntie Hui.” Lin Aiyun smiled gratefully.
“The bad people have been caught, so it should be safe now. But just to be careful, you should stay here with me until your aunt and the others come back—then we’ll figure out what to do.” Liu Hui spoke earnestly, not noticing the flicker in Lin Aiyun’s eyes.
“Thank you for your kindness, but I’ve already agreed to be Mr. Xiao’s calligraphy teacher. I’ll be having all my meals over there, so I probably won’t be able to stay here.”
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