If it had been anyone else, Shen Yi would have already twisted their arm and brought them down, but with this man, something inside him said that whatever was happening wasn't entirely wrong. Still, everything in his training, everything in his rulebook, told him it was wrong—extremely wrong—and against everything he stood for.
Yet here he was, standing still in the quiet room, and with every minute that passed, he felt himself slowly collapsing, like a weight pressing down on his core.
He needed to pull himself together. His fingers reached up and took hold of Jiang Qi's hand, ready to push it away from his body, but just then, a knock sounded from the door, making both their eyes snap toward it.
A voice came through from the other side.
"Boss, your food is here," Yao Zhen announced.
Jiang Qi exhaled and let go of Shen Yi, his hand falling away with a calmness that did not match the tension in the air.
Shen Yi turned his head slightly to glance at him, and their gazes locked for a second.
"Hide in the bathroom," Jiang Qi said quietly.
Shen Yi didn't move, his eyes staying on him.
Jiang Qi narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
"Stubborn as ever," he muttered and then took Shen Yi's hand, this time pulling him gently but firmly toward the bathroom.
Shen Yi didn't protest, knowing very well that he had no other option right now.
He wasn't worried about Jiang Qi attacking him which didn'tseem like he would do, but the same couldn't be said for Jiang Qi's bodyguard. If they saw his face which was not supposed to happen for an assassin, the situation might spiral fast, and he didn't want another set of eyes on him
Someone had already seen him tonight. Adding another would be a disaster.
Jiang Qi walked back into the room after closing the bathroom door, his expression cool and composed.
He went straight to the glass-made table and picked up one of the glasses he had poured earlier, hiding it under the table, knowing it would raise questions if both glasses were visible.
He then stepped across the room, bent to retrieve the gun from the floor, and finally went to the door.
When he opened it, Yao Zhen stood there with a polished cart of food, hands on the metal handle.
He pushed the cart in and parked it near the table, before turning to Jiang Qi and asking respectfully, "Anything else, Boss?"
Jiang Qi shook his head slightly and answered, "No."
Yao Zhen gave a short bow and walked out without asking anything further.
Once the door clicked shut, Jiang Qi locked it again and made his way to the bathroom door.
He stood near it and called softly, "You can come out."
Shen Yi opened the door and stepped out without a word, his eyes scanning the room first before settling back on Jiang Qi. Jiang Qi walked to the food cart and wheeled it closer to the glass table.
"Come and sit," he said.
Shen Yi didn't argue. He moved slowly but steadily toward the couch and took a seat, not because he wanted to stay, but because he knew the bodyguard was most likely standing outside so he couldn't leave, yet.
Jiang Qi took a seat beside him and opened one of the dishes, letting the steam drift into the air.
"Have something," he offered
.
Shen Yi glanced at the food, then turned away.
"I'm not hungry," he said.
Jiang Qi picked up a spoon but didn't start eating. Instead, he looked over and replied, "You've been following me the whole day without eating anything. Are you sure you're not hungry?"
Shen Yi's head turned slowly, and his eyes narrowed. "You knew?"
Jiang Qi nodded as if it wasn't a surprise. "Since morning," he said, "when you followed me to Jiang Corp."
Shen Yi said nothing at first, and just stared forward for a few seconds, letting the silence stretch.
Then he asked, "Why are you doing this?"
Jiang Qi didn't look up. "Doing what?"
Shen Yi turned fully toward him and said, "Being nice to me. You know I'm here to kill you."
Jiang Qi gave a small, distant smile that didn't reach his eyes and replied, "Once you remember everything, then you'll understand why."
Shen Yi's face remained neutral. "I'll never remember," he said quietly. Before Jiang Qi could say anything else, Shen Yi stood up and said flatly, "I need to find a way out right now. I have to leave."
Jiang Qi stopped eating and dropped his spoon with a small clink against the plate.
"Where are you going?" he asked, now looking at Shen Yi with a seriousness that wasn't there before.
Shen Yi glanced at him. "That's none of your business," he said coldly, then turned and began to walk away from the couch.
But before he could take another step, Jiang Qi reached out quickly and grabbed his wrist, pulling him back onto the couch.
Shen Yi turned his head sharply, his eyes darkened with warning.
He was dangerous when provoked, and Jiang Qi should have known better.
But Jiang Qi's face was even more unreadable, and if Shen Yi was dangerous, then Jiang Qi looked deadlier.
He didn't let go of Shen Yi's wrist, and instead leaned in closer, his eyes never leaving Shen Yi's.
The air between them shifted, heavier now, as if time slowed just slightly in that moment.
Shen Yi stared at him and didn't pull away, but there was a faint pressure building in his chest, something uncomfortable and strange. He could hear the sound of his own breathing as Jiang Qi inched closer still.