"Alright, that concludes the meeting for today." Jiang Fan closed his document folder decisively, then rose from his chair. His gaze was serious yet relaxed, his tone filled with confidence. "I'll handle the social media clarification tonight. Tomorrow morning, sharp at six, I'll pick you both up. There's a new filming schedule that needs to start, so don't be late. Okay, have a good rest."
Without giving them a chance to object, Jiang Fan slung his jacket over his shoulder and walked out. The soft sound of the door closing left a sudden silence in the living room.
Wei Yu Chen remained sitting upright, his face as calm and cold as usual, but his gaze was slightly subdued, as if he was re-processing all the plans that had just been laid out. Meanwhile, Xiaoxi just sat still, her small hand tightly gripping the contract folder that now felt heavier than before.
A few seconds of silence passed before Yu Chen finally stood. His movements were elegant, unhurried, as if every step was always measured. "Let's go," he said briefly, his voice low yet firm.
Xiaoxi started, hurriedly rising from the sofa, and followed behind him. The two walked down the hallway toward the bedroom, the dim light casting their moving shadows on the wall.
The distance between them was close, yet it felt strangely alienated, as if they were walking in the same world but separated by an invisible, thin line.
Xiaoxi looked down, her heart pounding erratically, her mind filled with Jiang Fan's words still hanging in the air: "Would you prefer to continue sharing a room with Yu Chen?"
Damn it, that image kept replaying, making her feel awkward every time she inadvertently looked at the straight back of the man ahead of her.
Yu Chen remained silent, but beneath his composure was something subtle a strange tremor that was beginning to disturb the hard wall around his heart.
That night, their walk to the bedroom felt longer than usual, as if the hallway held a secret ready to explode at any moment.
The main bedroom was filled with the soft glow of the night lamp. The clean white sheets still retained a gentle lavender scent, making the atmosphere calm yet charged with unexpressed tension.
Wei Yu Chen lay down first, taking the far side of the bed. His body rested easily, his face looking up at the ceiling, his hands folded beneath his head. His eyes briefly closed, but his breathing was too regular to be called sleep.
On the other side, Xiaoxi was still sitting rigidly on the bed. Her eyes were fixed on Yu Chen's silhouette—so close, yet so utterly foreign. Her lips moved slightly, as if a sentence wanted to escape but was stuck in her throat.
Yu Chen, with his sharp intuition, caught her apprehension. His voice was low, yet clearly audible.
"Why? Still not brave enough to lie down? Scared of sleeping next to me?"
His cold tone was almost a taunt, yet there was a faint hint of tease beneath the intonation.
Xiaoxi quickly waved her hand. "He-heh… it's not that," she replied awkwardly. Carefully, she laid her body down, finally taking a reclining position. Her small body faced Yu Chen, her round eyes staring at the man up close.
For a moment, silence enveloped them. Xiaoxi's heart pounded quickly, so hard that she felt Yu Chen must be able to hear it. Her lips moved hesitantly, "Emm… is this alright, Yu Chen?"
Yu Chen's eyes slowly opened, and he turned slightly, looking at Xiaoxi from the corner of his eye. There was a subtle flash of amusement there, hidden beneath his cold face.
"Why? Are you scared? Where is your little lion aura that's usually so fierce? Gone, hmm?"
His words felt like a direct hit to Xiaoxi's chest. The man looked at her calmly, coldly, yet this only made Xiaoxi's face burn hotter.
Internally, Xiaoxi wanted to scream. Lion? Aura? What lion? Like this, I look more like a kitten trapped in a tiger's den…
Xiaoxi took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "It's not that… I was just wondering, will Jiang Fan's plan really go smoothly?" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper in the room's darkness.
Wei Yu Chen did not turn, only remaining calmly reclined, his face looking up. His voice was cold yet steady.
"Don't worry about it. He's an expert in this. Just let him handle it."
Xiaoxi swallowed, then nodded slightly. "Ehh… alright. Then let's just sleep, we still have work tomorrow, hehehe…" Her small laugh sounded dry, like a futile attempt to ward off the hanging awkwardness.
Inwardly, Yu Chen offered a bitter smile. How can this girl be so incredibly naive? Sleeping next to a man like me, without the slightest hint of fear or caution. It was as if this world truly held no danger.
He briefly glanced at her. Xiaoxi had already closed her eyes, though she was clearly not fully asleep yet. The small face was calm, her breathing regular, seemingly confident that there was nothing to fear.
Yu Chen's voice was soft, almost inaudible, yet enough to pierce the silence of the room.
"Are you really okay… sleeping next to me these past few days? You're truly not scared, Xiao?"
Xiaoxi's eyelids slightly trembled, as if the question had penetrated her shallow sleep. She opened her eyes slightly, then slowly turned her head.
Xiaoxi opened her eyes with a burst of courage, turning to the man beside her with a mischievous smile forming at the corner of her lips.
"Scared? Ha, what should I be scared of you for? Besides your devil aura, there's nothing good worth fearing," she said lightly, then let out a crisp laugh, her voice echoing softly in the silent room.
Wei Yu Chen, still reclining casually, found himself being stared at mockingly. His gaze remained flat, but a subtle vein near his temple seemed to throb, restraining a reaction.
Xiaoxi continued with her casual style, "Besides, I'm not your type anyway, right? Hahaha… so there's no way you'd eat me." She added a dramatic emphasis to that last word, raising a cheeky eyebrow.
Her eyes sparkled with playful malice. "Tsk, tsk, tsk… I know, your orientation is a bit… abnormal, ehehehe."
The words just slipped out, as if nothing in life was serious to her.
Wei Yu Chen, upon hearing it, felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His usually cold face momentarily lost its expression. His gaze became sharp, his lips tightening, as if he intended to respond, yet only silence ensued.
In his chest, his heart pounded loudly. The aura that was initially calm now felt like a low roar.
This child truly has no idea what she's saying… how dare she play with something whose consequences she can't even begin to imagine.
The serene atmosphere of the room suddenly changed when Wei Yu Chen abruptly turned over. In one swift movement, he pinned Xiaoxi down, his hands bracing the sides of the bed, caging the small figure beneath him.
His heavy breath echoed right next to Xiaoxi's ear. His dominant aura surged fully, making the air in the room seemingly tighten. In a low, almost whispering voice, he said,
"Who says I'm abnormal? Do you… want to find out for yourself?"
Yu Chen's face drew closer, the shadow of his eyes falling over Xiaoxi's face. The distance between them shrank, only a hair's breadth before their lips could meet.
Yet Xiaoxi remained still, her expression flat so flat it felt like an invisible slap. Right when the moment reached its peak tension, she casually pushed Yu Chen's chest away, holding the man back.
"Hmm… never mind, no need to act," Xiaoxi murmured lightly, as if nothing had happened. "If your orientation really is abnormal, it's okay. Everyone has their own path, right?"
Her tone was filled with a taunt wrapped in an easygoing smile.
Wei Yu Chen was instantly thrown to the side, falling back to lie down, his eyes wide with shock. His face, usually cold and perfectly controlled, first paled, then flushed red from surprise and disbelief.
For the first time, the cold and arrogant CEO looked… ridiculous.
Meanwhile, Xiaoxi just closed her eyes while stifling a laugh, letting her taunt hang in the increasingly cold night air.
Wei Yu Chen lay silent in the dark, his body still stiff on the side of the bed. His gaze was fixed on the ceiling, but his mind was far more turbulent than the silence of the night.