Chapter 19

Mr. Shao raised his hand to cover her mouth, as if silencing all her other senses at once—hearing, touch... perhaps even her breathing and heartbeat.

When he withdrew, the bridge of his nose brushed against the tip of hers, then paused, his eyelashes half-lowered.

In those brief seconds, Chu Tong truly felt what it meant for breaths to intertwine intimately.

A moment passed.

At last, Shao Yihuai mercifully released his hand, stepping back slightly, patting her cheek, and letting out a low chuckle. "...Breathe."

Chu Tong immediately drew a deep breath, calming herself, then quickly covered her face with both hands and buried herself into the sofa cushions.

It was too embarrassing.

Her heart screamed silently.

Like a panicked little ostrich desperate to dig a hole and hide its head.

Today, she wore high-waisted straight-leg jeans with a pale, small V-neck top beneath. At that moment, the hem had flipped up, revealing a section of her fair, soft waist. Twisting her body into an awkward pose, she lay there, defenseless, against the dark, spacious sofa, fully within his line of sight.

Shao Yihuai’s eyelashes briefly contracted, withdrawing everything from view. Rising, he set down his wine glass, grabbed the large coat nearby, and wrapped her up. Then, effortlessly, he scooped her up horizontally in his arms.

This time, Chu Tong didn’t cry out; she simply looped her arms around his neck, burying her face in the hollow of his neck.

It seemed she was overwhelmed with shyness.

Shao Yihuai laid her down on the master bedroom bed, pulled over the blanket, and said softly, “Rest for a while.”

Chu Tong hurriedly tucked herself in tightly, face buried deep in the covers, letting out a faint, almost mosquito-like hum.

In the small darkness created by the covers, she listened closely to his footsteps moving toward the window. The curtains were drawn, then the door closed behind him as he left.

After a few more seconds of quiet, she slowly peeked out from under the blanket, glanced around, and exhaled in relief.

As she relaxed slightly, the tender kiss from just now flooded her mind—the thin lips resting on her trembling eyelashes, moist and soft.

She still remembered the feeling of him hovering above her—the slender frame, the minimalist black half-turtleneck sweater he wore that somehow lent him a unique, fresh aura. His broad shoulders seemed to shield everything else in the world, evoking a profound sense of safety.

She wanted to recall more details, but her eyelids gradually grew heavy, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

—

Awakening slowly, her eyes opened to confusion, not even knowing where she was.

Sitting up and looking around, she gradually realized she was in the apartment near the university—the Langcheng Residence.

She found the master bathroom, freshened up, adjusted her clothes, then stepped out.

Turning a corner, she saw Mr. Shao sitting cross-legged in the corner of the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window, casually leaning against the backrest, flipping through a magazine spread across his lap.

He had changed clothes—wearing an ash-gray shirt with two buttons undone, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and no belt.

Outside the window, the sky was darkening; the city’s neon lights and countless lamps shimmered.

Chu Tong had once tried to imagine what he would be like at her home—perhaps warm, perhaps everyday—but she never expected him to appear just like this: refined and noble, elegant and composed, even from a distance.

Just as when she first met him.

It truly felt like a dream.

She was actually in his home.

Chu Tong’s mind wandered aimlessly, thinking that if this were their first meeting, she would probably fall for him at first sight. From any glimpse into Shao Yihuai’s life, she would be captivated immediately.

As if sensing her thoughts, Shao Yihuai looked up and then glanced at his watch.

Chu Tong walked over, and he asked, “Are you hungry?”

She placed her hand on her abdomen, feeling carefully. "...Not really."

Shao Yihuai seemed charmed by the gesture, pausing slightly before casually lowering his gaze and smiling. "...Come sit."

“Come sit.”

Chu Tong’s first instinct was to recoil.

She was a little afraid of being that close to him again—it felt too easy for something unexpected to happen.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she cautiously sat down on the sofa opposite him.

Shao Yihuai noticed her small expressions and movements but seemed completely unconcerned. Without looking up, he said lightly, “Have you thought it through? Want to tell me about your roommate?”

Chu Tong’s heart skipped a beat.

She could trust him. She thought this.

This was different from finding an internship—it was practical and transactional. The matter of those photos truly affected her future life. More importantly, she feared Cheng Mai would be retaliated against.

If it really was as Liu Hao said—if Mr. Shao handled it—the impact of this matter could vanish instantly and invisibly. For her, that was the best outcome.

She tried to ask, “...How much do you know?”

Shao Yihuai lifted his eyes from the magazine and asked calmly, “...How much do you want me to know?”

“...Liu Hao said that if you handle it, the people who bullied me will immediately kneel and apologize. Is that true?”

“That depends on you,” he said in his usual tone, “on what result you want.”

“I want them to apologize to me in person!” Chu Tong said quickly.

Shao Yihuai glanced at her and nodded. “That’s possible.”

“Then please help me.”

She clasped her hands together, almost devoutly, like making a wish.

Only then did Shao Yihuai close the magazine and set it aside, looking at her with a slight smile tugging at his lips. “...Can you come over now?”

Chu Tong took a small step to his knees and stood there, dazed.

Shao Yihuai chuckled softly through his nose and lifted his chin slightly to gesture. Chu Tong turned to look in that direction, and he motioned for her to sit on the single sofa diagonally opposite.

Closer than before, but not too close—just right.

She sat up straight.

“...Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”

She stammered, unable to give an answer. Shao Yihuai helped complete her sentence, “...Because we weren’t close?”

From his eyes, she saw a teasing playfulness. She shrugged, “...Maybe.”

“And now?”

There was a meaningful glint in his gaze.

Of course, she couldn’t say they weren’t close anymore.

He was her boyfriend.

Chu Tong looked at him, but his posture—legs crossed, leaning back, hands clasped on his lap—made him seem more like an elder.

She felt a little embarrassed, pursing her lips and softly protesting, “...You’re asking knowingly.”

Shao Yihuai laughed softly, neither confirming nor denying.

He glanced at his watch again and said, “I’ve booked a restaurant for tonight. Su Jingwen will accompany you to dinner, is that okay?”

“And you?”

“I have something to attend to.”

Chu Tong thought for a moment. “I’ll sleep here tonight? Will you come back here later?”

—

Shao Yihuai paused, looking at her. “Want me to come?”

His expression was calm, as if it were just a casual question.

Her mind was a mess; she didn’t even know whether she wanted that or not.

He didn’t pressure her, instead rising to put on the coat. “Su Jingwen will come in half an hour.” Saying this, he headed toward the entrance, and Chu Tong followed.

At the entrance, he changed into his leather shoes and glanced at her. “Will you be scared sleeping alone tonight?”

She had never slept alone in such a big place before.

Growing up, she had always rented a room with her mother. They shared one bedroom and one bed, sleeping cramped together. When she went to university, she stayed in a dormitory. Having a bedroom to herself was a luxury, not to mention living alone in such a large apartment.

She honestly shook her head. “...I don’t know. I’ve never slept alone.”

“You can have Su Jingwen keep you company,” he said, raising a hand to gently stroke her hair.

Sensing he was about to leave, Chu Tong took a step forward and hugged his waist.

Had he showered this afternoon? There was a faint woody fragrance on him, mixed with a touch of aftershave.

Shao Yihuai didn’t move, only stroked her shoulder softly and asked in a low voice, “What is it?”

“I already miss you,” she said quietly. “From now on, I’ll start calling you Mr. Shao.”

Shao Yihuai smiled faintly. “Good girl.”

He was about to pull away, but she didn’t let go.

His hand, which had been caressing her long hair, slid down from behind her ear to her neck, then bent his fingers to lift her chin, forcing her to look up.

A gentle kiss landed on her forehead, then on her eyelashes, then her nose tip.

After this reassurance, she still didn’t let go.

Shao Yihuai sighed almost imperceptibly. She was still too young to understand what her actions meant.

His voice dropped very low. “...I don’t have to leave either.”

In fact, the matter could be handled by Uncle Zong without his personal involvement.

“Hm?”

“If I really don’t leave,” he said ambiguously, “you won’t sleep well tonight.”

Chu Tong’s mind sounded alarm bells.

What he wanted to do was far more than she imagined.

Shao Yihuai gripped her shoulder and gently pulled her away. “Wait for my news.”

—

Half an hour later, Su Jingwen arrived as promised.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they set off to eat.

The restaurant nearby was a Huaiyang cuisine place, just right for Chu Tong’s taste.

Chu Tong thought Su Jingwen would ask why she was staying at Mr. Shao’s place, what their relationship was, and so on, but Su Jingwen didn’t ask anything. She chatted naturally about the weather and studies, never mentioning Shao Yihuai.

Watching Su Jingwen laugh and chat before her and thinking of Shao Yihuai, Chu Tong concluded: This was the subtlety of adults.

So she calmly set aside her thoughts and took the initiative to ask Su Jingwen about workplace matters.

Su Jingwen was an experienced executive assistant who had worked with many bosses and seen much. She generously shared her experiences.

By the end of the meal, Chu Tong had gained a lot.

Afterward, Su Jingwen used Shao Yihuai’s card to pay the bill, then drove Chu Tong to a nearby supermarket to shop.

“Pick up some daily necessities, plus fruits and drinks,” Su Jingwen said, steering the wheel, “That should be enough, right?”

“Mm.”

“Oh, and pajamas and underwear,” Su Jingwen laughed. “No need to go back to your dorm for them; it’s easier to buy everything at once.”

“Okay, I’ll follow your plan.”

“...Mr. Shao said you might be scared sleeping alone tonight. Do you want me to stay here?”

“No, thanks,” Chu Tong smiled. “I’ll try. I’ve never slept alone in a bedroom before.”

Su Jingwen was surprised. “...Do you have sisters? Did you all share a room growing up?”

“No,” Chu Tong said plainly, “My family isn’t well off. Mom and I could only rent a one-bedroom apartment.”

Su Jingwen quickly adjusted her expression. “That’s not bad. You must be very close with your mother?”

“Mm.”

Chu Tong nodded firmly—they depended on each other.

Thinking of the recent temperature drop, she took out her phone and sent her mother a message:

“Mom, it’s getting cold. Keep warm, remember to turn on the heater, don’t always try to save money.”

“I’ve earned quite a bit from my part-time job, don’t worry.”

Chu Qinghe worked night shifts at an electronics factory; she was probably busy now and couldn’t check her phone.

After buying all the needed items, Su Jingwen drove Chu Tong back to Langcheng Residence, helped carry her things upstairs, and then took her leave.

That night, Chu Tong showered, changed into pajamas, and sat by the floor-to-ceiling window wrapped in a blanket for a long time.

Though it was her first time here today, the apartment strangely made her feel at ease.

She savored the rare luxury of silence and spaciousness.

The indoor heating was strong, and the fresh air circulation system maintained perfect humidity. That night, Chu Tong slept soundly.

—

The next morning, the first thing she did after waking was reply to her mother’s message from last night.

Their schedules were completely different, so they rarely had time for video calls, only able to exchange care by sending messages at different times.

“Mom: Okay, my dear. Take good care of yourself. Everything’s fine at home.”

“Chu Tong: Love you (heart emoji).”

Using ingredients from the fridge, Chu Tong made herself a simple breakfast, got dressed, locked the door, and walked to school.

Langcheng Residence was only a kilometer from A University, so she reached the dorm quickly.

She had planned to ask Tao Ge to help bring her books directly to the lecture hall, but Tao Ge replied that she wasn’t in the dorm either and told her to get them herself—so she had to return.

Upon entering the dorm, she immediately understood what had happened.

Tao Ge sat at her desk, looking fearful. Ding Xue leaned against her own desk, arms crossed, face hostile.

“Oh, you’re back? Slept with someone, huh?” Ding Xue sneered.

Chu Tong felt like she had fallen into an ice pit.

Ding Xue continued, “Liu Hao messaged me this morning, saying I had messed with someone I shouldn’t have. So funny,” she looked her up and down, “...What kind of connections do you have? Are you really that powerful?”

Chu Tong ignored her and went straight to get her books. Ding Xue blocked her path, looking fierce.

“Stop! Explain yourself.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

She didn’t want to waste words on her.

But Ding Xue was relentless and raised her hand to shove her when a sudden noise came from the hallway—loud footsteps, the dorm supervisor’s voice shouting, and then a banging on the door.

“Ding Xue, open up!”

A furious middle-aged man’s voice.

Ding Xue froze, then went to open the door. A sharply dressed middle-aged man rushed in, and Ding Xue’s eyes widened.

“Dad?! What are you—”

Before she could finish, she received a slap across the face.

“How dare you call me Dad! Come with me now!”

The dorm supervisor hurried over.

“Sir, you can’t barge in—”

“I’m taking her away. I’ll leave immediately afterward,” Ding Xue’s father interrupted impatiently.

Ding Xue looked stunned, tears welling up. “What’s wrong with me?”

Her father glanced around the dorm, and upon seeing Chu Tong, his expression softened. He stepped forward and bowed sincerely.

“I’ve failed in raising my daughter. Please don’t take it to heart. I ask you to speak to Mr. Shao on my behalf.”

Chu Tong stepped back warily.

Everyone else stood frozen, watching as Ding Xue’s father dragged her away. In the hallway, they could still hear Ding Xue’s shrill screams.

“Mr. Shao?! Dad, you’re talking nonsense! She could—”

The rest was inaudible.

The dorm supervisor left as well.

Inside, Jin Ranran and Tao Ge remained stunned.

Chu Tong took a long time to regain composure.

—

During the two morning classes, in between, she overheard classmates gossiping that He Zhenbo and his rich second-generation friends had been angrily taken away by their families for some reason.

The rumors spread like wildfire.

Just as Chu Tong hesitated whether to message Shao Yihuai, the counselor came to find her.

The counselor took her to an empty classroom and said directly, “The university’s charity foundation received a tip that Ding Xue secretly photographed your pajamas and sent the pictures to He Zhenbo and the others. Is that true?”

Chu Tong nodded. “Yes. I have evidence.”

She was about to show her phone.

The counselor patted her shoulder, signaling no need to see it.

“Alright, this matter involves multiple departments, and the school takes it very seriously. They are drafting disciplinary measures according to school rules and will likely announce them tomorrow.”

“...Will they be expelled?”

“The impact is very negative; it’s highly probable.” The counselor looked at her. “Since the tip came from the charity foundation, if the school can use this to reform the campus atmosphere, it will protect its reputation and future funding.”

Chu Tong recalled that last Friday at the auditorium, the host had thanked the philanthropists and mentioned Shao Yihuai’s name.

He must have donated a lot to A University’s academic research.

The counselor smiled and tentatively asked, “Does the charity foundation have any relatives of yours?”

Chu Tong was momentarily stunned, then smiled. “No.”

“Alright, go to class. The school will announce tomorrow.” The counselor’s tone was gentle. “Oh, do you want to change dorms? I heard Ding Xue often bullies you. The other two roommates don’t help either. You don’t have to live with them.”

Chu Tong hadn’t answered when the counselor added thoughtfully, “There seems to be a vacant single room in the doctoral building. I can ask about it for you?”

“No need,” Chu Tong said. “Just a different dorm is fine.”

“Okay then. You’re sensible; I’ll find you a nice, smaller group to live with.”

Chu Tong deeply felt Shao Yihuai’s overwhelming power in handling matters.

—

At noon, Chu Tong arranged to eat with Cheng Mai in the cafeteria and talked about the incident.

Though Cheng Mai looked reluctant, she was happy for her. “As long as it’s resolved smoothly. No lawsuits—it won’t affect your studies.”

“Mm, really thank you this time. I’ll treat you to a meal soon.”

“Then I won’t be polite.”

“This weekend? Hotpot?”

“Sure.” Cheng Mai laughed. “We can also shop around; I see many places have Christmas decorations up. Let’s take pictures.”

They chatted as they walked out, just then bumping into Xiang Chengyuan.

Xiang Chengyuan was surprised. “Tongtong?”

“Yuan-ge, what a coincidence.”

Chu Tong introduced Xiang Chengyuan to Cheng Mai. Cheng Mai had to hurry to class and left first.

Xiang Chengyuan pulled her aside. “I heard Ding Xue got into trouble—something about bullying roommates. You live with her. Does it involve you? Did she bully you?”

“Mm... it’s all over now.”

Chu Tong smiled.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Xiang Chengyuan said. “I’m your fellow townsman, your senior at school. We’ve known each other for years. I even promised your mother I’d look after you.”

“...It just got worse recently. It was fine before. You know those rich kids are hard to mess with, and I was afraid it’d drag you into it.”

“You’re too formal.” Xiang Chengyuan sounded a little anxious. “Don’t be so polite with me. How did she bully you? Did she get physical?”

“No, no. I’m not that stupid. If it got physical, I wouldn’t have stayed silent.” Chu Tong reassured softly. “Don’t worry, Yuan-ge, if it ever got to that, I’d definitely ask for your help.”

Xiang Chengyuan smiled. “Good.”

He scratched the back of his head, looking a little awkward. “Are you free tonight? Want to grab dinner at the food street? My treat. Let’s celebrate you settling this, and chat about winter break plans?”

“Okay.” Chu Tong smiled. “Text me after class?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Behind him, a group of boys hooted—probably his classmates. He shot them a glare, then turned back with a smile. “We’ll meet up after class and go together.”

—

After afternoon classes, as Chu Tong prepared to message Xiang Chengyuan and then contact Shao Yihuai, Shao Yihuai’s call came in first.

She walked to a quiet spot at the end of the corridor and answered. “...Hello?”

“Class over?”

“How do you know?”

Shao Yihuai chuckled softly. “I have your class schedule,” he said. “Seven o’clock, I’ll pick you up. Are you free to have dinner with me?”

“...Well,” Chu Tong hesitated, “I have plans tonight and I’m about to leave.”

“With classmates?”

“Yeah, you know them. That fellow townsman of mine, Xiang Chengyuan.”

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end.

Shao Yihuai asked lightly, “...Where will you eat?”

“At the food street across from school.”

“All right,” his voice was completely emotionless, just gentle. “...Will you have time to see me afterward?”

“Yes, yes. I’ll call you after dinner, okay?”

“Good. Call me when you’re done, I’ll pick you up.” Shao Yihuai’s tone was slow and deliberate. “It’s very cold tonight; dress warmly. The food street isn’t very hygienic, so try not to eat too much. If you’re still hungry, I’ll take you somewhere else.”

“Okay.”

Chu Tong felt a little flushed from his tender care.

Perhaps her response was too obedient and sweet, making him smile softly. “Good child.”