Chapter 25

A faint light filtered through the window panes. Perhaps it was because of the snow, but the light appeared pale and crystalline, casting a clear yet ethereal sheen upon Chu Tong’s porcelain-white face.

Her eyes were never like those of a fawn; a fawn’s eyes are damp and docile, whereas hers held a burgeoning, vibrant vitality.

She was like a bird whose wings had yet to fully feather, yet who already peered curiously beyond the nest.

She was destined to fly far away.

With her in his arms, it didn’t feel right to smoke. Shao Yihuai crushed the cigarette with his fingertips but didn’t discard it, holding it between his fingers instead. With his other hand, he brushed her cheek and asked softly, "…Is it snowing outside?"

He had been silent for quite a while before this, his gaze upon her always holding a certain detached, cold stillness. Chu Tong had expected him to say something heartless, so this plain, ordinary question caught her off guard.

"Yes, it’s snowing quite heavily, so there’s a traffic jam." She mimicked his composure, answering first before turning the tables, "…What were you thinking about just now?"

Shao Yihuai’s eyes deepened. He let out a soft huff of laughter before replying, "…I was thinking that tonight, I want to ask you for something."

His tone was calm, yet Chu Tong’s heart skipped a beat.

Her expression shifted so visibly that Shao Yihuai began to laugh, sweeping away his earlier listlessness as a flash of white teeth appeared at the corner of his lips. "…What are you thinking about?" he asked, not without a hint of teasing.

Chu Tong’s face flushed crimson. She stiffened her neck and retorted, "Whatever you’re thinking, that’s what I’m thinking."

Shao Yihuai continued to laugh, shaking his head slightly. "You still have a sharp tongue."

"You’re the one with the sharp tongue," she whispered back.

For some inexplicable reason, Shao Yihuai stopped speaking.

The moment she met his gaze, Chu Tong’s mind was flooded with suggestive thoughts, making her face burn even hotter. She simply turned her head away, refusing to look at him.

Shao Yihuai cupped her face and turned it back toward him. "Come to my place."

His tone was final.

Chu Tong’s breathing grew shallow. As if she hadn’t heard him correctly, she stammered, "…What?"

"Come to the place where I live," he continued, unhurried, his eyes fixed with an intense, dark focus. He chuckled softly, "Is that alright?"

Although he framed it as a question, there was clearly no room for negotiation in his tone.

Chu Tong had an intuitive sense that this proposal held profound implications. Stunned, she couldn't find her voice, murmuring, "…I…"

Shao Yihuai let out a nonchalant laugh. "What? Are you going to refuse me?"

"…Can I refuse?" she asked tentatively.

"I told you before," he said, glancing at her, "it’s too late."

***

Uncle Zong, seeing the gentleman and Miss Chu walking hand-in-hand from the restaurant from afar, immediately exited the car to open the door.

After they both settled in, he started the engine and gripped the steering wheel, just about to ask whether they were headed to Langcheng or the west gate of A University, when he heard the gentleman say, "Go to Manhe."

Uncle Zong paused for two seconds, unable to resist a glance at the backseat through the rearview mirror.

The gentleman’s expression was as usual, but the young lady looked quite nervous.

Manhe.

That was the gentleman’s residence; aside from two or three close friends, almost no one was ever invited inside.

Uncle Zong felt once again that this young lady was truly remarkable.

Shao Yihuai made a phone call to ask if the old master had retired for the night. The person on the other end must have said no, for he said, "Leave a door open for me."

Listening from the side, Chu Tong was confused. Was the "old master" his father or his grandfather? Did this mean they were going to where his family lived?

As the car turned off the auxiliary road, Chu Tong was struck by the scenery outside the window.

She knew there were many wealthy people in Beijing, but this residential compound was excessive. At the entrance, there was a wide, roundabout-style driveway with a massive statue of a horse standing in the center, yet the overall atmosphere remained quiet and elegant, feeling not at all ostentatious.

Looking inward, the greenery throughout the compound was breathtaking; it felt more like an isolated, suburban manor, and it was hard to believe it was tucked away in a bustling city center.

The security gate cleared them.

The Maybach glided smoothly into the underground parking garage.

After exiting the vehicle, Shao Yihuai walked around the back of the car to take her hand.

It was the same layout with an elevator leading directly into the home, only Manhe was clearly more grand and opulent than Langcheng, as evidenced by the soaring ceilings of the hallway and the gilded elevator car.

Upon reaching the 20th floor, Shao Yihuai did not step out of the elevator. He only said, "Go ahead and shower and get settled. I have something to take care of; I’ll be back in about two hours."

"…Okay," Chu Tong didn't feel afraid now, hugging his waist. "Then I’ll wait for you."

"Good girl. Feel free to look around."

He stroked her hair and lifted her chin to kiss her forehead.

***

Mr. Shao’s residence.

After entering the code to open the main door, Chu Tong’s first impression was that this place was enormous.

It was a duplex with vaulted ceilings. Upon entering, her eyes were greeted by a patch of green grass planted directly into the floor, with a pine tree standing in the center, stretching from floor to ceiling.

She found a pair of disposable slippers in the shoe cabinet, put them on, and walked deeper inside, looking around as she went.

Potted plants were arranged everywhere, creating a view at every step. It lacked the gaudiness of typical penthouses, possessing instead a unique, rustic, and subtle charm.

After a lap, she had a rough map of the place in her head: the first floor contained the drawing room, tea room, home theater, gym, a kitchen for both Chinese and Western cuisine, and a nanny’s room. The second floor held three bedrooms, a study, and a quiet room.

Respecting the etiquette of a guest, she did not enter the study or the quiet room, heading straight for the master bedroom.

The bathroom in the master bedroom was even larger than the master bedroom at Langcheng, with an oval, recessed bathtub sitting against the floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the night view of Beijing’s Third Ring Road.

Chu Tong pulled open the drawers and the mirrored cabinets, discovering a full range of women’s toiletries. In the drawer, there was even a brand-new set of women’s lingerie and a nightgown.

Was this… prepared for every girl who might come here?

She tried not to dwell on it, bathed carefully, changed into the clothes from the drawer, draped a blanket over her shoulders, and headed downstairs.

***

A manor somewhere in the western suburbs.

The Maybach passed the security gate and drove toward the mountainside.

The staff had relayed that the third son had called, and the old master had been waiting in the study for some time.

A knock at the door.

"Enter."

A man in a long black overcoat stepped inside, stood a meter from the desk, and said calmly, "Father."

The old master didn't look up, his wrist suspended as he held his brush. "It’s so late. Why aren’t you back resting?"

"Just returned from a business trip," Shao Yihuai replied with a flat tone. "Mother asked me to give you a message." He paused slightly. "…She has her own plans for the Lunar New Year."

The old master’s expression remained unruffled, though he did stop writing.

A bead of ink dripped from the tip of his brush, which had been freshly dipped, staining the paper.

The old master simply tossed the brush aside and said, "Will you have some tea? Pu-erh?"

"No, thank you," Shao Yihuai said, handing over the document he was holding. "I have something to discuss with you as well. Take a look at this."

The old master took it and sat down in his armchair. After just a glance, he sighed. "This young Lin fellow…"

"Let’s postpone the marriage arrangements for now," Shao Yihuai said, not as if discussing, but as if giving notice.

"…Do you dislike the Lin family’s daughter that much?"

Shao Yihuai remained noncommittal.

The old master pressed a bell, and his secretary soon knocked and entered.

He handed the document to the secretary and said, "Tomorrow morning, send this file to young Lin. Just make sure he understands the implication; no need for him to come over personally." He paused. "And bring a gift; otherwise, it will seem like the Shao family is too cold-hearted."

The secretary took the file and left.

Shao Yihuai lit a cigarette and sat in the single armchair beside the desk.

The old master glanced at him and softened his tone. "Actually, it doesn’t have to be the second Lin daughter. A few years ago, I thought the Lin family was sensible and kept to the rules. In recent years, since the rumors of the marriage began, they’ve become a bit restless. Even if you hadn’t brought it up today, I was planning to ask about your intentions again during the New Year."

This was, of course, half-true.

Once he finished, the third son remained silent, and the old master couldn't help but look at him again.

The floor lamp illuminated half of his face. His handsome features were always impassive, as if he were indifferent to everything, to the point where even his own father didn’t know what his son was thinking.

The old master and the eldest daughter of the Yi family had three children. Shao Yihuai was the youngest, from the "Shu" generation, over a decade younger than his older brother and sister. His personality was also vastly different. The elder two were ambitious, focused only on their careers, their cold-heartedness written on their faces; they treated their home like a social gathering, always speaking of connections and resources.

The third son was different. He was detached and desireless, maintaining a gentle, refined, and measured demeanor. He was respectful to his elders, but it seemed to be *only* respect; his familial affection was thin.

Shao Yihuai didn’t take the bait. "Let’s play a game of chess."

A chessboard sat on the coffee table. He began to set it up.

The old master walked over and sat opposite him; the two quickly finished arranging the pieces.

After a few moves, the old master didn’t look up as he asked casually, "You’re not young anymore. Is the person you have with you able to take care of you?"

"I don’t have that hobby."

The old master scoffed. "Chu Tong. A southern girl, from a single-parent family, a sophomore in the Chinese department at A University. Only 19 this year."

"You know she’s only 19, yet you talk about 'taking care of me' so casually," Shao Yihuai set down a piece, leaned back, and his tone cooled further. "Have you lost all sense of propriety?"

The two stared at each other in silence for several seconds.

The old master waved his hand. "Fine, fine. Do as you please."

To be honest, since his third son had reached this age without any such activity, he, as a father, had even suspected his son’s sexual orientation, worrying about it for years. Now that there were finally rumors, and he was taking such drastic measures for this girl, he felt a bit relieved.

Regardless of age, having someone properly by his side was a good thing. The third son wouldn’t be a loner, and he felt more at ease.

In the end, in the eyes of the old master and his wife, the third son was different.

The first two children were like tasks to be completed. Only the third was an "accidental" product of the couple trying to improve their relationship when they were middle-aged. Unfortunately, while the third son was born, their relationship made no progress. Though they both pampered him, the third son was precocious; he saw the disunity between his parents from a young age and developed a cold nature.

Shao Yihuai stood up. "I’ll come back another day to have tea with you."

The old master called him back. "Third son, was your mother upset because of the Lin family matter?"

That document was nothing else but what Shao Yihuai had collected during his trip to Hong Kong: before they were even formally engaged, the elder Mr. Lin was already doing business in Hong Kong using the Yi family’s name.

Everyone knew the Hong Kong Yi family cherished their reputation above all else; such an act likely offended them deeply.

It was because of this that he had originally planned to stay and keep his mother company before returning to Beijing next week. But after hanging up the phone with Su Jingwen last night, he couldn't stop worrying, so he changed his itinerary and flew back early this morning despite the terrible weather.

Shao Yihuai didn’t look back. "Ask her yourself."

***

When he returned to Manhe, it was already late at night.

The lights in the living room were dim. The girl was sitting on the carpet by the floor-to-ceiling window, wrapped in a blanket. Outside, the snow was falling heavily, and through the curtain of snow, the city neon lights became hazy.

Hearing footsteps, Chu Tong turned around and said happily, "Mr. Shao, you’re back."

She trotted over and threw herself into his arms.

"The snow outside is so beautiful," she said.

"Mm."

She tilted her head back, pulled away slightly, and chuckled awkwardly, "…The buttons on your waistcoat are so cold…"

Shao Yihuai looked down, but instead caught a glimpse of the soft, fair skin barely hidden by her nightgown. He lifted his lashes slightly. "…I’m going to shower."

Chu Tong gave a sound like a mosquito’s hum.

Watching him head upstairs, she hesitated for a moment before following him.

The less she had to do, the more nervous she felt. She simply took a book of Lin Yutang’s essays from her bag and lay on the bench at the foot of the bed to flip through it.

She read line after line, but not a single word registered in her mind.

After stalling for a long time, she tiptoed to the dressing room. Peeking inside, she happened to see Shao Yihuai standing barefoot in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror. He was wearing only loose, black, flowy trousers and was pulling on a black t-shirt.

Naturally, she saw his chest and abdominal muscles in their entirety.

Shao Yihuai turned to see her, his tone perfectly normal. "Why don’t you come in?"

Chu Tong felt as if the top of her head was about to steam. *What kind of thing is that to say! You’re getting dressed, why would I go in?*

Just as she was hanging her head in panic, she noticed him drawing closer. Before she could look up, he had half-pushed her against the wall.

His tall, warm body carried the clean, post-shower scent. Chu Tong’s heart almost stopped. He lowered his head, kissed her forehead, and whispered, "Are you sleepy?"

Chu Tong looked up at him, her eyes already brimming with moisture, and shook her head.

Logically, now that he had taken off his suit, he should appear more approachable. Yet, enveloped in his scent, the most distinct feeling was that of a mature man’s pheromones—composed, yet seemingly suppressing a hint of aggression.

"Shall I carry you to bed?"

It was almost a whisper.

She wanted to say yes, moved her throat, but no sound came out.

Shao Yihuai picked her up horizontally, walked through the corridor outside the dressing room, and arrived in the sleeping area. The nightlight turned on automatically.

As her back hit the soft sheets, Chu Tong grabbed his collar, refusing to let go, and whispered imploringly, "…Mr. Shao…"

Shao Yihuai kissed her directly.

A deep kiss with breath mingling.

Chu Tong climbed up his neck, but her hands were pressed down onto the pillow.

His fingers grazed her skin. By her ear, Shao Yihuai murmured her name in a low, husky voice, "Tongtong."