Chapter 9

Shao Yihuai remained silent for a long moment, his eyes lowered as he looked at her face. His gaze felt less like scrutiny and more like judgment to Chu Tong.

But there’s no turning back once the arrow is released. She steeled herself, smiled faintly, and asked softly, "May I come in?"

Without hesitation, Shao Yihuai swung the door wide open.

Without a second thought, Chu Tong immediately stepped inside, not looking back, and walked straight through the foyer.

It was as if she feared he might change his mind and throw her out.

Shao Yihuai closed the door behind her, stood in the foyer, exhaled slowly, lowered his eyes for a few seconds to compose himself, then walked in with one hand in his pocket.

A wall-mounted wine cabinet was set up beside the living room, with a small North American walnut bar beneath it. Chu Tong leaned against it sideways; seeing him approach, she forced a casual smile.

No matter how well she masked it, Shao Yihuai easily detected the nervousness and unease on her face.

He showed no emotion, crossed to the other side of the bar, picked up a bottle of mineral water, twisted it open, took out a glass, poured half a cup, and with his fingertips, slid it toward her. His voice was calm, "...You've been busy all day, aren’t you tired?"

His tone was so ordinary that her sudden appearance at his door seemed completely normal.

She had originally come under the pretense of returning a bookmark, and though she didn’t mention it, he didn’t ask either.

Chu Tong was deeply surprised. How could he remain so unruffled?

But for her, this was easier to handle. As long as he didn’t ask her to leave, she had plenty of ways to get the answer she wanted.

She shook her head.

Her fingers loosely curled around the glass, the clear liquid gently rippling. She took a small sip, and glanced up at him over the rim. Others always said her eyes were enchanting — would that work on Mr. Shao?

When their eyes met—his were jet-black and profound—her heart suddenly fluttered inexplicably.

She had intended to seduce him, but unexpectedly, he was even more composed than she was, staring at her without evasion, as if trying to read every thought in her mind.

Chu Tong set down the glass, lowering her eyes accordingly, unable to meet his gaze any longer.

The low buzz came from his palm—his phone.

Shao Yihuai glanced at the caller ID, then stepped away slightly and answered.

The voice on the other end was Su Jingwen, giving a detailed report: the young girl had been settled, and so on.

He stood sideways by the floor-to-ceiling window, one hand in his pocket.

Only then did Chu Tong summon the courage to look at him closely.

Had he just returned from work? At this late hour, he was still dressed in business attire: shirt and vest on top, dress pants below, a black tie around his neck, no watch on his wrist. His broad shoulders and long legs exuded an imposing elegance, framed by the boundless night outside, making him all the more mysterious and inscrutable.

The call lasted longer than expected.

Chu Tong quietly and carefully moved to sit on the sofa near the window.

No sooner had she sat down than Shao Yihuai ended the call.

She hurriedly stood again, feeling almost helpless.

Shao Yihuai merely glanced at her, then walked toward the bar again, poured himself half a cup of water, loosely held the glass with his fingers, and returned to sit on the sofa.

Chu Tong remained standing, lightly biting her lip, then softly called, "...Mr. Shao..."

He gestured for her to sit.

His tone was gentle, as if chatting casually, "Is your part-time job in etiquette tiring? How much do you make?"

"...Not tiring. Three thousand."

He sat cross-legged, one hand loosely holding the cup on his thigh, the other arm resting on a nearby cushion, relaxed and elegant. Yet the question made her feel as if he were looking down on her.

Their social statuses were worlds apart, and her sudden arrival at his room felt somewhat shameful. Yet from the moment she entered, Shao Yihuai showed no sign of discomfort; he treated her calmly, as before.

She confirmed again that he was truly a gentleman—refined and kind.

"Is that enough for your monthly expenses?"

"...Enough for two months."

"Do you do other part-time jobs?"

"...I also tutor and occasionally fill in at the library."

"Are you short on money?"

The question sounded almost like a caring elder looking after a junior.

Chu Tong nodded and shook her head. "I’ve saved a bit already."

"To study in Hong Kong?"

She nodded again.

"And also, I want to buy my mother a small house, so I’m saving up," she said, her voice growing softer.

Shao Yihuai was silent for two seconds, then said, "...You’re a good girl."

His gaze was calm, his words gentle, but Chu Tong detected two layers of refusal beneath them: You’re good, don’t do anything beneath your dignity; you’re still a child, I could never think of you otherwise.

"I’m not a child anymore," she said earnestly. "I’ll be twenty next spring."

Shao Yihuai chuckled lightly, noncommittal.

He would turn thirty this winter.

Carefully watching his expression, she tentatively said, "...Sitting across the coffee table like this, it feels like you’re interviewing me..."

Shao Yihuai lifted his eyes to look at her, waiting for her to continue.

Gathering courage, Chu Tong asked, "May I sit next to you?"

He didn’t answer.

To her, that was not a refusal. She quickly stood, circled the coffee table, and sat on the sofa beside him. After sitting, she shifted a little closer, as if the distance was still too great.

She happened to sit on the side with the cushion between them.

Shao Yihuai’s hand rested on it; his fingers were long and slender, knuckles tinged pale pink, veins faintly visible on the back of his hand—there was an inexplicable allure of restrained desire.

Chu Tong tucked her legs onto the sofa cushion, half turned toward him.

At that moment, Shao Yihuai didn’t look at her but raised his other hand to drink from his glass. From the side, she clearly saw his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed.

She whispered, "...Mr. Shao, you don’t have a girlfriend, do you?"

He finally turned his head to look at her, eyelashes half lowered, indifferent as he replied, "And how would you know?"

"You’re a gentleman with impeccable manners," Chu Tong said confidently. "If you had a girlfriend, you wouldn’t have let me in tonight."

She was clever; her words carried an implicit flirtation, placing herself in the role of a potential romantic interest rather than the “child” he called her.

But Shao Yihuai didn’t take the bait, replying lightly, "At my age, isn’t it possible I’m already married?"

Chu Tong shook her head. "The second time we met, when I waited for the car at the door, I specifically observed your left hand. There was no wedding ring. I knew then you weren’t married. Someone like you wouldn’t take off a wedding ring if you were."

She spoke bluntly, openly confessing: from the second time we met, I had other feelings for you.

Shao Yihuai lowered his eyes, as if pondering her words. Then, seeming to think of something, he smiled silently with mild amusement, his expression calm.

"...A wedding ring worn at all times doesn’t necessarily mean loyalty," he said with a tolerant gaze toward Chu Tong. "You’re young; you don’t know what true troubles are."

Chu Tong suddenly recalled the second time she met him at Professor Chen’s home. The professor was surprised she chose to study Chinese despite wanting to earn money.

Hearing Shao Yihuai’s words now, she smiled dismissively. "Mr. Shao, someone like you is the one who doesn’t know what true hardship is."

Shao Yihuai looked at her, just as she spoke each word clearly.

"I don’t know what you mean by troubles, but they must have nothing to do with having enough to eat or wear, or with being homeless," she said.

Her soft tone carried a hint of righteous indignation.

"Last time, at Professor Chen’s, he asked me why I want to earn money yet chose to study Chinese. Actually, I wanted to say that wasn’t my choice. Born into poverty, I have to spend my life broadening my horizons to make up for what I missed in youth and to find what I truly want and love."

She paused, fixed her gaze on him.

"...But children from wealthy families like yours complete all that in childhood. Your elders are well-traveled and knowledgeable, providing the best resources, so you never take detours."

Her cheeks flushed slightly, likely from the emotion.

Shao Yihuai watched her intently, a complex mix of appreciation, sympathy, and a long-brewing tenderness and reluctance softening his eyes.

Chu Tong, usually quick to back down, seldom spoke her mind so directly. Realizing this, she quickly apologized, "Sorry, I judged you unfairly."

Shao Yihuai shook his head gently, smiling.

"Speaking frankly is a good quality. You’re right; maybe my troubles are indeed luxurious ones."

Though those “luxurious troubles” made his life dull, the hardships this young girl faced were harsh and immediate.

Chu Tong apologized again, then asked, "Could you tell me what your ‘troubles’ really are?"

Shao Yihuai tilted his head, glancing at his left hand—soon to bear a wedding ring not of his choosing.

"Not worth mentioning."

Chu Tong felt a little frustrated. She had come today wanting a clear answer, but her uncontrolled words had led them here.

He studied her quietly for a few seconds, as if sighing or resigned, then smiled.

"You’re truly a good child. Afraid of displeasing your elders?"

Chu Tong paused, placing her hands on the cushion beside him and leaned forward slightly, denying, "...You’re not an elder!"

Shao Yihuai remained impassive, calmly lifting his lashes at her.

This was their second “elder” dispute.

His shirt and vest contrasted sharply in black and white; the vest tightly cinched his lean waist. Though always gentle and elegant, his every gesture carried the effortless pressure of someone long accustomed to authority, making others instinctively cautious.

They were quite close—close enough for her to see the subtle rise and fall of his chest beneath the vest and shirt.

She wasn’t the only one aware of the closeness.

Shao Yihuai noticed it too.

So close that he saw the tiny mole beneath her left eye; close enough to smell her scent, probably from the bath products provided in the hotel suite—a soft, warm oak fragrance. It matched her aura perfectly: stunning and clear, her eyes filled with admiration for him and a vibrant life force, like a primal spark that, once lit, could brighten his entire world.

But he could not—and should not—warm himself with her youthful vitality.

He knew this.

It was utterly improper and immoral.

Shao Yihuai withdrew his gaze, looking down at the glass in his hand. The thin layer of water trembled as his fingers moved delicately. The trembling wasn’t the fault of the water but his own fingers.

After a long moment, he closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, now clear and steady.

He spoke the longest sentence since they met, in his usual measured, calm tone, steady and unfaltering:

"You’re young and beautiful, pure in spirit, full of life, with top-tier knowledge and a bright future. In a few years, when you graduate and start working, no man will be able to resist you."

Chu Tong smiled gently, softly asking, "How do you know me so well?"

Shao Yihuai glanced at her, smiling through his nose.

"After all, I’m ten years older. I can see it in your eyes," he said like a proud elder acknowledging a junior. "...You’re a good child."

"Then you still don’t know me well enough. I’m neither good nor a child."

She spoke plainly and honestly, looking firmly at his handsome profile. At that moment, Shao Yihuai’s gaze returned to her face.

Their eyes met; his were deep and calm, instantly making her blush.

Chu Tong suddenly turned her head away, as if avoiding his gaze, or perhaps hiding the sudden warmth of her cheeks. But in doing so, her ear was exposed to him.

Her ear root was flushed bright red, leading down to a slender, fair neck and narrow shoulders. The small V-neck of her sweater lay low on her collarbone.

Shao Yihuai soon realized his indiscretion but was not in the least surprised.

He calmly accepted the stirring of his heart.

"...Go home and sleep early," he said without revealing his feelings as he stood up. "Sister Wen will call you for breakfast in the morning."

He did not wait for her reply, walking straight through the living room to the foyer, opening the door just a crack.

Chu Tong watched his back, her heart full of bittersweet emotion.

She followed, brushing past him in the foyer, then abruptly closed the door behind her. Her back rested against the door as she looked up at him.

Shao Yihuai remained as still as a calm lake, one hand in his pocket, the other hanging loosely by his side near his trousers’ seam.

Chu Tong pressed her lips lightly and spoke softly, "Mr. Shao, the main reason I came today was to thank you for helping me out of that situation. Also, to return the bookmark to its rightful owner."

She paused for a few seconds, as if gathering courage, then continued:

"But I’d rather be rude, not thank you, and not return the item," her voice grew softer and slower, "...so that I might hear you say one more time—‘If there’s a chance in the future.’"