The private room was very spacious, with many cozy seats hidden among the greenery. It had a winding layout that wouldn't disturb each other, while on both sides, there were small bridges over flowing water, surrounded by a white mist, creating a typical Jiangnan town scenery.
This private room... was probably tailor-made for Chen Huaixiao.
Bai Yin remembered that Chen Huaixiao loved the scenery of Jiangnan. Every weekend during their university days, he would come and stay in her town.
At that time, Bai Yin was still a young girl, accompanied by her neighbor's brother, wandering around the alleys and streets of the ancient town.
Although this private room was made to resemble the water towns of Jiangnan, it was still far from the real ancient town.
Bai Yin walked on the stone path, glancing at each cozy seat along the way, until she finally saw Chen Huaixiao sitting at the end of the table.
Chen Huaixiao was wearing a high-end suit with the collar unbuttoned, revealing his fair neck skin. His tie was also casually loose.
He was sitting on the sofa, dozing off with his eyes closed.
Just now, the two sisters sat in front of him, pouring him drinks. "Master Xiao, have another drink," they said.
Chen Huaixiao was obviously not interested in them, not even looking up at them. He didn't take their drinks and played with the purple clay cup on the table with his fingertips.
The sisters looked at each other, and the one with the smoky makeup sat directly on the sofa next to Chen Huaixiao, acting coquettishly, "Master Xiao, don't be so unfriendly. Let's toast to you."
Chen Huaixiao showed a hint of impatience, feeling like asking Shen Bin to come and drive them away, but he was too lazy to speak up. His head was a bit dizzy, feeling listless and uninterested in anything.
Bai Yin looked at them, shaking her head helplessly.
She never despised these young girls who were trying to climb up by using their beauty.
Sometimes, to succeed, you have to take extraordinary measures.
But... if you want to seduce a big shot, at least do your homework and figure out their temperament and preferences before trying to approach them.
"If you can't even pour drinks, why should he give you face?" With a soft and charming voice in the Wu dialect, Chen Huaixiao was suddenly stunned and looked up at her.
His eyes were blurred, indicating that he was indeed quite drunk.
The smoky makeup girl was embarrassed by Bai Yin's comment and asked, "Why can't I pour drinks?"
Bai Yin smiled lightly, sitting at the table by the flowing water, picking up the vintage wine pot with her fingertips, pouring the wine into the warm wine pool on the scenic platform. After pouring the wine, she picked a mint leaf from the platform and put it in a small porcelain cup, placing the cup on a palm-sized tray, letting the tray flow to Chen Huaixiao's side with the water.
This was the true "flowing water and floating cups" scene.
Chen Huaixiao gave her face and raised his wine cup, saluting her from afar, and then drank it all at once.
The sisters were stunned by Bai Yin's series of operations.
Her every move, every gesture, seemed charming, yet elegant. Her eyes were like aged wine, with a lingering aftertaste.
Compared with her, they were indeed vulgar and tasteless.
The smoky makeup woman felt ashamed and wanted to leave. However, the woman with big wavy hair was not willing to give up this hard-won opportunity.
She walked up to Bai Yin and coldly issued an ultimatum: "Please leave."
Bai Yin elegantly poured herself a glass of wine, playing with the glass as her rosy lips uttered a single word: "No."
"Do you know who this young master is in front of you? Stop showing off!"
She grabbed Bai Yin's hand, trying to pull her up from the chair.
However, as soon as she touched Bai Yin, she was grabbed back and squeezed hard. The woman cried out in pain, "Ah, it hurts!"
The woman with smoky makeup saw her sister being bullied and quickly rang the bell to call for security: "There are people causing trouble here!"
Soon, several security guards rushed over, but Bai Yin calmly said, "They were introduced as prostitutes, please take them away."
The security guards looked at each other and escorted the flower sisters away.
The flower sisters struggled and pointed at Bai Yin, "Who are you, and what gives you the right..."
Bai Yin replied indifferently, "Because he belongs to me."
The flower sisters were too ashamed to face anyone and left with their bags.
After the flower sisters left, Bai Yin sat down next to Chen Huaixiao and taunted him with sarcasm: "Mr. Chen, it's only been a week since we got married, and except for the first day when you came home, you've been out drinking and having fun. Wildflowers never lose their fragrance, do they?"
Chen Huaixiao put down his glass and silently placed his hand on Bai Yin's waist.
The flower sisters widened their eyes, unable to believe what they saw.
Chen Huaixiao, who had always been emotionally distant, had acknowledged her words with this action.
He really... belonged to her.
The flower sisters were too embarrassed to face anyone and left with their bags.
After the flower sisters left, Bai Yin sat down next to Chen Huaixiao and taunted him with sarcasm: "Mr. Chen, it's only been a week since we got married, and except for the first day when you came home, you've been out drinking and having fun. Wildflowers never lose their fragrance, do they?"
Chen Huaixiao put down his glass and silently placed his hand on Bai Yin's waist.
The flower sisters widened their eyes, unable to believe what they saw.
Chen Huaixiao, who had always been emotionally distant, had acknowledged her words with this action.
He really... belonged to her.
The people around them were sweating nervously at Bai Yin's provocative gesture towards Chen Huaixiao.
Chen Huaixiao showed no anger on his face and instead complied with her actions, whispering in her ear.
This was also too unusual.
Chen Huaixiao knew what Bai Yin was referring to and said confidently, "Don't worry, I am a businessman, and honesty is the foundation of my success."
Indeed, he was a businessman. Even the most intimate matters between husband and wife could be discussed as business deals.
Thinking about it, this marriage was a deal filled with calculations and interests. Chen Huaixiao could benefit from it, and so could she.
Their youthful love was so out of place in this marriage.
Bai Yin's mouth curved into a cold smile as she leaned in to sniff his neck. Sure enough, the scent of sandalwood she left on him had not dissipated all week.
Chen Huaixiao noticed her actions and sniffed his wrist, then hers.
As expected, the two of them had the same scent.
"Bai Yin, what did you do to me?"
"I don't know." Bai Yin frowned. "I was actually going to ask you. Since that night at the Emperor Hotel, you've had this scent on you."
It was as if she had marked him.
But that was okay. Bai Yin would now know for sure whether this man was cheating on her.
She hooked his face with her fingertips and then shook him off. "Take care of yourself, Chen Huaixiao."
With that, she grabbed her bag and left the private room. Sun Lili sent her a text message: "Dear, I won't wait for you anymore. I have something to do tomorrow, so I'll go to bed early. You should head home early too."
Bai Yin walked out onto the neon-lit street, ready to hail a taxi back home.
At that moment, a black Bentley pulled up smoothly in front of her, and the window slowly rolled down to reveal Chen Huaixiao's distinguished profile. He didn't even glance at her and said coolly, "Get in the car."
Bai Yin looked around at the deserted street and realized she might not be able to hail a taxi, so she got in.
The car was quiet, and the driver, Shen Bin, dared not even breathe too loudly, afraid of disturbing the silence between the CEO couple in the back seat.
Chen Huaixiao's presence was too overwhelming. Anyone sitting beside him would feel uneasy.
But Bai Yin acted as if nothing was wrong and pulled out her phone, opening the video of "Ni Chang Wu" that the art director had sent her and studying it intently.
Chen Huaixiao couldn't help but glance at her.
The blue light cast a shadow on the woman's fair and clean face, and her usual cunning was replaced with seriousness and concentration.
He looked away and said, "Bai Yin."
"Hmm?" Bai Yin didn't even look up.
"You came to find me because you're worried I'm seeing other women..."
"I don't trust you," she said indifferently. "I'm afraid of getting sick."
Chen Huaixiao was silent for a long time, gritting his teeth as he said, "I won't break my promises. In this marriage, we each take what we need. So besides physical fidelity, we don't need to worry about anything else."
"Hmm?"
"No matter how often I come home, it's best if you don't ask too many questions," Chen Huaixiao said as calmly as possible. "Of course, it's the same for me. I won't restrict your activities. You can go to the set to film, do whatever you want."
Bai Yin pondered for a few seconds and then smiled. "Okay."
Chen Huaixiao turned his head to look out the window, silently digesting his discomfort.
And in that moment, Bai Yin's smile vanished into thin air.
God knew how much she hated this man.
But it didn't matter. As long as it didn't affect her plans, Bai Yin didn't need to care too much about these things.
She had long since figured it all out.
...
That night, they went to their respective rooms after returning home.
Chen Huaixiao went to the study to handle his documents, read some books, and prepare to sleep.
Bai Yin took a bath, applied some essential oils, changed into a sexy camisole and sleep skirt, and prepared to get a good night's sleep.
Tomorrow she would officially join the dance troupe for "Ni Chang" and strive to be in top condition.
However, the more she tried to sleep early, the harder it was to fall asleep.
Bai Yin tossed and turned until late at night, feeling like there was a fire burning inside her.
Perhaps...it was because Chen Huaixiao was at home.
Finally, in frustration, Bai Yin sat up and sent a text message to Chen Huaixiao: "Chen Huaixiao, come and sleep with me."
After sending the message, she didn't receive a reply for a long time. Bai Yin covered her head and tried to sleep for a while, but couldn't fall asleep. She got up and walked to the door of Chen Huaixiao's study.
There was a faint light coming through the crack in the door.
Bai Yin pushed the door open and saw Chen Huaixiao lying on the couch in his clothes, his long legs stretched out to the edge of the couch. Even though he was asleep, his expression still maintained the same solemnity as during the day.
"Why are you sleeping here?"
Bai Yin walked up to him and pushed him impatiently. "Hey."
The man didn't wake up.
Bai Yin reached out and touched his forehead, which was burning hot!
He had a fever.
No wonder he had been listless and didn't want to talk much when they were in the car earlier. After coming back, he had been staying in the study and hadn't come out.
Bai Yin reached into his collar, and except for his forehead, the man's entire body was burning hot.
She was so worried that she quickly unbuttoned his collar and went to the bathroom to wet a towel with cold water to help him cool down.
"You're an adult, don't you know to go to the hospital when you're not feeling well?"
As she chattered on, she found the medicine box from the house.
Fortunately, the medicine box had a complete set of medications for colds, fevers, and external wounds...
Bai Yin followed the instructions and took out the capsule for reducing fever, fed it to him with warm water, and then struggled to support him as they walked unsteadily to the bedroom, where she laid him down on the soft bed.
The man was burning up, delirious, and in a very bad state.
Despite his illness, his features were still as handsome as ever, with his skin glowing faintly red.
The housekeeper, Tang Ka, had finished his work for the day and had gone back to his own home after they went to sleep. It was not a good time to call him back.
Bai Yin thought about taking Chen Huaixiao to the hospital, but she didn't know the house well, and after searching for a while, she couldn't find the car keys.
Calling an ambulance seemed unnecessary since ambulances were for emergencies, and Chen Huaixiao was just running a fever, especially since he had already taken fever-reducing medication.
Bai Yin thought for a moment and remembered when she had a high fever that wouldn't go down in her childhood, her grandmother would wipe her body with a cool, damp towel to reduce her temperature. Perhaps she could try this method.
Bai Yin took off her shoes and sat on the bed, unbuttoning Chen Huaixiao's clothes and exposing his entire body in front of her.
Although they had been intimate more than once, it was always in dim lighting, and she could only touch him but not see him clearly.
Moreover, she felt awkward staring at him closely.
Under the light, the man's body was perfect, with his abs resembling chocolate blocks, the V-cut leading down to his lower abs, and his muscles firm and smooth yet not overly rugged.
Bai Yin took a casual glance and looked away.
She went to the bathroom and washed a clean white towel, then returned to wipe his cheeks, chest, and abdomen repeatedly.
After such back and forth for two hours, Chen Huaixiao's body finally stopped burning up. In a moment of delirium, he seemed to be saying something incoherent.
Bai Yin leaned in to listen, but his thin lips opened and closed, making it difficult to hear clearly.
It was probably something about "A Yao".
Bai Yin's face turned cold, she put down the handkerchief and stood up to leave.
But the man tightly grasped her wrist.
Bai Yin had already built up many defenses for herself, and the reason she chose to marry Chen Huaixiao was based on the premise of "letting go".
After that night, all the sadness and grief... were hidden away by her.
She wanted to receive a lot of happiness, but this happiness... should not be given by him.
Bai Yin looked at the man, his shirt was open, revealing his fair collarbone and toned chest. In the bright light, his features were clear and handsome, with a hint of invincibility.
Her fingertip landed on his broad brow, slowly sliding down, crossing his nose bridge, his lips... She leaned in, mischievously whispering in his ear, "I'm A Yao, I'm back, you missed me, didn't you?"
The man's brows furrowed slightly, as if he was trapped in a nightmare. His grip on her wrist suddenly loosened.
Time passed by, Bai Yin yawned incessantly, her eyelids felt like they were weighed down by a thousand pounds, and she lazily fell asleep next to him.
She didn't know how long she had slept, but she suddenly felt the man move next to her, and then... she felt a scorching kiss that almost took her breath away.
She instinctively wanted to move away, but the man held the back of her head and pried open her lips.
She finally heard the man's incoherent murmurs clearly. He was calling out, "A little pigtail.."
