Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Want her heart, her soul.
Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Want her heart, her soul.
Pei Yu was indeed tired, and eventually he fell asleep using Shen Zhiyi’s knee as a pillow. Curled up slightly, one hand rested on her wrist, loosely half-grasping it.
They had arrived at Huating. Not wanting to wake him, Shen Zhiyi maintained the sa position in the car to keep him company, while Secretary Qin stood outside, occasionally making phone calls or replying to ssages.
When the phone rang, Shen Zhiyi instinctively reached out to cover Pei Yu’s ears, afraid the noise would wake him.
The call was from Secretary Qin, who had swapped phone numbers with her at a previous social event. She hadn’t anticipated they would contact each other again.
Secretary Qin’s call was business-related. “Miss Shen, I heard you haven’t signed with a new talent agency yet. Would you be interested in collaborating with Songjian dia?”
This offer ca so unexpectedly that Shen Zhiyi hesitated before directly asking, “Is this Mr. Pei’s idea?”
Secretary Qin chuckled lightly, discerning her character from her question—Pei Yu liked this type of girl? There were plenty of aloof girls out there, so what made Shen Zhiyi special?
His tone was gentle, “No, it’s my idea. I see potential in you, Miss Shen, and I’d like to work with you.”
His words were indeed sincere. Shen Zhiyi’s previous company had held her back, or she wouldn’t be in such a state. Secretary Qin had heard she was about to join ng Fansheng’s film crew and knew she was just lacking a major break—a talent like her was soone their company had no reason not to sign.
However, it was undeniable that Secretary Qin also harbored intentions of pleasing Pei Yu. Although Pei Yu had not explicitly stated how he should proceed, signing Shen Zhiyi to their own company was sothing he would likely agree to.
Shen Zhiyi lowered her eyes, pondered briefly, then declined, “Thank you for your kind offer, Secretary Qin, but I have already decided on which company I will sign with.”
She couldn’t join Songjian dia. Given her relationship with Huo Heng, it was evident Shen Zhiyi was soone who could make a clean break. She was bound to part ways with Pei Yu sooner or later; there was no reason to entangle herself with Pei’s company, as it would burden her.
“Won’t you reconsider, Miss Shen? The terms Songjian dia offers won’t disappoint.”
Though Secretary Qin was not too surprised by Shen Zhiyi’s decision, he thought it odd to refuse an opportunity for advancent—wasn’t she just jesting with her own future?
Shen Zhiyi humd affirmatively, ending the conversation there.
Not long after hanging up, Pei Yu propped himself up, waking up groggily, his expressions still sowhat lethargic.
Shen Zhiyi thought again of asking him about his earlier statent concerning his poor health.
“Have you not been coming ho to stay recently?”
They had just walked into the main house, not even reaching the bedroom, yet sohow Pei Yu had noticed. Shen Zhiyi explained, “I’ve been shooting night scenes these past few days, so I just stayed directly at the hotel with the film crew.”
The cook had tid the al perfectly, but Pei Yu had no appetite. He fiddled with his chopsticks briefly before heading upstairs to rest.
Shortly after, the housekeeper ca in with others and hung up a frad ink painting in the living room.
It was the very painting Shen Zhiyi had admired before.
She stood in front of the painting for a while, and the housekeeper, noticing her interest, asked, “Miss Shen, do you like this painting?”
The painting was large, and Shen Zhiyi, standing there, seed to be enveloped in an ink-drawn world. She turned and smiled, “I do. I liked it when I saw it at the exhibition, and I’m surprised to see it here again.”
Such a delightful coincidence.
The housekeeper understood then—Miss Shen liked it.
No wonder soone who never liked water-ink ticulous-style paintings would place this in their ho.
Having a free day to rest, Shen Zhiyi had no other plans and, after enjoying the painting for a while, found herself with nothing to do.
The housekeeper, carrying a pile of neatly folded clothes that had been scented with agarwood, ca by, “Miss Shen, could you please put these clothes in the master’s closet?”
Feeling bored, Shen Zhiyi readily agreed, “Okay.”
Guessing that Pei Yu might still be resting, Shen Zhiyi walked very carefully. The stack of clothes obscured her view, and she watched her steps while moving gently. Suddenly, as she passed the sofa, soone grabbed her wrist, and she, along with the clothes, tumbled over.
“Ah!”
The clothes scattered everywhere, and Shen Zhiyi felt as if she had fallen into a pile of agarwood, her breath enveloped in a faint aroma. Looking up, she saw the sharply chiseled jawline of a man. Pei Yu hooked one hand around her waist and used the other to remove the clothing covering her head, teasing her, “Sneaking around.”
“No,” Shen Zhiyi steadied herself using his shoulder as she sat up, “I thought you were asleep; I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Who can sleep that much.”
Pei Yu held her, preventing her from picking up the clothes scattered on the floor, “Just thinking about sothing.”
Trapped in his embrace, half-sitting on his lap, the position wasn’t uncomfortable but was far too intimate, making her instinctively avoid his gaze. She casually responded, “What were you thinking about?”
As she picked up a coat that had fallen on her lap and folded it neatly, she considered it a way to pass the ti, oblivious to Pei Yu’s gaze fixed on her.
What was he thinking about?
Nothing but how greedy he was to have her stay by his side, not satisfied with just that, wanting her heart, her soul, wishing he could consu her, then thinking how vile and petty he was. Any small sign she showed of wanting to leave would instantly make him lose control, wanting to use every possible ans to bind her to him.
“Why are you looking at ?”
Finally noticing that he had been staring at her intently, his eyes filled with profound emotions, indecipherable, Shen Zhiyi uncomfortably turned her head away.
Pei Yu continued staring at her unblinkingly, though the emotion in his eyes had faded. The thoughts and feelings he harbored, he dared not share a single word with her, keeping them tightly hidden, for he feared even this brief mont of indulgence might slip away.
“Stop staring,” his gaze seeming to radiate warmth, turned Shen Zhiyi’s face red. She reached up to cover Pei Yu’s eyes, feeling he was rather strange. If she had to pick a word to describe him, “dangerous” would be the most fitting.
She didn’t understand why she felt this way.
Pei Yu leaned his face back, pulling her hand down yet not letting go.
Her soft palm brushed past his close-set eyelashes, reached his prominent nose, and finally, he covered it with his lips, gently kissing her palm.
He remained motionless for quite so ti, and Shen Zhiyi, recovering from her initial shock, unconsciously studied his face—he was exceptionally handso, and she had never seen a man who suited a suit as well as he did, nor soone who could blend aloofness and laziness so effectively.
This man, viewed from afar, appeared distinguished and aloof; up close, he was enigmatic and elusive. Shen Zhiyi often couldn’t grasp what he was thinking, which piqued her curiosity. Yet, she pressed down these inquisitive thoughts with her reason.
After a while, Shen Zhiyi realized he had fallen asleep in that exact position.
It seed he had been waiting for her to co before allowing himself to be overtaken by sleep.
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