Zhen reached the door of the room carrying the bowl of soup. He noticed that Mother and the others had already moved to another room. Anya was propped up against the bedrest, her eyes open, yet an eerie desolation lingered within them.
Without saying a word, Zhen walked to her side and placed the soup on the side table. The gentle aroma of the soup spread through the room, but Anya's expression only hardened further.
He filled a spoon with soup and brought it close to Anya's lips.
Anya (turning her face away): "I don't want to drink it. Take it away."
Zhen's hand froze midair. For a brief second, anger flashed in his eyes, but he restrained himself. He placed the spoon back into the bowl and took a deep breath.
Zhen (in a flat, heavy voice): "Anya, I didn't ask you. I'm telling you. You have to drink this."
Anya (looking at him with hatred): "Why? There's no one here now to put on a show for, Zhen. Mother is downstairs, my brother has left. So who exactly are you performing this 'ideal husband' act for?"
Zhen slammed the bowl onto the table. The sound made Anya flinch slightly. He leaned down until his face was dangerously close to hers, his warm breath brushing against her skin. A cunning smile curved on his lips.
Zhen (whispering, but firmly): "You were the one who crowned me the 'ideal husband' in front of the world, Anya. So now I'm simply fulfilling my duty. And remember… just because no one is here doesn't mean you get to do whatever you want."
With his fingers, he firmly gripped Anya's chin and turned her face toward him.
Zhen: "To the world, I'm your protector. But inside this room, I'm still the same Zhen Yan you hate. If you won't drink it nicely, I know very well how to make you. Now open your mouth quietly."
Anya looked into his eyes. There was a strange conflict there—on one side was the domineering Zhen, and on the other, the man whose eyes still held the fear of losing her.
Anya finally gave in. Slowly, she parted her lips.
Zhen began feeding her the soup spoon by spoon—his actions far gentler than his words. After every sip, his hand carefully wiped the corner of her lips.
The room was silent, yet their heartbeats were saying everything.
Outside the mansion, the noise of departing cars gradually faded away. Lu Feng, Lu Wei, and the others had already left. It was two in the morning, and a heavy silence had settled over the entire house. In Anya's room, the soft blue night-lamp glowed faintly.
Anya tried to sit up with the support of her pillow and looked at Zhen, who stood nearby with the top two buttons of his shirt open—tired, yet alert.
Anya (coldly): "Everyone has left, Zhen. There's no need for you to stay in this room anymore. You can go to your room and sleep peacefully."
Zhen cast a glance toward the window, where the curtains swayed gently in the night breeze. The presence of that "stranger" still unsettled him. He returned his gaze to Anya.
Zhen (flatly): "I'm not going anywhere. I'll sleep here on the sofa."
Anya's brows knit together. Knowing Zhen's luxurious lifestyle and towering ego, she taunted him.
Anya: "Zhen, don't be stubborn. You won't last the night on that small sofa. Your 'lordly' body is much bigger than it. You'll end up in pain. It would be better if you go to your king-size bed."
Anya had expected her words to provoke him into leaving. But instead, a deep, mysterious smile appeared on Zhen's face. Slowly, he began walking toward the bed. The sound of his shoes echoed against the wooden floor.
He stopped right in front of her. Startled, Anya instinctively leaned back. Zhen bent slightly, bracing one hand on the mattress as he stared directly into her eyes.
Zhen (in a deep, velvety voice): "You're right, Anya… the sofa is indeed very small."
His gaze swept over her wide, comfortable bed before returning to her eyes.
Zhen: "But… this bed isn't small, is it?"
Anya's heartbeat skipped. She had not expected him to say something so shamelessly direct.
Anya (stammering): "Z-Zhen… what do you mean? You… you can't sleep here!"
Zhen: "Why not? First, I'm playing the role of the 'ideal husband.' And second—you're injured. A husband sleeping close to his sick wife is the greatest duty of all."
Without waiting for permission, he pulled back the blanket on the other side of the bed and sat down beside her.
Anya's entire body trembled at Zhen's proximity. She could fight his cruelty—but she was not prepared to face this new kind of closeness.
Zhen: "Now go to sleep peacefully… before I change my mind and force you to sleep in my arms."
He switched off the light.
In the darkness, Anya could hear only Zhen's heavy breathing beside her, a reminder that the fearsome predator of Shenzhen was now closer to her than ever before.
In the stillness of the night, Anya's phone suddenly rang loudly. The screen flashed the name of her closest friend—Kaya.
Startled, Anya glanced at Zhen lying beside her. Zhen had closed his eyes, pretending to be deeply asleep, but his entire attention was fixed on Anya's every movement.
Anya slowly sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. Yellow light filled the room. Hesitantly, she accepted the video call.
As soon as the call connected, Kaya's face appeared on the screen. She looked furious and worried.
Kaya (shouting): "Anya! Are you crazy? I mean seriously, have you lost your mind? Huan Jing just told me everything! That airport attack—and you! You risked your life trying to save Huan Jing? Look at your condition!"
Anya immediately pressed a finger to her lips and lowered the camera slightly so Zhen's sleep—or his act—would not be disturbed.
Anya (whispering): "Kaya, quietly… I'm fine. What happened has happened. Don't make it bigger."
Kaya: "How are you fine? There's such a big bandage on your head, your face looks pale! Anya, that attacker—what if the bullet had gone slightly off? Why do you always become everyone else's shield?"
Moisture gathered in Anya's eyes, but she forced a small smile. Kaya's anger was nothing but love for her.
Just then, a mischievous thought crossed Anya's mind—or perhaps she wanted to show Zhen just how 'safe' she was.
She slowly turned her phone, angling the camera toward Zhen's sleeping face. Zhen, who was secretly listening to every word, controlled his breathing and became as still as stone.
Anya (softly, emotionally): "Look, Kaya… you don't need to worry. Zhen is here to take care of me. He hasn't left me alone even for a moment."
Seeing Zhen lying so close to Anya on the screen, Kaya froze for a moment.
Kaya (in surprise): "Oh… Zhen Yan? He's really sleeping on your bed? Huan Jing was saying that between you two… well, if he's there, then maybe you are safe."
Anya turned the camera back toward herself. She noticed Zhen's eyelashes had trembled slightly. She immediately realized he was awake and listening to everything.
Taking a deep breath, Anya continued speaking to Kaya—but Zhen's heartbeat had already begun to race.
He could no longer tell whether Anya was saying all this to reassure Kaya… or to provoke him.