A little over an hour later, the quiet of the garden was interrupted by the gentle crunch of gravel under delicate heels. Xiao Xue arrived, dressed in a simple but elegant dress, a small gift bag in hand.
"Zhiyuan," she greeted with a soft smile, then politely nodded towards the figure standing stiffly in the shadows. "Mr. Chen."
The tension in the air was so thick it was almost tangible. Zhiyuan offered her a small, tired smile in return but said nothing. Yichen merely gave a stiff, silent nod of acknowledgment, his eyes fixed somewhere past them.
Xiao Xue's gaze darted between the two men. Zhiyuan was wrapped in a chill that had nothing to do with the evening air, his posture rigid. Yichen, usually so confident and subtly present, looked like a kicked puppy, radiating a palpable aura of guilt and misery.
She sat down gracefully on the bench beside Zhiyuan, a mischievous glint in her eye. She leaned in and whispered, though not quietly enough that Yichen couldn't hear, "Wow. What did you do to him, Zhiyuan? He looks like a student who got scolded by the headmaster… really badly." She giggled, nodding subtly towards Yichen.
Zhiyuan's jaw tightened. "Don't be ridiculous," he muttered, but the denial was weak.
Xiao Xue just smiled wider. She turned her full attention to Zhiyuan, launching into light chatter. "So, how was your day, besides the obvious family drama? Did you eat properly? You still look pale."
As she talked, her sharp eyes kept glancing at Yichen. She noticed how his gaze kept flickering to Zhiyuan, not with his usual watchful alertness, but with a kind of helpless, pleading intensity. He was watching Zhiyuan's every micro-expression like a man reading his last rites.
Interesting, she thought. This isn't just employer-employee tension. This is personal.
Deciding to test the waters, she reached out and casually adjusted the collar of Zhiyuan's sweater, her fingers brushing his neck. "There, it was folded funny."
Zhiyuan barely reacted, just a slight incline of his head.
But Yichen did. His entire body stiffened. His hands, which had been clasped behind his back, clenched into fists for a split second before he forced them to relax. A flash of something raw jealousy? pain? crossed his face before he could school his features back into blankness.
Xiao Xue saw it. The reaction was too fast, too instinctive to be professional concern.
She filed the observation away, her mind whirring. She leaned closer to Zhiyuan, speaking in a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, he looks like he wants to say something to you. Desperately. Are you sure you shouldn't let the poor man apologize for… whatever he did?"
She was poking the bear, trying to see what would happen. Would Zhiyuan snap? Would Yichen break his silent vigil? The dynamic between her stoic fiancé and his intense bodyguard had just become the most fascinating mystery of her evening.
The next morning, the Liang Group headquarters felt different to Zhiyuan. He moved through the halls with a new, grim purpose, the usual polite nods to staff absent. Yichen followed a half-step behind, a silent, penitent shadow.
Zhiyuan didn't go to his own office. He went straight to the now-unlocked door of his father's old sanctuary. He pushed it open and stepped inside.
The room was a monument to a lost era. The smell of old wood and faint, faded cologne hung in the air. Zhiyuan's stern expression softened as he ran a hand over the dusty surface of the massive, empty desk. He looked like a boy again, searching for a ghost.
Yichen stood just inside the doorway, not daring to intrude further. He watched Zhiyuan, not as a guard assessing a threat, but as a man admiring another's quiet vulnerability. The sunlight from the window caught the dust motes dancing around Zhiyuan's still form, and Yichen's heart ached with a tenderness he had no right to feel.
The moment was shattered by a melodious voice.
"Oh, Zhiyuan! There you are, dear!"
Aunt Ruifen swept into the room, her smile as bright and practiced as ever. She ignored Yichen completely. "How are you? We missed you yesterday. Where were you?"
"Just wasn't feeling well, Auntie," Zhiyuan replied, turning to face her, his polite mask sliding back into place.
"Still feeling unwell? Let me see." She reached up and pressed the back of her hand to his forehead in a maternal gesture. "Hmm, a little warm, perhaps. You need a break from all this stress." Her expression turned to one of gentle, concerned suggestion. "Now, I feel bad asking this when you're not at your best, but there's a critical business delegation in Singapore and Hong Kong next week. High-level meetings. I think it would be very good if you went personally. It's important for our international partners to see the face of the Liang Group. And," she added meaningfully, "it will give you some much-needed distance from all the… distractions here."
Zhiyuan considered it. Getting away from Shanghai, from the suffocating mansion, from the constant reminders of betrayal… and from a certain bodyguard he couldn't look in the eye… it sounded appealing. "Okay. Fine," he agreed.
Ruifen's smile widened. "Wonderful! And, why don't you bring Xiao Xue along? She is your fiancée, after all. The two of you barely get any time together with all these… accidents and family matters. It would be good for your relationship, and she can be a charming hostess for our partners."
Another layer of the suggestion. A public display of the united front, a distraction wrapped in romance. Zhiyuan thought for a moment, then nodded. He turned to Miss Zhang, who had followed at a discreet distance.
"Call Xiao Xue. Ask if she's free to accompany me to Singapore and Hong Kong for a week, starting tonight. If yes, arrange the flights, the hotels, everything. First class, separate suites. Then, call Auntie Meilin. Tell her to pack my bags. And…" His eyes flicked, just for a millisecond, to Yichen, who stood rigid by the door. "…pack Yichen's as well. He's coming."
With that, he turned and walked out of his father's office, leaving the dust to settle once more.
Yichen was left staring at Aunt Ruifen. Her suggestion had been smooth, logical, but the timing and the insistence felt… orchestrated.
Ruifen met his gaze for a brief, cold second before her smile returned, and she glided out after Zhiyuan.
Yichen's mind raced. A trip abroad. With Zhiyuan angry and distant. With Xiao Xue as a constant, legitimate presence. It was a minefield. But it was also an order. And more than that, it was a chance maybe his only chance to protect Zhiyuan from whatever new threat his aunt was planning, and to somehow, impossibly, make things right between them. He took a deep breath and followed his principal out, his resolve hardening. The game had just moved to an international stage.
The atmosphere in Zhiyuan's office was thick with a silence that wasn't peaceful, but heavy and strained. He sat at his desk, staring at a contract without seeing the words, a deep fatigue etched into his features even though he'd done little more than walk from his car to the building. Yichen stood at his usual post by the door, a statue of silent observation.
A cheerful ringtone broke the quiet. It was Xiao Xue. Zhiyuan answered, his voice flat.
"Zhiyuan! Miss Zhang told me about the trip! Singapore and Hong Kong! That sounds wonderful!" Her voice bubbled with genuine excitement excitement that had less to do with romance and more to do with escape. "It'll be so nice to get away! And it's perfect timing, my mother was going to force me into double violin lessons and etiquette classes all week. You've saved me!"
A ghost of a smile might have touched Zhiyuan's lips at her honesty. "I'm glad one of us is happy about it," he said wearily. "We'll pick you up at seven."
He hung up and rubbed his temples. A few minutes later, he stood abruptly and walked to his private bathroom, closing the door. Yichen noted the time.
Half an hour later, he did it again. And again before lunch. Three times in one morning. Yichen's brow furrowed slightly. It could be stress, or the lingering effects of his system purging the drugs… or something else.
As the day wore on, the fatigue seemed to morph into a sharp, prickly irritation. A junior manager gave a slightly disorganized presentation. Usually, Zhiyuan would offer a curt correction. Today, his criticism was scalding, his voice cold and sharp enough to make the man visibly shrink. He snapped at Miss Zhang over a minor scheduling hiccup, something he would normally just wave off.
Yichen watched it all, his concern growing. This wasn't just post-withdrawal moodiness or anger at him. This was a shift.
Back at the mansion, Meilin saw it too. As Zhiyuan paced, waiting for the car, he barked at a maid for moving a vase half an inch out of place. He swore under his breath when he couldn't immediately find a specific pair of cufflinks.
"Young Master," Meilin said gently, handing him a glass of water. "You seem… on edge. Is everything alright?"
"I'm fine," he snapped, then seemed to regret it, softening his tone. "Just… tired of everything, Meilin."
The car arrived. They picked up Xiao Xue, who was buzzing with energy that contrasted painfully with Zhiyuan's dark cloud. She chattered happily for a few minutes before noticing his closed eyes and rigid posture. She fell silent, exchanging a worried glance with Yichen in the rearview mirror.
Once they were on the highway to the airport, Zhiyuan's exhaustion won. His head lolled against the window, and he fell into a deep, seemingly unconscious sleep almost instantly.
Yichen, sitting in the front passenger seat, watched him in the mirror. The sleep wasn't peaceful. Even in repose, there was a tension in his brow. The third bathroom trip, the unusual irritability, the sudden, heavy sleep… the pieces were troubling. This trip was supposed to provide distance, but Yichen had a sinking feeling they weren't leaving trouble behind. They might be carrying it with them, hidden in Zhiyuan's own changing body. His protective instincts, already on high alert, sharpened to a fine point.
In Hong Kong..
The lobby of the luxurious Hong Kong hotel was a masterpiece of marble and muted light, but the atmosphere around the check-in counter was tense. Miss Zhang handed over three key cards.
Zhiyuan took them, frowning. "Why three? There are four of us." He counted himself, Xiao Xue, Yichen, and Miss Zhang, who had her own room.
The assistant shifted uncomfortably. "Sir, regarding the rooms… Madam Ruifen specifically instructed the travel agency. She said to book one suite for you and Miss Li… together. To, ah, 'foster closeness.' She insisted it was important for the public image of the engagement."
Xiao Xue's eyes went wide. "What? Me? Sleeping in the same room with him?" She looked from the keys to Zhiyuan, a blush creeping up her neck. It wasn't disgust, but sheer surprise at the blatant setup.
Before Zhiyuan could respond likely with a cold order to book another room Yichen stepped forward, his voice urgent.
"If Miss Li is uncomfortable, it's not a problem," he said quickly, his eyes fixed on Zhiyuan. "I can stay with Zhiyuan. I'll sleep on the couch or the floor. It's no trouble at all."
Zhiyuan turned a glare on him that could freeze lava. "No one is sleeping with anyone. Go book another room. Now."
But Xiao Xue, recovering from her shock, held up a hand. She looped her arm through Zhiyuan's, a gesture of possession. "Wait, no need. I'm fine with it." She gave a small, determined smile. "I was just surprised, that's all. After all, someone should stay with him. He's not well. What if he gets sick in the middle of the night?" She squeezed his arm gently.
Yichen immediately stepped closer on Zhiyuan's other side, mirroring her action by placing a firm hand on his forearm. "I know what you're saying, Miss Li, and it's very considerate. But you're just saying that because you don't want to cause trouble. Don't worry about that. I don't mind. Really. And as his guard, I should be by his side 24 hours. It's my job."
Xiao Xue's eyes sparkled with amusement. She was watching Yichen's barely-concealed panic with great interest. She held her ground. "No, Mr. Chen. I appreciate it, but I'm his fiancée. I know him well, and I can take perfectly good care of him."
"But what if there's an attack at night?" Yichen argued, his voice rising slightly. "I'm trained for that. You're not."
"Who would attack us in a five-star hotel in Hong Kong?"
"You never know!"
"ENOUGH!" Zhiyuan's voice cut through their bickering like a whip. He yanked his arms free from both of them, his jaw clenched so tight it looked painful. "Shut up. Both of you. I'm going to my room. Alone." He snatched one of the key cards from Miss Zhang's hand and strode towards the elevators without looking back.
Miss Zhang hurried after him with the luggage.
Left in the lobby, Yichen and Xiao Xue stared at each other over the remaining two key cards one for the shared suite, one for what was supposed to be the assistant's room.
Xiao Xue picked up the suite key. A slow, playful smirk spread across her face. "Well. It seems we have a dilemma."
Yichen scowled. "It's not a dilemma. It's a security issue."
"How do we decide, then?" she asked, her eyes gleaming.
Yichen, frustrated and desperate, blurted out, "Rock, paper, scissors. Best of three."
Xiao Xue's smirk widened. "You're on."
They faced off in the middle of the grand lobby.
"Rock,paper, scissors, shoot!"
Yichen threw paper.Xiao Xue threw scissors.
"Scissors cuts paper!One for me!"
Second round.Yichen threw rock. Xiao Xue threw paper.
"Paper covers rock!That's two! I win!" Xiao Xue cheered, sticking her tongue out at him in a triumphant, childish gesture.
Yichen looked utterly offended. "Yah! Why are you being so childish about this? Try to understand! He needs me there!"
But Xiao Xue was already twirling the key card in her fingers, her smirk victorious. "Sorry, Mr. Bodyguard. Duty calls. Don't worry, I'll take very good care of my fiancé." With a final, amused glance at his horrified expression, she turned and sauntered towards the elevators, leaving Yichen standing alone in the lobby, defeated by a game of chance and a fiancée who was proving to be more observant and more of a rival than he'd ever anticipated.
Back in his own single room, Yichen paced like a caged tiger. The walls felt like they were closing in. The thought of Zhiyuan, sick and vulnerable, in a room with someone else even if it was his perfectly nice fiancée was driving him insane. Jealousy and anxiety twisted together in his gut, a sickening cocktail. He couldn't stay away. He had to be near him.
He flung his door open and marched down the hall to the suite. He took a deep breath and knocked.
Xiao Xue opened the door, already in her silk pajamas, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Yes, Mr. Chen?"
"I need to speak with Sir," Yichen said, trying to sound professional.
"He's in the shower," she replied, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. She was clearly enjoying his discomfiture.
Yichen's resolve hardened. He lowered his voice. "Let's do it again. Rock, paper, scissors. For the room. Please."
Xiao Xue chuckled softly. "We already did. I won. But alright, let's do it. Though I should warn you," she added, her smirk widening, "you can't win against me."
They were just squaring off again in the hallway when the bathroom door inside the suite opened.
Zhiyuan stepped out, wrapped in a plush white hotel bathrobe, his hair damp and tousled. He was rubbing his head with a towel, exposing the elegant line of his neck and collarbone. A few droplets of water traced paths down his skin.
Both Xiao Xue and Yichen froze, their faces instantly flushing a deep, matching crimson.
Xiao Xue cleared her throat loudly, snapping out of it first. "Well! You two talk. I'm, uh, I'm going to take my shower now." She practically fled into the bathroom, closing the door of bathroom with a definitive click.
Left alone in the living area of the suite with a half-dressed, freshly showered Zhiyuan, Yichen's brain short-circuited. He couldn't look directly at him. His eyes kept getting dangerously drawn to the open collar of the robe, the damp skin.
"What is it?" Zhiyuan asked, his voice tired. He crossed his arms, which only made the robe gap a little more.
Yichen forced his gaze to the floor. "Come to my room. I have an urgent matter to discuss."
"Talk here," Zhiyuan said, unmoving.
"We can't. Here… it's not secure. It's urgent." Yichen's voice was strained.
Zhiyuan let out a long-suffering sigh, but the exhaustion won out over suspicion. "Fine."
He followed Yichen down the hall to the smaller room. Once inside, Zhiyuan sat down on the edge of the single armchair, crossing his legs. The simple action, the casual ownership of space, made Yichen blush even harder. He began to fidget, his planned lie evaporating under the intensity of the moment.
"Well? What's the urgent matter?" Zhiyuan prompted, an eyebrow raised.
Yichen's mind scrambled. "I… I got a tip. From one of my contacts here in Hong Kong. Someone… there might be an attempt. Tonight. To harm you. It's not safe in the suite. It's better if you stay here in my room tonight. Or let me stay in yours." The words tumbled out, clumsy and obvious.
Zhiyuan stared at him for a beat, then rolled his eyes dramatically. "Ridiculous." He stood up to leave.
Panic surged through Yichen. He moved swiftly, blocking the path to the door. In his haste, he grabbed Zhiyuan's wrist. "Please. You have to believe me. I'm… I'm afraid. I'm afraid someone will hurt you." The fear in his voice was real, even if the specific threat wasn't. His eyes held a raw, pleading intensity.
Zhiyuan looked at him, at the genuine worry etched on his face, at the hand gripping his wrist. The anger and coldness from the morning seemed to waver. He saw past the lie to the real concern underneath.
His shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. "Okay. Fine." He pulled his wrist gently from Yichen's grasp. "Let me go change into my pajamas. I'll be back."
He walked out, leaving Yichen alone in the room, heart hammering with a mixture of guilt for the lie and a fierce, protective triumph. He had won. For tonight, at least, Zhiyuan would be where he could watch over him.