Xiaoyu woke to the sound of rain against the glass.
For a few moments she remained still, wrapped in the unfamiliar softness of the oversized bed, staring at the ceiling she still refused to call her own.
Last night returned to her in fragments.
The blue dress.
The balcony.
Lu Shen placing his jacket over her shoulders without saying another word.
It had been a simple gesture.
Nothing more.
Yet it lingered in her thoughts longer than she wanted.
Annoyed with herself, she pushed away the blanket and walked toward the window.
The gardens below were covered in a thin layer of mist.
Gardeners moved quietly between the hedges while servants crossed stone paths carrying fresh flowers.
Everything in the Lu residence followed a schedule.
Everything except the people living inside it.
---
Breakfast was unusually quiet.
Lu Shen was already seated, reading several reports spread across the table.
Without looking up, he spoke.
"You slept four hours."
Xiaoyu stopped pouring tea.
"You were watching me sleep?"
"No."
"Then how would you know?"
"You turned on the bedroom light at two thirteen."
"And?"
"You walked across the hallway at three."
"You noticed footsteps?"
"You don't walk quietly."
She stared at him.
"Do you monitor everyone in this house?"
"No."
"Only me?"
He folded one document before answering.
"You're the only variable."
She rolled her eyes.
"I feel incredibly special."
For the briefest moment—
the corner of Lu Shen's mouth moved.
Not enough to become a smile.
Just enough for her to notice.
She looked away first.
---
Madam Chen appeared carrying a stack of envelopes.
Invitations.
Business dinners.
Charity auctions.
Corporate anniversaries.
She placed them beside Lu Shen.
He signed several without reading.
Rejected others with a single glance.
Then one envelope remained unopened.
Dark blue.
Simple.
No company logo.
Madam Chen waited.
"So?"
she asked quietly.
Lu Shen looked at it for several seconds.
"We'll attend."
Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow.
"We?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
She reached for her tea.
"I don't remember agreeing."
"You don't need to."
"I absolutely do."
Madam Chen pretended not to hear the conversation.
Years of experience had taught her exactly when to disappear.
---
Later that afternoon Xiaoyu wandered through the east garden.
Unlike the formal front entrance, this side of the estate felt almost forgotten.
Ancient trees provided shade over narrow stone paths.
Wind carried the scent of wet earth.
She finally found something imperfect.
An old wooden bench rested beneath a cherry tree.
Paint faded.
One arm slightly damaged.
She sat down.
For the first time since entering the Lu residence, she felt able to breathe.
Minutes passed.
Then footsteps approached.
Lu Shen.
Of course.
He stopped several feet away.
"I've been looking for you."
She looked around.
"The mansion has fifty rooms."
"Fifty-six."
"That's worse."
He glanced at the bench.
"You found my mother's favorite place."
Silence.
Xiaoyu slowly looked at him.
It was the first personal thing he had ever revealed.
"You come here often?"
"No."
"Why?"
He looked toward the empty branches.
"Some places become difficult to visit."
There was no coldness in his voice.
No distance.
Only quiet honesty.
She wanted to ask more.
Instead she said,
"I'm sorry."
He looked genuinely surprised.
"For what?"
"I don't know."
"Then don't apologize."
The conversation ended there.
Yet neither of them stood.
The rain had stopped.
Drops continued falling from the leaves above them, creating a gentle rhythm.
It was strangely peaceful.
---
Inside the mansion, Madam Chen watched from the window.
A young maid walked beside her.
"I've never seen Mr. Lu sit with anyone."
Madam Chen smiled.
"He isn't sitting."
The maid blinked.
"He has been standing there for almost twenty minutes."
Madam Chen's smile deepened.
"Exactly."
---
Evening arrived quietly.
Xiaoyu returned to the library intending to read.
Instead she found Lu Shen asleep on one of the sofas.
An open file rested across his chest.
His glasses had slipped slightly lower than usual.
Without the constant tension around his eyes, he looked younger.
Almost ordinary.
She hesitated.
Then carefully picked up the file.
Dozens of pages filled with numbers.
Meeting schedules.
International calls.
Security reports.
One sentence caught her attention.
Personal Security: Increase observation around Mrs. Lu.
Before she could continue, a hand gently closed the folder.
Lu Shen was awake.
"You shouldn't read confidential documents."
"You shouldn't fall asleep with them."
Neither moved.
Their hands remained on the same file.
For one strange second the enormous library felt much smaller.
"Are you always this stubborn?"
Lu Shen asked quietly.
"Only with people who deserve it."
"And do I?"
She met his eyes.
"I haven't decided yet."
He released the folder first.
"You will."
She wasn't sure whether it was confidence...
or hope.
---
That night Xiaoyu stood before the mirror in her room.
Madam Chen entered carrying a large garment bag.
"The final fitting is tomorrow morning."
Xiaoyu looked at it.
"The gala?"
Madam Chen nodded.
"Mr. Lu personally chose the dress."
"Does he always decide everything?"
"No."
"What makes this different?"
The older woman adjusted the bag carefully.
Then she smiled.
"Because this time..."
"...he spent twenty minutes deciding."
Madam Chen left before Xiaoyu could respond.
Alone in the silent room, Xiaoyu looked toward the rain-covered window.
Somewhere in another part of the mansion, Lu Shen was still working.
Somewhere beyond the gates, unseen eyes continued watching them.
And for reasons she refused to admit—
the thought of attending the gala beside him no longer felt like a punishment.
It felt like the beginning of something she couldn't yet name.