Chapter 4

The bathroom was a disaster.

The moment Chi Mo shut the door, she spotted the new dress she'd worn yesterday, along with two high heels knocked askew.

Her bag lay open, contents spilling everywhere. Her phone sat quietly on the floor, its screen protector shattered...

There was even a tub full of last night's bathwater.

Chi Mo clutched her chest and stumbled back, stepping squarely onto a towel also discarded on the floor.

She closed her eyes and began deep breathing exercises.

It's okay, Chi Mo. It's okay.

You and Guan Yizhou have already broken up.

Yes, you've already broken up.

You just slept with a man. That man happened to be Song Huaiyu, that's all.

Right. It's not a big deal.

Besides, you're about to leave Jiangzhou. You might never see them again in this lifetime.

Exactly! You'll never see them again!

Chi Mo repeated this to herself over and over, building up her mental defenses. Just as she finally decided to open her eyes and start picking up the mess on the floor, the bathroom door suddenly swung open.

!?

All she had on was the shirt she'd grabbed from beside the bed earlier.

Song Huaiyu's.

She hadn't even had time to button it when she rushed into the bathroom. The door opening scared her so badly that she gripped the collar tight, snapping off a button that clattered to the floor.

Song Huaiyu leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, stating concisely: "You owe me for that."

Chi Mo frowned deeply, unable to help but shout at him: "I locked the door! Song Huaiyu! How the fuck did you get in?!"

"This is my house. Don't I have a key?" With that, he cast a casual glance at Chi Mo, then walked in as if no one else were there. Picking up a toothbrush from the vanity, he said, "The auntie will be here to cook in half an hour. If you want to shower... you'd better hurry."

"How can I shower with you standing here?!" Chi Mo glared at him fiercely.

Song Huaiyu shrugged. "Then go downstairs."

This house was bought by Song Huaiyu after returning to China. Chi Mo had only come once before, accompanying Guan Yizhou. She didn't know how many rooms or bathrooms there were, let alone which street or residential complex it was located in.

Chi Mo's psychological defenses were fragile right now. She couldn't wander around blindly in this house wearing Song Huaiyu's shirt, which was basically equivalent to being naked.

Who knew if he had surveillance cameras installed!

"No! You go downstairs!"

Song Huaiyu turned a deaf ear. He leisurely squeezed toothpaste, leisurely brushed his teeth, leisurely washed his face... Then, he started unbuttoning his pants.

!

"Song Huaiyu!"

Chi Mo immediately covered her eyes. "Are you going to stop or what!?"

Song Huaiyu looked up at her, the corner of his mouth curling slightly. He stepped forward, placing both hands on the counter surfaces on either side of her body.

A minty scent filled the air, the man's body heat enveloping her first.

Chi Mo knew his current posture, but out of caution, she didn't dare lower her hands immediately.

She tried to reason with him.

But she forgot that Song Huaiyu was a person who never reasoned.

His biggest difference from Guan Yizhou was that no one had ever controlled him since childhood.

Rumor had it that Song Huaiyu's parents had secretly divorced when he was very young. Due to family political marriages, they couldn't make it public, so they still appeared together as husband and wife on important occasions. Apart from that, one managed companies in England while the other lived permanently in America.

Chi Mo remembered Guan Yizhou mentioning that Song Huaiyu originally planned to stay in England and not return. But during that summer two years ago, Yuan Siyu's younger sister, Yuan Shuyu, got married. During the return banquet, she called him over twenty times, insisting on dragging him back. For reasons unknown, Song Huaiyu suddenly decided not to return to England.

Chi Mo didn't attend the return banquet. Actually, Yuan Shuyu had called her too, but during that period, she and Guan Yizhou were constantly arguing. Going would inevitably mean meeting his parents. Since Chi Mo and Guan Yizhou's parents had always maintained a superficial politeness without getting close, she simply chose not to go.

So why exactly Song Huaiyu chose to stay in China remains unknown to Chi Mo to this day.

Anyway, he lived more freely than anyone else.

Going to England, going to America, or staying in China for no apparent reason—no one could control him.

Therefore, the moment Chi Mo opened her mouth, she regretted it.

"Song Huaiyu, this isn't right between us. I know it. Yesterday I was drunk, my mind wasn't clear. Whether you kindly brought me back, or I shamelessly insisted on following you... Let's just let this matter pass, okay?"

She slowly lowered her hands, looking into those eyes, speaking to Song Huaiyu very seriously and solemnly...

Unexpectedly, he gave Chi Mo no face at all. He withdrew one hand and placed it on her waist. "Not right? Tell me, what exactly isn't right?"

Chi Mo took a deep breath, trying to ignore their current position. "Everything isn't right! Song Huaiyu, you and he are childhood friends. Even if we aren't considered friends, we've known each other for at least ten years, haven't we? I don't know how much he told you guys about us, but you, Xu Yicheng, and Yuan Siyu—you watched Guan Yizhou and me step by step reach today. What if they find out about last night?!"

Song Huaiyu curled his lips in a smile that wasn't quite a smile. "Are you afraid of Xu Yicheng and Yuan Siyu finding out, or are you afraid of Guan Yizhou finding out?"

"I'm afraid of both, alright?"

Song Huaiyu leaned in closer. "Is that so? But last night, you didn't say that..."

Chi Mo frowned, leaning back to avoid his approach. "...What did I say?"

Song Huaiyu lowered his head, pressing close. His breath swirled around her ear, his voice becoming inexplicably low and hoarse. "You said... it felt good. You said... you liked it like that... Chi Mo... You said you liked me..."

Every hair on Chi Mo stood up. She had to forcibly maintain her composure and deny it. "I was drunk. You wouldn't believe words like that, would you?"

"Why wouldn't I believe them?" His voice drew nearer. "You sounded so nice calling out..."

"Enough!" Chi Mo couldn't take it anymore and shoved Song Huaiyu away. "I'll go downstairs! I'll go downstairs, fine!"

With a rustle, Chi Mo pulled open the bathroom door and ran out without looking back, clutching her shirt collar tightly.

Song Huaiyu turned his head, gazing around the room filled with lingering ambiguity.

The corners of his mouth lifted. He bent down and picked up the button from the floor.