Chapter 21

The birthday party dragged on until three in the morning.

The villa was enormous, and Shi Qianyu had prepared guest rooms for every single attendee. After the fireworks display, Wen Xin knocked back a few more drinks. Exhaustion and drowsiness crashed over her together, leaving her head spinning and her legs so unsteady she could hardly stand.

Shi Qianyu took the initiative to personally escort her to a guest room. The alcohol had baked Wen Xin’s body heat to a fever pitch, leaving her flushed and sweating. Unable to stand the sticky sensation on her skin, she wobbled toward the bathroom to take a shower.

But all she had with her was her evening gown, with no change of clothes. Fortunately, Shi Qianyu sometimes stayed overnight here as well, so the closet held some spare clothes.

At Wen Xin’s request, Shi Qianyu returned to her own room to fetch some clothes. By the time she pushed the door open again, Wen Xin was nowhere in sight. In her place was the billowing steam in the bathroom and the faint outline of a figure inside.

“…”

Wen Xin was utterly smashed tonight—she had drunk even more than she did that night at the bar.

Servers were circulating in the courtyard to attend to the other guests, so Shi Qianyu felt no rush to leave. She simply sat quietly on the edge of the bed, waiting for Wen Xin to come out.

Afraid that Wen Xin might slip and fall, she listened intently to the sounds coming from the bathroom. Thankfully, her fears proved unfounded.

Wen Xin managed to handle her ablutions on her own, even if it took a bit longer than usual. With the shower running, she squirted out some body wash to lather up—only to blank out a second later and forget what she was doing. She stood there frozen in a daze until the memory finally returned.

At times, halfway through her shower, a wave of good cheer would hit her. She would part her lips and hum softly, her tuneless song drifting out amid the rush of the water—lacking any real melody, yet irresistibly cute.

Shi Qianyu’s lips quirked up instinctively. Wen Xin seemed entirely oblivious to her presence, her behavior growing increasingly uninhibited as she shed all her usual restraint.

Shi Qianyu knew that Wen Xin only looked introverted on the outside; her inner world was actually brimming with vibrancy. She even overheard Wen Xin chatting with the mirror—asking it if it had eaten yet, and politely bidding it good evening.

Shi Qianyu bit her lip, trying very hard to stifle a laugh.

Over ten minutes later, the sound of the water in the bathroom finally stopped.

Shi Qianyu rose at the right moment and lightly knocked on the door. Her knock was soft, but it still startled Wen Xin inside.

“Who is it?” Wen Xin asked groggily, having long forgotten that she had asked the person outside for a favor just moments ago.

“It’s me,” Shi Qianyu answered her. Her voice sounded very gentle, and she even provided her own name. “Shi Qianyu.”

“I brought you some clean clothes to change into.” Wen Xin hadn’t locked the door, so Shi Qianyu gently pressed the handle, pushing the door open just a crack to pass through the pajamas and underwear she held in her hand.

Only then did Wen Xin seem to remember. She reached out to take the clothes, not forgetting to thank the person outside the door.

“Thank you, Director Shi,” she said.

Even though she was so drunk she was nearly unconscious, she still remembered to call her “Director Shi.”

Shi Qianyu shook her head, looking as if she wanted to say something, but Wen Xin had already started getting dressed. The rustling of the fabric drowned out her voice, so whatever she said was completely lost on Wen Xin.

Wen Xin just focused on putting on her pajamas. Shi Qianyu had brought her a nightgown, which was very easy to slip into. Once dressed, she glanced around the bathroom to check if she had left anything behind. Confirming she hadn’t, she pushed the door wide open and stepped out.

She was completely oblivious to the fact that she hadn’t put on the underwear. Beneath the pale-colored nightgown, there was absolutely nothing—she was entirely bare underneath.

“…”

Standing outside the door, Shi Qianyu met her eyes, her expression looking somewhat complicated.

Oblivious, Wen Xin was so exhausted she didn’t want to move another muscle. Her hair was still damp, carrying the fresh scent of shampoo. She had only given it a quick, haphazard rub with a towel and was already aiming to climb into bed, but Shi Qianyu ultimately stopped her.

Shi Qianyu looked into her eyes and patiently instructed, “You need to dry your hair before you sleep.”

Hearing this, Wen Xin slowly shook her head. She was bone-weary and had no energy left to do anything extra. “I’m sleepy.”

Shi Qianyu had anticipated she would say this and offered, “That’s okay, I’ll dry it for you.”

That wasn’t a bad deal.

Desperate for sleep, Wen Xin had long since thrown all sense of etiquette and shame out the window. Her muddled brain instinctively told her that complying with Shi Qianyu’s request was the only way she’d get to bed. After a moment of chaotic thought, she finally nodded.

So, Shi Qianyu went to grab the hairdryer, plugged it in, and sat back down behind her. Shi Qianyu’s fingertips were soft as they glided through her hair. It was so gentle and soothing that it made Wen Xin feel incredibly relaxed and comfortable.

Wen Xin arched her neck like a cat having its itch scratched, unconsciously tilting her head back to seek out the softness of Shi Qianyu’s fingertips and the warmth of her palm. Shi Qianyu was excellent at taking care of people; she patiently and meticulously dried every single lock of hair. Wen Xin savored the feeling with half-closed eyes until the whirring of the hairdryer finally ceased.

“Can I sleep now?” Half-asleep, she turned her head toward Shi Qianyu to demand her right to rest.

The scent of white tea lingering in her hair was wonderful, identical to the shampoo Shi Qianyu had gifted her. In truth, Wen Xin had secretly used that shampoo on a Friday night, only to wash it out again early Monday morning.

She hadn’t told anyone; it was a closely guarded secret. She was afraid others would pry out of curiosity, and even more afraid that Shi Qianyu would notice.

Even though it was just a bottle of shampoo.

Sober Wen Xin had hidden this secret perfectly, but drunk Wen Xin sold her out completely. Fingering her now-dry strands, Wen Xin unconsciously murmured, “I like this scent.”

Just like she had confessed in the taxi that night.

Hearing her words, Shi Qianyu picked up on the topic. “Then why haven’t I seen you use the shampoo I gave you?”

“I did use it,” Wen Xin quickly retorted. After thinking for a second, she earnestly emphasized, “I really did use it.”

Her interest piqued, Shi Qianyu deliberately tried to coax the truth out of her. “When did you use it?”

“Friday night.” This secret had been weighing on her mind, and Wen Xin remembered it with crystal clarity. She even dropped her usual “perfectly polite” persona and opened her mouth to complain. “That shampoo really smells amazing, but the cap is a nightmare to open.”

She raised her hand to Shi Qianyu, mimicking the motion of twisting a cap. “I tried twisting it forever at first, but it wouldn’t budge. I only found out later that you actually have to pull it up. It was so full inside that the liquid splashed all over me…”

It was rare for her to complain like this, genuinely baring her inner feelings and sharing them with Shi Qianyu.

Shi Qianyu’s lips curved into a smile, and she nodded along with her words. “How about I send you a fresh bottle of shampoo next time?”

“No thanks.” To her surprise, Wen Xin flat-out rejected the offer. Wen Xin had a very keen nose; there were differences between white teas, and she could tell them apart.

She didn’t like the scent of other white teas; she only liked the specific one she smelled on Shi Qianyu. “Don’t waste it. That bottle is still perfectly good to use.”

A yawn escaped her lips. Truly unwilling to continue the idle chatter, she abruptly ended the topic and rushed to bid Shi Qianyu goodnight. Then, she yanked back the covers, quickly burrowed into bed, and wrapped herself up tightly like a cocoon.

“I’m going to sleep,” she said.

“Mmm,” Shi Qianyu agreed softly. The temperature tonight wasn’t high, and the blankets on the bed weren’t thick, but she was still afraid Wen Xin might get too hot. She proactively located the AC remote and placed it by her pillow, just in case she needed it.

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep,” she said, adding a soft injunction. “My room is right next door. Call me if you need anything.”

Wen Xin didn’t stand on ceremony with her. She blinked in assent and drifted off to sleep shortly after. Perhaps because she had been separated from her parents so early in life, she had always lacked a sense of security. Before long, she had curled herself up into a tight ball.

Shi Qianyu got up to pour a glass of water for her and set it on the bedside table. When she turned back, she noticed Wen Xin was whimpering. She seemed to be trapped in a nightmare—her brows were knitted tightly, and her lips parted in a soft, barely audible murmur.

In the dead of night, the room was pin-drop silent. Sitting by the bedside, Shi Qianyu caught every word she spoke. Wen Xin was begging—making desperate, agonized little pleas.

“Don’t go,” she whimpered, her hands balled tightly into fists. It was as if she were desperately longing to keep someone there, yet was destined to be unable to hold on to anyone. “I don’t want to be alone.”

Her heart twisted at the sound. With downcast eyes, her soft fingertips gently stroked Wen Xin’s forehead as she answered soothingly, “I won’t go.”

She didn’t know if Wen Xin had heard her or not, but a visible calm finally descended over the sleeping girl, and she quieted down.

In the early morning, sunlight gradually seeped in through the gaps in the floor-to-ceiling windows.

An alarm jolted Wen Xin awake. Thinking it was a workday and she needed to be at the office, her eyes flew wide open in panic. However, upon checking the date on her phone, she let out a sigh of relief, realizing it was a false alarm, and shut her eyes again.

But a few seconds later, she seemed to realize something was wrong. She rubbed the edge of the blanket with her fingers; the texture was completely different from the bedding she usually used.

Where was she?

Her sleepiness was instantly dispelled by this strange sensation. Wen Xin stared blankly at the ceiling until it belatedly dawned on her that she was at Shi Qianyu’s house.

Her body felt completely fresh and clean, without a hint of discomfort. Using her foggy brain to jog her memory, she recalled that she must have taken a shower before bed.

—At Shi Qianyu’s house. She was even wearing Shi Qianyu’s pajamas.

Oh God, how could she have dared?!

It wasn’t as if Wen Xin had never been drunk outside before. Take that time at the bar, for instance—she’d known she was drunk, but she’d still had her limits. She knew what she was doing and could control her own actions.

But last night was different. Swept up in the festive atmosphere, she had knocked back several glasses alongside the other women, drinking until she completely blacked out. The memories in her mind weren’t intact; they were scattered into fragmented pieces. She couldn’t recall much, only that Shi Qianyu had taken the initiative to help blow-dry her hair.

Rewinding a bit further, she remembered kissing Shi Qianyu—an intensely passionate, utterly intimate kiss.

Wen Xin felt mortified enough to die. Reacting fiercely, she clamped her hands over her eyes and thrashed about under the covers. But her movements were too vigorous, and she accidentally banged against the bedboard with a loud thud.

It wasn’t long before Shi Qianyu followed the sound over and gently raised her hand to knock on the door.

Shi Qianyu wasn’t someone who needed a lot of sleep, nor did she have the habit of lingering in bed. Once she woke up, she got up—no matter how late she’d gone to sleep the night before.

By now, she had already shed last night’s evening gown for her usual attire: another pure black long skirt, but far more formal than the one from the evening prior.

She was impeccably dressed, which only served to highlight Wen Xin’s disheveled state in contrast.

Wen Xin couldn’t bear to keep her waiting outside for too long. Fortunately, she was wearing clothes. She hastily straightened herself out, got out of bed to open the door, and greeted her with burning cheeks.

“Director Shi, good morning,” she said, trying her best to appear calm and pretend as if nothing had happened the night before. “You’re up awfully early.”

“I got up as soon as I woke,” Shi Qianyu replied. She lowered her eyes to check her watch, confirming whether Wen Xin wanted to catch a little more sleep. “Do you want to sleep a bit longer?”

“No, I’m good.” Wen Xin quickly shook her head. How could she possibly dare to crawl back into bed with a clear conscience now?

“Then let’s have breakfast together in a little bit.” Shi Qianyu promptly extended the invitation. There were plenty of ingredients in the kitchen, and since it was still early, she didn’t want to bother the staff. “Go ahead and wash up. I’ll go get things started.”

Wen Xin felt bad about letting her handle all the work alone and quickly suggested, “I’ll come with you.”

Hearing this, Shi Qianyu didn’t agree right away. Instead, her lips curved into a smile as she countered, “Are you sure you want to go looking like that?”

Looking like… what?

Thinking Shi Qianyu found her appearance embarrassing, Wen Xin’s cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red. She instinctively looked down at her pajamas. “Then I’ll hurry up and wash, and change my clothes while I’m at it…”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence. Suddenly, she felt a distinct chill across her chest—and down below as well. Her senses sharpened dramatically in that instant, bringing with them a belated, overwhelming wave of shame.

She wasn’t wearing anything underneath; she only had a single, thin layer of sleepwear on. She’d thought she was merely disheveled, but she hadn’t realized that the messiness was only on the surface. The completely bare interior was the real issue.

In that fleeting moment, Wen Xin desperately wished she could turn into a puff of steam and evaporate right then and there.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t. Thankfully, Shi Qianyu didn’t use the opportunity to mock her. Acting as if she’d seen nothing at all, her tone remained as steady as ever—laced with gentle amusement. “See you in a bit.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

Wen Xin stared at her retreating back until she completely vanished from sight. Only then did she quietly close the door, slump against it, and cover her face to let out a silent scream.

Her cheeks burned even hotter, the crimson flush spreading all the way to her ears.