Wen Zeli: That’s right—really all thanks to you.

 

Zhou Yang padded barefoot across the carpet, biting down on the mint lozenge in his mouth until it crunched. His expression was lazy as he tapped on the keyboard.

 

Zhou Yang: Even heroes fall for beautiful women. Shen He is no exception.

 

There was still a trace of restlessness between his brows from waking up so abruptly. After finishing the message, he tossed his phone onto the bedside table, got up, casually threw on some clothes, pulled open the curtains to glance outside, then turned and went downstairs for a morning run.

 

More than forty minutes later, he returned, sweat rolling down from his forehead. He lazily pushed open the iron gate and walked inside.

 

Auntie Lu, the housekeeper, was cleaning. Seeing that he was back, she had conveniently prepared breakfast as well. Standing by the cabinet with her cleaning supplies, she smiled. “You came back last night?”

 

“Mm.” Zhou Yang wiped his hair with a towel. The irritability between his brows had faded, replaced with a faint smile. “What’s for breakfast?”

 

“Your favorite buns,” Auntie Lu replied. She had been introduced by one of Zhou Yang’s friends and had taken care of his daily life ever since he started living on his own.

 

“Good.”

 

With that, his long legs took the stairs, and his tall figure disappeared at the top.

 

Before long, Zhou Yang came back down in a shirt and dress pants, his collar slightly open. Just as he sat down to eat, Assistant Lu was already waiting outside with the car.

 

Auntie Lu brought out a glass of milk. “Not taking a day off today?”

 

“There are still things to deal with.” After finishing breakfast, Zhou Yang wiped the milk from the corner of his lips with his fingertip, grabbed a tissue and his phone, and headed out.

 

Seeing Assistant Lu, Zhou Yang casually tossed him a sealed bag with breakfast inside. Assistant Lu caught it and said gratefully, “Thank you, President Zhou.”

 

Once in the car, Zhou Yang’s phone kept ringing. He crossed his long legs and answered, his gaze sweeping outside the window—landing on the willows planted by the property along the lakeside. He paused slightly.

 

From the driver’s seat, Assistant Lu asked, “President Zhou, straight to Yaolin?”

 

The willow branches swayed in the breeze, dragonflies skimming the water’s surface.

 

“Feijie,” Zhou Yang said.

 

Assistant Lu froze. Why Feijie? Today’s meeting was about military manufacturing—what did that have to do with an internet company like Feijie?

 

Was there something else President Zhou hadn’t dealt with yet?

 

“Oh… okay,” Assistant Lu replied, changing the route. After hesitating, he added quietly, “Feijie is on holiday today…”

 

Very softly.

 

In the back seat, Zhou Yang propped his chin on his hand, idly flipping a lighter while discussing military equipment with Li Yi. He probably didn’t hear it and didn’t respond.

 

Assistant Lu didn’t repeat himself.

 

When the car arrived at Feijie, Zhou Yang happened to finish his call. He glanced up, saw the red dart-shaped logo, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

 

Then he turned to look at Assistant Lu.

 

Assistant Lu wiped his hands, momentarily stunned, about to speak—

 

Zhou Yang seemed to recall that he himself had said to come to Feijie. He said nothing, pushed open the car door, and stepped out with his phone. Assistant Lu hurried after him.

 

Feijie was quiet and empty on a Sunday. Only a small number of people were working in the livestream marketing department on the fourth floor. This wasn’t Zhou Yang’s main battlefield.

 

The Zhou Group’s internal structure was already mature—unlike the military manufacturing side, which required hands-on involvement. Zhou Yang didn’t come here often and went straight to the top floor.

 

Inside the elevator, Assistant Lu finally asked softly, “President Zhou, is there something here that still needs handling?”

 

Zhou Yang held his phone.

 

“Mm.”

 

Assistant Lu responded with an “oh.”

 

When the elevator doors opened and Zhou Yang headed toward the executive office, he passed the finance department. His steps slowed slightly. His narrow eyes swept toward the tightly shut finance office, the blinds drawn.

 

It was as if willow branches were swaying in front of him again.

 

Zhou Yang suddenly realized something. His brows knitted tightly.

 

After a long moment—

 

He clicked his tongue, disbelief flickering in his eyes.

 

“President Zhou, are you going into the finance department?” Assistant Lu asked quietly.

 

“No.” Zhou Yang turned around and headed back toward the elevator, leaving Assistant Lu completely baffled by his erratic behavior.

 

“Straight to Yaolin,” Zhou Yang said lazily, rubbing his brow.

 

“Yes.”

 

That was the plan in the first place!
You’re the one who insisted on coming to Feijie—and it wasn’t even on the way!

 

---

 

That morning, Su Hao did some cleaning and changed her bedsheets. Fresh sheets always lifted her mood. Afterward, she made soup dumplings. Once they cooled slightly, she poured herself a glass of milk, sat down to eat, and scrolled through the news.

 

In the group chat, Chen Yu and Lu Mimi were inviting people out to eat and tagged Su Hao as well. Since Shen He was arriving today, Su Hao declined.

 

In the six-person group, there was someone from the sales department named Tang Yu, who had just returned from a business trip.

 

She noticed there was a new person in the group.

 

Curious.

 

Tang Yu: Su Hao? New to your department, Chen Yu?

 

Chen Yu: Yeah, such a gentle older sister.

 

Lu Mimi: She’s gentle—unlike you, sweet but clueless.

 

Chen Yu: Lu Mimi, get lost. Is it your turn to talk?

 

Lu Mimi: What’s wrong with being sweet? Lots of men like that.

 

Tang Yu: [raises eyebrow] What does Su Hao look like? Let me see a photo.

 

Chen Yu: Tang Yu, you’ll see her at work tomorrow. Don’t worry—she’s not competing with you for President Zhou. Su Hao is the “homebody” type. That’s exactly the type President Zhou is most afraid of.

 

Lu Mimi: Instead of worrying about Su Hao, you should watch out for your good sister Chen Yu, Tang Yu.

 

Tang Yu: Oh? Then I guess there’s no threat at all. You two can keep competing.

 

Chen Yu: What about you?

 

Lu Mimi: Yeah—what about you?

 

At a critical moment, Chen Yu and Lu Mimi were suddenly on the same side. Su Hao’s gaze lingered on the words homebody type and the type he fears most. She stayed silent for a moment, then closed the group chat.

 

---

 

Around ten, Shen He called to say he had just landed. Half an hour later, he called again—stuck in traffic.

 

Su Hao put down her book, walked to the kitchen balcony, and looked outside. Traffic was indeed bad—and it was hot. In this weather, even going out to eat was troublesome.

 

Since it was the weekend, Su Hao hesitated, then tightened her grip on the phone. “It’s fine. Take your time. I’ll go buy groceries—we’ll eat at home.”

 

Shen He’s brows lifted. “Sounds great.”

 

“I’m heading downstairs,” Su Hao said, hanging up. She grabbed her keys and went out.

 

There was no shortage of supermarkets or markets nearby. Su Hao went to the market and bought groceries.

 

On her way back, she saw Shen He in a black top and jeans, looking slightly disheveled as he got out of the car. The black Mercedes dropped him off and drove away. Seeing her, Shen He hurried over. “I’ll carry those.”

 

He reached out.

 

Su Hao handed him the groceries and took out her keys. “Let’s go upstairs—it’s too hot.”

 

“Yeah, it’s even hotter here than in Kyoto,” Shen He said, following behind her.

 

She wore gray shorts and a black top, casual and relaxed. Her hair was tied up, a little messy, but her face was bare and still beautiful. Just looking at her made the oppressive heat feel calmer.

 

The building looked old, but there was a breeze in the stairwell. As they climbed, it grew cooler. Shen He frowned. “This place is kind of old.”

 

“The apartment’s fine,” Su Hao said as she opened the door. “And most importantly, it’s close to the office.”

 

Knowing Feijie was nearby, Shen He thought about it. “True.”

 

Inside, the apartment was clean and faintly scented. Shen He didn’t dare look around too much and sat on the sofa. Su Hao poured him a glass of water.

 

“Sit for a bit. I’ll cook.”

 

After a sip, Shen He stood up. “I’ll help.”

 

He was cleanly dressed, fingers long, every bit the refined young master. Su Hao glanced at him a few times and said, “Better not.”

 

“Hey, what do you mean by that?” Shen He protested.

 

Su Hao smiled without answering and turned into the kitchen.

 

Still unconvinced, Shen He lingered by the kitchen doorway. “I’ve done housework before, you know.”

 

Su Hao nodded as she worked. Her movements were quick and efficient; she knew exactly what to cook. The ingredients were prepped in no time.

 

Seeing this, Shen He gave up. Going in would only get in the way. He leaned against the doorway instead—she looked especially beautiful in an apron.

 

---

 

Yaolin specialized in aircraft wing manufacturing. Zhou Yang hadn’t originally planned to cooperate with them—after all, they hadn’t been established long, and their technical capabilities were unclear. While there was ongoing support for startups, immature technology was troublesome. This visit was mainly to inspect their R&D facilities.

 

After the tour, Zhou Yang had a clear assessment.

 

The vice president walked with him to the lounge outside the lab. Leaning against the railing, they chatted. Zhou Yang was young, while the vice president was already in his late forties—yet he still had to work under someone so young.

 

Zhou Yang offered several suggestions.

 

Resting his arm on the railing, he flicked his lighter open and shut, casual and nonchalant. “Safety comes first. How important this is—you should understand that well, President Qin.”

 

“Yes.”

 

After chatting a bit more, the vice president asked, “Is the Wen family in Kyoto cooperating with you, President Zhou?”

 

The lighter snapped shut.

 

Zhou Yang turned, looking at him with a half-smile. “Oh? You want to work with the Wen family too?”

 

“No, no—I was just asking. I heard they’re involved in this field as well.”

 

Assistant Lu, standing nearby, thought to himself how outdated the information was. The Wen family was cooperating with the Xu family on AI medical tech—and their secrecy was clearly well maintained.

 

Zhou Yang didn’t answer. He tilted his head, lit a cigarette, took out his phone, and opened WeChat, landing on Moments.

 

He scrolled casually.

 

Shen He: So good!

 

Photos / Photos / Photos

 

A full table of dishes—and a photo of the hallway at Huahui Residential Complex, probably for atmosphere. At a glance, Zhou Yang could tell it was Su Hao’s place.

 

He looked a few seconds longer, then backed out and opened the chat list.

 

Shen He: Brother Zhou Yang, eat up!
Shen He: [Photo]

 

A few seconds later, Zhou Yang typed with his well-defined fingers.

 

Zhou Yang: Eat by yourself.

 

---

 

Shen He hadn’t come to Licheng just to idle around. After lunch, he still had work to handle. He wouldn’t be able to ask Su Hao out that evening and felt a bit disappointed.

 

Su Hao walked him downstairs. “You still owe me a meal.”

 

Shen He froze, then laughed. “Right—today was your treat again!”

 

She tucked hair behind her ear. “How long are you staying in Licheng?”

 

“About a week. Once I’m done, I’ll invite you—definitely my treat.” A horn sounded behind him. Standing on the steps, Shen He looked at her seriously.

 

Su Hao smiled. “Okay. You’d better not forget.”

 

“I won’t!”

 

The horn sounded again. Shen He grew impatient and said goodbye before turning to leave. Su Hao stood at the stairwell, arms folded, watching his lean figure bend into the car as the black Mercedes drove off.

 

She turned back upstairs.

 

That evening, it suddenly poured. Su Hao rushed to bring in the bedsheets. Even moving quickly, she still got a little wet.

 

She took a hot shower right away and felt better.

 

On Monday morning, she woke with a dry throat, nothing else wrong. She didn’t think much of it. She even made breakfast and brought it to the finance department. After two days off, everyone felt sluggish, but work had piled up.

 

Su Hao pulled a chair next to Chen Yu, sniffed lightly, and buried herself in organizing receipts.

 

9:30 a.m.

 

Zhou Yang stepped out of the elevator, talking on the phone while tying his tie. Halfway through, he got lazy, yanked it off, and casually stuffed it into Assistant Lu’s hands.

 

President Zeng came out of his office and walked over. “President Zhou, for this trip to the Haishi branch, who are you planning to take?”

 

Zhou Yang said goodbye on the call and glanced toward the finance office.

 

From the moment he exited the elevator, Lu Mimi and Chen Yu had been watching closely. Both immediately looked up, hoping to be chosen.

 

Zhou Yang slipped his phone into his pocket, one hand loosely tucked in, and casually pointed at Su Hao, who had her head down and was busy working. “Her.”

 

“You book the ticket,” he added to Assistant Lu.

 

“Right away,” Assistant Lu replied, already pulling out his phone.

 

They left the finance department.

 

Chen Yu and Lu Mimi exchanged a glance, snorted softly, and turned back, disappointed—but relieved. As long as it wasn’t either of them, they were fine. And since it was Su Hao, they were even more at ease.

 

Su Hao only found out she was going on a business trip after lunch. Her throat still hurt a bit, but it didn’t affect much. It was her first business trip, so she asked Zhang Xian for advice.

 

Zhang Xian happened to be heading out to collect accounts and took Su Hao home to pack.

 

She rarely gave guidance, but this time she said more. “You need to be extra careful with the Haishi accounts. If you don’t understand something, take photos and send them to Chen Yu. That company has a lot of internal factions—it’s tricky.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“And President Zhou isn’t going there for the branch office. He’s handling military manufacturing matters. If you have any issues, don’t bother him. Call us—we’ll help.”

 

“Okay.”

 

After packing, Zhang Xian drove her straight to the airport. Outside, Assistant Lu was waiting and waved when he saw her.

 

Su Hao coughed a few times and pulled her suitcase along.

 

After checking in, time was tight. Assistant Lu escorted her to security. Zhou Yang was wearing sunglasses, head lowered as he listened to a young woman speaking.

 

A second later, he looked up and smiled, pointing her in a direction.

 

The woman blushed. “Thank you—I got it.”

 

She ran off, then came back shyly. “Um… can I add you on WeChat?”

 

Zhou Yang’s peripheral vision caught Su Hao. He removed his sunglasses, glanced at her, and said, “Boarding soon.”

 

Then he looked back at the woman, raised an eyebrow, and said, “You’re too young.”

 

Her face flushed instantly. Her eyes drifted toward Su Hao.

 

Su Hao stepped forward with her small bag, took her boarding pass and passport from Assistant Lu, and said to Zhou Yang, “Sorry.”

 

“Let’s go.” Zhou Yang glanced at his watch. Hearing the hoarseness in her voice, he paused and asked while handing over his passport, “Is your throat uncomfortable?”

 

“Maybe a bit of heatiness,” Su Hao said, rubbing her neck.

 

They passed security one after the other. He walked ahead—tall, striking, effortlessly charming.

 

Like a celebrity—drawing eyes everywhere.

 

After security, Zhou Yang bought a cup of warm water and handed it to her. “Drink more water. It’s a short flight to Haishi. Rest when we land.”

 

“Okay, thank you.” She sipped as they walked.

 

Zhou Yang took several calls.

 

Soon, they boarded.

 

The warm water soothed her stomach, and as soon as she sat down, she grew drowsy. It was business class—much more spacious. She pulled a blanket over herself and drifted off.

 

They arrived in Haishi at dusk.

 

Once outside the airport, Zhou Yang had to attend a banquet. Before leaving, he glanced at Su Hao. Seeing that she didn’t look well, he arranged for the hotel to deliver soft, easy-to-digest food.

 

She pulled a sun-protective jacket from her suitcase and put it on. “I’m fine.”

 

Zhou Yang got into another car, his gaze lingering on her. In the moonlight, her eyes seemed misty. He nodded, closed the door, and the car sped away.

 

At the hotel, Su Hao ate a little and fell asleep almost immediately—she was exhausted.

 

Haishi was an international hub. By the time Zhou Yang returned to the hotel, it was nearly eleven. Tugging at his tie, he checked the group chat—Jiang Yu and the others were chatting.

 

He swiped his keycard, chuckled, and sent a voice message. “Xu Dian won’t be able to clear his name even if he jumps into the Yellow River.”

 

“No kidding.”

 

“Zhou Yang, you single dog—always laughing at others. Watch yourself,” Yan Xing teased.

 

The door opened. Zhou Yang didn’t reply right away. He inserted the card, paused, then called the front desk, asking about the guest in Room 602. After the reply, his brows furrowed slightly.

 

He then asked the front desk to send the keycard for Room 602 along with a medical kit.

 

This hotel was managed by Wen Zexin.

 

They all had designated rooms here. Su Hao’s was one of them.

 

With the keycard and medical kit in hand, Zhou Yang swiped into Room 602. The group chat kept buzzing—everyone waiting to see him embarrassed.

 

He sent another voice message, laughing lowly with arrogance and confidence. “Just wait. See if I ever get tied down in this lifetime. You all underestimate me.”

 

Then he noticed the bedroom door ajar, the bed slightly raised.

 

Zhou Yang put down his phone, poured a glass of water, took out a fever reducer, and walked into the bedroom.

 

At the bedside, the woman turned over, her back facing him. Dark hair spilled across the white sheets. One shoulder was exposed—she hadn’t even changed clothes.

 

Zhou Yang bent down and lightly patted her shoulder. “Su Hao.”

 

Her clothes were thin. Under his palm, her skin was scorching hot.

 

She had a fever.

 

He patted her again. Instead of waking, she shifted farther away, her soft profile faintly visible, flushed. Zhou Yang raised an eyebrow, watching her inch away.

 

After a few seconds, his large hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back toward him.

 

She was light, soft—easily drawn over. Her brows were tightly knit, still asleep, clearly feverish and muddled.

 

Zhou Yang helped her up and fed her water. She didn’t swallow properly—most of it spilled out. He wiped it away with his fingers.

 

Her skin was burning—yet soft.

 

He paused.

 

A second later, his fingers pressed the fever medicine gently into her mouth.

 

Warm.

 

Feeling the movement, Su Hao finally stirred awake. When she opened her eyes, they were watery and unfocused, her lips cherry-red. Her frail, vulnerable state was dangerously alluring.

 

The words Zhou Yang was about to say caught in his throat.