From Yu Chen's point of view, the world seemed to slow for a moment.
His gaze fell directly on Xiaoxi, who stood atop his bed—her wavy hair tumbling freely, face flushed in panic, and his white shirt hanging loosely on that small frame.
And somehow, beyond the chaos and ridiculousness, there was something else—an unexpected allure.
The silhouette of the oversized shirt falling to her thighs created an unintentional charm.
Not because Xiaoxi meant to be seductive, but because her innocence itself was what drew the eye.
Yu Chen froze.
His body responded in a way he hadn't anticipated.
There was something down there that also "woke," a physical reaction that startled even him.
His expression stiffened for a split second, eyes widening before he quickly turned his gaze away—as if nothing had happened.
He inhaled sharply, trying to restrain the surge that had risen out of nowhere.
But at that very moment, Xiaoxi's distinct voice struck his ears.
"HEY! Mr. Wei Yu Chen! Explain to me right now—why am I here?! Why am I wearing YOUR SHIRT?! Why did I sleep in the same bed with you?!"
Xiaoxi pointed accusingly at him, still standing on the bed, her tone dramatic, face a mix of panic, disbelief, and the verge of tears.
"What happened last night?! Don't you dare say—you—wahhhh no no no, I'm still pure, I'm still innocent, I—Aaaaaargh!"
Yu Chen merely looked at her with a flat expression, though inside him, a storm was barely contained.
His lips moved slightly; his voice came out low and cool.
"Can you be quiet for five seconds before my brain explodes from your shrieking?"
He lay back down, eyes closed—not to sleep, but to calm the storm that had just risen inside him.
The sound of Xiaoxi's endless complaints still filled the room, but strangely, it didn't irritate him anymore.
"Strange… since when did noise like this feel warm?"
In his heart, the emptiness that had long been cold and hollow…
slowly began to take on color.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the aroma of warm porridge and ginger tea filled the morning air.
Aunt Li busied herself preparing breakfast, deftly chopping scallions while stirring the pot.
At the dining table, Jiang Fan sat with his laptop open, typing quickly while keeping his composed expression.
Aunt Li started the conversation with a cheerful tone.
"Master Jiang… since Miss Xiao came, I've noticed Young Master Yu seems… different. This morning, when I went to tidy his room, I nearly dropped everything from what I saw."
Jiang Fan stopped typing, glancing up with a teasing smile.
"Something unusual? Haha, don't tell me… you saw Miss Xiao in Yu Chen's room?"
Aunt Li chuckled softly, her hands still busy with the knife.
"Not just that, Master Jiang… they were sleeping in each other's arms."
Clatter!
The chair scraped as Jiang Fan turned sharply, eyes wide in disbelief.
The laptop he had been focusing on nearly slammed shut.
"You're serious? You saw it yourself?"
Aunt Li nodded firmly, her face a blend of shock and delight.
"Yes, with my own eyes. Until now, the only person who's ever shared that bed with Young Master Yu was… Young Master Yuan Bo. But this time—"
Jiang Fan exhaled deeply, leaning back in his chair.
His expression sharpened, but a small, knowing smile curved his lips.
"Hm… good. This is actually a good thing."
Aunt Li met his eyes, nodding in agreement.
"Exactly. With Miss Xiao around, maybe Young Master Yu will finally change. We must make sure she stays close to him."
Jiang Fan crossed his arms, his tone calm but calculated.
"Don't worry, Auntie. I'll handle it."
Their expressions carried the same intent—hope, and perhaps the sense that this could alter Yu Chen's life in ways neither could predict.
But then, a loud scream pierced through the tranquility of the house—Xiaoxi's voice, echoing straight from the master bedroom.
Aunt Li and Jiang Fan exchanged glances, identical smirks tugging at their lips.
Without a word, they walked side by side toward Wei Yu Chen's room.
The master bedroom door creaked open.
Aunt Li entered first, raising her hands in a calming gesture, followed by Jiang Fan, whose expression was serious—but barely hiding a grin.
"Miss, miss… please calm down," said Aunt Li gently, her motherly tone softening the tension.
"Let us explain everything."
Xiaoxi, still standing on the bed with her messy curls, hurriedly jumped down.
Her bare feet hit the floor with a small thud as she stared wide-eyed at Aunt Li and Jiang Fan.
Her face was flushed crimson, and the oversized white shirt fluttered with every move.
Meanwhile, Wei Yu Chen sat at the edge of the bed, now fully awake.
His tall frame was still wrapped in the remnants of sleep.
His gaze fell on Xiaoxi, standing in the center of the room in pure panic.
His expression—a mix of disbelief and exhaustion toward the absurdity unfolding before him.
"...Utterly ridiculous," he muttered, his tone so faint it nearly disappeared.
Xiaoxi immediately pointed at him, voice rising again.
"Wait—wait! I still don't get it! How did I end up here, in your private room?! And why—why am I wearing your clothes?!"
She tugged at the hem of the oversized shirt, her face burning with embarrassment and anger.
"This is… this is insane! Explain before I lose my mind!"
Jiang Fan closed the laptop he'd been holding, stepping forward.
His tone calm, almost too composed.
> "Miss Xiao… that night, you fainted from exhaustion and severe fever. We took you to the hospital. You were the one who called Wei Yu Chen, though your voice wasn't clear. When you passed out, there was only one person you kept calling… him."
His gaze flickered toward Yu Chen, whose face remained unreadable, though his eyes glinted sharply.
"After the doctor confirmed your condition was stable, we had to move you immediately—
to avoid media attention or any hospital leaks that could cause a scandal.
The safest option was to bring you here—to Young Master Wei Yu Chen's residence."
Xiaoxi froze.
Her mouth fell open, but no sound came.
She blinked several times, processing the revelation.
"So… I—I was the one who called him? Then… I was hospitalized? And I—slept in the same bed with him?!
Haaaa?! Is this a drama plot or my actual life?!"
She slapped both hands over her face, collapsing into a sit at the edge of the bed, caught between humiliation and despair.
Aunt Li bit her lip to stifle laughter, while Jiang Fan rubbed his temple in amusement.
Across from them, Yu Chen simply stared, his expression unreadable but his eyes speaking one clear sentence:
"How troublesome this creature is."
Suddenly, flashes of memory struck Xiaoxi's mind.
Her face paled; her eyes widened as realization dawned.
"Wait… that night… I actually called him?!"
Flashback
That night, Xiaoxi's body burned with fever.
Cold sweat drenched her temples; her vision blurred.
She staggered inside her tiny apartment, trembling fingers searching for her phone.
"I… I can't anymore…"
Her voice was hoarse, barely a whisper.
With fading strength, she scrolled through her contacts—her vision spinning.
The name she intended to press: Wei Lili.
But in her confusion, her trembling finger tapped the wrong one—Wei Yu Chen.
Tut… tut… the call connected.
"Lili… help me…"
Her voice came weak, broken, on the other side of the line—
unaware that the deep voice responding wasn't her friend's.
"Xiaoxi? Where are you?!"
Yu Chen's voice rang through—sharp, urgent, carrying worry he rarely allowed himself to feel.
But Xiaoxi was too far gone to tell the difference.
"Don't leave me alone… I'm so tired… Lili…"
Then, her body collapsed.
Everything went black.
End of Flashback
Xiaoxi jolted upright, her face burning crimson.
She smacked her cheeks in horror.
"Wha—WHAT?! So that night, I was trying to call Lili… but—but I called Wei Yu Chen instead?! Oh my god—I'm dead. I'm absolutely dead of shame!!"
She buried her face in both hands, curling up like a ball at the edge of the bed.
"Why did my stupid finger have to miss?! Why did I have to call him of all people?! I can't live anymore—Aaaaahhh!!"
Aunt Li coughed softly to hide her laughter, and Jiang Fan shook his head, fighting a grin.
Wei Yu Chen, meanwhile, simply stared—cold expression, but a faint flicker in his eyes.
"So that's what happened," he said quietly, voice low and measured.
"You didn't even know who you were calling… yet you still said my name, as if I were the only one who could save you."
Xiaoxi whipped her head up, face redder than before.
"Eh? Eh?! Don't twist it like that! It was a mistake—a total mistake!"
Yu Chen exhaled slowly and turned away.
Yet, at the corner of his lips, there was the faintest curve—so small it could almost be missed.