Qin Shu was no match for Han Pei.
Not because he was loud, or pushy, or dramatic—he wasn't. It was worse than that.
Han Pei was calm.
His love was straightforward. His gaze was deep. His patience was terrifying.
And Qin Shu… had no idea how to fight a man who didn't play games.
After a long pause, she finally asked, "How do I coax him?" without daring to meet his eyes.
Han Pei replied, "I will answer any questions."
Qin Shu looked up again and laughed, half disbelief and half nerves. "That's it?"
This was already the biggest concession Han Pei had ever made in his life—emotionally, professionally, spiritually. The man who never explained anything to anyone was now offering her… unlimited access.
Han Pei smiled faintly. "Then tell me, and I'll do as you say."
Qin Shu raised her wine glass like it was a shield. "I was just joking. I wasn't really throwing a tantrum."
Han Pei didn't press. "I'll owe you this time. You can ask me for it anytime later."
Qin Shu stared at him. "What do you want?"
Han Pei said patiently, "I said I would coax you, but you won't accept it now. So I'll owe you one."
Qin Shu rubbed her temples. "I don't know if I drank too much."
Han Pei: "Huh?"
Qin Shu muttered, "I drank some red wine and I feel like I'm hallucinating."
Because Fang Muhe had said it more than once: Han Pei was cold-hearted, rational, and had no patience for women.
But Han Pei only looked at her quietly and said, "Patience and time vary from person to person. If you don't want to do something, you won't have time."
Then he went back to what mattered.
"I was wrong tonight. I told you we were going to talk business at a club, but you ended up seeing me drinking with a woman at the bar."
He explained calmly, "She's my classmate. She works in investment. We've collaborated on projects. She consulted me about some personal matters tonight, so I didn't go upstairs."
Qin Shu blinked.
She honestly hadn't expected him to explain it so seriously.
She laughed softly. "Now that you explain it like that, I feel like I'm being unreasonable."
Han Pei reached out and took her wine glass. "Drink less. Your face is all red."
Seeing him stand, she asked, "Are you going back?"
Han Pei half-joked, "How dare I go back before I've even appeased her?"
Qin Shu: "…"
Then Han Pei pulled her up. "Didn't you ask me last time if I could play the piano? I'll play a piece for you."
Qin Shu stared. "You really want to go downstairs to play?"
She didn't mind attention. She was used to it. But Han Pei?
A man like him… doing this in public?
Han Pei walked toward the stairs. "Why postpone something that can be done now?"
Downstairs, the manager quickly arranged sheet music—bound together neatly, full of pieces Qin Shu liked.
Qin Shu hesitated. "Do you want to practice?"
Han Pei rejected it. "No need. If it's wrong, it's wrong."
He sat down at the piano.
Tried a few notes.
Rusty.
But still… steady.
Qin Shu stood beside him, flipping pages. "What piece do you want?"
Han Pei: "Whatever."
He flipped straight to page twenty-three.
Qin Shu's eyebrow twitched.
Why are you obsessed with 23?
Han Pei picked up the microphone and said a few words: he hadn't played for years, he would definitely make mistakes, please forgive him.
Most people didn't care—they were drinking, laughing, living their own chaos.
But some noticed.
Applause scattered.
Whistles.
Then Han Pei turned off the mic and said softly:
"This piece is dedicated to my Qiqi."
Qin Shu's heart jumped.
And just like that, she asked for another glass of wine—because what else was she supposed to do with her face burning like this?
The first section of the music was wrong.
Han Pei didn't care.
He played anyway.
Not smooth. Not perfect. Not powerful.
But attentive.
And sincere.
And Qin Shu listened like the whole bar had disappeared.
Of course, nothing romantic could happen peacefully in this world.
Bu Yi looked up from his game, saw Han Pei at the piano, and saw Qin Shu standing next to him.
His soul left his body.
He grabbed Fang Muhe.
"Aunt Fang! Wake up! WAKE UP!"
Fang Muhe swatted him. "Go away."
Bu Yi panicked. "Something terrible happened! Qiqi stole someone else's man!"
Fang Muhe sat up. "What?"
Bu Yi pointed wildly. "There!"
Fang Muhe squinted.
Then his face twisted. "Are you crazy?!"
Bu Yi started rambling: Han Pei had been drinking with a woman last night, Qin Shu said he was handsome, she joked about finding Bu Yi a brother-in-law, and now she was standing beside him like a heroine in a romance drama.
Bu Yi stormed forward.
Fang Muhe yanked him back. "Rest. With your IQ, no wonder you can't win the girl you like."
Bu Yi: "…"
Fang Muhe explained, irritated, "Han Pei doesn't have a girlfriend. He was introduced to Qiqi by her family."
Bu Yi blinked. "Why do you know but I don't?"
Fang Muhe: "Only intelligent people know these things."
Bu Yi: "..."
Even Fang Muhe couldn't stop staring.
Han Pei… playing the piano to make a woman happy?
That was not just weird.
That was unholy.
Later, after the performance, Han Pei brought Qin Shu warm water.
"Put down the wine."
Qin Shu drank the water, then leaned back on the sofa. "Can I take a nap? I'm so sleepy. I haven't slept properly since I came back to China."
Han Pei asked for a blanket.
Qin Shu fell asleep quickly.
Han Pei glanced at her bare ankles. He touched her feet lightly.
Ice cold.
He took off his trench coat and lifted her feet onto his lap.
Qin Shu's eyes fluttered open. "What?"
Han Pei said softly, "It's more comfortable to sleep with your legs elevated. It also warms your feet."
She tried to move.
He pressed her legs down gently and wrapped his coat around her.
"Go to sleep. I'll wake you in an hour."
But he didn't.
Because she slept.
Deeply.
And Han Pei stayed.
All night.
At 3:30 a.m., Fang Muhe finally woke up and realized Qin Shu was missing.
He called her.
No answer.
He called again.
No answer.
He almost smashed Bu Yi's phone in rage.
Then Manager Fang calmly told them: "Miss Qin and President Han are in the rest area on the second floor."
Fang Muhe marched upstairs.
Stopped.
The lights were dim.
Qin Shu lay asleep, wrapped in a blanket.
Her legs and feet were wrapped in Han Pei's coat.
Han Pei sat at her feet, leaning back against the sofa.
Asleep.
Like a man who had quietly surrendered.
Bu Yi's eyes nearly exploded. "HOLY CRAP, WHAT IS THIS?!"
Fang Muhe hissed, "Keep your voice down."
Then, without waking them, he turned around and left.
Because for once…
He didn't feel like interfering.
Morning came.
Six o'clock.
Qin Shu woke up.
And froze.
She looked around.
A clubhouse?
Then she saw Han Pei sitting at her feet, looking at her.
His voice was hoarse. "Awake?"
Qin Shu: "…"
She closed her eyes again instantly.
Nope. I refuse this reality.
She replayed everything.
The wine.
The piano.
The coat.
Her legs on his lap.
His trench coat around her feet.
The fact that she slept all night while he sat all night.
Slowly, she lifted an arm to cover her face.
Han Pei didn't rush her. He checked his phone: missed calls from Han Cen, messages from Qiu Lan.
He gently patted her leg.
"Are you going to keep sleeping?"
Qin Shu muttered, "I'm not sleeping. I'm just… calming down."
Then, without looking at him, she asked, "Why didn't you wake me up last night?"
Han Pei said quietly, "You called out. You said you were sleepy."
That was all.
No drama.
No boasting.
Just… care.
He covered her feet again and said, "Get up. If you're still sleepy, go home, shower, and sleep again."
He stood and put on his trench coat.
"I have to go to the company. I won't have time to see you off."
Qin Shu sat up, pressing her temples.
No headache.
No throbbing.
For the first time in years, she had slept properly.
She looked at him.
And her throat tightened.
"I'm sorry I kept you up all night."
Han Pei only said, "It's nothing."
Then he turned to leave.
At the top of the stairs, Qin Shu suddenly called out:
"Han Pei."
He stopped. "Hmm?"
She swallowed.
Then said, "I'll go for a run with you tonight."
Han Pei paused.
Then smiled.
But he didn't promise too easily.
"I'm busy today. I might not have time to run tonight."
He looked at her. "Are you busy during the day?"
Qin Shu shook her head. "I have a holiday before Christmas."
Han Pei nodded. "Then come to the company. Wait for me."
Qin Shu left the clubhouse.
Went home.
Showered.
Made breakfast.
Took a photo and sent it to Yan Yan.
Yan Yan nearly died of gossip.
"You made this yourself??"
Then Yan Yan typed like her life depended on it:
"Did you sleep with Han Pei last night?? Is that why you're in such a good mood?!"
Qin Shu laughed.
"Almost."
Yan Yan: "WHAT DO YOU MEAN ALMOST?!"
And while Yan Yan was still losing her mind, Qin Shu said the words she had never said seriously in her life:
"I want to buy Han Pei a Christmas gift."
Qin Shu stood in the mall crowd, her phone pressed to her ear, smiling as she walked through the noise.
She was buying a gift for Han Pei.
But she didn't know yet—
That on the other side of the city, Han Pei was also preparing something for her.
And neither of them had any idea…
That the next person she would run into would shatter her calm completely.