The sickly one in F4 was the group's darling.

The three of them walked to the corner of the corridor.

A pot of golden-edged sword-leaf orchid is placed against the wall, its emerald green leaves are spread out and glossy, and the soil in the pot is moist but not damp, which is obviously taken care of by someone every day.

As Bai Jiheng passed by, he casually brushed aside a few orchid leaves. Seeing this, Uncle Chen, who was walking ahead, quietly reached out and gently put the leaves back in their place.

"Young Master, this sword-leaf orchid was just repotted last month. Its branches and leaves are delicate, so please handle it gently."

"You changed the pot? No wonder it feels different than before," Bai Jiheng replied casually.

Uncle Chen seized the opportunity to bring up old grievances: "Speaking of which, last month when you drove back, you ran over a row of newly laid lawn pavers, and the tire tracks haven't faded yet. And years ago, the orchid that the old man cherished was blown to pieces by the strong winds brought on by the helicopter take-off and landing..."

"Alright, alright, that's all old news, let's not talk about it anymore." Bai Jiheng quickly interrupted, unwilling to hear any more about his "dark history".

Bai Ci, curious, pressed on, asking, "What orchid?"

"It's nothing." Bai Jiheng quickly changed the subject, gesturing with his hand, "Let's go, go back to your room and rest early."

The three of them quickly reached a fork in the corridor. Bai Jiheng was about to turn into his room when a shout suddenly came from behind him.

"Third Brother."

Bai Jiheng paused, turned to look at Bai Ci, and asked with a hint of habitual impatience, "What?"

"Thank you for tonight," Bai Ci said with exceptional sincerity.

"Okay, stop dawdling."

Before Bai Ci could say anything more, he turned around and quickly turned into the corner, his figure soon disappearing into the corridor.

Uncle Chen shook his head with a helpless smile, led Bai Ci forward, and gently pushed open the door.

"Young Master, please come in. This evening, the eldest young master specifically instructed that your room have been tidied up again, and all the bedding and toiletries have been replaced. Please stay here for now, and if you need anything or if there is anything that doesn't suit your taste, you can change it anytime."

Bai Ci stepped into the room and looked around.

The original owner's room was much more spacious than he had imagined.

The floor-to-ceiling windows face the back garden, letting in the bright moonlight that casts a soft, silvery glow on the floor. Heavy, off-white curtains hang half-drawn, gentle and clean, making the pure white bedding in the room appear even more crisp and refreshing.

The wardrobe next to it had one door open, and inside hung several sets of brand-new loungewear and pajamas, all in pristine condition.

An exquisite white falcon lamp sits on the bedside table, next to which stands a small white porcelain vase with a few sprigs of pale purple flowers, their fragrance delicate and elegant.

"These flowers were just cut from the flowerbed," Uncle Chen explained gently. "I thought adding some color to the bedside would prevent the room from feeling too cold and lonely."

"It looks great." Bai Ci nodded gently.

Uncle Chen pointed and said, "I have a few sets of ready-made clothes and loungewear in the wardrobe. I only picked out the styles today because of the time constraints. The designer will come to take your measurements tomorrow, and then the colors, cuts, and styles will all be custom-made to your liking."

"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Chen."

"It's all part of my job." Uncle Chen's tone was gentle, with a hint of regret. "It's just that the young master used to be too quiet, always keeping to himself. He mostly stayed in his room, rarely going out or interacting with his family. I never really understood your preferences, and although I wanted to take better care of you, I didn't know where to start."

Bai Ci, recalling the original owner's lonely past, replied, "It's not that you did anything wrong. From now on, I will take the initiative to tell you if I need anything."

Uncle Chen smiled gently upon hearing this: "That's good. From now on, if there's anything you want or like, just let me know, and I'll gradually memorize your preferences."

He then added in detail, "The water heater in the bathroom is already set, and towels and bathrobes are all prepared. There's a call bell by the bedside, so you can call me anytime if anything happens at night."

"Furthermore, the young master specifically instructed that there's no need to get up early for breakfast tomorrow; you can sleep in as late as you like, and the kitchen can prepare whatever you want for each meal."

"Okay, I understand," Bai Ci replied obediently.

Goodnight, young master.

Uncle Chen bowed slightly, tiptoed out of the room, and slowly closed the door.

The room fell completely silent.

Bai Ci stood there, letting out a long sigh of relief, finally letting go of the tension that had been building up for days.

"Phew, finally it's over!" Xiao Qi's excited voice echoed in my mind. "Today was one event after another, from confrontations to dealing with banquets. I was on tenterhooks for you the whole time!"

"Really? So you're even more nervous than I am," Bai Ci said softly.

"Of course! I have to keep an eye on your condition at all times, and it's not convenient for me to interrupt."

Xiao Qi said with a hint of teasing, "Speaking of which, Bai Jiheng was outwardly stubborn but secretly protected you at every turn today. He's definitely number one in being stubborn on the outside but soft on the inside!"

"Third Brother is just straightforward." Bai Ci's lips curved slightly.

Xiaoqi changed the subject and said, "By the way, I've checked it carefully. This house is very safe. There are no snakes or troublesome outsiders. I can rest peacefully tonight."

Upon hearing the word "snake," Bai Ci instinctively shrank back, a hint of fear appearing on her face.

"Let's not talk about that..."

"Okay, okay." Xiaoqi wisely shut up, then softly reminded her, "After you take a shower, you need to go to bed early. You've had a long day and need a deep rest to recover. Goodnight, bye-bye."

Goodnight, Xiaoqi.

Bai Ci sat on the edge of the bed for a while before the overwhelming drowsiness subsided slightly. He got up, grabbed a clean set of pajamas, and went into the bathroom.

The warm water poured down, instantly enveloping his entire body. His nerves, which had been tense all day, finally relaxed, and he comfortably squinted his eyes slightly.

The rising steam, soft and warm, gradually dispelled the fatigue of the dinner and melted away the apprehension and unease weighing on my heart.

He didn't want anything.

I don't want the hidden confrontation at the banquet, I don't want Shen Tinglan's meaningful words, and I especially don't want that lurking python that will return sooner or later.

At this moment, all he wanted was to steal a little peace and quiet.

But after taking a bath, his already weak body was almost completely drained of strength.

He laboriously raised his hand to wipe himself, his movements slow and heavy.

I reluctantly put on my pajamas and pushed open the bathroom door.

The temperature difference between the room and the bathroom was ridiculously large. The bathroom was steaming hot, while the room was chilled by the November night wind all night long, feeling like another world.

He forgot to close the window before entering the bathroom. The off-white curtains were blown high by the wind, and moonlight and cold air poured in together, leaving the floor a cold white expanse.

The alternating hot and cold stimuli came too quickly.

Bai Ci had just inhaled a breath of cold air when she felt a bucket of ice water being poured over her head. Her blood vessels constricted abruptly, her heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, and her head buzzed as she fell into a daze. The moonlight, the curtains, and the floor in front of her began to spin and shake violently.

Before he could even shout, he instinctively reached out to grab the wall, only to find nothing.

His knee slammed heavily on the floor, a sharp, dull pain exploding within him. Then his body lurched to the side, his shoulder slamming into the corner of the bed with a muffled thud.

The world fell completely silent.

He curled up on the cold ground, his consciousness plunging into silent darkness.