The heartless beauty is addicted to being licked by a seemingly obedient and loyal dog.

The lingering awkwardness was dispelled by the unexpected interlude.

Su Shen shook her head, the smile on her lips not yet fully fading: "No, I think that gentleman... cares about you a lot."

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Song Yunqi's bare back.

Having just showered, the young man's slightly damp black hair clung to his skin, with a few strands hanging down along the lines of his collarbone. Occasionally, a drop or two of water would roll down the indentation of his spine, eventually disappearing into the loosely wrapped white bath towel around his waist.

This unabashed demeanor, so different from his impeccably tailored daytime appearance, exudes an allure that is both captivating and impossible to look away from.

When Song Yunqi heard the word "care," a complex emotion flashed in her eyes, seemingly indulgent yet also showing a clear-headed restraint.

"He's just a spoiled young master, a bit willful."

He chuckled softly and picked up the slightly cooled tea from the table, handing it over.

"Have some water. Your lips are dry from trying to defend me earlier."

Su Shen obediently accepted the teacup.

Their fingertips inevitably touched, and the faint sensation felt like a tiny electric current, instantly sending jolts up their spines.

Su Shen seemed to have been burned; her long eyelashes drooped quickly, and she took small sips from her cup to hide her suddenly racing heartbeat.

The silence stretched endlessly under the dim light.

Song Yunqi stood up as if she hadn't noticed anything, bringing with her a refreshing scent of bath soap.

He walked to the coat rack, took down a soft silk robe and draped it over his shoulders to cover his dazzling white skin, and then casually changed the bath towel around his waist.

"It's getting late, go to sleep."

Su Shen nodded obediently, put down her teacup, and tiptoed to the sofa to lie down.

He pulled the blanket up to his chin, revealing only a pair of beautiful, wet eyes. He turned his head so that he could see the profile of Song Yunqi's face, which was buried in the pillow, through the dim wall lamp.

"Good night, Mr. Song."

The sound was very soft, like a murmur in the empty suite.

"Yes, be careful in everything while I'm gone."

Song Yunqi closed her eyes and calmly responded, then raised her hand to turn off the last lamp on the wall.

The room was plunged into complete darkness.

……

The following morning, a light drizzle began to fall in the city.

Song Yunqi left the Pink Mansion at the crack of dawn. The black van drove through the rain and mist all the way to the hotel.

"The mess on Lantu's side has been completely resolved, and Song's team has taken over all of the company's operations..."

As Zhou Cheng drove, he reported on the progress of his work over the past few days. After three weeks of getting along, he felt less distant and fearful of Song Yunxi, and more intimate with her.

As they chatted, the topic somehow turned to Shen Chonglu. Zhou Cheng's expression began to turn strange, and Song Yunqi couldn't help but chuckle when she saw his bitter and resentful look.

Shen Chonglu is indeed difficult to please. Although he always acts like a dog when he's with me, being obedient and affectionate, he's a bit difficult to deal with when he's with others.

The two of them see each other all the time in the office, and Zhou Cheng seems to be really suffering from it.

Back at the hotel, Song Yunqi was about to go to the dressing room to pack her luggage when her phone suddenly rang in her pocket.

Upon picking it up, the words "Meng Zhaoyuan" appeared on the screen.

He answered the call, turned on speakerphone, and casually placed the phone on the jade table in the entryway.

As soon as the call connected, a noisy background noise came through the receiver.

There were sounds of suitcases being dragged across the floor, airport announcements, and a man's slightly disordered breathing, as if he were in a hurry.

"Yunqi! Are you still in Haishi?"

Meng Zhaoyuan's cheerful voice came over, panting but unable to hide his excitement.

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"Which hotel are you at? Send me your location, and I'll come straight there to you."

The sound of a car door slamming shut came from the other side, followed by the roar of an engine; the noisy background noise finally subsided.

"The old man is really serious this time. He thinks I'm not doing my job properly in Beijing, so he put me on a plane to Shanghai early this morning, saying I'm here to gain experience and expand the business of this branch. He won't let me go back to Beijing until I make a name for myself."

At this point, Meng Zhaoyuan chuckled on the other end of the phone, his tone tinged with disdain and annoyance:

"Actually, I know perfectly well that he's just afraid that if I keep hanging around you in Beijing, it will upset the Lu family."

"Your good brother is keeping an eye on everyone who associates with the Song family. The old man is timid and worried about being retaliated against by the Lu family."

"Perfect timing! I remember you were also on a business trip to Haishi. Would you like to meet up?"

As Song Yunxi listened to the other person's rapid-fire complaints, her gaze fell on the open suitcase in the center of the living room. After a moment's thought, she gave the hotel name and room number.

Half an hour later, the doorbell rang.

Meng Zhaoyuan didn't even use an umbrella, stepping into the house in a pair of custom-made leather shoes that were wet with rain.

The stray hairs on his forehead were damp and stuck to his forehead, making him look travel-worn, but his eyes lit up the moment he saw Song Yunxi.

However, when his gaze shifted downwards and landed on the half-packed suitcase at Song Yunqi's feet, the corners of his mouth immediately fell back.

"Hmm? Are you getting ready to leave?"

He covered his head in disbelief, took two steps to the sofa, and slumped into the cushions in frustration.

"I barely landed, and you're already trying to run away?"

Don't overthink it.

"This business trip has been delayed by almost a week. My flight is at 2 pm, and I have two high-level meetings waiting for me back in Beijing."

Song Yunxi poured a glass of warm water and handed it to him, her expression calm: "Your timing is indeed unfortunate."

Meng Zhaoyuan took the water glass but didn't drink it. He glanced down at the time on his watch, and his gloomy expression inexplicably brightened.

"It's only a little past nine o'clock, we still have about half a day. How about we grab lunch together?"

Song Yunqi did not answer immediately.

He walked around the sofa and sat down in the single chair opposite Meng Zhaoyuan.

Sunlight streamed in through the raindrops on the French windows, making the young man's face appear excessively pale, while his dark phoenix eyes remained unfathomable.

"Zhaoyuan".

Song Yunxi rarely called him by name, and spoke very slowly: "Do you know the Pink Mansion?"

Meng Zhaoyuan, who was looking down and playing with his water glass, suddenly stopped.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, seemingly not expecting those two words to come from Song Yunxi, who was always aloof and rarely even set foot in clubs.

"Pink Mansion? I've heard of it."

"I heard it's located in the old concession area, and it's very high-end."

"The young masters in Beijing might not know, but I spent a few years in Shanghai, and with my reputation as a womanizer, how could I not know about this den of iniquity?"

As he spoke, a hint of inquiry appeared in his eyes, and he leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Song Yunqi's face:

"But you usually find even high-class karaoke bars and regular drinking parties dirty, so why would you pay attention to this kind of shady private club?"