After ninety-nine online romances, I finally met my ex in person when school started.

Zhu Xun Chuan ate the candy, then pinched Qu Fei Yan's smooth calf with his other hand.

He then firmly pressed down on the other two feet that were struggling under the table.

"Yes, I have them." Zhu Xun Chuan picked up the purple clay teapot, poured two more cups, and handed them to Pei Yanyu and Xia Wanying respectively.

His touch was subtle; the contact under the table made Pei Yanyu and Xia Wanying feel a sense of reassurance, and the two of them withdrew their feet and picked up their teacups.

This bloodless annihilation, within this gentle embrace, has become an extremely commonplace occurrence.

Night fell. The temperature in the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons plummeted.

Zhu Xun Chuan finished reading the property restructuring report submitted by Xia Wan Ying in his study.

Very light footsteps came from outside the door.

"Knock knock".

The door was pushed open a crack. Pei Yanrou poked half her body in.

She had just taken a shower and was wearing a very thin white lace nightgown with very thin straps that left faint red marks on her fair skin.

Her hair was wet and draped over her shoulders, with water droplets dripping down her collarbone.

She was barefoot on the wooden floor, nervously clutching the hem of her nightgown like a frightened little rabbit.

"Brother Chuan..." Pei Yanrou's voice was so soft it was almost dripping with water, and her eyes were still slightly red.

Zhu Xun Chuan put down the documents in his hand.

Pei Yanrou swallowed hard and bravely walked up to him.

"My sister said that after she finishes dealing with things here, she still wants to go back to the entertainment industry to act. She's used to that kind of life." Pei Yanrou lowered her head, not daring to look Zhu Xun Chuan in the eye. "From now on, I will still be the head of the Pei family. But I... I don't know anything, and I'm afraid I won't be able to manage it well."

She suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with tears, conveying a sense of reckless courage and extreme dependence.

"Brother Chuan, I want you to... stamp my coat." She stood on tiptoe and gripped Zhu Xun Chuan's clothes tightly with both hands.

Zhu Xun Chuan stood up. He grasped her slender waist with his large hand, and with a slight effort, lifted her up and placed her securely on the large rosewood desk.

"How do you plan to build it?" Zhu Xunchuan asked.

Pei Yanrou bit her lower lip. She closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and leaned closer to his face.

Breathing mingled. She was inexperienced and awkwardly probed.

The door lock clicked softly. The wooden door was pushed open.

Pei Yanyu walked in.

She was wearing a pure black silk robe, with the belt loosely tied at the waist.

Hearing the sound, Pei Yanrou suddenly opened her eyes. She quickly let go of her hand, shrank back, and accidentally bumped into the blue stone pen holder on the desk.

"Sister." Pei Yanrou lowered her head, twisting the hem of her lace dress with both hands.

Pei Yanyu closed the door behind her and locked it.

She walked barefoot to the desk.

"Is this what you mean by handling serious matters?" Pei Yanyu looked at Zhu Xunchuan, her tone indifferent.

Zhu Xun Chuan remained seated in his chair, not getting up. He raised his right hand, grabbed Pei Yan Yu's wrist, and pulled her back.

Pei Yanyu did not resist and straddled his lap.

She turned to look at her younger sister on the desk. "Why are you hiding? He's the Pei family's biggest backer. There's nothing wrong with you trying to curry favor with him."

Pei Yanrou's cheeks were flushed.

Pei Yanyu leaned on Zhu Xunchuan's shoulder. "Your sister is yours. You have to make sure she stays in the position of family head. She's too soft-hearted and can't control those collateral branches."

Zhu Xun Chuan put his left arm around Pei Yan Yu's waist and pulled Pei Yan Rou's hand closer to him with his right. "Don't worry, I've taken care of the Pei family's affairs. No one dares to touch her."

The following evening. The kitchen inside the Pei family residence.

Zhu Xun Chuan took off his dark gray haute couture trench coat, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and stood in front of the old-fashioned earthen stove.

A pot of old hen soup was simmering, steam rising from it.

Pei Yanrou, wearing a floral apron, stood by the sink washing vegetables. The water rinsed the leaves. She washed them carefully, but her gaze kept drifting towards Zhu Xunchuan. It was an extreme form of dependence and adoration.

Pei Yanyu moved a wooden chair and sat down at the kitchen doorway.

She changed into a simple cotton-linen long dress. The aloof and unapproachable aura she usually exuded on screen completely vanished. She rested her chin on her hand, quietly watching the man in front of the stove.

"Turn the fire down," Zhu Xunchuan said.

Pei Yanrou immediately turned around to turn off the small valve.

"Bring me the plate." Zhu Xun Chuan tossed the stir-fried vegetables out of the wok.

Pei Yanrou stepped forward, carrying a blue and white porcelain plate in both hands.

Zhu Xunchuan placed the dishes on a plate. Pei Yanrou casually picked up a wet tissue from the side and gently wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

Pei Yanyu watched this scene and said, "Yanrou."

Pei Yanrou turned around.

"The family head's seal will be handed over tomorrow morning." Pei Yanyu's tone left no room for doubt. "Tomorrow you will officially take over the accounts of all the medicinal fields in the Ten Thousand Mountains. You will be responsible for all the handover work with President Xia."

Pei Yanrou froze on the spot. The plate in her hand slid down. Zhu Xunchuan reacted quickly, catching the plate with one hand.

"Sister, are you really giving up?" Pei Yanrou's voice trembled.

Pei Yanyu nodded. "It's been three years. I haven't slept well every night. Now the mole has been purged, and the overseas drug lords have been brought down. With him around, no one in the Thirty-Six Strongholds dares to point fingers at you."

She stood up and walked behind Zhu Xun Chuan. She put her hands through his arms and wrapped them around his waist. She pressed her cheek against his broad back.

"I should go back. I'm an actress. I just want to go back to filming, or be your personal assistant." Pei Yanyu closed her eyes, her tone filled with the relief of exhaustion.

Pei Yanrou looked at her sister and nodded vigorously. "I will definitely protect the Pei family and never let you down."

After dinner. In the master bedroom of the inner courtyard.

Zhu Xun Chuan sat on the mahogany canopy bed. He was looking through the investment documents from Dinghe Capital that Xia Wan Ying had sent him.

The door opened.

Pei Yanyu and Pei Yanrou walked in one after the other.

They didn't wear elaborate Miao ethnic costumes. Instead, they changed into matching silk cheongsams.

Pei Yanyu was dressed in all black, while Pei Yanrou was dressed in all white.

A high-slit skirt, long, straight legs. The same face, but completely opposite auras. Double the visual impact.

Pei Yanyu held a bottle of Romanée-Conti and two crystal glasses. She walked to the bedside table, pulled out the cork, and poured two glasses of wine.

Pei Yanrou walked to the bedside and took off her velvet slippers. She climbed onto the bed and knelt directly in front of Zhu Xunchuan.

"My sister said we have nothing else to repay you with," Pei Yanrou said softly. She reached out and unbuttoned the first button on the collar of her cheongsam.

Pei Yanyu walked over with a wine glass in her hand. She handed a glass of wine to Zhu Xunchuan.

"Drink this." Pei Yanyu downed most of her glass of red wine. "At least I don't have to deal with work tonight. We'll keep you company."

Zhu Xun Chuan put down the documents, took the wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

He placed the empty glass aside. He reached out with both hands, pressed down on the back of their necks, and pulled them towards him.

Black and white twin flowers.

As night deepened, only the sound of wind rustling through the leaves remained outside the bamboo house.