After a moment of silence, a light laugh came from the other end of the line, "Okay, I understand."
Mo Shiqian hummed in response, and then hung up the phone, casually placing it in front of him.
Chi Huan lived alone; the white Ferrari stopped downstairs of the upscale apartment.
Only then did the woman in the passenger seat open her eyes, "Have we arrived?"
Mo Shiqian got out of the car first and opened the door for her.
Seeing her slow movements, he bent over and, without a word, reached out to undo her seatbelt for her.
"Mo Shiqian."
Her voice lacked its usual softness, sounding somewhat cool and a bit hoarse.
"Hmm?"
"I'm not feeling well, I don't have the strength."
The man didn't speak and directly lifted her out of the car, his knee nudging the door closed.
Chi Huan's forehead rested against his shoulder, her seaweed-like long hair falling down, lifted by the wind.
She called his name in a low voice again, "Mo Shiqian."
"Hmm."
"Make sure today's issue is taken care of cleanly, I don't want to see any gossip about it in the media."
"It will be handled well."
Mo Shiqian carried her from the parking area into the apartment, the cool breeze passing through, quiet enough to refresh one's soul.
Chi Huan, smelling the familiar crisp scent on him, felt an overwhelming sense of weakness, "Where did you go tonight?"
Her voice remained low, and as soon as she finished speaking, it dispersed in the wind.
A moment later, he simply replied, "Dealing with a little trouble for my fiancée."
She murmured, "You're really good to your fiancée..."
The moment the elevator doors opened, Chi Huan heard the man say in a very faint tone, "Miss, you actually deserve better."
...
As soon as the door to the apartment opened, Chi Huan set down on her feet and removed her clothes, handing them to the man at her side, "I'm going to take a shower."
After speaking, she went straight into the bathroom.
Mo Shiqian watched her figure disappear from view, then casually placed his coat on the sofa before turning around and stepping out the door.
Turning on the shower, the warm water poured over her head down to her toes.
In the misty vapor, her delicate face bore none of its usual charm, cold and detached.
Chi Huan felt dizzy and tired; she didn't take long to shower and quickly turned off the water, grabbing a towel to carelessly wipe her hair and body. When she reached for her clothes, she realized she had brought nothing into the bathroom, so she wrapped a bath towel around herself and stepped out.
Barefoot, drying her hair on the carpet, the entire apartment was as silent as a grave.
Having endured the evening's events, Chi Huan found the silence especially oppressive.
She pursed her lips and called out towards the door, "Mo Shiqian."
"Mo Shiqian..."
After calling out several times, the only responses were her own echo and deeper silence.
Did he leave?
She frowned, wondering why that man would leave without saying a word to her?
Chi Huan's already depressed mood sunk even further, unclear why, at this moment, she especially wished he were beside her, even if he didn't speak or even stay in the same room.
Him being in the living room outside while she was in the bedroom would have been enough.
Without much patience for drying her hair, she tossed the towel onto the bed and then casually took a nightgown from the dresser.
Glancing at the half-open door, a second later, she abandoned the thought of closing it—
With only herself at home, it made no difference whether the bedroom door was closed; drawing the curtains would suffice.
Pulling the bath towel off and allowing it to slide onto the carpet, Chi Huan took a step forward to grab the nightgown she had placed at the foot of the bed.
Suddenly, a slight noise came from the doorway.
Chi Huan realized something, her hand stiffened, but reflexively she turned her head.
Mo Shiqian's strikingly handsome figure stood at the doorway, his deep and serene eyes slightly narrowed, resting upon her, and he froze in place, offering no reaction.
Chi Huan stared blankly at him for three full seconds.
Suddenly, as if her nerves had been singed by flames, she reacted, her hands defensively covering her chest, and she panicked, yelling at him, "What... what are you doing standing there? Didn't you... leave?"
In just a few seconds, her face, pale the entire night, seemed as if all her blood had rushed to her head, ready to drip from her face.
Mo Shiqian looked at her, his stiffness unabated, his lips parted slightly, his voice low and hoarse, "I... went downstairs to buy some medicine."
Chi Huan stared bewildered for a few more seconds, then exploded at him, "Then why are you looking? Get out!"
With a "bang," the door was forcefully shut.
The man stepped back, closing the door from the outside.
Chi Huan was shocked by the sound, standing dumbfounded on the spot.
Outside the door.
Mo Shiqian stood with his head down, his breathing quick and disordered, his right hand gripping the doorknob so tightly his knuckles turned white.
He closed his eyes, but the scene he had just witnessed replayed clearly in his mind.
Chi Huan was so delicate, even more so when held in his arms, exuding both a girlish and regal charm in front of the media and outsiders, dubbed the "sweet queen" by the press.
He had seen more sides of her than anyone else, but he also ignored them more than anyone else.
Her seaweed-like wet hair cascaded down her waist, draping over her shoulders.
Fifteen minutes later.
Chi Huan, now fully clothed, chose to open her bedroom door and step out.
She was dressed in a white long dress and a gray sweater, a combination rarely seen on her, with her black hair still damp.
As soon as she opened her door, she saw a man standing in front of the living room's floor-to-ceiling window, the night sky spreading outside, unclear whether he was looking out or admiring the night view.
Biting her lip, Chi Huan was about to speak when the man, hearing her, turned around just in time.
His deep, steady gaze fell on her face.
As their eyes met, Chi Huan's prepared words turned blank once again.
Mo Shiqian watched her, then lowered his gaze to her bare feet on the carpet, curling her toes.