This was Ye Shu Ya's first time in such a place, and she couldn't help but feel a bit restrained. The high heels clicked crisply on the marble floor. The man who greeted them was gentle, with a soft face that was very pleasant to look at.
"Is this your first time here, ladies?"
Song Xiao nodded.
He made a gesture of invitation and said with a smile, "Please follow me. I will introduce you to some handsome and eloquent gentlemen."
Song Xiao said, "I want the best-looking one you have."
"I will ensure you are satisfied with your choice."
The man took out an exquisite photo album and handed it to Song Xiao with both hands. When he was about to hand another to Ye Shu Ya, she shook her head and refused. The man didn't seem to mind, as if he had seen such scenes many times before. He gave a slight smile and stood quietly aside, waiting for Song Xiao's selection.
Ye Shu Ya glanced at the album, filled with photos of the staff, each with their own distinctive features—handsome, pretty, robust... These men were displayed like commodities in the album, waiting to be chosen.
She looked at Song Xiao's expression; she was browsing intently, but her eyes looked very confused. She thought to herself that she must be thinking of Dain again.
After flipping through a couple of pages, Song Xiao closed the album. "Do you have any foreigners?" She paused, then added, "Preferably with blue eyes, blond hair, and fluent in Chinese."
Ye Shu Ya sighed, "Song Xiao..."
Song Xiao whispered, "Shu Ya, just for one night. After tonight, I won't think about it anymore."
Ye Shu Ya fell silent.
The man said to Song Xiao, "We do."
Song Xiao asked, "Is he available for an outing?"
"That depends on An Li's schedule. Please wait a moment, I will call An Li over."
After the man left, Ye Shu Ya observed the surroundings. The decor was in ancient Greek style, with exquisite oil paintings on the white walls depicting the birth of Venus. Song Xiao wasn't in the mood to appreciate the art; her hands were folded on her knees, her little fingers curled, and her lips tightly pursed, showing a readiness to let go.
She whispered, "If we leave now, it's still possible."
"I've made up my mind."
Ye Shu Ya didn't try to persuade her further and asked, "Should I give you some space later?"
Song Xiao looked up, "It doesn't matter to me."
Soon, the man named An Li walked in, just as Song Xiao had described—blue-eyed, blond-haired, and speaking standard, fluent Chinese.
"Beautiful lady, may I know how to address you?"
He directed this question to Song Xiao. Ye Shu Ya sat quietly in the corner, where the lighting was dim, and An Li didn't notice her. As soon as he entered, the only thing he saw was Song Xiao, lost in her sorrow.
For him, the women who came here fell into two categories: wealthy women seeking pleasure and women with stories. And this lady clearly belonged to the second category.
"Song Xiao." She got straight to the point, "Are you willing to go out? I will pay the corresponding price."
An Li smiled and poured her a glass of red wine, "You don't mind if I call you Xiaoxiao, do you?"
Song Xiao nodded.
"Your complexion doesn't look very good. Have you encountered any unpleasantness recently?" An Li was very close to her, wearing a faint scent of perfume that was pleasing to the senses. His voice was also very magnetic, even gentler than Dain's.
Ye Shu Ya tried her best to remain silent in the corner, her gaze fixed on the murals in the room. Once she had looked at everything visible in the room, she noticed that Song Xiao and An Li were sitting very close together, with Song Xiao almost nestled in An Li's arms.
Wondering what they would do next, Ye Shu Ya decided to slip away quietly.
The corridor outside was carpeted with a plush carpet, and her high heels made a muffled sound as she walked. The hallway was deserted and eerily quiet; all the private room doors were tightly closed, and the sound insulation here was excellent—she couldn't hear any noise from inside.
The corridor seemed like a labyrinth; she turned several corners but couldn't find the stairs she had used to come up.
As she passed by a private room, Ye Shu Ya suddenly saw an acquaintance. Actually, she couldn't really call her an acquaintance—more like someone she had met only once, Qin Yin. The door to the private room was ajar, allowing Ye Shu Ya to see inside very clearly.
Qin Yin was passionately kissing a man, with sparks flying between them. She wore red high heels, her legs wrapped around the man's waist, creating a very sensual scene. The man had broad shoulders and was facing away from her.
Ye Shu Ya felt her face flush with embarrassment, and she was about to walk away quickly when Qin Yin noticed her. Qin Yin pushed the man away, played with her long curly hair, and walked over with a charming demeanor, "Miss Ye?"
Ye Shu Ya nodded awkwardly, feeling extremely embarrassed for having interrupted someone's intimate moment, especially a friend of Su Yao's.
"Are you alone?"
Ye Shu Ya coughed, "I came with a friend."
"Has Miss Ye taken a liking to anyone?" Ye Shu Ya shook her head, and Qin Yin paused before smilingly saying, "That's right, none of the men in Night Temptation can compare to Su Yao alone; it's normal that you haven't found anyone to your liking."
Hearing her mention Su Yao, Ye Shu Ya felt even more embarrassed. If Su Yao knew she had been to Night Temptation, she would not have a peaceful night. As if seeing through her thoughts, Qin Yin added, "You can rest assured, I won't tell Su Yao."
Ye Shu Ya forced a smile.
The man behind Qin Yin suddenly extended his arm and wrapped it around her waist, "Ah Yin, are you done chatting?"
Ye Shu Ya knew she had intruded on others, so she hastily took her leave. Looking at this place of revelry, she felt guilty towards Su Yao. Thinking this way, she quickly asked for directions, found the exit, and descended the stairs. However, as soon as her feet touched the floor, Su Yao came face to face with her, grabbed her hand, and with an unpleasant expression, dragged her away.
In the car, Su Yao's face was as dark as a judge's.
Ye Shu Ya was at fault and leaned over, tugging at his hand to explain, "I need to clarify, I went there with Song Xiao."
Su Yao snorted.
"Hey, can't I just say I'm wrong? I didn't do anything inside, really. You have to believe me." She paused and flatteringly said, "Besides, none of the men in there are as good-looking as you..."
Su Yao still had a dark expression.
Seeing this, Ye Shu Ya threw his hand away in a huff, "Forget it, since you saw me go in with your own eyes, whatever I say is futile."
Su Yao pulled her hand over and kissed her until she was out of breath. He then said through gritted teeth, "If I ever find out you go to that place again, don't think you'll be able to step outside again."
Ye Shu Ya became angry upon hearing this, "I don't control where you go, why should you restrict my freedom?"
Su Yao's expression changed.
Ye Shu Ya snorted through her nose, pushed Su Yao away, and sat close to the car window, as far away from Su Yao as possible. Su Yao pulled her over, "Ya Ya, I'm very tired today, don't argue with me, okay?"
Hearing the fatigue in Su Yao's tone, Ye Shu Ya also reined in a bit and obediently leaned on Su Yao's shoulder, "Where did you go tonight?"
"My sister came to City C."
Ye Shu Ya blinked, "What's your sister's name?"
"Su Qingqing."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why didn't you let me go with you? I also want to meet your sister."
"Another day."
Ye Shu Ya felt a bit uncomfortable inside. Every time a topic like this came up, he always casually sidestepped it. She pinched his hand hard, "I'm not a child anymore!"
"Hmm, I know," Su Yao said with his eyes closed.
"What are you going to do then?" she asked.
Su Yao's hand was on her waist, and she could feel the coldness in his palm, "I need to think about this issue..."
Ye Shu Ya waited quietly until she became impatient and then realized Su Yao had fallen asleep. She turned her head; his eyelashes were very thick, peacefully drooping down, and the fatigue on his face was heart-wrenching.
At this moment, the driver said to her: "Miss Ye, the Third Young Master has been quite tired these days; you should understand him more."
Ye Shu Ya bit her lip, lowered her head, and responded with a "Okay."
She comforted herself internally. Su Yao must have his reasons for always evading these issues. She had promised him not to think too much. Moreover, she had met his eldest brother, which was like meeting the parents. And his brother seemed very satisfied with her.
One day, Su Yao would talk to her. She couldn't press him; such a woman would be annoying. So, all she had to do was wait patiently. Besides, Su Yao had personally told her that he only liked her.
All those sisters and whatnot were just passing clouds in the sky!
Passing clouds or not, the next day Ye Shu Ya insisted on meeting Su Qingqing with Su Yao, exaggerating her eagerness to see his sister. Su Yao simply and lightly expressed: No.
Ye Shu Ya felt frustrated. She looked at herself in the mirror for a long time, and no matter how she looked at it, she didn't seem like a mistress, so why wouldn't Su Yao take her? Although she had just considerately thought about Su Yao, saying that she should be considerate of him, she knew in her heart that those were just empty words to comfort herself. She wouldn't be at ease until Su Yao let her meet his family.
She pesters and makes a fuss, but Su Yao remains unfazed, calmly framing a painting. Finally, she angrily asks: "Su Yao, will you take me or not!"
Su Yao glanced at the time, "She's back in France."
Hearing this, she was like a deflated balloon, listlessly lying on the sofa and began to sigh.
Su Yao was unaffected, meticulously handling the picture frame in his hands.
"Ah Yao, I have a question for you," Ye Shu Ya propped her chin up, "If one day I and your painting could only choose one, who would you choose?"
Su Yao stopped as if seriously considering the question, and he said: "Choose the painting."
Her face fell.
"Why?"
Su Yao glanced at her, "Because you are too noisy."
Ye Shu Ya suddenly became silent, and seeing her quiet, a smile appeared on Su Yao's lips. This situation continued until dinner time, with Ye Shu Ya not saying a word, extremely quiet.
Now that Ye Shu Ya was silent, Su Yao felt uncomfortable.
"Ya Ya?"
Ye Shu Ya lifted her eyelids to glance at him, got up to take the dishes to the kitchen. When she came out, Su Yao called her again, and she pursed her lips and went into the bathroom.
Su Yao finally realized that Ye Shu Ya was angry. He felt a bit headache and puzzled, not knowing what she was angry about. Women are a strange species; they get angry once in a while, and the reasons for their anger are very inexplicable. But if he didn't coax her this time, the house would definitely be turned upside down. He rubbed his temples, walked over, and knocked on the bathroom door.
"Ya Ya."
There was the sound of splashing water inside.
"Are you angry?" The response was still the sound of splashing water.
Su Yao patiently said, "Ya Ya, say something. If you don't tell me, how would I know what I did wrong."
The sound of the water grew louder, and Su Yao felt that he should be angry too. He was not good at coaxing people and had never been humble. Ever since he met her, he had to endure her unreasonable little temper every three days. Women really should not be indulged, or they would become even more outrageous.
He turned around and left.
Thus, the two began a cold war. If you don't speak, I won't talk either; the house was eerily quiet. When going to bed at night, they each slept separately, with a gap in between as wide as a person's space.
The wall lamp was on. Ever since Su Yao found out she was afraid of the dark, he had kept the lights on at night. Ye Shu Ya lay on her side, her eyes wide open. The light was soft, but her heart was in turmoil, and she couldn't sleep. Su Yao had his eyes closed, but he was also sleepless. Both were waiting for the other to speak first.
However, they held out for the entire night without either speaking.
Their cold war turned into a prolonged conflict, with neither willing to back down. During this time, Ye Shu Ya had thought about reconciling with Su Yao. She had been brewing up the courage for a long time. When she was ready to speak, upon seeing Su Yao's cold face, all her words were swallowed back.
It just so happened that the university town in City Z invited teachers from the Chinese Department of City C University for an academic exchange event, which would last for a week. Many teachers with families were unwilling to go, and Ye Shu Ya, who was worried about how to face Su Yao, immediately took the initiative to sign up when she encountered such an opportunity.
She thought that they both needed some time apart to calm down.
That night, as Ye Shu Ya was packing her luggage, Su Yao finally spoke. He looked stern and asked, "Where are you going?"
"On a business trip, to City Z."
"For how long?"
"A week."
Su Yao slammed the bedroom door shut. Ye Shu Ya felt wronged and threw her clothes and belongings into the suitcase noisily. In the middle of the night, Su Yao coughed severely. Ye Shu Ya, who was already in no mood to sleep, naturally heard it all clearly. The coughing seemed to echo in her heart, disturbing her peace.
Finally, Ye Shu Ya got out of bed, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to him.
"Here, drink some water."
Su Yao took a sip. The warm water slid down his throat, washing away all his irritability. He took her hand and embraced her, "Ya Ya, let's not be angry anymore."
Ye Shu Ya's eyes were a little red. She suddenly felt that the cold war these days was meaningless, and she nodded vigorously. Su Yao held her tightly. Her hands climbed up his neck. Just as she was about to kiss his lips, Su Yao coughed and pushed her away, "It's contagious. Let's do it after I get better."
"I'm not afraid."
Su Yao chuckled lightly, "I am."
Ye Shu Ya then settled down and lay quietly beside him. The next day, as she went to the airport, she regretted it very much. She should not have taken the initiative to sign up for that academic exchange event. Now she didn't want to leave Su Yao at all.
Su Yao urged her to take good care of herself.
She went up and hugged Su Yao, kissed his cheek, and then reluctantly left.
Su Yao watched her board the plane and then left the airport with peace of mind. All the way, Su Yao coughed severely. The driver was very worried, "Third Young Master, do you need Mr. Dain to take a look?"
"No need."
The driver observed his complexion through the rearview mirror. As soon as he got back, he secretly called Dain to inform him. When Dain received the call, it was already after eight o'clock in the evening, and he immediately rushed over.
He knocked on Su Yao's door frantically. It took a long time for Su Yao to open the door. As soon as Dain saw Su Yao, he immediately said, "Come to the hospital with me. We can't delay."
Su Yao looked very weak and spoke in a weak voice.
"It's just a cough."
Dain asked, "Where is Xiao Ya?"
"On a business trip."
Dain frowned, "You shouldn't live alone. Before she comes back, you and I will go to the hospital."
Su Yao refused, but Dain said forcefully, "Su, you should know your health condition. Once you have a fever, you know the consequences very well." He paused and added, "If you don't want me to inform Xiao Ya, go to the hospital with me right now."
Su Yao gave in.
In the middle of the night, Su Yao's cough became even more severe. He coughed painfully, with an unnatural flush on his cheeks. Dain didn't dare to leave, felt his forehead, and his face changed dramatically. It was hot and frightening.
He prepared an intravenous drip for fever reduction, securely inserted it into the back of Su Yao's hand, and set the speed to the slowest.
When Su Yao woke up, Ye Shu Ya happened to call. His head ached as if it were about to burst, but he didn't want her to worry. He deliberately pretended to be fine and asked in a low voice, "Ya Ya, have you eaten?"
Ye Shu Ya complained on the other end of the phone, "I have eaten. Ah Yao, this academic exchange is really boring. It shouldn't have been allowed for Chinese teachers. Do you know what they are talking about? They are actually explaining the movie 'Avatar' from beginning to end using physical knowledge! Heavens, I can't understand it at all as a liberal arts student!"
Dain frowned and stared at the phone by his ear. Su Yao turned his head, "A week will pass quickly."
"Okay. Are you still coughing? If you cough again, let Dain take a look."
He said with a smile, "No, I'm almost better."
Ye Shu Ya then felt relieved, "Ah, I have to go listen to their gibberish again. Remember to rest on time, I'll hang up first."
After Su Yao put down the phone, he lay limply on the hospital bed. Dain came over and took away his phone, "Su, you need to rest well. It's best to stay away from devices like phones."
He shrugged.
Dain checked the temperature and looked a bit displeased, "You still have a slight fever."
"Dain, it will get better, you don't need to overly worry."
Dain glared at him, "Can't you care more about your own health? If it doesn't get better, your family will shoot me."
Su Yao smiled carelessly, his tone very light due to the fever, "My body, everyone is clear. Whether it's good or not is not important. In the end, it's the same result anyway."
Dain sneered, "What about Miss Ye?"
Su Yao pursed his lips, his expression tense.
Dain softened, "Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about Xiao Ya. If one day..." He couldn't continue, "Rest well, I'll come back and check later."
In the evening, Qin Yin suddenly called.
"Third Young Master, there is news about the Qin Wei you asked me to investigate. However..." she paused, "I think you'd better be mentally prepared."
Su Yao coughed a few times, "Go ahead."
"There is a medical condition called delusional disorder, which is a type of schizophrenia. I have checked the people in City N who know Ye Shu Ya, and no one knows Qin Wei. Moreover, there is no one named Qin Wei in City N. Third Young Master, the Qin Wei you are looking for, does not exist."