Chapter 69 Every feature of her body seemed to be the deepest mark etched into his heart.

The villa in Beverly Hills is immersed in tranquility, with only the soft ticking of the grandfather clock's second hand.

Suddenly, a soft "beep" sounded from the door on the first floor, and the fingerprint lock was unlocked.

A tall, dark figure walked in silently.

........

In the bedroom on the second floor, Yan Shuang curled up in Shang Qiu Zhu's arms, her breathing gradually becoming long and even.

She had exhausted all her energy today, from the terrifying hostage situation to the emotionally charged fireworks display, and now she was finally able to relax completely in this warm embrace.

Shangqiu Zhu, however, felt no sleepiness whatsoever.

In the darkness, his gaze lingered on her for a long time.

Because as soon as you close your eyes, that scene will silently crash into your mind.

The moment he pushed open the side door of the banquet hall, she stood in front of the dark muzzle of a gun, blocking everyone's way. She was so slender and frail that she seemed like she could be blown away by a gust of wind, yet she stubbornly straightened her back, suppressing her fear deep in the depths of her eyes.

Even though she was terrified, she still pretended to be nonchalant and protected others.

I only allowed myself to tremble after everyone was safe and the crowd had dispersed.

The elderly man with silver hair just now said, "Fortunately, Mr. Shang arrived in time."

He merely nodded and smiled politely, but only he knew that if he had arrived even a minute earlier, she wouldn't have had to face that dark gun barrel; if he had been even faster, she wouldn't have had to force herself to stand in front of everyone.

Shangqiu Zhu lowered her head and pressed her lips to Yan Shuang's slightly cool forehead.

The moonlight shifted subtly until the first light of dawn broke, at which point he briefly closed his eyes, but his arms remained firmly in a protective posture, holding her tightly in his embrace.

........

The next day, Yan Shuang slowly opened her eyes.

The fear and trembling I felt yesterday, when I recall them now, are still clear, but no longer stinging, as if viewed through frosted glass.

She looked down at her outstretched palm; her fingertips were no longer trembling, but rather faintly warm from yesterday's courage.

Shangqiu Zhu had already gotten up. Yan Shuang walked barefoot on the floor, the coolness rising from her feet, but it made her feel even more refreshed.

After washing up, she went into the kitchen, tiptoed to take out high-gluten flour from the cupboard, and took out green vegetables and prawns from the refrigerator.

As the rolling pin moves back and forth, thin sheets of dough, as thin as cicada wings, are spread out on the cutting board.

She went to get the porcelain bowl and suddenly noticed a focused gaze on her back.

Yan Shuang turned to look at him.

Yesterday's gunshots, screams, and shattering glass have now become the most vivid imprints in my life.

His presence alone is the most irrefutable proof of his existence.

It reminded her that she was not only a survivor who had escaped death, but also a warrior who had returned after fighting the dragon.

Yan Shuang's lips unconsciously curled up.

Shangqiu Zhu's gaze lingered on her face, his cold and stern features softening little by little.

He walked over and pinched the tip of her nose. "What are you doing?"

"How about we have wontons?"

"Um."

Yan Shuang withdrew her gaze and was about to turn around to wash the vegetables when she saw Shang Qiuzhu walk over first.

He naturally took the vegetable basket from her hand, stood in front of the sink, and turned on the tap.

Yan Shuang stood still and looked up at the person in front of her.

This man, who spends his days navigating between skyscrapers, has somehow become one with this vibrant, everyday scene.

He stood in her kitchen, head down, dealing with a handful of ordinary green vegetables.

Yesterday they were on the verge of death, but today they stand together in this sun-drenched kitchen.

Amidst the rushing water, Shangqiu Zhu could feel the burning gaze beside her.

The girl's face was tilted back, her round almond-shaped eyes wide open, her clear black pupils filled with disbelief.

She stared at his wet fingers, then looked up at his face; her little expressions were so vivid and adorable that they made one's heart flutter.

Yan Shuang leaned closer, intending to take out her phone to capture this rare sight.

Suddenly, he stopped moving.

Shangqiu Zhu silently turned off the tap and pulled her in front of him.

His wet hands braced on either side of the kitchen counter, trapping Yan Shuang within a small space.

Before Yan Shuang could react, he had already lowered his head and kissed her.

His lips were cold, so cold that she shivered slightly, but he pressed them even tighter against hers.

A ray of blinding morning light peeked through the gap in the blackout curtains of the guest room. Du Yunchuan struggled for a moment on the edge of a chaotic dream before finally managing to lift his heavy eyelids.

He squinted, his throat feeling incredibly dry.

"Damn it..." he cursed hoarsely, raising his hand to press his throbbing temples.

Jet lag made it impossible for him to tell whether it was dawn or dusk.

He irritably scratched his messy black hair. The watch on the bedside table showed seven in the morning, but according to his biological clock, it should have been late at night.

Young Master Du ground his back teeth, threw off the down comforter, slipped on his handmade sheepskin slippers, and swayed toward the door.

He rubbed his sore neck and pushed open the door. The corridor was so quiet that he could hear the hum of the central air conditioning.

As Du Yunchuan passed by the full-length mirror, he noticed that his eyes were tinged with a light blue, making him look like a spoiled brat who had indulged in excessive pleasures.

Although the reality was that I was just tortured half to death by a thirteen-hour flight.

The faint sound of running water could be heard coming from the direction of the kitchen.

He raised an eyebrow, his sleepiness instantly dissipating by a third, and entered the room with extreme gentleness.

In front of the kitchen counter bathed in morning light, Shangqiu Zhu held Yan Shuang between his arms.

His rolled-up shirt sleeves were still dripping wet, but that didn't stop him from kissing the girl in his arms until her toes lifted off the ground.

Shangqiu Zhu's slender hand was clasped around Yan Shuang's nape, deepening the kiss with an air of absolute possession.

Du Yunchuan's sleepiness vanished instantly, and the fire of gossip burned fiercely in his eyes.

"Holy crap..."

The two who were entangled suddenly separated.

Shangqiu Zhu suddenly turned his head, and beneath his sharp brows, his usually indifferent eyes now surged with a terrifying ferocity.

Almost instinctively, he pulled Yan Shuang into his arms, completely blocking out all the beautiful scenery.

But Du Yunchuan still caught a glimpse of Yan Shuang's ears, which were so red they looked like they were about to bleed, and the messy buttons on the collar of her Shangqiu bamboo dress that had been torn open.

"I'm sorry!" Du Yunchuan stammered as he backed away, almost tripping over his own slippers.

He gestured frantically, "I'm leaving now! You guys continue! Pretend I don't exist!"

Shangqiu Zhu squinted, his gaze as if he were looking at a dead man.

Du Yunchuan broke out in a cold sweat instantly. He was willing to bet that this guy was thinking about how to tear him to pieces right now.

"I didn't see anything!" he yelled, then turned and ran.

The slippers slapped against the floor, as if some evil spirit was haunting them.

Even after slamming the guest room door shut with a bang, he could still feel the lingering, razor-sharp gaze on the back of his head.

Young Master Du slid slowly to the ground, leaning against the door, clutching his wildly beating heart and panting heavily.

"It's over, it's over," he thought desperately. "I'm afraid I'll be sent to mine in Africa..."