Chapter 24
It was already 3 a.m. when Yun Zhan finished playing cards with Pei Yanxi. When he walked out of the card room, his steps were unsteady, and he was almost collapsing on the roadside.
As she stepped outside, the night wind, carrying the chill of early autumn, rushed towards her. She subconsciously shrank her shoulders, and her whole body swayed even more violently.
Pei Yanxi glanced to the side, holding her suit jacket in one hand and placing the other hand on Yun Zhan's lower back, her palm close to her waist.
"If you're sleepy, just lean against it."
The voice was low and steady, like the wind that swept across the lake at dawn in early winter, carrying a hint of frost and chill, yet so light that it barely stirred the water.
The cold white light of the streetlamp cut down obliquely, illuminating only Pei Yanxi. The night was like a piece of ironed black satin, stretching to an unseen end. She wore an extremely thin black trench coat, and when the wind lifted the hem, the air was filled with the fragrance of her hair.
Her long hair was casually tied up, with a few stray strands hanging behind her ears. A gust of wind swept by, blowing open the collar of her trench coat, revealing the sharp, concave shape of her collarbone in the light, like the snow line curving into a mountain ridge.
Yun Zhan's waist is so soft... Pei Yanxi glanced at her sideways, a hint of heat flashing in her eyes.
Yun Zhan didn't respond, but instinctively touched the side of Pei Yanxi's forehead.
The next second, a trench coat, still warm from her body, fell down and wrapped around her thin shoulders.
The coat still carried a faint scent of roses mixed with playing cards. Pei Yanxi took the opportunity to pull the person half a step closer to her, letting her lean her entire weight on her shoulder.
Yun Zhan's eyelashes brushed against her neck, like two feathers gently scratching her.
"Senior... Has anyone ever told you that your voice is really nice and you could be a voice actor?" Yun Zhan mumbled indistinctly.
“I’ve heard those kinds of comments before.” Pei Yanxi turned around, her voice brushing against Yun Zhan’s ear. “So, what kind of character do you think I should voice?”
"An older, aloof senior, or... a stepmother or something like that would be very suitable."
After saying that, Yun Zhan realized that what she had said might have been a bit inappropriate, so she stopped and apologized to Pei Yanxi, "I'm sorry, senior, I was just saying..."
"It's okay, don't be afraid, I won't be angry with you." Pei Yanxi smiled and pulled Yun Zhan into her arms.
The night wind rose again, ruffling the stray hairs on Yun Zhan's forehead. Pei Yanxi raised her hand to gather them, her palm sliding down the strands of hair to the back of Yun Zhan's neck, gently supporting her.
The streetlights cast long shadows of the two people, one in a red dress, the other wrapped in a coat, their bodies perfectly aligned, like puzzle pieces nailed to the ground by moonlight.
...
Yun Zhan was dragged back to Pei Yanxi's house. He almost fell asleep in the car, but now he was much more awake.
Pei Yanxi left the living room for a while, and when she came out again, she had a long-necked decanter in her hand, the liquid shimmering in the glass with a dark red ruby-like luster.
"This wine is made from the Pei family's private vineyard. It's priceless and hard to find. Would you like to try some?" She swirled the glass. "It's not bitter at all, and it's very delicious."
Yun Zhan sat cross-legged on the carpet, propping his chin up with his hand, his eyes shining: "I've only ever drunk sparkling wine that costs thirty yuan at the supermarket."
Pei Yanxi chuckled and handed the wine glass to her fingertips: "Then let's upgrade starting today."
Yun Zhan took his first sip too quickly, and the alcohol made him stick out his tongue like a kitten that had been burned.
The second time, she learned her lesson and only touched her lips lightly, but the aftereffects still made her eyes red.
Pei Yanxi sat beside her, her eyes slightly downturned, her thick eyelashes casting a soft arc in the light, like the surface of a lake rippled by the wind.
A hint of indulgent smile appeared at the corners of her lips, not deep, but enough to soften Pei Yanxi's usually aloof face instantly. In front of Yun Zhan, she showed all her tenderness in her eyes and brows.
Just then, the phone rang at an inopportune moment.
After Pei Yanxi saw who was calling, her eyes turned cold. She silently put away her phone and softly told Yun Zhan, "I'm going out to take this call. I'll take a shower later and come see you later."
Yun Zhan: "Oh, okay, senior, go ahead and get busy."
After Pei Yanxi left, 21 immediately jumped out.
21: "Wow, you still dare to drink? Look what you did to Wen Sixue last time... Don't go crazy at your senior's house again."
No one knows Yun Zhan's drinking habits better than her... If she tries to grope her senior later, she'll be thrown out.
Hmm...it's bound to be like this. 21 felt that he could already foresee Yun Zhan's miserable state tonight.
"What? What did I do to Wen Sixue? Didn't I sleep at her house one night last time?" Yun Zhan snorted.
She didn't have much of an impression, except that she was at Wen Sixue's house, and then... when she woke up, her clothes were still intact.
"It's just brandy, I definitely won't get drunk."
After saying that, Yun Zhan poured himself another glass of wine.
......
Standing outside the door was Xue Qi, dressed in casual clothes. The hem of his black trench coat fluttered in the night wind, and he was carrying a file bag with a dark red "Confidential" stamp on the seal.
"I bet you're still awake." Xue Qi's voice was low as he glanced over her shoulder and into the living room. The neon light swept across the sofa, illuminating half of Yun Zhan's profile.
Pei Yanxi stepped to the side, blocking the door frame even more completely: "What's up?"
"Senior, you were the one who wanted to investigate Yun Zhan, and now you're hiding him in your own home."
Xue Qi handed over the file bag, her tone calm but her words barbed, "After she left the archives that day, she first went to Wen Sixue's house, and then went to Mingyue Manor."
Mingyue Manor?
Pei Yanxi froze, her pupils contracting briefly for two seconds. What was Yun Zhan doing in a place like that...?
“I don’t dare to go any further into Mingyue Manor. The Shi family has been making some moves lately, so you should be careful.”
The document bag was not sealed, and half of the printed paper was sticking out—it contained the surveillance footage from 21:27:46 that night.
She lowered her eyes, took the document bag, rubbed her fingertips on the seal, and said nothing.
Xue Qi sighed and softened her voice: "Sister Pei, just tell me directly whether you like Yun Zhan or not."
"Nonsense, can't you see it?" Pei Yanxi lit a cigarette. She lowered her head, her eyelashes casting dappled shadows under the light, like two frozen raven feathers.
The question "Do you like it or not?" hit her ribs like a blunt punch.
Of course she likes it, isn't that obvious?
But... the current situation is too sensitive. If Yun Zhan really is on their side, then she...
"Do you really like her or are you just lusting after her body?" Seeing that Pei Yanxi didn't reply, Xue Qi continued, "Senior, don't get love-struck. The Pei family is putting a lot of pressure on you... You know the consequences."
She looked up, her gaze passing over the other person's shoulder, and landing on the motion-sensor light flickering at the end of the corridor. After a long pause, she only gave a soft "hmm."
Xue Qi seemed to want to say something more, but in the end he just shook his head, turned around and walked into the parking garage at the entrance.
Before the metal door closed, Pei Yanxi heard the other person's last words: "The principal should step down before dawn. You should prepare to take over."
The roar of the car engine was particularly clear in the open grassland.
Pei Yanxi finished her cigarette. Instead of going back, she stood there and waited for the wind to blow away the smell of smoke.
Once inside, she folded the file folder in half and stuffed it into the bottom drawer of the entryway—where a spare gun, a lighter, and the "Basic Spanish Grammar" she had previously written for Yun Zhan already lay.
The drawer closed gently and was locked from the inside.
Pei Yanxi turned and went to the bathroom. Half an hour later, the bathroom door clicked softly, and steam rushed out before her, like a semi-transparent veil, softening the lights in the living room.
She walked barefoot on the floor, water droplets rolling down the lines of her calves, leaving behind tiny silver specks of light.
She was wrapped in a deep ink-blue bathrobe, the belt casually tied in a knot. The neckline was slightly open due to the heat, revealing a section of her collarbone, straight, delicate, like the spine of a snow-capped mountain, yet with a pale pink tinge from the steam.
Her long hair hung down her back, the ends still dripping water, and a few strands clung to her neck, slightly curled by the steam, trembling gently with her breath.
Suddenly feeling thirsty, Pei Yanxi walked to the bar, picked up a glass, and drank the water.
The neckline is elongated, the throat moves gently, and a hand is raised to brush the hair. The sleeve slips down, revealing a section of the wrist—the bones are clearly defined, the skin is pale and cool, and even hot water couldn't bring out much warmth.
As she moved, the shoulder line of her bathrobe slipped slightly, the rounded curve of her shoulders flashing by like a mountain peak veiled by clouds under the moonlight. The knot of the sash hung loosely at her waist, as if it would come undone with the slightest tug, making one want to imagine what it would look like when it was untied.
She put on her slippers and prepared to go to the living room to see Yun Zhan. The light shone from behind her, and the fabric of her bathrobe was semi-transparent, outlining her waistline. It was very cinched, but then suddenly opened up at her hips, leaving a full curve.
Yun Zhan was drunk again. The 1.7-meter-tall girl looked like a large feline, her steps unsteady, her head half-drooping on the sofa, her breath carrying the slightly sweet scent of pear brandy.
Pei Yanxi's expression softened involuntarily...
The city lights outside the floor-to-ceiling windows are cut into thin strips of light by the blinds.
Pei Yanxi leaned down to hug Yun Zhan, but Yun Zhan suddenly lowered his head and rubbed his nose against the top of Pei Yanxi's head. His voice was sticky, with the smell of alcohol and laughter: "Senior sister... don't go."
Pei Yanxi paused, didn't respond, but her ears had already turned red.
"I won't leave... You're drunk, I'll carry you to bed." Pei Yanxi softened her voice and gently coaxed Yun Zhan.
"I don't want to sleep, I want to eat my senior's candy." Yun Zhan grabbed Pei Yanxi's hand and started to throw a tantrum.
21: "Aaaaaah! I'm doomed... I'm going to be thrown out."
Senior Sister isn't as gentle as Wen Sixue. 21 is already desperate. If Yun Zhan does something to anger Senior Sister, not only will he be thrown out of the Pei family tonight, but it will also affect the mission later on.
Hmm... That annoying Yun Zhan, he has such a bad drinking manners but still wants to drink.
However, what happened next was almost completely beyond 21's expectations.
Pei Yanxi's eyes were not as cold as expected; instead, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"But I don't have any candy. Besides candy, what else do you want?" Pei Yanxi gently helped Yun Zhan up. She stared at Yun Zhan's slightly tipsy face, her heart burning with desire.
Pei Yanxi's hair, which she had just dried, was still damp, hanging down her shoulders, exuding a cool fragrance of cedar and water.
The neckline of the bathrobe was slightly open as he bent over, and water droplets, like tiny stars, clung to his collarbone.
Yun Zhan was still tipsy and his steps were unsteady, yet he accurately followed the fragrance as he approached.
The next second, she was like a weightless snowball, suddenly burying her face in the soft folds of Pei Yanxi's chest, her nose gently brushing against the most sensitive inch of skin on Pei Yanxi's chest through the thin bathrobe.
Her breath was hot, with a hint of brandy sweetness, each breath numbing her fingertips.
Yun Zhan's eyelashes brushed against the fabric, like black butterfly wings fluttering, attracting a hidden current...
Her lips unconsciously pressed against that shallow crease, occasionally letting out a muffled murmur, low and hoarse, not like a coquettish plea, but more like a survival instinct.
A subtle yet stimulating sensation came from his chest; Yun Zhan was truly eating candy...
Pei Yanxi's pupils became cloudy for a moment, and she leaned back slightly, her waist pressed against the edge of the bar by Yun Zhan.
Yun Zhan's rubbing loosened the belt of her bathrobe, causing the hem to slip half an inch to the sides, revealing even whiter curves. The lamplight fell on it, like moonlight falling into a snow valley, making Pei Yanxi's ear tips even redder.
Yun Zhan let out a very soft sigh, with a nasal tone, like a child finally finding his home.
His hands, however, were restless, groping to hold her waist. His palms were burning hot, leaving a scorching heat ring through the thin fabric. His fingertips unconsciously tightened, pressing her even closer to his embrace, as if he wanted to knead her entire softness into his very bones.
Pei Yanxi lowered her eyes and saw the way Yun Zhan's hair behind his ears was slightly curled by the smell of alcohol, and his throat bobbed gently with each breath.
Yun Zhan's hot breath was right next to the most violent beating of her heart—beat after beat, like the last drumbeat before an avalanche.
The air suddenly became thick and sticky, and even breathing felt humid.
She ran her fingertips through Yun Zhan's hair and gently ruffled it: "Is that enough? Be a good boy and go to sleep, okay?"
Yun Zhan immediately acted like a beast whose fur had been stroked, rubbing his nose even deeper, his lips almost touching the skin of her heart, his hot breath, carrying the scent of alcohol, making her collarbone blush.
In that instant, she heard the roar of her own blood, like the sea in the dead of night, inch by inch overflowing the banks of reason.
Pei Yanxi's bathrobe belt had completely loosened, and the hem had slipped down to the sides, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin below her collarbone. The light, like a thin blade, cut along the contours of light and shadow—she could hear her heart pounding against her ribs, heavy and painful.
As she bent over, her long hair fell down, the ends brushing against Yun Zhan's earlobes.
"You're the one who came to provoke me."
Pei Yanxi couldn't hold back any longer. Her palm slid down Yun Zhan's nape, past his shoulder blade, and stopped at Yun Zhan's waist. Her fingertips tightened, as if she wanted to pull him even closer into her arms.
The next second, Yun Zhan's breathing suddenly became heavy.
The hot breath moved away from her heart and instead pressed against her collarbone, becoming long and even.
Her eyelashes cast a still, fan-like shadow under the light, and her lips, still slightly damp, remained motionless.
The world seems to have been muted.
Pei Yanxi froze on the spot, her fingertips still resting on Yun Zhan's waist, but the pulse under her palm changed from frantic to a steady drumbeat.
The neckline of the bathrobe was opened even wider, and a cold wind swept through, stirring up a slight shiver.
She looked down at Yun Zhan—
Yun Zhan fell asleep.
Her brow relaxed, the flush on her ear tips hadn't faded, but her lips held a childlike satisfaction, as if she had finally snatched the softest pillow.
She remained in a half-bent-over posture, her long hair cascading down Yun Zhan's side, like a sudden blizzard.
She fell asleep at just the right time; she almost...
After a long while, Pei Yanxi took a light breath and tightened her belt again.
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