When Jiang Yunshen returned to the suite on the twenty-first floor, he noticed that the door to his room was open.
Walking up in confusion, he saw a handsome man sleeping on his bed.
His sharp features could not hide the exhaustion on his face.
His breathing was even, clearly having fallen into a deep sleep.
His head rested on the lap of the woman beside him. She gently stroked the top of his head with one hand, softly humming a lullaby to coax him to sleep.
This scene was so beautiful that it felt unreal.
Of course, that was assuming the man on the bed wasn't Xie Chengxiao, and the woman wasn't his fiancée, Bai Liuyue.
Jiang Yunshen's expression turned ugly as he slightly turned his head away.
Bai Liuyue also heard the footsteps, her expression remaining normal.
She even smiled and waved at him, asking with concern,
"Are you done with your business?"
Jiang Yunshen nodded and said,
"Yeah. My father was severely injured this time. The doctor said it narrowly missed his heart, and he won't be able to get out of bed for at least half a year."
"As for Jiang Yushen, my men have already gone after him. They won't let him come back alive."
Bai Liuyue curled her lips into a smile and chuckled, "Congratulations, President Jiang."
Jiang Yunshen, however, couldn't smile. His gaze fell on the soundly sleeping Xie Chengxiao on the bed, and he gritted his teeth,
"Is he doing this on purpose? Did he really have to pick my bed?"
"Shh!" Bai Liuyue placed a finger against her lips and said softly, "Keep your voice down, he just fell asleep not long ago."
A bitter smile appeared on Jiang Yunshen's lips as he mocked,
"I'm probably the first man to watch his fiancée coax another man to sleep on his own bed, aren't I?"
"Don't be like that. It's not like you like me; we are firm allies," Bai Liuyue corrected the error in his statement.
"Right, it's not like I like you," Jiang Yunshen repeated her words.
Deep down, however, he felt an immense regret. Why hadn't he answered honestly when she asked if he liked her?
But... if he had answered honestly.
Would she still have chosen him as an ally?
Perhaps she would have chosen Pei Yu instead.
Well, you win some, you lose some.
Yet, Jiang Yunshen still couldn't help but stare jealously at Xie Chengxiao, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed, and asked,
"You don't like Xie Chengxiao either, so why are you treating him so well?"
Bai Liuyue slightly curled the corners of her lips.
Tilting her head, she smiled, "Who told you I don't like him?"
Jiang Yunshen felt as if an arrow had pierced his chest.
"You... you like Xie Chengxiao, but he originally wasn't yours..."
Bai Liuyue guessed what he was trying to say.
She seamlessly picked up the conversation,
"That's right! He was originally my brother-in-law, but so what?"
"I fell in love with him the first time I saw him in the Northwest. It doesn't matter that he used to be Bai Baozhu's man."
"As long as he is mine from now on, that's all that matters."
The eyelashes of the sleeping man on the bed fluttered slightly.
It was almost imperceptible.
Yet, the system's cheerful announcement echoed in her ears.
"Congratulations, Host! Target Xie Chengxiao's affection level is at 93%!"
"Target Xie Chengxiao's affection level is at 94%!"
...
"Target Xie Chengxiao's affection level is at 96%!"
Bai Liuyue curled her lips slightly.
He really was pretending to be asleep.
She had only lied, saying that the needle would help him sleep peacefully.
Xie Chengxiao had actually fallen right into her trap.
Perfect, this was exactly the result she wanted.
Unable to hide his disappointment, Jiang Yunshen said in a low voice,
"What do you like about Xie Chengxiao? He's cold, he barely speaks, and he's even been married before."
"Pei Yu was right about one thing; he's just a secondhand man."
Bai Liuyue sensed the sourness in the air. Staring at him with her beautiful almond eyes, she crooked a finger at him.
Without a second thought, Jiang Yunshen subconsciously walked over to her side, slightly bending his knees and looking up at her.
"My fiancé, are you... jealous?" Bai Liuyue blinked.
This time, Jiang Yunshen finally didn't stubbornly deny it by saying he didn't like her or wasn't jealous.
He nodded and probed,
"If I say I am jealous, will you distance yourself from me?"
"Why would I?"
"Because that would violate the agreement we have as allies."
"What agreement?" Bai Liuyue tilted her head slightly.
Right.
Jiang Yunshen only then realized that their alliance was purely about interests; they had never discussed anything related to feelings.
He pursed his lips and asked tentatively,
"Then what if I was jealous just now? Would you care about my feelings?"
Bai Liuyue nodded thoughtfully and said, "Alright, how should I care for them?"
Jiang Yunshen knelt by the bed, leaning in and looking up at her with a burning gaze.
"I don't want another man sleeping in my bed."
Bai Liuyue nodded in agreement, "Sure, then you can carry Xie Chengxiao to my bed."
Hearing this, Jiang Yunshen instantly deflated.
Letting a guy like Xie Chengxiao sleep in Xiaoyue's soft and fragrant bed—wouldn't that be letting him off too easy?
"Never mind, let him sleep here."
"But I'm hungry. Will you accompany me out for a bowl of noodles?"
"Okay."
Bai Liuyue nodded and was about to get up when she realized her wrist was firmly grasped by a large hand.
Well, well.
Xie Chengxiao, you pretend to sleep but still pull these little tricks.
How had she never noticed he was so secretly calculating and possessive?
Jiang Yunshen also noticed her captured wrist and immediately grew anxious. He was about to jump onto the bed and pull Xie Chengxiao's hand away.
A knock came from the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Who is it?" Jiang Yunshen frowned slightly.
"Second Young Master Jiang, we are from the Police Department. The President was just attacked, and we've received orders to inspect all the rooms in the hotel, including yours."
Jiang Yunshen stood up, straightened his back, turned, and opened the door just a crack.
"My fiancée and I are resting in our room and do not wish to be disturbed."
"Apologies! This is the President's order!"
A cold sneer played on Jiang Yunshen's lips.
His father suspected that he was also involved in the attack.
Although it was a bizarre coincidence.
Still...
"Wait a moment..." Jiang Yunshen remembered Xie Chengxiao still lying on the bed. It would be best to hide him in the closet first.
But before he could finish speaking, the men from the Police Department forcefully pushed the door open.
Over a dozen men barged in aggressively and started searching everywhere.
Noticing that the door to one of the rooms in the suite was closed, they were about to open it when Jiang Yunshen said in displeasure,
"The person staying in there is my fiancée, the young lady of the Bai family from Jinzhong. What do you think you are doing?"
The leader's tone was polite, but his actions were not.
"Apologies, Second Young Master! The assailant who attacked the President has escaped and might harm the female guests, so we are doing this for Miss Bai's safety."
At the same time, he kicked the bedroom door open.
