"Get away from me..."
Yu Hekun cleared his throat and averted his gaze from Jian Youyou's legs. Watching her head toward the pile of shopping bags in the corner, he suddenly remembered something. He picked up his personal phone—the one he rarely touched during work hours—and checked it.
The phone had been on silent, as he always kept it muted while handling company matters. There were two missed calls, both from his childhood friend and longtime confidant, Zhan Cheng.
But Yu Hekun didn’t call back. Instead, he unlocked the phone, dismissed the notifications, and began scrolling through his messages.
His expression shifted slightly as he read, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes before he pressed his lips together and looked up at Jian Youyou, who was now walking toward him.
Jian Youyou stopped beside Yu Hekun and tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear—left wet from washing her face—before defensively adding, "I dressed up for you, but you didn’t even look. Can’t blame me for that."
Yu Hekun snorted. At the moment, Jian Youyou found him oddly endearing—as appealing as the shopping bags in the corner. Even the way his hair stuck up in a rebellious tuft and the bandage covering one eye seemed charming.
"So you dressed up as Sadako?" Yu Hekun was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to rest, but after seeing the transaction alerts, he felt like a chunk of flesh had been carved out of his chest. Nearly 400,000 yuan on clothes—she really had the nerve.
Truthfully, that amount meant nothing to him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have casually handed her an unlimited credit card. A single night out with Zhan Cheng often cost more in tips alone. But for some reason, knowing she had spent it made him want to pick a fight.
When he tipped service staff, they at least showered him with gratitude. But what did he get from her? A ghostly scare as repayment?!
Jian Youyou hesitated as she approached, noticing the dangerous glint in his eyes. "Boss Yu? What’s wrong?"
What kind of expression was that? Did he not finish peeing properly?
She stopped just out of reach, wary. Yu Hekun watched her with one eye, waiting for her usual clingy self to latch onto him. When she didn’t, he let out a short, mocking laugh—then patted the spot beside him on the bed.
"Sit here."
This was stranger than seeing a ghost in broad daylight. Yu Hekun was a notorious germaphobe, washing his hands raw three times a day and radiating a perpetual "don’t touch me" aura. Since when did he invite her to sit next to him?
Something was off. Jian Youyou smiled sweetly, like an innocent little flower blooming in the night, but her feet stayed planted. "Boss Yu, what’s the matter? Did you miss me while I was gone?"
The last part was meant to annoy him. According to the original plot, Yu Hekun had never spared the original "Jian You" a single glance, let alone affection.
But now, he wasn’t just looking at her—he was staring like a dog eyeing a meaty bone. Normally, he’d snap if she so much as brushed against him or glared if she stared too long. This sudden shift made her uneasy.
"Boss Yu?"
"Come here." He slapped the bed again, grinning in a way that sent chills down her spine. "What’s wrong? I thought you were madly in love with me, desperate to stick to me every second."
That phrasing sounded familiar, but she’d spewed so much nonsense she couldn’t remember if she’d actually said it.
"Come here! Or do I have to drag you over?" Yu Hekun was barely holding back. Jian Youyou glanced at the door—she had nowhere else to go tonight. Reluctantly, she inched toward the bed, heart pounding. She had a guess why he was acting like this, but surely it wasn’t that...
Hesitantly, she perched on the edge of the bed—only for Yu Hekun to snap, grabbing her by the neck (not hard enough to hurt, but enough to keep her in place) and shaking her violently, making the bed creak under them.
"Four hundred thousand on clothes?! Did I bring you home to piss me off or bankrupt me?!" He kept shaking her. "We’re ending this disaster right now—give back every cent!"
So much for "surely not"!
Jian Youyou’s brain felt like scrambled tofu from the shaking. She clawed at his wrist, trying to pry him off. "No! I don’t have it!"
A laborer’s money was hard-earned and even harder to part with. Once cash entered her pockets, no one was getting it back!
"Get out," Yu Hekun snarled, releasing her neck only to grip her shoulders. "Disappear. I never want to see your face again!"
"In your dreams!" Jian Youyou shoved her face closer. "I was about to be promoted to deputy director at my job when you insisted on keeping me! Now that I’ve quit, you think you can just dump me?!"
Yu Hekun looked ready to bite her. Seeing the veins bulge in his neck, she softened her tone. "Besides, I adore you. How dare you trample on my feelings?!"
He barked a laugh. "Adore me?"
"You adore money!" He jabbed a finger at the shopping bags. "What did you spend 300,000 on at the jewelry store?!"
Jian Youyou’s guilt flickered, but she’d prepared for this. She just never expected a wealthy young master from a novel to nickel-and-dime his mistress over a few hundred grand!
She blocked his view of the bags. "Like I said—no money..."
Then inspiration struck. Instead of "take my life," she declared, "Take me!"
Yu Hekun’s face went blank. He’d clearly never met anyone this shameless—he was too stunned to even curse.
Seizing the opening, Jian Youyou coaxed, "Boss Yu, why fuss over pocket change? How about I... compensate you another way?"
Pocket change. Yu Hekun recalled his initial background check: Jian You’s monthly salary had been 3,000 yuan. The timid, frugal woman who first entered his villa bore no resemblance to the creature before him.
"Compensate?" He sneered. "With what?"
He wanted to say his money wasn’t easy to come by either—working year-round, drinking himself sick during negotiations. Nothing in life was free... but the way she smiled told him her idea of "compensation" wouldn’t end well.
By the time he realized just how bad it would be, it was too late.
"You... mmm." Yu Hekun felt the familiar softness press against his lips as the scent of another person boldly invaded his space. He truly couldn’t understand people who resorted to using their mouths without warning—he hadn’t been prepared at all!
Though he immediately grabbed Jian Youyou’s hair to pull her away, she was just as quick to retaliate, seizing his hair in return. The two of them kissed while grimacing and tugging at each other’s locks, but in the end, Yu Hekun—who was gentler and less tolerant of pain—lost the battle. He lay obediently on the bed, letting Jian Youyou kiss him thoroughly inside and out.
Seeing him subdued, Jian Youyou finally released him. For someone with severe germaphobia like him, swapping saliva was probably no different from being vomited on. Right now, he likely couldn’t even think about the thirty or forty thousand yuan—only brushing his teeth and rinsing his mouth. She even offered helpfully, "Need a hand getting to the bathroom, President Yu?"
If Yu Hekun were a balloon, he would’ve popped from sheer fury.
His breathing was ragged, his mouth unsure whether to stay open or shut. Ignoring the pain in his waist, he abruptly sat up, yanking Jian Youyou closer as his voice hissed through clenched teeth, "Are you insane?!"
Distracted by her antics, Jian Youyou suddenly recalled a cheesy pickup line she’d seen somewhere. With a straight face, she replied, "Yes, and you’re my cure."
Yu Hekun was so choked with anger he could barely speak. "I think you’ve lost your mind!"
Jian Youyou gazed at him earnestly. "I’d only lose it for you."
In the end, Yu Hekun limped to the bathroom on his own, sternly refusing Jian Youyou’s help and not even calling for a nurse. He stood in front of the mirror, furiously scrubbing his teeth.
Jian Youyou sat on the edge of his bed, waiting to coax him when he came out—after all, she’d spent quite a bit of his money.
But it was already late. After all the commotion, it was past one in the morning. Listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom, she guessed Yu Hekun probably wanted to shower. Unfortunately, the hospital only had a standing shower, and he couldn’t manage it alone…
She couldn’t help but chuckle. Yu Hekun was actually quite amusing—his lips were as soft as his heart. He didn’t even dare pull hair with full force during a fight, yet he tried to play the role of a sugar daddy. No wonder the original storyline had dragged on so long before they parted ways.
His heart didn’t match his cold, hard exterior at all. Lost in thought, Jian Youyou leaned against Yu Hekun’s bed and began to doze off.
By the time Yu Hekun finished washing up, his lips were bright red—clearly from vigorous scrubbing. He emerged from the bathroom and stood at the doorway, his eyes locked onto the woman sprawled on his bed.
After watching her for a moment, he sneered and hobbled over, grabbing her clothes and yanking hard. Jian Youyou, already perched precariously on the edge, tumbled to the floor.
Luckily, she hadn’t been fully asleep. She caught herself with her elbows and legs, landing painfully but without any serious injury. She quickly recovered and stood up, her eyes still hazy with sleep as she instinctively reached toward Yu Hekun, who now wore a smug grin on the bed.
Seeing her raise her hand, Yu Hekun instinctively flinched. But instead of striking, Jian Youyou softened her touch at the last moment, gently smoothing down the unruly strand of hair sticking up from his head.
She had just had a brief dream—a dream within a dream, but a pleasant one. In it, she completed her mission, left the task world with the money, and Yu Hekun even doubled her payment, praising her for a job well done. They shook hands and bid farewell peacefully.
Still lingering in the warmth of that dream, Jian Youyou found Yu Hekun far more tolerable than usual. Even being pulled to the floor didn’t bother her. She sat sideways on the bed, facing him, her half-lidded eyes softening as she stroked his hair and murmured, "President Yu, you’re adorable." (And even more so when you double the payment.)
Her demeanor was completely different from usual—carrying an indescribable tenderness. Yu Hekun lowered the arm he’d raised to block her, caught off guard by her sudden gentleness.
Jian Youyou trailed her fingers from his hair to his cheek, lightly grazing his chin. "I really like you…" (your money).
Her voice was too soft, her gaze too focused, making the words sound almost sincere despite their usual falseness. It was nothing like her usual careless declarations of affection.
It was late. Most of the hospital had quieted down, the stillness wrapping around them. Yu Hekun turned his head, intending to swat her hand away, but instead, his fingers inexplicably closed around hers.
He studied her soft, harmless expression, feeling as though the words "I really like you" had turned into tangible water, seeping into every crevice of his being. It wasn’t enough to drown him, but it dampened his emotions thoroughly.
His breaths grew heavy, saturated with Jian Youyou’s scent—strange, considering he’d brushed his teeth multiple times after that kiss.
His heart felt like it had been submerged and then dredged up, waterlogged and heavy, dripping incessantly.
And the scent of Jian Youyou grew stronger in his nostrils.
As Jian Youyou regained full awareness, she tried to pull her hand back, but Yu Hekun held on tightly, his grip almost painful, making her fingertips tingle.
She sighed in amusement. "Still holding a grudge over pushing me off the bed?"
Leaning closer, she asked, "What do you want, President Yu…?"
The distance between them had crossed the line of normal personal space. Yu Hekun’s instincts rebelled—he wasn’t used to being this close to anyone, especially when her proximity intensified that familiar yet foreign scent.
His grip on her fingers tightened further…
Jian Youyou hissed in discomfort. Yu Hekun’s gaze fixed on her lips, which she had bitten lightly, staining their usual pale hue with a rosy flush.
He heard it clearly—a drip in his heart, like a drop of water disturbing the surface of a still lake, sending ripples outward.
His voice was low when he spoke. "Move away…"
But Jian Youyou didn’t catch it. "What did you say?"
Yu Hekun’s throat bobbed, his lashes fluttering as he released her fingers—only to curl his hand around the back of her head instead.
What am I doing? he wondered in confusion.
Then, eyes open, he sought her lips again—
What… am I doing?
