Chapter 7: Don’t Make Noise

Sheng Huaining wore a pair of low-heeled sandals, and when He Chenye grabbed her, she stumbled slightly.

She was completely eclipsed by his towering figure, so she instinctively leaned into him to regain her balance.

The scent that wafted over was the same one she had marveled at before—an incredibly refined fragrance. As she looked up in a panic, she caught a whiff of something crisp and minty mixed in, made even more intense by the dim surroundings.

"What are you running for?"

After a brief silence, He Chenye repeated the question, his piercing gaze compelling her to answer.

His hand, locked around her slender wrist, tightened inadvertently, causing Sheng Huaining to shiver and let out a soft cry of pain.

She twisted her arm to pull away, her voice carrying a delicate, involuntary whimper: "It hurts."

Huh?

Sheng Huaining’s eyes brightened, a reflexive sense of nausea washing over her; she could hardly believe she had actually made such a sound.

She closed her eyes and opened them again quickly, wanting to see the man's reaction.

Sure enough, a look of apology flickered across He Chenye’s face. The brow and eyes, previously hidden in the shadows, softened slightly. His fingers, now released, moved stiffly in mid-air before he suddenly spoke: "My apologies."

Sheng Huaining adjusted her breathing, using her newly freed right hand to tidy the frog buttons at her waist.

It was then she realized that half of her body was still tucked into He Chenye’s embrace, and her free hand was gripping his smooth-textured tie in a particularly ambiguous manner.

She lowered her gaze and smoothed out the wrinkles on it. "Didn't you say you had work today?"

"So, you specifically chose a time when I was out to come up?" He Chenye understood the implication behind her words.

Knowing she couldn't escape, Sheng Huaining didn't have time to regret her incredibly embarrassing behavior from a few minutes ago when she first saw him; she resigned herself to a confession.

Staring at the iridescent blue butterfly fluttering its wings on her shoe, she murmured, her words slightly slurred: "I sent the wrong message, and I felt ashamed."

"You explained that you sent it to the wrong person. I won't take it to heart."

He Chenye hadn't expected this to be the reason, and his tone was filled with helplessness.

Sheng Huaining pursed her lips. "No, I didn't send it to the wrong person."

"What?" He Chenye narrowed his eyes, leaning his head lower.

Sheng Huaining took a deep breath. "I’m a loner; I never have the chance to say those two words."

"Which two words?"

She suddenly looked up, knowing he was deliberately playing dumb, yet she couldn't help but go along with him. "Just... husband."

The last word was squeezed out from her throat in a soft, muffled tone.

He Chenye didn't hide the curve of his lips.

Hearing it with his own ears was so different from reading it; he felt that shy tone brush against his heart like a feather, even softer and more graceful than the most authentic, delicate regional dialects.

He took back his tie, and when he tucked it into his vest, he encountered a lingering trace of warmth. His thumb paused there unconsciously. "Then, might I ask what Miss Sheng originally intended to send?"

Sheng Huaining didn't rush to say it, instead negotiating with him. "If I tell you, you mustn't get angry."

He Chenye gave a slight nod.

She took a step forward, crossing the line of normal social distance.

Since she had already hugged him, she felt a bit more at ease.

"I feel like you aren't much older than me, yet you always have a maturity and steadiness that transcends your age."

She couldn't help but laugh. "My mom and dad sometimes party at clubs until the middle of the night before coming home, but you go to bed early and rise early, like... a veteran cadre."

"Is that a bad thing?"

His voice was as pleasant as ever.

Sheng Huaining shuffled toward the door, using the sliver of light coming through the crack to see if he was annoyed by her words.

She stared for a while before noticing, through the subtle details, that He Chenye was actually asking her in earnest.

After a few seconds of reflection, she replied, "Not at all. I envy such good sleep. However, don't you feel that doing everything so by-the-book is a bit joyless?"

He Chenye’s dark eyes lowered, watching her with focus, and he nodded generously to agree with her. "You have a point."

For a moment, the elevator lobby outside the door was exceptionally quiet. The air was filled with a complex scent of iris and rock rose, making one’s nerves tighten involuntarily.

Perhaps because of the confined space, Sheng Huaining shrugged, her jeweled hands brushing against her cheeks, which were so hot she could only relieve it with deep breaths.

She was truly puzzled as to why the man in front of her had fallen silent along with her.

And if he was going to be silent, could he at least move aside so she could enter the room? She was honestly about to melt from the heat.

Fortunately, this strange atmosphere didn't last long, and the next moment the door was pushed open from the inside.

A young girl tilted her head, her expression looking no different from Sheng Huaining’s just a moment ago.

Her gaze moved between the two of them. Xixi smiled before speaking: "Sister-in-law, come in... and eat."

Sheng Huaining clapped her hands obediently, bypassed where He Chenye was standing, and squeezed through the narrow gap in the door.

She was led inside by the girl, muttering to herself, "I can't believe there’s a portion for me. I haven't really eaten breakfast since I graduated from university."

He Chenye closed the door and turned around to see the two of them standing in front of the kitchen island in the open-plan kitchen, looking at each other at a loss.

The warming plate was still on, and from time to time, one could hear the thick soup bubbling in the enamel pot.

Sheng Huaining swallowed discreetly, turning slightly to avoid being seen by He Chenye. Her half-curled fingers hovered uncertainly in the air; it was obvious she had never done a day’s work in her life.

"Go sit over there, I'll handle it."

He Chenye looked at her deeply and smiled.

At the platinum-flecked luxury stone dining table, which matched the interior design perfectly, Sheng Huaining sat constrained, her gaze following the man’s busy figure.

It was simply astounding to her. In her impression, the rich scions of Hong Kong were almost all idlers who had everything done for them, no matter where they were.

Yet He Chenye, with his appearance and temperament, seemed raised in a strict, prestigious family. The aloofness and nobility that kept people at a distance made him appear neither too passionate nor too distant—just right.

Yet such a person was currently carrying one exquisite piece of tableware after another, wearing a houndstooth apron that created a striking contrast, moving between the kitchen and the dining room—a touch of the ridiculous amidst the formality.

Sheng Huaining didn't realize how naked and direct her gaze was; to be more comfortable, she even rested her chin on her hand.

Her fingertips tapped rhythmically as she paused for a moment and asked, "Did... did the housekeeper make this?"

"I made it. If it’s not to your taste, we can order something else."

He Chenye served a bowl of soup in front of her, along with a steamer basket of char siu bao.

"No need, I’m not that picky. Besides, these char siu bao are my favorite, and the soup looks very fresh," Sheng Huaining rubbed her hands together, her tone changing as she spoke, "He Chenye, you’re amazing."

She suddenly widened her eyes, staring straight at him.

He Chenye was stunned for a moment, cast a faint glance at her, then quickly looked away, pretending to be nonchalant as he returned to the kitchen.

Just as Sheng Huaining was tucking in, Xixi, having tired herself out in the living room, came slowly toward the dining area holding a stack of magazines. She called out, "Brother, I want some fruit juice."

In the gap between dishwasher cycles, He Chenye took two bottles of fruit and vegetable juice from the refrigerator.

His previously light, leisurely pace suddenly quickened. He arrived at the dining room a few seconds early and intercepted her.

"What did I say before?" he said sharply.

The girl shivered, tears immediately welling up in the corners of her eyes. She held back a sob, "I’m sorry, brother."

He Chenye realized he had gone too far just seconds ago. Regret tightened his chest, and he immediately softened his tone to coax her.

Xixi sobbed and swallowed, feeling even more wronged. She finally couldn't help but cry out, tears splashing onto the floor. "Brother, I know you said I couldn't bring unrelated things to the dining table, but the first time I brought them today, you didn't get angry, so I thought I could."

This rule did sound overbearing.

But the incident from a few years ago still made him nervous.

It was also a sunny weekend. He Chenye was in a rush to finish his meal to attend an online meeting, so he hadn't paid much attention to the person across from him who was eating while reading.

By the time he noticed, the girl was already red-faced and gasping for air from a fish bone stuck in her throat.

Fortunately, it was handled in time, and it didn't damage the esophageal wall.

But ever since that day, He Chenye would feel a lingering fear whenever he thought about it.

Bringing his thoughts back, he found he didn't know what to say.

He Chenye knew full well that his sudden anomaly was simply because of the stack of magazines Xixi was still clutching.

He was afraid Xixi would speak without thinking, and some trouble was better avoided in advance.

Such a loud commotion naturally caught Sheng Huaining’s attention.

Listening to the sobbing, she set down her chopsticks and walked toward where the two were standing.

Hearing the footsteps approaching behind him, He Chenye felt prickles on his back and didn't dare move.

As an outsider, Sheng Huaining naturally knew she wasn't qualified to criticize He Chenye just to shield Xixi.

Seeing the girl crying, her face stained with tears, she couldn't bear it and could only try to persuade him gently: "You were too harsh just now. You could have communicated properly instead of waiting until she was crying to be satisfied."

With Sheng Huaining’s forced intervention, Xixi finally quieted down. Ignoring the tears hanging on her chin, she hurried toward her embrace.

When they were only inches apart, the sound of magazines hitting the floor rang out one after another.

Beyond He Chenye’s panic, Sheng Huaining and Xixi were genuinely startled.

All three crouched down to pick them up simultaneously, but Sheng Huaining moved a bit faster and happened to see the contents.

The page deliberately folded over was an exclusive interview after one of her competitions.

No matter how slow Sheng Huaining was, she finally realized what was going on.

She unfolded the pages where each book was marked. The uniquely designed photos gathered together all featured her as the protagonist, without exception.

After being stunned for a moment, Sheng Huaining’s pupils widened slightly.

If this had been two days ago, she might have felt creeped out, but at this moment, she felt mostly surprised.

Before she could think it through, she blurted out, "He Chenye, do you like me?"