HYAT - 52

Inside the room, there was only a single beam of flashlight light, casting long shadows behind her and turning the cold air into columns of light filled with dust and moisture.

The familiar scent of the man, mixed with the coldness, came rushing toward her.

Shen Qianzhan had just woken up from a series of dreams, only to fall into a new state of shock and bewilderment.

Why was Ji Qinghe here?

And how did he get into her room?

By all accounts, even if he wasn’t in Beijing or Xi’an, he shouldn’t have been here.

Her bare toes curled slightly from the coldness of the floor. The down jacket draped over her shoulders only provided a small patch of warmth.

Shen Qianzhan was shivering from the cold. She wanted to believe this was a dream that felt incredibly real, but the sound of the blizzard raging outside and the groaning of an overworked billboard were all too real.

She couldn’t lie to herself any longer and hesitated before tilting her head: “Ji Qinghe?”

Ji Qinghe let out a soft “hmm.” The arm around her back moved down, taking the ashtray she was still clutching tightly out of her hand: “You don’t lock your hotel room door?”

He casually placed the ashtray back on the table. The flashlight beam moved from behind her, scanning Shen Qianzhan from head to toe. It was so natural and practiced, as if he had done it countless times, without any hint of impropriety.

Shen Qianzhan followed his gaze and looked herself over.

She didn’t have the habit of wearing thermals because she found them too bulky and restrictive, hindering her ability to strike elegant and seductive poses in her sleep. Secondly, to maintain her image of being cool, beautiful, handsome, and absolutely stunning, she had to sacrifice thermals. Thirdly, the interiors in Beijing were so warm that thermals were like plastic wrap, enough to make her evaporate at any moment.

And for a woman who was glamorous for twenty-five hours a day, her sleepwear was, of course, a matter of great importance.

Her suitcase was filled with pajamas and various kinds of stockings, which took up a fifth of the space. They ranged from lace, silk, and mulberry silk, to short sets, mid-length sexy thigh-highs, and long-flowing gowns. Today, fatefully, she was wearing an incredibly form-fitting, tie-up, ice-silk number that barely reached her thighs.

The down jacket draped over her shoulders only partially covered her, but it couldn’t hide her voluptuous figure.

Normally, since they had already been intimate, being looked at again was no big deal. Besides, she was wearing clothes, even if the nightgown was a bit too sexy and tight.

But with the added context of him breaking in late at night, the whole scene felt like a prelude to a crime.

Perhaps it was because the cold weather had sealed away her intelligence, or because the sight before her was so contrary to common sense, but in her shock, Shen Qianzhan’s mind couldn’t keep up for a moment. In just a few seconds, all she could think about was, “my nipples are showing, how erotic,” and “will he misunderstand if I crawl back into bed as an invitation?”

Before she could process these thoughts, Ji Qinghe’s eyes fell on her bare feet, and he frowned slightly: “Why don’t you get back in bed?”

Without waiting for her to refuse, he leaned down, grabbed the hem of her nightgown, and picked her up, carrying her back to the bed.

Shen Qianzhan was startled and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck to keep her balance. The slight gasp that was about to escape her lips was swallowed back because it felt too dramatic. She composed herself, cleared her throat, and asked: “How did you get in?”

Ji Qinghe glanced at her and said teasingly: “Which leg are you asking about?”

Shen Qianzhan was about to reply, “You only have two legs, which one do you think I’m asking about,” but she caught the double meaning in his tone. Realizing he was making another dirty joke, she angrily struggled and landed back on the bed.

The initial fear of a stranger breaking into her room late at night was replaced by the shock of discovering the “perpetrator” was someone she knew. Shen Qianzhan’s state of mind still hadn’t calmed down, but all the turmoil vanished after the awkwardness of her exposed nipples and being picked up.

Ji Qinghe seemed completely unaware of her three-minute emotional rollercoaster. He sat on the edge of the bed and took her feet, which were already ice-cold. “Did I scare you?”

Hearing this, Shen Qianzhan wanted to scoff: “If you were sleeping soundly and opened your eyes to find a strange man in your room, wouldn’t you be scared?”

“If you’re so scared, why didn’t you lock the door?” Ji Qinghe held her foot as she tried to pull it back. He gently kneaded her ankle with his warm thumb and didn’t apply much pressure, but the spot where he pressed caused a sudden, pleasant ache in her arch and calf.

The flashlight stood upright on the nightstand, and the beam fanned out, casting light across half the ceiling. Although it wasn’t bright, it perfectly highlighted Ji Qinghe’s gentle, downcast eyes.

Women are creatures who are very good at letting their imaginations run wild.

This scene, which looked like a movie shot in the dim light, immediately made her think of how much effort he must have gone through to get here. At the same time, her heart softened, and even her voice became softer and more gentle: “The hotel has no water or electricity, and there’s a blizzard outside. I didn’t lock the door because I was afraid of sleeping too soundly and something happening at night.” She hadn’t expected an accident to not happen, but an uninvited guest to arrive instead.

Her feet gradually warmed under Ji Qinghe’s touch. He let go, allowing her to pull them back under the covers. His gaze moved from her blurry face to the empty space beside her: “If you don’t mind, can I rest here for a bit?”

As he spoke, he turned his face slightly, allowing Shen Qianzhan to see his undisguised exhaustion.

Shen Qianzhan didn’t agree, but she moved toward the inner side of the bed, making room for him.

The bed was a little cold, and her legs brushed against the untouched part of the blanket, causing her to let out a small gasp.

Ji Qinghe seemed amused. He sat on the inner part of the bed, not touching her, with his legs crossed and most of them dangling off the side: “I was originally on my way to Xi’an...” His voice was low, and he coughed twice before continuing: “Before I left, I saw that the blizzard in Wuxi wasn’t stopping, so I guessed the weather would get worse and changed my plans at the last minute.”

Shen Qianzhan asked: “When did you get here?”

“Yesterday,” Ji Qinghe looked at her. “I just arrived.”

“I hesitated halfway, worried that coming here would be counterproductive.” He made a loose fist and pressed it against his brow, then said mockingly: “But then your phone wasn’t going through, so I just came without thinking about anything else.”

His voice was very low, like raindrops rolling off a roof and into the grass. It was a sound that traveled through the air and then landed somewhere unknown, sinking into the lake of her heart, more touching than ever before.

Outside, the wind howled and the snow raged, but Shen Qianzhan felt that the slightly damp blanket on her body was no longer so cold.

She remembered Su Zan mentioning his phone call at noon, and a part of her heart sank unexpectedly.

“Su Zan told you the crew was at this hotel?”

Ji Qinghe’s lips held a faint smile. He turned his head and said, “Yes. The road was blocked by snow, and Ming Jue and I followed a snowplow that was delivering supplies.”

“Many cars wanted to enter the film studio. The highway was closed, so half of them were turned back, and the other half were waiting in line.”

Shen Qianzhan was a little surprised: “Ming Jue came with you?”

The smile on Ji Qinghe’s lips deepened. He gave her a meaningful look and said: “I knew you were having a hard time here, so I couldn’t come empty-handed.” He stood up slightly and unceremoniously took a pillow to rest behind his neck: “I brought some instant food and bottled water, and I’ve asked Su Zan to help Ming Jue store them.”

He spoke casually, as if using a senior assistant from Bu Zhong Sui as a porter was no big deal. He just lowered his head slightly, his eyes half-closed, looking a little tired: “The hotel is full.”

Ji Qinghe looked up, his tone calm and steady: “The nearest hotel is ten kilometers away.”

Shen Qianzhan understood his subtext—he wanted to stay here tonight.

The film studio’s facilities included studios, shooting locations, and a hotel. The nearest shops and streets were at least three kilometers away.

The quality of the hotels in the surrounding area varied, from guesthouses to four-star accommodations. But because they were close to the studios and filming locations, most crews would book an entire hotel for their use.

At noon today, when Shen Qianzhan and Su Zan went to Xiao Sheng’s room to discuss the next steps, she overheard the logistics manager arguing with Producer Xiao in his room. The argument mentioned that the crew had to switch hotels due to insufficient funds, and a small group of crew members refused to move, staying at a hotel three kilometers away, making them difficult to manage.

A few days ago, as the snowstorm worsened, they finally convinced that small group to move in with them. But now, there were no empty rooms left in the surrounding hotels.

This meant that the current problem was—if she didn’t take Ji Qinghe in, he would have to sleep on the streets.

Shen Qianzhan, who suddenly had Ji Qinghe’s life in her hands, felt... not happy at all, but rather conflicted.

________________________________________

In the hotel’s underground parking garage.

Su Zan borrowed two military coats from the logistics team and, wrapped tightly in them, went to move the supplies.

He had just fallen asleep shortly after midnight when a knock on the door woke him up. The production manager and a girl from the front desk stood at his door, telling him someone was looking for him.

Feeling utterly exhausted, he gave them a grumpy look, opening the door just a crack: “At this hour, someone is looking for me?”

After getting a confirmed nod from the front desk girl, Su Zan’s lip curled in a sneer: “Special services? They don’t even take a break for a blizzard?”

The front desk girl was a little embarrassed. Seeing that he looked like he was about to close the door, she quickly said, “The person’s last name is Ming, and he’s waiting for you downstairs.”

Su Zan’s curse was caught in his throat. He was stunned for a few seconds before opening the door completely: “Ming? How many people?”

“Two men, both quite tall...”

Before the front desk girl could finish, Su Zan quickly interrupted: “Wait for me! I need to put on some clothes.” He slammed the door shut. When he came out, he was fully dressed. As he was about to head downstairs, he saw the production manager following him. A thought flashed through his mind, and he quickly stopped her: “You don’t need to go. Just have the hotel open two more rooms.”

The production manager looked troubled: “There are no rooms left...”

“No rooms?” Su Zan’s head started to buzz with a headache. He impatiently rubbed the back of his head twice and waved her away: “Alright, alright, I get it. It’s late. You should go back and rest.”

After sending her away, Su Zan, feeling he had handled the situation perfectly, walked to the hotel lobby to greet the big shots with a heavy heart.

Everything that happened after that was like a puppet show for Su Zan. It wasn’t until he led Ji Qinghe to the door of Shen Qianzhan’s room that his conscience finally returned to his body: “CEO Ji, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

Ji Qinghe glanced at him, silently questioning him.

Su Zan shivered under his sharp gaze and said stiffly: “How about I wake up Sister Zhan first, and then you go in?”

Ji Qinghe gave a rare, gentle smile and said: “What are you worried about?”

With Ming Jue standing right there, Su Zan, who was outnumbered, was too embarrassed to expose the big shot’s plot. But on second thought, it was unknown whether Ji Qinghe would do anything to Sister Zhan, but it would be a miracle if Sister Zhan didn’t do anything to CEO Ji. Either way, it wouldn’t be a loss for his own family.

Thinking this, he straightened his back and said with a sense of righteous dignity: “Fine, I’ll lead you in. I’ll come back to get you after Ming Jue and I have moved the stuff and get a room ready for you to rest.”

Ji Qinghe smiled noncommittally.

Su Zan didn’t think there was anything wrong at first. But when he realized how meaningful Ji Qinghe’s smile was, he stopped in his tracks, almost tripping. When Ming Jue caught him, he turned his head and asked: “Is your boss scheming against me again?”

Ming Jue ignored the word “again” in his question and said with a smile: “No.”

Su Zan’s brow furrowed, only to hear Ming Jue say: “He’s only ever been scheming for one person.” The implication was: you’re not even worthy of his scheming.