The night was so deep it seemed like spilled ink.

Jiayi didn’t know what time it was, for she had no pocket, no place to warm herself, numbed by the cold, hardly having the strength to even pull out her phone to check.

She didn’t know how much longer it had been when the light of the study flickered and then went out.

Had he finished his work?

She perked up, waiting hopefully for Auntie Li to come out and call her.

Finally, Auntie Li came out.

She took a deep breath and approached, "Auntie Li, has he finished his work—"

Before she could finish, Auntie Li’s expression was not good, and she sighed, "Better go back today. Maybe come back tomorrow?"

Jiayi paused in mid-air: "He still doesn’t want to see me?"

Auntie Li hesitated for a moment: "He just finished work. I took the young master upstairs and mentioned it again, but the young master teased Zaizai a bit, then said he wanted to go back to his room to rest... Maybe the young master is too tired today..."

Too tired, it’s clearly intentional.

She knew he was angry, but she didn’t expect him to be so upset that he wouldn’t even want to meet her once.

Is he still not finished punishing me?

Alright, as he wishes then.

She bit her lip and forced a smile: "It’s okay, I’ll keep waiting here until he ’isn’t tired’. Zaizai will be in your care then, Auntie Li."

"Miss Chu—are you planning to stand out here all night?"

"It’s okay, Auntie Li, you go in first." She was all in.

Consider it as being punished by the teacher to stand when at school, it’s no big deal.

Standing for a while isn’t going to kill me.

Seeing her determination, Auntie Li had no choice but to go back in and take care of the young master.

*

Huo Zhenyang left the study, went back to his room, took a bath in the bathroom, changed into a bathrobe, and came out.

Before going to bed, he subconsciously looked out toward the balcony of the bedroom.

He walked slowly to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down through the glass.

A small figure stood on the steps at the front door of the villa, clearly visible under the nearby streetlight.

She was dressed too thinly, hardly able to fend off the night’s chill, hugging her arms, her little head shrinking, looking somewhat cold, pacing back and forth, occasionally stamping her foot, yet she persisted relentlessly, showing no intention of leaving.

He glanced at the time.

It was eleven o’clock at night.

She had already been standing downstairs for nearly three hours.

His eyelid twitched, and finally, he turned around: "Auntie Li."

*

When Jiayi was called into the villa, the year-round warmth from the heating system inside made her feel much warmer.

But her hands were still slightly numb with cold, trembling as she opened the door to the bedroom, stabilizing after a moment.

She secretly rubbed her cold hands and stood in front of the man: "Sorry to disturb you so late. I have an urgent matter and need your help."

In the dimly lit bedroom, Huo Zhenyang, like a monarch of the dark night, sat on the velvet sofa, clad in a white bathrobe with the collar opened, revealing a tempting tanned muscular chest.

Her trembling from the cold was all in his view, and after a few seconds, he quietly curled his lips, sarcastically: "I remember, you said on the phone last time that for things unrelated to work, there was no need to meet me. So, what work matter is so urgent?"

She clenched her fists, having been punished to stand outside for so long, but he still hadn’t calmed down.

However, since she needed something from him, she had to lower her pride.

"This is a personal matter..." She mumbled, her cheeks reddening.

She didn’t look up to see his expression.

Let him laugh then! Since she came to him, she wasn’t expecting to keep her dignity!

Luckily, he did not bother to mock her too much; her current state was probably embarrassing enough!

After a long while, he did not ask what exactly the matter was, but merely said indifferently: "Come here."

His already deep voice sounded even more enchanting and eerie in the bedroom at night.

When she raised her head, she met his cat-like deep eyes, swallowed, and finally proceeded two steps forward, in accordance with his wishes.

"I should have taught you how to ask for a favor." He saw that she still maintained a distance of a few centimeters from him and grew impatient.

Her eyes flashed; curling her hands into small fists, simply standing punished wasn’t enough.

The man’s unreadable deep gaze made it unclear what he intended to do, forcing her to whisper submissively, "Please."

Now was not the time to pick a fight with him.

She might as well give him what he wants to hear...

With his eyes half-closed, obscuring his thoughts, he lifted his wrist and grabbed her hand.

Before she could react, she had already slid onto his lap and sat down!

"You..." She was slightly panicked, and as she met his cold gaze for a moment, she stopped struggling.

No, she couldn’t offend him... she still needed his help...

Like a little bundle, frail and limp, she nestled cosily in his arms, docile as a kitten, as he enjoyed the rare privilege of her voluntarily approaching him. His large hand lifted her waist, spreading her legs apart, facing him, and wrapping them around his waist.

This overly intimate posture embarrassed her.

She could feel that he wore nothing under the bathrobe, even sensing his prominence beneath the fabric as she sat on it.

He relished her struggle between resistance and resignation, her cheeks blushing and pearl-white lips looking so beautiful it was maddening.

Suddenly, he opened his bathrobe, enveloping her body chilled from a night’s cold breeze.

She was very slender, and the bathrobe was quite large, easily wrapping her whole person tightly.

Jiayi still did not resist. Under his stern gaze, she could only raise her arms around his neck.

The only thing she could control was her breathing; she tried not to inhale his scent deeply to avoid losing her composure.

His warm body pressed against hers, caressing intentionally or unintentionally, warming her up bit by bit and making her face turn redder as if bleeding, only then did he lean close to her and say with a slightly husky voice, "Not bad. That’s how you should ask."

His proximity made her realize, she turned her face aside, whispering, "So... Is it okay now... you haven’t asked what the matter is."

His lips curled up, but what she needed was not important, as long as he was pleased, he could pluck stars from the sky for her.

Still, pleased by her performance, he finally said, "Speak."

She immediately perked up: "Anya is missing, I think Beiming Hall’s people took her... but I don’t know where they live, please tell me the address, I want to go find her."

Huo Zhenyang narrowed his eyes.

Si Yuheng being in Yunling with his subordinates was something he heard of when he just returned a few days ago.

It is said that Boris entrusted Si Yuheng to continue investigating the matter with Xiaolei.

With Si Yuheng helping to search for evidence of the real culprit, it meant an ugly death for the younger brother and Su Yan, which actually helped him; Huo Zhenyang would naturally enjoy watching Beiming Hall’s people stay in Yunling.

Who would have thought Si Yuheng would kidnap the pregnant Liang Anya?