Waves created ripples upon ripples.

The maid that followed was startled, panicking to death: "Miss Qiao, what on earth are you doing in the middle of the night! Please come out quickly!"

Qiao Yongyong’s figure was graceful and slender like a mermaid; it seemed as if she didn’t hear the maid’s words, easily gliding through the water.

Obviously, her athletic ability wasn’t poor, and she was skilled at swimming, rising and diving while parting the waves, searching everywhere underwater.

However, visibility in the pool at night was very low, and the Huo Mansion’s pool was too large; even if a diamond ring really lay on the pool floor, finding it quickly was no easy task.

The maid couldn’t persuade Qiao Yongyong, so she hurriedly turned around.

The young master hadn’t come back from business tonight, the only option was to find someone from the bodyguard department.

Having not gone far, the maid saw Nie Yixiao coming her way and quickly said: "Mr. Nie, Miss Qiao—"

Nie Yixiao’s face was darker than the night, he waved his hand, indicating he knew.

He originally planned to have a subordinate take over for him, but before the subordinate arrived, he saw through the surveillance that Qiao Yongyong hadn’t returned to her room, instead dashing downstairs.

This woman, why can’t she stay still for a moment!

But no matter what, she was still a protectee of the bodyguard firm; Nie Yixiao had to restrain the ire that hadn’t yet subsided, quickly heading out.

Seeing her dive into the pool and grope underwater, Nie Yixiao understood what she wanted to do.

Was this spoiled and willful rich girl looking for a diamond ring?

She had tossed someone else’s precious personal item without a word, and now was searching so desperately—what did she mean by that?

Thinking of amends? What a joke!

His eyes cold, he raised his voice: "Please come out, Miss Qiao!"

Qiao Yongyong emerged like a hibiscus from the water, her head popping out of the swimming pool, her thin shirt clinging wetly to her delicate body, her petite figure fully outlined, her body trembling slightly.

The temperature plummeted after the rain had stopped at night, and she would naturally feel cold after jumping into the pool without warming up first.

She wiped the water off her face and rubbed her nose, which had turned red from the cold, looking at Yingwei’s towering figure on the shore: "You don’t need to bother with me!"

Nie Yixiao sneered: "I’d like nothing better than to not bother with you, but you are currently under the protection of my bodyguard firm. I don’t want it to get a reputation for inadequate protection because of you! Get out of the water!"

"My swimming skills are good; nothing will go wrong. Just pretend I wanted to swim at night. You are here to protect me, not to restrict me. I order you all now, get upstairs!"

Qiao Yongyong took a deep breath and dived back down.

With a splash, her figure disappeared once more.

The maid nervously approached and asked, "Mr. Nie, this..."

Nie Yixiao watched her delicate body undulate beneath the water, his gaze growing darker by the moment, until finally, he turned and headed toward the villa’s main house.

She brought this upon herself.

Let her be!

The maid panicked, quickly following after him: "Mr. Nie, are you not going to care for Miss Qiao anymore? Just leaving her in the swimming pool?"

Nie Yixiao didn’t stop walking: "The security setup around the villa is very comprehensive; she hasn’t gone out, so there should not be any problems."

"But—it’s dark, and it has just rained; she could get sick."

"The bodyguard firm is only responsible for her personal safety, not to be her family doctor. Whether she gets sick or not is not within my remit." With a cold remark thrown behind, he continued into the villa.

*

The next morning, the sun rose, heralding another clear day. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

When the bodyguard firm’s staff came to change shifts, Nie Yixiao was about to leave when a room maid opened the door: "Mr. Nie, Miss Qiao had a fever after bathing upon returning to her room last night, and it hasn’t subsided yet. Please go and see her."

Nie Yixiao’s brow furrowed.

Yesterday, in the dead of night, he saw through the surveillance that Qiao Yongyong was being helped by a maid, soaking wet, as she came upstairs from the swimming pool.

During the protection period, Qiao Yongyong’s bedroom also had surveillance.

But obviously, she would need to change clothes once she returned to her room. Adhering to his professional ethics with female clients, Nie Yixiao temporarily turned off her bedroom surveillance and was unaware that she had developed a fever.

"You can go and call a doctor to see her," Nie Yixiao said after a long silence, tactfully refusing, "I’m off work now."

The maid seemed to have anticipated his refusal and quickly added, "Miss Qiao also mentioned something about... finding the thing..."

Nie Yixiao’s facial muscles twitched, he didn’t say anything more, and strode out, heading to the adjacent room.

He pushed the door open, entered the bedroom, and Qiao Yongyong was lying with her eyes closed, seemingly resting.

Her rosy cheeks were much paler now, her lips tight and jelly-like, and on one cheek, the faint imprint of a slap hadn’t completely faded.

A twinge in his heart; it was the consequence of his loss of control in anger from the day before.

Her sleeping appearance was that of a very ordinary eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl, obedient and naive.

Yes.

No matter her status, she was indeed just a little girl.

At this thought, he couldn’t help but feel a bit self-mocking. What was he thinking?

How could he associate this spoiled mafia heiress with being obedient and naive?

However, Qiao Yongyong at this moment did seem genuinely weak.

"Miss Qiao," he spoke.

Qiao Yongyong’s eyelids fluttered and she opened her eyes. Upon seeing Nie Yixiao come in, she sat up: "You’re here."

He didn’t speak, just looked at her.

He didn’t come here to chat with her.

Understanding his purpose, she took out the diamond ring she had searched for all night from under the pillow, handed it over, and then watched him eagerly, waiting for his reaction.

Nie Yixiao took it. The ring that had been in the swimming pool for a long time was intact, which made him sigh with relief.

He took out a tissue, wiped it, and put it in his pocket.

"Mr. Nie," Qiao Yongyong wasn’t sure if he was still angry, not daring to call him Brother Yixiao, "Is the ring alright?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she coughed fiercely.

He watched her uncomfortable appearance, glanced at the cup on the coffee table, picked it up, and handed it to her.

Qiao Yongyong took it and drank a sip, perhaps too hastily, choking her throat, and the cough became more violent, her cheeks turning red in a moment.

He frowned slightly and sat down beside the bed.

Possibly because he saw her looking so earnest to please him, searching for the ring all night and catching a cold because of it.

Or maybe because he still felt some guilt over the slap mark on her face, he took the cup from her hand, patted her back, and gently touched her forehead with the back of his hand.

The fever had gone down; it was just a cold now, which would take a few days to recover from.

Qiao Yongyong had never experienced such tenderness from him. She stopped coughing and looked up, "Brother Yixiao, are you worried about me?"

Here it comes again.

This woman, give her an inch and she’ll take a mile.

Nie Yixiao mercilessly destroyed her wishful thinking: "I’m just afraid you’ll choke to death."

Qiao Yongyong pouted, but her heart leaped with joy; he didn’t stop her from calling him Brother Yixiao, which probably meant his mood had improved, right?

She grumbled with pouted lips, continuing to act aggrieved, "Brother Yixiao, I still feel a bit unwell."