Wei Yu Chen exhaled softly, his gaze sharp once more—but this time, it pressed rather than chilled. He looked at Xiaoxi, who was still sitting with her mouth slightly agape in surprise.
"Xiao," he said flatly, though his tone carried weight, "stay here. Go back to your room and rest. Eat something nutritious. Your body looks like a starved sewer rat."
His voice wasn't raised, yet it was piercing enough to make the air around the dining table tighten.
Xiaoxi froze, eyes wide, mouth forming a perfect O.
"What?! A... sewer rat?!" she pointed to herself dramatically. "Me? A sewer rat? Wei Yu Chen! You've just insulted my dignity—thin as tofu skin though it may be! I'm human, you hear me, hu-maaan!"
But Yu Chen paid her no mind. The man stood gracefully, stepping away from the table. His hand reached for the black jacket draped over the chair and slipped it on with effortless elegance—like a walking fashion campaign come to life.
"Let's go to the studio," he said curtly.
Xiaoxi remained frozen, face caught between shock and disbelief. "W-what?! Studio?! Wait, who's going? Me?!"
Yu Chen gave no reply. His stride was steady, the kind that left no room for argument.
Jiang Fan, who had been watching in mild panic, quickly jumped up, snatched his laptop, and jogged after him. "Wait! Wait for me, Ge! Don't leave me alone to deal with all this!"
The atmosphere in the house seemed to shift. Xiaoxi sat there, mouth still open, while Yu Chen walked away with his usual composed authority—leaving the unshakable impression that he was the one who controlled everything.
The elevator doors closed with a soft ding, leaving behind a silence that suddenly felt deeper. Wei Yu Chen and Jiang Fan were gone, leaving Xiaoxi alone with Aunt Li.
Aunt Li turned toward Xiaoxi, who was still seated at the dining table. "Miss Xiao Hanis," she said gently, her tone warm and motherly, "I'm heading to the market for the monthly groceries. Would you like me to get you anything?"
Xiaoxi, her mouth stuffed with rice and side dishes, simply raised a hand and shook her head quickly. After swallowing, she croaked, "O-ohh… no, Auntie. Be careful on your way."
Aunt Li smiled softly, her eyes kind and affectionate, before turning toward the door. When the sound of the apartment door clicked shut, the room fell into complete stillness.
Xiaoxi leaned back in her chair, then continued to eat. Her appetite was completely unaffected despite Yu Chen's earlier tension.
"If sewer rats can eat like this," she muttered between bites, "then I'll gladly be the happiest rat in the world…"
Her hand deftly reached for another piece of roasted chicken, stuffing it into her mouth. Her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel hoarding nuts—a sight both ridiculous and endearing.
A few minutes later, the plates before her were nearly empty. Xiaoxi sighed contentedly, leaning back with a satisfied grin.
"Ahhh… life is beautiful when your stomach's full."
She got up lazily, dragging her feet across the modern living room—white marble floors gleaming, sleek black leather sofas, and tall glass windows revealing the city's night skyline. Everything looked luxurious, in sharp contrast to her sluggish gait and hand rubbing her full stomach.
Without much thought, she headed straight toward the master bedroom—Wei Yu Chen's private room.
The moment the door opened, his masculine scent enveloped her senses. The room was immaculate: a king-sized bed with thick white sheets, a chandelier that glimmered dimly, and a built-in wardrobe of metallic gray.
Xiaoxi stood at the doorway, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Wow… this room is always like a seven-star hotel," she whispered in awe.
But awe quickly gave way to her usual antics. She took a small run and flopped onto the bed crosswise, her face buried in the soft pillow.
"Ahhh… this… this is Wei Yu Chen's bed!" she shouted into the cushion.
Then she rolled from side to side as if swimming in a sea of sheets. Her hands reached for the fragrant blanket, pulling it to her chest with theatrical flair.
"I, a mere mortal, dare to defile the throne of an alpha male… will I be cursed through the night?"
After her little drama, Xiaoxi went still for a moment. Her gaze drifted toward the bedside table. There sat a glass of water, neatly arranged work documents, and a silver pen that looked expensive.
Her face grew momentarily serious. Deep down, she realized—she was getting more entangled in Yu Chen's world, one filled with blinding lights, rumors, and secrets far beyond her understanding.
But the next second, that serious look vanished. She scratched her head and muttered in her quirky tone,
"Ah, whatever. Thinking too much causes hair loss."
Then she closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the comfort of Wei Yu Chen's room, unaware that her small steps were already drawing her deeper into his orbit.
Xiaoxi slowly opened her eyes. Her body felt sticky and uncomfortable with cold sweat lingering after a fever. She rolled lazily, staring at the ceiling with a grumpy face.
"Ugh… I feel like a soggy spring roll," she groaned, waving her hand in the air as if to chase away the feeling.
"Alright, Xiaoxi, let's take a bath. Tonight we're enjoying luxury on a divine level!"
Dragging her body half-heartedly yet oddly excited, she shuffled toward the main bathroom. The moment the door opened, her eyes widened.
It was like a hidden paradise. The walls were lined with black marble veined with gold, a crystal chandelier bathed the room in warm light, and a porcelain-white bathtub stood gracefully in the center. In one corner, a rain-shower enclosure gleamed, while sleek ebony shelves displayed rows of luxury skincare products.
Xiaoxi gaped.
"Oh my god… this isn't a bathroom, it's a beauty goddess's playground!"
She hurried toward the shelves, eyes sparkling like a child in a candy store. Her fingers traced the bottles reverently.
"Kerastase shampoo, Sabon body scrub, Jo Malone body wash, La Mer lotion, SK-II cleanser… Wow, life is unfair. My face wash back home comes in five-thousand-rupiah refills!"
Xiaoxi slipped off Yu Chen's oversized shirt and stepped into the bathtub. The warm water, filled with fragrant Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Bath Oil, frothed like a soft white cloud. She eased herself in and sighed in delight.
"Ahhh… now this is life. The moment a commoner like me transforms into a classy mermaid!"
She grabbed the Kerastase Elixir Ultime shampoo, poured some into her palms, and massaged her curls with a blissful expression.
"Hahaha, my hair's like a shampoo commercial now. All I need is a handsome model beside me."
Then she scrubbed her skin with Sabon's Patchouli Lavender Vanilla body scrub, humming nonsensically.
"Scrub-scrub, rub-rub, dirt be gone, goddess aura on. Wei Yu Chen's gonna faint when he sees me glowing like a garden lamp."
She picked up the La Mer body cream and stared at the jar dramatically.
"The price of this jar could feed me Padang rice for a whole month… Wei Yu Chen, you really are another species."
Leaning back, she let herself sink deeper into the fragrant bubbles. Warm steam filled the air, her eyes closed, and a small smile curved on her lips.
"I have to admit… as annoying as he is, having a bathroom like this could make me stay forever… hahaha!"
Xiaoxi kicked playfully, sending foamy splashes around the tub. And beneath all that silliness, a sliver of honesty lingered in her heart: she was starting to get used to Wei Yu Chen's world—a world of luxury, foreign and dazzling, yet one she secretly didn't want to leave.
The bathroom door opened slowly. Warm steam mingled with the lingering scent of peony and vanilla. Xiaoxi stepped out lightly, wrapped in a large white bathrobe—five-star hotel quality, though it was actually Wei Yu Chen's personal collection.
The robe hung loosely on her small frame, its collar slightly open, revealing a glimpse of pale collarbones. Her curly hair was still damp, droplets falling onto her shoulders and soaking into the soft fabric. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat, making her look like a living portrait brought to life.