He stole his best friend's photos and fell for a tycoon's heir through online dating.

He spoke those two words very, very softly.

Xia Ruo's face turned white and then red in an instant. She froze as if struck by lightning, forgetting even to breathe.

"It's not moving! It's not moving!!" she screamed frantically in her mind, not daring to even breathe.

Zhou Siyan let out a soft chuckle from his nose and gently brushed the tip of her nose with his finger:

"Breathe, you silly girl. What are you afraid of? It's only a matter of time."

Xia Ruo's brain buzzed, and her ears burned.

"Baby, you just responded to me." He lowered his head, his nose brushing against hers. "And you've already learned how to breathe properly. That's great!"

He pronounced the last two words lightly and softly, with the final syllable rising in pitch.

Xia Ruo was so embarrassed she wanted to die, wishing she could disappear into the ground. She raised her hand to cover his mouth, pressing her palm against his cool, thin lips, and whispered, "Don't say anymore!"

That's outrageous—there are still people here, even though the partition has been raised, but…

Zhou Siyan gently pulled down her hand, intertwined their fingers, and leaned close to her ear, his voice possessing a captivating magnetism:

"Don't worry, baby. Assistant Zhang knows what he's doing and wouldn't dare listen to that."

"Don't believe me? I'll ask around for you." A very slight smile curved his lips, but his voice instantly returned to its usual cold, businesslike tone.

"Assistant Zhang."

"Mr. Huo, please give your instructions." The driver's steady voice came from the front of the partition, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Xia Ruo instantly panicked—was he crazy? She hurriedly tried to break free from his hand to stop him, but he held her down firmly.

Zhou Siyan watched her blushing and annoyed expression with a smile in his eyes, calmly took out the business card from his suit pocket, and held it up towards the partition:

"Dispose of this person properly and throw him into the Huangpu River."

Xia Ruo's struggles stopped instantly.

Zhou Siyan leaned close to her ear and whispered:

"Fool, how could I really ask? Don't you know who I am?"

Xia Ruo was speechless—it's precisely because she knows you so well that she's afraid…

But... just a moment ago, when he coldly said "throw it into the Huangpu River," she felt inexplicably at ease.

That sentence was so terrifying, proving how dangerous, obsessive, and possessive this man was, yet she felt as if she were being held firmly by something, and was no longer afraid.

Zhou Siyan lowered his head and pressed his lips to the top of her head:

"If anyone bullies you again, I'll throw them in here."

"But—if you dare not tell me next time, what will the consequences be…"

His voice suddenly deepened by half a degree, "You can try to guess."

The warning in his tone hadn't faded yet when he looked down at Xia Ruo in his arms. Her eyelashes were trembling, and she seemed completely drained, soft and tired.

He pursed his lips, suppressing the anger that hadn't quite subsided, and softened his tone:

"Fine, I'll let you off the hook for today."

My fingers moved from her waist to her back, patting her gently and intermittently.

"Take a break, I'll call you when we get there."

Perhaps the kiss had exhausted her strength, or perhaps she had been too frightened tonight, but as Xia Ruo leaned against his warm chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

She thought groggily, "I can't sleep... I can't sleep in his arms..."

But his embrace was so warm, and the scent of cedar was so comforting. Like a kitten that had found its nest, she curled up inside, not wanting to come out or move.

Zhou Siyan felt the little thing in his arms slowly relax, and its breathing became long and even.

He adjusted his position, pulled her closer to his chest, and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

The moment their lips touched, Zhou Siyan suddenly opened her eyes, her pupils shrinking sharply.

He quickly turned on the rear seat light, and the orange light suddenly shone brightly, falling on Xia Ruo's face.

Her beautiful face was abnormally red, a sickly flush.

His lips were pale, his breathing was labored, and he was so feverish that he was unconscious.

"Xia Ruo? Xia Ruo!" He patted her face, but there was no reaction.

Her head rested softly against his chest, burning hot like fire.

Damn it. Everything was fine just now, what happened?

"Get to the hospital right now!!!" he shouted.

Startled by the shout, Assistant Zhang jerked the steering wheel, the tires screeching on the ground, and the car made a U-turn at the intersection, speeding toward the nearest hospital.

At the hospital entrance, before the car had even come to a complete stop, Zhou Siyan had already pushed open the car door and rushed inside with Xia Ruo in his arms.

The dean was already waiting at the door with his men. Seeing him rush in carrying someone, he quickly went to greet him, bowing slightly: "President Zhou—"

"It's burning badly, hurry up!" Zhou Siyan interrupted him, her voice leaving no room for politeness.

The dean's expression changed, and he turned to shout at the doctors and nurses behind him:

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and push the bed over here!"

-

When Lin Wanzhi arrived home, Da Pang Ju had already been lectured by Lin's mother.

It huddled in the corner of the sofa, its round body curled up in a ball, its ears pressed back, looking pitiful.

Lin Wanxun was stroking the fur casually, a faint smile on her lips.

Lin Wanzhi leaned over and stroked the cat's head, muttering with heartache, "My cat has been wronged."

"What has it suffered?" Lin's mother's voice drifted from the kitchen, carrying an barely suppressed anger.

"It could catch all five koi fish next door and bite them to play with! When they blocked my door with incriminating evidence, I was so embarrassed I wanted to disappear into the ground!"

Lin Wanzhi stuck out her tongue guiltily: "Oh dear, kittens love fish, it's just their nature~"

"I think it should be locked up, so it won't cause trouble all the time!"

"No, no!" Lin Wanzhi cried out in alarm, rushing over to hug the cat.

"Mom, you've gone too far! How can you only blame Mimi?"

"Isn't his big koi fish at fault? I bet those fish deliberately lured Mimi to catch it!"

Lin's mother was amused and exasperated: "Lin Wanzhi! You're the one who neglected the room's windows, and you're making excuses!"

As she spoke, Lin's mother grabbed a cushion from the sofa, ready to hit her. Lin Wanzhi cried out "Ah!" and ran around the living room shouting:

"Mom! Why are you siding with outsiders?! Brother—say something!"

Lin Wanxun sat on the sofa, watching this farce unfold, and shook her head helplessly.

Zhang Meihua came out of the kitchen, still wearing her apron, and stepped forward to stop Lin's mother:

"Madam, how about I take Mimi back with me?"

This cat was originally brought home by Xia Ruo when she was little. I'm so sorry it's caused so much trouble. I can't cause you any more trouble.

Lin's mother put down the cushion and waved her hand:

"Meihua, this has nothing to do with you. It's because Wanwan is careless. She always leaves the windows open, which is how the cat sneaks out."

"Can……"

"Alright, alright, stop arguing."

Lin Wanxun stood up, holding the cat in one arm, her tone gentle but leaving no room for negotiation.

"I'll take Mimi to my place."

Lin Wanzhi's eyes widened:

"Brother, you're so busy, can you take care of everything?"

Mimi is so naughty, aren't you afraid she'll chew through your internet cable?

Lin Wanxun glanced down at the purring fat cat in her arms and smiled softly:

"Let it bite. If it breaks, it's on me."

"By the way," Lin Wanzhi looked up, "why didn't Ruoruo come back with you?"

Lin Wanzhi chuckled as she recalled the scene in the car, and waved her hand, "Ruoruo, she went to her apartment to put her things away."

Lin Wanxun frowned. "Is she alone? I'll go check on her!"