Mr. Pei! Don't force yourself into circles you can't fit into.

"Pei Lin! Help!"

Shen Jicheng ran wildly to the tightly closed door on the second floor, looking back and banging on it desperately. The banging echoed in the corridor, and as the black snake drew closer and closer, his heart was pounding in his throat.

The moment the door opened, he disregarded everything and rushed inside, crashing headfirst into Pei Lin's arms. He didn't think twice, quickly hiding behind Pei Lin, clutching his robe tightly, his voice trembling.

"Snake! There's a snake!!!"

Pei Lin naturally embraced the person in his arms, coaxing them gently, "Don't be afraid, I'm here, you're safe." From an angle that Shen Jicheng couldn't see, a smile curved his lips.

After Pei Lin instructed the servants to remove the black snake, Shen Jicheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Clutching his still-pounding heart, his face pale, he asked in a trembling voice, "Why was there a snake in this villa?"

Pei Lin closed the door, then thoughtfully poured him a glass of water before explaining,

"The location of Beishan Villa isn't great; it's next to the sea, so there are more snakes there in the summer," he said with a smile, trying to reassure you. "But don't be afraid, this is quite common. The servants have taken precautions, but it's inevitable that some will slip through."

These words of comfort clearly had no effect; Shen Jicheng's lips turned even paler. "You mean... this happens frequently? Wouldn't that be very dangerous at night!"

Who the hell could sleep like that?!

Pei Lin explained with a smile, "Besides my room, the other rooms could indeed be affected. After all, those rooms haven't been occupied for a long time, so no protective measures were taken. Don't worry, I'll arrange it as soon as possible."

Shen Jicheng took a sip of water, feeling slightly relieved. "That's good... as long as it can be handled."

Pei Lin smiled but didn't say anything.

After Shen Jicheng finished drinking the water, Pei Lin spoke up, "It's getting late, why don't you go home and get some rest?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Jicheng hesitated, his grip on the water glass tightening slightly. Go back? After being so frightened, could he really go back to sleep? What if another snake appeared?

After hesitating for a while, he looked up at Pei Lin, who was waiting for him, and cautiously asked, "I...can I sleep with you?"

Pei Lin frowned, looking troubled. "This..."

Shen Jicheng hurriedly stretched out his hand and swore an oath, "I promise I won't move! I won't disturb your sleep! Please let me stay, I really don't dare to go back to that room."

After much persuasion, Pei Lin reluctantly agreed.

"In that case... alright then."

Shen Jicheng was overjoyed and obediently lay down on one side of the bed, determined not to disturb Pei Lin. Fortunately, the bed was big enough, and there was a good distance between them. He was completely relieved and closed his eyes to fall into a deep sleep.

The night is dark.

Pei Lin turned to the side, his dark, cold eyes fixed on the person in front of him who had his back to him, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, eyeing its prey. Sooner or later, he would devour this person completely, leaving not even a bone fragment.

He glanced at the distance between them, narrowed his eyes, and reached out to pull the person into his arms.

Shen Jicheng was awakened by the heat.

He groggily opened his eyes and saw an enlarged face staring right at him. He was clinging tightly to the other person, his legs draped over them, treating them like a human doll.

Shen Jicheng was startled.

Good heavens, how can he sleep like this! He's so restless! He swore yesterday he wouldn't bother me, but he spent the whole night hugging me like a doll.

He carefully backed away, afraid of waking Pei Lin. Finally, he tiptoed to his feet, didn't even put on slippers, and slipped out the door.

The moment the door closed, the man who was "sleeping" on the bed slowly opened his eyes, a hint of interest flashing in them.

Since getting up, Shen Jicheng has been busy, constantly asking the servants if snakes really do appear in the villa frequently.

The maid's answer chilled him to the bone.

"Yes, especially in the backyard and basement. So Mr. Shi, you'd better not go to those two places."

Shen Jicheng felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind them.

He turned around and saw Pei Lin, already dressed and in leather shoes, walking down the stairs. She asked unhurriedly, "What are you talking about?"

Shen Jicheng hurriedly pressed, "The maid said there are the most snakes in the basement and backyard, and told me not to go there. Is that true?"

Pei Lin paused slightly, then nodded: "Of course."

His expression was serious, and his voice seemed to possess a certain bewitching power as he earnestly instructed, word by word.

"Honey, please don't go to those two places, okay?"

A strange feeling flickered through Shen Jicheng's mind, but he still nodded.

Are you kidding me? How could he possibly walk right into a trap?

...

"Huh? There are snakes too?" Song Yiyang felt a chill run down his spine.

Shen Jicheng pursed his lips. "You bet! You have no idea how terrified I am when I'm woken up in the middle of the night. I'm terrified of snakes!"

"Luckily, Pei Lin is a nice guy. I begged him for ages, and he finally agreed to let me sleep with him."

Song Yiyang stroked his chin. "It seems the rumors aren't true. Wasn't Pei Lin supposed to be cold-blooded and ruthless? Now that you mention it, he seems quite easy to talk to."

Shen Jicheng nodded in agreement, swirled the wine in his glass, took a sip, and said, "Yes, rumors are not to be believed! Although I slept with the wrong person, I don't feel like I lost out."

As he spoke, he took out a card and waved it around. "Here, Pei Lin gave it to me before I left. He said he would deposit money into this card every month."

He proudly raised his chin, a bright smile on his face.

"We'll never have to live such a frugal life again!"

Song Yiyang stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Something feels off to me... Is this a repayment? It feels more like being kept? Signing documents, living at his house, and giving him money every month."

Shen Jicheng frowned.

"I also think it's like being kept... but it's not that different! As long as the goal is achieved, that's all that matters. Now, my brothers can't control me!"

On the other end.

Zhang Xu respectfully reported, "Mr. Shi went to the billiards hall with his friends, then went to a bar in the afternoon, and is still drinking with his friends now."

Pei Lin sat on the sofa, a black, scaled snake coiled around his arm, its bright red tongue flicking. He patted Xiao Hei's head and casually asked, "Friend? What's your name?"

"Song Yiyang".

Pei Lin narrowed his eyes instantly and looked over. "Oh? Someone from the Song family? How did he get involved with aristocratic families?"

Zhang Xu paused for a moment and then explained, "I checked, and the young master of the Song family and Mr. Shi attended the same school and were even in the same class. That's how they met."

Seeing that President Pei remained silent, he asked again.

"Should we invite the young master of the Song family over for tea?"