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

Shen Jicheng stood there, watching Pei Shuli's figure disappear little by little outside the courtyard gate, for a very long time.

He himself didn't know how much time had passed, his mind racing with countless thoughts: How long could he keep the matter of the amulet a secret? How much longer would he have to stay here? Why was Pei Lin injured? And who was the person who injured him?

Thinking too much only makes it harder to understand anything. He finally sighed, turned around, and prepared to walk back.

As I turned around, I was met with a pair of deep, dark eyes.

Pei Lin appeared behind him at some point, still holding the amulet in her hand, quietly watching him. The wind in the courtyard passed between the two, stirring up a few fallen leaves.

"Baby," Pei Lin's voice was soft, but his gaze was as deep as a still pool, "What are you thinking about?"

"Why did you suddenly appear behind me? You scared me to death!" Shen Jicheng clutched his chest and took two steps back, his heart pounding in his throat.

"...Are you scared?" Pei Lin took a step forward, his voice softening slightly. "Why are you so timid?"

Shen Jicheng took a deep breath, trying to make his expression look normal. "Who told you to walk so silently? You sound like a ghost in broad daylight."

Pei Lin didn't respond to that question, but glanced at the door and asked,

"Pei Shuli is gone?"

"Huh? Yeah, let's go." Shen Jicheng nodded quickly.

He said he had other things to do.

Pei Lin didn't say anything, but walked over and took Shen Jicheng's hand.

"Let's go inside, it's windy outside." Pei Lin pulled him into the house, his tone revealing nothing unusual.

Shen Jicheng followed behind, looking down at their clasped hands, his mind a jumble of thoughts. He didn't know if Pei Lin believed his casual remark earlier. But the other party certainly didn't ask anything else.

The two entered the living room, and Pei Lin sat down on the sofa, casually pulling Shen Jicheng to his side. Shen Jicheng sat down stiffly as he was pulled in. Pei Lin, however, seemed oblivious, reaching for an orange from the fruit bowl on the coffee table and slowly peeling it.

Pei Lin carefully removed the white pith from each orange segment, then broke off a segment and offered it to Shen Jicheng's lips.

Open your mouth.

Shen Jicheng was a little confused and subconsciously opened his mouth.

As the orange segments were put into my mouth, the sweet juice spread throughout my oral cavity.

Pei Lin watched him chew with his cheeks puffed out, and a genuine smile finally appeared in his eyes.

"Is it sweet?"

Shen Jicheng nodded.

Pei Lin broke off another piece and handed it to him, "Then have another one."

The sudden feeding only made things more chaotic for Shen Jicheng, who was already in a state of confusion. He chewed on an orange and mumbled a question.

"Are you going to the company tomorrow?"

"I'm not going." Pei Lin ate a piece himself, chewing slowly. "Chu Haonan is coming tomorrow. He said he has a way to find out who the owner of this amulet is."

Shen Jicheng's heart skipped a beat, and he almost choked on the orange in his mouth. Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough to avoid showing any abnormality, and simply said awkwardly, "Is that so..."

"It's good that we found it..."

Pei Lin turned his head to look at him, his gaze carrying a hint of inquiry.

Pei Lin didn't speak, but just quietly looked at him for a few seconds. During those few seconds, Shen Jicheng's back was almost covered in a thin layer of sweat.

"How did he find it?" Shen Jicheng finally couldn't help but ask, trying to make his tone sound casual.

Pei Lin didn't answer immediately, but instead raised an eyebrow at him, a playful smile playing on her lips. "Take a guess?"

Shen Jicheng: "..." Who the hell could have guessed that? He blinked, shook his head innocently, "Can't guess."

Pei Lin didn't hide anything and slowly explained, "We'll wait until Jiang Jin confirms tomorrow whether this amulet was obtained from the most famous Baiguo Temple in City A. If it is, things will be much easier."

Shen Jicheng's fingertips curled slightly. Baiguo Temple? Damn it, he had no recollection of whether his mother had gone to Baiguo Temple to pray for it for him.

He wanted to ask something more, but Pei Lin had already stood up and scooped him into his arms. Shen Jicheng felt his feet slip and was lifted up in his arms.

"Your wound—"

"Chu Haonan said the wound is healing well." Pei Lin looked down at him, his dark eyes filled with intense desire. "So it's nothing to worry about."

Shen Jicheng struggled a couple of times, his voice trembling, "Your injuries aren't fully healed yet! You can't do anything too strenuous—"

Pei Lin carried him upstairs, saying, "So I'll have to trouble you tonight, baby."

Shen Jicheng: "..."

The night was thick and dark, with only the occasional chirping of insects outside the window, which was then drowned out by the breathing inside. Shen Jicheng was so exhausted that he had no energy left to think about the peace charm or anything like that. He could only passively follow Pei Lin's rhythm.

Oh, no, it's not passive.

It is proactive.

Pei Lin injured his back and couldn't move, so he had to work hard.

Pei Lin said that his injury was still painful and he needed Pei Lin's help to ease his burden.

"Tsk—too shallow."

Pei Lin leaned against the headboard, a cigarette between his left fingers. The embers of the cigarette flickered, and white smoke swirled in the dim light. The faint scent of tobacco mingled with another, more ambiguous atmosphere in the air.

His right hand lightly supported Shen Jicheng's waist, his palm touching that small patch of warm skin, the pressure barely perceptible.

His tone was casual, his deep voice husky with a hint of satisfaction, "Baby, don't be lazy."

Shen Jicheng bit his lip and glared at him resentfully.

Who's slacking off here?! This lazybones is just spouting nonsense! His wet eyes were full of accusation, which Pei Lin took in completely.

"You're really naughty." Pei Lin pressed his thumb lightly on Shen Jicheng's lower back, and Shen Jicheng groaned unexpectedly, his center of gravity shifting uncontrollably.

"Well--"

"I said slacking off would be punished, huh?" Pei Lin's tone was still as lazy as ever, but the force of his hand was so precise that no one could dodge it.

Shen Jicheng snorted, hanging his head as if he had given up and ignoring him. He was thinking to himself that Pei Lin's injuries hadn't fully healed yet, so how much more outrageous could he get? This thought had just taken shape in his mind.

Pei Lin couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He raised his hand, took a deep drag on his cigarette, the crimson tip burning briefly between his fingers, and then slowly stubbed it out in the ashtray on the bedside table, exhaling a thin puff of white smoke.

The moment the smoke cleared, before Shen Jicheng could even react, the world spun around and their positions were completely reversed.

When his back pressed against the soft bed, he belatedly widened his eyes, even the word "uh" stuck in his throat.

Pei Lin looked down at him, his loose bangs partially obscuring his brow bone, revealing eyes that were so dark they seemed bottomless, and a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips.

"Why did you have to provoke me?" His voice was deep and dangerous.

Shen Jicheng opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"I told you not to be lazy, but you wouldn't listen." Pei Lin slowly lowered his head. "Now, are you satisfied?"

"Well……"