Chapter 28

 The burlap curtain isn’t very translucent, so the morning sunlight coming in is not as bright as usual, casting a dim and hazy light.

Pei Yuan woke up earlier than Bao Ning. He rubbed his nose bridge and slowly opened his eyes.

Feeling groggy, he frowned at the messy room and then saw Bao Ning asleep against the wall, which triggered his memories of the previous day.

Pei Yuan's eyebrows twitched, and a fierce look appeared in his eyes.

Yesterday's incident was truly an accident. Normally, he wouldn't let someone take advantage of him so easily. However, yesterday, perhaps due to the rainy weather, he felt the toxins in his body acting up. Previously, only his left leg hurt, but now the pain seemed to spread throughout his body, hidden beneath the fascia, pulsing and throbbing.

The pain wasn't unbearable, but it distracted him. Combined with the sound of the rain, he didn't notice someone outside the window.

It wasn't until he smelled a faint fragrance that he suddenly woke up. Without any weapons nearby, he smashed a teacup and threw it at the intruder, who was hit and fled.

But it was too late. The fragrance was potent, and he realized he couldn't control himself, so he sent Bao Ning away. At the time, he didn't think of aphrodisiacs but clearly felt his emotions becoming uncontrollable.

He knew his own nature well; if he really went mad, not even ten Bao Nings could stop him.

He didn't want to hurt her or let her see his ugly side.

But what happened afterward...

Pei Yuan turned to look at Bao Ning.

She looked tired, sleeping uncomfortably with her head resting awkwardly on her neck. It was likely cold, with her hands crossed in front of her stomach and tucked into her sleeves, the thin blanket covering only her knees. She was curled up pathetically.

Pei Yuan’s gaze fell on her hands—delicate and pale, with fragile finger bones. He didn’t dare press hard, afraid they might break with a touch.

His heart softened, and he reached under the blanket to feel her feet, which were a bit cold.

He moved closer, wrapped an arm around Bao Ning’s waist, and gently lifted her into his arms, with one hand supporting her knees.

Pei Yuan shielded Bao Ning’s back with his arm and held her feet with the other, rubbing them to warm her up.

Bao Ning woke up. Her eyelids felt heavy, and her whole body ached, especially her neck, which had a crick.

She didn’t dare move but was uncomfortable and started to massage her neck, hissing in pain. A voice beside her said, "Why sleep sitting up instead of lying down? Now you’re in pain."

In the next moment, her shoulder was taken over by strong hands that started to knead her neck and shoulders, while a low voice asked, "Should I press a bit harder? Can you bear it?"

Bao Ning woke up completely.

Pei Yuan's face was right in front of her, his narrow eyes clear and with a hint of a smile. Bao Ning felt that Pei Yuan seemed gentler today than usual, though she wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination.

"Answer me." Pei Yuan pressed a bit harder, making Bao Ning yelp and cover her neck, tears of pain welling up.

It was then she realized her awkward position. Curled up like a shrimp in Pei Yuan's arms, no wonder she had felt cold earlier and now felt hot.

Bao Ning quickly tried to climb out, but Pei Yuan pinched her ankle, stopping her. "Where are you going?"

Bao Ning didn’t know what to say. She felt embarrassed, while Pei Yuan looked indifferent, as if nothing had happened.

He pulled her back by the ankle, saying, "Don't struggle, your bones are fragile. If they break, don't blame me."

Bao Ning, desperate to break free, ignored him. Pei Yuan's grip tightened, making her panic. Memories of the previous night flooded back, and in her embarrassment, she kicked him.

Pei Yuan had a wound on his hand, and the kick made him inhale sharply. He loosened his grip slightly, and Bao Ning slipped away like a loach. She sat cross-legged opposite him, hugging her legs tightly, afraid he would grab her again.

Pei Yuan knew he had scared her yesterday.

Thinking of this, he softened his tone and beckoned her, "Come here, I'll massage your neck. If you don't loosen it, it'll hurt for three or four more days."

Bao Ning immediately replied, "It doesn't hurt!" She avoided his gaze and tried to put on her shoes to get off the bed.

The floor was messy, and she couldn’t find her shoes. She decided not to look for them and stepped on the floor barefoot, intending to leave.

"There are shards on the floor. What if you get cut?" Pei Yuan frowned and ordered, "Come back!"

Bao Ning froze at his command.

Pei Yuan realized his tone was too harsh. He sighed, moved to the edge of the bed, grabbed Bao Ning’s hand, and pulled her to sit beside him. He softly asked, "Why do you keep running away, hmm?"

He gently stroked Bao Ning’s soft palm, trying to comfort her. "I won’t hurt you."

Bao Ning glanced around the messy and damaged room. The window Pei Yuan had ripped off lay on the floor, and a sturdy redwood frame at the door had a large hole.

Bao Ning shivered.

When she first woke up, she only remembered the embarrassment of helping Pei Yuan with something private yesterday. Now, a faint sense of fear crept in.

She recalled Pei Yuan’s appearance from yesterday, his eyes stormy and as if he wanted to tear her apart. He had pulled her in through the window effortlessly, like lifting a chick.

Bao Ning finally realized that Pei Yuan was a man, strong and aggressive.

He was no longer the sickly person lying in bed when they first met, who let her do whatever she wanted, eating and wearing whatever she said.

In reality, she was at his mercy.

Bao Ning started to think wildly. Yesterday was an accident, but who could guarantee there wouldn’t be another? Pei Yuan restrained himself this time, but what about next time? Bao Ning wasn’t sure if he would hurt her. His temperament was unpredictable; one moment he liked something, the next he didn’t.

When he was happy, he treated her well. But who knew what would happen if he wasn’t?

Pei Yuan hadn’t given her enough sense of security.

Just like now, with Pei Yuan sitting in front of her, Bao Ning couldn't predict his next words. Would he praise her, scold her, or coldly order her to cook?

Bao Ning felt frustrated.

"What are you thinking about?" Pei Yuan asked after watching her in silence for a while. Seeing her sitting there quietly, he couldn't help but lift her chin.

Bao Ning opened her mouth but couldn't speak.

Pei Yuan chuckled, "Just one night, and you’ve become a little mute?"

"No..." Bao Ning pursed her lips, suddenly remembering something important. Who was that person yesterday? Though she was unharmed, she was still scared and grabbed Pei Yuan’s sleeve, asking, "Do you have any enemies?"

Pei Yuan immediately understood what she was talking about, his expression turning serious.

He said lightly, "If I were to count, my enemies would take three days and nights to list."

Bao Ning thought of his notorious past and was momentarily speechless.

Pei Yuan continued, "Although I have many enemies, few would dare to make a move against me, especially using such low methods."

Bao Ning frowned, "I don't understand. If they wanted to harm you, why use that kind of thing..."

"If I guessed correctly, they intended to use 'Soft Tendon Powder.' There are only two types of incense commonly traded on the black market: one is aphrodisiac incense, often used in brothels, and the other is 'Soft Tendon Powder,' used by shady shops. Either he was deceived and bought the wrong incense, or he himself mistakenly took the wrong one. But regardless of the reason, this person is an idiot."

Bao Ning listened in a daze to Pei Yuan’s analysis, feeling it made sense.

She asked, "Who do you think among the people you know could do such a thing?"

Pei Yuan said coldly, "I don’t associate with idiots." His words stopped Bao Ning from saying anything further.

"Moreover, the person’s reaction wasn’t quick, suggesting they weren't a professional assassin." Pei Yuan tapped his knee with his fingers and suddenly asked, "If you were in the situation last night, and you used the wrong incense, how would you kill me?"

He gently encouraged, "Be bold, don’t be afraid."

Bao Ning replied, "I'd do it while you're asleep and exhausted, making it easier."

Pei Yuan asked, "Why not choose to escape?"

"I want to kill you." Bao Ning was surprised, "After this incident, you'd be on guard, making it harder in the future. Last night was the best chance."

Pei Yuan laughed and patted her head approvingly, "If you can figure this out, but the person didn’t, it shows how foolish they are. Either they panicked at the last moment, or they weren't determined to kill me. If we analyze further, why didn’t my enemies choose to kill me when I was at my weakest but instead choose now?"

Bao Ning, half-understanding, thought about the people they had encountered recently. Besides her family and Pei Yang, they hadn't interacted with many others except...

Bao Ning was shocked, "Could it be Young Master Feng? But why would he do this?"

Pei Yuan replied, "It's wise to be cautious. Regardless of his motives, he is the prime suspect now."

Bao Ning nodded in confusion, still finding it hard to believe. Pei Yuan took her hand and squeezed it, "Bao Ning, human hearts can be scarier than ghosts. You never know what lies beneath someone's surface, what forces drive them to do things. So, never trust someone easily."

He suddenly became serious, making Bao Ning uncomfortable. Hearing his words, she instinctively asked, "Can I trust you?"

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