Shiyao watched in disbelief as Xuan Yanyu, with his arm halfway around Yan Yunning, walked out of her line of sight. Her nose stung, and she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.

Was he blind?

Had he not seen that she was still lying on the floor?!

“Miss Shi, please get up — we’ll take you to the hospital.”

The two servants, one on each side, helped Shiyao to her feet and supported her as they walked out of the main hall, then had a bodyguard drive them to the hospital.

Hospital.

The moment Wen Shuyun came around, she pulled Yan Yunning close and kept asking questions, only settling once she had confirmed that Yan Yunning was unharmed.

She had just told Xiao Yun to let Ningning stay with her, and if Ningning had ended up getting hurt, how would she have explained that to Xiao Yun.

Xuan Zhaoyong patted his chest, keeping his voice gentle. “Mom, you gave me such a fright today.”

“The doctor says your blood pressure and heart rate have both stabilized. It was just extreme emotional stress that caused you to faint. Next time something like this happens, try taking deep breaths and letting yourself calm down slowly.”

Yan Yunning pressed her fingers together with a guilty pang. “Auntie, I’m sorry.”

Wen Shuyun pushed down the panic in her heart and took Yan Yunning’s hand. “What happened? Everything was perfectly fine — why did you fall?”

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. “Auntie, I was actually going to bring this up. Shiyao seems to have a problem with me. The first time we met, she inexplicably demanded that I give her the dress I had just bought. This time, she deliberately pulled me. I’m sorry, Auntie — I can’t continue staying at your home. I…”

“Oh…” Wen Shuyun’s breathing grew labored, each breath shallow and slow, and her eyelashes trembled as her eyes fluttered shut.

“Mom!”

“Auntie!”

Wen Shuyun, who had only just come to, fainted again. Xuan Zhaoyong called for the doctor, and he and Yan Yunning waited anxiously outside the ward.

Yan Yunning rubbed her temples. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Xuan Yanyu emerging from the doctor’s office, and she shut her eyes in exasperation.

“Xuan Yanyu, look at the mess Shiyao has caused. If anything had truly happened to Ningning or Mom today, how would you have explained that to Father, to me, to Ranran, and to Ningning’s family?” Xuan Zhaoyong was practically livid at the sight of Xuan Yanyu.

The man’s brow creased slightly. “I’ll handle this matter.”

“Handle it quickly. This is driving everyone crazy.” Xuan Zhaoyong’s expression was cold and grim.

Xuan Yanyu gave a nod, then took a long stride over to Yan Yunning’s side and curved his lips. “Where did you want to go and play? I’ll take you there.”

“No need. I’ve already messaged Qingxia — I’m not going anymore today.”

The man pressed his lips together slightly. “I’ll have Shiyao apologize to you.”

Yan Yunning shifted her feet, her voice carrying a precisely measured detachment. “Having her compensate me for the damages is enough. An apology isn’t necessary.”

What good was it to open your mouth and say sorry?

“All right.”

Yan Yunning looked up at him, her voice dropping a little. “Could you please let Uncle know for me — I want to go home.”

Xuan Yanyu lowered his eyelids slightly. “That’s not something I can help with.”

Yan Yunning’s gaze swept across his face and met the man’s deep, ink-dark pupils. For no apparent reason, she sensed a quiet loneliness in his eyes, a heaviness that wouldn’t dissolve.

“Young Master Xuan, the Madam is already stable and may return home to rest.” The doctor came out of the ward, removed his mask, and approached Xuan Yanyu.

“Understood.”

The doctor gave a nod and handed the examination report to Xuan Yanyu. “Young Master Xuan, I’ll take my leave then.”

The man flipped through the report. “Mm.”

Xuan Residence.

Xie Yan and the others, who had originally arranged to go out for dinner together, heard that Wen Shuyun had fainted and been hospitalized, and all came over to the Xuan residence. After looking in on Wen Shuyun, they were led by a servant to the dining room.

With the hosts of the household absent, the servant served the dishes, arranged several plates of delicate fruit and cold appetizers, and personally attended to Xuan Yanyu’s friends.

“Is Brother Yu not home?” Mu Heng asked with a smile.

“Young Master Xuan is home.” Xiao Wan filled everyone’s teacups and smiled gently. “Everyone can start eating — Young Master Xuan will be down shortly.”

Xie Yan raised his teacup and took a sip. “Let’s wait a moment.”

“No need — Young Master Xuan has already said to go ahead and start.” Xiao Wan set down the teapot and stepped to the side.

Jiang Xian asked offhandedly, “What’s Brother Yu busy with?”

Xiao Wan didn’t hide it. “Miss Yan is in a bad mood, and Young Master Xuan is coaxing her.”

“Who? Coaxing who?” Jiang Xian thought his ears were playing tricks on him.

Xiao Wan smiled and repeated herself. “Young Master Xuan is coaxing Miss Yan — coaxing her to come downstairs for dinner.”

When she had gone upstairs to call Miss Yan for dinner just now, she had seen Young Master Xuan crouching beside the bed, speaking softly to coax Miss Yan. When he heard her knock, Young Master Xuan had told her to go downstairs and attend to Mr. Xie and the others.

“Which Miss Yan?” Jiang Xian asked again.

“Who else could it be — it must be Ningning.” Xie Yan finished speaking, then exchanged a glance with Mu Heng. They spoke in unison: “The same room? They’re living together?? Does Jingzhi know???”

Good lord — Jingzhi had only just left on a business trip, and his little sister had already been reeled in by Brother Yu.

“Didn’t you say Brother Yu doesn’t know how to coax people and only finds it annoying? Does your face sting?” Nan Chu gave a sidelong glance at Xie Yan and laughed lightly.

Xie Yan picked up a piece of braised pork knuckle from a blue-and-white porcelain bowl, his words carrying a note of disbelief. “I still feel like this can’t possibly be real.”

“Ahem.” Mu Heng fished a glazed spare rib out of the white porcelain pot, took a bite, and tilted his head meaningfully.

“Let’s go.” With that single gesture, they all understood what Mu Heng meant. The whole group crept sneakily up to the third floor.

In the corridor, they kept their footsteps as quiet as possible. Because of the soft carpet laid out, no footsteps could really be heard anyway.

When Xuan Yanyu had entered Yan Yunning’s room, the door had not been fully shut — it was Xiao Wan, when she called Yan Yunning for dinner, who had pulled it partway closed. The door was now sitting ajar, which conveniently made it easy for Xie Yan and the others to eavesdrop.

Inside the room, Yan Yunning stared at the man whose expression was dead serious, mildly incredulous. “Xuan Yanyu, so what are you going to do now? Didn’t you take money for it — are you going to keep looking after Shiyao or not?”

The man let out a low scoff. “Money? I got into a car accident over this whole business. That little bit of money isn’t nearly enough to compensate for my losses.”

“Serves you right.” Yan Yunning drew out the words appreciatively. “That’s what you get for being so ‘kind-hearted.'”

Xuan Yanyu flicked her lightly on the tip of her nose and said lazily, “Yan Yunning, could you have even a shred of conscience? Wasn’t it me, downstairs just now, who cushioned your fall and saved you from hitting the floor?”

Better not to bring it up — the moment he did, Yan Yunning nearly spat blood with fury. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have fallen in the first place!!!”

“Tsk.” The man shook his head and laughed teasingly. “Is it really that hard to admit I saved you?”

Yan Yunning gritted her teeth. “Get lost. I don’t want to see you right now.”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow, pulled out his phone from his trouser pocket, unlocked it, and held it out toward Yan Yunning. “The shoes are ruined, aren’t they. How much were they — transfer the amount yourself.”

Yan Yunning smiled without warmth. “Oh? Is Young Master Xuan going to compensate me on Shiyao’s behalf?”

The man gave Yan Yunning a peculiar sidelong look. “Why would I compensate on her behalf? She pays her share, I give mine — there’s no conflict. Don’t lump her and me together.”

Yan Yunning raised her brow, the corner of her mouth curving faintly upward. “My, my — it’s not easy making money, is it. Aren’t you afraid I’ll punch in too much?”

“Not afraid. Put in as much as you want.” Xuan Yanyu pulled her hand over and placed the phone in her palm, his lips curving slightly. “A voluntary gift.”

Yan Yunning’s eyes shifted subtly. A gift given freely — a voluntary gift, the giver generally cannot revoke at will.

Out in the corridor, Xie Yan tapped the mute button on his phone. The others, catching on, silenced their phones as well.

Xie Yan then started a new small group chat: [What does this mean? Brother Yu was looking after Shiyao because someone paid him to??]

Mu Heng: [Seems like it.]

Xie Yan: [Brothers for years, and in the end we still can’t compare to Ningning, who he’s barely known — and we only found out because of Ningning…]

Nan Chu: [Wrong. We only found out because we were eavesdropping.]

Xie Yan: [……]

Jiang Xian had just started to type something when the sound of Yan Yunning’s indignant voice drifted out from inside the room: “No — Xuan Yanyu, you… you… what are you doing — I don’t want that.”

Everyone stared at each other wide-eyed, frozen in place, momentarily unsure whether they should immediately go back downstairs.