The next morning, before seven, Qi Ji was awakened by his biological clock.
He felt a slight headache upon waking. He had slept comfortably through the night, yet somehow had dreamed continuously, leaving him restless.
In his dream, his younger brother had returned, furious at Qi Ji for constantly running around doing odd jobs and not sleeping, even threatening to break his legs.
Qi Ji hadn’t taken the threat seriously—after all, Qi Mingyu couldn’t actually beat him. But in the dream, Qi Mingyu seemed to have unlocked some secret skill, transforming into a martial arts master. With just one hand, he pinned Qi Ji down and actually acted on his threat.
Qi Ji’s calf throbbed painfully, almost cramping, and his whole body shivered. He struggled to free himself, kicking with his other leg, but Qi Mingyu easily countered, leaving him immobilized.
Frustrated and hurt, Qi Ji eventually cried quietly, biting his fingers in small sobs.
The dream-version of Qi Mingyu didn’t go entirely overboard; perhaps out of some lingering guilt, he bent over to check on him. Qi Ji seized the opportunity to strike back. Though he couldn’t fully overpower the inexplicably formidable Qi Mingyu, he managed a few scratches in retaliation, finally releasing some tension.
Once his leg pain subsided to a mild, cool sensation on the skin, Qi Ji thought he had recovered—only to find that the dream Qi Mingyu insisted on sleeping beside him.
Qi Ji hadn’t slept next to his brother in years. Given the events in the dream, he naturally refused. Yet Qi Mingyu persisted, and when Qi Ji struggled, he grabbed the back of Qi Ji’s neck, restraining him like lifting a small kitten.
Exhausted and sore, Qi Ji finally gave in, sulkily pressed against him.
The dream felt so real that upon waking, Qi Ji half-believed he had spent the entire night being held.
Opening his eyes, however, he realized he was in the guest bedroom of the villa, alone—no sign of Qi Mingyu.
Perhaps he had been worried about his brother’s safety after several days without contact. Qi Ji massaged his temples and sent a message.
Due to the time difference with Argentina and signal issues, Qi Mingyu didn’t reply immediately. Since they hadn’t communicated much recently, Qi Ji checked the account of the teacher leading their group.
The teacher’s social updates were frequent; last night, they had been engaged in a full-team activity. Relieved, Qi Ji let it go.
Normally, when free, Qi Ji would go for a morning run. Today, however, he seemed to have woken later. Coming out of the bedroom, he ran into Pei Yusheng returning from exercise.
The man wore a dark, short athletic outfit, his long, firm limbs exposed, every muscle line almost perfect, evoking admiration. Sweat clung to his handsome features, droplets sliding down his chest, enhancing his allure.
Qi Ji couldn’t help but compare himself, feeling a twinge of envy.
Though he maintained low body fat and kept up his workouts, body shape was largely innate. No matter how hard he tried, he could not achieve Pei Yusheng’s firm, sculpted musculature. His metabolism was such that even fat seemed unwilling to stay.
“Good morning.”
Pei Yusheng noticed him and spoke first.
“Good morning, Mr. Pei,” Qi Ji replied, then added, “Thank you for the medication last night. It worked well.”
He had expected lingering pain in his calf, but by morning it had almost disappeared, as if the dream had exhausted it away.
“Mm,” Pei Yusheng said evenly, showing no particular delight at Qi Ji’s recovery.
“Down this corridor and turn right to reach the dining room. Breakfast is ready; go eat first.”
Still sweaty, he didn’t approach, merely gesturing in Qi Ji’s direction.
“Okay…” Qi Ji began to reply, then froze.
At first he thought he had imagined it. But with his sharp vision, there was no mistaking the red marks on Pei Yusheng’s arm, clearly visible from less than two meters away.
The man’s muscles were perfect, like a masterpiece sculpted by a master. Now, however, fine red scratches marred the flawless form.
They were unmistakably fingernail marks—no one would believe the owner had accidentally scratched himself. Who gets small scratches on the inner forearm like that?
Qi Ji drew a shaky breath, forcing himself to remain calm, silently watching Pei Yusheng leave for a shower.
Internally, however, he was astonished.
Inevitably, Qi Ji thought of the strange dream last night, recalling the retaliatory scratches he had inflicted. A bizarre thought crept into his mind, making it hard to eat breakfast.
Could these marks on Mr. Pei’s arm possibly…?
But that seemed impossible.
Pei Yusheng was not the type to allow himself to be scratched, and Qi Ji himself would not have failed to notice someone approaching.
Qi Ji, already a light sleeper and more cautious after last night’s events, would have been alert even to Doctor Zhao’s minor approach, let alone the assertive Pei Yusheng.
It had to be an accident.
Qi Ji reassured himself. Pei Yusheng’s nonchalant demeanor at breakfast—returning from his shower calm and relaxed, without mentioning last night—seemed to confirm this.
Satisfied, Qi Ji finished breakfast and returned home for a brief visit.
He tidied up his belongings and was brought back to the villa.
Initially planning to go alone, the driver explained that traffic was restricted nearby; even buses did not run, and Qi Ji’s injured leg made walking difficult.
At first, he doubted it. Hunan Road was in downtown S City, one of the busiest areas. How could it be closed? Stepping outside the villa, he saw lush greenery all around—a quiet, garden-like enclave.
Without seeing it himself, it would have been hard to believe such a luxurious oasis existed in the heart of downtown S City.
As the car left the street, Qi Ji saw the checkpoints, dispelling any lingering doubts.
The driver, a serious-looking middle-aged man surnamed Xu, surprised Qi Ji with his warmth, chatting along the way and introducing nearby sights and facilities. Patient and friendly, he eased Qi Ji’s initial awkwardness.
Qi Ji had been careful and obedient for so long; he wasn’t lacking social skills. The ride passed pleasantly, and he even called the driver “Uncle Xu.”
Back at the villa, Qi Ji organized his things and returned to work.
Pei Yusheng left after breakfast, returning only near evening.
Contracts were signed over dinner, in triplicate. The signing was straightforward; the contract official, stamped, and formal.
Qi Ji examined the seal—it read “Jianghai Investment Company.” Not familiar with it, he looked it up online, learning the company was much larger than he had imagined, founded twenty years ago with initial funding exceeding ten million.
He didn’t understand why their contract was tied to such a large company, but the formal process provided stronger legal protection than a gentleman’s agreement.
The contract outlined work responsibilities in formal terms. His role was “consulting advisor,” requiring eight hours each night with the employer. The terms clearly guaranteed that the work would not infringe on Qi Ji’s personal or property safety; violations allowed him to terminate the contract with compensation provided.
Additionally, Pei Yusheng brought an agreement from Yuntu, confirming that the Jianghai contract would not affect Qi Ji’s primary employment—a safeguard for his main job.
Qi Ji read both contracts carefully, trained to scrutinize documents during his university orientation. Even under critical review, the contracts were flawless. Satisfied, he signed.
That evening should have marked his first official day on the job. He had many considerations, but immediately after signing, his employer left abruptly.
Pei Yusheng’s comings and goings were hurried; he even skipped dinner, though he brought several boxes of cakes as a “welcome gift” for the new job.
Though Qi Ji didn’t understand the reason, the cakes were delicious, raising his appreciation for the gift-giver slightly.
With Pei Yusheng absent all night, Qi Ji returned to the bedroom to work on his drafts.
Sometimes he listened to sounds to spark inspiration. Star found a documentary to play in the background.
The bedroom had a large projection screen, like a home theater. Star used it to display the documentary. Only when the images appeared did Qi Ji realize it was a cat film.
Not just any cats—fluffy kittens. The documentary repeatedly showed how adult cats carried kittens by the scruff, and how humans should handle a kitten’s scruff to avoid resistance.
Qi Ji: “…”
Though the kittens were adorable, perhaps a lingering effect from last night, watching the film made Qi Ji feel as if the back of his neck was being grasped, just like the kittens’.
Fortunately, the illusion remained just an illusion—Qi Ji didn’t have any more of those strange dreams that night.
This alone was a huge relief.
By the next morning, the pain in his calf had almost completely disappeared. After finishing his morning exercise, Dr. Zhao came by.
He was going to take Qi Ji for a physical check-up.
Qi Ji still felt a bit uneasy about hospitals but didn’t show it. Dr. Zhao, however, had thoughtfully brought him a mask with a scented insert—wearing it allowed him to smell a faint, sweet strawberry fragrance, which effectively masked the antiseptic smell and eased his anxiety.
The check-up took almost the entire day, and results wouldn’t be available until the next day. From what Dr. Zhao said, though, all the initial indicators were within normal ranges; Qi Ji should have no major health problems.
By the time he returned to the villa, it was nearly evening. The owner of the house still hadn’t returned, and only Aunt Lin was there, having already prepared a sumptuous dinner for him.
Qi Ji had met Aunt Lin for the first time that morning. On his way back from his run, he saw her struggling with several bags of fresh vegetables. Qi Ji stepped forward to help carry them.
They walked together until they reached their destination, and only then did Qi Ji realize that she was the cook Pei Yusheng had specifically hired.
Grateful for his help earlier that morning, Aunt Lin took a liking to the thoughtful, helpful young man. After returning, she asked about his preferences and prepared a lavish spread for dinner that evening.
Qi Ji’s body had mostly recovered, and his appetite had returned. Since he hadn’t eaten much at lunch due to the check-up, he ate heartily that evening.
No sooner had he finished than he received a call.
It was Pei Yusheng.
“Mr. Pei?”
The low, magnetic voice came through the receiver, the usual sharpness softened slightly, replaced with a faint warmth.
“Are you home?”
The casual tone carried the faint intimacy of a household routine, of simple daily life.
Qi Ji blinked in surprise before answering, “Yes… I’m here. Do you need something?”
“Is anyone with you?” Pei Yusheng asked again.
Qi Ji glanced around. “No.”
He was still in the dining room; Aunt Lin had already left.
“Good. Listen carefully,” Pei Yusheng said.
“The largest room at the end of the second-floor corridor is my bedroom. Enter, and on the right is the walk-in closet. Open the third cabinet from the right; in the second drawer from the bottom on the right is a screen. Enter 1221, and a safe will pop out from the corner. Inside is a file. Retrieve it. Someone will come to the villa to collect it.”
Qi Ji froze.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t remember the long list of instructions—his memory was more than capable. What surprised him was Pei Yusheng’s calmness. Qi Ji had only been in the villa for three days, yet Pei Yusheng entrusted him with such an important task without hesitation.
Qi Ji hesitated. “Mr. Pei… do I really have to get it myself?”
He thought of Uncle Xu, the driver who looked like a martial artist, and tried cautiously: “Uncle Xu, who delivered me earlier, is still around. Couldn’t he do it in his room on the second floor?”
Pei Yusheng’s tone remained neutral. “Xu doesn’t have permission to enter my bedroom.”
Qi Ji opened his mouth in disbelief. “Then… I do?”
“When we signed the contract yesterday, we collected your fingerprints and retinal data. It’s already recorded,” Pei Yusheng said. “Entering the master bedroom requires identity verification. Opening the safe requires your fingerprint, retina, and the current password. Only you can access it.”
At that point, Qi Ji had no excuse left.
He also sensed that, despite Pei Yusheng’s calm tone, the background on the phone was tense, with people occasionally reporting or urgently calling out to him. Pei Yusheng replied briefly but never rushed Qi Ji.
Holding the phone, Qi Ji went upstairs. Once he ensured no one was around, he followed Pei Yusheng’s instructions and opened the safe.
The triple-encrypted safe took some time to open, especially the retinal scan, which took him three tries on his first attempt.
During this, strange background noises occasionally came through the phone. Qi Ji couldn’t identify them clearly, but instinctively, they reminded him of the auction house incident.
He recalled Pei Yusheng mentioning a conflict with the Jiang family and planning to deal with them.
Even with limited knowledge, Qi Ji had heard of the Jiang family’s notoriety in S City.
Such long-established power wasn’t something you could handle with mere words.
Though the phone line was distant and the bedroom secure, Qi Ji couldn’t help but feel the tension in the air.
Even then, Pei Yusheng noticed Qi Ji’s state over the call.
“Don’t be nervous. Did you enter the correct code?” His voice remained calm, soothing, like incense that could calm anxiety even across a thousand miles.
“Check again. No rush.”
Finally, with a soft “click,” the impenetrable safe released its lock.
Qi Ji exhaled quietly, returned the safe to its place, closed the cabinet and walk-in closet, locked the bedroom, and ran downstairs with the file.
Pei Yusheng instructed him to place it in the living room safe, an older model opened with a single password. Qi Ji followed the instructions, set the new code, and finally relaxed.
“Mr. Pei, it’s done.”
“Good,” Pei Yusheng’s tone remained calm. “Now go back to my bedroom on the second floor, lock the door, and wait inside. Someone will come to collect the file. Only leave once they’re gone.”
Qi Ji obeyed, returning upstairs.
Pei Yusheng had told him to avoid being seen; Qi Ji didn’t find it strange. Though the contract said “consulting advisor,” his identity was still not public, so keeping a low profile was necessary.
He waited in the bedroom until the person collecting the file left, finally ending the call.
Before hanging up, Pei Yusheng reminded him he might not return that night and to rest early. The call ended abruptly—whether Pei Yusheng hung up quickly or something unexpected happened, Qi Ji didn’t know.
Standing in the spacious bedroom, his thoughts scattered, Qi Ji felt unable to gather himself.
After a moment, he remembered the safe he had hastily closed earlier and went to check for any oversights.
He turned on the closet light, opened the third cabinet, and froze mid-motion.
He realized, only now, that Pei Yusheng’s entire cabinet was filled with…
cute-style pajamas.
Qi Ji rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
He hesitated, then touched them to confirm: the cabinet truly was full of pajamas, varying in thickness, soft fabrics, bright colors, most adorned with animal ears—cat ears, rabbit ears, even Pikachu ears.
Some even had fluffy tails.
Qi Ji: “…”
Perhaps he was still shaken from the phone call.
This was the master bedroom; only Pei Yusheng lived here, and no one else had permission to enter…
Qi Ji turned stiffly, trying to find something more concrete to convince himself he wasn’t imagining things.
Then he glanced at the large bed opposite the closet—massive, enough for several people to sleep on. Yet at this moment, it was empty, except for a long, soft plush toy.
“…”
A cat body pillow, lying on the CEO’s bed, long and soft, with two raised front paws showing pink pads.
He quickly looked back—the safe and cabinets were real, not his imagination.
He couldn’t help but touch his nose.
He hadn’t expected… the seemingly fierce, cool CEO to have such a…
uh, childlike side?