This was the first time Qi Sinian had ever been so considerate. In the past, he would just shower and go to sleep after they were finished, never paying her any mind. Their life as a married couple was infrequent. The Qi Group's empire spanned real estate, hotels, and entertainment, and for years, Qi Sinian was constantly away on business, sometimes returning only once every few months. To him, she was more a means of satisfying a need. And she was someone who honored a contract. Since she had taken his benefits, she had to deliver her end of the bargain. There was no point in being sentimental about it. Zhong Xiran soaked in a hot bath for twenty minutes. When she emerged, Qi Sinian was no longer in the bedroom; he had likely gone to his study. Qi Sinian was a workaholic. He was the kind of man who could leave her to go work on their wedding night, let alone now. Exhausted and weary, Zhong Xiran collapsed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly. Her rest that night was far from peaceful. She dreamt again of that snowy night four years ago. Huo Xin had abandoned her, leaving her to stand alone in the deep snow. The swirling blizzard threatened to tear her slender frame apart. Through the haze, two dim yellow headlights pierced the distance. A man in a black overcoat walked toward her, braving the storm. He actually waited? How could that be? He had never waited before. The nightmare that had plagued her for years was finally reaching a conclusion. She thought she would be happy, but she felt nothing. Once you miss the moment you craved most, getting it later never feels the same. All she felt was a hollow confusion. She didn't understand why she was having such a dream. She held no lingering feelings for Huo Xin, and any obsession she had with closure had been laid to rest just yesterday. In the next second, she finally saw the man’s face—it was Qi Sinian. His face was grim, his expression icy. Without a word, he dragged her into the back seat of the car, pinning her hands above her head, his fingers laced tightly with hers. This damn bastard was even more ruthless in her dreams. But at least in her dreams, she didn't have to be so strong. Tears escaped her eyes, and she cursed him as she wept. "You bastard—" · In his study, Qi Sinian lit a cigarette. His assistant, Jiang Zheng, called. "Mr. Qi, we've obtained the surveillance footage. Mrs. Qi went in at 6:37 p.m. and came out at 6:49 p.m. She was inside for a total of twelve minutes." "There were no cameras in the private room, so we couldn't find out what she said to Huo Xin." Twelve minutes wasn't enough time for anything to happen. But she had gone to the meeting. And she had lied about it. "Right," Qi Sinian said, his voice cold. Jiang Zheng continued cautiously, "A paparazzo got a shot of Huo Xin and your wife entering one after the other. What are your instructions…?" "Buy it," Qi Sinian ordered. He hung up, stubbed out his cigarette, and rose to return to the bedroom. The bedside lamp cast a warm, dim glow on her face. Her eyes were closed, her long, dark lashes so perfectly defined she looked like a porcelain doll. A single strand of black hair lay across her cheek. Qi Sinian walked over and gently brushed it away with his fingertips. She had fallen asleep so quickly. The ungrateful little thing. Qi Sinian got into bed. Just as he was about to turn off the light, he noticed her shoulders trembling. He turned his head to look at her. She was still sound asleep, yet tears were streaming from the corners of her eyes. This was the first time Qi Sinian had ever seen her cry. In his presence, she was always proper and obedient, never showing any particular emotion. He had no experience comforting women and was at a loss for what to do. After a two-second pause, he remembered to get a tissue and gently wiped away her tears. He was about to ask if she was having a nightmare when he heard her mutter, "Bastard." Qi Sinian's gaze turned glacial. His hands tightened imperceptibly, crumpling the tissue in his fist, and he abruptly moved to get out of bed. But in the next second, he heard her again, her voice soft and choked with sorrow. "Qi Sinian, slow down, you're hurting me…" Qi Sinian froze. —Was she cursing at him? · Zhong Xiran was jolted awake by her phone ringing. A dull ache lingered in her body. Still half-asleep, she squinted at the screen—it was her producer, Xu You. She answered. "Hello…" she mumbled. "Still in bed? It's almost ten-thirty," Xu You said, surprised. Zhong Xiran was always an early riser, unless… Realization dawned on her. "Did your husband come home last night?" The mention of Qi Sinian snapped Zhong Xiran fully awake. "Yeah." Xu You clicked her tongue playfully. "Sounds like your husband has some serious stamina." He certainly did. Zhong Xiran knew Xu You's style and didn't mind the teasing. "What's up? Calling me this early." Xu You's tone turned somber. "Jiahe pulled their funding. Their guy said their assessment showed the film's profit outlook isn't good. We need to find new investors." Zhong Xiran sighed. "Got it. I'll figure something out." The film industry was tough right now. Several major investments had lost money last year, making investors extremely cautious. Zhong Xiran had won an award for Best Short Film at the FIRST Film Festival, but she had never directed a theatrical release. She was essentially a newcomer, which made it hard to win an investor's trust. She got out of bed. Last night, she’d been so exhausted she had collapsed onto the bed after her shower without even bothering to put on pajamas. Now, she grabbed yesterday's burgundy throw blanket, wrapped it around herself, and clutched it at her chest as she went to the living room for a glass of water. Qi Sinian would have left for work hours ago. She put her phone on speaker, set it on the coffee table, and bent over to fill a glass from the water dispenser. Hearing a noise from the kitchen, she figured it was the housekeeper making breakfast. "In this market, other investors won't be easy to convince, and I'm completely tapped out," Xu You said, then her voice brightened with a sudden idea. "Xixi, you could ask your husband to invest!" Zhong Xiran took a sip of water. "Next idea." "Why not?" Xu You was baffled. "Tens of millions is just pocket change to your husband. Why wouldn't you use a resource like that? You can even pay him back when the movie makes money." Because the Zhong family's survival was almost entirely dependent on Qi Sinian, and she already felt small enough in his presence. But she couldn't say that outright. Zhong Xiran thought for a moment. "He's not exactly easy to persuade." The glass door to the kitchen slid open, followed by the sound of footsteps. Without turning, Zhong Xiran gestured toward the dining table, signaling for the housekeeper to put the breakfast there. On the phone, Xu You's voice was half-joking. "Is there anything you can't say in bed? One night with him should solve everything, right?" The memory of last night made Zhong Xiran shudder. "I'm afraid one night wouldn't be enough." Suddenly, a familiar, cool voice came from behind her. "Not necessarily. Why don't we find out?" Zhong Xiran froze, whipping her head around to see Qi Sinian. "You—you didn't go to the office?" "No." Dressed in a pair of simple grey silk pajamas, Qi Sinian regarded her with the same detached gaze as always, though his mood was clearly much improved from the night before. "I was tired. Took the morning off." Zhong Xiran was speechless. "Whoa," came Xu You's voice from the phone. Zhong Xiran belatedly scrambled to hang up. The winter sun streamed through the window, landing on her shoulders with an unexpected heat. Beneath the blanket, she was completely naked. Although she and Qi Sinian had done everything a couple could do, it had always been in the pitch-black of night, where any emotion could be hidden. In broad daylight, his stare made her deeply uncomfortable. She pressed her lips together, instinctively setting her water glass aside, then unconsciously tightened her grip on the burgundy blanket as if it could offer more security. Qi Sinian's eyes flickered up at her, displeasure showing at her defensive gesture. He strode toward her, raised a hand, and yanked the blanket away. !!! Zhong Xiran instantly crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you hiding?" Qi Sinian said flatly. "Is there any part of you I haven't seen?" Zhong Xiran was silent. What kind of sick bastard was he?