Chapter 41 Miscalculation

"What are you staring at? Obviously, you're sleeping on the floor, and I'm taking the bed!"

"Why? This afternoon, you told the landlady you were my wife. Since when does a wife not let her husband sleep on the bed?"

"You know that's not true! There's nothing between us!"

"If there's nothing between us, then why should I give in to you? Why don't you sleep on the floor instead? Don't forget, you were the one who shamelessly followed me here. If you're unhappy, feel free to leave!"

Han Wenxue was furious. Whatever faint goodwill she had felt toward him earlier had completely evaporated, leaving only seething anger in its place.

How could someone be so utterly devoid of gentlemanly manners? Arguing with a woman over who gets the bed—how could he stoop so low?

What now? Was she really supposed to share a bed with him?

Han Wenxue wanted nothing more than to grab her things and leave, never to see this scoundrel again. But just as she stood there, unsure of what to do, she caught a glimpse of Chen Yi's face. A smug, triumphant expression had flitted across his features, and in that instant, she realized—she had fallen for his trick again.

He was deliberately trying to provoke her into leaving!

If she stormed off now, wouldn't she be playing right into his hands?

Fueled by a spirit of defiance—willing to hurt herself if it meant taking him down with her—Han Wenxue leaped onto the bed like a lioness guarding her territory, her eyes blazing with determination.

Her speed startled Chen Yi, who had never seen a woman so eager to claim a man's bed.

The memory of that mortifying scene from the other night resurfaced in Chen Yi's mind, unbidden and vivid. Was she planning to repeat her antics tonight?

Noticing Chen Yi staring at her intently, Han Wenxue's heart raced with a mix of fear and exhilaration. She hadn't expected him to reveal his true colors so quickly. Her grandfather must have misjudged him.

She glanced at her bag, feeling slightly reassured. Inside was a high-voltage stun baton. If Chen Yi dared to make a move, she wouldn't hesitate to knock him out and hand him over to the police.

"Hey! What are you, part kangaroo? Jumping on the bed like that. Take off your shoes! Don't dirty my sheets!"

Chen Yi quickly dismissed the notion of any romantic encounter. As if it would be that easy! This woman had been up to no good since the moment she arrived. Did she think he was as naive as she was?

With a resigned sigh, Chen Yi turned away and continued brushing his teeth. It seemed he would have to sleep on the floor again tonight.

Han Wenxue froze, momentarily stunned.

He gave up just like that? She had even prepared the stun baton, and this was all he did?

No, he must be pretending!

She had clearly seen a flicker of lechery in his eyes earlier. Han Wenxue refused to believe he would give up so easily.

When Chen Yi emerged from the bathroom, her appearance nearly made his heart skip a beat.

Han Wenxue had changed into her pajamas and was sitting on the edge of the bed. Her legs, fair and slender, swung idly, catching the light in a way that made Chen Yi's pulse quicken.

Suppressing his turmoil, Chen Yi let out a dramatic sigh, dove into his bedding on the floor, and pulled the covers over his head. He refused to let himself be tempted. If he gave in, he might truly lose control.

Under the covers, Chen Yi strained to listen. He could hear Han Wenxue pacing back and forth, the water running in the bathroom...

Han Wenxue made as much noise as possible while washing up, dragging out the process in an attempt to lure him out. But to her dismay, the "wolf" didn't take the bait.

Seeing that her efforts were futile, Han Wenxue had no choice but to turn off the lights and climb into bed.

Lying there, she felt uneasy. But it wasn't her own restlessness—it was Chen Yi's.

Every time Chen Yi shifted, Han Wenxue would grip the stun baton tightly, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Yet, as the hours passed and her eyelids grew heavy, Chen Yi remained still. His breathing was steady, and he seemed to have fallen asleep.

In the days that followed, Han Wenxue found herself torn between frustration and admiration. She tried every trick in the book, pushing her seductive gestures to the limit, but Chen Yi barely spared her a glance before returning to his incomprehensible scribbles and symbols.

Could it be, as her grandfather had said, that Chen Yi was truly a virtuous man?

As doubt crept into her mind, so did irritation.

Chen Yi's indifference toward her grew colder with each passing day. Eventually, he stopped speaking to her altogether. When he did glance her way, it was with an expression akin to disdain, as if she were nothing more than an annoying fly.

He even stopped sharing meals with her, choosing instead to eat at his desk while continuing his mysterious calculations.

Han Wenxue wanted to end her "tests" of Chen Yi but found herself unwilling to admit defeat. She resolved to try one last time.

If she succeeded, it would prove he was a lecher and deserved punishment.

If she failed, she would leave him alone and treat him as a stranger.

Just as she was about to head out to buy some "special outfits" for her final attempt, Chen Yi, who had been ignoring her for days, suddenly spoke.

"You shouldn't go out today. It's dangerous."

"Dangerous? What kind of danger?"

"Today is a day of great misfortune for you. It's best if you stay put. Though, honestly, I didn't want to tell you."

Han Wenxue had been so preoccupied with her games that she had nearly forgotten something important. But seeing Chen Yi sitting there, his back to her, she felt a surge of anger.

"I'm in more danger staying near you!" she retorted before slamming the door behind her.

As she walked down the street, Han Wenxue fumed.

What kind of nonsense was that? Acting all high and mighty, as if he were some kind of savior. "You shouldn't go out today." "I didn't want to tell you." Who did he think he was?

She had been back from America for over two months and hadn't encountered any danger. Yet now, after just one day with Chen Yi, "danger" had suddenly appeared?

It was hard not to suspect that Chen Yi himself was the source of her misfortune.

Still seething, Han Wenxue arrived at the shopping mall.

The mall was bustling, its shops packed tightly together, their wares as varied as their oversized, eye-catching signs.

After wandering for a while, she found her destination: a lingerie boutique.

The store's displays were dazzling, filled with an array of styles that made her blush and her heart race.

After selecting an especially provocative lace set, she smirked inwardly. Let's see if Chen Yi can keep up his act tonight!

Her stun baton was fully charged and ready for action.

Just as she stepped out of the store, her phone buzzed with a message from Chen Yi.

"At the third quarter of the Shen hour, a sharp object will fall. Death. Stay within three feet of the ground to survive."

Han Wenxue glanced at the time: 3:45 p.m.—the third quarter of the Shen hour.

Stay within three feet of the ground? Was she supposed to crawl? Was this some kind of prank to humiliate her?

Looking around at the bustling mall, she hesitated.

But what if he was telling the truth? She didn't want to die—not like this, not when it would mean letting Chen Yi off the hook.

Opting for a compromise, she crouched down, pretending to tie her shoe, while scanning her surroundings for any sign of danger.

CRACK!

A deafening noise shattered the air.

Above her, the store's massive sign, sparking with electricity, broke free and plummeted toward her.

The sudden danger left Han Wenxue paralyzed with fear. Her limbs went limp, and she collapsed to the ground, helplessly awaiting her fate.

It was real.

The danger was real.

And Chen Yi had warned her.

But why had he told her to stay within three feet of the ground instead of simply moving away?

As the sign hurtled downward, Han Wenxue's mind raced. In that moment, everything became clear.

This was premeditated.

Chen Yi had foreseen this calamity. Yet, instead of stopping her or advising her to flee, he had given her cryptic instructions—"stay within three feet of the ground."

She recalled the disdain in his eyes, the endless calculations he had been working on.

He had known about her plans all along.

He had waited for this moment.

With that text message, he could claim it was a miscalculation. No one would blame him.

Her grandfather would grieve but continue to trust him. His girlfriend would return, unaware of her existence.

All he had to do was move to a new home and start fresh.

It was perfect.

And she, like a fool, had walked right into his trap.

The sign crashed down with a thunderous roar.