Chapter 39 — Nan Xu, you better not let me catch you
[Desire? You sure you want to talk about that in the middle of the night?]
[Nan Xu, explain yourself—why did you suddenly bring that up?]
[Nan Xu, who are you trying to confirm “desire” with? Who do you feel desire for?]
[Nan Xu, it’s only been a few days and you’ve grown bold, huh?]
[Nan Xu, aside from Qi Zhiyu, who else have you seen these past few days?]
[Nan Xu, who’s been flirting with you?]
…
When Nan Xu still didn’t reply, Xie Hejing sent another one:
[Nan Xu, you better not let me catch you.]
When Nan Xu woke up, it was already afternoon. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was that pile of unread messages.
Still groggy, she blinked her sore eyes, lazily pushed back her messy hair, and slid her finger across the screen.
The more she read, the more her heart pounded.
After nearly a minute, the events of last night came rushing back to her—what she had said, what she had actually said to Xie Hejing.
Watching the messages keep popping up one after another, she could practically hear his cold voice in her mind and couldn’t help shivering.
Then she noticed the timestamps.
Wait—had Xie Hejing really stayed up all night, not sleeping at all since their call?
At that thought, Nan Xu quickly typed a reply:
[No, you’ve got it wrong. It’s not what you think. It’s hard to explain over text—let’s talk in person after the break.]
She exhaled sharply as soon as she hit send, then tossed her phone aside in frustration, burying her face in the blanket. Her fists clenched, and she pounded the mattress a few times.
What on earth had she been thinking last night? How could she ever say something like that to Xie Hejing?
The phone kept buzzing beside her, the notification sound low and insistent. Nan Xu didn’t dare look at it—she was sure it was him again.
Still caught up in her spiraling thoughts, she suddenly heard the door open.
“Xuxu, why aren’t you up yet? Weren’t we going to the resort today?”
Qi Zhiyu burst in, makeup brush in hand.
“It’s opening day, the road up the mountain’s already packed. We need to leave early! I heard the hot springs there are gorgeous.”
Nan Xu stayed buried under the blanket. Qi Zhiyu paused mid-step, frowning with concern.
“Xuxu, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”
Nan Xu shifted slightly but kept her face hidden. “I’m fine.”
She just had a terrible feeling—like disaster was about to strike.
“Really fine?” Qi Zhiyu asked again, still not convinced.
Nan Xu didn’t want her to worry. She got out of bed and forced a smile “I’m fine, really. What could possibly be wrong? You’d better go put on your makeup.”
“Didn’t you say the resort owner is a handsome guy? You should make a good first impression,” Nan Xu said, pointing at the clock on the wall. “If you don’t start now, you’ll run out of time.”
Qi Zhiyu was reminded at once. She dashed out to grab her eyeliner, ready to go for a bold, sharp look.
“I’ll be done in about half an hour. You should get ready too, Xuxu.”
“Okay.”
Nan Xu sat on the bed, steadying her breathing. It took her a few minutes to finally calm down.
She opened her chat with Xie Hejing but didn’t dare look at what he’d sent. Instead, she directly recorded a voice message:
[Brother, Zhiyu and I are heading to the resort. You… should get some rest.]
As soon as she sent it, she tossed her phone aside and didn’t look again.
Qi Zhiyu got ready much faster than expected—barely ten minutes later, she was done.
She wore a black leather jacket over a short skirt, paired with knee-high boots. With her long legs and tall figure, she exuded confidence with every step.
But when she walked in and saw Nan Xu’s outfit, she almost fainted.
“Xuxu, what are you wearing?”
“Aren’t we going to a resort?” Nan Xu looked quite pleased with her tracksuit—it was comfortable, after all.
Qi Zhiyu groaned. “Yes, a resort, not a hiking trail! There’s going to be a party, and you plan to show up in sportswear?”
“Oh right, we’ll be staying there for a few days. Your suitcase is still here—bring it along later.”
Before Nan Xu could respond, Qi Zhiyu swept in like a whirlwind, sat her down, and started picking out clothes for her.
All the clothes were Qi Zhiyu’s, so the style was totally different from what Nan Xu usually wore.
She dressed her in a wine-red, waist-fitted dress that highlighted her slim figure. The asymmetrical hem swayed with her movements, revealing glimpses of her long, fair legs.
Seeing how stunning she looked, Qi Zhiyu let out a whistle of approval, then picked up a coat and draped it over her shoulders. With a quick tie of the belt, she declared, “Perfect.”
She even took charge of Nan Xu’s makeup—ditching the soft, natural look she used to wear. This time, her makeup was bolder: sharp, upward eyeliner and a subtle shimmer at the corners of her eyes that made her gaze look irresistibly alluring.
Nan Xu stared at the mirror, uncertain. “Is… this okay?”
Qi Zhiyu rested a hand on her shoulder. “Of course it is. You look amazing.”
“When you go out, you have to look your best.”
“Come on, let’s go—if we don’t hurry, we’ll miss the party the resort owner’s throwing tonight. I heard quite a few people are coming.”
Qi Zhiyu drove Nan Xu toward the mountain resort, but the two still left a bit late — and ended up stuck halfway up the mountain.
Looking at the long line of cars ahead, Qi Zhiyu couldn’t help but sigh. “Wow, the owner sure has a lot of friends. Are all these people coming for tonight’s party?”
Nan Xu glanced ahead too. The rows of taillights blinked densely, and she couldn’t help asking, “Yuyu, how do you know the owner?”
“We worked on a project together before,” Qi Zhiyu said, her tone light. “He’s really handsome, and honestly, quite considerate — not the difficult type.”
She looked ahead again. “With this many people, I wonder if we’ll even get to see him tonight.”
“Not that it matters if we don’t,” she added cheerfully. “The resort’s closed to outsiders tonight, everything’s free. We can just relax and enjoy ourselves.”
While the two chatted, someone appeared ahead, walking along the road with a flashlight, seemingly checking license plates.
“What’s going on? They’re restricting cars now?” Qi Zhiyu muttered.
Nan Xu looked just as puzzled.
Soon, the man reached their car. He shone his flashlight across the plate, then suddenly broke into a wide grin. He hurried over and knocked on their window.
Qi Zhiyu rolled it down just a crack, cautious. “Yes? Can I help you?”
The man smiled politely. “You must be Miss Qi Zhiyu, right? Mr. Cheng just told us that if we see your car, we should let you through immediately. No need to wait in line.”
“You mean there’s a shortcut?” Qi Zhiyu blinked in surprise.
The man nodded, glancing around. “Yes, just follow that red car up ahead, please.”
Of course, Qi Zhiyu wasn’t about to pass up the chance to skip the jam. “Got it,” she said at once.
They switched to a narrower side road. Though the path was smaller, there were only a few cars on it — clearly, they were being given special treatment.
The drive up was smooth and quick.
Nan Xu cracked open the window, letting in the evening breeze. She smiled. “Yuyu, looks like this Mr. Cheng is really looking out for you.”
Qi Zhiyu looked a little puzzled herself, then joked, “Maybe he’s into me? Haha, well, with a face like his, I might just consider it.”
Meanwhile, inside the resort villa, Cheng Keyi stood by the window, watching the stream of guests arriving below. He grinned at Xie Hejing beside him. “See? I told you it was a great idea for us to co-invest in this place. Look how many people showed up! Give it a little time, and this resort’s gonna be booming.”
“When business takes off, my family won’t be able to say I can’t achieve anything.”
Xie Hejing didn’t respond. He was looking at something on his phone, his expression unreadable.
Cheng Keyi frowned. “Hey, I’m sharing my grand vision here. You could at least react a little. And what’s up with Xiang Weishi? I’ve tried inviting him a few times, and he keeps saying he’s busy.”
“I don’t know,” Xie Hejing said flatly.
“You—”
Just then, Cheng Keyi’s phone buzzed. He glanced down at a message from his staff, then said, “Alright, the guests you told me to bring up have arrived. You’re not gonna go take a look?”
He raised an eyebrow, teasingly. “I heard it’s two girls in that car. So which one has caught your eye, hmm?”
At that, Xie Hejing pocketed his phone and tilted his head slightly. “Let’s go.”
The car carrying Nan Xu and Qi Zhiyu didn’t stop at the parking lot. Instead, it followed the red car all the way to a side clearing near the resort.
When they stepped out, Nan Xu finally saw the man Qi Zhiyu had mentioned—Cheng Keyi himself.
He looked about their age—easygoing, with a soft, refined face and an approachable smile. His temperament seemed gentle too.
Qi Zhiyu and Cheng Keyi hit it off right away, chatting easily. Nan Xu stood beside them, greeting him politely before tactfully stepping back to give them space to talk.
While Cheng Keyi kept the conversation going with Qi Zhiyu, his gaze subtly shifted between the two women, curious to see which one was the girl who had caught Xie Hejing’s attention.
But… why hadn’t Xie Hejing shown up yet?
A few seconds later, the sound of footsteps approached from behind.
Nan Xu turned instinctively—and froze when she saw who it was.
Xie Hejing came toward them, dressed in a long black cashmere coat. The hem of it swayed slightly with his steps. His gaze was cool and distant as it swept over the small group.
When he noticed Nan Xu’s sudden change of expression, the corners of his lips lifted faintly. “Good evening, ladies.”
His tone was polite, but his eyes flickered briefly toward Nan Xu.
He took in her appearance—so different from her usual look—and thought of the words she’d said to him last night. The faint chill in his eyes deepened.
The others didn’t notice, but Nan Xu did. She could feel the air between them tighten, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the small bag in her hand.
Cheng Keyi stepped in with introductions. “This is my business partner, Xie Hejing.”
It had been years since Qi Zhiyu had last seen him, and her memory of him was vague. She didn’t recognize him at all—just smiled warmly and said hello.
Xie Hejing gave a curt nod.
Nan Xu’s heart was pounding, but she kept her tone calm. “Good evening, Mr. Xie.”
His gaze lingered on her face. The subtle hint of mystery and allure in her expression made his own darken further. His reply was low and cold. “Mm.”
Cheng Keyi glanced between them, puzzled. Why did Hejing’s tone sound so much colder than when he’d greeted them earlier?
His eyes flicked toward Nan Xu. Maybe she wasn’t the one after all?
He looked back at Qi Zhiyu, recalling Xie Hejing’s brief glance earlier, and silently concluded—ah, it must be her.
His expression brightened. “Miss Qi, what would you like to do tonight? We’d be happy to keep you company.”
Then he turned to Nan Xu as well. “You too, Miss.”
Qi Zhiyu blinked, momentarily confused. Wait… is Cheng Keyi actually interested in me?
Even though Nan Xu stood a short distance from Xie Hejing, she could still feel the chill radiating from him. She dared not linger and quickly declined, “No need, thank you.”
Cheng Keyi lowered his gaze, and the speed of her refusal only confirmed his assumption—so it wasn’t her.
Qi Zhiyu, meanwhile, preferred spending time alone with Nan Xu anyway. It would be more relaxing that way.
“Mr. Cheng, Mr. Xie, we really appreciate it, but since it’s our first time here, we’ll just explore on our own and not take up your time.”
Nan Xu added, “Yes, thank you both for your kindness.”
She offered a polite smile to Cheng Keyi, who seemed the friendlier of the two.
Cheng Keyi noticed that Xie Hejing neither spoke nor stopped them, and figured—well, if his friend wasn’t in a hurry to make a move, there was no need for him to press either.
“Alright then, enjoy yourselves.”
But Xie Hejing’s jaw tightened at the sight of Nan Xu smiling at Cheng Keyi. His expression grew colder, his voice clipped.
“Have a pleasant evening, both of you.”
On the way back, Cheng Keyi glanced at the silent man beside him, assuming he was sulking about being turned down earlier. He tried to lighten the mood with a casual pat on the shoulder. “Hey, don’t take it to heart. Plenty of other chances tonight.”
“Oh, come on,” Cheng Keyi teased with a grin. “Chasing someone always takes effort, just keep at it. But honestly, I don’t think she’s that into you. You’d better prepare yourself.”
He chuckled again, remembering how just now, Qi Zhiyu had only glanced at Xie Hejing two or three times, while the other girl barely looked at him at all—just one quick glance when he arrived, and not a single extra look after that.
Cheng Keyi couldn’t help laughing. Who would’ve thought that even Xie Hejing’s face could fail him one day?
Xie Hejing stopped walking and shot him a cold look. “You seem to know a lot about that, huh?”
Then he turned and strode off, irritation evident in every step.
“Where are you going?” Cheng Keyi called after him.
“The surveillance room,” Xie Hejing said curtly.
. . . . .
The party was already in full swing. The main hall buzzed with conversation and laughter as people drank and mingled. The atmosphere was lively and warm.
Nan Xu and Qi Zhiyu decided to hang around for a bit to enjoy it before heading off to the hot springs later.
Nan Xu was nibbling on a small piece of cake when she glanced at her phone. Xie Hejing had sent her quite a few messages.
She didn’t open them—just saw the preview of the most recent one:
[Nan Xu, looks like we’ll have to talk face-to-face tonight.]
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Qi Zhiyu noticed and leaned closer. “What’s wrong? Are you cold?”
Nan Xu shook her head. The coat she wore was thick and warm; she wasn’t cold at all. But that single message from Xie Hejing felt like plunging into icy water.
Seeing she was fine, Qi Zhiyu took a sip of her drink, then grinned mischievously and whispered into Nan Xu’s ear, “I just spotted a handsome guy.”
The teasing tone successfully lightened the mood. Nan Xu forced herself not to think about the message and played along.
“Where?”
“There, there,” Qi Zhiyu said, not daring to point directly. She gestured vaguely with her straw instead. “The one in gray.”
Nan Xu squinted. “Where exactly? I don’t see him.”
Qi Zhiyu tilted her straw again. “Right there—the one with curly hair and really fair skin.”
Nan Xu followed her gaze, and as if sensing it, the man looked over at that very moment.
Qi Zhiyu, realizing she might be caught staring, immediately turned away in a panic.
Nan Xu, still trying to figure out which one Qi Zhiyu meant, accidentally met the man’s eyes. Both paused for a moment. The man gave her a polite nod, and after a beat of surprise, Nan Xu returned the gesture with a faint nod of her own.
Up in the surveillance room, Xie Hejing watched the entire exchange through the monitor. His fury surged instantly, and the expensive golf club Cheng Keyi had just brought in met a violent end.
Downstairs, oblivious to the storm brewing above, Qi Zhiyu nudged Nan Xu with a grin. “Xuxu, do you think I should go ask for his WeChat?”
Nan Xu smiled faintly. “If you like him, go for it. Even if he says no, it’s no big deal.”
“But…” Qi Zhiyu hesitated.
Nan Xu asked, “What’s wrong?”
Qi Zhiyu gestured toward the woman sitting next to the handsome guy. “She’s from my company. Ugh, so annoying. I can’t believe I’m running into her even here.”
“Ever since I first saw that handsome guy, she’s been glued to him all night. If I go ask for his WeChat and he turns me down, she’s going to laugh herself silly.”
Qi Zhiyu sighed. “Sigh, finally found someone I actually like, too.”
Qi Zhiyu had always been picky—very few people ever caught her eye.
Nan Xu didn’t want her to miss her chance just like that. After glancing around to make sure Xie Hejing wasn’t around, she leaned over and said, “It’s fine. I can go for you. I’ll avoid your colleague and show him your photo—say that my friend wants his WeChat.”
“That way he’ll know who’s interested, and your colleague won’t see a thing.”
Qi Zhiyu’s eyes lit up at once. She hugged Nan Xu, and if it weren’t for the makeup on both their faces, she probably would’ve kissed her right then.
“You’re such an angel.”
Nan Xu smiled. “Then send me a photo you like—I’ll show him that one.”
“On it.” Qi Zhiyu immediately opened her phone and started scrolling through her thousands of photos to pick the right one.
About five minutes later, Nan Xu took Qi Zhiyu’s photo and went over to the handsome guy to explain.
He looked at the picture and agreed without hesitation.
Everything went smoothly.
Nan Xu then pulled up Qi Zhiyu’s QR code for him to scan.
His phone was tucked in his jacket pocket, so Nan Xu had to wait as he tugged at his coat to fish it out.
While waiting, she got a little bored, her gaze wandering around the party as she wondered what she and Qi Zhiyu might try next.
Then, suddenly—her eyes froze on a familiar figure.
Xie Hejing stood not far away, hands shoved in his pockets, chest rising and falling with each breath. His lips were curved slightly upward, yet his eyes held not a trace of warmth—cold enough to send chills through her.
Just then, her phone buzzed again. Nan Xu glanced down.
A new message lit up the screen:
[Caught you.]