The Number-One Male Lead Who Does Not Like to Eat (39)

Si Jiu endured the strange stares of countless passersby, walking barefoot with a numb limp the entire way.

Exiting the elevator, she opened her front door, walked inside, and threw herself onto the sofa. With a cold face, she addressed the system, "If the mission fails, it fails. I, Si Jiu, have never chased a man so desperately in my life. I’m done playing this game."

The system dared not provoke her at such a moment and, going against its own conscience, chided, "Exactly, exactly. He doesn't know what's good for him. Let's just ignore him."

Si Jiu began, "I..."

Suddenly, the space before her eyes began to twist and distort. The world went dark, then bright, and she realized she was somewhere else entirely.

Was this Qi Yan dreaming again?

[Restricted content detected; system forced to log off.]

The system only managed a squeak before falling silent.

Si Jiu was utterly bewildered. She found herself lying on a large waterbed with Qi Yan. He was hovering directly over her, stroking her face with intense affection as he murmured, "I like you too, Huanhuan."

"No, I should say I love you."

He leaned down, and a scorching kiss descended upon her.

Si Jiu: "..."

Meanwhile, the car Xie Yu was riding in had already cleared the toll station and was about to merge onto the highway.

"Stop the car."

Xie Yu shouted suddenly, startling the driver.

"Brother Xie?"

"I'm sorry, Zhang, I have to go back. I will explain it to the director personally. Please, let me out here."

It must be for that girl, Zhang thought. Honestly, even he couldn't bear to watch it. Just a moment ago, he had been silently criticizing Xie Yu for being too heartless toward her. Even if she had truly done something wrong, she had gone to such lengths; the least Xie Yu could have done was stop and say a word to her. Why were there no women chasing cars for him? But now, it seemed, Xie Yu was just a man with a tough exterior and a soft heart.

"No problem at all. The director said we weren't entering the studio until tomorrow or the day after anyway. Brother Xie, it's hard to get a ride here; let me take you back."

"That would be a bother."

"Not at all, not at all. My job today was to be your driver, after all."

Zhang said this while turning the steering wheel to head back. They had left early, so the roads had been clear, but the traffic had grown heavy during the return trip, taking much longer.

Xie Yu thanked Zhang again upon arrival.

"Don't mention it, Brother Xie. I hope everything goes smoothly."

"I hope your words come true."

Xie Yu hurried along. Seeing the elevator about to arrive, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart.

*Ding.* The elevator opened. Xie Yu removed his mask, stepped out with long strides, and walked to Si Jiu’s door, knocking.

The door hadn't been pulled shut tightly; it drifted open a crack with the force of his knock.

The sound of Mantou barking came from inside.

Xie Yu frowned. "Wanwan?"

"Woof, woof, woof... woof..."

"I'm coming in," he said, pushing the door open.

The golden retriever rushed toward him, biting his pant leg and trying to drag him inside.

"You're not afraid of me now?" he joked, thinking that he would just use the excuse that Mantou had dragged him in so that Wanwan might be less angry. "At least let me take my shoes off."

He kicked off his shoes and followed the dog's lead, crossing the foyer into the living room.

"Woof, woof, woof..." Mantou let go and leaped to the side of the sofa, nudging the girl lying there with its head and snout.

The girl didn't react. One arm hung off the edge of the sofa, swaying slightly as the dog nudged her, then fell limply to the floor.

The smile that had just formed on Xie Yu's face froze. His body even swayed unsteadily.

"Woof, woof, woof..." Mantou continued to bark toward Xie Yu.

Xie Yu walked toward the sofa, one step at a time. He watched Si Jiu lying there with her eyes closed, her chest perfectly still.

He slowly knelt before her and touched her cheek with the back of his hand.

It was ice cold.

"Wanwan..."

No one answered him.

He placed his finger under her nose, and slowly, his hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

There was no breath.

Golden light flickered in his eyes, and his pupils faintly converged into vertical slits, though he forced them back to normal in the next instant.

He held one of Si Jiu's hands and pressed his ear against her chest, his voice hoarse, "Wanwan, I beg you..."

Silence.

There was no heartbeat.