Volume One, Chapter 85: The Flaw Was Revealed So Suddenly

They had KFC for dinner; Sang Wan hadn’t cooked at all.

But the young master had come all the way over, looking at her with such pitiful eyes, claiming he was hungry.

What could she do?

Hadn’t she herself said she’d treat him like a little brother?

Her own little brother, so she’d have to spoil him!

“Come in…” Sang Wan stepped aside.

As she watched Sang Wan walk toward the kitchen, Lou Ye’s gaze darkened.

It’s often said that once a man’s had a taste of such things, there are two kinds: the insatiable wolf, and the one who only transforms on a full moon.

At that moment, Lou Ye felt he was both.

Sang Wan was wearing an adorable cartoon nightdress, with a loose knit sweater over it. There wasn’t a hint of seduction, allure, or charm—nothing suggestive at all.

Just a back view.

And yet, something surged inside him, an urge to rip apart that cartoon nightdress.

“Would you like wontons?” Sang Wan opened the fridge and looked inside, then poked her head out and asked, “Or just plain noodle soup?”

In the dim light, his gaze fell on Sang Wan’s face, which appeared even more pure under the glow.

Lou Ye pushed aside his wild thoughts. “I’d like the kind of noodle soup you made the other day.”

“Noodle flakes?”

Sang Wan asked.

Lou Ye nodded.

Almost instantly, he could sense the resentment radiating from her eyes and brows.

He knew that making noodle flakes was far more complicated than wontons or plain noodle soup.

He was about to say, “Never mind,” but Sang Wan had already nodded. “Alright.”

She opened the cabinet above her head to get a bag of flour.

He could see her slender calves.

She rolled up her sleeves to knead the dough.

Her bare forearms were exposed.

The motion of her wrists as she kneaded brought back vivid memories of that night, when her hands had clung loosely to his shoulders, threatening to slip away at any moment.

Lou Ye felt he was coming undone.

“Meow!” 2S jumped from his arms to the floor, its sharp claws catching his shirt.

Lou Ye snapped out of it and turned toward the living room.

He wasn’t hungry at all.

But as soon as night fell, his mind was filled with thoughts of her.

It was his body that starved, his heart that ached.

By the time he finished a bowl of noodle soup, it was already midnight.

If he didn’t leave now, even he would find it hard to justify staying.

His phone chimed. On the other end, Jiang Huai shouted, “Bro, we need a fourth for mahjong! If you don’t come, your little brother’s going to lose his pants!”

“If they’re almost gone, that means they’re not gone yet, right?”

He walked to the kitchen to tell Sang Wan he was leaving. She nodded, understanding.

Lou Ye grabbed his suit jacket and headed straight out the door.

He opened the door.

Closed the door.

The sound of voices faded; the living room grew quiet.

Sang Wan turned off all the lights and headed to her bedroom.

In the elevator, Lou Ye refused, “I’m too lazy to move. I’m going to sleep.”

“Bro, you’re only twenty-six, not sixty-two… The night’s just beginning, and you’re off to bed? What, is your girlfriend there with you?”

He knew full well Sang Wan couldn’t possibly be there.

Jiang Huai continued his act, shouting, “Sis-in-law, why don’t you join us?”

“Shut up!”

The smart lock lit up, recognized his face, and opened automatically.

Lou Ye walked straight to the bathroom. “I’m not coming. You all play. Make me proud—don’t really lose your pants!”

“….”

Jiang Huai was left speechless, hung up, and went to find someone else.

The hot water cooled, but none of the wild thoughts in his mind faded.

Lou Ye took a long cold shower before finally finishing.

He didn’t even dry his hair properly, just gave it a few quick rubs and collapsed onto the big bed.

In the darkness, something light and familiar jumped up, landed, and settled on the quilt beside his arm.

He reached out and felt soft fur beneath his hand.

Once.

Then again.

Like a perfect Abebe, Lou Ye drifted into a deep sleep.

In the middle of the night, his phone’s ring woke him.

It was a call from Sang Wan.

All sleep vanished instantly at the sight of her name at this hour.

He almost thought something terrible had happened. Answering as he walked out, “Sang Wan…”

“Lou Ye, 2S is missing!”

Her voice was fraught with anxiety and panic, tinged with breathlessness.

Lou Ye sighed in relief. “It’s so attached to home, it’s probably just hiding somewhere… Don’t worry, I’ll come help you look.”

“Okay!”

Sang Wan replied.

Lou Ye hung up.

He turned to leave, then froze.

Slowly, he lifted his hand, recalling the soft sensation in his palm before sleep.

An impossible suspicion surfaced in his mind.

Lou Ye walked forward.

He opened the bedroom door, and immediately saw 2S leisurely grooming itself by his bed.

Lou Ye: …

It wasn’t much of a secret, and she’d find out sooner or later.

But he never expected to be exposed so suddenly.

For a moment, his brain stalled.

Traitor!

Was it too late to destroy the evidence now?

In the property management office, Sang Wan’s anxious expression froze as she saw the surveillance footage.

At 11:59, Lou Ye left, talking on the phone as he headed to the elevator.

Behind him, 2S followed on light paws, sauntering after him.

They both entered the elevator.

Sang Wan’s heart rose to her throat, thinking of Lou Ye driving away and 2S leaping into the bushes, returning to the wild.

The footage switched to inside the elevator—Lou Ye pressed 20.

Why was he going to the twentieth floor?

Just as the thought surfaced, Lou Ye appeared at the door of 2001.

Same door.

Same smart lock.

He didn’t even seem to knock; the door opened automatically.

Lou Ye went in.

2S, as if returning home, followed naturally.

“Miss Sang, your cat isn’t missing. It just… went home with your boyfriend,” the property staff said tactfully.

But the look in their eyes was clear: These two are interesting, living one floor apart, but still pretending—who’s buying it?

Sang Wan: …

Her phone chimed; it was a call from Lou Ye.

She hung up.

After thanking the property staff, she turned and headed home.

The elevator stopped at the twentieth floor; the doorbell rang for a long time with no answer.

Sang Wan called Lou Ye, “I’m at your door.”

Just then, she saw the indicator on the nineteenth floor light up, then turn into an upward arrow.

The elevator doors opened again, and out came Lou Ye, holding 2S, looking sheepish as if caught red-handed.

He didn’t seem to bother pretending anymore, still in his cream-colored loungewear, slippers on his feet.

2S nestled in his arms, round eyes gleaming, looked at Sang Wan with a pleased “Meow…”

“When did you move here?”

“The day you moved in.”

…

A strange feeling bloomed in her heart. Watching Lou Ye’s face shift quickly from embarrassment to excitement, the word “why” stuck in her throat, unspoken.

Two little figures argued in her mind.

Tiny Xu Yiyi, arms folded, grinned wickedly: Heh, I knew it, just as I suspected.

Tiny Sang Wan smacked her awake: You’re overthinking it! Would you really believe him if he said it? You’ve already been burned once—are you really so eager to fall into the next pit?

Lou Ye opened the door and looked back at Sang Wan. “Would you like to come in for a bit?”

She looked up.

The familiar floor-to-ceiling windows.

The familiar living room.

Even the sofa and rug matched those in the hillside villa exactly.

At a glance, it was like a miniature version of the villa.

“No…” Sang Wan shook her head, took 2S from him. “It’s late, get some sleep. Good night!”

Her retreating figure was a bit flustered, as if afraid he’d tell her why he’d moved in above her.

Lou Ye smiled.

If only he’d spoken up a little sooner!