Half-Mountain Island, Jiang Chen's residence

Jiang Chen rubbed the space between his eyebrows. "Let me take you back first."

Naturally, Ye Mian was unwilling.

She could simply take a taxi back.

Could Jiang Chen drive back?

Thinking of this, Ye Mian decided she needed to resort to some unconventional tactics.

She stared straight at Jiang Chen, her eyes filled with suspicion.

"If you won't tell me your address, then I suspect you're hiding a mistress in a golden house, which is why you don't dare let me go there."

Jiang Chen's captivating brows lifted slightly, a smile lingering in his voice.

"You're quite good at slandering people."

Ye Mian smiled faintly.

"You have a guilty conscience. Men change their hearts once they get rich, I understand all of this."

Jiang Chen chuckled softly. "Banshan Island."

That's more like it!

Ye Mian nodded with satisfaction. "Alright."

...

The streetlights filtered through the car window, casting shifting lights and shadows across his face, making his facial contours appear even more profound.

Ye Mian set the navigation and drove toward the place he mentioned.

The warm air blowing from the car's heater was gentle, lightly stirring the hair at her shoulder.

Truth be told, nervous though Ye Mian might be, her driving speed was not slow at all.

Within the span of two songs, the car pulled up to the security gates of the Banshan Island residential community.

It was evident that this was a community with lush landscaping. As dusk deepened into night, the golden lights of the convex marble security booth shone brightly.

The guard inside recognized the familiar license plate and opened the gates without waiting for Ye Mian to speak.

Ye Mian didn't drive in immediately. Instead, she glanced sideways at the man resting with his eyes closed, and softly called out, "Jiang Chen, I think I've arrived. Is this the place?"

Hearing her voice, the man instantly opened his eyes. His gaze swept over the car's interior, gentle yet tinged with the low hoarseness of just waking up. "Mhm, drive in."

Ye Mian nodded, drove over the speed bump, and headed further inside.

With numerous tree species planted outside, even without many leaves left, they still formed overlapping layers that obscured the view.

Once inside the community, Ye Mian realized that this place called Banshan Island was an upscale villa district.

Guided by Jiang Chen, she parked the car into a garage.

After getting out of the car, Ye Mian handed the car keys to Jiang Chen and took a closer look at his home.

This was a three-story garden villa. Unlike the currently popular European or pastoral styles, it featured a New Chinese style constructed with a wood-and-stone structure.

Gray-brown wooden pathways extended from the side courtyard all the way to the innermost parts. The trees in the landscape garden, whatever species they might be, still retained their greenness.

Although the grass carpeting the yard had withered, potted plants and cobblestones filled the courtyard, clearly showing signs of meticulous care.

Ye Mian blinked, tilted her head to look at the man who had just stepped out of the car, shifted her gaze from top to bottom, and said with envy, "President Jiang's lifestyle is the stuff of my dreams."

"What are you saying?" Jiang Chen curved his lips into a smile. "Would you like to go inside and take a look?"

This was the first time Ye Mian had ever visited the place where Jiang Chen lived since he became wealthy.

Ye Mian froze for a moment, but Jiang Chen had already turned around to open the door.

Unable to resist, she smiled at Jiang Chen's retreating back and followed after him.

The courtyard gate opened, and Jiang Chen motioned for Ye Mian to enter first.

He lived all alone in this entire villa. It was quiet all around, and the neighbors were far away, making their footsteps—one heavy, one light—sound particularly distinct.

Passing through the courtyard, Jiang Chen walked straight to the porch, pressed the fingerprint lock, and the door and lights opened automatically.

Ye Mian walked over to the shoe cabinet and stood there. Before her was a palette of brown and white, with impeccably clean furniture and a spacious, empty living room.

It was undeniably luxurious, yet it didn't feel at all like a place where a human lived.

There wasn't even any ordinary clutter; it was far too desolate.

Jiang Chen retrieved a pair of cotton slippers from the shoe cabinet—they looked brand new.

His gaze fell on the young woman's feet, comparing sizes before he bent down and placed them beside her feet. "Rest for a moment, and I'll have Lin Shan send you back later."

Ye Mian didn't retort. Instead, she looked down at the slippers and said, "President Jiang, your slippers are huge."

These were a pair of oversized men's cotton slippers.

Jiang Chen changed into his own shoes, lowered his gaze, and chuckled softly. "Yes, President Ye, since there's no golden house hiding a mistress here, I'll buy you a pair that fits next time."

At that moment, Ye Mian felt the air grow somewhat teasing.

Her remark about the golden house and mistress had merely been a joke.

She hadn't actually expected Jiang Chen to prove anything.

...

After changing her shoes, Ye Mian sat securely on the sofa.

Jiang Chen leisurely took off his trench coat, draped it over the arm of the sofa, walked over to the built-in refrigerator in the living room, retrieved a bottle of sparkling water, and asked Ye Mian, "There are no soft drinks at home. Is this okay?"

Ye Mian wasn't picky either. "That's fine."

Jiang Chen's place looked far too much like an exclusive model home for a real estate company, entirely devoid of any warmth of human habitation.

Given such an environment, having sparkling water was already quite good.

After opening the cap, Jiang Chen took out a wide-mouthed whiskey glass and poured the water into it.

Just as he handed it to Ye Mian, his phone suddenly rang.

He glanced down, intending to hang up.

Ye Mian blinked. Lin Shan's name was displayed on the screen. "You should answer it. It must be something important this late."

With that, she even helped him tap the answer button.

Jiang Chen gave the young girl a helpless look, walked over to a row of wine cabinets, and murmured quietly while listening to the person on the other end.

Fearing that Ye Mian might get bored sitting by herself, he pressed a button nearby, causing the television to emerge from its lifting platform, and handed the remote control to Ye Mian.

"Take a rest for a while."

Ye Mian held her glass, took a sip of water, and then sat cross-legged on the sofa to watch TV for a bit.

The longer she watched, the sleepier she felt.

She yawned four or five times.

She had taken a flight and worked all day today.

She was exceptionally exhausted.

Leaning against the soft, comfortable sofa in the bright, warm lighting, her entire body relaxed completely.

Her eyes were half-closed, right up until they shut entirely.

A heavy wave of drowsiness washed over her.

Soon enough, without any defense, she slipped deep into a sweet dream.

Outside the window, the evening breeze drifted gently, the shadows of the greenery swaying indistinctly on the ground.

Jiang Chen's gaze lingered on the courtyard. Having finished discussing official matters, his tone softened. "Mhm, have someone keep an eye on her, and then come over to Banshan Island."

"Understood, Boss."

He hung up the phone.

Turning back, he saw the young woman lying sideways on the sofa, bathed in the light, taking a nap with her eyes closed.

Jiang Chen checked the time on his phone screen.

He walked over to the sofa in a few strides, bent down, and lowered his gaze to look at Ye Mian.

The moonlight of the winter night was soft and gentle, unable to penetrate the brightly lit interior.

The person before him breathed calmly and steadily, a curve as lovely as a crescent moon resting at the corners of the young woman's lips.

Jiang Chen's finger brushed against her shoulder. "Little Ye Mian, time to wake up?"

Ye Mian sleepily opened her eyes, catching the bright light before her.

...

Then she rolled over and continued her deep sleep.

After gazing at her for a moment, Jiang Chen tried to wake her up once more.

Only to be met with her struggling mumble in complaint.

"I'm so sleepy, let me doze for ten more minutes."

"..."

Stalemated for a second, Jiang Chen helplessly gave up and pulled out his phone to send Lin Shan a text message.

[Don't come over. Go off work.]

Lin Shan, who had just started his car, saw his boss's message and quickly turned his steering wheel around to head home.

Without a single shred of complaint.

There was no helping it; the boss paid way too well.

(End of chapter)