"Why do you need to see these things for your plan to work? Why do you have to suffer for Bai Ye Qing and his faults?" His questions made sense.

  She smiled softly. "Are you worried about me right now?" she asked.

  "Shouldn't I be?" he seethed. "They threatened your life." He shook his head. "This is why you didn't go back to the hotel, didn't you? Everyone knows where you live and the hotel's staff can't even protect your privacy, so you needed to escape."

  He wanted to punch something. He wanted to kill someone; preferably Bai Ye Qing.

  "You're staying here tonight," he told her. He had left no space for argument. "Before you ask about space, you know well that I have enough rooms to keep you here. And don't make excuses. You'll move in eventually, why not get comfortable now."

  His voice grew softer with every word he said.

  She nodded her head, more to appease him than anything. Honestly, she didn't want to go back to the hotel either. Mo Qingchen's invite couldn't have come at a better time.

  "Okay. I'll stay with you. I'll use you for all you are worth. Happy?" She hoped he was.

  "I am far from happy. I am fuming." And he couldn't do a thing about it.

  "Go ahead. Prepare for me."

  Mo Qingchen nodded.

  "Let's go in. It's going to get chilly really soon," Mo Qingchen glanced at the clothes she was wearing and a flash of worry could be seen in his eyes.

  Yun Qian Meng didn't see it, but she nodded. She stood up and arched her back. It had been a long day and she was going to get some sleep to take the edge off.

  Xiong Hua was roaming just packing up when Mo Qingchen and Qian Meng found her.

  "Set up the guest room for Miss Yun," he ordered.

  "Sorry for bothering you so late," Qian Meng added, trying to ease the command. She almost elbowed Mo Qingchen for being rude.

  "I'm used to it, Miss Yun," Xiong Hua retorted with the hint of a smile and scurried away.

  "Do you have extra clothes to change into?" Mo Qingchen asked. He didn't look worried, though.

  "I have clothes to wear to the office tomorrow, but not nightwear. Give me some of your clothes," she teased. Mo Qingchen leveled her with a glare. "What? Now that we are a couple, we can share our underwear, can't we?"

  The conversation from weeks ago came back to him and he shook his head in disbelief. He hadn't thought it would actually happen at that point in time.

  "You'll have to go without the underwear. I can't produce granny panties for you, but I could give you my t-shirt and sweatpants." He shrugged.

  Baggy and well-worn clothes? Sign her up. She liked a comfortable sleep.

  "Thank you. I'd like a freshly laundered pair." She gave him a sweet smile. Mo Qingchen left her to her own devices and went to his room. Xiong Hua was back sooner than expected.

  "Miss Yun, your room is ready. Do you need anything else?" she asked.

  Qian Meng thought for a minute. "Can you keep the front door open for me? I need to grab my clothes from my car."

  Xiong Hua bowed and led her out.

  The night was setting in and it was getting chillier. Qian Meng rubbed her arms and scurried down the driveway and to her car. She unlocked it quickly and bent over to pick her clothes up from the backseat.

  Qian Meng heard someone clearing their throat and pulled out of the car with her clothes bag in her hand.

  She quirked her brow at the burly man. "May I help you?" she asked, not sure what this was about.

  "You can't park here, Miss." The guy was gruff and looked perpetually angry.

  "My car broke down," she explained. She could see he was unconvinced. "Could you call Mo Qingchen?" she sighed.

  The man, who Qian Meng knew by then was security, looked at her strangely. But he did call Mo Qingchen.

  "Yes?" Qian Meng could hear Mo Qingchen's irritation. She smiled surreptitiously and locked her car.

  "There's a strange woman parked outside the house. What should I do with her?"

  Qian Meng gasped and then broke out into a chuckle.

  "A strange woman?" Mo Qingchen asked, confused.

  "Hubby, it's me!" Qian Meng yelled. There was silence all over. She heard him grumble but couldn't make the words out.

  "Let her in…" he said finally.

  The security guard hesitated for a minute before letting her go. Qian Meng mock-glared at the man and sprinted back into the house, now thoroughly cold.

  Xiong Hua had the door open so she slipped in and shuddered. The heated room was a pleasant change.

  "Miss Yun, do you want something warm to drink?" she asked. "Mr. Mo will probably eat in his office. Do you want your food in the room, as well?" she asked.

  Qian Meng nodded. "I don't think I can eat much, though," she said apologetically.

  Mo Qingchen finally found them. "Here, take it." He pushed the clothes into her hand. "Freshly laundered," he assured when he saw her expression.

  "Thank you," she sang.

  "Catch some sleep. You'll have another long day tomorrow." With that, they separated.

  Qian Meng looked around the room with satisfaction. The same black and wood theme continued into the room. The bed was King size, but it was the covers that made her smile. Black silk.

  She ran her hand over the material and giggled.

  She plopped down on the bed and sucked in a deep breath.

  Something had inadvertently shifted in her life. And she was satisfied.

  She picked up the grey t-shirt and sweatpants and walked into the bathroom. A steaming shower later, she donned on the clothes on her moisturized body and looked at herself in the mirror. Just the t-shirt alone was an inch above her knee and she had to roll those sweatpants so that the hem didn't make her trip.

  She was out like a light the minute her head hit the bed. That night, she did not dream.