Chapter 508: Chapter 508: You Compliment Me

Gong Chen’s expression froze for a moment, as if he hadn’t heard clearly.

“Where am I staying?”

“This big guest room, just cleaned up, very tidy,” Liu He said, opening the door.

Gong Chen looked at the clean yet somewhat empty room, and it took him a moment to understand Liu He’s meaning.

“Okay, I’ll just sleep here.”

“That’s right.” Liu He turned around and grabbed Lin Zhiyi and Xingxing, “Come on, I’ll take you to your room.”

Lin Zhiyi glanced at Gong Chen, holding back a laugh and nodding.

After taking a few steps, Gong Chen called out to them.

“Where are you going? Not next door?”

Liu He laughed, “Next door isn’t cleaned up, staying elsewhere, on the other side of the hallway, where the lighting is good and it won’t disturb you, Lao San.”

“…”

Gong Chen was completely speechless.

Lin Zhiyi nodded in agreement: “Mom, you really think of everything, then Xingxing and I will head over.”

As she turned away, Gong Chen’s gaze was firmly fixed on her.

She turned her back to Gong Chen, a corner of her lip curling upward, and walked after Liu He to another room.

Once the door was closed, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Liu He gave her a pat: “Stop laughing, you’re my daughter, behave yourself a little here.”

“Zhiyi, it’s not that I’m rushing you, it’s just, I can’t bear to see you following him like this.”

Lin Zhiyi grabbed her hand in return, “Mom, I know what you’re thinking, thank you.”

“Alright, enough said, you’d better rest with Xingxing.”

“Mm.”

After seeing Liu He off, Lin Zhiyi took Xingxing for a bath, played with her on the bed for a while until she fell into a deep sleep.

After all, having had surgery before, her body was still in recovery and couldn’t handle much excitement.

Lin Zhiyi lay on her side, cuddling the soft little body, feeling particularly comfortable.

Gradually, she also fell asleep.

In the darkness, Lin Zhiyi vaguely felt a beam of light fall on her body.

She raised her hand to block it, but someone covered her eyes first.

She woke up instantly, but before she could react, she was pulled tightly into an embrace.

A deep breath from a man came from above her head.

“Shh, it’s me.”

Lin Zhiyi grasped his hand, opening her eyes, “Why are you here? Aren’t you afraid my mom will see you?”

“They’re asleep.”

Half asleep, Lin Zhiyi joked, “Third Young Master, why are you acting like a thief?”

Saying that, she sleepily closed her eyes.

The next second, a long leg slid under the covers, flipping over and pressing down on her.

Strands of hair fell, unable to block his burning gaze, and his handsome face, under the moonlight, painted a vague silhouette, making it hard for one to resist.

Lin Zhiyi felt hot under his gaze, wanting to avert her eyes, but found his pajama buttons somehow half undone.

His firm chest was almost exposed right in front of her.

He seemed to feel her gaze, deliberately pressing his body down a bit more.

Lin Zhiyi’s neck flushed red, “What are you doing? Get out now.”

“Being a thief,” Gong Chen lowered his head towards her, “a flower thief.”

“Mmm…”

Concerned about her sleeping daughter beside her, Lin Zhiyi didn’t dare to move recklessly, nor could she speak loudly, completely at Gong Chen’s mercy.

She managed to lift her hand, which he then clasped, pressing their intertwined fingers onto the pillow.

In the quiet room, there was a hint of moisture and breathlessness.

After a long time, Gong Chen finally released Lin Zhiyi.

He looked down and asked, “What you said in the living room today, was it true?”

Lin Zhiyi paused for a moment, pretending not to understand, “What did I say? I forgot.”

Just as she turned her face away, he reached out and turned it back.

“I remember, you praised me. Besides in your diary, it was the first time you praised me in front of others.”

“Diary? What diary?” Lin Zhiyi was taken aback.

“The diary you burned…”

Lin Zhiyi immediately interrupted, “Who said it was full of praises for you? Don’t talk nonsense, it was just an ordinary diary, just rumors on the internet.”

“Zhiyi, I’ve read it.”

“…”

Lin Zhiyi felt a wave of heat on her back.

He read it!

That means all her adolescent secrets were known to him?

How embarrassing.

“How did you read it?”

“Once when I came back from a business trip, I stopped by my second brother’s place, and you were asleep on the desk, that diary was right next to you,” Gong Chen said in a low voice.

Lin Zhiyi almost jumped up, “You, how could you peek at my diary?”

“The wind blew, and I saw two more pages.”

“I don’t believe you,” Lin Zhiyi said, embarrassed.

“Then shall I recite it to you?”

“No!”

In a panic, Lin Zhiyi accidentally raised her voice.

Xingxing stirred, turning over in her sleep.

Gong Chen patted Xingxing’s back, turned to lie beside Lin Zhiyi, facing her, looking at her.

“Zhiyi, you don’t need to wait long, I promise.”

Lin Zhiyi didn’t say anything.

Ever since reuniting, Gong Chen’s most frequent words were “I promise.”

He seemed eager to prove something.

Yet every time Lin Zhiyi heard it, her heart felt pricked, leaving her stifled.

Gong Chen knew it was unlikely Lin Zhiyi could fully trust him right away.

He reached out to hold her, gently saying, “Sleep, I’ll leave before your mom comes in the morning.”

Lin Zhiyi, worried about Gong Chen’s thoughts, explained, “My mom didn’t mean it.”

“I know, it’s a tricky situation, and she’s afraid you’ll suffer. I understand.”

Hearing this, Lin Zhiyi felt he finally showed some understanding.

Unexpectedly, he added another comment.

“Just one day, we’ll head back tomorrow.”

“…”

Lin Zhiyi dared not laugh, pulling over the quilt to sleep.

The next morning when she woke up, Gong Chen was indeed not there.

Lin Zhiyi got up with Xingxing, washed up, and when they went downstairs for breakfast, Gong Chen was already seated.

Liu He was pleased, “Looks like you all slept well last night, that’s a relief.”

Lin Zhiyi smiled without speaking.

“Zhiyi, why don’t you stay a few more days?” Liu He asked.

Before Lin Zhiyi could answer, Gong Chen coughed lightly.

Liu He asked, “Third Young Master, what’s wrong?”

Gong Chen remained composed, “My throat’s a bit itchy.”

Liu He took it as truth, “I’ll have someone stew a pear for you.”

“No need, I have things to attend to later. Right, Lin Zhiyi?” Gong Chen said.

Lin Zhiyi kept her head down, eating breakfast, nodding twice.

“I need to find the jade carving master, it’s quite far from here, not very convenient.”

She wasn’t lying.

To avoid unnecessary complications, she decided to keep a closer watch.

Liu He sighed, “Alright, you take care of yourself. I was hoping you’d accompany me to meet someone.”

Lin Zhiyi put down her bowl, curiously asked, “Who?”

“Last night, the maid said Mrs. Bai from the Bai Family called, saying she plans to visit today. I’ve seen a lot of people these days that I don’t know well, including this Mrs. Bai. But I forgot to decline yesterday, and it would seem deliberate if I told her not to come now.”

“Mrs. Bai?”

Whether or not it was her over-sensitivity, the surname Bai made Lin Zhiyi inexplicably worried.

She looked up at Gong Chen.

Gong Chen answered, “It should be Bai Ruoshu’s mother. Her father used to run a factory in China, and later opened several factories in Southeast Asia. After the business took off, the whole family moved to Europe to develop.”

Gong Shiyan chimed in with a thought.

“This Bai Family used to have a few collaborations with the Gong Family. After they moved to Europe, there wasn’t much news. I’ve heard their business grew quite large.”

Liu He fretted, “Then, what should I be aware of when meeting Mrs. Bai? I hope I don’t say the wrong thing.”

“She’s the one visiting you, she should watch her words, don’t overthink it. I’ll go with you,” Gong Shiyan reassured.

“Alright.”