Jiang Sui was Mei Yeqin's weakness.
Not just Jiang Sui, but also her sister. Pei Dai knew all this.
Dejected, Pei Dai left the room and patted his cheek. "Don't be discouraged, Pei Dai. Qinqin is sick. You know, she didn't mean anything she said."
Perhaps making amends for Mei Yeqin like this would make the man feel better.
Mei Yeqin stood at the balcony, not moving until Pei Dai left.
Her thoughts were in a tangle. Pei Dai must have been laying the groundwork for Jiang Sui's hypnosis for a long time. She hadn't actually witnessed the process, and she had no idea if it would be harmful to the young man.
She simply subconsciously resisted the idea of hypnotizing Jiang Sui.
Having failed once before, she was deeply concerned.
Even she arrived the living room, Mei Yeqin dared not breathe, afraid to even breathe, fearing she might have affected something, or that something had gone wrong.
However, the result was unexpected: Jiang Sui had actually fallen asleep, so caught off guard, that Mei Yeqin was not only furious but also shocked.
Deep down, she didn't trust anyone. Even if that person was Pei Dai, it was her second best option.
Perhaps, it was just like what the man had said.
She had truly been alone for too long.
Mei Yeqin rubbed her brow. She knew her words had been a mistake, but she would never admit it. Because of Jiang Sui, she wouldn't tolerate any accidents or mishaps.
Now that her sister was gone, she had to protect her sister's child and not let him come to any harm. This was Mei Yeqin's bottom line.
She listened to the sound of the door closing.
Mei Yeqin knew he was gone.
A sudden, uncontrollable sense of emptiness washed over her, causing her eyes to wrinkle slightly.
She thought it was habit.
For a long time, Mei Yeqin stood by the window, her thoughts slightly confused.
When the door rang again, Mei Yeqin instinctively turned her head toward the door.
The man, covered in snowflakes, hurried about, carrying a large bag of things and tiptoeing. As Mei Yeqin watched, he froze.
"Qinqin."
Pei Dai's voice was a little hoarse, tinged with indescribable emotion.
Mei Yeqin looked at the snowflakes on his hair, frowning and pursing her lips. She said nothing, but she also looked in Pei Dai's direction from the balcony.
She reached out to brush the snowflakes off the man's head, but Pei Dai grabbed her wrist.
"Qinqin, it's cold. I'll just go out and shake it off."
It was too cold. Pei Dai was worried that his own chill would transfer to her, and he wanted to move away from her, but he was torn between wanting to do so.
He could only stand there, idiotic.
He let Mei Yeqin brush the snow from his hair.
For a moment, Pei Dai's heart warmed, gradually returning to its former state.
He was half a head taller than Mei Yeqin, so to make the woman more comfortable, he could only lower his head slightly and bend his knees.
Mei Yeqin pursed her lips, looking at the lunch box he was holding. As if to prevent the snow from scattering on his hair, he held one arm far away.
"Put things on the cabinet first."
Pei Dai now felt his actions were a bit childish. The heat in the room made his face flush.
"Okay, Qinqin."
He always mentioned her name before saying anything.
Whether intentionally or not, Mei Yeqin withdrew her hand, thinking the man had left and had returned.
"Qinqin, I bought you some food. Eat some first. I'll see if it's still hot. If not..."
Minding his own business, Pei Dai, carrying lunch box and other belongings, walked into the kitchen and tested the temperature with his hand.
"Qinqin, it's still hot. Come over and have a few bites."
"Pei Dai, keep your voice down!"
Mei Yeqin frowned, looking at Pei Dai. Her low growl froze Pei Dai's smile, and then he nodded. "I understand, Qinqin."
The disappointment flashed across his eyes so quickly that Mei Yeqin caught it.
Mei Yeqin rubbed her brow and walked to a chair, suppressing the slight discomfort in her heart. "That time, what I said was a bit too extreme."
Pei Dai paused for a long moment as he unwrapped the package, looking at Mei Yeqin in disbelief.
Accustomed to her indifference and arrogance, Pei Dai's heart stopped beating at the sudden apology. He stared at the woman quietly.
Mei Yeqin placed the unpacked chopsticks in front of Pei Dai. "You haven't eaten either, right? Sit down and eat together."
This made Pei Dai even more stunned.
He couldn't help but pinch his fingertips. He had actually bought a double portion, a subtle move. He wondered if Yeqin had noticed.
Mei Yeqin, seated on her chair, was truly speaking quietly.
She never spoke while eating or sleeping; this woman possessed a fine upbringing.
Pei Dai removed the bones from the fish and ribs and offered her various dishes. Although Mei Yeqin only frowned slightly, she ultimately didn't refuse.
However, after the meal, Pei Dai noticed that her appetite had decreased significantly. He wanted to tentatively ask if she wanted to eat more, but seeing Mei Yeqin's sullen expression, he held back.
After he cleaning up the trash, Mei Yeqin rested her head on her elbows, her eyes half-closed. She looked clearly exhausted.
"Qinqin, do you want to rest outside? I've booked a room at a small hotel not far away."
Pei Dai observed that Jiang Sui's room was a one-bedroom apartment, and she couldn't afford to stay awake all night.
Mei Yeqin pried her eyes open and looked at Pei Dai. "No need. You go back and rest. Thank you for the meal and for Ah Sui matter. I'm also sorry I'm not in a good mood today."
Her politeness, her distance, and her apology made Pei Dai's eyes narrow, and his hands at his sides tightened.
He felt like he might be seriously ill.
She scolded him, and he got upset.
She apologized, and he still got upset.
Pei Dai tried his best to suppress the sadness tinged with bitterness in his heart, observing the woman's exhausted expression. "Qinqin, go to sleep. Otherwise, Ah Sui will be worried tomorrow. You come back tomorrow. I'll call you when he wakes up. I'll be watching here."
Pei Dai always managed things in an orderly manner.
Mei Yeqin frowned, a thought coming to her. "Come and rest with me."
The hypnotized person cannot be aware that they are being hypnotized, especially someone as intelligent as Ah Sui.
"Ah!"
Pei Dai was a little incredulous, wondering if he had misheard.
But his voice was a little too loud. He covered his mouth and looked at Mei Yeqin.