Li Zhiyan frowned, a pitiful expression on her face. "It still hurts a little. Stay with me tonight, okay? I didn't have any nightmares last night."
Sun Zhewen thought for a moment. His parents would be arriving soon, so they'd be staying together anyway. He joked, "Alright. Am I that good at calming you down? It'll cost extra, you know."
Li Zhiyan nodded, her voice laced with a hint of coquettishness. "Mmhmm. How about a thousand a night? I'll pay for the month upfront." She immediately pulled out several stacks of cash from her bag.
Sun Zhewen was a little stunned. "You're a real little rich girl, aren't you? You're paying for sleepovers now?"
Li Zhiyan sighed. "Actually, I'm just too lonely. I often have nightmares at night. It's just me in this huge house."
Sun Zhewen sighed, reaching out to stroke her head. "Alright, I'll stay with you tonight."
Li Zhiyan gave him a satisfied smile. "Thank you, Zhewen."
Sun Zhewen chuckled. "Don't mention it. I'm just worried about you being scared on your own."
Li Zhiyan's eyes flickered with gratitude. "Zhewen, I know you've been helping me, and I really appreciate it."
Sun Zhewen shook his head, offering a slight smile. "Zhiyan, we're friends. No need to be so polite."
A trace of melancholy crossed Li Zhiyan's face, but she quickly masked it, forcing a smile. "Friends, huh? Sometimes I wish we could be more than just friends."
Sun Zhewen's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, but he knew he couldn't give her any false hope. He said gently, "Zhiyan, if you're not feeling well, you should go rest."
Li Zhiyan shook her head, a hint of mockery in her eyes. "What? Afraid of disturbing your romance with my sister?"
Sun Zhewen waved his hands in a hurry, a hint of helplessness on his face. "Zhiyan, you misunderstand. I haven't contacted your sister much tonight. I'm afraid Liu Qunqi will find out."
Li Zhiyan let out a cold laugh, a complex look in her eyes. "You two really need to be careful. Don't let his smile fool you. He's cut from the same cloth as his cousin, ruthless and cruel. You know those officials who've disappeared in the last few years? I suspect he's involved."
Sun Zhewen was shocked, his brow furrowing. "He's involved in that too?"
Li Zhiyan nodded, her expression growing more serious. "I suspect he had his cousin, Liu Qingfeng, do it. Liu Qingfeng used to be involved with the underworld; making someone disappear is child's play for him. He has at least a hundred people under him now, and some of them are part of the Fengyun Group's security. I've been living under their noses, it's like walking on thin ice."
Sun Zhewen frowned, a complex mix of emotions swirling within him. "What are you going to do? You know how ruthless those two brothers are."
Li Zhiyan sighed, a hint of helplessness and sorrow in her eyes. "I can only live cautiously, trying not to provoke them. But you know, sometimes fate just isn't fair."
Sun Zhewen was silent for a moment, his heart filled with a mixture of emotions. He knew how difficult Li Zhiyan's situation was, but what could he do?
"Zhewen, you have to be careful. Never show any weakness unless you can finish them off in one go."
"I'm fine, you're the one who needs to be careful."
The night deepened, and the lights outside the window gradually dimmed, leaving only a few lonely streetlights flickering. Inside the room, Li Zhiyan whispered, "Let's rest." Her voice was like a wisp of smoke in the night wind, carrying a touch of fatigue.
Sun Zhewen nodded, heading towards the bathroom with a heavy heart. Li Zhiyan's words from earlier in the day kept echoing in his mind: "Can we turn the situation around?" The sentence was like a needle, pricking at his heart and causing a dull ache. Their situation was indeed difficult, but Sun Zhewen refused to give up; a spirit of unyielding determination burned within him.
After finishing his wash, Sun Zhewen returned to the bedroom and saw that Li Zhiyan was already in bed. She held out an arm, signaling for him to lie beside her. Sun Zhewen followed suit, and Li Zhiyan immediately rolled over and held him tightly. Her body felt a little cool, but it made Sun Zhewen feel a touch of heat.
"Are you hot?" Li Zhiyan asked, raising her head with concern. "How about we lower the air conditioning a bit?"
Sun Zhewen nodded and got up to adjust the air conditioner to 20 degrees. When he got back into bed, he found that Li Zhiyan had closed her eyes, but her brow was still slightly furrowed, clearly burdened by worries.
"Zhewen, your arms are so comfortable," Li Zhiyan said softly, a hint of playfulness in her voice. "I'm a little envious of my sister."
Sun Zhewen was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly. "Your sister isn't as clingy as you are." He reached out and gently stroked Li Zhiyan's hair, feeling her warmth.
"That's because I know how to enjoy life more," Li Zhiyan mumbled, nuzzling against him like a little cat, then fell silent.
Sun Zhewen whispered, "Sleep now." He was indeed a little tired, his eyelids heavy, and he soon fell asleep.
Li Zhiyan looked at Sun Zhewen's sleeping face, a warmth welling up in her heart. She gently kissed him on the lips, feeling his even and steady breathing. Li Zhiyan held him tightly, silently praying that tomorrow would be better.
The alarm clock blared, shattering the morning's peace with its shrill sound. Sun Zhewen frowned, wanting to turn it off, but found he couldn't move. He looked down and saw Li Zhiyan clinging to him tightly, one of her legs assertively pinning his down, as if claiming ownership. He sighed helplessly, gently pushing her away and reaching for his phone to silence the alarm.
Li Zhiyan opened her eyes, still half-asleep, and mumbled, "You're up already? Sleep a little longer." Then, she pressed herself against Sun Zhewen again, as if afraid he would run away.
"I need to get up, or I'll be late," Sun Zhewen said with a hint of helplessness.
"Ugh, I hate it. Fine, I'll get up too," Li Zhiyan rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up, like a lazy kitten. "I'll clean the house today. Oh, and I got the wedding photos back yesterday, I haven't hung them up yet."
"Climbing up and down is for me to do when I get back, you're pregnant," Sun Zhewen looked at her with concern.
"Ugh, why me?" Li Zhiyan grumbled, a hint of grievance on her face. "So many of them don't, but me."
Sun Zhewen couldn't help but laugh, gently pinching her nose. "Alright, don't overthink it now. I'll hang them when I get back. Are you going to work today?"