The night at the Shen Residence was not as cold as it had been at that estate.
Shen Shuangjian did not struggle to sleep because he was physically cold, nor did the sound of wind striking the windows suddenly wake him.
With no strangers making unexpected visits and no reason he needed to be awake, he did not even have to force himself out of sleep, and his head did not ache.
At nine fifteen in the morning, Shen Shuangjian emerged from his room wheeling a sixty-centimeter-tall suitcase. When he reached the stairs, a servant came forward to carry it down for him.
After yesterday's rest, filming would get properly underway today. Compared with the relaxed, cheerful introductory episode, the upcoming livestream would be considerably more difficult.
Forests, deserts, snowy mountains, wilderness.
The show required them to live the most ordinary, comfortable lives in extreme environments, which was inherently a difficult demand.
For this livestream, their group would live together for fifteen days in a protected forest area in Donglin City, gathering in the capital before setting out.
They were to gather at eleven in the morning.
After passing through two entryways, Shen Shuangjian arrived at the reception room. He had expected the sofas to be empty, but two people were sitting upright there.
One of them was naturally his older brother, Shen Sixian, who should have been at the company.
Shen Shuangjian had also met the other man, and more than once. It was Xie Jinghui, the owner of the estate whom he had seen in the rose garden.
Compared with his quiet reserve when they had met deep within the estate, Xie Jinghui now had more of an aloof, unapproachable refinement than he had that day.
He sat opposite Shen Sixian, his deep-set eyes slightly lowered. He slowly turned the sapphire ring on the knuckle of his middle finger, carrying the nonchalance and arrogance unique to someone in power.
Shen Shuangjian's footsteps unconsciously slowed until he came to a complete stop. Perhaps it was that change in his footsteps that alerted Xie Jinghui to who had arrived.
He slowly raised his eyes, his expression softening at once. The change was not obvious, and there was not even a discernible trace of a smile, yet somehow he no longer seemed so difficult to approach.
"Brother."
Shen Shuangjian first called softly to Shen Sixian, then looked at Xie Jinghui. When their eyes met, he did not give either man too much preference.
"Mr. Xie."
Shen Sixian had not expected Shen Shuangjian to know Xie Jinghui.
After all, unlike the Xie Family's young crown prince, who was like a flashy peacock, Xie Jinghui rarely appeared in public and seldom attended banquets.
Ordinarily, someone of Shen Shuangjian's standing probably would not even have met the threshold required to see Xie Jinghui.
What surprised Shen Sixian even more was that Xie Jinghui, who maintained the same cool, cultured demeanor with everyone, actually took the initiative to respond to Shen Shuangjian.
"Good morning, Shuangjian."
Xie Jinghui stopped turning his ring and straightened slightly, speaking as though making casual conversation. "I came to see your brother. I didn't expect such a coincidence."
Naturally, Shen Sixian was not so rude as to ask where they had met in front of them both.
He merely turned to Shen Shuangjian, who was holding his suitcase handle, and asked, "Weren't you about to leave?"
Shen Shuangjian had not intended to say much in the first place, so at Shen Sixian's question, he nodded, turned, and left.
As his footsteps gradually receded, Xie Jinghui suddenly rose from his reclining posture and lightly smoothed the slight creases from his expensive suit.
"Since I'm leaving too, I'll give Shuangjian a ride on my way. There's no need to see me out, Mr. Shen."
Xie Jinghui's words were perfectly clear, leaving no room for refusal. Since the matter had nothing to do with Shen Sixian, and he had no reason to refuse, he could only nod.
And so, before Shen Shuangjian, who had left a few steps ahead, could descend the steps, Xie Jinghui caught up with him.
"Let me."
Xie Jinghui's hand was slightly cool. As his fingertips brushed the back of Shen Shuangjian's hand, the sensation was distinct, yet quickly vanished.
He did not adopt a manner that brooked no refusal and snatch the suitcase handle from Shen Shuangjian's hand. Instead, with a hint of a question in his manner, he gradually took it over naturally as they talked.
"Your brother asked me to drive you. I happen to be heading back too, so I'll drop you off on the way."
Before Shen Shuangjian could react and refuse, Xie Jinghui went ahead and opened the trunk, easily placing the meter-long suitcase inside.
Xie Jinghui always timed each move just right. He opened the passenger door, then, without lingering, went around and took the driver's seat.
Shen Shuangjian therefore had no choice but to get into his car. Out of courtesy, he could hardly shut the door and go sit in the back by himself, because there was no chauffeur in Xie Jinghui's car.
The car held the same expensive incense fragrance, tinged with agarwood, as Xie Jinghui himself. But after Shen Shuangjian got in, a delicate fragrance slowly permeated that rich, tranquil scent.
It was as though territory that had belonged solely to Xie Jinghui had abruptly been occupied by an armful of pear blossoms covered in fresh snow; upon suddenly looking back, the whole tree was fragrant.
That novel realization stirred Xie Jinghui slightly as he held the steering wheel. He leaned forward a little and reached across Shen Shuangjian.
As the distance between them closed, Shen Shuangjian's eyes narrowed slightly, but the sound of the seat belt being pulled out made him hold back the hand that had instinctively wanted to resist.
The beauty could therefore only turn his head slightly, avoiding Xie Jinghui's approach as much as possible.
Noticing Shen Shuangjian's resistance, Xie Jinghui quickly returned to his seat. His expression calm, he took hold of the steering wheel, started the engine, and drove.
"Could you tell me where you're going?"
Xie Jinghui's voice was gentle, yet his expression held no smile that overstepped the slightest boundary. It was the most ordinary of questions, and also the most imperceptible crossing of a line for Shen Shuangjian.
And Shen Shuangjian indeed failed to realize that this supposed ride "on the way" had been planned in advance without even knowing the destination.
Just as Xie Jinghui had initially thought, Shen Shuangjian habitually pushed everyone to a safe distance of unfamiliarity and estrangement, and would voice his refusal of anything he considered troublesome.
Yet at the same time, he also seemed very accustomed to everyone's unspoken tolerance and gentleness, to every quiet, unobtrusive approach and act of care.
Rather than truly cold and distant, Shen Shuangjian was more like someone who compromised after failing at social interaction.
There was an almost innocent cruelty to it: simply because he was poor with words and socializing, he habitually rejected and resisted such things.
With someone like Shen Shuangjian, every aggressive advance, special gesture, forceful action, and domineering move became a reason for him to want to flee and resist.
But taking the opposite approach, all your gentleness, courtesy, restraint, and compliance became things he failed to notice, or even accepted as a matter of course.
When dealing with him, even someone like Xie Jinghui, who considered himself adept at knowing when to advance or retreat and skilled at handling everyone, could not help feeling apprehensive, afraid that he might unknowingly overstep the boundaries Shen Shuangjian had set and be naturally pushed into the realm of rejection.
Yet, just like all those who had once tried to approach Shen Shuangjian, after taking the first step, Xie Jinghui could not help wanting to try to take the remaining ninety-nine.