Chapter 9 Forced Back Home
I was forced back to the villa by Zhou Muyan.
He threw a set of women's pajamas at me.
"Go take a shower."
As an adult, what taking a shower in broad daylight meant needed no extra thought.
I threw the pajamas right back at him.
"I'm not showering, and I won't wear another woman's clothes either."
Zhou Muyan picked up the pajamas, his face dark. "They're new."
"New or not, I'm still not showering."
Zhou Muyan stepped closer, his meaning pointed.
"Fine. If you won't wash, I don't mind helping you."
I had just tasted how strong he was. I knew fighting him head-on would get me nowhere.
After muttering a couple of curses under my breath, I took the pajamas and went into the bathroom.
Half an hour later, I came out of the bathroom, stiff and awkward.
Zhou Muyan was already lying on the bed.
I could tell he had showered too.
What was about to happen next—I could figure it out with my toes.
But inside me there was only sadness, and more sadness.
"Zhou Muyan, what do you take me for?"
Tears fell before I could stop them.
"I have nothing left now. Are you going to trample even the last bit of dignity I have?"
Zhou Muyan got up from the bed and brought tissues to wipe my tears.
"Don't cry. I only want you to sleep. The dark circles under your eyes show through even the powder."
I froze for a moment.
That was because ever since Xie Mingming got sick, I had barely slept through a single night.
I worked myself half to death and still couldn't keep up with how fast the Hospital spent money.
Every day without Surgery, the worry in my heart piled higher.
In those first few months, I lost more than ten jin all at once.
Even my mom couldn't stand watching it. She cooked soup for me every day.
But I knew this was the path I had chosen. No matter how hard it got, I would keep going.
I knocked Zhou Muyan's hand away, wiped my tears, and said, "It's none of your business."
Zhou Muyan looked at me, his back teeth grinding.
"Xie Xinran, you're still the same as before. Getting you to lower your head is harder than anything."
"So, can I leave now?"
Zhou Muyan let out a sigh. It seemed like he was giving in.
"You can. But you have to sleep here with me first."
When he met my look that wanted to stab him, Zhou Muyan quickly added, "Really just sleep. Nothing else."
"Why?"
"Because I haven't slept for several nights either."
Keeping half a meter of distance from Zhou Muyan, I lay down on the bed.
Zhou Muyan turned on his side to face me.
"Come closer."
"Don't push it."
"Half a year ago, someone set me up. I was in a car crash and almost died. Now everyone outside is saying I'm finished. So even if you sleep next to me, I couldn't do anything anyway."
I instinctively clutched the quilt.
"Then what about your girlfriend? Hasn't she stayed by your side no matter what? Forcing me onto the same bed with you today—don't you feel bad about her?"
"Girlfriend? Who told you I have a girlfriend?"
Zhou Muyan propped himself up. He seemed to figure it out.
"You mean Huang Yuwei?"
Suddenly Zhou Muyan seemed to think of something and burst out laughing while lying on the bed.
A moment later, he said, "Forget it. Sleep first."
Ignoring my resistance, he pulled me into his arms.
At first, I couldn't sleep at all.
But listening to Zhou Muyan's steady, strong heartbeat, my eyes slowly grew too heavy to keep open.