Extreme Pampering
Chapter 111: Are You Going to Kiss?

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Are You Going to Kiss?

Shen Zhiyi didn’t want to get into the water, so she didn’t join Duan Jiaze in the pool, but she didn’t leave either, staying until the child got tired and finally agreed to come out of the water.

The changing room was quiet. Duan Jiaze went in to shower and change into clean clothes on his own, his self-care skills apparently improved as he sung an off-tune nursery rhyme.

Shen Zhiyi packed up the clothes he had taken off, and Pei Yu came in without her even looking up.

"His flight is tomorrow afternoon," Pei Yu asked, "are you going to see him off?"

"Probably not," Shen Zhiyi recalled her shooting schedule for the next day, "I can’t make the time."

She could always call the child after he arrived on the other side.

Pei Yu didn’t speak. He approached her from behind, almost as if to embrace her. When Shen Zhiyi didn’t immediately pull away, he finally asked, "After he leaves, are you ever going to see me again?"

His tone was deliberately softened, nearly drowned in Duan Jiaze’s off-key singing, but since they were so close, Shen Zhiyi couldn’t pretend she hadn’t heard.

"Pei Yu," she said, looking down at his hands braced on either side of her body, smelling the familiar Agarwood scent, feeling almost trapped in it, "Could I ever escape?"

Even if she wanted to avoid him, he had a hundred ways to appear before her. She was somewhat familiar with Chairman Pei’s methods.

To prevent Duan Jiaze inside from hearing, she spoke softly, her voice lacking coldness and sounding rather helpless instead, making Pei Yu feel like he could push the boundaries even further. He chuckled lowly, his chest vibrating, candidly admitting, "Hmm, you can’t escape."

He brushed aside a lock of hair from her neck, the distance between them so close that a move from either side would be enough to seal a kiss, yet neither of them moved.

Shen Zhiyi glanced at him sideways, "I may not be able to hide, but my thoughts haven’t changed. If you ever get tired of this, you are free to—"

Pei Yu suddenly leaned in, his breath audible, as if a mere movement of his lips would reach hers. Shen Zhiyi stopped talking abruptly, trying to lean her face back to avoid him, but he supported the back of her head with his hand, forcing her to stay still in their overly intimate posture.

She was slightly annoyed, her ears burning, and all she could see were his dark eyes and crimson lips, unsure where to look. She simply closed her eyes.

Pei Yu still didn’t pull away, his fingertips lightly touched her trembling eyelashes, "Don’t say things like that. Can’t you feel whether I am just whimsical or if I’ve given this serious thought?"

He was not like those playboys in the circle who relished in their pleasures nor like Qin Fang who saw love as a transaction. Always someone to be chased after, and now entwining relentlessly, seeking compassion—it couldn’t possibly be a spur-of-the-moment whim.

His affections for her were definitely not for transient joy.

As the eyelashes fluttered, Shen Zhiyi listened to his words, and the palm resting against his chest could feel the strong heartbeat inside, involuntarily curling her fingertips.

Pei Yu’s words pierced through her last bit of self-deception. Indeed, he wasn’t the type to pester a lover endlessly. The name Shen Zhiyi weighed much more heavily in his heart, and his sincerity could be easily felt even without words.

If there was any hint of jest in him, how could she have relented time and again, allowing him to have his way?

She couldn’t doubt his feelings for her; she was unable to utter a word of skepticism.

"Uncle?"

The child’s innocent voice disrupted the strange atmosphere. Duan Jiaze blinked his eyes curiously at them, "Are you guys going to kiss?"

Pei Yu looked down, his voice cool, "Why, do you want to watch?"

Are four-year-olds really this oblivious?

After a forceful push against his chest, Pei Yu stepped back, letting go and leaning against the wall.

Shen Zhiyi didn’t look at him, turning instead to lift Duan Jiaze into her arms and blow-dry his hair.

Neither of them spoke again.

It was not until the hairdryer stopped and the warmth in her ears faded away completely that Shen Zhiyi finally spoke, but her words were not for Pei Yu.

"I have work tomorrow so I won’t be able to see you off at the airport. Can you contact me once you get home, okay?"

"Okay," Duan Jiaze nodded obediently.

Duan Jiaze was staying at Huating tonight, originally they were to separate once they went out, with Xiaodong waiting outside, but the child was so clingy to Shen Zhiyi that she ended up riding in Pei Yu’s car, letting him drop her off at home before taking Duan Jiaze back to Huating.

"Zhizhi," as the farewell approached, the child finally felt reluctant to part and snuggled in her arms, asking stickily, "Will you miss me after I leave?"

"Mhm," Shen Zhiyi stroked his head and smiled tenderly, "I will miss you."

She also showed some reluctance, which Duan Jiaze noticed. He then straightened up, comforting her like an adult, "It’s alright, you can come and see me with uncle if you miss me."

The two of them chatted while clinging to each other for a while until they arrived at Shen Zhiyi’s place, and Duan Jiaze even accompanied her to the downstairs of her building.

"Zhizhi!"

He rushed over to hug Shen Zhiyi and gestured to her with his fingers, "I have a secret to tell you."

Pei Yu was standing just a few steps away, hearing everything clearly, "I’m not allowed to hear it?"

"Only Zhizhi can hear it," Duan Jiaze said proudly, leaning close to Shen Zhiyi’s ear and whispering very softly for fear Pei Yu would hear, "Zhizhi, my uncle is really bad, always scolding me, easily losing patience, and even playing pranks on me, but he has his good points."

His voice grew louder; he didn’t mind Pei Yu hearing now, "For instance, he is really rich. My mom says he has so much money he can’t even count it all, and he’s very handsome and tall, too. I think you should be nicer to him. That way, he’ll like you more and be willing to spend lots of money on you, buying lots and lots of gifts for you."

Duan Jiaze summed up, "If you really become my aunt, I hope you can make uncle kinder and get him to buy me more gifts."

He extended his chubby finger, "Can we make a pinky promise? It’s our agreement."

His fingers looked chubby and cute. Hesitating, Shen Zhiyi hooked her finger with his, "I can’t make any promises."

Was she unsure about becoming his aunt, or about making Pei Yu kinder? She didn’t specify, and it seemed Duan Jiaze didn’t care either.

"I believe in you."

On the way back, Pei Yu asked Duan Jiaze what secrets he had shared with Shen Zhiyi, which he hadn’t caught.

"Uncle," Duan Jiaze said seriously, "it’s a secret."

Pei Yu sneered, "You won’t tell, but Zhizhi will."

"Impossible," Duan Jiaze said, although not with much confidence, "Zhizhi doesn’t like you right now, she wouldn’t—"

"Duan Jiaze," Pei Yu interrupted him, "do you think that Zhizhi likes you more than me?"

His tone was indifferent, mocking, "Just with your chubby face and little belly?"

Duan Jiaze: "..."

Suddenly, he felt a lack of confidence in himself.