Morning Longing for Warmth – Chapter 8
by Little PandaGetting Sick
Manage your mouth well.
Du Yueming is famously known in the circle as a “social butterfly” (a person who flits from one romantic relationship to another), having dated countless girlfriends. Her relationships range from famous actresses to the household maids, typically changing every three months, which is common knowledge to everyone.
Her family tried to discipline her for two years, but it led to Du Yueming threatening with her life, even going so far as to declare that she simply loves women. She said if she couldn’t have girlfriends, she might as well be dead. The Du family largely operates abroad and has an open-minded attitude, so over time, her parents came to accept this reality and let her be.
Du Yueming isn’t the only child in the family. She has two older brothers, one in business and the other in politics, both quite successful. After her parents chose to be more lenient and moved abroad, adopting an “out of sight, out of mind” approach, without much restraint and with her brothers doting on her, she began changing girlfriends like “changing clothes” (frequent and casual manner), with no one daring to criticize her openly.
However, behind her back, people would say: “Isn’t she that socialite?”
“Tsk, why is she standing with Third Miss?”
“Haven’t you heard? She used to be infatuated with Third Miss and tried every possible way to climb into her bed.”
“So that’s how it is. Truly shameless!”
The whispered gossip reached them. Wei Hui had long heard of Du Yueming’s reputation. Even if she didn’t know the details, it was a fact that she was harassed back when she was in school. Thinking of this, she frowned and called out, “Shiyi.”
Stunned by Du Yueming’s words, Shiyi snapped back to reality and was about to walk over to Wei Hui when someone grabbed her arm, saying, “Can I have your contact information?”
With a gentle smile and sincere eyes, there was a casual amusement in her long, narrow eyes. Shiyi shook her head, “I’m sorry, I… I don’t have one.”
Du Yueming felt a bit of regret as she turned to look at Wei Hui. What a coincidence—or perhaps misfortune—it was to finally find a little white rabbit that matched her taste, and it turned out to be Wei Hui’s person. She smiled at Wei Hui, muttering, “So stingy.”
Wei Hui, hearing her low whisper, remained indifferent in expression, only parting her lips slightly, “Shiyi, come over.”
Shiyi walked to her side, and Shen Hao asked, “Is Third Miss not staying a bit longer?”
Wei Hui tilted her head, “No, thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Shen.”
There was a hint of regret in Shen Hao’s eyes. Earlier, in the lounge, they had only talked briefly about the unfinished building. She agreed to let the Shen family have a share, but insisted that the person in charge must be Wei Tian, with a firm stance that allowed no argument. This was their first direct confrontation, and Shen Hao finally understood why the old master had agreed to cancel the engagement back then.
Under such an imposing presence, not many people could withstand it.
Yet the more it was like this, the more Shen Hao wanted to conquer. A dark shade flashed in his eyes as he quietly said, “Miss Wei, about the follow-up matters, we…”
“Let’s schedule again.” With just those two words, Wei Hui cut off Shen Hao’s sentence. She gave a slight nod, “Mr. Shen, goodbye.”
After speaking, she walked out of the hall without looking back, her high heels clicking, like a “bright line of scenery” (a striking or eye-catching presence). Everyone around her watched with either envy or fascination as she passed by. Shiyi held her breath and closely followed Wei Hui out of the hotel.
Once inside the car, Wei Hui leaned back against the seat and took a deep breath, her face slightly pale. Shiyi, seeing this expression on her face for the first time, asked worriedly, “Miss Wei, are you feeling unwell?”
Wei Hui’s body, hidden under her dress, was tense. She didn’t respond to Shiyi but instead instructed the driver, “Drive.”
As the car left the hotel, the interior was dim, with only the streetlights casting a fragmented light inside. Shiyi, having had a few light drinks, felt a bit tipsy. At this moment, she was slightly intoxicated. She shook her head to prevent herself from falling asleep, pinching her thigh hard. Whether it was an illusion or not, she kept catching a faint scent of perfume at the tip of her nose.
It was very light and subtle, like the fragrance of flowers in a garden on a winter morning—cool yet aromatic, not at all overwhelming, but with a breeze, it became a bit intoxicating.
Afraid of bumping into Wei Hui, Shiyi deliberately moved aside. As soon as she shifted, her wrist was grabbed, and she gasped, “Miss Wei…”
“Shut up.” The voice was soft, yet it exploded in Shiyi’s ears like “muffled thunder” (a sudden and unexpected shock). Not only did she close her mouth, but her entire body went rigid.
In the darkness, her wrist was tightly gripped in someone’s palm, so tight that she felt it might break. Even so, she gritted her teeth and didn’t make a sound. Her beautiful eyes welled up with tears from the pain, and her lips, bitten hard, tore open a previously scabbed wound for the third time. Yet, it wasn’t excruciating pain, just a faint taste of blood.
She swallowed hard, afraid to move, and heard Wei Hui’s still soft voice by her ear, “Come a little closer.”
Clenching her hands tightly, she shifted her body towards Wei Hui. Before she could ask anything, she felt a weight on her shoulder—someone was resting their head there.
It was Wei Hui.
At the same time, she could also feel the high temperature penetrating through the thin fabric of her dress. She could clearly sense the heat rising from Wei Hui’s body, alarmingly hot. She called out, “Miss Wei…”
“I know,” Wei Hui’s voice remained soft, as if she were whispering right into Shiyi’s ear. Her breath tickled Shiyi’s earlobe, making it itch and feel warm. Shiyi wondered if she was imagining things due to the alcohol. How else could Wei Hui possibly be holding her hand and leaning against her?
Maybe she was just drunk?
Uncertain, Shiyi turned her head to look. At a red light, the streetlamp cast a dim glow on Wei Hui’s face. Her forehead was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, her complexion paler than before they got in the car. Her eyes were tightly shut, and her long, curled eyelashes trembled slightly. Suddenly, Shiyi felt that Wei Hui didn’t seem so aloof and imposing after all; instead, she had a kind of fragile beauty.
With that thought, Shiyi immediately turned her head, trying to dismiss the chaotic thoughts in her mind.
Yet her heart continued to race unpredictably.
Half an hour later, the car arrived at the Wei family residence. Without turning his head, the driver called out, “Miss Wei, we’ve arrived.”
A voice, still authoritative even when hushed, sounded: “Go out first.”
The driver, seeing the two people closely leaning against each other in the rearview mirror, understood immediately and got out of the car. He also signaled to the approaching butler, indicating there was something going on inside. The butler stood by the car door, blocking the window.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Shiyi shifted slightly and softly asked, “Miss Wei?”
Her wrist was still tightly held, and her shoulder was damp with sweat from where Wei Hui had leaned on her. The heat radiated through the soaked fabric and onto Shiyi, raising her own body temperature. Wei Hui’s other hand, which wasn’t gripping Shiyi, was trembling slightly. She mumbled, “Open my bag.”
For a moment, Shiyi didn’t react. When she snapped back to attention, she urgently asked, “What’s wrong? Should I call Dr. Su?”
Wei Hui replied, “No need, just find my bag.”
Her voice was incredibly weak, making Shiyi’s heart skip a beat. She immediately began searching for Wei Hui’s bag, but with the butler and driver standing by the windows, the already dark car interior became even dimmer. She couldn’t see where the bag was. Realizing this, she gritted her teeth and said, “I’m sorry, Miss Wei, I might be overstepping.”
With that, she moved to Wei Hui’s other side. Wei Hui’s head, which had been resting on her shoulder, fell forward, brushing Shiyi’s cheek with the tip of her nose. The gentle breathing, the tickling sensation, and the faint scent made Shiyi’s heart pound like a drum in the darkness. She grabbed Wei Hui’s bag and quickly helped steady her.
“The red bottle,” Wei Hui whispered, “Give me two pills.”
With her voice coming in soft pants, Shiyi fumbled through the bag, finding several bottles but unsure which was the red one. Just then, the phone in the bag lit up, casting a glow on the bottles. She found the red one, opened it, and shook out two pills, saying to Wei Hui, “Miss Wei, I have the medicine.”
Wei Hui’s body was tense to the extreme. She took Shiyi’s hand and tilted her head back to swallow the pills, her tongue briefly brushing against Shiyi’s palm. Shiyi quietly clenched her hand.
A few minutes later, Wei Hui’s breathing gradually steadied.
Shiyi continued to watch her with concern, her eyes appearing even brighter and clearer in the dim light. Sensing her gaze, Wei Hui said coolly, “Get out of the car.”
“Okay.” Shiyi opened the car door from the side, and as she did, she heard Wei Hui’s soft voice say, “Manage your mouth well.”
Her voice was clear and cool, exuding a commanding presence. Shiyi, holding the door handle, turned her head to see Wei Hui sitting upright, her profile sharp and dignified under the dappled light.
The frail Miss Wei from moments ago seemed to be nothing more than Shiyi’s imagination.
Shiyi’s face flushed as she bit her lip and said, “I understand.”
The two got out of the car one after the other. Shiyi’s dress was damp at the shoulder, slightly crumpled, and her cheeks were flushed. A hint of intoxication lingered in her eyes due to the alcohol, making them look slightly misty. Her lips were red and swollen from biting. To outsiders, it seemed clear that something had happened between them in the car. The servants looked at Shiyi with knowing and suggestive glances, making her feel unable to stand up straight. Wei Hui glanced over everyone and said calmly, “Everyone, leave.”
Zhang Ma, standing behind her, waved the others away and asked, “Miss Wei, did you enjoy the dinner at the banquet? Would you like me to prepare another meal for you?”
Unless absolutely necessary, Wei Hui rarely attended banquets. Typically, after attending one, she’d return and ask for more food to be prepared. But today, Wei Hui shook her head, “No need.”
As she spoke, she glanced over at Shiyi, who happened to be looking back at her. Their eyes met, and Wei Hui said, “Prepare a dinner for her.”
Zhang Ma took a good look at Shiyi, noting her demeanor, and with a tense expression, replied, “Alright.”
Without giving them another glance, Wei Hui headed upstairs. Standing beside Shiyi, Zhang Ma asked, “Miss, what would you like to eat?”
Having had quite a bit to drink, Shiyi didn’t really feel like eating, so she immediately declined, “Thank you, Zhang Ma, but there’s no need.”
“You must,” Zhang Ma insisted firmly. “If Miss Wei says to make a meal, then a meal must be made.”
Shiyi, already not standing up straight, clasped her hands at her sides and said in a soft voice, “Then I’ll have a bowl of noodles.”
“Xiaocui,” Zhang Ma called toward the kitchen, “Make a bowl of noodles for the young lady.”
A response came from the kitchen, “Alright.”
Shiyi sat at the dining table, feeling uneasy under Zhang Ma’s occasional glances, which felt like needles. Just behind her, not far away, was the kitchen with its door open, letting through the sound of idle chatter, which she could hear clearly.
“Didn’t she claim to be so noble? She’d rather be beaten than do anything with someone.”
“Fake nobility. Besides, with someone like Miss Wei, who knows how many people would love to get close to her. If she fancies someone, they’d be thrilled.”
“You didn’t see how she looked when she got out of the car just now. I’m too embarrassed to even mention it.”
“No sense of shame.”
Sitting at the dining table, Shiyi dug her fingers into her palms, the sharp pain pushing her to suddenly stand up. Zhang Ma looked up in surprise and asked, “Miss?”
“I-I’m really not hungry. I don’t want to eat.” With that, she left the dining room without looking back, quickly running upstairs. Behind her, Zhang Ma watched her retreating figure, her gaze growing colder.
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