Chao Yan’s gentle voice gave her mixed signals, and Qin Shu found herself drowning in the conflicting emotions it evoked. A few days ago, he had been heartless, cold-blooded even, but now…

Why could he not ill-treat her? At least then, she would know how to think of him. Was the man seated across the aisle Chao Yan or not?

Qin Shu would have liked to think she had a good grasp of Chao Yan’s personality after the several occasions they had been in contact. He was not a meek lamb but a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He was bloodthirsty, dark and overbearing. He seized hold of people’s weaknesses and used them as material for blackmail, twisting things to his advantage and making it seem like he was being wronged instead of the other way around.

Why was it then that the man seated on the opposite side of the plane did not share the traits she had observed in Chao Yan?

The man was pleasant, sweetness personified, like how she thought of a big brotherly figure next door.

Qin Shu did the only thing that made sense to her at that moment. “There’s no need. I don’t want to owe you a favour.”

Chao Yan smiled and said, “Don’t think of it as a favour, then. What I want is something you’d never be able to repay in this lifetime if you were to treat my words so seriously; that is a debt I have no wish for you to restore.”

Qin Shu looked at Chao Yan and answered, “There’s no need.”

Chao Yan smiled genially, seemingly unphased by her overt rejection.

Qin Shu wanted nothing. She had a father, a mother, her husband, who loved her wholeheartedly, and a cute son.

She did not lack anything.

Yet, Chao Yan still wanted to give her the best he could offer.

In a way, he wanted something she would remember him by, afraid that there would come a day she would forget him altogether.

Chao Yan leaned back in his seat, his body going limp. He looked like he had exhausted all his strength.

Mirthlessly, he could not help but think he was not suited to living a long life.

Qin Shu turned to look at Chao Yan. Was it just her, or did Chao Yan look paler? He sounded hoarse from the sigh she had heard. Was he catching a cold? If so, it would explain his sudden exhaustion and why he had leaned back to rest.

It would take almost a day to fly from where they were to the prairie Chao Yan had talked about. Once they were there, the three-day countdown would begin. After those three days, she would be free to see Fu Tingyu and Xiao Jiu again.

The thought brought a warm smile to her lips. She missed them dearly.

It was going to be a long ride, so Qin Shu closed her eyes and rested.

When they arrived in Mongolia, where the prairie Chao Yan wanted to visit was located, it was almost dusk.

Chao Yan had instructed his subordinates to prepare a Mongolian yurt for the duration of their stay. It was a sizable structure with plenty of space inside. It also came with all the essentials of luxury living in the great outdoors.

Qin Shu was not surprised by the display of wanton opulence; Chao Yan was rich, after all. There was nothing a person could not do if they had enough money. Hence, equipping a yurt with the facilities of a five-star hotel was child’s play to him.

The only real surprise to Qin Shu was how much effort he had spent on a short, three-day sojourn in the open fields of Mongolia. There could be no doubt that Chao Yan enjoyed living the good life, perhaps a little too much.

However, unbeknownst to Qin Shu, everything Chao Yan had done thus far was all for the sake of her comfort. He wanted to give her the best he could buy, even if it were only for three days.

And that sentiment remained true, regardless of where they might have gone or stayed.

The yurt was built to order, sporting two large rooms, a communal dining area, and a state-of-the-art kitchen. He had even hired several Michelin-star chefs as their cooks with an expansive menu featuring the best of eastern and western cuisine.

–

After dinner…

“Won’t you accompany me for a walk?” Chao Yan asked.

Qin Shu had agreed to accompany him on this trip, and she took her word seriously. “Okay,” she answered.

Chao Yan was not familiar with his surroundings, so he walked very slowly, afraid that he would fall.

Qin Shu matched Chao Yan’s pace, walking slowly. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her sleeve and turned to look. The round moon glimmered in the dark sky, a jewel illuminating Chao Yan’s pale face.

“I can’t see,” he said, his words carrying on the wind like soft sighs.

Qin Shu stared at Chao Yan’s gauze-covered eyes, not knowing how to feel; however, she did not pull away. “Walk slowly. Everything will be alright,” she promised.

“Okay,” Chao Yan smiled, responding in kind. He shuffled closer to her, matching the rhythm of her footsteps.

Light and shadow danced in the ethereal moonlight. In their flickering glow, the silhouette of a hill became visible.

After walking for a while, Qin Shu heard Chao Yan say, “I’m tired. I want to sit down and rest for a while.”

“Okay, let me help you.” Qin Shu offered her assistance which Chao Yan gladly accepted.

When Chao Yan was comfortably seated, she sat down beside him. It was quiet out in the open plains.

They sat in silence, enjoying the peaceful respite for what it was.

Qin Shu did not wish to ruin the moment of rare serenity. She gazed upon the night sky in wonder, the stars winking playfully in greeting. The open plains and prairies of Mongolia, far from the lights and clamour of civilisation, were a sight to behold. It was a wonder how the same sky appeared so changed to people of different places.

Here, the stars shone bright, twinkling gems inlaid on a canvas of midnight blue.

She had always wanted to explore the great outdoors. Now that she was out here with Chao Yan, it was as good as having a wish fulfilled.

In the quiet night, Chao Yan asked, “Do you know how to sing?”

Qin Shu shook her head. “No, but I can play the piano.”

“I did not ask anyone to prepare a piano,” Chao Yan mourned regretfully.

When Qin Shu heard that, the corner of her mouth twitched. How was anyone supposed to prepare a piano in the middle of nowhere?

It made her feel like he was showing off how rich he was.

She touched her phone and seemed to think of something. “A phone is fine too. It won’t sound as good as a piano, but it’s better than nothing. If you’d like, I’ll play a little something for you.”

Chao Yan smiled. “I would love to, thank you.”

Qin Shu took out her phone and asked, “What do you want to listen to?”

“Whatever you feel like playing. I’m not fussy,” Chao Yan replied.

He would wholeheartedly listen to anything Qin Shu wanted to play.

“Okay.” Qin Shu opened the piano application on her phone, tapping a few keys experimentally. With its limited width, only a few keys could be pressed at any time. She would have to make do with what she had.

Qin Shu surveyed her surroundings, the cold emptiness of the night, the peaceful nature of the outdoors, and began playing.

The phone was not loud, restricted by its size and hardware, but Chao Yan heard each crisp note clearly in the quiet night.

He did not recognise the tune, but that did not make it any less soothing. The slow, dulcet melody lulled his nerves and eased the tension out of his shoulders.

Chao Yan could hear the music lingering in his ears as they returned to the yurt. It was a charming sound, one he took to his sleep.

Qin Shu also went to bed early. When she first met Chao Yan, they slept in the same room. She slept on the bed, and he slept on the sofa.

There were two rooms in the yurt, so there was nothing to worry about.

–

The next morning, Qin Shu washed up and found her phone. She sent a message to Fu Tingyu, informing him she was safe.

The chefs prepared the breakfast, a mix of eastern and western staples.

Qin Shu did not think eating breakfast with Chao Yan at the same table was awkward. On the contrary, it was a nice change of pace.

The food was divine!

Qin Shu ate a little more than she probably should, while Chao Yan ate a meagre bowl of gruel before stopping.

After breakfast, Qin Shu led Chao Yan out of the yurt. To her surprise, she saw a rag of horses, both wild and those with owners.

Horse riding was a must in the open flatlands of Mongolia.

Qin Shu was eager to give it a shot.

Chao Yan read her thoughts like an open book and said gently, “Go ahead. I know you want to try riding a horse. I’ll stand and watch.”

Qin Shu happily agreed. She walked up to the rag of horses and chose the steed she would ride on. She had some riding experience and knew which horse would likely allow her to ride on it. With a switch in hand, she urged her horse onward.

Chao Yan stood where he was and listened to the neighing of the horses and the rumble of their hooves. If it were not for the fact that he could not see, he would have taken off the gauze covering a large portion of his face and watched her ride.