Chapter Twelve: Betrayed by a Scheme

“Where’s that big fish you were talking about?” Zheng Hao asked. If he hadn’t heard over the phone that someone had caught a huge fish, he wouldn’t have hurried over so quickly.

“It was just here a moment ago, must have gone outside,” Pei Xi replied, following the water trail across the floor. Her gaze fell upon Fang Yuan, who was fast asleep on a lounge chair.

Not far off, in the swimming pool, the bluefin tuna swam joyfully through the water, looking for all the world like a child playing at the water’s edge.

“My word, that really is a fine fish! Pei Xi, I have to say, you truly struck it lucky today. For this price, you’d only get a sliver of the tail in a hotel restaurant,” Zheng Hao couldn’t help but exclaim with admiration. Pei Xi had finally done something worthy of praise.

“Of course! I know a good thing when I see it. If that fish ended up in your hotel, I can’t even imagine how much the price would go up. Since I can’t cook anyway, why not have your hotel chef prepare it for us? Call all your friends over, and we’ll have a feast together,” Pei Xi said with great enthusiasm. Tuna is best eaten fresh, after all; wait until tomorrow and the meat would no longer be as good.

“Alright, no problem. But what about that guy? He’s not actually asleep, is he?” Zheng Hao was about to wake Fang Yuan when Pei Xi stopped him.

“Don’t wake him yet. Let him wake on his own. If possible, arrange a room for him, preferably near mine,” Pei Xi suggested, having finally realized that this unexpected guest was no ordinary man.

In all her acquaintance, Pei Xi knew no one capable of what Fang Yuan had done that day—not only could he hold his breath for an astonishingly long time, but he carried an eighty-pound fish over his shoulder as if it were nothing at all.

Pei Xi knew many muscular men, but even they couldn’t match Fang Yuan’s feats. So a bold idea began to take root in her mind—one she was not yet ready to commit to, knowing just how audacious it was.

Seeing Fang Yuan sleeping so soundly, she thought it best to let him be. If he awoke after dark, then it would be natural to keep him there for the night.

“What did you say? You want him to stay in my hotel? Have you lost your mind?” Zheng Hao stared at Pei Xi in disbelief; it was not something he ever expected to hear from her.

“What, you have a problem? If so, keep it to yourself—I don’t want to hear it.” This was how Pei Xi acted when displeased, forbidding anyone from disagreeing with her.

“Fine, fine, I won’t say another word, alright? The room nearest yours just became available, so I’ll leave it for him. But I’m only doing this for you. If he steps out of line, I won’t hesitate to kick him out,” Zheng Hao warned. His hotel was not open to just anyone; if Fang Yuan didn’t know the rules and offended the guests, Zheng Hao would show him the door without a second thought.

“Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Tonight’s dinner is my treat—a token of thanks,” Pei Xi replied. She knew how to handle people; she’d already promised to host, but now she framed it as a gesture of gratitude. Zheng Hao didn’t mind—after all, they had known each other since childhood, and probably understood each other better than their own parents did.

Fang Yuan slept outside, deeply and peacefully. Pei Xi checked on him several times, but nothing could rouse him. He must have been truly exhausted; even a thunderstorm wouldn’t have woken him at that point.

That evening, the tuna was devoured with great relish, though Fang Yuan missed out. Had he awoken in time, he might have gotten a share. Zheng Hao, it seemed, had made an impressive array of friends from all walks of life; it was a gathering of the extraordinary, with everyone present.

An eighty-pound fish was eaten to the last bite. Pei Xi didn’t mind the cost, but felt sorry for the chef she had chosen for the task. When the chef finished the final piece of tuna, his arms were trembling uncontrollably.

That was Zheng Hao’s fault, really—he should have employed more skilled chefs.

After the meal, the staff cleaned everything up. Pei Xi went outside to check on Fang Yuan, who was still sleeping soundly. She tried shaking his arm, but the moment her hand touched his skin, she quickly drew back.

He feels... unexpectedly nice to the touch.

She withdrew her hand and left him be. After all, she wasn’t responsible for him—why should she worry whether he’d catch a cold?

Pei Xi returned to her room. It was already quite late, but she was used to staying up. She turned on her computer and immersed herself online, paying no heed to Fang Yuan outside.

But in a coastal city, the weather can change on a whim. For instance—right now. While Pei Xi played games in her room, she ignored the world outside, not even noticing when the rain began to fall.

Though it was summer, the night air was cool enough; with the rain, it grew even chillier.

Yet Fang Yuan didn’t wake, unaffected by the rain or the cold. To an outsider, he would have appeared as one with no sense or awareness at all—a living corpse.

Lost in her games until late, Pei Xi completely forgot about the man sleeping outside her room. It wasn’t until the next morning, when she drew back the curtains, that she remembered—she’d left someone out there all night.

Looking outside, everything was soaked. Damn, did it rain last night?

Pei Xi hurried out. How could someone sleep so soundly through a rainstorm? He truly was extraordinary.

The rain was still falling, a gentle drizzle. Such weather is no problem for a short while, but a prolonged soaking is dangerous to one’s health.

“He sleeps like a dead pig—how can he not wake up after all this?” Pei Xi muttered, preparing to rouse the slumbering Fang Yuan.

After being drenched, he’d need a long, hot bath, or he’d surely catch a cold.

But—why did his body feel so stiff?

When Pei Xi poked his arm, she found his skin cold as ice, without a trace of warmth. Not only that, but his body was rigid. This... was not normal.

She felt her breath grow short. Instinctively, she picked up her phone. Since the incident had happened at Zheng Hao’s hotel, she knew she had to notify him first.