Chapter 9: Night Talk, Secret Surveillance, Warning

Chapter 9: Nighttime Talk: A Covert Surveillance Warning

Qi Heyin's gaze traveled through the screen, briefly lingering on the open collar of the boy's robe.

"You should get dressed properly," she said seriously. "The seasons are changing and it's getting colder—be careful not to catch a cold."

"......" There was a brief silence on the other end. Shang Wenze glanced down at his current attire and gave an almost imperceptible eyebrow raise.

He suddenly chuckled. "It does feel a bit cold, doesn't it?"

As he spoke, he pulled his robe tighter and stood up. "Heyin, give me a moment to change."

Qi Heyin responded with a soft hum. Shang Wenze set down the communicator and stepped out of frame, followed by faint rustling sounds of fabric from the speaker.

Two or three minutes later, he reappeared on screen, now dressed in light-blue long silk sleepwear.

A very conservative style.

But his physique was exceptional—his broad, straight shoulders effortlessly carried the plain garment, his well-defined chest muscles visible even through the fabric with each shallow breath.

"I'm ready, Heyin," he said to the camera.

Then he lowered his gaze, fixing his eyes on the girl on the screen, taking her in with rapt attention as his quiet stare drank in every detail of her face.

It had been a long time since they last saw each other.

Though ever since she returned to the country, he had secretly arranged for a private investigator to monitor her movements, receiving daily reports and surveillance photos of Heyin—whether she was doing rehabilitation walks in the courtyard, talking to nurses in the hospital hallway, or reading on a lounge chair in the garden... But because Heyin was extremely sensitive to her surroundings, these shots were always taken from a distance, often capturing just a distant blur or partial profile.

This was the first time he could see her so close.

Shang Wenze held his breath, taking her in with rapt attention. Perhaps her recovery was going well—Heyin's face seemed to have gained healthier fullness now...

Her sharp chin had softened, her fair cheeks slightly plump. She must have just finished washing up, as a faint blush colored her originally pale complexion, making his chest ache with tenderness. He desperately wanted to reach into the screen and pinch her little face.

"Heyin..."

He called her name softly, leaning half his face toward the camera like an affectionate big dog, pressing close to the screen in an exaggerated, puppy-like nuzzle. "Heyin, I missed you so much."

Qi Heyin blinked lightly.

Maybe it was the lighting, or perhaps the soft haze muted his usually sharp, domineering features, tempering his usual arrogance. Combined with his deep, husky voice, she couldn't help but feel that Shang Wenze seemed unusually... gentle today.

Seemingly affected by the mood, Qi Heyin let a soft smile curve her lips at the screen. "It's been a while, Xiao Ze."

Shang Wenze's eyes flickered. "...You haven't called me that in a long time."

"How's your recovery going lately?" he asked, watching her. "And how was your day at the academy?"

"Rehabilitation is going well," Qi Heyin replied. After a pause, she selected from her memories and casually recounted a few things from her day. "The teachers are all very impressive. I had congee at the free cafeteria at noon. Also, the academy's comprehensive office building is huge—it's easy to get lost without a map."

"Comprehensive office building?" Shang Wenze thought for a moment. "A large part of the upper floors belongs to the student union. I have a private lounge there—well-appointed. I'll have my assistant send you the keycard."

Qi Heyin shook her head. "No need."

"That floor is usually empty. If you ever want to study at the academy, you won’t be disturbed there," Shang Wenze pressed. "Besides, the study room is quite large. My bookshelves are empty—there's plenty of space for all your materials."

There’s no denying that he truly understood Qi Heyin's thoughts. With those words, she was instantly convinced. After hesitating for a while, she finally agreed.

"Thank you," Qi Heyin said sincerely. She paused, then asked out of habit, "How have you been doing in the Western Continent lately?"

"Eh, so-so," Shang Wenze replied casually. "The food’s not really my thing, and I haven’t been sleeping well. I can’t wait to come back home."

He glanced at Qi Heyin, his lips quirking into a faint smile. "Why are you asking about me when you haven’t even talked much about yourself yet?"

"What else do you want to hear?" Qi Heyin asked.

"Well... about the self-introduction you mentioned last time," Shang Wenze said offhandedly. "You must have introduced yourself to your classmates today, right? How did it go?"

"Heyin’s so amazing—I bet a lot of people wanted to add you as a contact after class."

As he spoke, Shang Wenze couldn’t help but recall the messages he had received earlier in the day. His expression darkened slightly, hinting at irritation.

He had already known about Heyin being surrounded by classmates asking for her contact information after class. The details had been sent to him by someone he had arranged within the school. Private investigators couldn’t infiltrate the heavily guarded Farro Academy, so he had resorted to other means to keep track of her movements there.

Thinking of those messages, along with the overwhelming discussions and photos on the FF forum today, Shang Wenze’s face darkened further, his jaw tightening unconsciously.

...Bunch of idiots with a death wish.

"Contacts?" Qi Heyin said. "I did add over a dozen classmates. The class rep even added me to the group chat after school."

Then, as if remembering something, she cautiously looked at Shang Wenze. "You..." you’re not gonna object again, right?

Shang Wenze, who was always attuned to Qi Heyin’s expressions, naturally understood the subtle meaning behind her gaze. His tense expression softened slightly as he pasted on a smile, offering her an encouraging look. "Sounds good."

Qi Heyin: "Wait, really?" She looked at him in surprise.

"Why so shocked? I said I’d respect your choices," Shang Wenze said with a faint smile. "I won’t oppose you getting to know others anymore."

That was a lie. Heyin could only be his.

"However, there are many people with sketchy intentions at the academy. If you’re making friends, be careful in choosing them."

She wouldn’t need to—he would personally scare them off for good.

After his words, Qi Heyin shot him a sidelong glance, her calm expression giving no indication of whether she believed him or not.

But then she suddenly remembered something and double-checked with Shang Wenze: "That boy in our class, Jiang Yanche—he’s your friend, right?"

Shang Wenze’s expression froze, realizing he had nearly forgotten about this matter. A flicker of annoyance flashed across his face.

He was well aware that Jiang Yanche had hovered around Heyin all class, fussing over her the entire time, and had even added her as a contact afterward.

But since Heyin hadn’t brought it up, he didn’t want to expose his surveillance by asking directly.

His usual icy glare now tinged with displeasure. Pressing his lips together, he said, "Don’t engage with him."

"Why? Isn’t he your friend?" Qi Heyin was curious about his attitude toward Jiang Yanche. In the books, those male leads always hung out together—weren’t they supposed to be close?

"We grew up together, I suppose," he said, his frown deepening. "Our families have been friends for generations, so we’ve seen each other often since childhood."

"I know him. He... has a bad personality," Shang Wenze emphasized seriously. "Heyin, you should stay away from him."

Jiang Yanche was just like him—both carried certain terrible, unchangeable flaws deep within.

He had a habit of treating things that interested him as toys. He would go all-in on his toys, but there was nothing real or lasting in him.

A terribly fickle three-minute passion.

At this thought, Shang Wenze's gaze darkened. He'd never let He Yin become his next plaything.

Though he was confident that He Yin wouldn’t even look twice at someone like that—because Jiang Yanche was simply too stupid.

On the screen, Qi Heyin lowered her eyes to observe the boy’s expression. That rare moment of softness had vanished, replaced by the faint arrogance and obsession resurfacing on his handsome face, the possessiveness in his eyes nearly impossible to conceal.

She curled her lips slightly, inwardly amused for some reason.

Here was someone who had arranged round-the-clock surveillance on her, convinced he’d hidden it flawlessly, now standing before her and accusing another person of having a terrible personality.

...When it came to Celestial Noble male leads, it was truly a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other.