He Yining opened his eyes, his gaze shifting sideways to catch someone pretending to sleep beside him—eyes tightly shut, but failing miserably at the act.
Stretching his arms, He Yining slowly got out of bed.
Shen Qi pricked up her ears, listening as He Yining dressed and left before daring to open her eyes.
But the moment she did, she found herself staring straight into He Yining’s captivating phoenix eyes.
Seeing that Shen Qi had stopped pretending, He Yining straightened up and said, “Awake?”
Shen Qi stammered in reply, “Ah… yeah…”
He Yining looked at her with a faint, teasing smile. “How did you sleep last night?”
“Hehehe… Pretty good, pretty good.” Shen Qi’s heart raced with guilt as she slowly sat up in bed, avoiding his gaze.
“The suggestion you made yesterday was good. Since that’s the case, come with me today to finish this design drawing,” He Yining said casually. “The reason I came to find Brother Mo this time is to build him a new castle anyway.”
“Me?” Shen Qi pointed at her own nose. “But I don’t know anything about architecture!”
“It’s fine. I didn’t expect you to know much. I minored in architecture during my master’s and took geology as an elective during my PhD. This hill is perfect for a three-story building or so—then there won’t be a shortage of rooms to sleep in.” He Yining spoke calmly, his expression as natural as if he didn’t recall yesterday’s events at all.
Shen Qi opened her mouth, then quickly shut it obediently.
Embarrassing things—best never brought up again!
“Get up. Xiao Chun and the others will come in to tidy up soon.” With that, He Yining turned and left the bedroom.
Shen Qi slumped in defeat, punching the bed hard. “Shen Qi, Shen Qi, how could you be so… weak-willed! Just sleep in your own spot—why did you have to sleep on top of him? No way, I absolutely can’t admit to this. Never, ever admit it!”
Frustrated, she grabbed her clothes and changed quickly.
Just as she finished washing up, she saw Xiao Chun directing two maids to replace everything in the room.
When Shen Qi caught Xiao Chun’s meaningful glance, she instantly realized what he was thinking!
Oh no! He probably thought she and He Yining had… last night!
Heaven knows the truth!
Shen Qi opened her mouth to explain but found no words to start.
Head down, avoiding Xiao Chun’s eyes, she hurried out.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw Brother Mo walking toward her, holding a goose egg in his hand.
Seeing Shen Qi, he raised the egg and called out, “Here, today’s goose egg.”
Shen Qi felt mortified. “Brother Mo, can you please stop teasing me?”
What happened yesterday wasn’t her fault!
Brother Mo laughed heartily for a moment before saying, “Alright, alright. I’ll save this goose egg for you, and when you leave, you can take them all.”
Can we just drop this topic?
Was she doomed to carry this black mark forever?
“Okay, okay, no more teasing. Come on, let’s go eat breakfast.” Brother Mo reached out and patted Shen Qi’s head, ruffling her hair like she was a kid. “Later, I’ll take you to the back of the hill to pick a spot you like.”
“Huh? Pick a spot?” Shen Qi’s mind raced. “Is it for choosing where to build the castle?”
“Yeah, this whole hill is mine, so we can build wherever we want. Yining said you studied aesthetics, so I trust your eye.” Brother Mo was tall and broad, towering over Shen Qi by more than a head. Walking ahead of her, he blocked her view entirely.
Shen Qi had to crane her neck to look at the back of his head. “Sure.”
Breakfast was simple but nutritionally balanced.
Many of the side dishes were wild greens picked from the mountain, and Shen Qi ate with a bright smile.
Seeing her enjoyment, He Yining quietly slid the dish closer to her.
Shen Qi was too busy eating to notice.
But Brother Mo gave them both a deep, knowing look.
After breakfast, the group walked up the hill.
Shen Qi realized that the winding mountain road led all the way to the summit.
“Brother Mo, did you build this road yourself?” she asked curiously.
Brother Mo couldn’t hide his pride. “Yeah, I led a team and spent half a year building it. It goes straight from elsewhere to the top. I personally picked the foundation and everything.”
Shen Qi gave him a thumbs-up.
He Yining turned to Shen Qi. “What kind of building do you think would suit this place?”
Brother Mo chimed in, “Yeah, Xiao Qi, what style do you think fits?”
Shen Qi replied, “Honestly, style doesn’t matter much as long as you like it. Most buildings we see are grouped together, so a unified look works well. But here, besides Brother Mo’s place, there’s no one for miles, so style isn’t a big deal. French, Russian, German, Chinese—all fine. A house is for living in, not for showing off.”
Brother Mo ruffled her hair again. “Haha, well said, Xiao Qi. I like it!”
Seeing Brother Mo touch Shen Qi’s head, He Yining felt an inexplicable itch in his own hand.
Last night, when she’d fallen asleep on his arm, her hair had been soft, the touch gentle, with a faint, clean scent of shampoo.
He suddenly wanted to feel that texture again.
When they finally reached the summit, Shen Qi’s playful side emerged. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted into the valley, “Shen Qi, go for it!”
Her voice echoed through the valley, carrying far into the distance.
Watching her childish antics, a smile tugged at He Yining’s lips.
“Seize the opportunity,” Brother Mo said to He Yining with a meaningful grin, clapping him on the shoulder. “She’s a good girl.”
He Yining just smiled without explaining.
Shen Qi suddenly raised her hand, closing one eye to measure the landscape before her.
Seeing her gesture, Brother Mo asked in amazement, “Does she understand strategic high ground too?”
He Yining glanced at Shen Qi and said flatly, “You’re overthinking it. She’s just figuring out directions. She’s probably lost.”
Sure enough, Shen Qi asked uncertainly, “This direction is west, right?”
Xiao Chun and the others silently turned away.
Boss, you’re really too sharp!
Shen Qi nodded thoughtfully. “If the house faces west, it’ll be in the sun all afternoon. We could put a big floor-to-ceiling window on the west side—that way, it’ll be warmer in winter.”
Hearing this, Brother Mo sighed.
He really had overthought it!
After surveying the site, Shen Qi picked out a few suitable spots for building.
He Yining reviewed them and crossed out three.
Those three had unstable geology, unsuitable for construction.