Seeing him lower the book, Tao Yu's attention snapped back. His hair was almost dry. She quickly turned off the hairdryer. "All done, Mr. Yue…"

He looked at her, saying nothing. The look puzzled her. She'd been about to say she'd go sleep on the sofa if he didn't need anything else, but his gaze made her think he wouldn't want to hear that.

She thought for a moment, then ventured, "Mr. Yue, are you still upset?"

He didn't respond. Undeterred, she continued, "Still bothered about Mr. Gu wanting to move the grave?"

"Fishing for information?" He gave her a cold look.

…Setting aside his character for a moment, his intuition was razor sharp. Of course, she was fishing for information. How else could she figure out how to appease him?

Tao Yu smiled. "Does everything I say seem to have an ulterior motive, Mr. Yue?"

He gave a cynical laugh, but said nothing.

The expression was answer enough. Tao Yu's smile didn't falter. "In that case, I'll say no more. However, I must reiterate that my only ulterior motive concerns you, Mr. Yue. I'm not interested in anything else. I hope you'll soon realize I mean you no harm."

With that, she turned gracefully and walked toward the sofa. Once she turned her back, she stuck out her tongue, making a face. She didn't see the highly polished decorative object to her left, which perfectly reflected her expression, giving Yue Linze a clear view.

"Mr. Yue, I'll sleep on the sofa tonight. Rest assured, until you accept my 'ulterior motives,' I won't do anything to you," Tao Yu said, settling onto the sofa and closing her eyes.

Disdain flickered in Yue Linze's eyes. He grabbed his pajamas, turned off the light, and lay down. Only then did he speak, his voice flat. "Do you want to know how I plan to deal with Gu Yansheng?"

"I only want you to be happy," Tao Yu murmured, a slight smile playing on her lips in the darkness. "I'm not interested in anything else. I only asked because I wanted to find a way to make you happy."

In the darkness, hidden from view, the nuances of sound were amplified. As she spoke, Yue Linze, to his surprise, heard a note of sincerity.

As if his happiness was her sole purpose. He scoffed softly and closed his eyes.

He'd expected the presence of another person's breathing to keep him awake, but he drifted off quickly.

Tao Yu listened carefully to Yue Linze's breathing, waiting until she was sure he was asleep before rolling over and settling down. The sofa was large and comfortable, the perfect firmness. She sighed contentedly. If only she could sleep in, it would be perfect.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

The next morning, while she was still deeply asleep, a loud bang echoed through the room. Tao Yu bolted upright, her eyes instinctively flying to the bed. "Mr. Yue?!"

"What is it?" Yue Linze, already dressed and sitting in his chair reading, asked coldly.

Tao Yu collected herself, about to speak, when Gu Yansheng's furious voice erupted from outside. "Yue Linze, open this door! We need to talk! What gives you the right to move Ayun's grave to the Yue family cemetery? You ungrateful wretch, open this door!"

Zhou Yanran and Yue Linying's placating voices followed, creating quite a commotion. Tao Yu finally gathered her wits and looked tentatively at Yue Linze. "Mr. Yue?" He'd certainly been decisive, moving his mother's grave overnight. No wonder Gu Yansheng was livid.

"Open the door," he said simply.

Tao Yu quickly obeyed, twisting her long hair into a loose bun as she went to open the door. Gu Yansheng burst in, nearly knocking her over.

Yue Linze's brow twitched. After she'd retreated to his side, he looked coldly at Gu Yansheng. "Speak."

"You… you ungrateful child! You treacherous… Who gave you the right to disturb your mother's grave? Aren't you afraid of angering her spirit?"

Gu Yansheng trembled with rage. Yesterday, he'd assumed Yue Linze's agreement to "discuss it later" meant he'd been intimidated. Instead, the boy had moved the grave in the dead of night, completely ignoring his threats.

"Dad, please talk to Linze calmly. I'm sure he didn't mean it that way," Yue Linying pleaded.

"Someone who's already dead can't be angered," Yue Linze stated indifferently. "Besides, she was a Yue. Naturally, she should be buried with her family." If he'd had the power then, his mother's grave wouldn't have been on Gu family land in the first place.

Gu Yansheng roared, "Insolent! She was my wife! Of course, she should be buried with the Gu family!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yue Linze laughed. Everyone froze, sensing a dangerous edge to his amusement.

Everyone except Tao Yu.

He was already handsome. The laugh only amplified his allure.

"Mr. Gu seems to forget, you're also part of the Yue family," Yue Linze said, his laughter gone, replaced by an aura of dominance. His expression was one of pure disdain, as if he held none of them in any regard. "When you die, you'll be buried on Yue land as well. A wife takes her husband's name…"

"Mr. Yue!"

Before he could finish, Gu Yansheng grabbed a glass and hurled it at him. Tao Yu cried out, instinctively shielding Yue Linze with her body.

Crash!

The glass hit her, then shattered on the floor, shards flying past her ear, slicing her right earlobe. Blood welled up.

Silence descended.