«Did you work all night?»

Lin Longwei turned to the sweet voice that startled him. Xu Mei was on the terrace in a light nightgown, with her hair moving in the wind.

«Something happened, and I had to deal with it,» he answered calmly.

«What can have happened at this hour of the night? You falling behind your schedule? If you had work to do, you could just say it.»

«Listening to you was much more satisfying,» he stated sincerely and enjoyed her cheeks turning slightly red. «And you? Have you problems sleeping?»

«I've slept for nearly four hours. It's enough,» Xu Mei answered while looking into the night.

When the wind became a bit stronger, Lin Longwei shivered. He was wondering how the girl was able to stand the cold when he remembered the doctor's words of a few days before.

In two steps, he was already at her side and held her forearms. Her skin was icy.

«You should take care of your health. Why are you here, wearing nothing?» the man scolded her, hugging her to keep her warm.

Xu Mei struggled weakly but didn't push Lin Longwei away. He pulled her into the study. He made her sit on the sofa and cover with a blanket. Xu Mei observed him silently, not understanding his panic.

Lin Longwei then sat next to her and rubbed her hands for a while.

Xu Mei froze in place, surprised by the sudden physical contact. Still, the man didn't look like he had any bad intention. On the contrary, his expression revealed a considerable share of apprehension.

She let him have his way, sighing.

After a few minutes, however, she heard the sound of rhythmic breathing.

Xu Mei looked at the man next to her. He was deep asleep, his head resting on her shoulder. The girl decided to not wake him up but covered his body with the blanket and closed her eyes with patience. His face was just a few centimetres away, and she could reach out for it. She could feel his breath tickling her neck. She decided to ignore the race her heart was running.

She didn't notice she fell asleep until the door opening woke her up. She couldn't see clearly the clock, but it seemed like half nine in the morning.

Soft steps reached the desk, and she finally saw Wang Meng laughing with himself. Their eyes met, and she signalled him to keep quiet.

Wang Meng pulled out his phone from his pocket and took a picture just at that moment. Xu Mei's expression turned angry, but she didn't say a thing.

She got up, paying attention to not disturb Lin Longwei, and went out of the study room.

Once in the hallway, she started scolding Wang Meng.

«Does your boss know that you enjoy taking photos of him while he's asleep?»

«It's the first time I see him sleeping. I was wondering whether he was human. However, it's his fault for giving more importance to flirting than work.»

«Delete the picture. Now.»

«No way, it may be useful to me in the future. By the way, how come you are staying here?»

«I was ordered by Prime Minister Xu,» the girl explained in a dull tone.

«And you just accepted that without any complaint? Aren't you afraid of Senator Lin?»

«He's harmless. And I know something about him he doesn't want to be public. At least, I hope.»

«He is not harmless at all. He may behave civilly, but he has still a lot of power in this city. People like that are seldom harmless.»

«Wang Meng, I don't have time to argue with you,» she started, trying to walk away. She couldn't trust Wang Meng just yet, even though she knew he meant no harm. «I'll go to study.»

«So, you even know how to study. You're finishing the third year, right?»

«Yes, if you consider time. I left some exams behind, though.»

«You're taking your time.»

«I'm in no hurry. When I finish, Prime Minister Xu will arrange a wedding that benefits him. And until I'm married, I will not be able to administer my assets nor taking decisions for myself.»

«Honestly, I'm surprised that you haven't run away yet.»

«I have people to protect, I can't just leave. And you promised me something, do you still remember?»

«Of course, I remember.»

«Why would I run away if I have you as my backup plan?»

«Regardless, I'm going to work now,» Wang Meng uttered. At that moment, he was striving to finish their conversation even more than Xu Mei. He went into the studio and closed the door under the ironic smirk of the girl.

That same afternoon, Xu Mei received a package from her grandfather. Inside, there was a cellphone with her old number, a credit card and a paper with one single instruction: 'Be present at the gala, the day after tomorrow.'

'The day after tomorrow', she considered, 'is when the results will be announced.'

Being present at the ball was going to be a nuisance, but she couldn't refuse just yet.

Her bruises have almost all recovered and were nearly negligible, and her nerves were already stable. She was also full of energy and decided to do some taichi to release the stress and clear the mind.

She was ready to return at the dormitory of her university, so she left a message for Lin Longwei on the desk. She considered writing down her phone number, but in the end, decided to avoid a move that bold. Instead, she appointed the username of one of her Weibo accounts.

'Anyway, Lin Longwei won't contact me,' she thought while leaving the residence. Once out, she observed the surroundings.