Chapter Fifty-Seven: Evidence of Guilt

Heaven above, please don’t let this little demon discover the secret of the balcony. There are still Yang Danni’s undergarments hanging out there. If this girl sees them, wouldn’t it be perfect evidence that he’s hiding a woman in his home? Long Fei was well aware that the main reason Ye Qian was so furious with him was that she’d overheard things she shouldn’t have during their phone call last night.

Ye Qian eyed Long Fei suspiciously, grinning mischievously. “Long Fei, you’re not hiding some woman on the balcony, are you? I heard a woman’s voice last night. Let me go see. I have to find her today!”

As she spoke, Ye Qian tried to push past Long Fei.

Long Fei blocked her with all his might, desperate. “You must have misheard, absolutely misheard! Besides, there’s definitely no one on the balcony. I swear on my honor—no one’s there. Really!”

“Honor? Do you even have any honor? I don’t think yours is worth much anyway. Ah—what’s that?” Ye Qian suddenly pointed behind Long Fei and cried out in alarm.

It was over. She’d seen it.

Long Fei instinctively turned to look, and in that instant, Ye Qian slipped past him onto the balcony. She stood there, eyes fixed on Yang Danni’s lingerie fluttering in the breeze.

Awkwardly, Long Fei forced a laugh and tried to bluff his way through. “See? I told you, there’s no one on the balcony. Why won’t you believe me? Look for yourself—no one here, not a soul.”

For a long moment, Ye Qian didn’t turn around. Long Fei began to wonder. Was this girl really interested in him? Had she been hurt by what she saw? That would be tricky. Should he accept her feelings or not? If he did, her temperament was far too fiery. But if he didn’t, aside from being a little flat-chested, she was still a stunning beauty. Not that it mattered—he had his ways to fix that.

While Long Fei was lost in his daydreams, Ye Qian suddenly spun around, glaring at him and pointing at the undergarments. “Whose are those? Who did you spend last night with?”

Ye Qian’s expression was grim, and there was a glimmer of tears in her eyes. Long Fei panicked. “This, uh, let me explain—”

Even as he said it, Long Fei realized how ridiculous it sounded. Why did he have to explain himself to her? They were just employer and bodyguard—what business was it of hers how he lived his private life?

Ye Qian turned and walked into the living room. Seeing Long Fei still standing there, troubled, she beckoned him over. “Come here. Didn’t you want to explain? Go ahead, explain!”

Sitting beside her, Long Fei chuckled awkwardly, gathering his thoughts before speaking. “Well, here’s the thing. I used to have a friend—you know her too. She was at Li Yan’s birthday party, the one who, I heard, is now anchoring the news on Shanghai TV, though I’m not sure if that’s true.”

He glanced at Ye Qian, noticing her expression soften a little, and quickly carried on with his story. “Yesterday afternoon, I was out looking for an apartment, then bought some bedsheets, and finally went to eat. At the restaurant—yes, at the restaurant—I ran into her. She was drunk, really drunk, got sick everywhere. So I helped her back. She was totally out of it, honestly.”

“Really? Drunk? Then why were you in such a hurry to hang up when I called last night? And what about those sounds I heard?” Ye Qian’s cheeks reddened. Though she usually acted bold and brash, she was still not quite twenty and felt awkward confronting a grown man with such questions.

Long Fei replied, earnest and serious, “She was rambling, causing a fuss. She even knocked my phone to the floor and it turned off by itself. Nothing happened, I swear.”

“Nothing happened? Then who undressed her? Are you going to tell me she did it herself? You said she was very drunk. Go on, explain!” Ye Qian’s logic was sharp, making Long Fei’s head ache.

Heaven, why not strike her with lightning so she’s a little less sharp, or at least knocked out? How could someone so young be so clear-headed? It’s true what they say: every lie takes ten more to cover, and in the end, all are exposed.

Long Fei, exasperated, continued, “Yes, yes, she was drunk. But she woke up this morning, and while I was at class, she cleaned up. I just didn’t expect she’d wash her clothes.”

“Long Fei—” Ye Qian cut him off fiercely, then got up and dragged him toward the door.

“What are you doing?” Long Fei frowned. What did this girl want now? Was she dragging him off to Dream Garden to complain to her mother? But there was nothing ambiguous between them anyway, so what would be the point?

“Come with me. I want to see how you explain this.” Ye Qian pulled Long Fei to the doorway, where there happened to be a trash bin.

Long Fei was baffled, utterly at a loss. “What exactly are you doing? I was about to start cooking!”

Ye Qian dashed to the trash bin and suddenly yanked out a bedsheet. Long Fei recognized it immediately—wasn’t that the sheet from his bed last night? His face changed color dramatically. Heaven, how did it end up here? And why was there such a huge hole in it?

Before Long Fei could figure it out, Ye Qian had already begun her analysis.

“This sheet must be from your place, right?” Ye Qian fixed her gaze on him, not giving him a chance to lie.

Long Fei nodded instinctively. He still didn’t understand why the sheet had such a big hole.

Ye Qian nodded as well. “Exactly. Look at the edge of this hole, and the blood. Don’t you get it? Yang Danni must have cut it out herself and hidden it. Who would have thought—the famous star anchorwoman is actually so traditional, cherishing her first time.”

Long Fei’s face grew even more embarrassed, and he couldn’t deny Ye Qian’s analysis. He was left speechless. At that moment, the elevator doors opened and a couple stepped out, seeing Long Fei and Ye Qian seemingly fighting over a bedsheet. The couple hurried into the apartment next door, but as they entered, both Long Fei and Ye Qian overheard them whispering.

To avoid drawing more attention, Long Fei snatched the sheet from Ye Qian and tossed it back into the trash, then forcefully pulled her back into the living room. As soon as they sat down, Ye Qian started complaining again. “Hmph, Long Fei, I never thought you were so capable. Barely a few days in Shanghai and you’ve already hooked up with a woman. Only one day at Jiaotong University and you’re already living with a TV host! And all those groceries you bought today—you must be doing it to nourish her, right? Thoughtful, aren’t you? I’ve never seen you treat me so well!”

Long Fei’s mind raced. He couldn’t afford to stay meek any longer, or he’d lose all initiative. Suddenly, he roared, “Enough!”

Ye Qian was caught mid-scolding, startled by his sudden outburst. “What are you yelling for? Am I wrong? You’re hiding a woman—what, you want a medal for that?”

Long Fei grew very serious. “Ye Qian, you’re right. Last night, I was with Yang Danni, and just as you suspect, we did everything you’re thinking of. And yes, I bought all those groceries to nourish her. But is that so wrong? You’re a student, but I’m not. You need to focus on your studies, but I’m already an adult. I have the right to date. These days, living together before marriage is common—what’s so strange about that? And is it wrong for me to care for her?”

“You, you—” Ye Qian suddenly felt a wave of grievance, but didn’t know how to voice it. Long Fei wasn’t wrong. He could date, he could sleep with whomever he pleased. She really had no right to interfere. But knowing all this, why did her heart ache so much? Why was she so jealous? Could it be she’d really fallen for him?

Impossible, absolutely impossible! Ye Qian muttered to herself.