Chapter 8

It was soon time for bed. As per their usual arrangement, the two slept in separate rooms, though their bedrooms were adjoined—likely a deliberate choice by the housekeeper, who seemed intent on playing matchmaker.

Evidently, it had not achieved the intended effect. In truth, aside from mealtimes, Xia Wansheng rarely saw Yu Congyan. Yu Congyan, the stereotypical "CEO," was a workaholic who, despite possessing a net worth in the hundreds of millions, still clocked in at the headquarters every day without fail. He would often stand by the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, overlooking the bustling, prosperous city, muttering cool things like, "It’s time for the Wang family to go bankrupt."

As for Xia Wansheng, his current status was that of a washed-up, bottom-tier singer. Having failed to produce a single new song in over half a year, the outside world assumed he had been "frozen" by his agency. Little did they know, it was the original owner’s own diva-like behavior that had sabotaged his career.

The two didn't spend much time under the same roof. To Xia Wansheng, it was like living in a holographic game where he had a bedroom with decent decor and a roommate conveniently thrown in next door.

Midnight is the time when one’s appetite is most easily piqued. Xia Wansheng didn’t want to bother Auntie Liu for a late-night snack, and the original owner, in an effort to maintain his "hardworking" persona, kept no snack cabinet in his room. He had no choice but to forage in the refrigerator in the corner of the living room.

Xia Wansheng pushed the bedroom door open just a crack, moving as quietly as he could. Fortunately, everything was silent; it seemed his midnight quest for food had gone unnoticed. The fridge in the corner did not disappoint, stocked with a variety of snacks like a miniature convenience store. Satisfied, Xia Wansheng grabbed a pile of treats and prepared to head back.

Suddenly, without warning, the entire villa went dark.

Xia Wansheng stood frozen in the center of the dark living room for a few seconds, clutching his snacks. In a flash, he remembered the housekeeper mentioning a few days ago that there was an issue with a greenhouse thermostat and that there might be maintenance tonight. He hadn't brought his phone when he left the bedroom.

Initially, he wasn't worried; he would just wait for his eyes to adjust to the darkness before heading back. But no matter how long he waited, his vision remained obscured. He couldn't see the outlines or positions of any furniture.

A rather unpleasant possibility crossed his mind. Leaning back against the refrigerator, he tried to consult the system, which was more familiar with the setting: "Does this book mention the original owner having night blindness?"

After standing there for several minutes, the system’s calm, electronic voice finally drifted through: [Search of the entire book complete. There is no mention of the original owner having night blindness. It is likely a condition you brought with you. This system suggests consuming fish oil or other foods rich in Vitamin A, which may alleviate some symptoms.]

But he was allergic to seafood.

Xia Wansheng recalled his experiences in the dark; indeed, his vision had often been a bit blurry, but since it was usually solved by flicking on a light or using a flashlight, he hadn't paid it much mind. He couldn't blame the original owner anymore. Deciding to wait in the living room, he prioritized eating his snacks by the light of the refrigerator.

Feeling his way toward the sofa—having lived there for a few days, he had some grasp of the layout—he managed to move tentatively. It was a nerve-wracking journey, but after circling the area a few times, his fingers finally brushed against the familiar, soft texture of the furniture. He had found the sofa. He remembered it being just slightly diagonal from his bedroom door; his spatial judgment had been correct.

He let out a sigh of relief. If only the power would return soon.

Yu Congyan had already showered and was lying flat on his spacious, soft bed, eyes closed, reviewing his business plans for the day. Suddenly, he heard a persistent rustling sound outside, punctuated by the crinkle of plastic packaging.

*Could Auntie Liu be doing a thorough cleaning of the fridge again? Didn't I tell her not to start cleaning the house if she can't sleep at night?*

Yu Congyan kept his eyes closed, trying to summon back the grand vision he had been contemplating. The financial report for the last quarter was fresh off the press, and the feedback from various departments had been quite positive...

The rustling continued—not consistent, but enough to disrupt his thoughts. Yu Congyan took a deep breath and decided to go out and have a talk with Auntie Liu. At the very least, she shouldn't disturb others during rest hours. He pressed the button on his emergency lamp, and warm, white light instantly illuminated the room. The lamp, usually a delicate lantern decoration in the corner, was one of many gifts his mother had given him in bulk on his coming-of-age day. Even after unwrapping the last of them, Yu Congyan couldn't convince himself his mother truly cared about him; after all, this pile of trinkets looked good only when reporters came to take photos.

In the darkness of the living room, Xia Wansheng was crunching on yam chips when he suddenly felt a glow in the dark, and he could see the outlines of objects again. *Did I just spontaneously recover?!*

Surprised, Xia Wansheng turned his head to find the source of the light. He saw Yu Congyan, looking complicated, carrying a lantern and striding toward him. Yu Congyan looked like he had just been woken up; his usually meticulous hair was slightly messy, which, instead of making him look cold, unexpectedly added a touch of approachability.

"Why is it you?" Yu Congyan stepped forward, recognizing the familiar figure on the sofa. *Why isn't he sleeping this late? Is he interested in some documents again, trying to sneak into the study while the power is out?*

Xia Wansheng, like a hamster caught stealing food in the middle of the night, looked up in a panic, shielding his eyes from the sudden glare. "I... I just came for a snack," he said, seeing no way to hide it, and shook the snack bag to prove his innocence. "I suddenly got hungry."

The plastic bag made a familiar sound—the same sound Yu Congyan had heard earlier. It seemed the person who had interrupted his grand vision was none other than the man before him.

Seeing that Yu Congyan remained silent, Xia Wansheng’s brain raced. *Did I go out of character? Was it the wrong kind of snack? Or did the original owner never eat snacks? Is he that professional as a semi-celebrity?*

Yu Congyan still didn't speak. He simply brought the light source over to the front of the sofa and sat down opposite Xia Wansheng. The emergency lantern was placed on the coffee table between them, forming a clear boundary between light and shadow. Yet, it was the only source of light Xia Wansheng had.

The light was a bit harsh. Xia Wansheng lowered his lashes, his voice dropping as well. "Sorry, I just got a bit hungry. It won't happen again." *Next time, I promise I won't get caught,* he thought. If not for the power outage and this sudden night blindness, he would have been back in his room already.

"I recall you didn't have night blindness before," Yu Congyan said, his tone steady. He had read Xia Wansheng's medical report; it hadn't mentioned any such thing.

"I've been staying up too late recently. It might be a complication," Xia Wansheng said, keeping his head down.

Yu Congyan clicked his tongue. "I don't want my house to become a haunted one." He stood up, picked up the lantern, and started to walk away. "Follow me."

Xia Wansheng was confused but instinctively stood up, clutching his snack bag. After all, the lantern in Yu Congyan’s hand was the only light source. When they reached their bedrooms, Xia Wansheng thanked him and turned to step into his dark room. As he reached out to feel for the doorframe, his wrist was unceremoniously grabbed by Yu Congyan.

"Come here. Sleep in my room tonight. I don't want to end up in the newspaper headlines tomorrow morning." Yu Congyan deliberately softened his grip this time; his movements were much gentler than they had been at dinner.

"That's not necessary, is it? The power should be back soon. Could I just take the lantern back with me?" Xia Wansheng probed. Last time he slept in the CEO's bedroom, he felt like he had nightmares all night, dreaming that an unscrupulous boss was calling him to work overtime, and even feeling a very realistic shaking when he ignored it. It was too terrifying.

Yu Congyan didn't give him a chance to resist, offering a solid reason: "In case you bump your head and don't get timely medical attention, I would have to take some responsibility."

Xia Wansheng didn't know where to start complaining. He had already lost the battle of wills, and before he knew it, he had been ushered into Yu Congyan's bedroom. In the few days since he had transmigrated, he had become quite familiar with this room. Last time, Yu Congyan was worried he was suicidal; this time, he was worried about his night blindness. The CEO really was safety-conscious, fully embodying the spirit of "you cannot die in my house."

Yu Congyan glanced at the calm Xia Wansheng beside him. *How rare,* he thought. The current Xia Wansheng really didn't seem to be playing the "green tea" persona to get close to him anymore. In the past, he would have jumped at such a chance to cling to him all day; this time, he seemed rather reluctant.

People don't change drastically in a short time unless they've suffered a massive blow. Yu Congyan had seen sudden personality shifts before—his parents were the best example. Their marriage had been a descent into endless arguments and negotiations, not due to incompatible personalities, but because neither had gained enough benefit from the union. Both were from the business world and prided themselves on separating profit from affection.

They had brought Yu Congyan to various banquets as soon as he came of age, just to show off their son to the elite and see if they could secure connections. They hadn't expected Yu Congyan to be indifferent, while his half-brother, who had been lingering on the sidelines, got anxious. If Yu Congyan were to marry into a powerful family, his own chances of seizing the family business as an illegitimate son would be even smaller. Xia Wansheng had been planted by his brother at that very moment. Yu Congyan’s response had been a step too slow, and he had been swiftly manipulated, his genuine feelings discarded before he could even offer them.

"Um, how do I turn this light off?" Xia Wansheng had been fiddling with it for a while but couldn't find the switch.

Yu Congyan’s thoughts were interrupted. He reached out, grabbed the tassel at the base of the lantern, and gave it a firm pull. The bedroom plunged into darkness.

But Yu Congyan’s mind was filled with the way Xia Wansheng had looked at him earlier—without a hint of flattery, so different from the way he used to fawn over him. If he had to say, he actually quite liked the persona Xia Wansheng was playing now.

Yu Congyan fell into deep thought in the dark. He had previously mocked his friend, CEO Fu, for being deceived in heart and body by a "tough little white flower" yet remaining deeply infatuated. Now, he found himself falling for the same trick. *I absolutely must not be swayed by beauty.*

Xia Wansheng turned over, his soft, delicate features suddenly drawing close. Yu Congyan’s breath hitched. His appearance hadn't changed, so why was his temperament so vastly different? Yu Congyan reached out and pulled the quilt up for Xia Wansheng, closing his eyes to continue contemplating his grand career.

But Xia Wansheng’s image kept appearing in his mind—the scene from his previous life and his current sleeping face appearing in turns. Yu Congyan considered a reasonable possibility: could it be that, as Xia Wansheng had hinted before, he had been framed due to his own negligence, leaving him heartbroken? If so, his final betrayal could be explained; he had been hurt so deeply that nothing he did afterwards was surprising.

The housekeeper had mentioned that a visitor was coming tomorrow—Xia Wansheng’s agent, who wanted to discuss his return to the entertainment industry. He would probe a bit then; perhaps the agent knew something.