Shawn's Scent

Liam and Lily, with Lei's help, had moved all of Liam's things into Shawn's room. Now, the three of them were tidying up the items, making sure nothing was scattered haphazardly.

"Take a break, and we'll finish this up," Lily said, closing Liam's travel bag. Her hands moved quickly and carefully, like a caring mother.

"Okay," Liam said, yawning. His voice was hoarse, as if his body was begging for rest.

He felt very tired and sleepy. He knew he would only sleep for a short time before he couldn't sleep any more.

"Hey, boss, wipe your face first!" Lei said, handing him a wet tissue. His tone was like that of an older brother who didn't want his younger brother to sleep dirty.

Liam accepted the tissue reluctantly, and wiped his face and neck. His body felt heavy, and his mind was filled with images that made it hard for him to relax.

"Go to sleep, Liam," Lily said, her voice soft but firm. She didn't want to see the star keep pushing himself.

Liam laid down on the bed, and as soon as his head touched the soft pillow, he smelled a light, calming fragrance. It reminded him of a cool mountain breeze after a rain.

"Shawn's scent," he thought to himself, smiling faintly and holding the pillow close, like a child embracing a beloved toy. In moments, Liam fell asleep.

Lily saw that the star was falling asleep. She touched Lei's arm. "Lei Ge, please take off his shoes," she said quietly. She was worried about disturbing Liam's sleep.

Lei nodded and got to the bed. He got down on his knees and carefully took off Liam's shoes, as if he was handling something very delicate.This was something that Lei, Hao, or Lily usually did.Liam often fell asleep without having time to change clothes or take off his shoes.

"He's really fast asleep," Lily said from the sofa, her eyes looking at Liam with a mixture of relief and concern.

"Yes, Jie. He usually has trouble falling asleep," Lei replied as he wrapped Liam in a thick blanket, making sure he was comfortable. Like a night watchman who never lets his guard down, Lei checked the temperature of the air conditioner and adjusted it so Liam could continue to sleep peacefully.

"What about tomorrow's schedule, Jie?" he asked after making sure everything was in order.

"There's a photo shoot tomorrow in Brera District. Make sure Liam wakes up early and isn't late," Lily replied in a firm tone, like a commander making sure his troops were ready for battle.

"Okay, Jie. I hope he can sleep well tonight," Lei said, hoping for the best. Lily only nodded quietly in response.

Soon after, the door opened, and Shawn and Hao came in. They looked serious, like they had bad news. They went to Lily, who was sitting on the sofa by the window with the curtains closed.

"Miss Lily, there are a lot of cameras and bugs in Mr. Wang's room, including in the bathroom," Shawn said in a serious voice.

He sat next to Lily, and Hao gave her the evidence they found.Lily accepted it, frowning as she studied it.

"We have to see what has been recorded and when these things were installed in Mr. Wang's room," Shawn said as he stood up and walked over to the nightstand. He took a laptop out of his backpack and started getting ready to analyze the evidence.

Shawn glanced at Liam, who was fast asleep. With his eyes closed and breathing regularly, the star looked so peaceful, like a child having a sweet dream.

"I'm so glad he got a good night's sleep," Shawn said as he sat down next to Lily.His voice sounded happy, as if he was glad to see Liam finally get some rest.

"Yeah, he usually can't fall asleep like that," Lily said, moving closer to Shawn.Her face showed a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Why? Too tired? Or insomnia?" Shawn asked without turning his head. His delicate fingers danced over the keyboard of his laptop, as if having thoughts of their own. His head remained bowed, fully immersed in the dimly lit screen.

"Insomnia, and it's been going on for a while," Lily replied in a casual tone, though there was a hint of concern behind her words.

Shawn nodded and said, "I have some aromatherapy that usually helps people who have trouble sleeping. If you want, you can try it for him."His voice was flat, like he was still thinking about the lines of code and data on the laptop screen.

Suddenly, Shawn moved the laptop slightly and pointed at the screen. "Look, this is some footage from the hidden camera in Mr. Wang's room."His voice sounded serious, more stern than before.

Lily leaned in close, staring at the screen with slowly raised eyebrows. "Oh my!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in anger.

"How could a luxury hotel like this be caught off guard to that extent?" Her grumble sounded like sharp thorns piercing the air between them.

"That's questionable," Shawn replied in a matter-of-fact tone, as if putting together a puzzle in his head. "These cameras and bugs seem to have been installed a few day before you arrived."

Lily frowned, trying to remember the details. "We always make reservations a week or two in advance, unless it's a sudden event.And Liam never accepts any offer if it's a spur-of-the-moment thing."Her voice was steady and confident, like someone who was used to dealing with difficult situations.

Shawn turned off the video and carefully put the cameras and bugs back together. He handed them to Lily, who took photos of the footage with her cell phone.

"I'll talk about this with Lukas Ge and Oscar. They, and Liam, can decide what to do next," Lily said as she put the items neatly into her bag.

"We should rest. We have to go with him tomorrow, right?"Shawn looked at Liam, who was still asleep on the bed like he was in a different world.

Lily nodded, and stood up from the sofa. Her face, framed by glasses, looked a little tired, but she was still determined.Shawn escorted Lily, Lei, and Hao to the door of the room.

"Shawn Ge," Lei suddenly stopped, making everyone turn their heads. "Are you now using that aromatherapy you talked about earlier?" he asked, his tone full of curiosity.

"No," Shawn replied simply, his voice as steady as a rock falling to the bottom of a cliff.Lei, Hao, and Lily exchanged glances, trying to read the meaning behind the answer.

"I see. Well, have a good rest, Mr. Shawn. I hope Liam doesn't bother you," Lily said, nodding her head. Then she said goodbye.

After the door closed, Shawn returned to the sofa and took out his cell phone, which had been vibrating non-stop. He looked at the screen for a moment, without showing any emotion.

"Yes," he said as he heard a voice from his cell phone.

"Shawn, I've sent you an email. Please check it and work on it as soon as possible," came the soft, silky voice, like morning dew touching the leaves.

"Okay," Shawn replied briefly.

"Is he okay?" the voice asked, sounding thoughtful.

"Yeah, he's a little distracted," Shawn replied, glancing at Liam, who was still sleeping like a baby with a peaceful look on his face.

"Okay, if there's anything, just say it. I'll deal with Lukas and Oscar."The voice on the other end sounded so soft, like a song, and it made Shawn want to keep listening.There was a faint tone that seemed to seduce, inviting them to talk more.

But they had to end the call because Shawn knew how much he could talk for.After Shawn made sure everything was okay, the line went end, and it was quiet.

"Fleur," Shawn whispered, as if the name was a secret he kept deep inside.He closed his eyes for a moment, letting his mind wander to something he didn't say.

A few seconds later, he looked at Liam, who was still asleep on the bed. The man was breathing regularly, and his peaceful face was lit up by the dim lamp, creating soft shadows along his jawline.

Shawn took a deep breath before finally getting up from the couch. He made his way to the bathroom, preparing himself for a night of unrelenting thoughts.