Chapter 12: A Dangerous Game

The days passed with a strange, unnerving rhythm. Bai Yue buried herself in her work at the herbal storeroom, meticulously cataloging every herb and concoction while keeping a wary eye on the estate's movements. Yet, no matter how much she tried to focus, one thing—or rather, one person—continued to invade her thoughts.

Li Weishan.

His words, his touch, and his unrelenting gaze haunted her, unsettling something deep inside that she had long buried. He was a man who moved in the shadows, yet his presence in her life was growing impossible to ignore.

And now, with the Bai family taking an interest in her for the first time in years, she couldn't afford any distractions.

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"

Ah-Liang's voice broke through her thoughts, and Bai Yue shot him a sharp glance. "Mind your own business."

The young boy smirked knowingly as he stacked a pile of dried ginger roots. "It's hard not to notice when you stare into space like that. Who is he, anyway?"

Bai Yue sighed, rolling her sleeves up. "A problem."

Ah-Liang laughed. "A big problem, from the way you're acting."

Ignoring him, she turned back to her work, but deep inside, she couldn't deny it—Weishan was indeed a big problem. One that wouldn't disappear no matter how much she tried to avoid him.

That evening, as Bai Yue walked along the quiet corridors of the Bai estate, she sensed him before she saw him.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and sure enough, when she turned a corner, there he was—leaning casually against a pillar, his arms crossed, watching her with that infuriatingly calm expression.

"You need to stop doing that," she said, crossing her arms in irritation.

Weishan pushed off the pillar and walked toward her, his steps slow, deliberate. "Doing what?"

"Lurking," she said, glaring up at him.

His lips quirked in amusement. "I don't lurk, Bai Yue. I observe."

She exhaled sharply, folding her arms tighter around herself. "And what exactly are you observing?"

He stepped closer, his dark eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her stomach twist. "You," he said simply.

Bai Yue's breath caught for a moment before she forced herself to stay composed. "I don't need you watching over me."

Weishan leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "You say that, but your enemies think otherwise."

Her heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

His expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "You're being watched, Bai Yue. And not just by me."

A chill ran down her spine. She knew the Bai family harbored many secrets, but if what he said was true, then she had underestimated just how deep those secrets ran.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked cautiously.

Weishan's gaze flickered with something she couldn't quite place—something possessive. "Because I don't like others meddling in what's mine."

Bai Yue bristled. "I'm not yours."

He tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Not yet."

Her frustration bubbled to the surface. "You can't just claim me like that!"

Weishan's expression grew serious, and before she could move away, he reached out and gently took her wrist, his thumb brushing over her pulse. His touch was possessive, firm but not forceful.

"You think this is a game," he murmured. "But I'm not playing, Bai Yue. I don't make empty claims."

Bai Yue swallowed hard, her pulse quickening beneath his touch. She hated how easily he affected her, how his presence seemed to seep into every corner of her thoughts.

"You're interfering with my plans," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.

He arched an eyebrow. "Then perhaps your plans should include me."

She wrenched her hand free, glaring up at him. "You're insufferable."

Weishan chuckled, stepping back but never taking his eyes off her. "You'll come to appreciate it."

With that, he turned and disappeared down the corridor, leaving Bai Yue standing alone with a pounding heart and far too many thoughts.

Later that night, Bai Yue sat in her room, staring at the flickering flame of a candle. The storeroom's records, the stolen herbs, the Bai family politics—none of it seemed to matter in the face of Weishan's presence.

His touch still lingered on her wrist, a phantom sensation she couldn't shake.

Why does he care? she wondered. And why does it feel like I can't escape him?

But deep down, she knew the answer.

Weishan wasn't the type of man to let go of something once he set his sights on it. And for some reason, he had chosen her.

The thought sent a strange thrill through her veins, one she wasn't sure she wanted to acknowledge.

Meanwhile, outside her window, hidden in the shadows, Weishan stood watching the flickering light from her room.

His eyes darkened as he thought of the whispers he'd heard—the threats lurking within the Bai estate, the dangers she was too stubborn to see.

He would handle it.

She was his, whether she realized it or not. And Weishan never let what was his fall into the hands of others.