Keeping Him Occupied

A faint smirk played on Luo Shiyi's lips as she discreetly searched Shen Xiuyi's pocket from an angle no one could see. On the surface, however, she looked flustered and apologetic. "I'm so sorry, Uncle. I didn't mean to," she said while patting the wine stains on his suit.

Shen Xiuyi's handsome brows furrowed tightly. He then reached out and wrapped his arm around her slender waist, pulling her body flush against his.

Luo Shiyi, caught off guard, stumbled into Shen Xiuyi's embrace, her face flushing with heat. She clenched her fist but maintained an innocent expression.

Shen Xiuyi held her delicate waist, his lips brushing past her ear as he spoke in a low, deep voice, "Don't move."

Luo Shiyi's pupils contracted in surprise, and she obediently stilled.

Shen Xiuyi glanced at her expression out of the corner of his eye before releasing his hold on her.

Luo Shiyi looked at the wine-stained suit jacket and suddenly felt a pang of guilt. "Should… should we go change it?"

Shen Xiuyi gave her a meaningful look. "Stay here and don't wander off."

"Mhm, mhm," Luo Shiyi nodded obediently.

She had already gotten the key, so whether she left or stayed didn't matter.

Before leaving, Shen Xiuyi gave her one last deep look.

Once he was gone, Luo Shiyi dropped her obedient act. She found a secluded corner and tapped her watch a few times. The watch flashed twice in response. Satisfied, Luo Shiyi stopped and returned to the main banquet hall.

She sat in the hall for a while, sipping on drinks and sampling some desserts. Eventually, a server approached her. "Miss, would you like to try this flavor of pastry?"

Luo Shiyi studied the server's face for a moment before casually asking, "Is it good?"

"I'm not sure about your preferences, Miss. How about you try a piece?"

"Sure."

Luo Shiyi reached out to take the pastry from the server. As their hands brushed, she discreetly passed the key to him. The server took it and quickly hid it.

"It's quite tasty," Luo Shiyi said after sampling the pastry. She asked for a few more pieces before letting the server leave.

After the server left, Luo Shiyi wandered around the banquet hall, chatting casually with a few socialites. She eventually settled on a sofa, occasionally sipping her drink.

When Shen Xiuyi returned after changing his clothes, this was the scene he saw. Witnessing her rare display of obedience, his gaze softened.

He was about to approach her when something caught his attention. He took a few steps back but suddenly stopped.

"Fourth Master, what's wrong?" Xu Feng, puzzled by Shen Xiuyi's sudden pause, asked with confusion.

Shen Xiuyi's deep gaze lingered on Luo Shiyi for a moment before he shook his head.

On the other side, Luo Shiyi noticed Shen Xiuyi's gaze and flashed him a sweet smile. "Uncle."

Her watch vibrated twice, and her smile widened. She bid farewell to the socialites around her and walked toward Shen Xiuyi. "Uncle, this pastry is really good. Would you like to try it?"

She extended the pastry toward him, seemingly intending to feed him herself.

Shen Xiuyi stared at her hand for a moment, unmoving.

Luo Shiyi pouted slightly. Xu Feng was about to remind her that Shen Xiuyi didn't like sweet foods when, to his astonishment, Shen Xiuyi leaned down and took a bite. Xu Feng's eyes widened in shock.

"Is it good, Uncle?" Luo Shiyi asked with a sweet, smiling face.

"It's acceptable," Shen Xiuyi replied. "If you like it, I'll have the chef write down the recipe and have our home chef make it."

"That'd be great."

Luo Shiyi had been worried about finding an excuse to keep Shen Xiuyi occupied, but now that he had given her the perfect opportunity, she wasn't about to let it slip.

Shen Xiuyi gave Xu Feng a look, and Xu Feng immediately understood. After a quick nod, he disappeared from their sight.

Luo Shiyi began making conversation. "Uncle, what do you like to eat?"

"Anything."

"Huh? You don't have a favorite food?"

"Then what about foods you dislike? Surely there's something, right?"

Shen Xiuyi pondered for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

Luo Shiyi's shoulders slumped in disappointment. Shen Xiuyi truly had a knack for killing conversations. Fortunately, news soon came through that their mission had been accomplished.

Now that the key had been returned, there was no need to keep Shen Xiuyi occupied any longer. Luo Shiyi smiled subtly. "That's such a shame. I was hoping to cook something for you, Uncle, to show my gratitude. Well, never mind then."

She added in a soft murmur, "What a pity…"

"It's fine. I can eat anything," Shen Xiuyi said, his gaze fixed on Luo Shiyi, waiting for her response.

Luo Shiyi was momentarily speechless under his intense gaze, but she quickly recovered. "Then I'll cook for you another day."

As the two were speaking, Zhou Ying, who had disappeared earlier, reappeared. As usual, she clung to Shen Xiuyi. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to slip away, Luo Shiyi was about to make her exit when Shen Xiuyi called her back.

Meeting Zhou Ying's displeased gaze, Luo Shiyi scratched her nose. "What is it, Uncle?"

"Come here. I'll introduce you to some people."

"Oh, sure."

Luo Shiyi obediently followed Shen Xiuyi, ignoring Zhou Ying's envious and resentful looks.

Shen Xiuyi introduced her to several prominent figures in Nan City. Luo Shiyi had no choice but to greet them politely. By the end of it, her face ached from smiling so much, and she was almost forgetting how to say "Uncle."

When the banquet finally ended, Luo Shiyi swore she never wanted to go through something like that again. It was more exhausting than any mission she'd been on.

Returning to the mansion with Shen Xiuyi, she was too tired to keep up any pretense. After bidding him goodnight, she headed straight for her room.

Shen Xiuyi stood at his door, staring at the handle for a moment before suddenly calling out to her, "Wait."

Luo Shiyi had been watching Shen Xiuyi's movements ever since they went upstairs. Seeing him fixated on the door handle, her heart raced. Could he have noticed something? When he called her, her heart skipped a beat, but her expression remained calm. "Yes, Uncle?"

Shen Xiuyi's gaze fell on her hand, and to her surprise, he smiled. "Don't forget about the meal."

"Oh, right. Sure thing."

Luo Shiyi hadn't expected Shen Xiuyi to stop her just to remind her about a meal. She breathed a sigh of relief, internally吐槽ing, but outwardly agreeing without hesitation.

She pushed open her door, her eyes inadvertently glancing at Shen Xiuyi's actions. Seeing that he didn't seem suspicious as he entered his room, she relaxed.

Perfect. He hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

Luo Shiyi smirked as she closed her door. Meanwhile, a message came through confirming that they had successfully duplicated the key to Shen Xiuyi's room. Getting in and out of his room would be much easier now.

Today hadn't been a waste after all. Humming a tune, Luo Shiyi headed to the bathroom to take a shower.