Unavoidable Proximity

The rain poured relentlessly against the glass windows of the black sedan, blurring the city lights into a hazy glow. Ruolan sat stiffly in the passenger seat, arms crossed, gaze locked outside as she tried to ignore the suffocating tension inside the car.

She was painfully aware of the man sitting beside her.

Li Yichen's cold presence filled the vehicle, his fingers tapping lightly against the leather armrest in an almost imperceptible rhythm. His expression was unreadable, as always, his dark eyes focused straight ahead.

It wasn't like she wanted to be here.

It wasn't like he wanted her here, either.

Yet, circumstances had a cruel way of forcing them together.

~~

Hours earlier, Ruolan had been buried under a mountain of paperwork at the office, when Mo Zixuan casually strolled in with a smirk.

"Change of plans, sweetheart," he announced.

Ruolan frowned, already bracing herself. "What plans?"

"The ones where you accompany Yichen to the exclusive Yunshan Business Retreat tonight."

Her pen slipped from her fingers.

"What?"

Mo Zixuan's smirk deepened. "Oh? Didn't he tell you?"

Ruolan snapped her gaze toward Yichen's office door. As if on cue, it swung open, and the devil himself stepped out—immaculate in his tailored suit, his piercing gaze landing on her like a silent command.

"Get ready," Yichen said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Ruolan's lips parted in disbelief. "Since when was I—"

"Since an hour ago," Yichen cut in smoothly. "There was a change in schedule. You're coming."

She opened her mouth to argue—because there was no way she was spending an entire night at a high-profile business retreat with him—but Yichen had already turned away, walking past her as if the matter was settled.

Mo Zixuan chuckled from the side. "Better hurry. You don't want to keep him waiting."

Ruolan groaned.

Little did she know that this was all planned by the cunning Mo Zixuan. Li Yichen had originally planned to attend this retreat with Xu Tian, his long time and trustworthy assistant but Zixuan had suggested that he took Ruolan instead and his friend agreed without a question. It was almost as if he was waiting for this opportunity all along. How silly!

~~

And that was how Ruolan ended up trapped in Yichen's car, the tension between them so thick it was suffocating.

The rain outside only made things worse. The usual hour-long drive to Yunshan Resort had turned into two hours thanks to the weather, and the driver had regretfully informed them that they wouldn't arrive until much later than expected.

Ruolan stole a glance at Yichen, half expecting him to be frustrated, but his expression remained blank—cold and composed, as if the inconvenience didn't affect him at all.

Typical.

Still, the silence was unbearable.

She shifted uncomfortably, clearing her throat. "So… why exactly am I here?"

Yichen didn't look at her. "Because I said so."

Ruolan exhaled sharply, pressing her fingers against her temple. "That's not an answer."

"It is."

She turned toward him fully, frowning. "But why me? You have plenty of assistants."

Yichen finally glanced at her, his gaze sharp. "Are you questioning my decision?"

Ruolan straightened, meeting his stare without backing down. "No, I'm questioning your reason."

For a second, Yichen just stared at her, his dark eyes unreadable. Then, he looked away, fingers tapping against the armrest again.

"Because you're competent."

Ruolan blinked.

That… was almost a compliment.

She narrowed her eyes. "And?"

Yichen exhaled quietly, as if her persistence irritated him. "Because this retreat involves several companies, including Jiang Corporation."

Ruolan stiffened.

Jiang Corporation.

Jiang Wei would be there.

Realization dawned on her. "You don't trust me to handle him alone."

Yichen didn't reply.

But his silence spoke volumes.

Ruolan clenched her jaw. "You don't have to babysit me, you know."

Yichen's gaze flickered to her again, this time colder. "That's not what I'm doing."

Ruolan scoffed. "Then what do you call it?"

His fingers stilled against the armrest. A muscle ticked in his jaw.

Finally, he said, "I don't like unfinished business."

Her stomach twisted.

She didn't know if he was referring to her past with Jiang Wei—or something else entirely.

Either way, Ruolan couldn't shake the feeling that being stuck with him at this retreat would be far more dangerous than any confrontation with Jiang Wei.

~~

By the time they arrived at Yunshan Resort, the rain had turned into a full-fledged storm. Staff members rushed to escort guests inside, umbrellas flipping against the wind as they hurried through the marble entrance.

Ruolan wrapped her coat tighter around herself, stepping into the luxurious lobby, relieved to finally get some space from Yichen—

Until she saw the hotel clerk's expression.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Li, but due to a last-minute error, we're short on available rooms…"

Ruolan felt a sinking sensation in her stomach.

The clerk winced. "I'm afraid we only have one suite left."

Silence.

Ruolan turned to Yichen, waiting for his reaction—because surely he would never agree to this.

But his face remained unreadable as he turned to the staff.

"We'll take it."

Ruolan choked on air. "Excuse me?!"

Yichen's gaze slid to her, cool and indifferent. "Problem?"

She gaped at him. "Yes! A huge one! We can't share a—"

"I'll sleep on the couch." His tone was final, as if that settled everything.

Ruolan pressed her lips together, her frustration boiling.

This man…

This absolutely insufferable man.

And worst of all?

She had a terrible, sinking feeling that this was only the beginning of a very, very long night.