"Making excuses?"
Hearing this, Shen Weilan reappraised the man in front of her. Her beautiful eyes narrowed, a glint of danger flashing within them.
"Yu Dong, I've just realized that you are just as annoying as your Lord Huo. Do I need to make excuses to you? Are you even worthy of me making excuses to you?"
Yu Dong gave a light cough. Realizing his choice of words had been inappropriate, he apologized in a hurry. "I'm sorry, Miss Shen. I spoke out of turn."
Shen Weilan rolled her eyes at him and continued, "You went to the airport—weren't you heading abroad? Why have you suddenly come to my house?"
On the surface, it was a show of concern, but in reality, she was fishing for information.
Going to the airport meant either picking someone up or catching a flight. Given that someone like Huo Junxiao would never go to pick anyone up, the only possibility was that they were flying abroad for business.
Yu Dong was kept by Huo Junxiao’s side not only because he was tight-lipped, but also because he was a man of great intelligence. Getting information out of him was no easy task.
He smiled at Shen Weilan and said, "It’s like this: Lord Huo intended to go abroad for business, but there were some complications on that end, so we had no choice but to turn back."
"Then why show up at my house?" Shen Weilan demanded.
"Dr. Shen is home, isn't he? You know as well as I do that Lord Huo and Dr. Shen are good friends. It’s perfectly normal for them to meet up."
Yu Dong’s answer was, to put it mildly, watertight. Yet, the more meticulous his response, the more it suggested something was amiss.
Shen Weilan stopped trying to fish for answers; she knew that no matter how she probed, she wouldn't get anything out of him. She would be better off investigating for herself.
Shen Weilan rose and headed upstairs. Yu Dong watched her retreating figure, pondered for a moment, and immediately sent a message to Huo Junxiao.
There was a small laboratory on the third floor, set up for Shen Huaibei to conduct his research.
Shen Weilan first went to Shen Huaibei's bedroom, but it was empty. She then checked the study—also empty. Since Shen Huaibei only spent his time at home in these three places, if he wasn't in the first two, he had to be in the lab.
Shen Weilan hurried to the laboratory. Instead of knocking, she pressed her ear against the door panel, trying to hear what was going on inside.
Sometimes, soundproof doors were a nuisance; as it was now, she couldn't make out a thing. She only vaguely heard her brother mention a "sickness" and the need for a "medication injection."
Shen Weilan straightened up and knocked on the door.
Shen Huaibei opened it, looking slightly displeased. "Didn't I tell you not to disturb me when I’m in the lab?"
As she replied, Shen Weilan’s eyes darted toward the interior of the lab. The door was only open a crack, so she could only see a corner of the medical bed, but she caught sight of a hand—clearly Huo Junxiao’s.
Why was he lying on the medical bed?
"Brother, I just came to ask what you’d like for dinner tonight. I’m going to cook."
"Whatever. Just don't bother me." Before Shen Weilan could respond, Shen Huaibei shut the door.
Shen Weilan’s curiosity was instantly piqued. She truly wanted to know what they were doing in there. After racking her brain, she thought of a solution. It was a bit dangerous, but it was the best one she had.
She rushed to the utility room, grabbed a thick rope, and headed to the fourth floor. Standing on the balcony directly above the third-floor lab, she took a few deep breaths to steady herself. She tied the rope around her waist and secured the other end to the railing, tying several double knots for safety.
Shen Weilan climbed down the water pipe. In her haste, she nearly lost her footing, almost letting out a cry. Once she regained her composure, she continued downward, grabbed the third-floor railing, pulled herself onto the balcony, and landed softly.
She crouched behind the floor-to-ceiling window, hiding in the shadows of the curtains. Carefully, she poked her head out to look into the lab. The scene before her made her eyes widen. She instinctively covered her mouth, terrified of making a sound.
Huo Junxiao was lying on the medical bed, stark naked. She had to admit, his physique was stunning—pectoral muscles, V-taper, everything. Her brother was "touching" his body, saying, "Get some good sleep. This medicine will make you feel very comfortable."
*Very comfortable!*
The word made Shen Weilan’s head spin. Her vision nearly went black. Was her brother actually gay? Was the legendary "Cold King of Hell" the submissive one? Were they actually together?
Suddenly, she wondered if the reason Huo Junxiao’s attitude toward her kept shifting was because of her brother. Was he jealous because her brother was good to her, and that’s why he hated her?
Shen Weilan’s brain was about to crash. She couldn't stay any longer; she was terrified of hearing something she shouldn't. She scrambled back up the water pipe, desperate to escape before hearing something unspeakable.
Just after she left, Shen Huaibei injected the medicine into Huo Junxiao. "Sleep now. When you wake up, the pain will be gone. I’ve already sterilized the area for you; you’ll be fine."
Although Huo Junxiao had already drifted into unconsciousness, Shen Huaibei still spoke out of habit. He leaned over to lower the temperature of the medical bed. The injection caused the body to overheat, and if the temperature wasn't lowered, it would be agonizing. That was why Huo Junxiao was naked—though his private parts were covered; Shen Weilan had just happened to look at the exact moment Shen Huaibei had blocked the view, leading her to believe he was completely exposed.
He lowered the lab's room temperature as well before leaving. To prevent Shen Weilan from sneaking in, he locked the door behind him.
About an hour later, Huo Junxiao, lying on the bed, suddenly opened his eyes. The color of his pupils shifted from a deep red back to their normal shade, and his complexion returned to normal. Feeling the chill, he quickly climbed out of bed, dressed, and stood before the mirror to tidy himself up.
Once finished, he unlocked the door, intending to go to the second-floor bedroom to rest.
As he reached the second floor, he ran straight into Shen Weilan, who was carrying a dessert. Their eyes met. Shen Weilan didn't show her usual hostility; she just gave a tight-lipped smile and prepared to brush past him to her room.
But he stopped her. "Is your hand better?"
Shen Weilan stopped in her tracks, turned her head to look at Huo Junxiao, and narrowed her eyes, studying him from head to toe.
Why the sudden change in attitude? Why was he concerned about her hand? Didn't he refuse to admit he was the one who injured her before? Could it be that being "pampered" by her brother in the lab had put him in such a good mood?
If Shen Huaibei knew what she was thinking, he would likely want to beat his own sister into next week.
"It’s better."
Huo Junxiao nodded. "That's good. To express my apologies, may I treat you to dinner tonight?"
"No need to be so polite. We’re all family, no need to stand on ceremony," Shen Weilan quickly declined. It was the 21st century, and she was actually quite open to same-sex relationships, but she felt it was better to keep her distance from this man to avoid any misunderstandings with her brother.
"Since we’re all family, then there’s even less need to be formal. It’s settled." Huo Junxiao didn't overthink her words; he assumed she meant they were family because of his close friendship with Shen Huaibei, unaware of the hidden meaning she intended.
Shen Weilan wanted to cry. She really didn't want to!
"What are you carrying?" After his "episodes," Huo Junxiao was always ravenous and exhausted.
Seeing his apparent hunger, Shen Weilan handed the dessert to him. "Sister-in-law, this is snow fungus soup. You should eat it—it’s great for the complexion."