It was as if someone was leading her by the hand, guiding her out of the maze shrouded in layers of fog.
He was her lighthouse.
Her guiding light.
Once they entered the bedroom, Tan Linyuan let go of her hand and motioned for her to lie on the bed.
Nan Yu lay down uneasily. "I'm not really sleepy..."
Before she could finish, she felt the weight of someone lying down on the other side of the bed.
"I'll sleep with you."
His voice was as deep as the toll of a bell in a secluded valley.
Nan Yu was stunned for a moment, looking at Tan Linyuan lying beside her, less than a palm's width away.
"I'm really not sleepy anymore."
"Yeah, but I am."
Tan Linyuan looked at her, his eyes filled with emotions that were hard to decipher. "Just accompany me."
Nan Yu paused, the words she wanted to say stuck in her throat.
It wasn't like that.
Actually, it was she who needed him.
Needed him to be by her side all the time.
But he maintained her pride, saying that he needed her.
Seeing that she didn't say a word for a long time, Tan Linyuan reached out and pressed on her back, pulling her closer into his arms.
She had a faint fragrance of jasmine on her body, which became more intense the closer he got.
And this fragrance didn't give one a headache after a long time of smelling it; instead, it was even more addictive.
He wished he could blend her into his very being.
Nan Yu lifted her head from his arms, her voice muffled. "Tan Linyuan, I need to tell you something."
"Go ahead."
"I was in the basement that day..."
Tan Linyuan's expression remained unchanged, but Nan Yu could sense that he had become a bit more serious. "You don't need to think about these things now."
She had just been discharged from the hospital and was still in the recovery period; it wasn't suitable for her to recall these painful memories.
Nan Yu didn't stop; she just insisted. "I think there are secrets in that basement."
"Yeah, I know." Tan Linyuan reached out and patted her back soothingly. "I'll handle all these things. You can rest assured."
Nan Yu bit her lip.
Of course, she trusted Tan Linyuan.
But precisely because she trusted him so much, a sense of unease welled up in her heart.
The crux of this unease was that she found herself completely dependent on Tan Linyuan.
She had noticed this tendency in herself even before the accident; after the accident, this feeling had intensified.
She wanted to see him all the time, to be with him every second.
She was shocked and at a loss because of this emotion.
It wasn't that she didn't trust him; it was the unfamiliarity with herself.
It was as if she had become a dodder that needed to cling to Tan Linyuan to survive.
She didn't dare to say, "I can do it myself," nor did she want to say, "I don't rely on you completely."
Especially now, his tone clearly indicated that he had already decided to handle everything for her.
She couldn't be ungrateful; he had saved her life.
"Go to sleep." His voice was gentle, cutting off all topics. "I'll stay with you all the time. I won't go anywhere."
He was patient enough with her.
Nan Yu rested her head on his chest, listening to his steady and even heartbeat. Her mind was in a complete mess.
This sense of anxiety stemmed from her uncertainty about the present.
It seemed like everything was peaceful, but in reality?
The Shen family's wedding was in a complete mess. Did Wen Ying give birth safely? Have Shen Suhai and Shen Yanche been punished? Have all the things in the basement been investigated clearly?
She didn't know.
Tan Linyuan didn't want her to know.
There were too many chaotic thoughts in her head, like a sticky mess that she couldn't sort out.
In his arms, Nan Yu did fall asleep more easily.
Tan Linyuan also kept his promise and didn't leave the room.
He held her in one arm while using the other to turn on his computer and continue reading the documents he hadn't finished.
Halfway through, Liang Yi called.
Tan Linyuan had set the phone to vibrate in advance to avoid waking Nan Yu up. The moment the phone vibrated, he answered it immediately.
Liang Yi said carelessly, "When are you coming to take a look at the documents sorted out from the basement? I'm practically buried in a mountain of papers here."
Tan Linyuan thought for a while and then slowly said, "It's not convenient now. Take photos and send them to me."
"Did I hear you right? You want me to take photos one by one?"
"Do you have a more convenient way?"
Liang Yi was speechless. "Dude, you really know how to boss people around. Do you know how many pages there are? Do you think I'm a scanner?"
He said, "I could easily drive and deliver them to you in the time it takes to take these photos."
Tan Linyuan deliberately lowered his voice. One reason was not to wake Nan Yu up, and the other was not to let her hear the content. "Some of the things in the documents are related to the Nan family."
"Of course. Otherwise, why would you even ask me to investigate?" Liang Yi was annoyed. "Otherwise, I would have handed these things over to the police long ago. With this evidence, it would be enough to get those father - son duo in trouble."
"Then don't send them over." Tan Linyuan's voice was calm. "Her current situation doesn't allow her to be exposed to these things."
If Liang Yi came in a grand manner to deliver the documents, there was no way they could be hidden from Nan Yu.
Even if she wasn't curious, she would still flip through them casually.
Liang Yi clicked his tongue twice and sighed. "I said, Tan, even if you want to hide it, can you hide it for a lifetime? She's the daughter of the Nan family. She has the right to know."
"I don't need your legal advice." Tan Linyuan's tone was cold.
Liang Yi knew that Tan Linyuan would never listen to him. "Fine. Then you can keep your beauty hidden away. I'll find a reliable assistant to take photos and send them to your email. I'm not doing this tiring job."
Just as Tan Linyuan hung up the phone, Nan Yu quickly closed her eyes.
She had heard everything.
A few minutes later, she pretended to have just woken up and slowly opened her eyes, reaching up to rub them. "Who were you on the phone with just now?"
"A business partner. We were discussing a new project." Tan Linyuan's gaze was very calm. "Did I wake you up?"
"No."
Nan Yu's heart tightened because she knew Tan Linyuan was lying. "I was just half - asleep and heard you talking to someone."
Nan Yu's heart was filled with a sense of despair.
She guessed it.
There were indeed secrets of the Nan family in that basement.
She also guessed it.
Tan Linyuan wouldn't tell her a single word because he had just lied to her.
Nan Yu clearly realized that she seemed to be locked in a box called "the gentle embrace" by Tan Linyuan.
As long as he wanted, he could keep her hidden here forever.
In complete darkness.
She sat up on the bed. Tan Linyuan picked up a cup from the bedside table and handed it to her. "Drink some water."
Nan Yu took it and sipped the water slowly.
Her eyes caught sight of the computer on the side. Suddenly, she said, "Can I borrow your computer? I spilled milk on my computer last week, and it's still being repaired."
Nan Yu tried to make her lie as natural as possible. "Sister Min said she sent me the revised musical score. I want to check it."
Tan Linyuan looked at Nan Yu and didn't refuse, nor did he question her full - of - holes lie. "Help yourself."
Nan Yu quickly took the computer and turned it on. Tan Linyuan got out of bed and straightened his clothes at the end of the bed.
She first glanced at Tan Linyuan and then nonchalantly opened his email.
When it opened, her heart sank.
The inbox was empty.