50. Purple Truly Has an Elegant Charm

“Have some fruit.”

“Huh?”

Sitting on the neat, gray sofa, Chen Che felt inexplicably a little awkward.

After all, Sister Nan’s parents weren’t home!

Tilting his head to look at Qin Yanan, who was eating an apple, Chen Che reached out and popped a grape worth over ten yuan into his mouth.

Not bad—quite sweet and not sour.

Juicy, fleshy, and seedless.

Pretty delicious, just expensive.

They hadn’t been sitting long when Qin Yanan pulled out a tissue to wipe her hands, then gestured toward her vibrating phone.

“Wait a moment, I need to take a call.”

“Okay.”

Chen Che nodded and picked up another grape, watching Qin Yanan’s retreating figure as she walked toward the study.

It felt a bit awkward.

Not just because her parents were away; with An Ran and Nurse Zhang at home as well, this situation was complicated.

“Mr. Chen, sorry to keep you waiting.”

Shortly after Qin Yanan left, An Ran appeared carrying a tray, setting down a glass with a sweet smile.

“This is cola with a smoky twist—please enjoy.”

Chen Che glanced at the glass, which looked no different from regular cola, and couldn’t help but ask:

“An…”

“You can just call me An, or Angela—either’s fine, Mr. Chen.”

Seeing the hesitation in Chen Che’s eyes, An Ran quickly added with a sweet and charming smile.

Though inwardly, she was quite surprised.

Having served Qin Yanan as a housekeeper for three years, this was the first time she’d encountered a man brought home.

She didn’t ask directly but couldn’t help but wonder.

“Mm.”

Chen Che nodded in acknowledgment, then bypassed the formalities and quietly looked around.

“May I ask, does President Qin usually live with you all? Is there anyone else I should greet?”

“No, no one else.”

An Ran shook her head with a sweet smile.

Seeing this, Chen Che lay back on the sofa after An Ran went to bring water for Qin Yanan, feeling both amused and helpless.

He should have guessed.

Putting aside the fact that Qin Yanan’s parents must be well-off enough to buy second, third, or even fourth houses, her personality alone suggested independence—she probably didn’t like living with her parents all the time.

People of her generation likely preferred villas, or even estates; it was unlikely to be a place like this.

He should have realized sooner that Qin Yanan’s reluctance to make their relationship public stemmed not only from unfinished feelings but mainly from their unequal social statuses—the whole matter of matching families and backgrounds...

Sister Nan had tricked me into coming home...

Chen Che could read Qin Yanan’s character clearly, but how she truly felt remained somewhat elusive.

Unable to figure it out, he stopped trying.

For now, Qin Yanan bringing him home was good news in every way.

The grapes were sweet without being cloying; Chen Che ate many and wiped his hands on a tissue before sipping the smoky-flavored cola.

Then he waited...

“Xiao Che?”

Half an hour later, after finishing the analysis report, Qin Yanan, wearing slippers, came over to the sofa and called softly.

Chen Che, comfortably sprawled on the sofa with eyes closed, breathing evenly, looked utterly relaxed.

Qin Yanan watched for a while before gently crouching down and shaking his arm.

“Xiao Che, wake up.”

Her voice was low and tender, almost a soft whisper. Seeing his slight frown but no sign of waking, she was a bit helpless.

How could he still be asleep?

Without much hesitation, Qin Yanan left, returning shortly with An Ran beside her.

“President Qin, are you sure about this?”

Glancing at Chen Che, who was now asleep after drinking the cola but still looking handsome, An Ran whispered.

“Hmm, let’s try.”

Qin Yanan replied coldly.

After exchanging a look, the two women lifted the man from the sofa, one in front and one behind.

Fortunately, Chen Che wasn’t heavy. An Ran struggled a bit, holding his legs as they carefully moved.

The house had four bedrooms, three living rooms, and four bathrooms.

They had been in the large living room; now they were heading to the guest bedroom in the rest area.

An Ran shifted her weight cautiously, honestly a little afraid to look at the goofy Qin Yanan.

She feared her professional composure would crack.

Qin Yanan not only wanted to keep this man at home but was even carrying him to the guest room.

Good heavens.

While carrying him, An Ran tried not to think about what Chen Che could possibly have done to deserve such indulgence from Qin Yanan.

During the slight sway, she caught a glimpse of a pair of beautiful eyes opening in confusion.

Their gazes met, and An Ran’s hand froze; Qin Yanan noticed something was off too.

The next moment:

Chen Che, quick as a flash, propped himself up with his hand and sat down on the floor, looking around in bewilderment.

“Mr. Chen, are you alright?”

An Ran asked with concern.

Qin Yanan had suddenly let go, and An Ran had no choice but to release him as well, fearing he might hit his head.

Luckily, they hadn’t lifted him very high.

With An Ran’s care, Qin Yanan exhaled in relief and stepped back a few paces, looking away indifferently.

“Go rest in the bedroom; it’s all prepared.”

“Oh.”

Looking around, Chen Che realized what was happening and stood up from the floor.

“No, I’ll head back first.”

“Where are you going?”

Qin Yanan blurted out, but seeing An Ran nearby, she immediately regained her calm demeanor.

The atmosphere grew awkward. Chen Che glanced at himself and explained helplessly:

“I’ll stay at the hotel near Hopson Mall.”

There really weren’t many hotels nearby, but nowadays, hailing a cab was easy enough.

He had already booked a room, just waiting for Qin Yanan to mention it, but she never did.

Upon hearing his answer, Qin Yanan turned away without looking at either of them, pointing to the side.

“The bedroom is ready. An Ran, please take him there. Since he’s tired, he should rest early.”

After saying this, Qin Yanan left, leaving the two in the small living room staring at each other.

“Mr. Chen, this way please.”

An Ran didn’t question Qin Yanan’s arrangement and smiled sweetly, extending her hand.

Chen Che frowned slightly, a touch of discomfort crossing his features, but he lucidly said:

“Thank you for the trouble.”

“You’re welcome.”

An Ran led the way quickly through the foyer into a room about twenty-five square meters.

The rest area had two secondary bedrooms and a master bedroom, with a nanny’s room by the kitchen across the hall.

The decoration was modern and minimalist—mainly gray, black, and white. Not exactly cozy but very comfortable.

Qin Yanan was right.

Saving money where you can.

Chen Che canceled his hotel booking. At that moment, An Ran was putting down a bath towel and smiled softly.

“Mr. Chen, milk and honey water are ready for you too. I won’t disturb your rest.”

“Thank you.”

Though this was a private residence, An Ran seemed dedicated solely to serving Qin Yanan’s daily needs.

Her professionalism and attention to detail rivaled that of any hotel butler; she was pretty, and her smile was soothing.

After An Ran left the room, Chen Che went into the modest bathroom, which was fully stocked like a hotel—with disposable toothbrushes and all high-end brands.

Regarding staying overnight at Qin Yanan’s home, Chen Che felt surprisingly at ease, not worrying about etiquette.

After all, since he intended to win Sister Nan over, staying the night was a good opportunity.

At least it increased intimacy.

There was a world of difference between having slept together or not—much like how the sixteenth was willing to give him discounts and put in extra effort.

That said, with Qin Yanan choosing to keep him tonight, Chen Che had thought about the possible implications.

But in the end, there was no hidden meaning.

Comfort was mutual, and when women got in the mood, men often had little to do with it.

Chen Che knew Qin Yanan was cold on the surface but warm inside; some things were better left understood without probing.

Not exposing her girlish side was the shield he now gave himself.

Sister Nan was still getting to know him; at many moments, he had to tread carefully or risk backfiring.

With this in mind, Chen Che fell asleep immediately.

...

“Are you asleep?”

Half-awake, Chen Che seemed to hear a melodious voice, soft and coquettish.

She called twice, her gentle, clear tone like water flowing, tender and sweet.

Drowsiness imprinted that deeply moving voice in his mind—it was like the muted chimes beneath a pagoda’s eaves, stirred by the wind, revealing the moonlight’s cracks, soothing and comforting.

Chen Che opened his eyes drowsily and was met with a wash of deep purple—an exquisite silhouette clothed in a purple silk robe, her dark tea-colored hair shading half her delicate profile.

Qin Yanan stared toward the doorway, lost in thought.

Chen Che instantly became alert, his pupils contracting in surprise as he took in the beauty in purple.

Realizing it was Qin Yanan, he exhaled in relief and glanced toward the door, reaching out his hand.

Qin Yanan hesitated, unsure whether to move, but the next moment she was pulled onto the bed, a faint whisper of a sigh escaping her lips.

When she realized Chen Che was awake, a guilty flush crept across her face as she prepared to push him away.

But Chen Che, like holding a cherished doll, nestled comfortably in her arms and simply turned over.

Watching his long lashes lower, she relaxed and after a tense pause, her delicate hand rested gently on Chen Che’s shoulder.