Chapter 12: What If I Fall Asleep?

He Tian sat down, gazing at the visibly agitated Wang Xinmeng. He could deeply sense the love Wang Xinmeng held for her father, as well as the anxious uncertainty clouding her heart. Yet, could He Tian tell her the truth? He could not. If he told Wang Xinmeng, who could predict what she might do? After all, she was a business prodigy—one who already wielded considerable power and influence. Debuting at sixteen, and reaching her current heights by twenty-three, Wang Xinmeng was truly worthy of the title “genius.” The Mengrou Garment Group was now a large conglomerate with assets exceeding three billion, and it still held tremendous potential for further growth.

If someone as wealthy and resourceful as Wang Xinmeng were to lose control, she could easily stir up a storm. This would offer no help in uncovering who was behind Longya’s murder; on the contrary, it could even be detrimental.

So, He Tian could not say a word.

“Xinmeng, is this really necessary?” He Tian finally offered, giving a noncommittal answer. He believed Wang Xinmeng was not the type to act rashly.

“Are you saying…” Wang Xinmeng looked at him intently.

“I haven’t said anything at all. Your father is a true man of honor. Right now, we simply want to make sure nothing happens to you and your sister. Your father truly cannot get away at the moment,” He Tian said.

The explanation was vague, and his reasoning for her father’s absence was thin. He Tian didn’t believe Wang Xinmeng would accept it, nor did he expect her to. He simply wanted her to understand there was no answer to the questions tormenting her.

Perhaps this was cruel, but now was not the time to be honest. He had to consider the possible consequences of Wang Xinmeng’s reaction. After all, Longya’s body hadn’t even been found. Would Wang Xinmeng be able to accept such a fact?

A woman too clever could truly be troublesome, He Tian thought to himself.

Wang Xinmeng took a deep breath. “My father works in a special department and has made many enemies. Now, someone has assassinated him, and you don’t know who did it. The enemy has learned about my sister and me, so now they’re targeting us. But since we know nothing about my father’s situation, it can’t be that they’re after us for what we know. It must be out of deep-seated hatred for my father. You must have this lead, but after investigating, you found nothing. So, your only choice is to protect us and keep us safe,” Wang Xinmeng said softly.

He Tian was speechless. Indeed, a clever woman could be terrifying.

“If that’s the case, what should I do? Should I go out and travel? Should I try to lure them out?” Wang Xinmeng continued.

He Tian didn’t respond.

“Just protect my sister. I’m going to do this. Tomorrow, I’ll arrange to go on holiday in the Maldives,” Wang Xinmeng declared, standing up.

“Stop!” He Tian called out helplessly, unable to let her leave.

Wang Xinmeng would be impossible to watch if she truly set her mind to it. If she went ahead with this, her safety could not be guaranteed.

“Sit down. Don’t let Xinrou know, at least for now,” He Tian said quietly. Faced with a woman like Wang Xinmeng, he was ready to compromise. He Tian had the authority to tell her the truth—she had the right to know, as Longya’s daughter, his closest kin.

Wang Xinmeng sat down again, suddenly feeling anxious and uncertain.

“You’re very clever… so I’ve decided to tell you. There’s no point in tormenting you and myself any longer. But I trust you know what’s best to do now,” He Tian said gravely.

“All right, I promise you—I’ll follow your arrangements,” Wang Xinmeng replied earnestly.

“That sounds a bit forced,” He Tian said bluntly, meeting her gaze.

“Then what do you want from me? To pretend as if nothing happened and go on living?” Wang Xinmeng suddenly stood and shouted at him in frustration.

“What else can you do? Recklessly throw your life away? If you die, would that guarantee we catch the mastermind? Even today, if we’d caught that man, I can guarantee that no matter how far we probed, we’d never reach the true culprit! If you die, it would be in vain! What about Xinrou? I may have only just arrived—less than a day, in fact—but it’s clear to me, no matter how much Xinrou rebels against you, her dependence on you is greater than on anyone else!” He Tian retorted, standing up and glaring at her.

Wang Xinmeng was stunned, perhaps realizing the seriousness of the consequences, or maybe surprised that someone dared to speak to her so directly. Whatever the reason, she silently sat back down.

“We don’t know who is behind this, how powerful they are, or how far their influence reaches. With so many layers of control, even if we thwart their plans once or twice, or even ten times, we might never discover their identity. Any rash move on your part would only leave behind endless regret, not true vengeance for Longya,” He Tian said gravely.

“Longya… revenge…” Wang Xinmeng’s tears began to fall. No matter how much she’d guessed, or how convinced she’d been, it was all mere speculation—now she finally had an answer.

Everything was confirmed.

“If I hadn’t said anything, would you not have guessed it? As I said, if you want to find the killer, you must live as usual and stay calm. This will be a long investigation—there’s no shortcut. Honestly, I didn’t need to tell you this. But I really like Xinrou—she’s so cheerful and optimistic, and she’s cheered me up. I don’t want your impulsiveness to take that joy away from her,” He Tian said quietly.

“I understand. He Tian, could you tell me about my father’s story? Don’t worry, I’ll keep it secret. Besides, he’s my father,” Wang Xinmeng said softly.

“Wipe your tears. I can see you’re a strong girl. But that’s for the outside world—here, you can show your other side,” He Tian said, handing her some tissues.

“Thank you,” Wang Xinmeng said, dabbing at her tears and gradually regaining her composure.

An hour later, He Tian had finished speaking. Wang Xinmeng still sat quietly, listening, but now a smile had bloomed on her face—a smile filled with unmistakable pride.

“Your father was a true hero,” He Tian said solemnly.

“A hero,” Wang Xinmeng repeated, her face glowing with pride.

“It’s the first time I’ve truly realized who my father was. But I don’t feel sad—I feel proud. Thank you, He Tian, thank you for telling me all this. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it to myself and won’t get you in trouble,” Wang Xinmeng said softly.

He Tian smiled. Who could punish him over such a trivial matter? Who had the authority? The very idea was laughable. Well, except for the chief.

“I hope you’ll carry on as usual. That’s the best help you can give us,” He Tian said.

“I know.”

Now that she truly understood the truth, Wang Xinmeng finally realized that the world her father belonged to wasn’t one she could enter just because she was wealthy—it wasn’t that simple. A clever woman like herself knew exactly what it would take to avenge her father.

“As long as you understand. By the way, from now on, just leave Xinrou to me. There’s no need for you to be so strict with her—it only harms your relationship. I hope you’ll seriously consider what I’ve said. And… well… I’m really not used to taking orders from others! If I seemed rude before, it wasn’t personal. Don’t take it to heart,” He Tian said.

“Don’t worry about it! I’m just used to giving orders, that’s all. If anything, it’s my fault,” Wang Xinmeng replied with a slight shake of her head.

“Do you often feel fatigued?” He Tian asked, smiling suddenly.

“How did you know? I’ve just been overthinking things. Now that I have answers, I’ll be fine,” Wang Xinmeng replied.

“It’s not only that. Building a business empire isn’t easy. Meeting you and your sister is fate, so lie down,” said He Tian.

Wang Xinmeng glanced at him warily.

“Oh, come on, don’t overthink it,” He Tian said, realizing she’d misunderstood.

“Then explain yourself,” Wang Xinmeng said with a gentle laugh.

Her laughter left He Tian momentarily stunned. Wang Xinmeng’s smile was truly beautiful—charming and far more appealing than her stern, serious demeanor. If ever there was a smile that could light up a thousand flowers, it was hers.

“So, what do you want to do? Are you going to tell me or not?” Wang Xinmeng asked, a hint of annoyance in her tone. No man had ever dared to look at her like that before. He Tian really was bold.

“Sorry, but honestly, your smile is lovely. It really captivated me,” He Tian replied truthfully.

“Still talking!” Wang Xinmeng said, straightening her face.

“All right, all right, I’ll stop. I know massage. Lie down—or just sit, if you prefer. I’ll massage your temples—it’ll help with your fatigue. Remember, try not to stay up late or overwork yourself. It has nothing to do with how much you think about things,” He Tian said with a smile.

“You know how to do that too?” Wang Xinmeng asked. She’d already learned from Xinrou about He Tian’s skills. In her mind, being such a master, he surely wouldn’t know anything else.

But clearly, He Tian was more than he seemed.

“Just try it and see,” He Tian replied, smiling.

Wang Xinmeng sat down and gently closed her eyes. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. To be in a man’s room, closing her eyes like this—it stirred something within her. Not that she had any feelings for He Tian. A woman like Wang Xinmeng was nothing if not rational, especially since she’d only known He Tian for less than a day. She was simply moved by the situation.

He Tian gently massaged her head, the energy in his hands moving slowly. Wang Xinmeng felt the warmth of his hands, even her head grew warm and slightly dizzy, but she relaxed completely. Gradually, Wang Xinmeng, under this soothing touch, drifted off to sleep.

“What am I supposed to do now?” He Tian muttered, at a loss as he looked at the sleeping Wang Xinmeng.