After being reborn, the aloof female CEO became a paranoid.

Xu Xinran reached out and touched his soft, black hair, as if to comfort him, and smiled without saying a word.

"Are you really alright?" Zhou Yu asked again, sensing that she had been in some pain.

It's really rare to see someone like that in her.

"There's no need for me to lie to you, it's alright." Xu Xinran looked at the man in front of her and suddenly asked, "Is the portrait finished?"

"Ah! Not yet!"

He was worried that she had forgotten about it, but now that he saw that she was alright, he was relieved. Zhou Yu hurriedly ran back to his original spot, picked up the drawing board again, and continued to direct her to pose.

Under the bright sunshine, he sat on a small stool, looking so handsome as he intently drew her picture that it was impossible not to be mesmerized.

Xu Xinran's thin lips couldn't help but curl up slightly again. In his previous life, there were many portraits of her in his diary, some of her at work, some of her in her daily life, some of her sleeping, and even some of her in bed.

At first, she was curious about when he drew it, but then she thought that Zhou Yu must have already memorized her every move by then.

When Zhou Yu was painting her, was she just as beautiful, so focused and dedicated that it drew people in?

By the time the painting was finished, the sun had already set a little.

Xu Xinran got off the chair, strode over to the boy, and helped him up from the bench.

"Ouch... my leg is numb!"

Zhou Yu had a sullen face, unable to stand up straight or squat down.

Seeing her pained expression, Xu Xinran laughed without any restraint and deliberately said, "Shall I massage it for you?"

Zhou Yu's pupils contracted, and he quickly refused, "No, no! I need to calm down by myself, don't touch me... Ah!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Yu was suddenly embraced by the woman. The tingling, numbing sensation made him hug Xu Xinran back tightly.

"Xu Xinran, be more reserved..."

Zhou Yu was held tightly by Xu Xinran, and just now, he almost burst into tears.

"It's better to have a short pain than a long one. I'm doing this to help you." Although Xu Xinran said this, her movements became a little gentler. "Carry me back to the bedroom."

"Hey, a drawing!"

Zhou Yu reached out and waved in the direction of the painting, but because his arm wasn't long enough, he only managed to grab a handful of air.

He stood there holding Xu Xinran, then turned around and went back. Xu Xinran carefully turned sideways to pick up the drawing board from the ground and held it in her arms.

And so, Zhou Yu carried the woman carrying the drawing board back to the bedroom.

Zhou Yu sat on the bed in the bedroom, his legs had recovered from the numbness, and he was now holding his drawing board, admiring his creation with a satisfied expression.

Zhou Yu turned his head and waved to the woman, "Xu Xinran, come and see my work!"

Xu Xinran had just taken off her long dress when she heard the sound, turned around and got into bed. She snuggled up with him on the bed and admired the portrait on the canvas.

The painting depicts a woman reclining in a chaise lounge under the same sunlight, her face covered by a newspaper, obscuring her true features.

Although it's just a pencil sketch, it has a good balance of light and shadow, and the pressure applied to the strokes is just right. The smooth lines bring the painting to life.

"Xu Xinran, what do you think of my drawing?"

Zhou Yu raised his head with a smile, his bright eyes fixed on the woman beside him, his face full of pride, waiting for praise and compliments.

Xu Xinran glanced at it casually, raised an eyebrow, and said with a look of disgust, "You drew me so ugly."

Hearing this, Zhou Yu frowned indignantly, reached out to cover her face, and then picked up the drawing board to compare. "How can you lie through your teeth? My drawing is exactly the same. Anyone who has seen this painting can recognize you even if you're wrapped up like a mummy."

Xu Xinran instantly flipped over, pinning him beneath her. Her breath was hot and tinged with ambiguity. "Why don't you explain to me why you made me cover my face? Am I so shameful that I can't be seen by anyone, huh?"

Zhou Yu stared at the woman backlit above her head and muttered sourly, "I'm just afraid that when people see such a beautiful CEO Xu, they'll all be mesmerized by you..."

Xu Xinran's smile deepened, and she suddenly lowered her head, sealing the boy's soft lips with hers.

……

That day, Xu Xinran went to work, and there were no classes at school, leaving Zhou Yu alone at home watching TV out of boredom.

There was a knock on the villa door. Zhou Yu assumed that Xu Xinran had left something at home, so he opened the door without thinking much of it.

Upon seeing the woman at the door, Zhou Yu instantly sobered up.

Shen Tianling stood at the door, a refined and generous smile on his face, carrying several bags in his hands. "Cousin, it's been several days since I last saw you. Your cousin has missed you terribly."

Looking at the man in front of him, Zhou Yu inexplicably recalled the scene at school when he and his classmates saw Shen Tianling's nude photos.

He suddenly felt terrible.

Shen Tianling seemed completely oblivious to the boy's awkwardness, and unaffected by the rumors and gossip.

He walked in as if he were in his own home, put the things on the ground, and affectionately put his hand on Zhou Yu's shoulder. "Cousin Zhou Yu, these are the clothes I told you I had my eye on for you last time. They're not expensive, but they're a token of my appreciation. Please accept them."

As he spoke, the man subtly glanced around, and after confirming that Xu Xinran was not home, his smile deepened.

Great, he's much more at ease now that Xu Xinran isn't here.

"Thank you, cousin," Zhou Yu said politely, but when he turned his head, he was caught off guard by the man's sinister smile.

He blinked and glanced again, but Shen Tianling's expression remained perfectly normal, as if everything he had just seen was his imagination.

Zhou Yu's gaze deepened slightly, and when he looked at the man beside him, a smile appeared on his face. "Cousin, what are you looking for?"

Shen Tianling paused slightly, "I heard you were going to participate in a painting competition and you were supposed to submit your work in a few days. You should have finished it by now, right? Your cousin has always known that you are talented, and now that you've come to Paris for further studies, I can't contain my curiosity and want to see it for myself."

"So my cousin didn't come to see me, he came specifically to see the paintings."

"What are you saying? Of course, I came to see you because I missed you. Everything else is secondary." Shen Tianling raised his eyes innocently. "Cousin Zhou Yu, you don't trust your cousin, do you? I'm not participating in your competition, and I can't draw anything, so don't worry about me copying your work."

Perhaps his words were too harsh, but Zhou Yu felt something was off and instinctively refused him, "Cousin, what are you saying? Of course I wouldn't mean that. It's just... I've only just started painting and it's not finished yet, so it's not convenient to see it right now. How about I invite you to see it after I finish it?"

"Cousin..." Shen Tianling was about to say something when Zhou Yu interrupted him, "Cousin, it's so hot and you've come all this way, you must be thirsty, right? I'll make you a glass of juice, you sit here and wait for a while."