Chapter 80: Bargaining
Normally, Gu Hanling would never do something so impulsive or ungentlemanly.
But seeing how this woman would rather risk smashing her face on the table than fall into his arms. It seriously annoyed him.
"You were the one who asked for it."
"You..."
Shen Xi’s face flushed red with anger. Normally, she was sharp-tongued and quick-witted, but now she had no idea how to argue back.
Was this still the refined and gentlemanly "big brother" she knew?
Her eyes turned red, misty with unshed tears, but she still refused to back down.
"So… five million. We’re even now?"
Gu Hanling looked at her, seeing the way she bit her lip in frustration, trying to hold back her emotions. His lips curled up slightly, but his voice remained cool.
"Little girl, that was just the interest."
As he spoke, he reached out and lightly pinched her flushed cheek. Hmm. Kinda cute.
Shen Xi’s eyes widened in shock.
"Big brother, do you even hear yourself right now?"
Her finger trembled as she pointed at him, both embarrassed and furious.
"That was my…"
The words first kiss nearly slipped out, but she swallowed them back at the last second.
It was her first kiss, not his. Saying it out loud would be pointless. She didn’t want to sound too sentimental or overly dramatic anyway.
After all, she knew exactly what kind of person Gu Hanling was. Too many women had thrown themselves at him. Any kind of physical contact, he’d see it as them taking advantage of him.
And honestly, they probably were. To the average woman, a man like Gu Hanling, handsome, wealthy, powerful, was irresistible.
Ugh! But she wasn’t like that!
Shen Xi swore to the heavens. She had zero interest in kissing this man! Not now, not ever!
Regret filled her heart.
Sigh… If she had known this would happen, She should’ve just given her first kiss to Keke instead.
Gu Hanling raised an eyebrow slightly when he heard Shen Xi stop halfway through her sentence. He let out a soft, questioning “Hmm?”
Shen Xi bit her lip, forcing herself to stay calm and suppress her frustration.
She knew this man wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted. A ruthless, profit-driven capitalist like him was never willing to take a loss.
"What do you want, big brother?"
Her gaze was firm as she looked up at him. Gu Hanling let go of her, his lips curving into a faint smirk.
"Ten times."
Shen Xi’s light blue eyes widened instantly. That was outrageous! The word 'no' burst out of her mouth before she could stop it.
"No!"
"Alright," he replied casually and turned around to leave without hesitation.
Shen Xi froze for a second, watching his retreating figure.
Crap! Did she just watch five million walk away?!
She quickly rushed forward, putting on her sweetest smile as she tugged lightly at his sleeve.
"Big brother, we’re good friends, how about a discount?"
"Maybe… five times? Three times would work too! Hehe."
From discounted sleepovers to discounted kisses, what was next? A clearance sale on her dignity? Life was tough…
Gu Hanling stopped, turning his head slightly to glance at her.
"Madam, do you think this is a farmers' market where you can bargain?"
Shen Xi was momentarily speechless, cursing him in her head. This shameless man is impossible to negotiate with!
But this was about how many times she had to let him take advantage of her. She couldn’t give up so easily.
After a long round of pleading and bargaining, the man finally gave in.
"Six times. No less."
The moment she heard that, Shen Xi’s eyes lit up, and she grinned widely.
"Big brother, you’re the best! Six times it is! Deal!"
Gu Hanling turned around and walked away without looking back, responding with only a faint “Mm.”
A moment later, Shen Xi finally snapped out of it.
Why the hell was she so happy?!
Even one time was a complete loss for her.
It was like selling herself and then happily counting money for the man who bought her.
Life… was truly tough.
……………………………………
Third Floor Bedroom.
Shen Xi stood in front of the bathroom mirror, fogged up by the steam. She reached out and wiped the glass, revealing her reflection.
The curves of her body in the mirror were alluring and captivating, her cheeks were flushed with a faint blush from the steam.
Her fingertips brushed against her lips. It still felt like there was a lingering warmth from that moment earlier.
Now that she was calm, everything felt too strange.
It was her first kiss. And it was with a man.
She had expected to feel disgusted, repulsed, maybe even nauseous.
But… she didn’t.
‘Wait. Does this mean I actually like men?!’
Closing her eyes, she tried picturing herself kissing another man.
The moment the image formed in her mind, she immediately opened her eyes again, goosebumps rising as her stomach churned.
Shen Xi let out a self-deprecating laugh.
Yeah, definitely not that.
Then why was it different when it was Gu Hanling…?
She quickly shook her head, pushing away those messy thoughts.
After her shower, she stepped out of the bathroom, wearing the silk nightgown she used to wear back at the old mansion. This time, she had a light robe draped over her shoulders.
Her damp hair still carried a bit of moisture, adding an unintentional allure to her appearance.
As she dried her hair with a towel, she glanced toward the bed.
Gu Hanling was leaning against the headboard, focused on reading a document.
He was dressed in a black silk pajama set, the slightly open collar revealing part of his toned chest. His entire demeanor exuded a relaxed yet seductive charm.
The soft glow of the bedside lamp outlined his sharp, well-defined profile.
Hearing the faint sound of footsteps, the man lifted his gaze toward Shen Xi. His eyes widened slightly.
It had been a long time since he had seen her wear that nightgown.
His mind couldn't help but recall that beautiful and alluring scene of Shen Xi's that was almost being exposed.
Noticing his gaze, Shen Xi instinctively pulled her robe tighter around herself, then quickly walked over to the bed, lifted the blanket, and slipped under it.
She turned onto her side, facing away from Gu Hanling.
Seeing this, the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile. He reached out and switched off the bedside lamp.
The room instantly fell into complete darkness.
Shen Xi had thought they would just sleep through the night without any more interaction.
But suddenly, a warm hand gently grasped her arm. Her body tensed up, eyes widening in shock, and her heartbeat quickened.
She instinctively held her breath.
Is he really in such a hurry to ‘collect his debt’?!
Then, she felt something soft brush against her cheek, like a passing breeze.
Gu Hanling had lowered his head and kissed her.
It was light, brief, as if done casually, without any deeper meaning.
Shen Xi was stunned.
Wait... he didn't kiss her lips this time?
She had already braced herself for the worst, yet the man had unexpectedly let her off the hook.
Thank goodness, thank goodness.
She let out a silent sigh of relief, her tense body gradually relaxing. Pulling the blanket up a little higher, she lay still.
The room remained silent for a long time, with only the sound of Gu Hanling’s steady breathing.
Finally, exhaustion took over, and Shen Xi drifted off into a deep sleep.
……………………………………
The Next Morning, 6:00 AM.
The vibration of her phone alarm woke Shen Xi up.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she found that she was actually lying in Gu Hanling's arms again. The man's arm was still resting on her slender waist, his breathing deep and steady.
Uh…
At this rate, she might need to buy herself a pair of handcuffs to lock herself to the bed frame.
This was getting way too awkward.
Luckily, Gu Hanling usually woke up at 7 AM, so he hadn’t noticed.
Moving carefully, she slipped out of his embrace and got out of bed.
…………………………………
First Floor – Kitchen
Shen Xi picked out a few ingredients from the fridge, planning to make a bowl of special birthday longevity noodles with love.
First, she fried a heart-shaped sunny-side-up egg with a runny yolk. Then—
Just as she was busy plating the noodles, she saw Gu Hanling walk past, already dressed in a suit, heading straight for the front door.
Seriously?! He just walked out without even touching the breakfast she made?! He didn’t even look at it before walking out?!