Chapter 90: Extinguish the Fire?
Shen Xi was stunned speechless by his response. She couldn’t even find a way to argue back.
What kind of spell had ‘Susie’ put on this man? He was so firm in his stance that he wouldn’t even hear her out.
An unexplainable frustration bubbled inside her. She had assumed that reporting the truth would be enough to expose the fake Susie, but clearly, she had oversimplified the situation.
“There’s no point talking if we’re not on the same page.”
She huffed, throwing out the remark before turning to leave.
But just as she turned around, her peripheral vision caught sight of a small medicine bottle in Gu Hanling’s hand.
Was it intentional? Or just a coincidence?
The label on the bottle was clearly visible.
Sleeping pills?
Her steps slowed down, and her fingers hovered over the doorknob, hesitating.
A strange, complicated feeling arose in her heart. She knew Gu Hanling had chronic insomnia, something many overworked CEOs suffered from.
But she never expected it to be so bad that he relied on medication.
Shen Xi turned back, her gaze settling on the bottle in his hand.
Sleeping pills were strictly regulated drugs with serious side effects, and long-term use could lead to dependence and addiction.
A flicker of sympathy rose in her.
She told herself it was just concern for her financial backer’s health. After all, she needed him to be alive and well to pay her salary.
Meanwhile, Gu Hanling stood there, amused, watching her long, fair legs move back and forth like she was on a fashion show.
Shen Xi pressed her lips together, hesitating before finally speaking.
“Um… how about… we sleep together?”
“Oh?”
Gu Hanling’s smirk deepened with interest. This was the first time the woman had voluntarily asked to share a bed with him.
Shen Xi quickly pointed a warning finger at him, her tone half-threatening.
“Same rules as before. Just sleeping, nothing else.”
“Alright.”
He agreed so readily that it caught her off guard, leaving her feeling a little uneasy. Something didn’t feel right…
“Then… I’ll go get my pillow.”
Saying that, she turned and rushed toward the door. Perhaps it was a woman’s intuition, but she suddenly felt the need to escape.
“No need.”
Gu Hanling’s calm, cool voice came from behind her.
"I have an extra pillow here."
Shen Xi paused mid-step, grumbling to herself, ‘Forget it, forget it… it’s not like this is the first time anyway.’
Feeling a slight chill on her legs, she didn’t hesitate and walked straight to the black and gray bed. Without another word, she slipped under the covers on her own.
By the time she was almost asleep, Gu Hanling finally lay down on the other side. The bedside lamp went off, and the room fell into silence.
Suddenly, his low and slightly hoarse voice broke the quiet, seemingly asking a random question,
"If you had the chance to go back where you belong… would you leave?"
The unexpected question snapped Shen Xi awake. Her heart pounded in her chest.
No way… does he know she’s not from this world?!
Instinctively, she gripped the blanket tighter, her fingers turning slightly cold.
“I… don’t know.”
Whether he actually knew or not, this was the safest answer.
Thinking seriously about it, she was hesitant. Did she really want to return to her original world?
Sure, she’d be a man again, but in that world, she had no family, no friends, no lover, and not even money.
In this world, she had experienced so much.
Her best friend was by her side, and the person she loves was… wait, no, definitely not that.
Yes, definitely, for sure, and without a doubt!
"So, you're staying in China for Shi Jingyan?"
Gu Hanling gave a cold snort, laced with playful sarcasm.
Eh?
Shen Xi finally realized that they were having a cross-server chat!
Holy crap, that scared me!
Normally, she would have blurted out something annoying like, ‘Yes, of course! I love him! I’d stay for him!’
But this time, she said nothing.
Neither confirming nor denying it. The room fell silent again…
………………………………
Shen Xi sat in a high-end Western restaurant, staring at a perfectly untouched Wellington steak in front of her. The golden, crispy crust looked irresistible. Without hesitation, she grabbed it with both hands and took a big bite.
Suddenly, a low, deep hum echoed from the steak.
Shen Xi jerked awake, her eyes snapping open.
She found herself lying in Gu Hanling’s arms, and worse, she was lightly biting his Adam’s apple!
Realizing the situation, she quickly let go.
“S-Sorry!”
As she apologized, she instinctively reached out to rub the reddened spot where she had bitten him. The moment her soft, warm fingertips brushed against his throat, Gu Hanling let out a low, restrained hum.
All of a sudden, his hand shot out, gripping her restless, pale wrist. His breathing was noticeably heavier.
Shen Xi looked up at him. Only to realize that he was also looking down at her.
But… there was something off about his gaze.
Following his line of sight, Shen Xi glanced down at herself and froze.
Her loose nightgown was a mess.
Two of the buttons had popped open, exposing a large area of fair, smooth skin. Through the fabric, her soft curves were pressed against his arm.
And the contrast between the black silk nightwear and her pure white lingerie made the situation even worse.
Shen Xi knew she had terrible sleeping posture, but this was on a whole other level!
This was the first time she had worn this nightgown, and after today, it was permanently banned!
“Boss Gu! I swear I wasn’t trying to seduce you!”
She frantically pulled up her neckline with her free hand, trying to escape. But his grip on her wrist tightened.
Her struggles caused their bare skin to brush against each other over and over again.
"Don’t... move."
The man's voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of restraint.
“Oh my…”
Only then did Shen Xi realize that her lower abdomen was being pressed against a gun, no... a cannon.
Shen Xi’s entire body stiffened.
"T-That...!?"
Shen Xi understood this situation all too well. Men, in the morning, were always so full of vigor…
Damn it!
It felt like she had been struck by lightning, fried inside and out.
Sorry, sorry! I take back everything I said before! I never should've doubted you, Boss Gu. You're definitely... very capable!
But right now, she was a woman! This was playing with fire, and setting herself up to get burned!
At that moment, a lazy, almost carefree voice came from above her head.
Gu Hanling tightened his grip on her small hand and pushed it down slightly.
“Since you started the fire, shouldn’t you be the one to put it out?”
"Uh... I can't! Please let me go!"
Shen Xi moved away toward the edge of the bed, trying to pull her hand back with all her strength.
Damn it.
She didn’t care about the paycheck anymore.
She was tired. Just let the world end already.
If they went that far, their relationship would be nothing more than a paid companionship. She had no desire to be a kept woman, and she definitely didn’t want this kind of deal.
"Tsk, such a coward."
Surprisingly, Gu Hanling let out a low chuckle and released her hand. Then, without another word, he got up and headed to the bathroom.
By the time he came out, looking as calm and composed as ever, Shen Xi was already gone.
…………………………………
Noon.
Su Kexin tilted her head, looking at Shen Xi in confusion.
She was drenched in sweat, carrying a bunch of big bags, standing at her doorstep.
“Sister Xixi, are you sure you want to stay at my place? My apartment is tiny, you might not be comfortable here.”
“Small is good. Small is perfect. Anything too big is... too much for me to handle.”
Shen Xi forced a smile, still shaken from the morning’s events.
…………………………………
One Week Later.
Filming for idol dramas moved fast.
Lin Yueyue’s role as the female second lead was wrapped up in under a week.
But she knew these brainless dramas only attracted brainless fans, they were nothing serious.
If she wanted to climb higher, she had to join a major production, a proper drama.
“Brother Jing, the production team for [The Landscape is Like a Painting] didn’t accept your investment?”
Lin Yueyue looked worried on the surface, but inside, she was annoyed as hell.
"No, especially when they heard I wanted to recommend someone. They straight-up said they didn’t need my investment."
Shi Jingyan's face darkened. He'd been losing face multiple times recently, and he couldn't pinpoint when it began.
After a pause, he continued,
“But I still got you an audition spot for tomorrow. You can give it a try.”