Chapter 121: Be Gentle
Notes: I've run into trouble with Google's Community Guidelines a few times because of... well, you know. Since that scene actually appears in this chapter, I had to edit and slightly rewrite the text. I’ve removed or softened anything that leaned toward sensual or sexual content, while keeping the plot, story, and character dynamics intact, and suggestive descriptions are replaced with neutral wording.
If you want to read the version without any deleted or edited parts, you can click the link at the end of this chapter.
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Standing outside Gu Hanling’s bedroom, Shen Xi held a phone in one hand and a cup of warm milk in the other.
She knocked on the door and waited for a moment, but there was no response.
That’s odd. At this time, he should be at his desk handling company documents like usual.
She slowly turned the doorknob and pushed the door open just a crack.
"Big Brother? Are you in there?"
Peeking her head through the gap, she lowered her voice as she spoke.
Inside, Gu Hanling was sitting at his desk in a bathrobe, but unlike his usual habit, he wasn’t leaving his collar casually open.
He was in the middle of an international video conference on his laptop.
Hearing the noise, Gu Hanling looked up and saw the woman sneaking around. His voice was calm and indifferent.
"Come in."
Hearing this, Shen Xi gently pushed the door open and stepped inside. Her bare feet made soft tapping sounds on the wooden floor.
The black lace slip dress swayed slightly as she walked, making her fair legs look even more slender.
Gu Hanling’s pupils contracted slightly at the sight, his Adam’s apple moving almost imperceptibly. His gaze lingered on her for a few extra seconds before he turned back to the laptop screen, his expression as calm as ever. He continued speaking fluent English in the meeting.
Shen Xi carefully approached, watching him, confirming that his attention was completely on work.
So she was just overthinking it, huh?
Yet, even though she got the answer she was looking for, she didn’t feel as relieved as she had expected. Instead, there was a strange sense of disappointment.
She lifted the cup slightly and mouthed the word “milk” silently.
Gu Hanling glanced at her from the corner of his eye and gave a small nod, but his gaze never left the screen.
She gently placed the cup on the edge of his desk and turned to leave, heading toward the bedroom door.
As she heard the sound of the laptop closing behind her, Shen Xi hadn't even processed it yet.
The next second, a sudden feeling of weightlessness hit her. Before she could react, her delicate body was lifted off the ground. Everything spun for a moment, and by the time she came to her senses, she was already on the soft bed. Her phone had been tossed aside.
The black and gray color scheme of the bedding made her exposed skin look as pale and smooth as moonlight.
Instinctively, she propped herself up on her elbows, trying to sit up, but Gu Hanling's tall figure pressed down on her. His hands rested on either side of her head, leaving her no room to escape.
His sudden movement had loosened the belt of his robe, causing the fabric to fall open, revealing his toned chest and abs.
Shen Xi wanted nothing more than to slap herself right now. Great, now she've really done it.
It seemed Gu Hanling was far more interested in her than she had expected.
"B-Big Brother? W-What’s wrong?"
Shen Xi's voice trembled slightly, her hands instinctively pressing against the man's firm chest, her fingertips clearly feeling the scorching heat of his body.
"You’re quite clever, aren’t you? I overheard you at the Shen family’s entrance. Shi Jingyan has been spreading rumors about me behind my back."
The man's smile was ambiguous, and his eyes held a hint of coldness.
"And now, late at night, you come dressed like this just to bring me milk? Are you trying to plead for your little boyfriend?"
"Huh? Plead?"
Shen Xi froze, completely caught off guard. What? When did she give that impression?!
"For another man, you’re willing to go this far? That’s really... touching."
Though he spoke those words, the coldness in his eyes only deepened.
The fresh scent of cedarwood mixed with the faint warmth of his post-shower skin completely surrounded her. She swallowed nervously.
"I didn’t... I was just—"
She wanted to explain, but she didn’t even know where to start.
She definitely couldn’t tell him she was just trying to test if he actually liked her. That would be way too embarrassing!
Seeing that she had nothing to say, Gu Hanling's eyes darkened, and his cold, stern face slowly approached.
"Big Brother, don’t do this! Let me explain—"
Shen Xi gasped and instinctively tried to pull away. In the confusion, her clothes became slightly rumpled, and the sudden closeness between them made the situation awkward and tense.
For a brief moment, neither of them moved.
Just then, her phone rang loudly, cutting through the silence. Shen Xi felt as though she had narrowly escaped a disaster, silently grateful for the interruption.
Gu Hanling frowned and finally stepped back. He picked up Shen Xi’s phone, glanced at the caller ID, let out a cold laugh, and answered, putting it on speaker.
As soon as the call connected, a familiar voice came through, deliberately soft and emotional.
“Xixi, you win. I miss you. Let’s get back together…”
Damn it.
The moment Shen Xi heard her name, a chill ran down her spine. Why was he calling at a time like this? Was he trying to make things worse on purpose?
“She’s busy.”
Gu Hanling cut in coldly. Without waiting for a response, he tossed the phone aside, and it hit the floor with a dull sound.
He grabbed Shen Xi’s wrist, holding it firmly to stop her from leaving. His face was close, his expression dark and unreadable.
“Stop—let go.”
From the phone lying on the floor, Shi Jingyan’s furious voice suddenly rang out.
“What are you doing?!”
A loud crash echoed from the other end, and the call was abruptly cut off.
Gu Hanling froze.
The anger in his expression wavered, replaced by confusion and something far more dangerous—loss of control. His grip tightened briefly before he seemed to realize what he was doing.
“Hanling, don’t.”
Shen Xi didn’t struggle anymore. Her voice trembled—not from fear, but from a deep, sharp ache in her chest.
This wasn’t how things were supposed to be.
She was being cornered by someone she didn’t hate… someone she might have trusted.
Tears slipped down her face despite her effort to hold them back. When Gu Hanling noticed, his body stiffened.
He released her wrist and took a step back. The tension drained from his eyes, replaced by shock, regret, and unmistakable guilt.
Seeing this unfamiliar expression, Shen Xi suddenly understood. The scattered pieces of past events finally connected in her mind.
After a moment, she let out a small, unexpected laugh.
Gu Hanling frowned, his voice low and strained.
“What are you laughing at?”
Shen Xi wiped the tears from her eyes, her expression calm but knowing.
“Big Brother.”
“You’re in love with me, aren’t you?”
His eyes widened slightly, and his entire body visibly tensed. A second later, he let out a low, cold laugh. "Who do you think you are?"
Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, Shen Xi pulled her wrist free and stepped closer instead of retreating, meeting his gaze head-on.
Her eyes shone with determination as she spoke softly.
“Silly.”
Gu Hanling stared at her, clearly caught off guard.
Before he could react, Shen Xi leaned closer, lowering her voice.
“Do you really think I don’t understand what you’re feeling?”
The last of Gu Hanling’s composure wavered. His expression shifted, conflicted emotions flashing through his eyes.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
The air felt heavy, filled with words left unsaid.
"Hanling... it's my first time... but it's fine..."
Gu Hanling closed his eyes briefly, as if fighting an internal battle. When he opened them again, the tension in his shoulders slowly eased.
“You can still walk away,” he said hoarsely. “You don’t owe me anything.”
Shen Xi shook her head gently, her gaze unwavering.
“If it’s you… I won’t regret standing here.”
That was enough.
Gu Hanling exhaled slowly and stepped back, restoring distance between them. The storm in his eyes faded, replaced by restraint and something far more controlled.
The room fell into silence.
Outside, rain had begun to fall, the soft sound against the window calming the turmoil inside.
By the time everything settled, exhaustion weighed heavily on Shen Xi. The emotional strain left her drained, her thoughts slow and heavy.
Gu Hanling helped her sit down and made sure she was comfortable before leaving her to rest.
When Shen Xi woke again, sunlight was already streaming through the curtains.
It was noon.
Slowly opening her eyes, she felt as if her entire body had fallen apart, aching all over. Memories of the wild night flashed in her mind, making her cheeks flush.
She soon realized she was still wrapped in Gu Hanling’s embrace. She looked up to find Gu Hanling still soundly asleep, which was an unusual sight.
Studying his handsome face up close, she couldn't resist the urge to reach out and lightly touch his cheek, as she always did.
But before she could, her wrist was suddenly caught. Gu Hanling opened his eyes, with no trace of sleepiness in them.
"Madam, could you tell me your name?"
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Link for the unedited version:
https://ko-fi.com/Post/Ch-121-I-Became-a-Villainess-in-a-Novel-But-I-A0A61DEBWQ