Xingyue slowly crawled up onto the bed, her silky blue dress flowing like water over her curves. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she leaned close, her breath warm against Luo Chen's cheek.
"If you refuse to go to the second bedroom," she murmured, her voice like honey, "then I'll have to…"
Her lips brushed dangerously close to his ear.
"…sleep with you."
Luo Chen stiffened for a moment—subtle, but not unnoticed.
A satisfied sigh escaped Xingyue as she tilted her head, watching him carefully. A faint blush danced on her cheeks as she whispered, teasingly, "No matter how cold you pretend to be… in the end, you're still just a shy college student."
Luo Chen closed his eyes briefly, steadying himself. His voice was quiet, restrained.
"The human body is… troublesome. Seven emotions, six desires… not so easily controlled."
Xingyue gave a soft laugh, clearly amused by his struggle.
"If you won't agree to my request," she said with a smirk, her fingers gently brushing his arm, "then I'll just have to force you."
Luo Chen's eyes opened, sharp yet conflicted. "…You—"
He paused, a hint of color touching his face.
"Aren't you afraid I might actually make a move on you?"
Xingyue leaned back slightly, her smile unwavering. She sat elegantly at the edge of the bed and crossed her legs.
"Of course not," she said, her tone almost gentle.
Xingyue sat quietly for a moment, her gaze trailing over Luo Chen's profile. As her fingers toyed with a loose strand of her hair, her mind drifted, painting an imaginary scene—
"Top-tier actress Xingyue dating a mysterious college student… If the media caught wind of this, what kind of storm would that stir up?"
She gave a soft sigh, whispering to herself, "No… If people find out what happened tonight, who knows what kind of waves it could create?"
Her fingers tightened slightly around the hem of her dress.
"Still… if he hadn't been so honest—if he had taken advantage of me when I was unconscious—I would've never dared to gamble on staying."
She stole a glance at Luo Chen, who remained still, his gaze calm and unreadable.
Then, without warning, he exhaled lightly and said, "That's fine."
Xingyue blinked, startled. "Hmm?"
Luo Chen stood up, brushing a hand through his hair casually.
Her eyes widened a bit, heart skipping.
Is he… agreeing to sleep in the second bedroom?
She sat up straighter, lips curling into a bright, playful smile.
"Well, that… Thanks a lot!" she said
The door finally closed with a soft click. Xingyue let out a long breath of relief.
"Hah…"
But as she turned, her eyes widened.
"Eh?"
Luo Chen was already in the room. Without even glancing at her, he tossed a hair dryer from the dresser toward her.
"Dry your hair. Don't get water on my bed," he said flatly.
Xingyue caught it, blinking in surprise.
"O-Okay, okay."
She held the hair dryer tightly and murmured to herself,
"I didn't expect… he'd be so attentive."
Luo Chen got into bed without another word, pulling the blanket over himself.
"I'm sleeping. Don't talk," he said, still not facing her.
Xingyue stood frozen for a moment, then puffed her cheeks and turned to the mirror.
2:00 AM
The room was quiet. Xingyue lay next to Luo Chen, her cheeks faintly pink. She glanced sideways at him, eyes filled with a mix of confusion and embarrassment.
"Why… did it turn out like this?" she whispered to herself.
Then she buried her face into the pillow and groaned softly,
"This isn't the result I wanted… ahhhh—!"
Unbeknownst to her, Luo Chen's eyes opened slightly. He had been awake the whole time, staring at the ceiling in silence.
The Next Morning
Luo Chen sat up, rubbing his temples.
"My head's so heavy… I didn't sleep well."
He turned to the side and noticed the empty space next to him.
"She's gone?" he murmured.
As he shifted, he felt something under the cushion. Pulling it out, he found a business card and a small handwritten note.
"Xingyue…?" he read the name aloud from the card.
The note was written in neat but slightly hurried handwriting:
Sorry, I only had 800 yuan in cash. I didn't have enough to cover the room, so I left it as a down payment. I'll transfer the rest to you later. My number is on the business card.
Luo Chen stared at the note for a while, his expression unreadable
Luo Chen stared at the note for a few seconds longer, then slowly folded it and tucked the business card into his pocket.
"This girl… kind of interesting," he muttered with a faint smirk.
He got out of bed and stretched lazily. Pulling on a crisp white shirt, he casually buttoned it while walking past the bed.
His gaze landed on something lying on the nearby table—a glossy folder. Curious, he picked it up.
"Shanghai Media…" he read aloud, the words rolling off his tongue with a chill edge.
A cold grin tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Well then," he said softly, his voice low and calm, "let's pay them a visit today."
He adjusted his cuffs, then strode toward the window. Morning sunlight broke through the curtains, casting long shadows behind him—like a predator on the hunt