After nearly two hours of waiting.
When Rose entered the room, Li Yuan—already bathed and clad in a white bathrobe—was sipping wine on the plush sofa.
He had shed the mask he perpetually wore, revealing his strikingly handsome face.
It was no wonder the original host had been so captivated; his features were truly remarkable.
Feminine in delicacy yet devoid of effeminacy, he had almond-shaped eyes with a teardrop mole beneath one, a tall nose bridge, and thin, rosy lips. Both his bone structure and complexion were flawless.
The only flaw was the dark circles under his eyes.
The loosely tied collar exposed his well-built chest muscles, even hinting at the defined outline of his abdominal muscles. It wasn’t the rigid bulk of gym-built muscle, but the lean, powerful physique honed through years of combat.
“Wipe your drool. Your gaze is irritating me—do you want your eyes gouged out?”
Li Yuan chuckled, teasing.
His tone seemed gentle, but it concealed a deadly edge.
Was it because… he already saw her as a dead woman, hence his lack of restraint?
Rose raised an eyebrow, slightly annoyed.
She was certain that once this massage ended, she would be silenced.
After all, everyone who had seen the Dark Emperor’s true face had ended up dead.
“Did you take care of it yourself?”
She asked with a radiant smile, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on that prominent area—impossible to ignore even without arousal.
Li Yuan didn’t answer. He threw back the strong liquor in his glass, stood up, and headed toward the bedroom.
“You’d better pray your service satisfies me.”
“No need to worry. I’m more concerned you’ll get addicted to the pleasure.”
Rose sneered, her words laced with double meaning.
As they spoke, the two reached the bedside.
Without any hesitation, he casually shed his bathrobe, baring his completely naked body.
“Then I’ll have to look forward to it, Miss Masseur.”
Li Yuan deliberately emphasized the term “masseur” as he leisurely lay down on the bed.
Rose didn’t waste words either. She retrieved the tools prepared by the hotel.
First, she lit lavender-scented incense, then climbed onto the bed and straddled his abdomen.
“So eager? Your massage technique doesn’t seem very orthodox…”
Li Yuan teased, his voice dripping with danger, his entire body tensed like a drawn bowstring.
Years of living in peril had conditioned him to instinctively tense up at physical contact.
His hands, resting at his sides, clenched into fists, veins bulging from the strain. Clearly, he was fighting the urge to strangle the woman before him.
“The process isn’t important, sir.”
Rose spoke with displeasure, as if annoyed by his chatter, and tipped the bottle of essential oil downward.
The slightly cool sensation made Li Yuan hiss, goosebumps rising all over his skin.
Though he’d never had a massage before, he knew the procedure—wasn’t the masseuse supposed to warm the oil in her hands first before applying it?
He must have lost his mind to make an exception and allow this utterly unorthodox woman to serve him…
The desire to tear someone apart grew even stronger.
“Bear with it. I never learned the overly proper methods. My clients prefer this direct and stimulating approach.”
Rose curled her lips into a suggestive smile, her soft palms slowly covering his firm chest.
The perfect texture prompted her to let out an appreciative whistle.
Unhurriedly, she spread the oil across his skin.
The movements carried obvious flirtatious undertones. An ordinary man would likely have been unable to suppress a moan.
But Li Yuan merely furrowed his brows, a murderous glint gradually surfacing in his eyes.
He felt like a piece of pork laid out on a chopping board, being kneaded and prodded by a buyer—slimy, disgusting, and pushing his desire to kill to its peak.
Just as he reached his limit and was about to strike, Rose suddenly moved, her hands precisely clamping around his neck.
He shuddered violently, a sense of crisis sending tremors through his body. His previously unresponsive form rippled with waves of sensation.
A masochist?
Rose saw through it but didn’t voice it. Instead of tightening her grip, she began massaging along the trapezius muscles on either side.
“Mmm…”
A moan escaped Li Yuan’s lips as an unprecedented wave of relaxation washed over him.
His tightly clenched fists slowly loosened, while his toes curled in response to the overwhelming pleasure.
Every squeeze and press of her hands sent his heart on a rollercoaster—one moment tense with instinct, the next relaxed from sheer comfort.
Especially when her hands massaged his pectoral muscles, they would occasionally and lightly brush over his nipples, like feathers grazing, evoking a tingling, numbing itch.
Professional, yet not entirely professional.
Gradually, Li Yuan grew accustomed to it. His thoughts began to blur. As someone suffering from severe insomnia, it had been a long time since he had felt so at ease.
“Turn over. It’s time for your back.”
Rose wouldn’t give him a chance to fall asleep. With a light pat, she signaled that the front was done.
Obediently, he flipped onto his stomach.
As the essential oil touched his back, another shiver ran through him. He began to secretly anticipate the moment her hands would make contact.
When they finally did, every pore on his body seemed to burst open in an instant.
A satisfied sigh escaped his lips.
The scent of lavender, mingled with a faint rose fragrance, relaxed him both physically and mentally.
His eyelids grew heavier and heavier until Li Yuan fell into a deep slumber.
“Sir? Sir?”
Rose called out twice, a strange smile slowly curling at the corners of her lips.
Such an exhausting massage deserved a service fee.
“Thanks for the treat.”
Half an hour later, Rose licked her lips, cast a glance at the sleeping Li Yuan, and left.
His subordinates were stationed outside the door, eyeing her warily as she emerged.
“He’s asleep. Which one of you is paying for the massage?”
She matter-of-factly extended her hand for payment.
The man in charge froze for a second, then quickly signaled to his subordinate, who hurried inside to check.
Holy crap, the boss who couldn’t even be knocked out by sleeping pills was actually asleep. This woman really had skills.
The man, who had already received orders to silence her, frowned.
This… to kill or not to kill?
“He’s been plagued by insomnia for years, right? You’ve seen the results. If I were you, I wouldn’t do anything stupid. After all, no one can guarantee he won’t need me again in the future. Hurry up and pay.”
Rose stretched out her hand impatiently, as if worried they might try to skip out on the bill.
“How much do you want?”
In the end, the man gave up. After all, this woman was more effective than sleeping pills.
“400,000!”
Rose wasn’t being unreasonable; the fee was exactly what the original owner charged.
The man’s mouth twitched, instantly feeling like “boss” had become cheap as hell. Damn it, 400,000 wasn’t RMB—it was Vietnamese dong! Converted to RMB, it was only about a hundred bucks!
He generously handed over 4 million dong, afraid that Rose might give him change, and quickly waved his hand: “Keep the rest as your tip.”
“Thanks! If you or your buddies need anything in the future, just call me. I take all kinds of jobs, spicy or mild. Regulars get discounts—here’s my card.”
Rose deliberately counted the bills in front of him, verified they were real, kissed them against her lips, then familiarly pulled out her homemade “business card” and handed it over. She blew kisses to the crowd, swayed her hips, and left.
The subordinates: “…”