Su Xi had done two utterly absurd things in her life.
The first was back in kindergarten, when she dressed the young master from the neighboring family—their longtime family friends—up like a baby doll. From that day on, she gained an archrival for life.
The second thing happened eighteen years later, today.
She slept with that very same archrival.
Early morning.
A slender, jade-white hand peeked out from beneath the covers. As the silk quilt slid down, it revealed an impeccably fair, alluring body.
Her phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.
Su Xi’s beautiful eyes swept across the screen, and the three trending topics popping up made her mind short-circuit for a moment.
#Su Xi Loses Control After Drinking, Forcibly Kisses Someone in Public#
#Su Xi Stops at Nothing to Win, Throws Herself at Wealthy Heir#
#Su Xi Ventures Farther Down the Path of Notoriety!#
Wait.
What happened last night?
She had been invited to a business event when she suddenly received a text message telling her to go to Room 1801 at the Haisheng Hotel. When she arrived, she caught her archrival flirting with another woman right by the door.
Emboldened by alcohol, she decided to stir up trouble. She linked her arm through his, called him “darling,” and tackled him onto the bed in front of everyone.
He resisted, but she held his head down and kissed him forcefully.
Before she knew it, things escalated out of control, and she ended up bedding him right then and there!
“Looks like you still remember.”
A deep, magnetic male voice sounded right beside her ear, sending a violent shiver down Su Xi’s spine.
She looked up, met immediately by a man’s face leaning close above her.
He wasn’t called the capital circle’s most notorious playboy for nothing.
Even from such an unflattering angle, he remained breathtakingly handsome, almost ethereal.
Zhou Jingming straightened up. His upper body was bare, with a bath towel wrapped loosely around his waist. He must have just showered; droplets of water still trickled from his hair, sliding past his alluring Adam’s apple, gliding over his sculpted chest, and finally running down his defined abs before disappearing beneath the towel.
As the sight of him moved away, Su Xi finally gathered her wits. She smiled languidly. “Having slept with the Eldest Young Master Zhou, wouldn’t it be my loss if I didn’t remember?”
As she spoke, she scooped her clothes up from the floor and walked calmly into the bathroom to clean up.
There wasn’t the slightest hint of embarrassment about her naked state.
Seeing that she didn’t get flustered, Zhou Jingming let out an amused click of his tongue.
Once she had freshened up, Su Xi stepped out of the bathroom only to find the bastard lounging on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.
His long legs were crossed elegantly, and one arm rested lazily along the sofa’s back. He looked relaxed, exuding an air of roguish charm.
With such a handsome man before her, and the explosive trending topics still fresh in her mind, a daring thought suddenly struck Su Xi.
“We’ve already slept together, Eldest Young Master Zhou. Why not take some responsibility?”
Su Xi blinked at him, exuding effortless seduction.
As long as they got married, everything between her and Zhou Jingming would be legitimate.
Getting a hotel room together? That would just be a couple spicing things up.
The public outcry would naturally die down.
Good grief!
She was a genius to have come up with this!
Zhou Jingming tapped a cigarette out of his pack, held it loosely between his lips, and flicked a lighter. “Trying to use me to clear your name?”
Su Xi paused. Could this man read minds?
He had seen through her that quickly?
Dropping the act, she sashayed over and sat directly on his lap, looping an arm around his neck. “Don’t make it sound so crass. We’re simply helping each other out.”
Zhou Jingming raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Elaborate.”
He blew out a puff of smoke. The curling white haze veiled his handsome features, accentuating his sharp, chiseled contours and highlighting an intriguing touch of wildness.
Su Xi’s fair hand rested on his chest, trailing across his muscles at will. “Even if we didn’t grow up wearing the same diapers, we’ve still known each other since our playground-fight days. Your mother pesters you to get married every single day, arranging blind dates for you left and right. Aren’t you sick of it?!”
“Mm. It is quite annoying.”
Zhou Jingming’s eyes darkened as he caught her restless hand.
Su Xi scratched his palm teasingly, her intent blatant. “If you marry me, won’t you get some peace and quiet? Besides… weren’t we pretty compatible in bed last night?!”
Zhou Jingming cocked an eyebrow and nodded mockingly. “That makes sense. But it’s not enough to convince me to marry you.”
“Then what does Young Master Zhou want?”
Su Xi leaned in, her voice dripping with allure, pressing half her body against his.
Suddenly, her body lifted off the ground, and Zhou Jingming pinned her against the sofa. “You could try begging me.”
“How do you want me to beg? Is a kiss enough?” Su Xi took the cigarette from his mouth, leaned in close, and pecked his lips.
Her eyes shimmered with intoxicating charm; calling her a vixen wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
Zhou Jingming gave a meaningful smile. Just as she pulled back, he pinched her chin and forcefully deepened the kiss.
He kissed her passionately, nibbling at her lips with wild abandon, slowly exhaling the remaining smoke straight down her throat.
The pungent sting made Su Xi’s face fall. Her lungs burned with discomfort, and she shoved him away.
Clutching her chest, she broke into a violent coughing fit!
That bastard.
Playing dirty with her?
From coughing so hard, Su Xi’s eyes welled with tears, and a flush spread across her face. Looking both pure and seductive, she appeared utterly pitiable.
“Young Master Zhou~”
Zhou Jingming let out a roguish chuckle. “Xi’er, that trick doesn’t work on me.”
“Don’t force me to bring out my ultimate weapon!” Su Xi looked at the languid, rakish man, suddenly flashing an ambiguous smile.
Tapping on her phone, she held the screen right in front of his face. “Take a look, Young Master Zhou. Whose little princess is this? With someone so pretty, shouldn’t I post it for everyone to—!”
Zhou Jingming glanced at the photo from the corner of his eye, the smile on his lips deepening. Just as Su Xi was congratulating herself on finding his weak spot, her wrists were pinned above her head.
A sweltering, fiery kiss consumed her once more.
“Xi’er, you’re getting bolder and bolder. It seems last night’s lesson wasn’t enough.”
His magnetic voice was intoxicating. The clothes Su Xi had just put on were pulled off and tossed to the floor.
Damn it!
All that dressing up for nothing!
“We can get married,” the man whispered playfully in the throes of passion, “but it’s purely physical—no feelings involved.”
…
An hour later.
In front of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Su Xi took a photo of their marriage certificate and posted it online.
The picture was reposted rapidly, and the news of their marriage swiftly drowned out the negative press, shooting straight to the top of the trending topics.
Her phone rang.
Su Xi glanced at the caller ID and swiped to answer.
“Boss, latest intel: Mr. Jiu of Anjue Group will be showing up at Lanmei today. Get here ASAP.”
Su Xi’s eyes turned cold.
Anjue Group, Mr. Jiu.
That man was her nemesis. The two had been clashing in the shadows for years, neither gaining the upper hand, and to this day, Su Xi still had no idea what he looked like.
If she could uncover his true face this time, would she still have to fear dealing with Anjue Group in the future?
“I’ll go meet Mr. Jiu. You go find Su Rou. That woman had the nerve to set me up behind my back—I won’t let her off easy.”
The person who lured her to that hotel room last night was none other than her dear elder sister, Su Rou.
She had indeed had some alcohol, but she wasn’t so starved for affection that she would jump Zhou Jingming like that. There was only one explanation.
She had been drugged!
Hanging up, Su Xi took a few steps toward her car and opened the door to get in.
As the window rolled down slowly, she looked with a gentle smile at the man who had also just finished a phone call. “Young Master Zhou, I have something to take care of, so I’ll be heading out first. See you later.”
Zhou Jingming waved at her and got into his own car after she drove away.
His call was still connected. Dropping his carefree, roguish demeanor, his tone turned icy. “Guard every corner of Lanmei. This time, I won’t let the Master of Qianmeng Pavilion escape, even if they have wings!”