Xia Wanzhi choked for a moment, then turned to look at him.
Lu Zhuojin was baffled and stared back at her.
The two locked eyes for two seconds.
Lu Zhuojin’s handsome face suddenly lit up with understanding, his voice low and pleasant: “It wasn’t me who gave it to you, was it?”
Xia Wanzhi obediently and silently nodded, speechless.
Lu Zhuojin smiled: “Sorry, I had my assistant pick out something at random.”
He leaned in close, his voice low and suggestive: “After a night of passion, you’re still wearing it today. Is it because you think I’m good in bed, and seeing it reminds you of me?”
“Are you missing me in certain places too?”
Xia Wanzhi leaned back, trying to distance herself from his scorching breath: “I just thought this one must be quite expensive.”
“Lu Ruiqian said that you rich people judge others by their clothes first…”
Lu Zhuojin wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing close again, his scent slowly enveloping her as he whispered in her ear: “Baby, that’s the conventional way. Now I’ll teach you the unconventional way. The strong set the rules of the game. Establish your own rules and make others follow them.”
“Lu Ruiqian must not have listened to fairy tales when he was little.”
Xia Wanzhi blinked, looking cute and soft, unsure how he had steered the conversation back to fairy tales.
Lu Zhuojin chuckled and pinched her fair cheek: “There’s a story called… ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes.’”
“Even when the emperor wore nothing, people still praised his clothes as beautiful… Why? Because he was the one who set the rules of the game.”
“Whether the clothes are beautiful or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that whether you wear them or not, people have to praise them as beautiful.”
Xia Wanzhi bit her crimson lip: “Then you should just walk down the street naked.”
Lu Zhuojin laughed softly: “My figure isn’t too bad, is it?”
Xia Wanzhi’s mind flashed with an image of Lu Zhuojin’s physique—broad shoulders, narrow waist, and the powerful muscles beneath his clothes, both captivating and wild, like a leopard ready to pounce.
She whispered: “Shameless.”
Lu Zhuojin leaned close to her ear again, his voice slow and deep, like the resonant notes of a cello flowing into her eardrum, tinged with an electric buzz: “No, I’m a proper person~~”
Inside the room, the hushed gossip continued:
“Let’s bet on whether she can marry into the Lu family.”
“Definitely not. She’s pretty, but she has such a petty air about her.”
“Thinking she can marry into a top-tier wealthy family like the Lu family just because of her looks? Beauty depreciates, but money appreciates. Rich people only buy beauty for the short period when it’s most valuable.”
“Lu Ruiqian already has someone more suitable…”
Xia Wanzhi felt a wave of nausea. These people were truly filthy.
She gently clenched her wrist, tightening her grip, and lowered her gaze.
Lu Zhuojin wrapped his arms around her, leaning down like a devil tempting her soul, his voice dark and seductive in her ear: “Baby~~”
“Are you willing to accept this?”
“Aren’t you angry?”
Xia Wanzhi was angry, her fingers tightening slightly.
Lu Zhuojin’s voice was deep and low: “Baby~~ Can you feel it? There’s a fire of anger inside you, bubbling up relentlessly, and you’re trying hard to suppress it. It makes you stifled, furious, helpless.”
“But baby, anger can’t be suppressed…”
Xia Wanzhi was held in his embrace, her ears tingling from his pleasant, low voice. That sense of anger slowly ignited within her.
Lu Zhuojin’s palm gently rubbed the small of her back, warmth rising along her waist:
“Defending yourself is your responsibility to yourself…”
“Begging and pleading for someone to love you? Hoping someone else will protect you?”
“No, my dear. When you don’t love yourself or protect yourself, others will only trample you more, insult you, crush you underfoot, and watch you cry.”
“Do you know, watching you cry…”
“Staining your snow-white skin…”
“Makes people…”
Xia Wanzhi trembled slightly, trying to break free from Lu Zhuojin’s embrace, but she couldn’t escape. He held her firmly in his arms, his arms like reinforced concrete, immovable.
Lu Zhuojin’s lips nibbled at the tip of her ear, carrying a sickly sweet breath as he bit down:
“My dear, if you don’t resist, others will assume you’re enjoying the pleasure of being insulted and humiliated…”
“You have to tell them they can’t treat you this way.”
“My dear, you must fight back, hit them back~~”
Xia Wanzhi struggled but couldn’t move, her eyes reddening: “But, I… I’m not strong…”
Lu Zhuojin whispered in her ear: “You are”
“If you don’t hit back, I’ll go tell Lu Ruiqian right now that you’ve slept with me. And that I really enjoyed it… wanting to do it again and again…”
His lips wandered to her neck, gently biting, his voice low and seductive:
“A good girl like you must have endured a lot of grievances, right?”
“You always understand others, forgive others, yet they keep squeezing your space to exist…”
“Then who cares about your grievances? Who will sympathize with you? Who can see your efforts… They’re actually laughing at you… my dear…”
“Are you willing to accept that?”
“Can you feel that fire inside you that you can’t suppress?”
“That fire keeps moving, trying to burst out. It needs an outlet, and your hand is that outlet! Let that fire guide your hand, carry your anger, and hit back hard! Let them know you’re not to be trifled with~”
Xia Wanzhi felt anger gathering like fire, growing, burning, and raging uncontrollably.
A sense of grievance filled her, bringing a sour bitterness that slowly gathered in her eyes.
She felt angry, wanting to cry, suppressed, and ready to explode.
Why was it always her who had to endure?
Why did she always have to understand others?
Why did she have to be sensible?
Why… was she the one getting hurt?
Lu Zhuojin’s voice was very low and deep: “My dear, remember this feeling. This is called anger.”
His eyes grew colder as he whispered in her ear: “Do you know what it means to make your own rules?”
“My dear, hit back.”
“Set your own rules and make them follow.”
“They all want to see you fall—that’s your reason to stand up.”
“Hit back!”
With that, Lu Zhuojin opened the door and pushed her forcefully.
Xia Wanzhi’s face appeared before the crowd with a “thud” as the door swung open.
Beautiful, with angry flames gathering in her eyes.
The whispering crowd turned to look at Xia Wanzhi, falling silent, stunned.
The crystal chandelier light from inside the room shone on Xia Wanzhi’s face, casting a halo around her figure. Originally sweet and obedient, now her face was slightly flushed with an uncontrollable tremor. Her apricot-pink dress accentuated her snow-white skin, making her look stunningly beautiful.
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on her.
She slowly took two steps forward, stopping in front of Su Duo, who was wearing a green dress and speaking vulgar words. With all her strength, she raised her hand—”Slap~” “Slap~” two loud slashes echoed as she struck Su Duo’s face twice.
Anger poured out through her palm…
A thrilling sensation surged to the top of her head!
Comfortable, smooth!
Exhilarating!
Xia Wanzhi’s face grew burning hot.
Su Duo covered her face, wearing an expression of shock. “You… you… hit me?”
The people around them gaped. “Are you crazy?”
“Is it worth resorting to violence over a few words?”
“What a shrew~”
“Petty people like that can never hold their own anywhere.”
“No wonder she’s wearing a fake dress.”
Fu Tao pointed at her nose. “You, apologize!”
Xia Wanzhi’s face looked pale under the crystal chandelier. She smiled faintly and raised her hand—”Smack!”—slapping Fu Tao hard across the face.