4 – Stubborn
“The fifty million inside is a small token of my appreciation…” Considered a form of compensation for her.
For what Alison had done, and for what happened that night.
Unexpectedly, Qin Zhiluo suddenly perked up.
“You’re agreeing to this?”
She didn’t care—whatever he personally gave her, rounding it up, it counted as a love token!!
She took it with a grin.
“Then let me stamp you with my seal—you’re mine… oh no, I mean, I’m yours now.”
Unable to contain the excitement bubbling inside her, Qin Zhiluo pounced on him and planted a “smooch” on his cheek.
She was beaming like a sunflower.
Zhuang Hezhi’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared hesitantly at the girl who only reached his chest.
She seemed to have misunderstood his meaning…
But those eyes of hers, clear as obsidian—deep, gentle, and flawless—stirred something in his heart.
Her warm, comforting sweet fragrance filled his nostrils.
He didn’t really want a girlfriend, to be honest. They were clingy, prone to jealousy, and either too needy or too shrewd—trouble.
Plenty of people had pursued him over the years, and his family had arranged numerous blind dates.
But none of them had escaped his aversion, let alone made him comfortable with intimate physical contact.
Yet she… seemed rather interesting.
Zhuang Hezhi’s lack of refusal was, in Qin Zhiluo’s eyes, tacit acceptance.
“Boss Zhuang, we haven’t exchanged contact info yet.” Qin Zhiluo was in high spirits, deliberately using that title—it had an indescribably rustic ring to it.
Zhuang Hezhi frowned in displeasure. “Change the way you address me.”
“Give me your WeChat first~”
“Fine.” Zhuang Hezhi took her phone and leisurely typed in his contact information.
He didn’t actually use social media apps much.
But since she wanted it, he’d inexplicably given it to her.
His profile picture was an adult Blue Bay Shepherd with a well-defined hand resting on it, looking quite formidable.
His WeChat name was simply his own name—Zhuang Hezhi.
Qin Zhiluo thought for a moment. “Then what should I call you? Sugar daddy?”
The last two words curled upward in a teasing lilt.
Zhuang Hezhi’s expression stiffened slightly. He leaned close to her ear, his tone carrying a dangerous warning: “Try saying that again?”
Qin Zhiluo’s feet, already uncomfortable in her high heels, gave way slightly—she nearly stumbled.
Zhuang Hezhi’s large hand swept out, steadying her with ease.
The casual contact effortlessly evoked his fond memories of that night.
Zhuang Hezhi smiled and lifted her up a little. “Scared?”
A little pudding delivered right to his doorstep, with a waist so soft and slender.
Wouldn’t it be a sin not to take a bite?
Besides, he’d never considered himself a gentleman.
Qin Zhiluo suddenly recalled that night.
He had used that same low, lingering voice to whisper life-ruining sweet nothings!!
And then came the tidal wave…
Now, that familiar sensation was washing over her again.
Even though she was the one who had led Zhuang Hezhi in here just moments ago, she hadn’t intended to do anything here!!
People were coming and going outside—there was always the risk of being discovered.
But somehow, that very feeling was intoxicating.
Qin Zhiluo stood before the mirror in the lounge, her hands braced against the vanity table.
Under the cool-toned lighting, she saw her glistening eyes beneath trembling lashes—rippling like water, hazy and dreamy.
She bit her lower lip lightly, her slightly narrowed eyes tilting upward, her flushed cheeks utterly captivating.
She’d recently taken on a blush promotion. The shade was called…
She hadn’t used that blush today, yet the effect was surprisingly good.
“Think carefully—what exactly should you call me?” Zhuang Hezhi embraced her from behind, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his breath warm against her skin.
His entire body was burning hot, and Qin Zhiluo couldn’t help but tense up with nerves.
Her mind was hazy, and at this moment she couldn’t come up with anything appropriate to say.
But Zhuang Hezhi wasn’t about to let her off the hook.
His strong, forceful hands gripped her persistently.
When she remained silent, he urged her on even more insistently.
Qin Zhiluo steeled herself and spoke: “President Zhuang?”
“Brother He?”
“Zhizhi?”
“Not good.” Zhuang Hezhi paused, reminding her: “Think again…”
Qin Zhiluo bit her lower lip, both hands gripping the edge of the vanity table. “Brother, don’t be difficult. Can’t you just decide what you like yourself?”
Her soft, sweet voice, when she acted coy, was absolutely lethal.
“This one works.”
Call him brother!
Zhuang Hezhi praised her a couple of times as a reward.
Qin Zhiluo suddenly stiffened all over, a soft whimper escaping her lips.
Sensing her agitation, Zhuang Hezhi freed a hand.
With patient deliberation, he traced along her spine, upward…
“Be good, relax. It’s not like I’m putting you on the rack.”
Qin Zhiluo’s face flushed crimson.
This was practically more torturous to her state of mind than the rack, wasn’t it?
She urged him impatiently, “Can you just… be a bit more efficient?”
Zhuang Hezhi raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused: “A bit difficult.”
Qin Zhiluo: “…”
Just then, someone tried to open the door from outside.
“Huh, why won’t the door open?”
The person outside tried a few times without success, still persisting.
Qin Zhiluo’s heart was about to leap out of her chest: “What do we do?”
“Don’t be afraid, they can’t get in.”
“If the door won’t open, they’ll definitely find someone to figure it out!” Qin Zhiluo hurriedly tried to push him away, but instead he pressed her tighter against his chest.
One more ounce of closeness, and she feared she’d be melted by his heat.
Zhuang Hezhi warned in a low voice: “Don’t move.”
The people outside seemed to hear a sound from within, fell silent for a moment, then began knocking on the door.
“Whoever’s in there, open the door quickly. We need to come in for touch-ups.”
Qin Zhiluo was so anxious she was nearly in tears: “Think of something, quick!”
The door could be forced open at any moment!
As the venue for Fuli, the staff would definitely have spare keys.
What if someone opened the door and came in…
Looking at her own disheveled state in the mirror, and the man who was still impeccably dressed in his suit with no sign of anything amiss—
Qin Zhiluo felt that if that happened, she’d be the only one dying of embarrassment.
“You little coward.” Seeing her frantic state, Zhuang Hezhi stopped teasing her, pulled out his phone, and gave a brief instruction.
Hurried footsteps soon sounded from outside, and after a brief exchange, everything fell completely silent again.
After they left, Qin Zhiluo’s taut nerves finally relaxed.
After who knew how long, Zhuang Hezhi set her down on the tabletop and bent over to tidy up.
“All that courage, and that’s it?”
Qin Zhiluo wrapped her arms around his neck, steadying her breathing.
“Naturally, I can’t compare to Brother… Zhuang. Wild tastes, plenty of tricks.”
Just as the words were about to leave her lips, she cleverly switched to a different form of address.
Zhuang Hezhi casually tossed the wet wipe in his hand into the trash bin, casting her a meaningful glance.
Qin Zhiluo’s face flushed crimson under his gaze, and she turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
But the distance was too close—she simply couldn’t ignore his presence.
Zhuang Hezhi smiled: “There’s plenty more. I’ll take you through them slowly in the future…”
He leaned close to her ear and softly uttered the final word: “Play!”
Qin Zhiluo’s face, which she had barely managed to calm, flushed crimson once more.
She stubbornly insisted, “Honestly, I found it bland and tasteless. Nothing special.”
Zhuang Hezhi let out a light scoff.
If it weren’t for the vivid stain he’d seen on the bedsheet, her sheer stubbornness alone might have led one to think she was some kind of player.
In reality…
She was just a stubborn little coward.
He fixed his gaze on the red marks left by her high heels on her heels. “Can you walk on your own?”
Qin Zhiluo thought for a moment. “Yes.”
She didn’t want to walk out of there with Zhuang Hezhi—there were so many people outside, and who knew what they’d say.
Standing at the door was Zhang Heng, the assistant Zhuang Hezhi had called over, respectfully waiting in case anything was needed.
The moment he saw him, he immediately said deferentially, “Mr. Zhuang! Are you alright?”
His gaze inadvertently drifted to Qin Zhiluo inside, her face glowing with color.
OMG!
That was the woman he’d been ordered to investigate—the one who’d gone into his room!
No wonder the usually woman-averse Mr. Zhuang had been acting so out of character lately, even showing up in person to a subsidiary event as low-tier as Fuli’s.
So it was all for her!
The young assistant seemed to suddenly understand everything.
Zhuang Hezhi turned sideways, blocking the assistant’s line of sight, his voice low.
“What are you still standing here for?”
Only after hearing Zhuang Hezhi forcefully send the man away did Qin Zhiluo emerge from the lounge.
She’d barely taken two steps when Zhuang Hezhi called out to her.
“Your things are still with me.”
He lit a cigarette lazily.
“If you want them back, Friday at seven, Dihao 808.”
Qin Zhiluo froze for a moment, then instantly understood his meaning.
Damn it! (╬▔皿▔)╯