Lin Zhou stumbled out of the elevator, the suitcase she was dragging serving as a makeshift balance. She exhaled sharply. Xie Wei was really unreliable, she had even sent someone into the elevator to press the floor button, only to abandon Lin Zhou mid-ride because of a phone call.
Luckily, Lin Zhou knew the Hefeng Terry Hotel well. Room 3868 was at the far end of the floor, one of the two suites with the best view.
Reaching the door, she stared at the wobbling numbers, squinting until she could barely confirm the correct room. She swiped the key card, and the lock beeped. She pressed down, but the door wouldn’t open.
Feeling dizzy, she leaned against the door, pressing harder, but it wouldn’t budge. She slurred, “Are you even bullying me now?”
There was no way a luxury suite at the Hefeng Terry Hotel would fail to open. It could only mean her luck was incredibly bad, hitting the one in a hundred thousand chance.
Her mood darkened further. She deliberately acted drunk, pounding on the door and muttering, “If you don’t open, tomorrow I’ll have someone disassemble you and toss you in the recycling, piece by piece!”
Surprisingly, it worked. The door seemed to obey her, opening just as she stumbled forward. She expected to land on the carpet, but instead fell into a strong embrace.
The hands on her waist pressed gently, and only then did she lift her blurry eyes. The man before her was handsome, wearing a white robe, hair wet and drooping, brows furrowed, and looking at her with mild annoyance.
She frowned. Not amused, she poked his brow. “You look so grim, not at all cute.” Xie Wei had really sent that model into her room—no wonder he had ducked away so quickly.
Gu Minxuan tilted his head, a hint of disdain. “Top student from B University?” Did a drunk walk into the wrong room?
Lin Zhou nodded slowly. “Graduated from B University, finance graduate, top student, I suppose?” Usually composed and distant, she carried an aura that froze subordinates. Drunk and disheveled, however, she exuded a peculiar charm. Her 300-degree myopia made her squint when not wearing glasses, and in her drunken haze, her watery eyes were strangely attractive.
Gu Minxuan smiled slightly. He had never seen a woman deliberately drink herself under before. Unlike previous companions, timid or deliberately seductive, her clumsy drunkenness felt refreshingly novel.
He gripped her waist and dragged her into the room. As he closed the door, he pinned her against the wall. The suitcase came along, and Lin Zhou’s hand slipped, dropping it onto the carpet. She stared blankly, then raised her sleepy eyes to Gu Minxuan. “You’re too rough, I don’t like this kind of younger man.”
Role-playing? Gu Minxuan had little patience. He preferred swift action. One hand on her waist, the other on her chin, he said, “Compared to ‘younger brother,’ I prefer you call me ‘older brother,’” then leaned down to capture her lips.
Lin Zhou reacted slowly. When his warm lips touched hers, it took three seconds for her to realize she was being kissed. Acting on instinct, she grabbed his shoulders and used the wall to flip him over. Gu Minxuan hit the floor, slightly stunned.
He hadn’t expected the drunk woman to have such strength. He also hadn’t imagined that a sober Lin Zhou would likely have broken his arm rather than just throw him to the ground.
Gu Minxuan’s eyes flashed with mild anger. Nearsighted Lin Zhou couldn’t see his expression without her lenses. She raised her chin proudly. “I’m not that easy to bully.”
She reached forward, attempting to pull the B University graduate up. Gu Minxuan didn’t cooperate, using her own hands to pull her down, and she fell back into his arms.
He flipped her deftly. The previously proud Lin Zhou was now pinned beneath him. Learning from the earlier struggle, Gu Minxuan pressed her wrists above her head, leaving no chance for resistance.
He leaned in, biting her earlobe gently. “You’re quick and agile. I like it, and I’d be pleased to have your company for the days ahead.”
The warm breath and magnetic voice sent shivers through her body, leaving her confused by the unfamiliar sensations.
This was why long-term relationships often experienced the seven-year itch. New, unfamiliar excitement triggered dopamine, causing the body to act against moral constraints, leading some to betray their partners. Was this what Lawyer Cheng sought, novelty and thrill?
Thinking of Chengdu with that other woman, her chest tightened painfully, making her reluctant to resist further.
The lips on her neck could not heal the wounds in her heart.
The pain was suffocating. She needed medicine to calm herself, breathing deeply. Gu Minxuan, misinterpreting her breaths as arousal, kissed her more deliberately.
Their lips entwined, the drunken warmth dulling her pain. She clung to Gu Minxuan’s shoulders like a lifeline.
Biological clocks are merciless. Without an alarm, Lin Zhou woke at six.
Sore all over, she frowned. Sitting up, the blanket slipped, revealing her bare skin to the cool air. She hastily pulled the blanket up and glanced to the side. The unfamiliar man lay beside her in a similar state, his strong shoulder outside the blanket. She had disturbed his sleep, and he frowned.
The events of the previous night were hazy, but fragments returned. His firm body, warm and strong hands—just recalling them made her blush.
Rubbing her temples, she wondered if she had lost her mind. How had she ended up with Xie Wei’s model?
Carefully getting out of bed, sore in the waist and back, her body protested the previous night’s intensity.
She gathered her clothes along the way, from bedroom to living room, a chaotic trail.
The suitcase lay alone by the door. She quickly pulled out a fresh set of clothes and dressed.
She had no intention of pursuing a new relationship. What happened last night was an accident. She didn’t want any lingering complications.
Still, she had acted impulsively.
Before fleeing, she left the 5,000 yuan cash in her wallet on the man’s bedside. The message was clear: she had paid for one night, nothing more.