Volume One, Chapter Ninety-Nine: Don’t Pinch

After seeing Xie Liuzheng drink the drugged wine, Lu Rongrong left the bar with a cold laugh.

She knocked on the door of the presidential suite.

The one who opened it was Fu Linhan, wearing only a bathrobe. He had just finished drying his hair and looked youthful, almost boyishly so.

“Well, well. Miss Lu, not sleeping at this hour and coming to knock on our door instead?”

Now that Lu Rongrong knew Fu Linhan and Gu Yuandong were putting on an act in front of her, she no longer felt as hostile toward Fu Linhan.

She curved her lips into a brilliant smile. “This is my date with Yuandong, of course I’m here to see him.”

Fu Linhan lifted a brow, a flirtatious smile appearing on his face. “Sorry, he’s still in the shower. Why don’t you come back tomorrow?”

The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Smiling, Lu Rongrong walked in without waiting for an invitation and sat down on the sofa. “I’ll wait for him to finish.”

Fu Linhan: “...”

Lu Rongrong showed no embarrassment at all for imposing on someone. On the contrary, she kept smiling, and she even helped herself very impolitely to the fruit already cut on the table.

“Come sit, Young Master Fu. We can wait for Yuandong together.”

Fu Linhan clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth, truly never expecting the precious young lady raised by the Lu family to be so rude.

So much for the talk about graduating from a prestigious university and being accomplished in everything from the classics to the arts.

He curled his lips in a smile that did not reach his eyes. “Miss Lu, you know very well that even if you marry Dongzi, he still won’t love you. A marriage without love is like a tomb. Are you really that eager to walk into one?”

Lu Rongrong shrugged. “Love is a mysterious thing. Him not loving me now doesn’t mean he won’t fall for me someday.”

She fixed her gaze on Fu Linhan and did not miss the slightest change in his expression. “Young Master Fu, since you come from a wealthy family, you must understand. For people like us, love isn’t a necessity in life. Lasting benefits and a stable marriage are.”

Clap, clap, clap.

Fu Linhan applauded her words.

“Miss Lu, you really are opening my eyes. So you’re saying you can accept your husband loving me, and still bear him children?”

“What’s so hard about that?”

“Heh. As expected of someone educated abroad. That kind of breadth of mind and advanced thinking is truly hard to agree with.”

With that, he turned toward the bathroom. “Since Miss Lu enjoys waiting so much, then wait as slowly as you like. It’s a long night, and I don’t want to waste such fine time.”

Lu Rongrong was now certain that Gu Yuandong and Fu Linhan were acting in front of her. No matter what Fu Linhan said or did, she would not doubt them again.

As long as Gu Yuandong did not go to save Xie Liuzheng, and the news that Xie Liuzheng had been violated broke first thing tomorrow morning—

Xie Liuzheng would be finished.

And so would she and Gu Yuandong.

The bathroom door was not locked.

The moment Fu Linhan rushed in, Bai Yinian frowned and quickly grabbed a towel from the side to wrap around his lower body.

Fu Linhan had been worried sick about Pei Jingmo, but when he saw that move, he immediately became unhappy.

“What’s with you? It’s not like we haven’t seen each other before. You’re guarding against me like I’m a thief. We even used to compare who could pee farther when we were kids!”

“...Who’s here?”

Bai Yinian reached out to turn off the water, but Fu Linhan lunged over and pressed his hand down. “Don’t turn it off. It’s Lu Rongrong.”

Steam drifted between the two of them, coloring Fu Linhan’s face red.

He was a little shorter than Bai Yinian. Bai Yinian lowered his head and looked at the handsome nape of his neck, his eyes flickering slightly, then quickly withdrew his hand. “What is she doing here?”

Fu Linhan rolled his eyes with exasperation. “What else? Nighttime is the best time for flirting. How could she possibly miss such a perfect opportunity?”

“Damn. I need to send Jingmo a message. He didn’t wear his mask when he went out. If he comes back and runs into Lu Rongrong, that’ll be bad.”

Fu Linhan immediately sent Pei Jingmo a message on WeChat.

After sending it, he realized a problem.

If Lu Rongrong refused to leave, there was no way he and Xiao Bai could stay in the bathroom forever, right?

Thinking of something, Fu Linhan’s eyes lit up. He leaned toward Bai Yinian. “Xiao Bai, can you make those noises?”

Bai Yinian’s expression froze. His face darkened. “What did you say?”

“I’ve been playing a couple all day with Jingmo. Tell me, what can a couple do in the bathroom? We need Lu Rongrong to hear it—”

The way Bai Yinian looked at Fu Linhan was as if he were staring at an idiot. “You do it yourself!”

“If I do it alone, she still won’t believe it! How about this: I’ll be louder, and you just hum a little.”

“...”

“I know you don’t want to. You think I do? But isn’t this for Jingmo’s happiness? Besides, I’m making a huge sacrifice this time. When we get back, I’m definitely going to fleece him properly.”

Then Fu Linhan glanced at Bai Yinian. “I’m starting now!”

Bai Yinian’s face had turned completely dark.

“Darling, be gentler. You’re going to make me hurt. How am I supposed to show my face outside later?”

“Don’t pinch my waist. If you pinch it bruised, I’ll have to use my tiny fists to pound your chest~”

“Honey, you’re so big~”

Seeing Bai Yinian standing there with a blank expression, Fu Linhan nudged him with his arm. “Say something!”

Bai Yinian rubbed his forehead, then helplessly let out a single low “hmm.”

“Hahaha—”

Fu Linhan could not help laughing when he saw how he looked, like a man driven to the wall. “Husband, you’re amazing!”

Bai Yinian stiffened, his fists clenching tightly.

Twelve o’clock had passed.

Not only had Xie Liuzheng not come back, there was not even a WeChat message.

There was no way she could have gone this long without checking her phone, right?

Song Qingyu no longer cared whether she was disturbing anyone or not. She immediately called Xie Liuzheng.

But after several calls, no one answered.

Something was wrong.

Song Qingyu stood up at once, put on her coat, and rushed to the bar.

Xie Liuzheng was not there.

She took out a photo of Xie Liuzheng and asked a staff member. The staff member said, “She did come here, but she left two hours ago.”

Two hours ago?

Song Qingyu grew even more panicked. Knowing Qingzhen’s personality, if she had not met someone she could talk to, she would definitely have returned to her room.

Even if she had met someone she liked, she would never have gone off to get a room with them immediately. At the very least, she would have said something to her.

Realizing that something had happened to Xie Liuzheng, Song Qingyu’s first instinct was to find Pei Jingmo.

By the time Pei Jingmo arrived, Song Qingyu was still arguing with the hotel security. She wanted to see the surveillance footage, but not just anyone could view it.

“Qingqing—”

Seeing that Song Qingyu had come out wearing only the hotel slippers, Pei Jingmo frowned and pulled her over to a chair. “Calm down first.”

Song Qingyu, completely at a loss, clutched Pei Jingmo’s arm. Her face was alarmingly pale. “Something may have happened to Qingzhen. I can’t calm down.”

She was nearly in tears. “What do I do? They won’t let me see the surveillance.”

Snow was falling heavily. She had no socks on, only a single slipper, and cold feet could easily lead to a chill.

Pei Jingmo took off his own shoes and put them on Song Qingyu.

Song Qingyu was entirely focused on Xie Liuzheng and did not notice his actions at all.

“Yes! Mr. Gu is so capable. He’ll definitely be able to check the surveillance and find Qingzhen. I... I’ll call him right now.”