All the lights in the auditorium instantly went out, plunging the entire space into complete darkness. The crowd became restless, with shouts calling out for companions echoing everywhere.
Shen Jianxi gently pushed past the people beside her, her hands feeling along the tables as she cautiously moved towards the wall.
A large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist in the darkness and pulled her towards a corner. Startled, Shen Jianxi tensed and struggled fiercely. The man's grip was so strong her wrist felt like it was about to shatter.
"Who are you?! Let go of me!" She was sure her question was heard, but he remained silent, dragging her forward.
Shen Jianxi felt the people around her thinning out. She used her other hand to pound at the hand holding her. The next moment, she was roughly pushed against the wall. The bare skin on her back met the cold surface, and she shivered.
Sensing the man drawing closer, his warm breath tickling her face, Shen Jianxi tried to turn her head, but her chin was held captive. Her hands were bound by a tie and pressed above her head, leaving her unable to break free.
A kiss filled with anger descended upon her. She gritted her teeth fiercely, her lips burning from his biting. Sensing her resistance, the hand holding her chin moved to her waist.
A sharp pain in her waist made Shen Jianxi instinctively want to cry out. This gave the man an opening, and his tongue darted in. As if sensing her thoughts, his hand clamped onto her cheeks, foiling her attempt to bite off his tongue.
The host's voice rang out, "Alright! Now, let's start the countdown. When the lights come on, everyone remember to see who is beside you!"
"10—"
"Let go of me!"
"9—"
"Don't let me find out who you are, or I won't let you off!"
"8—"
"7—"
"6—"
"I think you're asking for death!"
"5—"
"4—"
"3—"
"Still not letting go!"
The final three seconds of the countdown were shouted exceptionally loud, completely drowning out Shen Jianxi's voice.
Feeling the tie on her hands being untied, she immediately grabbed the man's hand and bit down hard, only releasing him when she tasted blood in her mouth.
"2—"
"1—"
"Lights on!"
With a click, the auditorium was suddenly illuminated. The man from before had vanished. If it weren't for the faint tie marks on her wrist and her stinging lips, Shen Jianxi might have thought it was all a dream.
Shen Jianxi looked around, her gaze sweeping over everyone. Everyone was paired up, and she was the only one left alone.
She took out a mirror, clearly reflecting her swollen lips.
"Damn it!" She was furious. "77, who was that just now?!"
77 sounded confused by her question, "Host, what are you talking about? Who is who?"
Shen Jianxi: "..." So that's how it is. It seems she already knew who it was.
Understanding everything, Shen Jianxi let out a cold laugh. So it was you, you scumbag, again.
She left the venue, avoiding any familiar faces. Her current state would immediately reveal what she had just gone through. If Ye Chuan Ci saw her, he would surely explode. It was better to leave first.
Turning off her phone, Shen Jianxi hailed a taxi at the school gate. She didn't rush home, telling the driver to take her to her usual park. She felt that if she went back now, she would definitely lose control and beat up Jin Ke.
Walking along the cobblestone path in her heels, the pain only sharpened her senses.
She reached the park's lakeside. The evening breeze brought a slight chill, gradually extinguishing the last embers of her anger.
It was somewhat boring, wasn't it? The mission was completed.
The sound of hurried footsteps approached from behind, and she was pulled into a warm embrace.
"Why are you here? Why was your phone turned off?"
Ye Chuan Ci must have been looking for her for a long time. A drop of sweat trickled down his face and into the hollow of her neck. His breathing was rapid.
"The battery died."
"You scared me. You disappeared suddenly, and I thought something had happened to you." He held the small girl tightly, his fear not lessening at all. Seeing her silhouette by the lake earlier, he had a sudden feeling of being unable to grasp her.
Shen Jianxi leaned against the railing in silence, not replying. A brief silence fell between them.
After a while, he removed his arm from her waist. Shen Jianxi turned to face him, her expression indifferent. Ye Chuan Ci felt a premonition of something bad.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Was your boyfriend so handsome that you suddenly feel even more in love with me, right?"
Shen Jianxi lowered her gaze, remaining silent. Ye Chuan Ci, as if desperate for an answer, gripped her shoulders and bent down to meet her eyes, his voice tinged with desperation, almost cracking, "Right, Xi Xi?"
"Right?"
"Ah, I said the wrong thing. Xi Xi definitely loves me."
"Let's break up."
The words cut off abruptly. The only sounds left were the wind, the water, and the chirping of birds.