The swaying lights of the KTV and the intoxicating alcohol acted as a subtle catalyst.
Under Han Mo’s assertive yet tender kiss, Bai Xi felt her body heat up. Her normally sharp and formidable mind and body gradually lowered their guard, her thoughts becoming increasingly hazy, eventually dissolving into a state of pure chaos from the intense and scorching kiss.
Han Mo’s fingers, with their distinct knuckles, traced a path down Bai Xi’s collarbone, his voice low and hoarse, "Xi’er, I love you, I want you..."
As he spoke, he slightly lifted his head. The usually gentle and bright gaze in his eyes was now like a wolf that had been lying in wait and had finally spotted its prey.
He looked at Bai Xi, seeking her final consent. But all that responded to him was Bai Xi's steady breathing: "..."
Han Mo's body faltered slightly.
She had actually fallen asleep.
And she was sleeping soundly.
Han Mo raised the hand that was about to venture further, pressed his temples, and wore an expression of amused exasperation. Yet, his eyes were filled with doting affection. "Xi’er, what am I going to do with you."
Han Mo looked at Bai Xi’s face, his expression filled with helplessness. He reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair from her forehead, watching her quietly.
At this moment, Bai Xi was sleeping with utmost tranquility. Her delicate face was flushed from their recent intimacy, and a few faint red marks, left by his loss of control, dotted her neck.
Han Mo tried to calm himself, his fingers lightly tracing the spots where he had left his mark. The intense heat in his eyes gradually softened into tenderness, more so with forbearance and helplessness. He finally let out a soft sigh, "Sleep peacefully, I'm always here, and I always will be."
With that, he slowly stood up, gently picked up the suit jacket that had fallen on the floor, and turned to walk out of the door.
Outside the door, two men in black, form-fitting attire were ready to glimpse the person’s appearance the moment the door opened. But in the end, they only saw Han Mo’s rapidly retreating back.
One of them said, "Judging by his back, he must be a handsome man. But is this handsome man a bit useless, to come out so quickly? And when did he even go in?"
The other replied, "Whether he's useful or not isn't for us to decide; that's for the eldest miss to evaluate. Besides, why are you so nosy? Maybe he was inside from the start! Otherwise, why would the eldest miss let someone escort Miss Lin back alone?"
The first man said, "That's right, you make sense. By the way, did the eldest miss give him money just now? Should we chase after him and settle the payment?"
The other man, his gaze steady and expression neutral, said, "She probably did, or he wouldn't have left like this, would he?"
The next morning, Bai Xi woke up in the KTV private room.
She felt a throbbing in her head, as if it had been caught in a door, but she had slept surprisingly soundly.
Thinking this, she walked towards the private room's designated restroom, wanting to wash her face to clear her head and appear more alert.
As the cool water splashed onto her face, her mind instantly became clearer. Casually picking up a disposable facial towel to dry her face, she froze upon seeing her reflection in the mirror: "..."
What, what, what is this.
In the mirror, her lips were slightly swollen, and there were scattered red marks on her neck. Even though she had never been in a relationship before, she knew what these marks signified.
Her gaze darkened, and she tried her best to calm down, recalling what had happened last night.
After thinking for a while, she finally remembered a few fleeting fragments. In her memory, she had spent a night with a man who looked like Han Mo, but bore the scars of the man who had saved her previously.
At the time, she had thought it was a dream, a release of her physiological and psychological needs. But she hadn't expected that she had actually... Wait, her mind was so confused now that she couldn't even be sure if the other person was a man or a flat-chested girl, especially since she could feel that they hadn't gone all the way.
Thinking this, she pulled up her collar to hide the ambiguous marks and then walked to the door.
As the door opened, the two men in black, form-fitting attire had dutifully stood guard all night.
Bai Xi’s expression remained composed, "Last night..."
The two men in black stiffened: "Divine Bai is mighty! We definitely won't talk about what happened last night."
Even though Bai Xi, having trained in the secret service for years, had mastered the ability to keep her emotions in check, upon hearing their words, she felt her facial expression was about to crack.
What should she say now?
Should she blame them for letting someone in?
But she clearly remembered that these two had barged in, and she was the one who had told them to get lost.
Moreover, these two were calling her mighty; could she back down?
"Was that man last night good-looking?"
As soon as she said it, she felt like slapping herself twice. Her words sounded exactly like a hideous old lecher, bragging to his subordinates about having occupied a respectable woman.
And it was obvious that these two had no idea who it was.
One of them said, "He looked alright, from what we could vaguely see. It's just that his stamina was too poor. The quality of the KTV escorts is really bad."
The other said, "Divine Bai, next time you want someone, just tell us directly. We can help you choose someone good in all aspects. We can also clean them up, inspect them thoroughly, and then deliver them to your bed."
Bai Xi's facade of composure finally shattered completely. She could only turn her back to her two subordinates and say, "We'll see. Remember to give the person who provided service here yesterday ten times the fee for accompanying the drinks..."
With that, she left immediately.
Since the man had fled himself, she didn't want to know who he was anymore. Anyway, since the final step hadn't happened, she shouldn't be responsible for that man, right? A little compensation would suffice.
Bai Xi immediately rushed to the hotel to pick up Lin Xin.
When Bai Xi arrived, Lin Xin was still asleep.
Hearing someone enter, she stirred groggily, rubbed her eyes, and after clearly seeing the person in front of her, yawned and said, "Cousin, you're here."
Bai Xi acknowledged her, saying faintly, "Mm, tidy yourself up, we need to go back."
Lin Xin nodded and was about to get up to wash when she caught sight of Bai Xi, her eyes widening, "C-cousin, your neck... are you planning to go back like this?"
Bai Xi frowned. Hadn't she already covered it with her collar? How could it still be visible?
Turning her head, she saw her reflection in the hotel's large mirror. Her loose hoodie indeed couldn't quite hide the bright "strawberry" at the very top.