“Hmph, I’ll stay wherever I want, what does it have to do with you?” The young woman huffed loudly, turning to head towards the hotel within the scenic area. Perhaps because of her forceful stride, she suddenly misstepped and tumbled onto the street with a thud.
“Ah!” A cry of agony escaped her as she clutched at her ankle through the face mask, clearly in pain from a twisted ankle.
Xiao Shun, maintaining an indifferent expression, walked past the girl without stopping. Just as he had taken a few steps, a sharp voice called from behind him.
“Stop right there!” Frowning slightly, Xiao Shun stopped but didn’t turn around. “What is it?”
“You jerk, didn’t you see I hurt my foot? Do you really not care about what happened last night?” The accusatory tone from behind him gradually turned into a sob.
Shrugging, Xiao Shun replied helplessly, “Just now you told me not to meddle… Now you’re upset that I’m not?”
Suddenly, a whoosh sounded from behind, and a snowball hit him squarely in the back-a sneak attack he could have easily dodged any other time. But this time, Xiao Shun chose not to avoid it, perhaps feeling a bit guilty.
The woman bit her lip in frustration, cursing the unresponsive Xiao Shun. “You bastard, scoundrel! Go away, don’t bother with me. Even if I die here, it’s none of your business, Cao Wanqing!”
Crying, Cao Wanqing’s tears flowed freely. Xiao Shun sighed and finally turned around, walking slowly towards her as she wept like a pear blossom bathed in rain.
“Let me look.” He crouched beside her and reached for her ankle.
“Don’t touch me!” Reacting with the pride of a spoiled young lady, Cao Wanqing slapped his hand away and struggled to stand, her body trembling slightly from the pain.
Nevertheless, she clenched her teeth and didn’t make a sound, gasping heavily as she limped towards the nearby hotel with her suitcase. What a stubborn woman!
Muttering internally, Xiao Shun quickly stepped forward, took the suitcase from her hands, but did not offer his arm for support.
“Give it back to me. Stop pretending to care!” Cao Wanqing was still furious, tears in her eyes as she tried to snatch her suitcase back, unwilling to accept Xiao Shun’s help.
Seeing this, Xiao Shun quickly steadied her, still balancing on one foot and looking fierce. “Let’s go back.”
“I’m not going back!” she retorted.
“There are too many prying eyes here. If you stay, your identity might get exposed, besides…” Xiao Shun was interrupted as Cao Wanqing’s phone suddenly rang.
He paused, gesturing for her to take the call. She glared at him, annoyance softening slightly due to his earlier show of concern.
She took the phone from her pocket and answered the unknown number. Moments later, she hung up, her face ashen.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao Shun asked, puzzled by her expression.
“It’s been discovered!” Cao Wanqing blurted out, not making much sense.
“What has been discovered?” Xiao Shun was confused.
“It’s all your fault!” Cao Wanqing pounded on his chest, growing angrier as she spoke. “Do you know how important a scandal is for a popular star?”
How would I know? Xiao Shun thought helplessly, sensing the gravity of the situation. “Was last night’s incident discovered?”
Cao Wanqing glared at him. “The entertainment editor from Eastbrook Newspaper just called. He wants me to meet him tonight to discuss a deal!”
“They want to blackmail you?” Xiao Shun’s eyebrows knitted.
“If only it could be settled with money,” Cao Wanqing said irritably. “But clearly, his intentions aren’t so simple, or he would have named his price already.”
Indeed, if the editor were merely after money, he would have stated his demands over the phone, as is common with celebrity scandals. But he merely asked Cao Wanqing to meet at the Emperor Hotel tonight, nothing more.
Realizing the oddity of the situation, Xiao Shun looked at Cao Wanqing calmly. “Let’s go back first. I’ll accompany you tonight.”
By now, Cao Wanqing’s anger had mostly dissipated. Seeing his conciliatory stance, she nodded.
Xiao Shun then took the suitcase in one hand and supported Cao Wanqing with the other as they walked out of the tourist area. After a while, she was sweating profusely, mostly from pain.
Xiao Shun shook his head, stepped in front of her, and crouched down. “Come on, I’ll carry you.”
Looking at his broad back, Cao Wanqing’s eyes shimmered, her cheeks flushed under the mask-a blush hidden from view.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally bit her lip and leaned onto Xiao Shun’s back.
Carrying the lightweight Cao Wanqing, Xiao Shun walked easily down the street, hailed a taxi, and directed it towards the Lijing Hotel. The ride was silent, filled with a subtle tension.
Perhaps due to the intimate moments just shared, Cao Wanqing’s cheeks remained flushed throughout the ride. Xiao Shun, on the other hand, maintained a nonchalant demeanor, seemingly unaffected by any potential awkwardness.
Back in the suite, Hu Bugui was sitting on the sofa with a distressed look. Upon seeing Xiao Shun return, he quickly said, “Mr. Xiao, about Miss Cao earlier…”
Before he could finish, Cao Wanqing, fully prepared with her luggage, appeared from behind Xiao Shun. Hu Bugui’s gloom instantly turned to enthusiasm, “Miss Cao, you’re back!”
He vividly remembered her resolute expression when she left the hotel earlier. But it seemed Mr. Xiao’s intervention had successfully brought back his idol.
With this thought, Hu Bugui’s gaze towards Xiao Shun was filled with intrigue.
Xiao Shun ignored the suggestive look in Hu Bugui’s eyes and continued into the living room with the suitcase. After looking around, he asked, “Where’s Mr. Ning?”