While Yan was thinking, a figure squeezed in beside her and looked at her with a beguiling smile. “Yan, you now understand, don’t you?”
Lin Qin’er? Yan stared at her, narrowing her eyes threateningly. This woman is truly shameless. Even after all I’ve said in the afternoon, she still dares to come up to me? Is she trying to give me a target to practice my tongue-lashing skills? When this thought crossed her mind, Yan snorted without answering her.
“Your husband’s allure is infinite, so he isn’t someone a young girl like you can handle.”
Upon hearing that, Yan languidly cast her a sidelong glance, her tone colored with a hint of mockery. “You mean, he’s someone whom a shameless, married woman like you can handle?”
These words had a sting to them, and while Lin Qin’er had already braced herself mentally, she was unexpectedly still angered. However, she swiftly suppressed her ire and gazed at Yan, commenting smilingly, “I didn’t say that. After all, among the women here who asked you so many questions, a lot of them are married.”
Is she trying to shift my attention onto some other woman? Yan smiled coldly. Does she think I’m an idiot? “They’re merely asking out of curiosity, so it’s very much different from your sordid thoughts.”
Lin Qin’er was struck dumb. It seems that I’ve underestimated her!
“Didn’t I tell you not to play tricks again? It seems that you haven’t given up yet.”
Upon glimpsing the look in Yan’s eyes, Lin Qin’er was startled slightly, and she then explained, “Yan, that’s not what I meant at all. I’m just trying to tell you that I’m the same as them, driven by mere curiosity. I don’t harbor any sordid thoughts. I’ve come over here to apologize to you so sincerely, yet you’re still unwilling to believe me?”
Believe you? Yan stared at the woman in front of her who deliberately feigned an expression of extraordinary sincerity when she spoke, but the smugness and derision in her eyes couldn’t be concealed. She pursed her lips. “Honestly speaking, if the incident that day were to transpire once more, I’d probably still choose to save you. However, I likely wouldn’t take you back to the hotel. Rather, I’d hand you over to the police right away.”
When Lin Qin’er heard the word ‘police’, she unconsciously cringed.
“Similarly, I didn’t hand you over to the police back then, but if I need to do so now, it’s not that difficult. Do you understand my meaning?” After Yan had said that, she took out her cell phone and waved it before Lin Qin’er, whose expression was ghastly. Upon seeing that all the color had drained from her lips, Yan’s lips quirked with a faint smile, and she remarked, “Of course, if I want to hand you over to the police, I still need to go to the trouble of calling them, while I merely want to enjoy myself now. But if you ruin my mood and make trouble for me, likewise, I’ll also make your life a living hell.”
“Yan, I—”
“If you don’t believe me, then just try me.” After saying that, Yan picked up her glass of fruit juice before she whirled around and left, no longer bothered about her.
Lin Qin’er stood stock-still, her hands clenched into fists in fury.
Halfway through the party, Yan felt rather tired, so she decided to go back and rest. She sought out Han Qing and told him about her plans. “Since you’re tired, let’s go back.” As for Han Qing, he wouldn’t have attended this party under normal circumstances. Even now, as Yan was attending the party, he was watching his young lady have fun from afar while he himself sipped some wine without joining in. Very quickly, she grew tired and ran back to him, so he naturally took her back to the hotel.
When they were about to reach the hotel, Han Qing suddenly noticed something amiss with his body. Frowning slightly, he glanced at Yan beside him. She was holding onto his arm and leaning against him, her body cool and chilly like water. Has she caught a cold from the breeze, or is it my problem? As this thought came to him, he stretched out a hand and placed it on her forehead.
Surprised by his sudden gesture, Yan stopped short. “What’s wrong?” She blinked, her long eyelashes spreading out like a fan as she gazed at him naively and innocently.
Her skin was fair, and her clear face grew increasingly alluring against the backdrop of the lights. Han Qing averted his eyes as his throat grew parched. “Why are you so cold? Were you in the breeze for too long?”
“Huh? Am I cold?” Yan extended a hand and touched her own forehead before saying subconsciously, “It feels about the same as usual, but the night breeze is rather strong, so perhaps I’m really cold from it. Later, I’ll just take a hot shower back in the room, and I’ll be fine. I’m so tired.” After saying that, she took his arm again, leaning entirely against him. Actually, she wanted to say, I’m so tired. Would you give me a piggyback ride? However, she dared not act coquettish before him, so she could merely lean against him like this.
After entering the elevator, Han Qing felt as though the air itself carried a wave of heat within the enclosed space, and an inexplicable fire seemed to be burning within him. Meanwhile, the young lady’s body that was nestled within his embrace grew increasingly cool. Now, he could almost be certain that it was his own problem. From the tiny spark of heat that spread from his abdomen, wave after wave of increasingly intense heat swept over him, rendered even more obvious in this enclosed space with no air circulation. Thus, it was no wonder he felt that her body was cold. Previously, he’d even thought that it was because she’d stood too long in the sea breeze, only now realizing that it was his own problem. While he’d never before experienced a similar situation, he could vaguely guess what had happened with his superior intelligence. Pursing his lips, he restrained himself, his expression going cold.
Ding!
In no time, the elevator arrived. After exiting the elevator, Han Qing stopped and said to Yan in a low voice, “You go back first.”
“Hmm?” Yan stared at him in puzzlement. “What about you? Do you have something else to do?”
Gazing at her naïve and innocent expression, Han Qing sighed inwardly, stretching out a hand and ruffling her hair in exasperation. “I’m going out to buy something, and I’ll be back very soon.”
“Oh, I see.” Yan nodded without suspecting anything. “Then, I’ll go back first and take a shower. I’ll wait for you to come back. Don’t take so long,” she said with docility written all over her face.
“Okay.”
Before leaving, the young lady seemed reluctant, whirling around to hug Han Qing. She didn’t suspect anything before hugging him, but after doing so, she felt that something was amiss. She looked up at him dubiously. “Are you feeling hot?”
Han Qing was at a loss for words. There was a thin layer of perspiration on his forehead, for as soon as the drug started to take effect, its speed was very swift. Now, the heat had already traveled to every part of him, carried by the flow of his blood. “A little bit.”
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” As Yan said that, she stretched out a hand to touch his forehead, but just as her fingertips had made contact with him, he grasped her wrist. She looked at him in bafflement.
“Don’t fuss,” Han Qing chided in a hoarse voice. “I’m going down to feel some wind on my skin, then I’ll be back.”
Snapping back to her senses, Yan demanded indignantly, “Why would you be sweating for no reason? Are you running a fever? If you are, the wind will worsen your condition. So, I don’t think you should go. Just go back to the hotel room, and I’ll ask the front desk whether they have any fever-reducing patch.” After saying that, she walked in the direction of their room while dragging him along.
