「Yunxiao Hotel.」
The hotel was located in the bustling city center of Hangcheng City. Su Xiyang had changed into an apricot-colored pantsuit paired with a black shirt. The tailored fit accentuated her stunning curves, leaving little to the imagination. Unable to enter on her own, she could only stand at the entrance and wait.
Could Shen Fanyun have given me the wrong location? But that guy doesn't seem easy to talk to. If I call him to confirm, I'll probably just get an earful. With a shudder, she decisively gave up on the idea.
"Well, well, isn't that Su Xiyang? What a coincidence to see you here."
A mockingly sweet, sarcastic voice sounded in her ear.
Su Xiyang's brow furrowed, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on her shoulder bag.
Gu Duo shot her a provocative glance before lifting her gaze to the Yunxiao Hotel's massive, glittering gold sign. She couldn't help but laugh.
"Su Xiyang, what are you doing standing here? Surely you're not thinking of going in for dinner?" Gu Duo mocked. "Do you even know what this place is? Are you qualified to enter?"
Su Xiyang retorted sharply, "You can't get in either, can you?"
The words struck a nerve. Gu Duo indeed lacked the qualifications. The Yunxiao Hotel rarely opened its doors to the public. Even when vacant, the hotel would never lower its standards by proactively soliciting guests. Of course, to the true titans of industry, the Yunxiao Hotel was nothing special.
"I may not be qualified, but at least I wouldn't disgrace myself by loitering at the entrance. Tsk, tsk," Gu Duo sneered.
She was the heiress of the Gu Family. Because their families were business rivals, Gu Duo and Su Xiyang had never gotten along. Whenever they met, Gu Duo would either taunt her with biting sarcasm or try to sabotage her. The pressure from Wang Yanwen recently had already been a huge headache for Su Xiyang. Gu Duo, seizing the opportunity, had taken every chance to attack and retaliate. Su Xiyang had been deliberately avoiding the woman, yet she still ran into her in a place like this.
"Everyone, come look at this joke!" Gu Duo shouted, deliberately attracting attention. "This Miss Su clearly isn't qualified to enter the Yunxiao Hotel, but she's shamelessly refusing to leave. Heh, just look at her. Doesn't she know her place? Shamelessly hanging around like this. What an embarrassment."
Her commotion eventually summoned the hotel manager.
The manager, wearing white gloves, descended the long flight of stairs, his gaze fixed arrogantly on Su Xiyang. Her extended wait had clearly not gone unnoticed.
"Excuse me, do you have an invitation?" the manager asked.
Seeing him approach with four security guards in tow made Su Xiyang's heart pound in her chest. They're not actually going to throw me out, are they? If I'd known, I would have waited somewhere farther away.
"I... I don't," Su Xiyang admitted honestly.
The manager's face immediately turned cold. "Miss, I must ask you to leave. If you refuse, I will have you removed."
Gu Duo burst out laughing. "What a disgrace! Why haven't you scurried away yet?"
"Even without an invitation, can't I stand here? This isn't your hotel's place of business; it's a public area!" Su Xiyang protested.
"Hah. If I say you're causing a disturbance, you are. Do I need to have you thrown out?" the manager dismissed her, his eyes raking over Su Xiyang's curvaceous figure as he reached out to touch her.
"You—You're being completely unreasonable!" Su Xiyang cried out, managing to dodge his hand.
She staggered back a step and was suddenly steadied by a firm grip. Turning around, she looked up, her eyes welling with tears of relief. "You... You're finally here."
"Why didn't you go inside?" Shen Fanyun asked, puzzled.
"Huh?" Su Xiyang said, looking pitiable and wronged. "I don't have an invitation. They wouldn't let me in."
"Right. My mistake. I forgot to tell you that you could have just given them my phone number."
Shen Fanyun lifted his head, his icy gaze landing on the tall hotel manager. "This is my companion. What did you think you were doing?"
The manager's eyelid twitched. Before he could even ask about an invitation, Shen Fanyun spoke again. "Does acting like a dog give you a sense of superiority? She was waiting by the road. Was that bothering you?"
"You!" The manager flushed with anger and embarrassment. To think this man had actually called him a dog. "Sir, you can't just slander people! Do you think I don't have a temper?"
Shen Fanyun sneered. "You'd better have a good explanation for your boss as to why you were trying to run off an innocent person from a public space." He then made a phone call, barking three commanding words into the receiver. "Get down here!"
The manager and Gu Duo exchanged stunned glances. Who in the world was this guy?
"Did she bully you?" Shen Fanyun asked, pointing at Gu Duo. She subconsciously took a few steps back, her brow furrowed in apprehension.
"No, it's nothing. We just had a small verbal disagreement. It's... it's really no big deal," Su Xiyang said, waving her small, delicate hands, hoping to de-escalate the situation.
"So much nonsense."
Shen Fanyun slapped Gu Duo across the face. The blow was so forceful that it left five angry red welts on her cheek.
"Next time I ask you a question, you answer 'yes' or 'no'."
Gu Duo was speechless.
Su Xiyang was stunned.
So brutal!
"If you ever provoke my woman again, you're dead," Shen Fanyun stated coldly.
Before anyone could recover from their shock, a middle-aged man appeared in a hurry. The manager turned, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. The owner?
"This dog of yours bites people randomly. Deal with it yourself."
Dropping these words, Shen Fanyun took Su Xiyang's hand and led her straight upstairs.
Su Xiyang's head was spinning. Gu Duo, her eyes filled with tears, watched as Su Xiyang walked into the Yunxiao Hotel. That... that bitch! When did she hook up with such a powerful backer? Su Xiyang is the woman Young Master Wang has his eye on! Who in Hangcheng City would dare compete with Young Master Wang? Su Xiyang, I might not be able to handle you, but Young Master Wang can! You just wait!
Shen Fanyun had booked a private suite.
The suite was fully equipped with a Western dining area, a sofa lounge, a master bedroom, and a viewing deck. Is this even a place for dinner? This is a presidential suite, isn't it? It must be at least five hundred square meters. So this is the Yunxiao Hotel...
"What... what is your relationship with the Yunxiao Hotel? I thought you were bluffing," Su Xiyang asked Shen Fanyun curiously, tilting her head.
"Open a bottle of Romankangdi," Shen Fanyun instructed a nearby waiter, ignoring her question.
Su Xiyang didn't dare press the topic. After all, this man was terrifyingly unpredictable. Speaking out of turn might earn her a slap.
Thinking back on the events of the last twenty-four hours, she was filled with a mix of emotions. She had only gone to a bar for a cathartic drink and happened to meet Shen Fanyun. Then, he beat up Wang Yanwen for her, and now he had slapped Gu Duo in public. He's like a god who descended from the heavens to protect me at every turn.
After a few rounds of drinks, Shen Fanyun said, "Go take a shower."
"Huh? Why do I need a shower? Aren't we going home after we finish eating?" Su Xiyang was standing on the viewing deck, admiring the night view of Hangcheng City. Shen Fanyun's words left her completely bewildered.
"What? Is this bed not fit to accommodate your precious body?"
She then saw him walk toward her, sweep his arms around her, and lift her off her feet. As he carried her, he deliberately slowed down to pop open the buttons of her blazer, one by one.
???
There was no resistance, no fear. Even though he was a stranger, Su Xiyang felt her entire body go soft. This man's scent was intoxicating.
"I can do it myself! You're going to rip the buttons off! Ah, my stockings are new! Why are you tearing them?"
"You bastard... you're... sleeping with me again... Mmm... nnh... I can't breathe."