On the way to the hotel, Lin Qingxue took out her phone again and messaged her roommates: "Girls, I'm not coming back tonight. If the dorm supervisor shows up, cover for me—thanks!"
"??? Spill—where are you?"
"Weren't you out with the freshman guy???"
"Qingxue, don't tell us you couldn't hold out? First date and you're already losing control?"
Watching the flood of questions, Qingxue fobbed them off with a random excuse.
"You're overthinking it—my friend's in town, I'm just staying with her tonight."
After she hit send, the disbelief kept coming.
"Really? What a coincidence."
"Qingxue, maybe you're just too hot from all that 'stir-frying'?"
"You're only wearing one layer today; even if you're hot, you can't take it off…"
No matter how they teased, Qingxue stayed silent.
She usually got along fine with her roommates.
They joked around and rarely fought.
But if she told them she was spending the night with Jiang Cheng,
by tomorrow the whole girls' dorm would know she'd hooked him.
They acted like sisters on the surface, but who knew what happened behind the scenes?
Qingxue had already seen A trash-talk B to her, then B complain about A.
The two bad-mouthed each other behind their backs.
Yet back in the dorm she'd watch them chatting like best friends again.
So even though she was out with Jiang Cheng, she had no intention of telling them.
Never underestimate a woman's jealousy.
Jiang Cheng wasn't just the most popular freshman; sophomores wanted him too.
Jiang Cheng took Qingxue straight to The Ritz-Carlton front desk and booked a premium suite.
Once the paperwork was done, Qingxue didn't linger—she headed into the bathroom to freshen up.
Jiang Cheng shook his head as he watched her, coy in her robe, disappear into the bathroom.
No girl ever finishes a shower in under half an hour.
Figuring he had time, Jiang Cheng went down for a lap in the pool.
Worth every cent of the nearly 3,000-yuan nightly rate—the service and facilities rivaled Luxury Hotel.
Mainly because The Ritz-Carlton was newer, with a sleek, modern design.
Qingxue didn't linger in the bathroom.
After drying off she slipped on the Balenciaga black silk stockings Jiang Cheng loved, then sat quietly on the sofa and waited.
Ten-odd minutes later Jiang Cheng swiped in; seeing her already out, he was pleasantly surprised.
His toned, athletic frame made Qingxue swallow instinctively.
Flustered, she pointed toward the bathroom. "I'm done—do you want a shower?"
Seeing her shy look, Jiang Cheng smiled and nodded.
That was fast—turns out she's even more impatient than me.
"Five minutes, tops."
Qingxue couldn't meet his eyes.
Once he left, she grabbed the wineglass on the table, poured a full glass, and downed it.
Such moments are nerve-racking for a total novice.
Guy or girl, the unknown always stirs unease laced with anticipation—and anticipation laced with nerves.
That was exactly how Qingxue felt. She even googled on her phone: "Does it really hurt??"
The thought made her pour another glass and knock it back.
The alcohol spread through her system quickly.
As her nerves numbed, her body relaxed.
True to his word, Jiang Cheng stepped out just before the five-minute mark.
Now relaxed, Qingxue gazed at him with misty eyes.
Their eyes locked; Jiang Cheng smiled and walked over.
He stopped beside the sofa, cupped her chin, and lifted her face.
His lips pressed straight against hers.
Mm—still so soft.
Activating his unstoppable Agile Tongue Movement, Jiang Cheng let his gentlemanly hands start to roam.
In a haze Qingxue felt the warmth on her lips.
She realized Jiang Cheng had entwined her lips and tongue completely.
Feeling light-headed from lack of air, she lifted a hand to push him away.
Sensing the faint resistance against her chest, Jiang Cheng pinned her wrists.
With one hand he locked both of her restless little hands behind her back.
His other hand resumed its gentlemanly exploration in front.
Even on a normal day Qingxue couldn't fend off one of Jiang Cheng's hands.
Let alone now, as her body temperature rose and the alcohol burned faster inside her.
She could only lie docile in his arms and let him have his way.
"Wait." Feeling his passion, Qingxue panicked and spoke up.
"Mm?"
"I… I haven't showered."
"Drunk? Can't you smell how sweet you are?"
With that, Jiang Cheng buried his nose in the curve of her snowy neck and inhaled deeply.
The intimate gesture made her shiver involuntarily.
Just as she relaxed, Jiang Cheng glanced at his right hand and cursed under his breath.
Damn it!
Don't tell me it's her time of the month??
Looking at Qingxue lying on the sofa, cheeks flushed, blinking innocently at him,
Jiang Cheng felt all his frustration slam into cotton.
He inhaled, suppressing the urge to swear out loud.
Seriously—pants down and this happens?
Had he been cursed lately?
Last time it was Xiao Xia, now Qingxue too??
…Resigned, he slipped his robe back on and rang the concierge bell.
Under the steward's attentive care Qingxue freshened up.
Ten-odd minutes later she stood nervously, thighs pressed together, and whispered, "Sorry."
By now Jiang Cheng had cooled off.
Seeing her tiny face scrunched with worry,
he pulled her into a hug and soothed her.
"Nothing to be sorry for—can't exactly kick her out."
Qingxue hesitated. "By the calendar it should've come three days from now. Maybe because of you… it arrived early?"
Her cycle had always been like clockwork.
Jiang Cheng tapped her petite nose and laughed. "Overthinking it—my middle finger isn't that lethal."