Chapter 14

Gu An’an had originally wanted to start another round of the game, but after running into Su Ruan, the story’s direction made her lose the motivation to play.
Although she already knew that Su Ruan was the center of fate in this Mary Sue world and that the heroine would inevitably meet the male lead, she hadn’t expected this person to be everywhere. She wasn’t a ninja, how was it possible for her to appear like some kind of shadow clone technique, popping up in every corner?
No, it was time to get a blood test. Gu An’an thought. She needed to know immediately whether she was a rare “panda blood” type. Matters like this, she only allowed to happen in Northern Myanmar.
Muttering to herself, Gu An’an headed up to the third floor.
The third floor had a similar decor to the second, but with far fewer rooms. Xie Jinxing’s lounge was at the very end of the corridor.
It was a bit secluded. Pushing open the door, she saw that no one was inside.
The interior was comfortable yet businesslike, with leather sofas and tastefully coordinated furniture, exuding a cool elite aura. Near the window was a bed that looked perfect for sleeping. Designed specifically for Xie Jinxing, it clearly suited his lifestyle.
Gu An’an peeked at the room from the doorway for a moment, making sure there was nothing sensitive inside, then carefully stepped in.
Meanwhile, on the second floor, after sending Gu An’an off, Xie Jinxing went straight to Grandfather Xie’s lounge.
The old man didn’t like high floors, so his lounge was set at a corner of the second-floor corridor, guarded by two bodyguards. The chance of a stranger entering was zero.
By the time Xie Jinxing arrived, Mr. and Mrs. Xie were already there.
After briefly going over some matters, Xie Jinxing hurriedly left.
As a CEO, Xie Jinxing measured his time in seconds. With stars earning 2.08 million a day, he was literally a million-per-hour guy. Even though his secretary had canceled most of his commitments for attending the banquet, his phone still wouldn’t stop vibrating with calls.
He gestured to Assistant Li to go handle the banquet details, then walked to the window to take a call.
Even with highly intelligent and efficient subordinates, the sheer volume of work still left him exhausted.
There was still an hour before the banquet.
He had just attended an internet summit in Hangzhou yesterday and flew back to Beijing at midnight, only sleeping three hours in between. Though young and energetic, nonstop work was tiring.
Before the banquet, he planned to take a short rest in the lounge.
But just two steps in, he remembered there was a “giant human-sized gift” in his lounge...Xie Jinxing paused.
Long, slender fingers stroked the calluses formed from years of writing, slowly rubbing them...and he turned direction back to the second-floor corridor. Hmm, the “big gift” was inside, going there to sleep would be inappropriate.
Though they were from different generations, physiologically, he was a grown man of marriageable age.
So, Xie Jinxing went to an ordinary VIP lounge on the second floor instead.
He picked a room at random and pushed the door open.
By chance, or fate, it turned out to be the room where Gu An’an had previously had her styling done. Though the used items had been replaced, some valuables were still there, including the jewelry box from her previous makeover.
Xie Jinxing glanced at it but didn’t pay much attention. He walked to the sofa and settled down.
He slightly lowered his head, rubbing the aching spot at his temple, and sent a message to his secretary to knock at the proper time, then closed his eyes to rest.
Xie Jinxing was a light sleeper, especially in unfamiliar places. In an ordinary VIP lounge like this, he wouldn’t normally let himself fall into deep sleep. This nap would only last a little while.
Just as sleepiness began to haze over him, the door suddenly clicked open.
His eyebrows twitched. The intense drowsiness made it impossible to open his eyes fully, but his subconscious was alert.
He sensed a low-quality fragrance waft across his face.
Someone was approaching, squatting next to him.
The sense of danger jolted him awake, and he forced his eyes open.
Their eyes met, Su Ruan was staring at him, completely unprepared.
She was half-squatting in front of him at an extremely inconvenient moment. Her eyes flashed a moment of panic, followed by fear. Her fair face stiffened as their gaze collided, then slowly flushed with two crimson clouds.
The coy, innocent expression made her already unremarkable features suddenly stunning.
Her hand reached out, as if to touch his face.
What kind of urban horror story was this?!
“Mr. Xie...”
Su Ruan quickly straightened up, trembling so much she almost sat on his lap.
“Are you awake?” She hurriedly stabilized herself, stepped back a few paces, and gave him a proper bow. Seeing Xie Jinxing looking at her, she shyly tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry, did I wake you?”
Xie Jinxing didn’t respond.
Without a reply, Su Ruan looked a little lost.
She stammered out an explanation: “Um, Mr. Xie... the head of housekeeping received a call saying a VIP lounge on the second floor had cockroaches. She couldn’t go check, and I happened to be working on the second floor, so she asked me to inspect. I’m really sorry, I didn’t expect you to be resting here, I didn’t enter without permission. It was my supervisor’s key. She told me to come clean the lounge.”
Flustered, she hurried to pull a set of keys from her pocket and held them out.
Xie Jinxing thought this was a clumsy excuse, but he didn’t let out a cold laugh.
Instead, in a gentle voice, he soothed Su Ruan, making sure she wasn’t scared. His unusually patient care for someone who had intruded and gotten frightened was beyond recognition, completely overturning his rationality.
Su Ruan, who had been holding back tears, truly began crying aloud under his gentle reassurance.
She cried for a full twenty minutes.
Xie Jinxing: “...”
This wasn’t a horror story anymore, it was a supernatural tale.
In the lounge, a young man at the cusp of his career peak was comforting a newly adult, naive girl. One cried, one soothed, endlessly.
The meaningless comfort continued until the lounge phone rang. The girl jumped up in a panic.
She began apologizing again, babbling incoherently: “I’m so sorry, Mr. Xie! It’s all my fault! I’m too timid, and I wasted your time, I really apologize...”
Xie Jinxing noticed forty minutes had passed.
The banquet below had started, and the band had begun performing.
His phone, lying on the coffee table, kept vibrating.
But he didn’t pick it up. He simply continued comforting the girl who had inadvertently scared herself by entering his lounge.
Time ticked by, clearly, he realized this girl named Su Ruan was extraordinary.
Then, lively footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Thirty seconds later, the door creaked open.
A small, dark head peeked in slowly.
She glanced around, quickly recoiling, then peeked back once she realized something.
Gu An’an blinked, one hand on the doorknob, leaning in with only her upper body. She had only randomly checked and didn’t expect two people to be inside. Slightly embarrassed, she nervously interrupted: “Uh... sorry to bother you.”
The two instantly turned their heads.
Goosebumps ran down Gu An’an’s spine, but she had no choice. Grandfather Xie had asked several times and couldn’t find her uncle. The banquet had started, and if she didn’t go now, it would cause a delay.
Clearing her throat, she delivered her message with determination: “Uncle, um... Grandfather Xie asked me to tell you to come downstairs.”
Her voice was clear and melodious, like beautiful music, sending shivers down the ear. Xie Jinxing lightly hummed and raised his hand from his lap to check the time.
8:50 p.m.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he stood up.
He walked slowly toward Gu An’an. His tall shadow loomed over her, even though half her body was still outside, radiating a strong sense of dominance. This guy is seriously terrifying.
Xie Jinxing lowered his eyelashes, his gaze unreadable as it fixed on Gu An’an.
Gu An’an froze, stiff and unable to move. Her painful shoes made every step agony. She could only dryly explain: “I’m just here to deliver a message. If you’re busy, Uncle, please continue.”
“Mm.”
Gu An’an: “...”
Xie Jinxing faintly curved his lips, his expression indifferent yet noble. Standing with his back to Su Ruan, he blocked the doorway. Light and shadow collided, and the scattered glint in his peach-blossom eyes shimmered.
He slowly said, “I’ll go down now, with you.”
Gu An’an: “Oh.”
Gu An’an: ...??
She glanced at Su Ruan, who was now standing from the sofa, her wet eyes silently fixed on her.
Gu An’an’s body recoiled in terror: No, please!!!