"Hello? Is anyone there?" He Lanjin looked around, trying to see in the dark and windy courtyard.
He Lanjin remembered her training from the Military Academy. Moreover, she was 23 years old, no longer a little girl. Although she was a little nervous, she still entered the desolate house.
Before she could go any further, He Lanjin saw an imposing figure. It emitted a chill, making her shiver. In the moonlight, He Lanjin saw that the figure belonged to a man with a beautifully chiseled face and deep, unfathomable eyes. Even in the dark, He Lanjin could not help but notice how elegant he was.
"Don't be impertinent," said a voice. It belonged to Han Beicheng, who suddenly appeared from nowhere. He looked at his master, then started to walk toward He Lanjin. He would not allow such insolence toward Qiao Hanye.
Before He Lanjin could react, she heard another voice. "Retreat," said the tall elegant man, not moving a muscle. He Lanjin felt a gust of wind blow past her. It stirred the leaves at her feet but she did not see anything.
She was stunned. Who was this man, and why did he have such a commanding presence, even in the dark?
"What is the matter, Miss He?" came Qiao Hanye's magnetic voice. Wearing an all-black ensemble, he stood with his hands behind his back. He looked at He Lanjin with detached curiosity.
Hearing the man address her correctly alarmed He Lanjin. How did this man know who she was? Was this the person she bumped into as she rushed out of the surveillance room? If so, then he must be in possession of her phone. "I'm looking for something,” she replied. “My search brought me here.”
"Oh?" Qiao Hanye said as he raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.
Qiao Hanye walked toward He Lanjin, each step echoing in the courtyard. He had such an air about him that He Lanjin could not help but step back as he moved toward her. He backed her into a wall; dried leaves from a nearby tree fell and stuck to He Lanjin's hair.
"How do you know that what you are looking for is here?" Qiao Hanye lowered his head and caught her eye as he raised one of his hands, his slender fingers brushing against her head. He Lanjin felt herself blush when the man moved back a bit, holding the leaf he plucked from her hair.
"Won't you just let me look for it?" He Lanjin asked as she held her breath and tried to grab the leaf from his fingers. Qiao Hanye moved his hand away and moved another step toward He Lanjin.
He was standing very close to her now. So close that she could smell him, his scent enveloping her. He Lanjin felt her heart beating fast, confusing her. She had had many suitors–including Lu Zifan, whom she was to marry–but this was the first time she felt like this in the presence of a man.
Without thinking, He Lanjin pushed Qiao Hanye away. She felt an electric current down her spine when her hand landed on his firm chest. She pulled her hand away, unsure of what to do next.
"Very well, Miss He," Qiao Hanye said as he turned around and led the way to the house. "Please," he said as he gentlemanly held the door and motioned for her to enter.
He Lanjin hesitated for a moment, taken aback by the man's graciousness. She quickly got over the shock and entered the house. She searched carefully for her phone but found nothing. She was sure her phone was here somewhere.
Failing to find her phone, He Lanjin looked suspiciously at Qiao Hanye.
Could he have picked her phone by mistake? If he did, why was he asking her to look for it instead of just returning the phone to her? What exactly was his purpose? He Lanjin was puzzled.
"What is it, Miss He? Are you going to search me too? " Qiao Hanye asked in a low voice as he watched He Lanjin come closer.
He Lanjin took a deep breath. She was normally courteous, as befits a woman of her stature. But she really needed the videos and photos on her phone. She had no choice but to be rude to the person in front of her.
"Since you took the initiative to remind me, I'm sorry," He Lanjin said through gritted teeth. She tracked her phone here. Her GPS could not be wrong. This man was the only person around. He must have the phone.
With this in mind, He Lanjin frisked Qiao Hanye's upper body, patting down his coat pockets. She quickly moved down to his pants, surprising him.
He Lanjin felt something in Qiao Hanye's pants pocket. It was a little hard. She looked up at him and put her hand in his pocket to retrieve the item...