Li Chao Xiang wasn't disappointed one bit when he gazed into her warm brown eyes as he lifted her chin—so wide and innocent like those of a deer's.
The escort's beauty was unmatched from all the ladies he had ever seen in his entire life that it made his legs weaken.
He gripped her chin with his thumb and forefinger and angled her face from side to side. "You surpassed my expectations, beauty."
Chao Xiang knelt on the floor in front of her so he could see her better, but she turned her head sideways so that Chao Xiang would be forced to release her.
"You too." Her eyes were like a tangible thing that he could actually feel a flush of warmth on where her intense gaze had landed—to his face, to his suit, and his abdomen. "You don't look that bad as I expected."
He wished she would have checked him out lower than that, but her brown eyes returned to his face. "Your face didn't match the awful personality."
He squinted at her, but his narrowed gaze felt helplessly on her lips. "I don't know whether that is a compliment or an insult."
Hmm.
This woman worked at a legal escort agency, but she was so damn proud and stubborn as if she hadn't sold her dignity for money—for the ten thousand dollars he offered her for the night.
Chao Xiang narrowed his eyes at her as he carefully scanned her features, keeping her beautiful face to his memory forever.
Did she even have the courage to face her family and friends working in the Emperor's Club— a high-end escort service and a gentleman's club owned by Jian Yu?
These escorts do everything to get their hard-earned cash because they think it was what they deserved from learning all those amazing skills in bed.
The escort service became legal because he was an expert puppeteer who knew what strings to pull to get whatever he wanted in his business.
CEO Jian Yu had so many rich connections from celebrities and powerful people, both private and government sectors, with a high status in this society.
One thing that was amazing about his childhood friend was he knew what his clients wanted and make it happen no matter what, and Chao Xiang was one of his business partners who were satisfied with the way he worked.
Jian Yu was also a good businessman who can sweet-talk investors into anything.
He had the gift of gab and a silver-tongued devil who owned the largest Casino and Gaming Corporation inherited by his Italian Father, including a Mafia group backing him up behind the scenes to protect his legacy from his enemies.
He trusted his friend with his life.
Their friendship went way back when they attended a primary school for the elite until they reached college, studying the same course at Tsinghua University.
Chao Xiang trusted his friend so much that he let the man picked the escort he needed tonight to relieve his stress with his work and this god-damned family, his relationship with this messed up household and his feeling of worthlessness whenever he felt unappreciated by the very same people who he tried his best to reach their expectations.
Pleasing this m*therf*ckers to get the CEO position in Li Hotel and Resorts International was like he was a performing lion in a circus forced to jump through hoops—higher, always higher—but nothing he ever did was good enough.
His half-brother didn't have to do anything and work in the company as hard as him.
All Hao Chen had to do was breathe, and everything around him accommodate his needs and wants like he was a prince, and the other people around him scrambled to serve the good-for-nothing and happy-go-lucky bastard as if it was an honour.
The world was a lonely place for sons of billionaires like him because they were so busy they couldn't have intimate connections with someone they like—especially for the second born who hide behind the shadows of a perceived golden child—his older brother Hao Chen.
There was no use building a connection with a fellow human either because he had no decision over the woman he would marry. After all, it will be up to his mother and father's decision if they wanted to expand their company and wed him to another heiress.
The only thing that would make him happy in this world was securing the CEO's position and gain the company's major shares as his inheritance.
Chao Xiang was the first son of the legal wife since Hao Chen's mother and his father had already divorced.
It didn't make sense that he was the one who was thrown into the curb as if they preferred that he didn't exist.
Clearing her throat, the escort straightened her spine and sat properly, folding her legs underneath her thighs while she rested her buttocks on her heels. "Take it how it resonated."
"What do I call you?" She cocked her head at him, and the pink shells on her hairpin bounced. "Are you a god in this heaven?"
Now, this was a compliment!
"No." Chao Xiang bit his lip to keep his lips from curving upward. "I am not a god, but I can be your god if you like." He shook his head and whispered in a husky tone."You look like a goddess, babe."
Her eyes widened in surprise before staring at him like he had gone crazy. "Babe? Why am I a newborn baby?"
His response was a bark of laughter, and he couldn't stop snorting as he slapped the floor in amusement.
This was the first time he had laughed like this in ages, and every facial muscle of his was utilized that night.
Chao Xiang had always worn a stoic mask in the boardroom.
"I give up!" He wiped the happy tears out of his eyes with the back of a hand. "I don't know what to do with you!"
Her snow-white skin was similar to a vampire who had never seen the light of day, and her small, cherub lips the shade of rose petals, and she had a natural flush of pink on her cheeks.
If Chao Xiang was honest with himself, the escort's beauty could rival a famous model, actress or idol.
She wore traditional Hanfu clothing, but when he watched her up-close, she realized that her Hanfu didn't have many layers, so it might be something a woman can wear when she was about to sleep.
In Chao Xiang's eyes— a nightie was still a nightie no matter what era.
Jian Yu fulfilled his part of the bargain by sending him an escort who possessed a peerless beauty.
"What is an escort?" She demanded as she placed her hands on her knees while she sat like a prim and proper lady. "You told me I was an escort—"
He raised his hands in surrender as if he had been accused as a criminal. "Babe, are you coerced by Jian Yu to do this when you didn't know what you are getting into?"
Jian Yu's high-end escort service might be legal as a business, but Chao Xiang was still against sex trafficking.
Consent was essential here, no matter how pretty the lady was!
A bit alarmed, Chao Xiang asked as he observed every nuance of her expression. "You just accepted the ten-thousand-dollar offer and went straight to me?"
"No. Explain 'escort' to me first." The woman insisted. "Maybe, if I understand, I can do it for you."
Sighing in frustration, Chao Xiang ran his fingers through his hair.
He couldn't believe he was explaining the word 'escort' to this Hanfu-wearing lady who he thought wasn't right in the head.
Why was she here if she didn't know what an escort was?
"Escort Service is where a rich man pays a woman so that she would do whatever he wanted." He enunciated every word so that it would sink in.
She scowled at her with judgment, yet her voice was small. "Whatever you wanted?"
"Yes." He nodded. "I offered ten thousand dollars for you, but I can give you a large tip if you are good."
Brows wrinkled her forehead. "Good at what?"
The poor girl still looked confused, which made him more confused as well.
He didn't understand this situation.
Was this girl playing dumb?
That could pass as a student-teacher role play in the bedroom if that can make her more ready to receive him.
"According to your definition of an 'escort', I think I am one--" She suddenly spoke, and it broke his chain of thoughts. "--but I don't want to be naked."
As she regarded him with a hawk-like gaze, the escort clenched her fists in determination. "I will help you curse your enemies if you want. I'm good at that."