The slap echoed in the silent room, and Zhang Jin's cheek immediately reddened. He stared at Huan Zhao in disbelief, instinctively touching the stinging spot on his face. Lian Qiang remained unfazed about what she had witnessed.
"You lied to me!" She screamed at him.
Lian Qiang stepped back, allowing Huan Zhao to exit. Without another word, Huan Zhao swiftly left the room, leaving the two of them alone. But Lian Qiang's gaze remained fixed on Zhang Jin.
"What do you think you're doing, woman!?" He exclaimed, frustration evident in his tone. His eyes remained on her as well. He thought his frustration would make Lian Qiang flinch, but she remained calm with a poker face. That face she just showed to him made his blood boil.
He then grabbed the wrists of Lian Qiang and pinned her on the wall outside of his room that left her speechless. "You should know your limit woman! I have my own way to protect myself. Why are you interfering with my life?" He called out.
"I said, I don't have interest in your personal matters. I have to protect you no matter what. That is what is stated in the plan or any plan that has been discussed" She said with a bored look gaze at him.
"I don't care about your plan! I care about my plan!" He screamed out of frustration. When the young man still gripped her wrists and tried to not get away, his lips formed a silly smile while he looked intently at her. "Now that you've sent her away, you should replace her," he warned emphasizing the last phrase, that made the hair all over her body stand up.
Zhang Jin's face was inches away from her that made her eyes widened. He slowly tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips, as he leaned in, bridging the gap between their faces. Lian Qiang's heart raced, her eyes widening in surprise. Every instinct told her to pull away, but her feet felt rooted to the spot.
She was surprised and didn't know what to think. Her heart beat fast. She tried to understand why he did that. She usually felt strong and in control, but now she felt open and unsure. She took a deep breath, trying to find her usual confidence. Time felt like it was moving slowly. She wasn't ready for this. Everything felt different. She tried to find words but couldn't speak. Everything was so unexpected.
She was shocked at first. Then, she pulled herself together. It felt like cold water had woken her up. She took a breath and tried to stay calm. She snapped back to reality. Zhang Jin had her hands pinned above her head, making it hard to move. At first, she struggled, but then a quick idea flashed in her mind on how to handle the situation.
She quickly delivered a hard kick to his groin, sending him to the floor in pain. When she had the chance, she pushed his face to the floor and gripped his arms behind his back.
"What do you think you're doing, asshole!" She screamed from what he did.
The young man immediately got his recovery back from pain trying to get away from the woman's grip. "Get off me--You!" He screamed and wanted to get off her grip. He couldn't even finish his words when the woman was on his back still gripping his hands.
He was momentarily taken aback when Lian Qiang suddenly released him. The defensive posture she'd adopted left Zhang Jin both surprised and amused. But there was still pain he felt from the woman's kick.
From how she acted, Zhang Jin thought maybe Lian Qiang didn't know much about close or romantic moments. He saw her in a different way now. He smiled because the idea seemed funny to him. Even though she was strong and serious, maybe she felt unsure in some situations. This made him laugh a bit.
"Don't tell me you've never been in an intimate situation before," he said with a mocking edge, though his irritation was evident.
Her face turned bright red, clearly showing she was both angry and embarrassed. Zhang Jin's teasing words had hit a nerve, making her feel things she hadn't expected. She tried to breathe normally, but her heart was beating fast. For a moment, everything else seemed quiet. Not knowing what to say back, she decided to show how she felt instead.
She quickly reached out and grabbed his shirt collar tightly, pulling him close to her. Their eyes met, and hers were full of fire. She wanted him to know she was serious, even if she didn't use words to say it.
The unexpected move left Zhang Jin speechless. The authority in her eyes and her actions stunned him. As she held him, it felt as though time had slowed, every second stretching out. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her, even if he'd wanted to.
From what he saw from her, Lian Qiang dressed differently than other women he knew. This made the young man think she might be a lesbian. Her clothes were not like what he usually saw on other women. He wondered about this because of how unique her style was compared to others.
But he realized something undeniable.
Something that made him stunned for a moment.
Lian Qiang was undeniably beautiful.
But he immediately realizes something that made it as if he was feeling disgusted about what he was talking about.
His thoughts quickly shifted. 'What am I even thinking? There's no way she's that beautiful,' he internally corrected himself.
The woman still gripped his collar, "Zhang Jin, If you ever do this again, I would definitely kill you" She said with authority. He froze, feeling like he had been splashed with cold water. When he looked into her eyes, he saw strong anger. It was like she was sending a warning, and it scared him. Every part of him felt her anger, and he didn't know what to do next.
'It seems that I will not be afraid of the notorious group, I will be afraid of her instead.' He realized.