Mu Ling sat at his desk in the neutral colored brightly lit office, trying to focus on the piles of paperwork in front of him, but his mind kept wandering back to the previous day. Yesterday's incident had left him restless. No matter how hard he tried to push it to the back of his mind, the memories of Fu Rong and their unexpected kiss dominated his thoughts.
He could still feel the warmth of her lips pressed against his, the softness of her skin, her small, fair face brushed against his own. His brow furrowed as he recalled the way her slender figure had fit so perfectly in his arms, and a heat began to radiate through his body and he found his body react in unexpected way.
It was unusual for him to be so distracted. He, Mu Ling, was after all known for his cool demeanor, decisiveness and razor-sharp focus. He was the always proud of his self- control and restraint, especially in his line of work, where he couldn't afford to let emotions cloud his judgment. And yet, here he was, his mind fixated on Fu Rong. It was the first time he had felt this kind of attraction for a woman, and it unsettled him.
As he leaned back in his leather chair, his dark eyes clouded with a mix of desire and confusion, Mu Ling let out a low chuckle. He couldn't help but replay the moment in his mind when Fu Rong had escaped from him the last time he asked her to be his girlfriend. She had bolted like a startled rabbit, her face flushed with embarrassment. He had found her reaction endearing, even amusing.
Mu Ling stood up and walked over to the large one-way mirror that stretched across one wall of his office. He gazed at his reflection, taking in his sharp features, the cold, calculating eyes that others found intimidating. "Am I really that scary?" he muttered to himself, running a hand through his dark hair. He wasn't used to feeling uncertain about himself, especially when it came to women. He had never needed to chase anyone before; women had always come to him, drawn by his wealth, his power, and his looks. But Fu Rong—she was different.
He had assumed Fu Rong was shy, too timid to express her interest in him openly. After all, she had always seemed flustered whenever he was near, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink. It was a reaction he had grown fond of, one that made him feel in control, knowing that she was affected by him even when she tried to hide it. He had often caught her stealing glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking, and every time she realized he had noticed, she would turn her face away, blushing furiously. But yesterday—yesterday had been different.
But yesterday's kiss was something else. He hadn't expected it, not from her. Fu Rong had always seemed so cold, almost afraid to cross that invisible line between them. And yet, in that moment, she had been bold, impulsive even, taking the initiative in a way that completely threw him off balance. He had been so stunned by her forwardness that, for the first time in his life, Mu Ling had lost control of his carefully managed emotions. He had kissed her back in the car, with a passion and intensity. The way his body reacted to her and his desire surprised him even more.
He felt a smirk form on his lips as he recalled the moment, but his eyes flickered in doubt. As much as he wanted to believe that Fu Rong's kiss had been a sign of her interest, something about the situation didn't sit right with him. His instincts, honed from years of reading people and their motivations, told him that there was more to the story.
He thought back to all the times they had been together, replaying each interaction in his mind. There was something off, something he hadn't noticed before. Fu Rong had always been shy around him, yes, but now that he thought about it more carefully, it was almost as if she had been… avoiding him. Her flushed cheeks, her embarrassment—it all seemed genuine, but there was an undercurrent of discomfort in her body language, something that he had overlooked in the heat of the moment.
His mind raced as he began to piece things together. Had Fu Rong kissed him because she truly wanted to, or had there been some other reason behind her actions? He remembered the look in her eyes just before their lips met—there had been something else there, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Fear? Hesitation? Whatever it was, it had been fleeting, but now it was gnawing at him.
Mu Ling clenched his fists, feeling a sudden frustration bubble up inside him. He had always prided himself on his ability to read people, to understand their motivations and desires. But with Fu Rong, he realized he had been blinded by his own feelings, his own desire for her. He had assumed that she was just as attracted to him as he was to her, but now he wasn't so sure.
"Maybe something's really not right here," he muttered under his breath, his expression darkening as the realization hit him. There was more to Fu Rong's actions than he had initially thought. And now that he was thinking clearly, he couldn't shake the feeling that she had been hiding something from him.