Fu Hannan swiftly scooped Gu Yining into his arms, striding away without a backward glance. His tall figure cast a cold, solitary silhouette in the night.
Watching the two towering figures disappear, Xiaoxiao finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her heart had been racing, nearly giving out under the icy, murderous gaze of Fu Hannan.
Gu Yining, nestled against his firm chest, continued to mutter complaints under her breath, her cheek pressed to the warmth of his body.
"Fu Hannan, you scumbag."
"Fu Hannan, you're really, really annoying."
"..."
"I'll never talk to you again. I would never fall for you. Never..."
Her hoarse murmurings only further agitated Fu Hannan, his irritation building with each word.
This woman—just be quiet already!
And so, in one swift move, he silenced her incessant complaints. His thin lips pressed firmly against hers, sealing off any more words that might have escaped.
Gu Yining's eyes widened in shock, and it felt as if half the alcohol in her system evaporated in that instant. Her panic-stricken gaze met Fu Hannan's deep, cold eyes.
Was there a softness in his gaze? Was this real, or was it just an illusion brought on by the alcohol?
Her half-lidded eyes caught the light glancing off his chiseled jawline, a mixture of shadow and light that seemed to blur the lines of reality.
And then, without warning, Fu Hannan forcefully pried her lips open, pushing her back onto the soft rear seat of the car.
Her heart pounded like a drum, beating so hard it felt as though it might burst from her chest.
Fu Hannan was kissing her.
No, why was he kissing her? What gave him the right to kiss her?
He was the same man who only ever scolded her, insulted her, and bullied her again and again. And now, while she was drunk, he was taking advantage of her?
Gu Yining's small hands pressed desperately against his chest, trying to push him away. "Mmm… Let me go," she mumbled against his lips.
But her lips seemed to carry an intoxicating allure, as if they were laced with a forbidden substance that Fu Hannan found utterly addictive. He grabbed her restless hands, pinning them above her head against the seat. His kiss deepened, more forceful, his gaze intense and predatory, as though he intended to devour her whole.
He had spent the entire week abroad, but his time away had been anything but peaceful. His mind had been consumed by thoughts of this troublesome, noisy woman. And the mere thought of her possibly flirting with another man had left him restless, an uncomfortable feeling gnawing at him.
But Gu Yining wasn't one to back down easily. With a surge of defiance, she opened her mouth and bit down hard on his lip.
"Ah…" Fu Hannan winced in pain, immediately releasing her.
Blood seeped from his lip, a bright red trickle that ran down to the corner of his mouth, blossoming like a crimson rose in full bloom.
He wiped the blood with his hand, his sharp eyes glaring at her. "What are you, a dog?"
The alcohol had completely cleared from Gu Yining's system now. She glared back at him, like a porcupine bristling with spikes. "Fu Hannan, I seriously don't understand you anymore. What do you want from me?"
"You may not understand now, but you'll have plenty of time to figure it out. For now, come home with me," he said, removing his suit jacket and tossing it over her head.
The dress she was wearing tonight revealed far too much skin. Back at the banquet, every man's eyes had been glued to her, sizing her up like prey. It was an affront, a challenge to him that he couldn't ignore.
Annoyed, Gu Yining yanked his jacket off and, without a second thought, pressed the window button and threw it out. "Who wants your jacket? I'm not going back with you."
Sitting in the front seat, Li Feng wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Young Madam, do you know that the jacket you just threw out is worth millions? Just tossed like that…
Fu Hannan's expression darkened. "Whether you go back or not isn't up to you anymore. Li Feng, drive."
Li Feng sat up straight, heart pounding, and immediately started the car.
Gu Yining folded her arms across her chest, leaning against the seat and staring out the window, refusing to spare even a glance at Fu Hannan.
The tension inside the car was palpable, cold and suffocating, making it hard to breathe. The chill in the air seemed to intensify with each passing moment.
When they finally arrived back at the Fu family mansion, Gu Yining didn't even bother to reapply her makeup. Instead, she swept inside with her dress trailing behind her, head held high in defiance.
Behind her, Fu Hannan followed with a stormy expression, his lip still slightly swollen from where she had bitten him, though the bleeding had stopped.
But even as they walked inside, the silent battle between them raged on, with neither willing to back down or break the growing tension.