The room was serene, filled only with the gentle crooning of a hostess, her voice soothing the gathering of impeccably dressed men lounging on the sofa. Among them was the man JinHuan had noticed yesterday in the elevator at the mall, a notable figure of Yellow level energy.
Startled by her mistake, she realized it should have been room 666; she had walked into the wrong room.
"Sorry, wrong room," she muttered as she turned to leave but was abruptly stopped.
The man closest to her extended an arm, blocking her path with a look of undisguised desire in his eyes.
JinHuan's expression cooled; she loathed the unsightly approaching her.
Using her powers against mere mortals would consume tenfold the energy she had painstakingly accumulated, which she was loath to waste on such repellence. Yet, if pushed to her limits, she cared little for any rules—she was prepared to retaliate.
Just as she was about to unleash her power, "This is my girlfriend," Jian QiZhao intervened, coming over and placing a hand on JinHuan's shoulder, his faint tobacco scent wafting through the air.
She looked up at him, her tea-brown eyes misty, her demeanor suddenly demure and seemingly obedient, making her appear endearingly petite in his embrace.
Cai Zhuo, taken aback by Jian QiZhao's words, understood the hierarchy in the room; Jian QiZhao was not a man to cross, and his claim on this woman meant she was off-limits to others.
Yet, the allure of the delicate beauty was irresistible, his fear mingled with unshakable fascination.
The others felt much the same.
A lamb among wolves, how could they relinquish their pursuit?
Jian QiZhao felt the cool, almost melting sensation of her skin under his touch as he half-embraced her, returning to his seat at the center of the sofa to resume discussing contracts with Manager Ma.
Manager Ma, distracted by JinHuan's presence, inadvertently agreed to Jian QiZhao's excessive demands without fully grasping them. By the time he realized his error, it was too late—the contract was signed.
With business concluded, the room relaxed into an evening of singing and drinking.
While many bosses had hostesses by their sides, Jian QiZhao's only indiscretion was the warm palm resting on her shoulder; otherwise, he maintained a facade of propriety.
JinHuan tugged gently at his sleeve.
Jian QiZhao looked down at her, feeling his heart soften immeasurably just from her presence.
"What is it?" His voice, husky from the alcohol, was dangerously inviting.
His features were rugged, his lips thin—his demeanor screamed of ruthless indifference.
JinHuan knew she couldn't absorb the rich Yellow level energy from him—not until the patterns on her ShenHuan Pearl were complete, and even then, not without sacrificing it or switching allegiance, both options requiring a heavy toll.
It wasn't worth it.
"I should go, my boyfriend is waiting," she whispered close to his ear, her voice soft, making sure to save face for him since he had extricated her from an uncomfortable situation.
Jian QiZhao acknowledged his lack of nobility; from the first glance, he had yearned to possess her, hardly the stance of a virtuous man. Her apparent willingness only spurred his resolve.
His grip on her waist tightened as he leaned close, "Don't you want to stay with me?"
JinHuan tilted her head, "I have a boyfriend, sorry."
Jian QiZhao was patient; he could wait, his patience with her unlike any he had shown before.
He led her by the hand, bidding farewell to the other executives, and escorted her out.
At the door to room 666, she tried to withdraw her hand, but he wouldn't let go.
"Is your little boyfriend in there?"
"Yes, you should let me go now."
"I'm Jian QiZhao, what's your name?" he asked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"I won't tell you," she said with a mischievous smile, hinting at her playful and slightly wicked nature. She turned to leave but was suddenly swept up by Jian QiZhao into an adjacent, empty room, locking the door behind them.
Her wrist was secured against the door as he leaned in close, "Tell me, hmm?"