Li Yue caught sight of a luxurious, black car that was parked a short distance from the mansion's gate. Under the soft, silvery moonlight, its sleek design and polished surface gleamed, reflecting the night sky like a dark mirror.
A subtle smile played on her lips as she walked up to the car and gently knocked on its window. The window glass slid down smoothly, revealing a handsome man dressed in a gray sweater.
His face was partially hidden by a muffler that was wrapped around his neck. The dim light from the dashboard cast a warm glow on his features, accentuating his sharp jawline.
Li Yue bent down, her face illuminated by the soft light from the car's interior as she peeked inside.
"What do you want now?" Fu Yichen asked in a deep voice, his gaze staring at her.
Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she opened the door and swiftly slid into the passenger seat. She turned to look at him and replied, "What do you think it would be?" She raised her brow mischievously.
He glanced at her with an unreadable expression. Then, without a word, he reached into the glove box and pulled out a soda can. He tossed it to Li Yue, who instinctively caught it.
Her eyes scanned the can, and a snicker escaped her lips as she recognized the brand – the same one she had given him earlier that day.
She lifted her head to look at him, who was elegantly sipping soda from another can. In the silence, the only sound was his occasional gulping as he sipped his drink. She couldn't help but stare at him, her focus on his Adam's apple that bobbed up and down when he swallowed.
Feeling a pair of eyes on him, Fu Yichen lifted his gaze and looked at her from the corner of his eye. His brow rose, questioning her why she was staring at him with such intensity.
With a chuckle she suddenly moved towards him. He was startled and instinctively flinched backwards. Reaching near him, she swiftly snatched the soda can from his hand, her fingers brushing against his as she did so.
Li Yue settled back on her seat and faced him as she intentionally sipped from his can. His eyes widened with surprise when he saw her playfully lick her lips, a provocative action yet again.
He quickly looked away and mumbled under his breath, "Shameless." His face was expressionless but she still managed to notice the faintest hint of blush rising to his cheeks.
Feeling quite satisfied with herself, she coughed lightly, "Ahem. Now that I've helped you twice, isn't it time for you to repay me?" She asked, before taking another sip.
Fu Yichen turned to face her again. "Twice, you say?" he questioned, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.
Li Yue nodded. "Yup, first during the ball dance," she said, counting on her fingers. "And second—" Her words trailed off as she gave him a knowing look, a sly smile spreading across her face.
He glared at her as memories from before flooded his mind.
~~~~~
The crumpled paper in his hand revealed two hastily written sentences: "Your drink was spiked. Come to the balcony when they take action." A dangerous smile appeared on his lips when he read that.
Someone was actually brave enough to drug him, the heir of the Fu conglomerate? They must have a death wish!
He scoffed, and pulled out his phone to call his assistant. "Investigate the person who spiked my drink." He ordered before returning to the banquet.
~~~~~
In the room, after Fu Yichen was thrown on the bed. The servant, oblivious to the danger lurking behind him, turned to send a text.
While he was engrossed in typing, a hand reached out from behind and struck him hard. His eyes widened in shock as he felt a sharp pain in his neck, and then everything went black.
Fu Yichen caught his leg and dragged him on the ground. Once near the bed, he tossed the unconscious servant on it and covered him under a blanket. Then, he picked up the phone, and read the typed out message, addressed to an unknown number. With a small smile, he pressed send.
After that, he hid himself behind the door, waiting for the culprit to enter. It didn't take long before the door was creaked open, and a figure slipped inside. Fu Yichen swiftly hit the person unconscious as well.
He wasn't surprised to see a girl trying to drug him. When he turned her around, it was none other than Zhao Shui. He snickered at her foolishness and threw her onto the bed before walking out to the balcony.
A rope, tied from the balcony above, was hanging in the air. Fu Yichen reached out and grasped it tightly in his hands. He took one last glance inside the room before starting to climb his way up.
Finally, he reached the top and swung his legs over the balcony railing, landing softly on the floor. He collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily as the drug began to take hold. His body felt hot and his limbs were growing numb.
But he didn't give up, with much effort, he stood up. Suddenly, he spotted a folded paper on a nearby table and dragged himself towards it. When he unfolded the paper, it read: "Here's your antidote."
He glanced around, his gaze landing on a small bottle on the table. He swiftly grabbed the bottle and downed its contents.
After waiting for a short while, his body began to feel stronger. He took a few deep breaths, adjusted his clothes, and walked out of the room, back to the banquet as if nothing happened at all.
~~~~~
The sudden "click" of a soda can snapping open jolted Fu Yichen out of his memories. His gaze snapped towards Li Yue, who was nonchalantly savoring her soda.
"What do you want, then?" He asked in a low yet chilly voice.
She tilted her head and gave him an innocent look. "How about—" her words trailed off. She smirked and hooked her index finger, beckoning him to come closer.
His eyes narrowed, and he shot her a death glare. "Tsk," Li Yue clicked her tongue, and leaned in closer to him, her lips inches from his ear. Her warm breath sent a shiver down his spine as she softly whispered her demands.
Fu Yichen's frown deepened when he listened to her requests. His anger rising within him and just as he opened his mouth to retort, she silenced him.
"Shush!" she gestured playfully. "Take some time to think it through." With that, she turned around, grasped the door handle, and pushed the car door open.
~~
Suddenly, she looked back at him, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes. In one fluid movement, she reached out, tugging at the muffler wrapped around his neck, and swiftly pulled it off.
"I'm taking this with me," Li Yue declared, and wrapped his muffler around her shoulders. Fu Yichen's eyes widened in surprise and before he could even react, she stepped out of the car.
She slammed the door shut behind her, leaving him stunned by her yet again.