After the team leader's harsh command, the others finally reacted.
They surged forward, seizing Bai Xueyan and attempting to tear off her clothes by force.
She struggled desperately, her delicate hands clutching at her garments.
There was no way to prove her innocence, and against so many people, resistance was futile.
Her lips pressed into a thin line, blood pooling at the corners from her relentless biting.
Despite her disheveled state, her obsidian-like eyes burned with defiance, fierce like a lone beast cornered in the mountains.
In a sudden burst of strength, Bai Xueyan wrenched herself free from their grip.
Just as she was about to flee, the team leader stepped forward and delivered a stinging slap across her face.
A sharp pain exploded on her cheek, turning it red and swollen, while a piercing buzz rang in her ears.
Taking advantage of her momentary daze, the others seized her garments again, yanking until the buttons popped off.
Her round shoulders were exposed under the dim light.
Rage ignited in Bai Xueyan's veins.
With all the force she could muster, she rammed her head into the team leader's face!
"Ah!" she cried out as his nose burst into a stream of blood.
Staggering backward, she clutched her face in shock.
Not wasting a second, Bai Xueyan broke free from her captors and bolted for the door.
She yanked it open and ran out desperately.
Outside, the corridor was bustling.
Manager Cheng stood nearby, bowing and nodding obsequiously to a group of high-profile guests.
Rushing forward blindly, Bai Xueyan crashed into someone.
Her forehead, already bleeding from the scuffle, smeared crimson across the man's pristine white silk shirt—like a single red plum blossom blooming on untouched snow.
She looked up and froze.
She never expected to meet him here.
The man before her seemed momentarily taken aback.
The sudden commotion drained the color from Manager Cheng's face.
His voice quivered, "Lu... Master Lu Yezhou..."
Hadn't he already left?
Why was he back now?
The team leader, still dizzy from the collision, hadn't seen the scene outside.
She charged forward, grabbing Bai Xueyan's hair and dragging her back toward the bathroom.
Before she could react, she forced her down, pressing her face toward the toilet.
At the same time, her other hand discreetly stuffed the stolen necklace into her garments.
She thrashed violently, knocking them both over.
The necklace tumbled from her clothes, clattering onto the floor.
Lu Yezhou's dark gaze flickered to the blood on his shirt before shifting toward Manager Cheng.
His voice was low and cold. "What's going on?"
Manager Cheng broke into a cold sweat, stammering, "M-Master Lu, she... she stole something. I was only trying to retrieve it!"
Lu Yezhou's right-hand man, Lu Zhan, scoffed, "What kind of joke is this? You brought such a mess before the Seventh Master? Manager Cheng, you can't even handle a petty thief?"
Bai Xueyan's soaked hair clung to her pale face as she glared up at them. "I am not a thief! I didn't steal anything!"
But Manager Cheng wouldn't let her get another word in.
He motioned hastily to the guards, "Take this thief away!"
Bai Xueyan's breathing was ragged, her body trembling from exhaustion, but she refused to go down without a fight.
She jerked free from the hands restraining her. "I said—I am not a thief!"
With that, her gaze snapped toward the team leader.
Under her piercing stare, she faltered for a moment, guilt flickering across her face.
Lu Zhan turned to Lu Yezhou, signaling for him to leave. "Seventh Master, let's go upstairs."
He intended to fetch fresh clothes for Lu Yezhou to remove the bloodstains, but before he could take a step, Lu Yezhou's voice cut through the air. "Take that woman to my room."
Lu Zhan paused. "..."
Inside the private suite...
A tall, slender man lounged on a dark green leather sofa.
His jet-black hair was neatly styled, and his striking features were accentuated by the warm glow of the ambient lighting.
A finely tailored three-piece suit adorned his body, with a silver-grey silk shirt beneath, its subtle sheen adding to his aura of nobility.
Yet his presence was cold, distant—like an exquisite jade sculpture, beautiful yet untouchable.
This was the man Bai Xueyan now faced.
Lu Yezhou sat quietly, swirling a glass of amber-hued brandy in his hand.
The liquid glowed under the dim lights, casting an intoxicating shimmer.
The moment she entered, he slowly turned his head, his dark gaze locking onto her.
She had changed.
Now dressed in an elegant silk gown, her delicate figure was accentuated beneath its flowing fabric.
She stood poised at the doorway, but her hands instinctively clutched at the folds of her dress, betraying her unease.
No doubt, this was Lu Zhan's doing.
Bai Xueyan had refused at first, but with her previous clothes torn beyond repair, she had no other choice.
Now, she felt utterly exposed, completely out of place in the luxurious room of the Seventh Master of Ming City.
To Be Continued...