C29 Torture and Benefits!

"I'll go downstairs and get a new room key," Zhang Xiaolong said, realizing it wasn't quite right for him to remain. It wouldn't be proper to have the young woman change her clothes in front of him.

"Hey, don't leave," Yang Jingjing protested with a hint of annoyance.

Don't leave? Zhang Xiaolong's heart skipped a beat. Was she suggesting he stay? And then, what? Would she cling to him as Chen Yaru had?

He had managed to keep his composure amidst the crowd at the party, but in this more intimate setting, with her wearing next to nothing, he feared he might not be able to resist the urge to act on his primal instincts...

"Give me back my things," Yang Jingjing demanded, seeing no response from him.

Was he really planning to pocket her underwear? And since she had just taken it out to wear, what was she supposed to do now?

"Things?" Zhang Xiaolong was perplexed, turning around instinctively.

The sight of the large white towel and the skin peeking out, even whiter than the towel itself, made him quickly turn away again. "What things?"

"The clothes you just took from me, of course," Yang Jingjing said, her cheeks coloring slightly.

It was then that Zhang Xiaolong remembered the item was indeed in his pocket. He was mortified, having mistakenly thought she wanted to get intimate with him. It seemed he had thought too much.

He quickly retrieved the item and tossed it onto the bed. "I'll head out now."

"You're not going anywhere!" Yang Jingjing snapped.

After blurting that out, she reconsidered. Why was she asking this man to stay? Surely she wasn't going to change in front of him?

"Is there something else?" Zhang Xiaolong asked, now cautious and feeling a bit sheepish.

"What if you leave and those people burst in while I'm changing?" Yang Jingjing knew it was an unlikely scenario, but it was an excuse nonetheless.

Her request for him to stay had been a spur-of-the-moment outburst, but now, seeing Zhang Xiaolong's face turn even redder than hers, she felt a mischievous urge take hold.

If Zhang Xiaolong were truly a sleazy creep, she would have been terrified enough to kick him out. But he was even shyer than she was, so she couldn't resist teasing him a bit.

"You find it awkward in this room, don't you? Well, I'm making you stay. It's your own fault for walking in on someone taking a shower."

As she pondered this, she failed to consider that although this was torturous for a man, it was also a kind of perk.

Zhang Xiaolong listened to the rustling sounds behind him, feeling as though thousands of ants were crawling inside his body.

He had this sensation that, even though he couldn't see Yang Jingjing getting dressed, the image was vividly etched in his mind. He even felt like he had captured the moment she nearly dropped her towel.

However, Zhang Xiaolong didn't dwell on it. He chalked it up to his imagination. What young man doesn't have the talent for fantasy? To be exact, every man, or rather, everyone does.

"Okay."

As Zhang Xiaolong's daydream came to an end, Yang Jingjing's timely voice snapped him back to reality. He quickly turned around.

Her wet hair hung over her shoulders, looking somewhat disheveled. Without the sunglasses to hide behind and having washed away the day's fatigue, her fair complexion appeared even more delicate. Perhaps because of the recent incident, her cheeks were flushed, adding a seductive allure.

Beneath her long eyelashes, her eyes sparkled with vitality, clear as a crisp autumn day.

Catching Zhang Xiaolong staring, a hint of annoyance flickered in Yang Jingjing's eyes, seemingly reminded of the moment she was just wrapped in a towel.

"Sorry," Zhang Xiaolong blurted out, realizing his gaffe, "You're so beautiful, I couldn't help but take a longer look."

Even he was surprised by his own words. Such a compliment was something he would never have managed to say before, but now it slipped out effortlessly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Smooth talker!" Yang Jingjing gave him a playful glare, yet she couldn't help feeling secretly delighted.

There isn't a girl who doesn't enjoy being told she's beautiful, especially when Yang Jingjing noticed that Zhang Xiaolong had changed from how he used to be.

Despite having tossed his suit jacket onto the bed, Zhang Xiaolong's demeanor remained strikingly different, even in just a shirt and slacks. Where he once exuded the simple charm of rural life, he now commanded attention with an undeniable allure: "Handsome!" Yet, the serene and peaceful look in his eyes remained unchanged, devoid of any frivolity or irritability, offering a comforting gaze to onlookers.

Zhang Xiaolong cleared his throat with a soft cough. Yang Jingjing wouldn't admit to being momentarily distracted, as if her eyes were being magnetically drawn to him. She quickly turned to deflect, using the earlier incident as a shield, "Who gave you permission to enter my room?"

"It's really not my fault," Zhang Xiaolong replied with a wry smile. "Wasn't it you who had the waiter give me this room key?"

"Regardless, you're at fault," Yang Jingjing retorted with a pout. "But I'm feeling generous and won't hold it against you, as long as you accept your punishment."

"I thought you weren't holding it against me? Why the punishment then?" Zhang Xiaolong grumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Yang Jingjing asked, clearly not pleased.

Zhang Xiaolong quickly backpedaled, "Nothing, nothing. Whatever you say for the punishment, I'll accept."

"That's better," Yang Jingjing said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Actually, seeing how honest you are, I'll let you off the hook for now."

As she felt her damp hair, she initially thought to ask him to help dry it, but the idea suddenly struck her as too intimate. Despite a mysterious longing stirring within her, she ultimately let her usual prudence prevail and dismissed the thought.

Together, they descended to the front desk to clarify the mix-up. It turned out the waiter had indeed made an error. Zhang Xiaolong, relieved, spread his hands in a helpless gesture, while Yang Jingjing responded with an eye roll.

Having exchanged their room keys, they each retired to their respective rooms for the night, and the evening passed without further incident. However, as Yang Jingjing lay in bed, the memory of someone handling her personal clothing left her with an odd sensation. She contemplated changing into a fresh set but ultimately decided against it.

Early the next morning, Zhang Xiaolong finished freshening up. As he opened his door, he was surprised to find Yang Jingjing standing outside, holding breakfast.

"So early?" he remarked, slightly taken aback. He had planned to buy breakfast as an apology for the beautiful journalist, but she had beaten him to it.

"We agreed to check out the greenhouse glass today, so naturally, I came early," Yang Jingjing said with a smile, seemingly unfazed by yesterday's events.

Zhang Xiaolong sensed something different about her, though. Her eyes seemed to sparkle more when she looked at him.

"What are you staring at?" Yang Jingjing asked, feigning irritation.