Chapter 193: Chapter 191: Sharing the Same Bed
"You're finally back?" To his surprise, the door opened effortlessly as Xiang Ri turned the handle, contrary to his expectation that the secretary might have locked it. Yet, the moment he stepped inside, he was met with her questioning tone, dressed casually in her nightwear.
"Yes, I'm back," he replied, observing the secretary's cold gaze darting over him, leaving him with the absurd feeling of a husband caught red-handed after a night of mischief.
"Hmm?" Fang Yingying wrinkled her nose and stepped closer. "Weren't you off gallivanting? How come you don't reek of perfume? Or did you cleverly dispose of the evidence beforehand?"
Feigning helplessness, Xiang Ri sighed. "I was planning to, but who knew I'd run into some acquaintances? They wouldn't let me go until just now."
Fang Yingying snorted, but her expression softened slightly. "I suggest you avoid associating with those kinds of women. You wouldn't want to catch something troublesome, would you?"
"Yes, yes..." Xiang Ri nodded repeatedly before glancing at her. "Were you standing near the door just now? Don't tell me you were waiting for me?" He asked offhandedly, not daring to expect an affirmative reply.
"Waiting for you?" Fang Yingying's voice was laced with incredulity. "Do you think you're someone worth waiting for? Don't daydream. It's nighttime, after all! I was just engrossed in a TV show when I heard an annoying set of footsteps."
Dragging her words, she suddenly pointed at the coat rack near the door. "So I wanted to use that thing to knock out the person disturbing me, but it's too heavy for me to lift. Now, do you understand my frustration?"
Xiāng Ri glanced at the metal coat rack and shrank his neck. "You wouldn't actually go that far, would you?"
"Want to find out how it feels to have that thing crash into your head?" Fang Yingying's glare intensified, her anger flaring with her raised voice. "And you call yourself my 'brother'? You left me here while you went out to have fun! Is this what you call loyalty?"
"I was going somewhere you couldn't exactly tag along..." Xiang Ri murmured, his expression awkward.
"Who says it has to be somewhere like that? Paris has countless sights—Luxembourg Gardens, the Seine, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower. Why couldn't we visit those together? It's a failure of epic proportions to have a 'brother' like you. You abandoned me here for your own enjoyment! Tell me, are you even human?"
Rendered speechless, Xiang Ri muttered, "Alright, I'll go take a shower and sleep."
"Wait!" Fang Yingying called out, walking toward the bed. "Your pajamas are on the bed. Change into them after your shower and come to bed."
"What do you mean?" Xiang Ri's face filled with puzzlement as he stared at the secretary's alluring silhouette. A thought flickered in his mind—was there a deeper implication?
"Seeing as you didn't go out gallivanting, I'll allow you to sleep in the bed tonight. But stay on your side and don't cross the line I've marked!" With that, Fang Yingying lay down fully clothed, pulled half the blanket over herself, and ignored the man behind her.
Warmth filled Xiang Ri's heart as he gazed at the seemingly slumbering secretary. A rare sense of tranquility enveloped him, spreading through his chest.
He couldn't help but marvel at how unpredictable life was. Just the day before, their relationship had been tense and hostile, yet tonight, they were sharing the same bed.
Taking the silver silk pajamas from the bed, Xiang Ri headed to the bathroom. Perhaps it was the thought of sharing a bed with the secretary that exhilarated him. Tasks that would typically take half an hour were completed in mere minutes.
Feeling slightly nervous, Xiang Ri climbed onto the spacious, luxurious bed. As he lifted the blanket and prepared to slip under, his eyes landed on a conspicuous "marker" right in the middle of the bed.
A piece of undergarment, minimalist to the extreme, lay there. Though it had been disassembled into a long strap attached to a small patch of fabric, Xiang Ri immediately recognized it as the same item the secretary had brandished earlier that day during her loud interrogation.
Shaking his head with a wry smile, Xiang Ri moved cautiously, mindful not to disturb the "demarcation line."
"Hey, are you asleep?" With such a beautiful woman beside him, it was impossible not to have certain thoughts. To distract himself, he attempted to strike up a conversation.
Unfortunately, the secretary, who had turned her back to him, seemed to be sound asleep and remained unresponsive.
He tried calling her again, but the result was the same. This time, he adopted a syrupy tone and crooned, "Yingying... Yingying... Little Yingying..."
"Are you summoning ghosts?" Fang Yingying suddenly turned to face him, her expression filled with annoyance. She was visibly irked and slightly regretful—she should never have let him share the bed. Just as she had been drifting off, his incessant calling had completely dispelled her drowsiness.
"No, I just wanted to check if you were asleep," Xiang Ri muttered sheepishly, noting the secretary's glare. His gaze, however, drifted treacherously to her chest.
"What are you staring at?" Fang Yingying noticed his unsettling look, hastily tugged at her robe to cover herself, and shot him another fierce glare. "What exactly do you want? If it's nothing, stop disturbing my sleep!"
"Uh... I was just wondering if you're not wearing the thong I brought you earlier today?" Xiang Ri asked, fully bracing himself for her wrath.
Contrary to his expectations, the secretary showed no hint of embarrassment. Instead, she responded naturally, "It's too tight—completely uncomfortable." Then, with an impatient tone, she added, "Enough! It's late. Whatever you have to say can wait until tomorrow. Sleep!" With that, she turned her back to him again.
"But I can't sleep," Xiang Ri grumbled, his voice filled with feigned complaint. In truth, he was trying to tease her and see if he could take advantage of the situation. "A lone man and a stunning beauty in the same room—if I could fall asleep, would I still be a man?"
"Can't sleep, huh?" Fang Yingying sat up, her back still to him, a mysterious smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Maybe I can help you."
"Help me? How?" Xiang Ri asked, a mix of surprise and anticipation blooming in his chest.
"You said you needed to resolve a physiological problem, didn't you? I can help with that," Fang Yingying replied as she stepped off the bed.
"This..." Xiang Ri froze, then broke into an expression of unabashed joy, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "How could I impose on you like this?" Despite his words, his eyes gleamed with unrestrained hope.
"Don't be shy," Fang Yingying said nonchalantly as she rummaged through the room. "Let me see if I can find something like a stick or a rod. If I can knock you out, I'll finally get some peace."
Xiang Ri's face froze, and his hopeful fantasies instantly crumbled. He had thought the secretary was about to offer herself to him... but clearly, he had misunderstood. With a bitter smile, he quickly said, "No need to look—I'll just sleep quietly now."