“Then why did you lie to me?!”
Han Xiao was infuriated and humiliated.
Mainly because she lost the fight, losing both face and dignity.
Now, looking disheveled, Han Xiao declared, “I can’t be bothered to deal with you,” and then extended a fair arm, pouting, “Pull me up.”
Hearing this, Xu Huo didn’t think much and reached out to pull her.
But she used all her might to yank him off balance, then his shoulders sank, and he was pressed down onto the sofa by her.
Her arm immediately twisted and pulled, trying to replicate Xu Huo’s earlier move.
However, the same move in different hands yields vastly different results.
Due to the sudden loss of balance, Xu Huo rolled and bumped into Han Xiao’s abdomen.
Both of them let out an “ouch” simultaneously, inexplicably ending up in a “woman on top” position.
“Han Xiao! You actually ambushed me?”
Xu Huo struggled a few times but couldn’t break free.
Her body’s flexibility was exaggeratedly strong, holding him tightly.
Her waistline was perfect, and her buttocks were plump and just the right weight.
Through the fabric, he could feel the smoothness of her skin, making it feel like a soft, jade-like mass was sitting on him.
Han Xiao was putting all her strength into it, settling old and new scores today.
Her face was flushed, and she panted, “All’s fair in war! Why do you always lie to me?!”
Did he really think she’d practiced yoga all these years for nothing?
Do you know Zhang Sanfeng?
Tai Chi uses softness to overcome hardness.
Yoga is the same principle.
“I’m going to teach you a good lesson today!”
“How will you teach me a lesson?
By crushing me with your soft body?
Then you might as well clamp me until I’m in ecstasy…”
Xu Huo could have forced himself to stand up, but then Han Xiao would likely fall backward, and if she hit her head, it would be trouble again.
“Let’s call a truce, Ranran is still knocking outside…”
“Dream on! Apologize quickly!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Will you dare to lie to me again in the future?” Han Xiao spoke, panting.
“I’ll consider it…”
“You’re still considering it?!”
Han Xiao glared, pinching his neck tightly.
Slowly, she felt something was wrong and frowned, “Take out your phone, don’t let me break it and then make me pay for it.”
“No phone.”
“Then what’s poking me?”
Han Xiao’s cold, beautiful face trembled, gradually turning into blooming February peach blossoms.
Her eyes widened slightly, on the verge of turning into embarrassed fury.
Xu Huo said sternly, “Don’t be angry, I didn’t move around. It’s just a normal reaction. If I didn’t have a reaction, then you should be angry.”
Han Xiao gritted her teeth and moved down slightly, “Apologize!!”
She even sounded a little like she was about to cry.
Truly, both weak and loves to play.
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare.”
Xu Huo indeed dared not provoke her anymore.
The comforting effect was sufficient now, and he repeatedly admitted defeat and begged for mercy.
Only then did Han Xiao let her go, satisfied.
Xu Huo rubbed his nose, a faint fragrance lingering.
This girl was also a bit crazy.
Even when being taught a lesson, it seemed he was the one who benefited?
No, no, this thought is too lewd; he’s going to turn into a pervert.
Quickly open the door.
“Brother, you’re so slow…”
Jiang Ran’s complaining voice came simultaneously, and then she saw the red-faced Han Xiao, slightly stunned for a moment.
Is she still feverish?
Why is her face so red?
Han Xiao spoke at the right moment, turning her body slightly, and calmly said, “Come in quickly.”
“Did you buy what I asked you to buy?”
Xu Huo asked.
“Mm.”
Jiang Ran changed into disposable slippers, walked in a little, then quickly took a few small steps and stayed by her brother’s side.
As expected, being with him was the most comfortable…
It didn’t matter at school or at home, even if she couldn’t see him, she knew he was by her side.
But it was different outside.
When he wasn’t around, she always felt insecure being by herself, even if they were only separated for a little while.
“Give it to me.”
Xu Huo carried the two pears he bought into the kitchen.
Her kitchen was large and spacious, fully equipped with a dishwasher, microwave, oven, and more.
Ingredients were plentiful too; besides seafood, all kinds of meat for home-cooked meals could be found, and seasonal vegetables were abundant.
But based on his own experience, Han Xiao plus a manager meant at most three dishes and a soup, not to mention she was on a diet.
Tsk tsk, truly someone from the wicked capitalist circle.
Xu Huo sighed enviously.
In comparison, their own well-off local family in S City seemed like a mere shack, impoverished.
He found a paring knife and carefully peeled the pears.
Han Xiao couldn’t help but ask, “What are you going to do?”
“Stewed rock sugar snow pears, can’t you tell? Your voice sounded off when you called, and it’s even more off now.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Jiang Ran asked worriedly, “How are you feeling now? You had quite a high fever when you first got here.”
“Much better.”
“That’s good! But what about the other things… are you okay?”
“Huh?”
Han Xiao didn’t understand what she was asking.
Jiang Ran pursed her lips, her expression a bit troubled, “Just… about the show.”
Silence.
Dead silence.
The only sound in the room was the thudding of Xu Huo’s knife on the cutting board.
“I’m fine? What could be wrong with me? Haha! Hahaha! Ha… ha…”
Han Xiao’s laughter grew increasingly hollow.
She hadn’t expected Jiang Ran to ask such a question.
Was there any value in denying it now?
No.
She quickly accepted the fact, let out a long sigh, and sat on the sofa, lost in thought.
“…How did you know?”
“Changing clothes in the middle of the show’s filming could barely be explained, but brother said you cried, your eyes were red, and everyone else’s attitudes changed quite a bit… so we guessed something might have happened.”
“Someone spilled cola on me.”
Han Xiao lowered her head.
A few strands of hair fell over her clear and beautiful face, giving her a more gentle and charming look.
“Why?”
“Why else?”
Han Xiao said casually, “Qin Yimo’s fans, they don’t like me, it was premeditated.”
“And then? Just that wouldn’t make you cry.”
Xu Huo poked his head out of the kitchen.
A man should be brave enough to make a judgment.
It wasn’t that he wanted to open Han Xiao’s old wounds, but looking at her situation, she needed an outlet.
“Then Qin Yimo apologized and pleaded for her fans… What could I do? I could only force a smile and sneak back to the hotel to shower. No one stood up for me, not a single person, they were all watching my humiliation. Do you know how I walked off that stage?”
Xu Huo understood.
There’s a kind of manipulation called “praise to kill.”
How many people in history have been killed because they were elevated to a position beyond their capabilities?
Everyone was there to compete.
Qin Yimo was already a dimensionality reduction strike, but who would have thought she’d cozy up to Han Xiao as soon as she arrived?
At first glance, it looked like she was helping her, but in reality?
When Han Xiao sensed the shift in public opinion, she immediately understood that the seriousness of the situation was far greater than she had anticipated.
This was an attempt to put her on the hot seat, to push her against all the other contestants.
You want to hog the limelight?
You want to win the championship?
You want to release an album through this opportunity?
No problem, I’ll grant your wish.
Everything you want, I’ll give it all to you.
Everything you don’t want, I’ll also dump it all on you.
But Han Xiao was just an unknown, eighteenth-tier celebrity now, good for nothing but her looks.
The preliminary rounds hadn’t even started.
Could she reach such a high position?
Without any achievements, how could she make others genuinely admire her?
“So you held it all in, wanting to make them concede, and ended up getting a fever?”
“…Is that not allowed? Why should I be bullied?”
She propped her hands on the sofa, leaning back, leisurely feeling the sunlight streaming in through the window.
She tilted her head back, squinting slightly, enjoying the warmth.
These days, she had also formally rejected many of Sister Qin’s proposals.
Because in a sense, the best possibility had already passed. Her on-the-spot reaction was not up to par, or rather, in that situation, with Qin Yimo using her power to oppress others, there was simply no perfect solution.
What would happen next?
She hadn’t thought it through yet.
Squinting like that, after a while, there was a sudden thud in the room.
When Xu Huo looked over, Han Xiao was sitting up from the sofa, clutching the back of her head.
She was still sleepy.
She was a little embarrassed.
The sunlight cast a bright dividing line in the room, and she sat within that line, beautiful and cute, squinting her eyes and pursing her lips at him.
Xu Huo was stunned…