All eyes fell upon Song Xi.
The atmosphere inside the room was deadlier than a graveyard at midnight.
Even though Song Xi had her eyes closed, she could still feel a terrifying gaze fixed upon her.
"Get out, all of you."
The resonant command finally brought sound back into the room.
Amidst the commotion of so many people moving, only footsteps could be heard, without the slightest sound of anything else.
As they left, everyone couldn't help casting sympathetic glances at her.
Those looks were as if they were gazing at a dead person.
She saw Huang Liuer open her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, she was dragged out by two bodyguards dressed in black.
Soon, the crowded room emptied out completely, leaving only Gu Lishang and Song Xi behind.
"Come here."
The tone carried an undeniable command.
Song Xi secretly glanced at Gu Lishang, trying to decipher his emotions from his expression.
Yet his face was expressionless and his demeanor detached; it was impossible to tell whether he felt anger or disgust.
Cautiously, Song Xi approached, taking the initiative to break the silence in the room.
"I... I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"Sleeping with you..."
"..."
Gu Lishang's lips twitched involuntarily as he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
His large hand exerted sudden strength.
Before she had time to react, she lost her balance and fell backward, landing squarely on Gu Lishang's lap.
"!!!!"
Flashing through her mind involuntarily were the scenes of how Gu Lishang had treated Huang Liuer.
How could she possibly dare to sit on Gu Lishang's lap?
That was a sure way to lose her life!
Song Xi hurriedly struggled, trying to get up, but an extra hand on her waist pinned her down, rendering her completely unable to move.
"Don't move."
Gu Lishang's chilling voice sounded from behind her.
Obedient as if she had just received an imperial decree, she didn't dare move at all.
Gu Lishang buried his face in the crook of her neck, greedily breathing in her scent.
Gu Lishang had originally thought his inability to control his passion that night was due to external factors, but until this very moment, smelling her fragrance once again, he realized that what had made him lose control was never any aphrodisiac, but simply her scent.
Simply because the person was her—so simple and pure.
Like perfectly matched genes, carved deep into his bones.
Song Xi was suddenly grabbed by the person behind her and spun around.
Beneath her was a scorching heat.
She awkwardly tried to struggle, but the mask on her face was pulled off; she could no longer remain masked in front of Gu Lishang.
She noticed that Gu Lishang showed not the slightest trace of surprise upon seeing her face, as if he had guessed all along that the person must have been her.
"It seems you knew all along..."
Before she could finish her question, the back of her head was suddenly cupped by a hand, and a hot, damp breath enveloped her lips, invading her mouth.
"Mmph..."
Her reason told her she ought to struggle, but her body went limp, leaving her entirely without the strength to push the other person away.
Gu Lishang's kisses traveled from her lips down to her neck, and then to her collarbone.
Lingering and caressing, as if unwilling to spare a single inch.
Song Xi's willpower began to slip away bit by bit, utterly intoxicated and on the verge of sinking into it, when she was suddenly pushed away.
In Song Xi's bright eyes flashed a look of incomprehension.
Gu Lishang: "Sorry, I lost control just now."
Song Xi pouted, reaching out to wipe away the moisture on her lips.
He didn't think it was losing control while kissing her, but now he suddenly did.
"Disappointed?"
"No."
She turned her head away, refusing to look at Gu Lishang, acting somewhat petulant.
"You've been well aware of what happened that night all along, why didn't you tell me?" Gu Lishang stared at her and continued, "Did that woman order you to say that?"
Song Xi frowned. "You guys got it wrong yourselves in the first place. Sister Liuer is a very good friend of mine, I can't hurt her."
"So hurting me is fine?"
"How did I hurt you?"
"..."
Gu Lishang couldn't answer, and even he wasn't entirely sure why he had said such a thing.
Yet the thought that Song Xi had known what happened all along and kept it from him made him somewhat angry, but more than that, saddened, and even a bit aggrieved?
Such emotions were very strange.
Gu Lishang was skilled at suppressing his emotions and immediately changed the subject, pulling a check out from his pocket and handing it to Song Xi.
"This is compensation for that night."
A check appeared before Song Xi's eyes. She looked closely—two million?
It was so hot to the touch that she didn't even dare to reach out and take it.
She shook her head, her face flushed red.
"Everyone got a bit carried away that night, we're all adults, just normal needs, and I had a great time too, no compensation is needed."
To avoid taking the check and to keep the other person from being embarrassed, she forced herself to say these words, hoping this matter could be put behind them quickly; she certainly couldn't afford any consequences.
"Should I add the word 'prostitution' to this?"
"Huh?"
"Prostituted with great pleasure."
"Huh...?" After ten seconds of processing time, Song Xi's face turned even redder, brighter than a ripe apple. "I didn't mean it like that."
She had indeed thought that way before.
Just consider it hiring a male model; a male model of Gu Lishang's caliber probably cost thousands, and yet she didn't even have to pay.
Thinking this way, her mood had improved quite a bit.
Yet she never expected that these little inner thoughts would all be seen through by Gu Lishang!
She lowered her head, trying her best to avoid making eye contact with Gu Lishang.
Gu Lishang: "I was the one who initiated it that night, compensating you is only right."
Without room for argument, the check was shoved firmly into Song Xi's hand.
Song Xi bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly, yet firm.
"I... am not selling myself."
The pause stemmed from her nervousness, but every word was clear and distinct as she tried her utmost to preserve her dignity.
As long as she refused this money, she would still have her own pride.
Having said that, Song Xi actually imitated Gu Lishang's gesture and forcefully shoved the check back at him.
Gu Lishang couldn't help but chuckle.
So there was a self-esteem that two million couldn't buy?
"Three million?"
"No."
"Five million?"
"I said, I don't want it!"
Song Xi's eyes were full of stubbornness, biting her lip tightly as she stuck to her principles.
Gu Lishang finally stopped raising the price. Looking at her like this, he suspected this woman might start crying in the next second, and he surprisingly felt a trace of reluctance.
"Fine," Gu Lishang compromised. "Let's change the subject."
He played with Song Xi's slender, delicate fingers, gently kneading them.
"Marry me."
"Ah?"
Song Xi was dumbfounded.
She recognized every single word, but how did putting them together make so little sense?
Gu Lishang wanted to marry her?
Wasn't this a joke!
After taking a moment to recover, she spoke up, "Did I hear wrong?"
"You heard correctly. I said marry me. My family is pressing hard, and I need a shield."
"Actually, you could find someone else. I don't have any thoughts in that direction right now."
"I'll give you an allowance of one million a month."
"I really think we shouldn't... We don't even know each other well, marriage would be far too rash, I really have no such plans..."
Song Xi smiled apologetically and pulled her hand out from Gu Lishang's grip.
The mere thought of the previous scene made her heart flutter with panic, terrified that she would be the next one grabbed by the throat and threatened with being thrown into a crocodile pit.
She chose a polite refusal.
No matter how handsome the other person was, her little life was far more important.
Besides, marriage was only beneficial to Gu Lishang; it held no advantages for her whatsoever.