Qiao An beamed with delight. "To think that the man Lin Xi fawned over for three years has now become a captive at my feet. Ha."
Zhang Ling’s phone rang. He glanced at the number and put it directly on speaker.
"Hello."
"Sir, a man in black just delivered a small box to the lady you mentioned."
Qiao An looked up at Zhang Ling. Zhang Ling made a gesture for her to be quiet. "When?"
"Around eleven-thirty."
"Do you know what was in the box?"
"I was too far away to see clearly, but it wasn't large. The lady took it away as soon as she opened it."
Zhang Ling furrowed his brows. "And the box?"
"The man took it with him."
"I see. I'll transfer the money to you shortly."
After hanging up, Qiao An asked, "You have someone tracking Lin Xi?"
"I gave the caddy some money; he was more than happy to oblige." Zhang Ling frowned in thought. "I’ve had people investigate Lin Xi. She has always presented herself as a dignified lady, but today she is exceptionally..."
"Revealing."
Zhang Ling nodded. "When we ran into her in the lobby, her attire already struck me as off. Later, at the baseball stadium, I noticed she was dressed even more scantily. I think... she’s seducing Gu Jingxing."
At this, Zhang Ling paused. "Do you think you’ll be able to get into Gu Jingxing’s room tonight?"
Qiao An blinked. "What do you mean..."
"They are a couple, spending the weekend together at a hotel, and the woman is dressed provocatively," Zhang Ling said. "Not to mention the woman was caught acting suspiciously while acquiring something."
It was all too specific—Lin Xi’s intentions were practically written all over her face. With so many red flags, Qiao An felt Gu Jingxing might not make it through the night with his innocence intact.
Qiao An smiled at Zhang Ling. "It seems I’ll have to defend my turf."
...
In the afternoon, Qiao An rested in her room, letting Zhang Ling go out on his own. Around four o'clock, she called the caddy and asked him to keep an eye on Gu Jingxing’s schedule. She learned he had dinner reservations at the restaurant and had also rented a yacht for a night cruise.
Qiao An thought for a moment, opened her clutch, and took out a bullet-sized vaginal suppository from the inner pocket. It was something she had bought in Burton for "extra fun"; men were said to love it. She hadn't had the chance to use it back in Burton, but this was a perfect opportunity to test it out.
After inserting it according to the instructions, Qiao An took out a spare black tulle dress and changed into it, preparing for the upcoming dinner.
At seven o'clock, Qiao An’s doorbell rang right on time. Opening the door, she saw Zhang Ling standing there, dressed in a sharp, American-style black suit. The moment he saw Qiao An, a flash of intense admiration crossed his eyes.
The black, fluffy tulle dress was both elegant and playful, making Qiao An’s skin look even fairer and more luscious. Her subtle makeup softened into a halo under the lights, giving her a gentle, natural glow.
Qiao An lifted her hem and did a small turn. "Do I look good?"
"You look beautiful," Zhang Ling said with a smile, extending his arm. "'As if a light cloud veils the moon, as if a drifting breeze carries the swirling snow'—I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as you."
Qiao An felt her face heat up as she took his arm. "Ahem, a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?"
Zhang Ling looked at her with sincere eyes. "Qiao An, seeing you tonight, no one could help but fall in love with you."
Qiao An’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively looked away.
The two arrived at the restaurant and made their way to their reserved table. Qiao An checked the table number and realized it was right next to the one Gu Jingxing had booked.
What a... coincidence.
Zhang Ling ordered food that suited Qiao An’s tastes before ordering his own. Just as Qiao An was about to call the waiter, she looked up and saw Gu Jingxing enter and walk straight toward them.
Gu Jingxing ignored them completely, sitting down at the table behind Zhang Ling, positioning himself directly across from Qiao An.
"...Did you arrange this?" Zhang Ling asked in a low voice.
"How could I?" Qiao An took a sip of her water and chuckled. "I only inquired about his itinerary. As for the table... didn't you book it yourself?"
Zhang Ling sighed. "Well, that’s a real stroke of bad luck."
Qiao An couldn't help but laugh.
The waiter soon brought their meal. Zhang Ling took Qiao An’s steak, placed it in front of himself, and used a knife and fork to cut it into bite-sized pieces for her.
A moment later, Lin Xi arrived, flowing toward them in a moon-white long dress. Tonight’s dress was more conservative, but the form-fitting design showcased her curves to perfection. In particular, the unique cutout design extending from her nape to below her waistline was impossible to ignore.
Qiao An glanced at Gu Jingxing. He was flipping through the menu and didn't even give Lin Xi a look.
Seeing Qiao An there, Lin Xi seemed surprised but then settled into a look of inevitability. "Fancy meeting you again."
"Yes," Qiao An said with a sweet smile. "What a special coincidence."
Lin Xi looked at Zhang Ling, who had just finished cutting the steak and was handing it back to Qiao An, and said with a touch of envy, "Mr. Zhang is so thoughtful."
Seeing that Gu Jingxing still wasn't looking at her, she didn't get angry. Instead, she walked over to Gu Jingxing, took his hand, and placed it on her waist. She made sure his fingers rested right on the cutout, and she gave a slight wiggle of her hips.
"Jingxing, do you like my dress?"
Only then did Gu Jingxing look up from the menu. "It’s nice."
Lin Xi feigned dissatisfaction. "Just 'nice'?"
Gu Jingxing smiled, pinched the nape of her neck, and leaned in to whisper something in her ear. Lin Xi immediately flushed, gave him a playful tap, and went to take her own seat.
"Shall we have some wine?" Gu Jingxing asked. "I have a bottle stored here; it’s a good vintage."
"Sure. But aren't you supposed to have a meeting later tonight?"
"Hmm, just a little." Gu Jingxing thought for a moment. "The chef’s recommendations for tonight aren't things you like. Why don't you pick a few dishes, and I'll have the kitchen prepare them?"
Lin Xi’s gaze was soft and sweet. "Would that be too much trouble? The restaurant prepares their ingredients early; what if they can't make what I want?"
"That’s their concern. You only need to enjoy yourself."
Gu Jingxing raised a hand, and a waiter immediately bowed and stepped forward. Lin Xi whispered a few dishes she liked and then looked at Gu Jingxing, adding a few more.
Gu Jingxing curled his lips. "Just order what you like."
"Your taste is important too," Lin Xi said as she let the waiter go get the red wine. "Don't always cater to me; I’ll feel bad."
Gu Jingxing reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
The two weren't speaking loudly, but they weren't trying to be discreet either. At Qiao An’s table, everything was heard clearly.
Seeing Qiao An eating her steak in small bites, Zhang Ling asked in a low voice, "Doesn't it bother you to hear that?"
"Why would it bother me?" Qiao An picked up her lemonade and took a sip. "Only those who are emotionally invested would care."
And she had no heart.
Playing a part for a man was enough. If you were to give your heart to a man, you’d be doomed for life.
Zhang Ling wanted to say that a woman is always different with her first man, but in the end, he didn't speak.
Halfway through their meal, the dishes for Gu Jingxing’s table were served. Gu Jingxing received a phone call and got up to take it outside.
Qiao An, tired of eating, rested her chin on one hand and used the other to slowly poke at her salad. With nothing better to do, she looked over Zhang Ling’s shoulder and saw Lin Xi suddenly reach out and bring Gu Jingxing’s wine glass over to her side.
Looking closely, she could vaguely see what looked like white granules falling from Lin Xi's fingertips into the glass. The rose-red wine fizzed, with tiny bubbles struggling to break the surface. A few seconds later, it settled.
Lin Xi swirled the glass and held the rim to her nose, as if sniffing the aroma. Then, she placed the glass back exactly where it had been.
Qiao An couldn't hold it back anymore, the corners of her mouth curling up bit by bit.