C14 It Was Hard to Serve the Living Treasure When It Entered the Door.

"Get out of here! We're through!" Hu Yang said with a dismissive glance.

"Hu Yang, can't you forgive me just this once?" Lin Xin dabbed at her eyes, feigning sorrow.

At that moment, a gruff voice echoed from outside, "Lin Xin, is that broke ex of yours bothering you again? I'll show him what's what!"

No sooner had he spoken than a man, as round as a pig's head, barged in, fury blazing in his eyes. He pointed accusingly, but upon laying eyes on Hsiao Xinya, he froze, spellbound, his arm suspended in midair.

"Holy smokes! She's drop-dead gorgeous!"

"Bao Yumin, what are you staring at? You're making me mad!" Lin Xin yelled.

Bao Yumin, barely managing to swallow his saliva, kept his greedy gaze fixed on Hsiao Xinya. "Well, she looked familiar, couldn't help but take a good look."

"Familiar? Of course, she is! She's Hsiao Xinya, the one you were howling over just last night!" Lin Xin retorted, fuming.

"Hsiao Xinya? Oh, that explains it! What's a big star like you doing here?" Bao Yumin exclaimed, a mix of astonishment and delight in his voice.

"She's my ex's new girl," Lin Xin spat out bitterly.

"Hsiao Xinya is your girlfriend?" Bao Yumin whirled around, gaping at Hu Yang. Without waiting for a reply, he blurted out, "Aren't you broke? How did you snag a heart-stopping beauty like her?"

Hu Yang's face was a mask of disdain as he frowned. He had no desire to entangle himself with this despicable pair.

Pointing at the golden armor, Lin Xin seethed, "Bao Yumin, he played me! Pretending to be penniless while with me, yet he didn't hesitate to lavish Hsiao Xinya with a gold armor worth millions!"

Bao Yumin spun around, his face a picture of shock, and stared at Lin Xin incredulously. "You always brag about your keen eye. How could you be so blind to his act? You're the real pig here!"

Lin Xin's face turned a livid shade of gray as she shot back, "And you're the real jackass! You chase after me even knowing I'm a pig! If you hadn't boasted about having three mines, why would I have ever left Hu Yang for you?"

After her outburst, she angrily stamped her foot and burst out of the room in tears.

Bao Yumin stayed put, giving Hsiao Xinya a pleading smile. "Could I get your autograph?"

"Of course!" Hsiao Xinya responded coolly, likely used to such requests from her many fans.

"Scram!" Hu Yang barked, his face stern.

Bao Yumin looked displeased but held back any outburst, probably thinking Hu Yang was too wealthy and influential to provoke. Still, he brazenly gave a thumbs-up.

"Man, you're something else! Lin Xin, that tramp, has boyfriends galore, a real driver for all! If her family wasn't loaded, I wouldn't bother chasing her..."

"Get out!" Hu Yang shoved him in disgust, and Bao Yumin stumbled out the door.

Bang!

Hu Yang slammed the door shut. The guy lingered, calling out, "Dude, did you rent this dump just to win Hsiao Xinya's sympathy? Smart move, I must say. Hats off to you!"

Eventually, the noise outside ceased. Hu Yang turned to find Hsiao Xinya eyeing him curiously.

Beep!

The system registered +26 disdain from her.

What was that about?

Hu Yang was puzzled. Hsiao Xinya remarked, "Having such a tough guy on your side means you're no small fry. So why go for a girlfriend with such low standards?"

Because...

Hu Yang chose not to explain. She wasn't someone close to him; no need to indulge her curiosity.

The door remained shut. What about Wan? She usually loved a spectacle, yet with all the commotion outside, her silence was nothing short of miraculous.

Upon opening the door, Hu Yang was surprised and relieved to see the fuzz on Wan's face and neck had vanished. But there she was, lost in thought, fists clenched, without a trace of joy.

Shouldn't she be thrilled to be back to normal?

Wan looked up, her voice quivering, "Hu Yang, my strength is gone! I tried several times but couldn't budge the desk. Just last night, I could lift it with two fingers! I've lost so much..."

If it was never hers to begin with, losing it couldn't really be considered a loss, could it?

Hsiao Xinya approached the doorway, her eyes widening in astonishment at the sight of Wan's rosy cheeks, smooth and lustrous as if carved from jade. She couldn't fathom how the fuzz on her face had vanished so suddenly.

Concerned, she inquired whether Wan's "illness" had improved.

The two striking women hit it off immediately, and within moments, the room echoed with their cheerful banter.

After a half-hour wait with no sign of Hsiao Xinya leaving, Hu Yang had no choice but to knock on the door, signaling it was time for her to depart. He gently reminded her of the late hour and suggested she head home.

Hsiao Xinya spun around, her gaze fixed on Hu Yang with an expression of disbelief. It was as if she was thinking, "Other men freeze in my presence, yet here you are, eager to show me the door!"

"I refuse to leave! You're just putting on an act! You think you can charm me with your gentlemanly facade? Too bad I've seen through such tactics all too often. You won't fool me!"

"I have nowhere else to go. I'd like to stay here just for the night," Hsiao Xinya said, feigning shyness. "I won't impose on you for free. I'll pay for my stay."

It wasn't about the money. The room was tiny, with only one bed. Unless she bunked with Wan, there really was no place for her to sleep. And for a glamorous star like her to spend the night here? It would be far from fitting.

And could this modest bed ever compare to the luxurious comfort of a five-star hotel?

Hu Yang, however, chose not to voice these thoughts. Instead, he simply asked, "Don't you fear the danger?"

"I trust you're not that kind of person," she replied.

But his caution struck a nerve, and a wave of unease washed over Hsiao Xinya.

Sometimes, it's not just the wicked who commit crimes. Even the virtuous might stray if the temptation is great enough.

For a star as irresistible as Hsiao Xinya, who had willingly chosen to stay in someone else's home, if Hu Yang harbored any ulterior motives and something unforeseen occurred, she might have no choice but to grit her teeth and swallow her pride come morning.

Wan grinned and said, "Sister Xinya, Hu Yang doesn't have the nerve, trust me. He wouldn't dare lay a finger on you."

"Is that so?" Hsiao Xinya chuckled. A young girl's assurances are hardly reliable, especially when they're all part of the same crew.

"If you're skeptical, why not strip down and test him?"

Sweat!

Could such words really come from a young girl's mouth?

Hsiao Xinya blushed, while Hu Yang couldn't help but picture her without clothes, feeling his blood heat up.

Indeed, with a troublemaker's prompt, it's all too easy for things to go awry.