"I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself," said Pei Chiyao, his meaning clear to Xie Tingyan.
Fortunately, Zhi Yao was unharmed this time, and they found her quickly. If anything had happened to Zhi Yao, Xie Tingyan would have been flayed alive by Pei Chiyao.
"Understood, understood!" Xie Tingyan nodded vigorously, rolling his wrists. He looked at the producer with malicious glee. "It's been a while since this young master has stretched his limbs. Your first blood upon returning to the country will be you!"
...
Pei Chiyao paid no further attention to the producer.
His heart raced with urgency, even though he knew Zhi Yao was merely drunk. Still, he couldn't help but worry.
Whenever it involved Zhi Yao, he became exceptionally cautious, terrified that something might happen to her.
As for the producer, Xie Tingyan's torture methods surpassed even his own.
He was ruthless, and ordinary people couldn't withstand him for an hour.
Xie Tingyan, on the other hand, was purely sickening, so sickening that he could leave psychological scars. Even if one survived, they would be driven insane.
Pei Chiyao held Zhi Yao, intending to rest upstairs in his private lounge at this club where he was one of the owners.
As he carried Zhi Yao into the elevator, just as the doors were about to close, a pair of shoes appeared in his line of sight.
The man wore black leather dress shoes and a black-and-white houndstooth coat, one hand in his pocket, exuding a nonchalant air.
He stepped into the elevator, his narrow eyes peering intently from behind his gold-rimmed glasses at the young woman in Pei Chiyao's arms.
The girl was curled up softly in Pei Chiyao's embrace, her usually fair skin tinged with a rosy flush from the alcohol, making her look like a ripe peach begging to be bitten.
"Drunk?" Xie Qinzhou spared her only a glance before reluctantly averting his gaze.
Pei Chiyao replied coldly, "Your cousin's handiwork."
Xie Qinzhou let out a light laugh. "Why don't you hand her over to me? I have some... effective ways to sober up a vixen."
Zhi Yao had guessed correctly - Xie Qinzhou knew her true identity.
Pei Chiyao wasn't surprised. This young master of the Xie family was renowned for his genius and likely possessed unique abilities, enabling him to discern Zhi Yao's identity at a glance and even remove the mark from her brow.
"No need," Pei Chiyao refused without hesitation.
Xie Qinzhou shrugged. "What a pity."
The girl was too adorable; he could barely resist the urge to tease her.
What a shame she was in someone else's arms.
She should have... belonged to him.
Yet he arrived a step too late, forced to watch helplessly as she rested in another's embrace.
The elevator stopped on the tenth floor. As Pei Chiyao carried Zhi Yao out, Xie Qinzhou watched their retreating figures with a smile.
His expression was no longer as smooth as jade but tinged with a bloodthirsty excitement.
The beastly nature he had suppressed for so long suddenly erupted. If he could snatch his prey from the clutches of such a ferocious wolf as Pei Chiyao, the sense of accomplishment would be unparalleled, wouldn't it?
He was already looking forward to it.
...
Pei Chiyao carried Zhi Yao into the room, carefully laying the young woman on the soft bed.
As soon as she hit the bed, Zhi Yao drowsily opened her eyes and looked at Pei Chiyao.
"Pei Chiyao..." Her voice was soft and husky, as if she had just woken up.
Zhi Yao opened her arms. "Hug me?"
Pei Chiyao sighed and gathered her into his embrace once more.
He knelt on the bed, and Zhi Yao clung to him like a child, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist as she held him in a vice-like grip, impossible to pry off.
The little girl was utterly clingy, their bodies pressed together without a shred of space between them.
"Does your head hurt?" he asked softly, afraid of startling her.
Zhi Yao nodded. "Mmhmm... My head is so dizzy, and this room... won't stop moving, just like that horrible place earlier."
She nuzzled her head against Pei Chiyao's neck. "I'm so scared of falling. Don't let go."
"I won't let go," he assured her, holding her tightly with one arm while using his free hand to order a sobering soup from room service.
Zhi Yao had slept for a while and was now more awake, though she still didn't remember what had happened earlier.
At first, she obediently hugged Pei Chiyao, but after a moment, her hands began to wander.
She felt his chest, frowning in disapproval. "You're so hard, not comfortable at all."
If she weren't afraid of falling, she wouldn't want to hug him anymore.
Even as she complained, Zhi Yao's hands slipped under Pei Chiyao's shirt, feeling his skin. "Mmm, your skin isn't as smooth as mine, either."
"Yao," Pei Chiyao called out in exasperation, catching her wandering hands. "Don't be naughty. You know the consequences."
Zhi Yao wasn't afraid of him. If her hands were caught, she still had her tail!
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than a fluffy tail appeared behind her.
Her tail was even more dexterous than her hands. She brought it up to Pei Chiyao's face, her voice soft and sweet. "Pet me."
Being petted on the tail felt amazing, even if it was a bit overwhelming.
Pei Chiyao was skilled at petting foxes. The little girl's expression was sweetly naive, and Pei Chiyao swallowed hard, wishing he could just have his way with her right then.
He did as she asked, reaching out to stroke the tip of her tail. Zhi Yao's eyes narrowed in pleasure.
It was unclear if it was due to the alcohol, but she usually guarded her tail fiercely, not even allowing him to touch it, let alone actively offering it to him.
Her fur was white and fluffy, softer than any animal's coat.
The little girl was nearly overwhelmed by the intense pleasure of being petted. It was too stimulating, yet utterly blissful...
She couldn't help but grind against Pei Chiyao, only to receive a firm smack on her rear.
Zhi Yao cried out in pain. "Why did you hit me?!"
"Don't squirm, or I'll stop petting you."
The girl felt aggrieved.
Her head ached, and the soothing sensation of having her tail petted helped alleviate her discomfort. But then, another kind of discomfort began to spread through her body.
It made her want to rub against him.
"Pei Chiyao... I don't feel well..." Zhi Yao's eyes welled up with tears, unsure what kind of "unwell" she was feeling.
