Chapter 4

The next day, Ruan Xinyi was jolted awake by the sudden sensation of falling.

Her body instinctively shuddered as she squinted and reached out beside her.

Expecting to touch a soft, warm figure, her fingers instead met cold emptiness, instantly clearing her mind.

Sitting up abruptly, she incredulously reached out to feel the sheets again. They were still cold. Pulling back the covers, she found the bed empty—save for the rumpled sheets, the only evidence someone had been there not long ago.

Ignoring the blanket slipping off her waist, Ruan Xinyi turned her head toward the bathroom.

The suite was silent. There was no sound of running water or any other noise.

It was as if the person from last night and everything that had happened were nothing more than a figment of her imagination.

Yet, everything had been undeniably real.

“Sister?!” Ruan Xinyi called out several times, unwilling to give up.

No response.

Rubbing her temples heavily, her unease grew when she noticed the suitcase in the corner of the room was gone.

Throwing off the blanket, she stepped barefoot onto the floor, grabbing the robe at the bedside. Without bothering to tie the belt, she quickly headed out of the bedroom.

“Sister?” Ruan Xinyi called again, pulling open the door to the guest room. The bed was neatly made, as if untouched.

Leaving the door ajar, she swept her gaze across the living room. The laptop she’d left on the coffee table was gone. A pair of disposable slippers sat conspicuously by the door, right next to her own shoes.

Taking a deep breath, Ruan Xinyi clenched her fists, her gaze falling on her shoulder.

The bite mark on her shoulder had long faded, leaving no trace on her fair, flawless skin.

Her fingers absently traced her shoulder, sliding from the shoulder blade to her collarbone, stopping at the faintly pink kiss mark on her chest.

It seemed the woman had only left her with this single mark.

How stingy, she thought bitterly—so much for reciprocation.

Ruan Xinyi stood there for a long time before sluggishly returning to her bedroom.

The bed was a mess, with wrinkled sheets everywhere. Last night’s clothes were crumpled at the foot of the bed and no longer wearable.

With a frown of distaste, she sat at the edge of the bed, picked up her phone from the floor, and glanced at the time. She quickly dialed her butler’s number. “Uncle Cheng, can you bring me an outfit? I’m at the XXX Hotel, Room 1906.”

The butler responded without hesitation, “Of course, Miss Xinyi. It’ll be there in about half an hour.”

Hanging up, Ruan Xinyi walked to the closet, pulled out a fresh robe, and took a quick shower, dried her hair, and tidied up the chaotic room. By the time she was done, it was just past ten when the doorbell rang.

Assuming it was the clothes delivery, Ruan Xinyi swiftly adjusted her robe, making sure the collar was perfectly aligned and not an inch of her collarbone showed. Pasting on a polite smile, she opened the door.

Uncle Cheng stood outside, handing her a paper bag through the gap in the door. “Miss Xinyi, here are your clothes.”

“Thank you, Uncle Cheng,” she said, poking her head out briefly.

Uncle Cheng remained outside, smiling dutifully. “Your mother also asked me to bring you home for lunch.”

“I understand.” Closing the door lightly, Ruan Xinyi’s tone turned cheerful. “Please wait for me. I won’t be long.”

“Take your time, Miss Xinyi. No rush.”

Back in the bedroom, Ruan Xinyi opened the paper bag to find a chiffon blouse and a modest skirt. The pure and demure style made it clear these were her mother’s choice.

Changing into the outfit, she applied light makeup to match the look. Before leaving, she checked the room one last time, hoping to find something the woman had left behind—a clue or an excuse to contact her again. What she found instead nearly made her laugh in exasperation.

On the nightstand was a bank card, held down by a small piece of paper, with a glass case designed for intimate items weighing it down.

She hesitated before pulling out the slip of paper.

The woman’s handwriting was elegant, strong, and sharp, but the words themselves were less pleasing:

“There’s 600,000 yuan in the card. The PIN is ******. Please check out for me. Thank you.”

“Six hundred thousand?” Ruan Xinyi repeated the words, chewing on them as though trying to swallow their meaning.

Six hundred thousand...

Was this a service fee?

Six hundred thousand yuan for one night. How generous.

No, wait—aside from the kiss mark on her chest, the woman had also left her this extravagant “service fee.”

Grinding her teeth in anger, veins popped on the back of her hand as she crumpled the paper.

But a moment later, she calmed herself, carefully smoothing out the wrinkles and putting both the card and the note into her bag with a blank expression.

When she emerged, Uncle Cheng naturally took the bag of dirty clothes from her hands. “Miss Xinyi, let me take care of this.”

“Mm.” Pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, Ruan Xinyi asked, “Uncle Cheng, aside from lunch, did my mother say anything else?”

“No, though it seems she’s in quite a good mood today,” he replied, pausing at her gloomy expression. “Is something troubling you, Miss Xinyi?”

“Nothing,” she said with a tired smile, twirling the hotel room card in her fingers. “I just didn’t sleep much last night. I’m feeling a bit tired.”

The memory of the woman’s hesitant responses, bitten lips, shy reactions, and those alluringly flushed peach blossom eyes replayed in her mind.

Her breathing quickened slightly.

She truly hadn’t gotten enough sleep. If it hadn’t been for that woman begging for mercy, she wouldn’t have let her go so early...

---

Ding—

The elevator arrived on the first floor.

The soft chime pulled Ruan Xinyi's wandering thoughts back to the present. She rubbed the corner of the room card against her palm, cleared her throat softly, and said, “Uncle Cheng, I’ll go handle the checkout.”

With that, she walked briskly toward the front desk, her slightly sweaty palms clutching the room card.

“Room 1906 checkout, correct?”

Ruan Xinyi replied with a light “Mm,” then hesitated before asking, “Could you tell me the name of the person who booked the room?”

The receptionist tactfully declined. “I’m sorry, Miss, but that wouldn’t comply with our policies.

“We are required to keep guest information strictly confidential and cannot disclose it to outsiders.”

As expected, Ruan Xinyi’s request was denied. Suppressing her disappointment, she responded politely, “That was presumptuous of me.”

Once the checkout process was swiftly completed, the receptionist smiled professionally and said, “It’s all set, Miss. The deposit will be refunded to the original payment method within three business days. We look forward to your next visit.”

---

On the way home, Ruan Xinyi sat in the back seat, massaging her temples. She leaned her slightly tired head against the car window.

“Miss Xinyi,” Uncle Cheng said, handing her a bottle of mineral water.

“Thank you, Uncle Cheng,” she replied, taking it absentmindedly and sipping a little.

After a long pause, she twisted the cap back on and hesitated before speaking. “Uncle Cheng, do you think it’s still worth looking for someone who’s been trying their best to avoid you?”

Uncle Cheng glanced at the rearview mirror, where he could see her lowering her head and fiddling with the water bottle, lost in thought. With a soft sigh, he replied calmly, “Miss Xinyi, you already know that person is avoiding you.”

Though he said no more, Ruan Xinyi understood his meaning.

If someone is avoiding you, there’s no point in seeking them out. It would only make things unpleasant for both sides.

Just like that woman said—it was just one night. No need to make a big deal out of it.

A fleeting, consensual encounter, followed by an unspoken agreement to go separate ways—yes, it should have been simple.

But Ruan Xinyi couldn’t let it go. It wasn’t just about the 600,000-yuan service fee; it was also her unwillingness to leave things unresolved. That woman, who had captivated her at first glance, couldn’t just disappear from her life.

Yes, she was determined. She had to find that woman and return this burdensome 600,000-yuan fee!

Having resolved this, Ruan Xinyi felt much better.

She flexed her stiff right arm, stretched lazily, and smiled softly. “Uncle Cheng, I’m going to take a nap. Wake me when we get there.”

“Of course, Miss Xinyi.” Seeing her close her eyes through the rearview mirror, Uncle Cheng gently reminded the driver to drive slower.

---

Half an hour later, the car pulled smoothly to a stop in front of the Ruan family villa.

Uncle Cheng leaned over slightly and called softly, “Miss Xinyi, we’ve arrived.”

“Mm~” A light hum escaped her lips as Ruan Xinyi slowly opened her eyes. She leaned back in her seat for a moment, then grabbed her bag and stepped out of the car.

In the front yard, Ruan Su was watering the flowers with one hand and holding a phone in the other. Her eyes sparkled with joy, and even her voice had a rare gentleness. “Yes, Xihan, settle in on your end first. Let me know if you need any help. Honestly, it’s been years since you’ve been back. You should visit more often.”

Standing a few steps away, Ruan Xinyi stopped and watched her usually stern mother smiling warmly and speaking softly. Curiosity about the person on the other end of the line bubbled within her.

“Alright, focus on your work for now. When you’re free, come stay for a while. Softie is about to graduate and used to cling to you all the time when she was little.”

Hearing herself mentioned, Ruan Xinyi perked up her ears, trying to catch more of the conversation.

After a few more exchanges, Ruan Su reluctantly ended the call.

“Mom, who was that?” Ruan Xinyi adjusted her skirt delicately and walked over with a touch of playful curiosity.

Handing the watering can to the gardener, Ruan Su wiped her hands with a handkerchief and said in a nostalgic tone, “You’ll find out when the time comes.”

That answer was as good as no answer at all. Internally, Ruan Xinyi let out a small “tsk,” but before she could say more, Ruan Su’s tone shifted. Calmly, she asked, “You stayed at a hotel last night?”  

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