At 8:30 PM, the night was just beginning to come alive.

The restaurant was located in the heart of the city, its windows overlooking a dazzling sea of lights. At the neighboring table, a couple sat close together, whispering and seemingly oblivious to the commotion around them.

From such close proximity, Shi Yin had one hand hooked loosely around Gu Congli’s neck. She smacked her lips playfully, brushing her own against his chin.

Gu Congli gripped the back of her neck and gently pulled her closer. “Shi Yin, do you have your friend’s family’s phone number?”

She furrowed her brow. “No, no… Nian Nian isn’t going home.”

“If she’s not going home, where is she going?” he asked.

She leaned back slightly, sitting upright now, her voice firm as she repeated, “She broke up. We can’t let her fall back into the clutches of that jerk.”

He understood then and glanced at the woman slumped over the table on the opposite side. “What about her parents?”

“They’re far away… very far…” Shi Yin straightened her posture, leaning forward in an attempt to grab another bottle of alcohol from the table. “I’ll take care of her. I’ll protect her.”

Before she could reach it, Gu Congli pushed the bottle further out of her grasp. “Who’s going to take care of you, though?”

Her fingers stretched toward the bottle, but she smiled sweetly at him. “Teacher Gu will take care of me.”

Gu Congli lowered his gaze.

The restraint he’d maintained for so long was slowly cracking under pressure.

In a low voice, almost a whisper, he asked, “Who’s taking care of you?”

“Teacher Gu… Teacher Gu will take care of me,” she mumbled, resting her head on the table. Her words were slurred. “But Teacher Gu doesn’t want to bother with me… so I’ll take care of myself while Teacher Gu takes care of Nian Nian…”

“…”

Gu Congli couldn’t help but chuckle. He leaned forward, mirroring her position, their eyes meeting. “So generous of you.”

Shi Yin looked at him with wounded puppy eyes. “You like everyone else.”

Gu Congli had no idea where this accusation came from.

“You don’t like me,” she continued.

He leaned closer, pressing a soft kiss to her damp eyelids. “I only like you.”

She blinked, her long lashes brushing against his lips like feathers, leaving an itch behind.

This seemed to cheer her up. She sat up straight again. “Then we’ll both take care of Nian Nian.”

When Gu Congli finally stepped out of the restaurant, carrying two women’s bags in one hand, supporting one on his left arm and holding the other by the hand, waiters and customers alike turned to watch him with undisguised curiosity.

A man sitting near the entrance, clearly tipsy, whistled loudly in admiration. “Brother, impressive!”

Gu Congli didn’t hear what anyone said—Shi Yin was whispering Qinyuan Chun Xue (a famous poem) into his ear.

By the time he got the two wailing women into the car, Gu Congli’s patience had hit rock bottom.

Lin Nian, surprisingly, remained relatively quiet. She sat rigidly in the backseat, staring blankly ahead for a moment before suddenly collapsing onto the seat and falling asleep again.

Even in her sleep, she muttered curses. “Qin Jiang, damn you to hell!”

This, apparently, was considered “quiet” behavior.

In contrast, Shi Yin appeared much more lucid.

Actually, it was hard to tell she was drunk at all. When they left the restaurant earlier, her steps were steady, and she climbed into the passenger seat without hesitation, buckling herself in obediently—or at least attempting to.

However, once Gu Congli settled into the driver’s seat, she fumbled with the seatbelt, unable to figure out where it went.

With a sigh, Gu Congli reached over to help her fasten it. But just as he moved, Shi Yin abruptly pulled her hand back, eyeing him suspiciously. “What are you planning to do to my treasure?”

“…”

Gu Congli’s expression remained impassive. “Shi Yin, snap out of it.”

His cold tone made her pout again, and she fell silent, looking at him with big, teary eyes.

“…”

All the frustration and impatience within Gu Congli melted instantly under her gaze, vanishing without a trace.

He sighed deeply, reaching for her hand. Gently pulling it toward him, he guided her fingers. “It goes here.”

With a soft click, the seatbelt locked into place.

But just as he finished, Shi Yin suddenly burst into tears.

Her small, warm hand was still clasped in his, her fingers moving restlessly, brushing against his palm. Her sobs were thick and choked, filled with despair. “My treasure is gone… My treasure was stolen by that turtle…”

As if triggered by her crying, Lin Nian, who lay sprawled in the backseat, began wailing in her sleep as well.

A duet of sorrow.

“…”

Gu Congli felt a vein throbbing painfully in his temple.

He quickly started the car, turned the steering wheel, and floored the accelerator, speeding off.

If he could resolve even one issue tonight, it would be something.

But the woman in the backseat was Shi Yin’s friend—he couldn’t just abandon her.

Once on the elevated expressway, Gu Congli called Aunt Cao.

He rarely initiated calls to her, especially since he had just come from her place. When she answered, her tone carried a hint of surprise. “What’s wrong? Did you forget something?”

Gu Congli paused for a moment, his voice calm and detached. “Nothing.”

He ended the call, exited the expressway, and headed in the opposite direction.

Gu Congli had no intention of letting Shi Yin come into contact with his past or his secrets.

He didn’t have many acquaintances in Yangcheng, and even those he once knew had long since drifted out of touch.

Thus, when he walked into a five-star hotel with two women in tow, the front desk staff couldn’t help but stare. Eventually, the assistant manager was called over.

Gu Congli’s expression was far beyond mere coldness—his entire demeanor radiated icy disdain. Each word carried a biting frost: “Three rooms. Any type will do.”

The receptionist maintained her professional smile. “Three rooms, is that correct? Please provide your identification documents.”

Shi Yin leaned on the counter, rummaging through Lin Nian’s bag to retrieve her ID, then handed over both their IDs. Afterward, she remained still, staring intently at the receptionist.

Under her intense gaze, the receptionist’s practiced smile began to falter.

Shi Yin had cried all the way here, her eyes still red, yet now she smiled brightly. “Miss, you’re so pretty.”

“…”

The receptionist forced a polite smile. “Thank you. You’re very beautiful as well.”

Gu Congli snatched the room cards and handed them to a nearby female attendant who was helping support Lin Nian. He entrusted Lin Nian to her care, then turned to confirm the arrangements with the lobby manager before finally leading Shi Yin to the elevator.

Throughout the process, Shi Yin stood quietly by his side, head lowered, patiently waiting.

Once inside the room, she didn’t move, standing silently by the door.

Next door, the attendant half-carried Lin Nian into her room. The hotel’s impeccable service meant there was no cause for concern. Gu Congli closed the door behind him with a soft click.

The room fell silent, cloaked in darkness.

Gu Congli raised his hand to insert the card key and turn on the light.

But before his fingers could reach the switch, a hand pressed down on his.

Shi Yin’s hand rested atop his, her body leaning closer as she softly shushed him. “Don’t turn on the lights. I’ll show you something precious.”

In the quiet, enclosed darkness, something began to ferment, seeping through the cracks of restraint that had already been torn open.

His eyes adjusted to the dimness, catching glimpses of her illuminated faintly by moonlight streaming through the window. He leaned forward, forehead touching hers, and whispered, “Hmm? What treasure?”

“You wait a moment,” she murmured sluggishly, lowering her head to retrieve her bag. She rummaged through it slowly, eventually pulling out a small box.

Shi Yin tossed the bag carelessly onto the floor and held the box up to him gleefully, her eyes sparkling. “It’s a gift for you.”

Gu Congli said nothing.

She took his hand, prying open his fingers one by one, and placed the rectangular box into his palm. Her voice was soft and slurred, her words jumbled. “I got you a birthday present too. Don’t say I didn’t give you anything—I prepared it. It’s because you scared me earlier. Why did you scare me?” She tilted her head up, her chin resting against his chest, pouting pitifully. “Only I gave you something. Nian Nian didn’t. I’m nice to you, so you have to take care of me.”

Her voice was softened by alcohol, her breath carrying its lingering scent.

The last remnants of restraint shattered completely.

The beast broke free from its cage.

Gu Congli set the box aside on the shoe cabinet, then pressed his hand against the back of her neck, lowering his head to capture her lips in a harsh kiss.

Shi Yin whimpered, pushing against him and trying to retreat. “It hurts…”

He ignored her protests, pinning her wrist with one hand while using his leg to press her firmly against the wall. His other hand cradled the nape of her neck, tilting it upward as his teeth grazed her lips inch by inch before delving deeper, dispersing the haze of alcohol between them.

The kiss was far from gentle—it was almost savage, like a predator claiming its prey.

All her muffled cries of pain were swallowed whole, leaving only faint whimpers. Her mouth went numb under his relentless assault, saliva trickling from the corners of her lips.

Unconsciously, she swallowed the mingled saliva pooling in her mouth, emitting the faintest sound of swallowing.

Gu Congli paused mid-action.

A second later, he bit down hard on her tongue, prying it open.

A faint metallic tang spread through her mouth. Shi Yin flinched in pain, her body shrinking back against the wall as she struggled weakly—but to no avail.

Her mind swirled dizzily, her legs feeling as though they were floating on clouds, soft and unsteady. She opened her mouth instinctively to breathe, inadvertently granting him easier access.

Gu Congli seized control effortlessly, his breathing growing heavier and more pronounced, like that of a ravenous, untamed beast unable to be sated.

Finding no escape, she surrendered entirely, her body going limp under his grip. Tentatively, hesitantly, she reached out with her tongue, brushing lightly against his intruding presence in a bid for peace.

Gu Congli froze for two seconds, then opened his eyes.

Her gaze met his, wet and pleading, her tongue timidly circling his, licking softly as if seeking forgiveness.

As if begging.

Reality and dreams merged seamlessly.

Gu Congli wondered fleetingly whether sharp, white fangs lay hidden beneath her rose-colored lips, luring him deeper only to destroy him.

For a fleeting moment, he thought he heard the sound of blood draining from his body.

He released her lips, trailing scorching kisses along her earlobe. His tongue flicked lightly over the tip of her ear, tracing its curve downward until it reached the soft flesh of her earlobe, nibbling gently.

“Teacher Gu…” she whispered hoarsely, her voice tinged with a hint of tears as she tried to shrink away.

Gu Congli licked the pale expanse of her neck, biting gently at the thin skin concealing faint blue veins. “Shi Yin,” he rasped, his breath hot and voice rough.

“You were the one who tempted me first. Don’t think you’ll walk away unscathed…”