The banquet hall of the hotel was abuzz with bustling lights and lively chatter.
Tang Susu held a glass of red wine, standing leisurely by the opulent pillar, her eyes sneering at the hustle and bustle under the dazzling lights.
Extravagance and hypocrisy.
The familiar sight she hadn't seen in long, Tang Susu was finally back!
However…
Suddenly, she saw a pair of familiar figures passing diagonally in front of her, through the corridor, heading towards a room.
"Xi Shengbai."
Whispered Tang Susu, her body uncontrollably followed them.
The man that kept haunting her dreams, they've finally come face to face in this nocturnal reverie.
But the sight of another woman supporting him made Tang Susu's eyes flicker with deep intent.
She overheard a voice, familiar yet strange: “Mumu, go back first.”
His gentle words, still as intoxicating as they always were towards her.
And the woman who had seemingly replaced her sulkily pouted, “No, Shengbai, let me stay with you tonight!”
"Have you forgotten that you have to accompany Madam Xi to watch the theater tonight?" Xi Shengbai’s voice was languid, sounding somewhat hoarse.
The sound drilled into Tang Susu's ears, leaving her slightly stunned.
This didn't sound much like how Xi Shengbai spoke. Could it be that he had changed drastically through the years they didn't see each other?
"But..."
Seeing that Xi Shengbai's cool demeanor was no different than usual, little did it seem that she had drugged him. Lin Mo initially wanted to stall some time waiting for the drug effects, but Xi Shengbai interceptively shoved her out with no chance of refusal.
"Go!" After speaking, Xi Shengbai immediately shut the door without hesitation.
Only after Lin Mo stomped off did Tang Susu come out of the corner, brushing past the closed door.
The next moment, a forceful grip seized her wrist, hauling her brusquely into the room.
Bam! The door closed tightly.
In the pitch dark room, only a pair of luminous eyes, like those of a beast, was gazing at her. "Who are you?"
Desire stirred within him.
Xi Shengbai himself didn't understand why he would pull this woman in, but her subtle fragrance surprisingly ignited his desire.
This was unprecedented.
Even Lin Mo, after being by his side for such a long time, never provoked him to have any yearning for intimacy, yet everybody said that he loved her, and his own memories told him he loved Lin Mo.
But if he truly loved her, why didn't he feel close to her?
He obviously knew that Lin Mo drugged him. But even drugged, he didn't want to touch even a single finger of Lin Mo's. Therefore, he struggled to control himself and hastened to send Lin Mo off.
Alas, the moment this woman appeared in his vision, he was no longer able to restrain the beast-like desire unreeling from his inner self.
The moment she locked eyes with the man, Tang Susu almost instantly remembered his face, austere yet elegant. Her lips moved slightly, "Xi..."
Before she could finish, Xi Shengbai held her chin, "You recognize me. Who are you?"
Despair grew in Tang Susu's eyes. He actually didn't recognize her?
It had only been five years!
Quietly, Tang Susu held the man's gaze. In the darkness, that familiar face was examining her with a foreign look, laced with desire.
"It seems you've had a good five years, forgetting who I am so quickly."
In her heart was despair, but still, she finished her sentence calmly, the corners of her mouth turned upwards.
The man exerted some strength and pulled Tang Susu onto the bed. In the dim light, old memories flooded his mind. Tang Susu let out a sneer of hopelessness, aloof and arrogant. Turning the tables, she pinned the man underneath her. What followed was an intense night of passion, filled with romantic interludes...
It wasn't until the next morning that Xi Shengbai woke up. The room was in shambles, a strange woman lying beside him. The drug had eventually taken effect. Unknowingly, he had involved an innocent bystander.
Rubbing his forehead, a crease of displeasure on his brow, he neatly dressed himself and left a million-dollar cheque carelessly on the white, large bed.
Promptly upon awakening, Tang Susu saw this scene. A prick of pain lodged in her heart.
She smirked, her eyes fixated on him.
"Are you trying to buy my night?"
"Mm."
Xi Shengbai didn't turn his head, merely acknowledged with a low grunt.
"Hiss----"
A subtle sound echoed from behind, which, if not mistaken, was the sound of a check being torn apart.
Xi Shengbai slowly turned around, startled by the woman's actions.
Tang Susu, on the other hand, was seething with rage brewing inside of her.
For the last five years, she had spent every day and night longingly thinking about this man, and yet, he had completely forgotten about her.
Gazing at the well-dressed woman sitting up in bed nearby and the check torn to pieces on the bed, Xi Shengbai paused his movements, quietly watching as Tang Susu tore the check piece by piece.
What was this woman trying to do?
"Not enough?"
His cold, sarcastic counter-question was like a bucket of oil thrown at the raging fire.
Tang Susu gave a cold laugh at his query, then supressed her fury as she strode slowly to her handbag, casually pulling out a thick stack of banknotes.
Holding onto the paper bills, she stepped one after the other towards Xi Shengbai, without uttering a word she used all her might to slap the man's face with the money. The scattering of banknotes against the wind looked quite spectacular, carrying the woman's firm resolve and deep resentment.
"Consider it as buying you! Is that enough!"
