The kiss didn't last long, but it left Inori visibly unsettled. Before Chu Chu could walk in, Chu Lian released her cherry-pink lips, licked her upper lip lightly, and sighed. "Last time Mana forced a kiss on me—now it's my turn to force one on you. Feels much more satisfying this way."
Her brows curved slightly as if in a smile, though her face remained expressionless. When Chu Chu approached with a suspicious look and asked, "Were you two doing something behind my back?" Chu Lian's lips curled playfully. "Doing something? No, no, no. I didn't do anything. Right, Inori?"
Still seated on the sofa, Inori hadn't fully recovered, but she knew this was something Chu Chu couldn't find out. She nodded to confirm Chu Lian's words.
Even so, Chu Chu noticed the gloss on her lips, the shimmer in her eyes, and the pink on her cheeks, making her suspect that something unusual had happened while she was away changing. But since Chu Lian had no prior record of forcing kisses—and was usually the one being kissed—Chu Chu didn't connect the dots. As for Inori, she was a typical faux–emotionless type, rarely showing anything beyond the occasional remark, so Chu Chu's doubts faded.
With neither of them talking, Chu Chu kept her questions to herself and smiled. "Big Sis, it's almost time. I came out before 9:40, just like you said."
"Let's go." Chu Lian nodded without further words and headed toward the door.
Before stepping out, she turned back to Inori. "You should stay here and rest. We're flying to the next city tonight, so better not sleep now—it gets stuffy on the plane."
Inori glanced at her and saw that the violet hue in her eyes had vanished, meaning the second personality had receded. She nodded quietly. "I understand, Lian."
Neither of them knew why the second personality appeared—Chu Lian herself was unaware of it, as if it were instinct. Inori felt a deep unease about it, suspecting it could become a dangerous instability.
"Eh? Big Sis, wait for me…" Chu Chu blinked in surprise when Chu Lian walked off. She hurried after her, just slipping into the elevator before the doors closed.
"You… you're so slow when getting ready, but once you finish, you're all rush and noise. Can't you switch those around? I'm not asking for perfection, but at least reverse the order." Chu Lian tapped her lightly on the nose with a helpless smile.
"Hehe, but you're always here to watch over me, Big Sis. Without you, I'd be totally proper." Chu Chu closed her eyes and basked in the rare warmth, her restlessness fading.
"With a personality like yours, you'll be in trouble if you can't marry later…" Chu Lian murmured, brushing hair from her ear.
"I'm not marrying anyone! As long as Big Sis doesn't marry, I'll never marry either." Chu Chu frowned, pouting.
"Alright, alright, no marriage it is. Our family's great beauty can do whatever she wants." Chu Lian rolled her eyes and indulged her. Then, looking into Chu Chu's stubborn gaze, she asked, "If I really did get married someday, would you go find a man and start your own family?"
Chu Chu, thinking Chu Lian meant marrying a man, replied gloomily, "If Big Sis really falls for someone and decides to marry, then I'll marry too."
Likewise, Chu Lian didn't realize that Chu Chu's idea of marriage meant living with another woman. Both were unintentionally playing a game of words, each assuming the other meant marrying a man. A rather unfortunate misunderstanding, indeed.
The elevator ride from the thirty-seventh floor to the first took barely thirty seconds. As soon as they stepped out, they spotted Li Xiu'er waiting at the entrance.
Seeing her, Chu Lian rushed over and buried her head into Li Xiu'er's soft chest, mumbling, "Why didn't you wake us up? We're so late because of you."
The sudden embrace caught Li Xiu'er off guard, and her face turned crimson. Her small hands pressed against Chu Lian's shoulders, trying to push her away. "I saw you two sleeping so soundly and didn't want to disturb your rest… Also, Chu Lian, c-could you not do that? It's so embarrassing…"
Knowing Li Xiu'er's personality—and the hidden side of it—Chu Lian didn't pull away. Instead, she rubbed her head against her even more until the pink on her face spread to her ears and neck. Only then did she lift her head with a dazed look and say, "So fragrant… as expected, nowhere is more comfortable than here."
She was only thinking about taking advantage and didn't dwell on the meaning behind Li Xiu'er's words. Naturally, Chu Chu wasn't pleased. "Big Sis, if you want to bury your face in someone's chest, you can use mine! Mine's bigger than hers—it'll be even more comfortable!"
Her small hands wrapped around Chu Lian's waist, trying with all her might to pull her away from Li Xiu'er. But her strength was no match, and she barely managed to budge her.
"Honestly!" This time Li Xiu'er tapped Chu Lian's nose lightly and said softly, "You're not actually that late. Everyone's still in the lobby doing their own thing. Lots of people haven't even finished breakfast yet—everything here is just so delicious." She blinked, knowing neither Chu Lian nor Chu Chu could resist good food.
It was then she noticed both were dressed entirely in black. Chu Lian's outfit was fairly normal—aside from the high heels that made Li Xiu'er frown slightly. But Chu Chu's was pure Gothic: a skirt of layered black gauze like Chu Lian's but reaching her ankles, a black top embroidered with lace and ending in white cuffs that covered her skin almost completely, leaving only her pale neck exposed. A lace half-crown adorned her hair, and on her feet were small leather boots, giving her a mischievous air.
Overall, she had less of Chu Lian's sensuality and more of a moody, girlish elegance. Especially her ample chest—tightly wrapped in the fitted outfit—stood out even more. It was enough to make even Li Xiu'er, whose figure was impressive for her height, feel a twinge of inferiority.
"Honestly, this indecently huge bust should just be chopped off!" Chu Lian thought, coinciding perfectly with Li Xiu'er's unspoken complaint.
"Come on, let's not waste time—food, food, food!" Wanting to avoid souring her mood, Chu Lian turned her head away from Chu Chu and grabbed Li Xiu'er's hand, leading her off.
"They're on the fourth floor. I'll take you," Li Xiu'er said with relief now that Chu Lian was finally focused on the matter at hand. Who knew when she would have remembered otherwise?
The first ten floors of the Qingping Grand Hotel were devoted to entertainment facilities for guests—though in truth, they were as much about making money as about providing leisure.
The first floor was the lobby, nothing else. Floors two through five housed restaurants. Floors five through eight contained entertainment venues—dance halls, KTV, arcades, bars, and more. The ninth and tenth floors were restricted to VIP customers holding a gold card or higher.
The so-called Gold Card VIP required spending one million yuan to open an account, and then a total expenditure of three million to be automatically upgraded to Gold Card status. Entertainment facilities built in places like this were clearly meant for such patrons—essentially discreet gambling venues. Although gambling was illegal in the country, the Zhao family's far-reaching influence, coupled with the government's relatively light enforcement against large-scale high-roller venues, meant keeping such places running was no difficult task.
Thus, the Qingping Grand Hotel became a favored destination for the wealthy from many major cities. First, the service was exceptional—as demonstrated now by the tuxedo-clad shota eagerly attending to Chu Lian. Second, the staff were of high quality—this shota, for example, was handsome and charming. Third, the atmosphere here truly allowed one to relax, though Chu Lian had her reservations, because…
"If you don't back off, I'll hit you! I mean it!" Chu Lian raised her small fist and punched the air just three centimeters from his forehead, the gust ruffling his hair. Yet he continued to smile brightly.
"Don't be like that, Miss Chu Lian. I sincerely invite you to have fun with me. Look, I have a Gold Card—stick with me and you'll have access anywhere here without restriction." He toyed with the golden card in his hand, his tone coaxing.
"Who cares about your card? If I wanted to play, I have a Purple Gold Card right here that gets me into the top three floors. Want to go?" Chu Lian had already been pestered by him for several minutes and was irritated. Unfortunately, Chu Chu and Li Xiu'er weren't around to help, and with so many people here, she couldn't use force. Even as her frustration mounted, she had no easy way to shake him off.
Hearing him mention the Gold Card only made her angrier. If you'd said your purpose earlier, we could've avoided this! I've got a Purple Gold Card, two tiers above yours—now can you leave me alone?
"Oh? A Purple Gold Card? Miss Chu Lian, you truly hide your talents well. I didn't expect you to have something like that. Then I must have overstepped—farewell." His eyes flickered with surprise when he saw her card, but he quickly composed himself, still smiling. "But I know we'll meet again. I believe in our fate." With that, he turned and walked away without hesitation.
Before long, Li Xiu'er arrived with Chu Chu to find Chu Lian standing in a corner. Both amused and helpless, she said, "Chu Lian, you didn't really get lost, did you? I only took my eyes off you for a moment and you disappeared."
"I did not get lost! Hmph. I just saw something interesting and got distracted, that's all." Chu Lian wasn't about to admit anything. She wasn't truly lost—just a little directionally challenged. When the crowd thickened, she easily lost her bearings.
"Alright, alright. It's almost ten. Let's go get breakfast. Hopefully they're still there." Chu Lian didn't mention the crazy guy—yes, in her mind, the handsome shota was a lunatic. If he knew, he'd probably cry. She simply urged Li Xiu'er to hurry.
After a night of fighting, a long journey, and a late bedtime, she was already starving.
Li Xiu'er could only smile helplessly and lead the two toward where their classmates were gathered.