Xiao Lin paused for a moment, realizing he truly was a rookie. Was this the legendary one-night plea? Xiao Lin felt a slight resistance in his heart, but the words had already been so bluntly spoken, and seeing the woman's somewhat tragic smile, he felt an inexplicable ache.
It was unclear whether the woman was genuinely drunk or pretending, as she wobbled a bit as she walked. However, when she saw Hua Qingyi's five-million-plus BMW, her hazy eyes suddenly brightened, and she giggled, "Little brother, is this car yours?"
"No, it's rented. You always need a car when going to a bar, right!" Strangely, Xiao Lin didn't mention that the car was borrowed.
"I can tell!" The woman chuckled. If this car really were his, why would he be playing on the first floor? At the very least, he'd reach the third-floor club.
"Are you doing okay?" The woman got into the car and, noticing Xiao Lin's flushed face, asked.
"Do you mean driving or me personally?" Xiao Lin was thoroughly immersed in this atmosphere where ambiguity was pervasive.
"Both!" The woman giggled.
However, when Xiao Lin took the woman in the evening dress to the hotel to get off the car, he discovered a severe problem: his car had been towed away, along with his wallet and other things kept in it, leaving him only with a few loose bills. Was it enough to rent a room?
The woman in the black evening dress was quite considerate upon seeing Xiao Lin fumble through his pockets, giggling coquettishly, "Renting this car for one day probably costs you half a month's salary, right?"
"Hehe!" Xiao Lin awkwardly chuckled.
"I'll cover you!" The woman in the black evening dress opened her bag, took out a black wallet, pulled out some cash, and, while holding Qin Ying's arm, slipped the money into Qin Ying's pocket.
In this life, Xiao Lin had experienced many embarrassing moments, but never as thoroughly as this—taking a woman to a hotel only for the woman to pay the lodging fee!
This left Xiao Lin's face even redder and made him a bit hesitant. Would he lose his virginity tonight? Of course, thoughts and actions often differ for men, and even though Xiao Lin had second thoughts, his feet slowly moved towards the hotel entrance.
"Brother-sister romances are trendy these days!" commented one of the two receptionists at the hotel as they watched Xiao Lin and the woman walk away.
"Oh, the poor handsome guy! Being brought to a room by an older woman!" The other receptionist said infatuatedly, estimating he wasn't even twenty yet.
"Even if the young guy looks a bit tender, the two do match in height and looks!" The other receptionist gave a fairly impartial comment.
At the room door, Xiao Lin halted, struggling internally—was he to be a beast or worse than a beast?
"Giving yourself to someone you find pleasant is better than someone you don't," the woman's demeanor started to grow cold, laden with unending resentment. Then, she looked at Xiao Lin with an obsessed gaze, saying, "Am I not beautiful? Am I not worth it for you? Don't worry, you don't have to take responsibility. After tonight, we won't see each other again!" The blatant words left Xiao Lin momentarily speechless, unsure how to ask what he wanted to.
The woman in the black evening dress revealed quite a bit in her words. At the very least, Xiao Lin had guessed the woman was likely doing this because her family wanted her to marry someone she didn't want to marry.
Upon realizing this, Xiao Lin's enthusiasm waned completely, but looking at her, he felt a trace of sympathy. Judging by her attire, she seemed to be from a wealthy family.
"You are very beautiful, at least among the most beautiful women I've seen so far!" Xiao Lin smiled and said.
"Oh, there's an 'among'? Who else is there?" The woman was quite confident in her looks.
"My mom," Xiao Lin said plainly.
"… Your mom must be at least forty-five or fifty!" The woman in the evening dress felt displeased. Being compared to a forty or fifty-year-old woman was demeaning.
"If you're lucky enough to meet her, you might feel inferior," Xiao Lin said plainly.
The conversation drifted further and further. The woman in the black evening dress seemed to realize this and said, "Tonight, let's not talk about anything else. Let's just do what we love to do, shall we?"
"And I am that person?" Xiao Lin became speechless at the woman and jokingly said, "What do you see in me? I can change, okay?"
"You're so handsome, so clean. Can you change that?" The woman in the evening dress was amused by Xiao Lin, "And very humorous! Had I met you earlier, maybe I would really have liked you!"
"It's not too late now!" Xiao Lin tried to steer the conversation.
"It is too late!" The woman in the black evening dress replied confidently.
"The man you're marrying is wealthy?" Xiao Lin, having some insight into psychology, guessed the topic's direction.
"Hmm!" The woman nodded, her eyes somewhat vacant.
"And your family needs such an ally or the support of the family you're marrying into?" Xiao Lin continued.
"Forget it, just leave!" The woman in the black evening dress became vigilant. When playing around, one cannot disclose family status casually. As Xiao Lin's questions deepened, she quickly realized: "You're a good person. I don't want you wrapped up in these troubles!"
Xiao Lin didn't expect her guard to be so strong, leaving him at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, he sincerely said: "Maybe I can really help you!"
"Help me?" She suddenly burst into laughter, asking, "How much do you earn a month?"
Thinking for a moment, Xiao Lin replied, "Three or four thousand," noting that despite the school hospital's lack of profitability, it was still a stable job.
"I get a hundred thousand as pocket money per month," the woman in the black dress remarked dismissively, "Do you think you can still help me?"
Xiao Lin chuckled, saying, "Sometimes, helping doesn't only depend on financial capability!"
The woman in the black dress agreed with this, remarking, "Well said. Since you want to help me so much, then help by relieving me of my virginity. Can you do that?"
"…" Xiao Lin sighed slightly, saying, "I'm actually quite selfish; I don't want others to touch a woman I've been with! So, this help I can't offer!"
"Anyone who marries you must be very fortunate!" said the woman as she started to put on her evening dress, realizing Xiao Lin truly wouldn't be with her, though she found chatting with him enjoyable.
"Wait a minute, you nearly evaded my point: if you don't want any man touching someone you've been with, how to explain tonight's event? Hadn't it been for my earlier distress and tears, maybe something truly would have happened between us!" The woman's quick wit detected the slip in Xiao Lin's rationale, "Seems like you are interested in my family story!"
"Everyone has curiosity. I just couldn't bear seeing someone as pretty as you be upset!" Xiao Lin commented: "Since you're so unwilling to get married, why not resist?"
The woman in the black dress sighed without responding, instead rising and heading for the door. As she stood at the threshold, she turned around and said, "There's still time to regret. Once I leave this door, we are but strangers!"
"Let's go together!" Xiao Lin smiled helplessly.
The woman in the black dress walked swiftly. When the two took the elevator, Xiao Lin spoke to her, but she didn't respond, only glancing coolly at him. Xiao Lin then realized the woman's words in the room were genuine, leading him to self-mockery.
When they arrived at the hotel lobby, Xiao Lin returned the room card while the woman in the black dress headed directly for the exit, stirring endless speculation from the two receptionists.
"This guy is quite handsome, but only in looks!"
"Agreed, didn't even last twenty minutes upstairs? Way too soon!"
The two receptionists didn't bother whispering, and upon hearing them, Xiao Lin could only smile ruefully, realizing he indeed was worse than a beast.
"Do you need a ride home?" Xiao Lin asked as he brought the car to the entrance, seeing the woman in the black dress waiting for a taxi. Despite her coldness in the elevator, Xiao Lin knew such basic courtesy.
"I said, once out that door, we are strangers!" She replied, just as a taxi was coming from afar, she quickly waved it over.
Xiao Lin started the car and drove into the distance.
The woman only then noticed the license plate of Xiao Lin's car: Yan YH8888, such a number definitely was not one a taxi company could obtain.
"Could the car be his own?" She mumbled to herself afterward, dismissing the extravagant thought: "But his clothing is too cheap. Why bother thinking more!" Just then, the taxi reached her; patting her head, she seemed eager to shake off the absurd idea.