A Divine Farmer

C29 – Torture and Profits

“I should head downstairs to get a room card,” said Zhang Xiaoloong, recognizing the inappropriateness of his presence. He knew he couldn’t let her change with him around.

“Wait, don’t leave,” Yang Jingjing exclaimed with a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

“Don’t leave?” The thought made Zhang Xiaoloong’s heart race. Was she implying she wanted him to stay? Surely she wasn’t expecting him to remain close like how Chen Yaru did, was she?

When they were surrounded by many people at the party, he had managed to keep his composure. However, in such an intimate setting, especially given she wasn’t fully dressed, if she got too close, he feared his natural instincts might take over.

“Give it back to me,” Yang Jingjing, seeing no response from him, demanded with a hint of anger.

He had her belongings. Was he planning to play dumb? Besides, she had intended to wear those. What would she put on if he kept them?

“Give what back?” Zhang Xiaoloong asked, genuinely confused. He inadvertently looked her way.

The sight of the pristine white bath towel against her even paler skin took him by surprise, causing him to quickly avert his gaze. “What are you referring to?”

“The clothes you just took from me,” replied Yang Jingjing, a blush creeping onto her face.

Only then did the realization dawn on Zhang Xiaoloong. He had mistakenly assumed her intentions earlier. He chastised himself for jumping to conclusions.

Swiftly retrieving the item from his pocket, he placed it on the bed. “I’ll excuse myself now.”

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“Don’t go!” Yang Jingjing said angrily.

After uttering those words, she suddenly realized her own request. Why had she asked this man to stay? Was she genuinely planning to change her clothes in front of him?

“What else can there be?” Zhang Xiaoloong, feeling guilty, didn’t delve too deeply into his thoughts this time and responded.

“If you leave while I’m in the middle of changing, what if those people barge in?” Yang Jingjing knew this was highly improbable, but it provided a plausible excuse.

Initially, she had let the other person stay out of anger, but when she saw Zhang Xiaoloong, whose face was now even redder than hers, a mischievous notion to tease him crossed her mind.

Zhang Xiaoloong seemed rather bashful. Normally, she would be wary of sending a pervert running, but this guy was even shyer than she was, so she couldn’t resist toying with him.

Did he not feel awkward inside this room? She had intended for him to stay, but it was his own fault for stumbling upon her while she was bathing.

At the time, she hadn’t even considered the situation from his perspective. Although it might be torment for a man, it could also be seen as an unexpected privilege.

The rustling sounds behind him made it feel as if thousands of ants were crawling within Zhang Xiaoloong.

He had an inkling that he shouldn’t be seeing Yang Jingjing dressing, but the scene unfolded before his eyes nonetheless. He even felt like he had captured the moment when she nearly dropped the towel.

Nonetheless, Zhang Xiaoloong didn’t pay it much mind. He chalked it up to his own imagination. After all, which young man didn’t possess the power of fantasy? To be precise, almost every man, or perhaps everyone, had it.

“Alright.”

Just as Zhang Xiaoloong had finished envisioning the scenario, Yang Jingjing spoke at precisely the right moment. He swiftly turned around.

His wet hair hung loosely over his shoulder, appearing slightly disheveled. Without his sunglasses, he shed the weariness of another day. Her fair complexion had taken on an added delicacy, possibly due to recent events. Her beautiful face now bore a rosy blush, giving her an alluring charm.

Beneath her long eyelashes lay a pair of eyes brimming with vitality, as clear as autumn water.

Seeing Zhang Xiaoloong in a daze, there was a flicker of irritation in her gaze, as if she had just recalled that she had been wrapped in a bath towel a moment ago.

“I apologize,” Zhang Xiaoloong acknowledged his loss of composure. “You’re incredibly beautiful, and I couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.”

Even he found it peculiar. In the past, he would never have uttered something like this, not even under duress. Yet now, he had casually said it as if it were the most natural thing.

“You’ve got quite the silver tongue!” Yang Jingjing rolled her eyes at him but secretly reveled in the compliment.

There was hardly a girl who didn’t appreciate compliments about her beauty. Furthermore, Yang Jingjing had begun to notice that Zhang Xiaoloong had undergone a transformation from his former self.

Despite having shed his suit and jacket, now donning only a shirt and pants, Zhang Xiaoloong exuded a different kind of charm than before.

In his previous attire, he had exuded a more rustic, country simplicity, but now, when she glanced at him, two words came to mind: “Incredibly handsome!”

Yet, the serenity and tranquility in his eyes remained unchanged. There was no hint of frivolity or irritability, making him remarkably pleasant to behold…

“Cough…” Zhang Xiaoloong coughed lightly.

Yang Jingjing refused to acknowledge her own momentary distraction. It was as if some unseen force was pulling her gaze. She turned away and sought refuge in the recent events. “Who gave you the right to barge into my room?”

“It’s not entirely my fault,” Zhang Xiaoloong offered a rueful smile. “Didn’t you request the waiter to provide me with this room key?”

“Regardless, you’re in the wrong,” Yang Jingjing pouted and declared, “But I’m feeling generous today. I won’t argue with you, but you must accept the consequences.”

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t argue? Why bring up consequences now?” Zhang Xiaoloong muttered.

“What?” Yang Jingjing said unhappily.

Zhang Xiaoloong promptly refuted, “It’s nothing. You can impose any punishment you see fit.”

“That’s better,” Yang Jingjing responded with a slight smirk. “Never mind then. Since you’re being so forthright, I won’t punish you, at least not for now.”

She had just brushed her wet hair aside, considering asking for assistance in drying it, but suddenly felt the atmosphere turn somewhat warmer and charged with ambiguity.

Despite an inexplicable desire welling up within her, she ultimately let her usual rationality prevail and dismissed the notion.

The two of them proceeded downstairs to the front desk for clarification. Finally, they learned that it was indeed the waiter who had made an error in the order.

Zhang Xiaoloong breathed a sigh of relief as if granted a reprieve, while Yang Jingjing responded with an exasperated eye-roll.

After obtaining their correct room keys, they returned to their respective rooms for the night. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

However, Yang Jingjing, lying on her bed, recalled that someone had tampered with her personal belongings earlier. She experienced an odd sensation and considered changing into a different set of clothes. Ultimately, she decided against it.

The following morning, as Zhang Xiaoloong finished his morning routine and opened his door, he found Yang Jingjing standing outside his door holding breakfast.

“This early?” He expressed mild surprise. He had intended to purchase breakfast as an apology for the charming reporter, but he hadn’t anticipated her arriving even earlier than him.

“We agreed to visit the greenhouse glass together today, so I thought it best to be early,” Yang Jingjing replied with a smile, behaving as though nothing unusual had occurred the day before.

Nevertheless, Zhang Xiaoloong couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. It was as if her gaze held an even brighter spark when she looked at him.

“What are you looking at?” Yang Jingjing asked.