novelraw Chapter 82: Malicious Intent
Chapter 82: Malicious Intent
Xu Xiangbei carried Gu Xinyan back to the villa. Her body was trembling, like a frightened little cat, and it took a while for her to calm down.
Xu Xiangbei asked tenderly, "Should I call your sister to come back and take care of you?"
Gu Xinyan clung tightly to Xu Xiangbei’s chest, her eyes still red, gradually regaining composure from her grief, "No need, my sister’s already very tired. I don’t want to bother her with these trivial matters."
Placing Gu Xinyan on the sofa, "Where does it hurt?"
"My knee hurts a little."
Xu Xiangbei noticed her dress was torn, with blood oozing from her knee area. Worried her leg was hurt, he went to lift the hem of her dress.
Gu Xinyan looked alarmed, about to push Xu Xiangbei’s hand away, but he earnestly said, "I’m not trying to take advantage, I just want to see if your leg is injured."
Her pale cheeks flushed with a hint of red, and Gu Xinyan lowered her eyelids, letting Xu Xiangbei lift her dress, "Thank you for saving me earlier."
"No need to be so formal. You’re my future wife, and if anyone dares to bully you, I will certainly pay them back double. If they slap you, I’ll make sure they lose a hand."
Gu Xinyan felt warmth in her heart, a faint smile appearing on her face. Xu Xiangbei was not just lecherous but quite manly, too.
Xu Xiangbei’s gaze was fixed on her long, snow-white legs, praising, "Your legs are so fair and tender, it’s lucky that the knee is only slightly grazed, just a bit of skin broken, nothing serious.
Though Gu Xinyan allowed Xu Xiangbei to check her knee, she remained vigilant, quickly covering her dress, and said with a slight reproach, "Xu Xiangbei, don’t take advantage of the situation. It’s just my knee that’s scraped, not my thigh. Don’t look around unnecessarily."
He chuckled awkwardly, defending himself, "I’m just concerned about you. I wanted to check thoroughly in case your thigh is injured. Come on, let me check again."
Gu Xinyan, both angry and embarrassed, quickly exclaimed, "Don’t be like those bad guys and bully me."
Xu Xiangbei reluctantly pulled back his hand, saying begrudgingly, "When have I ever bullied you? I genuinely care about you. Your dress is ruined and can’t be worn anymore. You’re covered in mud and need a bath."
The snow-white silk dress was in tatters and unwearable. She wrinkled her nose, avoiding Xu Xiangbei’s gaze, like a pitiful little cat, "Can you carry me to the bathroom and then get my bathrobe from my room?"
Hearing Gu Xinyan ask him to carry her to the bathroom, Xu Xiangbei’s eyebrows danced with delight, filled with pride.
"Of course, no problem. Your sister isn’t here right now. Do you want me to help you bathe? How about we have a couple’s bath, I promise to wash you squeaky clean."
Knowing Xu Xiangbei would say that, Gu Xinyan remained surprisingly calm, "Brother Xiangbei, please have some respect. If you keep bullying me like this, I won’t take a bath. I’ll wait for my sister to come home and then move back to South Mountain by the lake."
Xu Xiangbei had learned about Gu Xinyan’s temper before; she seemed soft on the outside but was particularly strong-willed inside. She meant what she said, so he laughed heartily, "Silly girl, I’m just teasing. We should observe propriety; boys and girls are different. I’ll carry you to the bathroom right away."
Gu Xinyan sat by the bathtub and turned on the hot water tap, water gushing into the tub and steam wafting out. She looked like a Jade Pool Fairy, so exquisitely beautiful that Xu Xiangbei couldn’t take his eyes off her.
"Can you go to my bedroom and bring the bathrobe from my wardrobe?"
"I’ll get it right away."
Xu Xiangbei went into her room and opened the wardrobe. It was filled with clothes of the Gu Family Sisters—fashionable long skirts, simple and casual T-shirts, and various intoxicating lingerie.
Gu Xinyan’s voice came from the bathroom, "Don’t rummage through our clothes. Don’t look around unnecessarily. My bathrobe is hanging in the middle of the wardrobe, the yellow one. Bring it to me quickly."
Forcibly tearing his gaze away from the beautifully styled clothes, Xu Xiangbei muttered internally, this girl is astute. How does she know everything I’m doing?
"I wasn’t looking, just found your bathrobe, bringing it to you now."
Taking the yellow bathrobe, Gu Xinyan asked cautiously, "Why did it take so long to get a piece of clothing? What exactly were you doing?"
"How could you think that? I’m a positive, upright young man."
Gu Xinyan’s expression was disdainful, "Upright young man, please close the door from outside for me. I’ll call you when I’m done, thank you."
Xu Xiangbei dawdled as he left the bathroom, glancing back longingly, noticing that Gu Xinyan hadn’t taken off her clothes yet and was sitting by the tub, looking at him sharply.
Xu Xiangbei joked affably, "I’ll close the door then. If you need anything, just say the word. I’m more than happy to bring you anything, offering all-round service."
"You just need to shut the door properly."
He closed the door and stood at the bathroom entrance, his hand pressed against the door handle, reluctant to let go, yearning to turn the handle and peek at the enchanting scene inside.
Gu Xinyan’s melodious yet icy voice came from inside, "Do you plan to stand at the bathroom door all the time? Thanks for your protection, but I can’t afford your salary."
The bathroom door was translucent, and Xu Xiangbei’s shadow was clearly visible on it; Gu Xinyan could see everything clearly.
Thus Xu Xiangbei, feeling dejected, walked away, sitting on the sofa with a mischievous grin, his mind full of improper thoughts, imagining scenarios where Gu Xinyan might inadvertently expose herself while needing something.
Ring, ring, ring, the urgent ringing of the phone interrupted his sordid fantasies, it was a call from Dean Zhang.
Dean Zhang’s voice was kind and steady, "Mr. Xu, are you free tonight?"
Xu Xiangbei answered emphatically, "Dean Zhang, are you inviting me out for dinner again? I’m not free, you see, I’m watching a beauty take a bath. How about another day?"
Dean Zhang thought Xu Xiangbei was joking, "Haha, it’s not just dinner. A child of an old friend experienced a fever and then became mute, they’re hoping you could take a look at the child."