Chapter 31: The Perilous Allure of the Forbidden

“Miss Xie, that is a prohibited topic.”

Qian Surou offered a reminder, her voice laced with a rare hint of sternness. The preceding words had transcended mere suggestion, plunging Qian Surou’s already dismal impression of Xie Yun into an irrecoverable abyss.

‘Professional ethics,’ she silently mused, yet her true thoughts revolved around the fact that this was her final engagement, rendering any fear of complaint entirely moot. Moreover, she was not the one who had initially transgressed the rules.

“Precisely. Miss Qian, if you were to project an even colder demeanor, your allure would only intensify. Whether it’s individuals such as myself, or even the young girls within the campus walls—danger invariably captivates, doesn’t it?”

The recipient of the warning, however, merely smiled—

“Your eyes are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.”

Xie Yun’s voice quivered with a hint of excitement, a sharp, predatory glint momentarily flashing in her eyes.

Her narrow, ‘peach-blossom’ eyes then narrowed, seeming to revel in intoxication, though she swiftly reined in her demeanor. The sports car, having left the city center, then accelerated along the highway.

Xie Yun’s shoulders tensed as she stretched languidly, appending a playful, “Just kidding.”

The somewhat perverse remarks preceding this moment vanished as abruptly as a discarded soda can clattering into a trash bin, losing all trace with a faint ‘ding-dong’.

Her demeanor, now far more restrained and earnest than before, had shifted with the suddenness of one who had received an undeniable warning.

Dangerous?

Perhaps. Friends from her former club once jested that if she were to portray a villainess in a film, she would undoubtedly achieve widespread fame.

Though complimented in such an unusual manner, she found no pleasure in it.

Deep within her memory, an indistinct voice resonated—

‘Remember, only by becoming good enough can you keep the person you love most, otherwise, you will lose everything.’

Qian Surou shook her head—

‘No matter how hard I tried, didn’t I still fail to keep Ji Yushu’s heart?’ ‘However, it’s not incomprehensible; the world holds countless unforeseen circumstances, and if one isn’t good enough, they lack even the capacity to confront them.’

“Miss Xie, in my opinion, you are quite dangerous as well.”

‘Remember, always maintain composure.’ ‘She couldn’t recall who had uttered those words, but they undeniably helped her regain her calm, granting her the composure to even jest with the other party.’

Qian Surou selected a uniquely poised rose from the cluster of flowers and gently inhaled its scent at her nose.

“My Chinese literature teacher in middle school, she was very fond of flower arranging and shared some insights with me out of interest.

When breaking off a branch, it shouldn’t be too elaborate; a single branch holds greater value. Choose those with peculiar charm, weathered with ancient moss and scales, and they are best kept in an antique bronze vase.

Though these words are meant to describe plum blossoms, they apply universally to other flora; a single branch can reveal a myriad of forms. Miss Xie, what are your thoughts?”

Xie Yun paused, startled.

Just then, they encountered a red light, bringing the car to a halt. She gently closed her eyes, leaning back and surrendering her back to the leather seat.

Her spine then began to quiver, and she shook with delight, covering her mouth. The sound was akin to both joyous laughter and a drunken murmur.

– Hahahaha!

“Though I may be a poor student, I’m not so dense as to miss the implication. Miss Qian, you are truly mischievous; you’re implying I’m a philanderer. So tell me, what ‘form’ do you perceive in me now?”

She was still laughing.

‘So this is her true nature; there’s nothing to worry about then.’ She usually presented such an understanding and gentle demeanor that Qian Surou had almost forgotten her own nature was not so docile.

Appearing suddenly in Xie Yun’s line of sight with an impeccable smile, against the backdrop of changing traffic lights, Qian Surou pinched Xie Yun’s lower lip with an upturned thumb, her eyes betraying disdain—

“A foolish state.”

Xie Yun, looking utterly foolish, suddenly snapped back to attention and pressed the accelerator, then glanced at the bouquet tucked into the storage compartment, smiling as she said:

“Were it not for the remaining flowers, I fear I would have fallen hopelessly in love with you.”

The first half was a pretense, the latter half genuine, though the ‘love’ was diluted. In truth, under the threat of that madwoman, Xie Yun dared not make even the slightest transgression.

Tactics like today’s were highly effective on certain vain and frivolous girls; at most, a gift afterward, especially for straight girls, usually left no repercussions. These were precisely the games she enjoyed playing.

However, this approach proved counterproductive when genuinely attempting to flirt with younger girls, as evidenced today.

Xie Yun had acted deliberately; after all, for a girl willing to go on dates for money, her displayed malice was still far too superficial. Not enough to arouse suspicion.

The madwoman’s demands had struck her as utterly baffling. After her morning professional tutoring and lunch concluded, Xie Yun, like an errand boy dispatched by a delinquent girl, found herself before Jin Xiaoyue, tasked with a date for reasons she struggled to comprehend.

For her, it made no difference, but the stipulations—no touching, no flirting, and making herself utterly repulsive—were uniquely absurd. Under pressure, she had questioned the reason, to which Jin Xiaoyue had simply stated,

“She is mine.”

The unspoken implication was a threat: ‘Dare to touch what is mine, and prepare for ruin.’

This, paradoxically, ignited Xie Yun’s curiosity, making it difficult to fathom for whom a hypocrite, who had rejected countless confessions over the past year, would finally harbor feelings, especially when this two-faced hypocrite’s other persona was a madwoman.

However, upon seeing ‘her’ in person, Xie Yun found a flicker of reason, realizing that only such a woman could drive Jin Xiaoyue to such a frenzy.

“Falling for a bad woman yields no fruit. As for me, I am a riot of blossoms, seeing a thousand, yet perceiving them all as one.”

Qian Surou, while jesting, turned her head to gaze out the window, not sparing Xie Yun a glance as she spoke. ‘Forgive me,’ she silently apologized, knowing she would be using Ji Yushu as a shield for a considerable time to come.

“But for now, you are my girlfriend, aren’t you?”

Though she didn’t know who the girl’s devoted affection truly lay with, it certainly wasn’t Jin Xiaoyue; otherwise, such a tedious stratagem would not have been employed.

Which meant— Roughly speaking, someone had cuckolded Jin Xiaoyue, and she, in a formal sense, had cuckolded that person, which was tantamount to cuckolding Jin Xiaoyue.

Since Jin Xiaoyue herself had sought her out, wasn’t Jin Xiaoyue essentially arranging for her own cuckolding?

– Hahahahahaha!

‘No!’ ‘Hold it in, don’t laugh yet.’

Qian Surou did not deny it. “Yes, because the person I care for does not reciprocate my feelings.”

‘What a sarcastic girl; her next line would likely be that your girlfriend doesn’t like you either.’ Xie Yun had no intention of inviting further embarrassment.

Angering Jin Xiaoyue due to a momentary impulse for a beautiful woman, thereby losing everything, was not a foolish act she would ever commit.

Her gaze settled on the front window. The weather outside the window was truly splendid.

***

Huimin Plaza in the city center was approximately a forty-five-minute drive from Yujing Cuiyi Club. From a distance, it resembled a self-contained resort, with a diverse array of luxury vehicles parked near the entrance to its parking lot.

It wasn’t that the foot traffic was particularly heavy; rather, some vehicles were temporarily stored here by members for management, intended for the use of guests who had been drinking.

The club’s main structure was a high-rise building akin to a luxury hotel, with a vast expanse of land adjoining the suburbs comprising the club’s grounds.

Outdoor golf courses, equestrian stables, artificial underwater world shallow pools, and amusement park facilities were all readily available.

While not a primary venue for business negotiations, it was an optimal location for bringing friends and family for relaxation.

Naturally, not everyone was eligible for membership; both a recommendation system and a rigorous vetting process served as formidable barriers.

Staff members, waiting in the duty room, hurried over to open their car doors and guide them inside.

“It appears Miss Qian is a woman of secrets. Have you been here before?”

Xie Yun observed Qian Surou’s unruffled composure. Her demeanor remained utterly undisturbed by a situation that would typically cause awkwardness for an ordinary person, and her graceful bearing while walking was striking.

As the two of them stood together, it was Qian Surou who seemed more like the invited guest.

‘Perhaps she was once a pampered young lady, now fallen on hard times, for anyone acquainted with someone like Jin Xiaoyue would undoubtedly possess a background of considerable complexity.’

“—This is my first visit. Is there a problem?”

Qian Surou had visited similar establishments before, leaving her with no reason to feel constrained.

Moreover, the more relaxed one appeared in such venues, the less likely they were to draw attention; even if noticed, others would merely speculate about their identity rather than approach them directly—conducting proper research before making contact was considered fundamental.

Nevertheless, despite the relaxed appearance of such a place, there would likely be some dissolute young masters who were less discerning.

It was not her father who had brought her to such a place, but her aunt. Though she was unaware of the precise circumstances of her father’s bankruptcy, her aunt was inextricably linked to it.

The atmosphere between them was one of intense hostility, like daggers drawn and fire and water, such that they wouldn’t exchange a single word even when they met.

Yet, ironically, they bore such a striking resemblance that anyone could discern their sibling relationship.

At that time, Qian Surou still held the status of a young lady of means, along with the temporary designation of a company designer.

While her aunt did not completely disregard her as her father did, their relationship was far from amicable, and all their conversations were purely perfunctory.

The sentiment ‘love me, love my dog’ applied, and so did its inverse: ‘hate me, hate what is mine.’ Naturally, her aunt held an aversion towards her, and the scene of being driven out of the villa remained vividly etched in her memory.

Had she cast aside her dignity and begged on her knees, she might well have gained her aunt’s acceptance, being her only blood relative of the younger generation.

However, Qian Surou harbored no attachment to the life of a young lady; it only left her feeling weary and jaded. Her current composure only served to remind her how truly terrifying habit could be.

“Nothing, merely that I find myself liking you even more. Would you consider becoming mine? As for money, name your price, and it shall be yours.”

Xie Yun leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. Only because she believed Qian Surou would never agree did she dare to pose such a question.

She carried an audio device provided by Jin Xiaoyue, clipped like a pin to the lapel of her suit jacket, a clear indication of Jin Xiaoyue’s erratic nature.

Yet, she now considered herself to have a small leverage point against Jin Xiaoyue; as long as she didn’t push things too far, there would be no repercussions. ‘Even killing me would merely be akin to soiling her feathers.’

Qian Surou, her face adorned with a practiced, almost assembly-line smile, returned the whisper:

“That’s quite disgusting, you know. And frankly, Miss Xie, today marks my final engagement in this line of work, so any complaint against me would be utterly futile. Though, I suspect it’s far more probable that Miss Xie herself will be removed from the client list.”

“Ruthless, aren’t you? I quite like that about you.”

“Conveniently, I have no desire to feign affection with you either.”

At this juncture, the guiding staff member had been replaced by an internal service attendant, who inquired about their desired services.

As a regular patron, Xie Yun naturally required no guidance; she simply took a glass of juice to quench her thirst before returning the cup.

The interior décor mirrored that of a luxury hotel, though it was not yet the time for banquets and festivities. Numerous floors were available for private events, accessible with an invitation.

Xie Yun boldly took Qian Surou’s hand, walked past the glittering fruit tower and the golden chandeliers in the lobby, and entered one of the elevators.

“I thought you would shake off my hand,” Xie Yun said.

“That would not happen. I imagine, Miss Xie, you wouldn’t abandon an orchestra simply because of calluses on your fingers, would you? I always take my work very seriously.”

“Then, to what extent can you be serious?”