076

  He held her in his arms like a doll and washed her clean, then patted her butt and chased her out of the bathroom. Lin Meng came out dazed, put on another set of pajamas from her bag, and stumbled onto the bed. Sitting on the bed, she fell into a trance.

  Five minutes later, the man walked out of the bathroom. His body was dry and he only had a towel wrapped around his waist. It seemed like he had taken a combat shower.

  The man sat down beside her, his massive presence making her shrink in her seat. There were many things she wanted to say, but after the strange events of just now, she suddenly didn't know what to say.

  He glanced at her sideways, seeing that she was staring blankly at him, her gaze drifting vaguely to his chest, clearly in a daze. He furrowed his brow involuntarily. He had also wanted to say something, but looking at her like this, he suddenly lost the interest to speak. He pulled open one of the drawers and took out an already opened pack of Nanjing cigarettes, pulled one out, casually picked up the lighter, lit the cigarette, and slowly began to smoke.

  He doesn't often smoke, but now it seems necessary to have one. To be honest, his heart is also a bit messy, Xiao Ye and Lin Meng, these two people, he absolutely didn't think they would have such a deep relationship, which makes him feel very annoyed!

  He had a cigarette in his mouth, half-closed eyes, lazily leaning against the headboard, long legs casually drooping on the bed, and the whole person looked both languid and sexy, with a very imperial feeling.

  Lin Meng couldn't help but be drawn in, staring blankly as he puffed out clouds of smoke.

  Perhaps it was the way he smoked that was too sexy, or perhaps the taste of tobacco evoked a memory in her mind. She leaned forward gently, half-sitting up, her body leaning forward, her small face staring intently at the cigarette emitting a faint white mist. The white smoke rose slowly, as if ascending to heaven.

  Rong Ling blinked and then narrowed his eyes, silently sizing up the woman who was approaching him like a cat. Her small face was pale and radiant, her narrow eyes were tightly closed, as if trying to entice people. Her small nose was slightly raised, as if enchanted, swaying back and forth in front of the cigarette butt. That look was inexplicably charming, but also somewhat comical.

  He took out the cigarette that had been dangling from his mouth and raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry.

  Her gaze followed the smoke, saw that he had a cigarette between his fingers, and stretched out her hand to slowly grasp his, holding it suspended in mid-air.

  He was shocked!

  She leaned forward, carefully, like a girl stealing a forbidden fruit, and brought her small mouth closer to the cigarette butt. Her expression was devout, as if she were kissing not the cigarette but a god!

  At that moment, he was stunned, staring blankly at her tender red lips biting the cigarette butt, and then her small mouth puckered up, as if she had taken another puff. He immediately jumped up like a cat with its fur blown off, snatched the cigarette from her mouth, viciously pinched it out with his fingers, and then fiercely flicked it away.

  She looked at him in a daze, bewildered!

  He scowled, grabbed her collar and dragged her to the bathroom with great force, seemingly enraged. She stumbled after him, completely unprepared for what was happening!

  He reached for a cup in the bathroom, filled it with water and directly poured it into her mouth.

  "Rinse your mouth!" he commanded strongly.

  She stared blankly with her mouth open, while he forcibly poured water into her mouth and forced her to spit it out. Then, he quickly squeezed toothpaste onto her hand and ordered: "Brush your teeth!"

  It's as if she just took a sip of something, and it's even more severe than being poisoned!

  He gave an order, she made a move, though her head was still dizzy.

  After she finished brushing her teeth, he took a towel and wiped the toothpaste foam off her small mouth with a fierce swipe. Gnashing his teeth, he commanded in a gloomy tone: "From now on, you're not allowed to smoke, nor are you allowed to go to bars!"

  "After some thought, he added with some unease: 'In short, it's not something a student should be doing, and you're not allowed to do it!'"

  At this time, he was somewhat like a loving father, afraid that his good daughter would be ruined by someone.

  Lin Meng blinked, innocently looking at Rong Ling, and then blinked again. If a student wasn't allowed to do anything that wasn't what a student should be doing, then what she was doing now didn't seem like something a student should be doing either!!! He looked so disgusted by her smoking and going to bars, so... could he just let it go?!

  "Rong Ling..." she murmured.

  He hung up the towel and turned around, looking back at her.

  She bit her lip and lowered her head, revealing a dark scalp facing him.

  He stood silently at one side, quietly watching her and waiting for her to speak. He could feel that she had something to say to him, and from earlier on, she had been holding it in until now.

  "I... I think... I want to live alone!" She finally lifted her head and bravely looked at him. Maybe, some words, once spoken, aren't as difficult as she had imagined. Once she started talking, the next words seemed to come easily.

  "I want to live alone." She repeated again. "Consider it a debt I owe you, just help me this once. At Dad's place, please still help me block him. ...Lend me money, let me finish high school, and when I...when I get into college, I'll slowly pay back that money!"

  She also found out that after entering university, she can apply for a student loan and there are also part-time job programs. Good schools even provide scholarships every semester, so she should be able to pay back some money to Rong Ling gradually.

  Lin Meng looked at Rong Ling with a dreamy and eager expression, but Rong Ling's face was very stern, his jaw clenched tightly, and he remained silent, looking somewhat cold. After a while, he asked in a deep voice: "Do you want to leave me?!" The tone of the last word rose slightly, with a hint of displeasure.

  She slowly lowered her eyelids, silently acknowledging it.

  Rong Ling stood in front of the washbasin, his hands clasped across his chest, looking at Lin Meng with a haughty and cold gaze - this weak and small girl whom he could easily destroy.

  "You think you can just provoke me and then walk away with a pat on your butt?!" He sneered!

  Lin Meng's heart tightened, and she waved her hand repeatedly, her small face slightly flushed with tension.

  "No... it's not like that." She twisted her eyebrows, which were the color of cyan smoke, and explained with a pained and sincere expression. "That day... when I came to ask you, originally... I was thinking of asking you to do this, but..."

  But things were completely beyond her expectations. She ran to Qiong Lingbao for help, and at that moment, she was dizzy and only had eyes for him. He pulled her along, and she was overjoyed. He got into the car, leaned down, and kissed her, and she didn't think to refuse. Later on, she was even more bewildered and let herself be taken advantage of by him. His strong personality made her too afraid to speak out and say such things, deceiving herself into thinking that this was okay too. But then, Xiao Yi's sarcastic remarks and angry scolding woke her up. Her current behavior was actually very wrong, wasn't it?! This chaotic relationship was also an insult to herself, wasn't it?!

  Why can't she boldly ask Rong Ling?! Without her, he can have other women, one more or less. So why bother with his occasional tenderness?! Since she'll be dumped at any time, it's better not to get in touch from the start!

  Rong Ling looked at the girl who dared to negotiate with him, and a low, cold laugh rose up in his heart. Apart from this, there was also a kind of inexplicable anger. What he was angry about, he didn't want to think about!

  "So you want me to be a philanthropist who learns to be kind and generous, and unconditionally sponsors your education?!"

  Rong Ling smiled, but his smile was very sarcastic. His deep eyes were icy and seemed like a solitary star. His knife-sharp face also didn't have any softness to it.

  Lin Meng may not fully understand Rong Ling, but after having so many intimate contacts with him, she can probably capture some of his joys and sorrows from his facial expressions. Her heart sank, and she immediately understood that Rong Ling was now somewhat angry. He is tall and rich in attack power, and his momentum is too strong, his anger makes her at a loss, more is the subconscious fear.

  Her face changed slightly, her watery eyes trembled uncontrollably. Her hands hung down on both sides, feeling embarrassed and not knowing what to do, as if being stared at by him was a silent accusation.

  He stretched out his big hand and pulled her into his arms, his palm tightly grasping her waist. He lowered his head, staring intensely at her eyes, his sharp gaze locking onto hers as he said coldly: "Lin Meng, I'm absolutely not a philanthropist, so I won't raise useless people. You have two options to choose from: one, we'll continue as previously agreed, and I'll pretend I didn't see what just happened or hear what you just said; two, if you wish, you can leave now, but that means you and I will have nothing more to do with each other. This is my last time tolerating your capriciousness - think carefully about it, and when you walk out of this bathroom, do as you please!"

  After finishing, he let go of Lin Meng, took big strides to leave, obviously also furious! Leaving her alone, standing in the bathroom. Her body suddenly lost his warmth and became a bit cold. Lin Meng stretched out her hand, wrapped herself around, shivered slightly. She thought back to his low, powerful warning, staring at the tooth cup and toothbrush, thinking of him frowning, rudely staring at her as she brushed her teeth, fiercely ordering her not to learn bad habits, but she was a bit dazed!

  It's been a long time, and her mind has always been empty. Two options have been swirling in her mind, but she can't grasp either of them. She only remembers how angry he was when he saw her smoking; she only recalls how he whispered to her that they should use protection because birth control pills are bad for the body; she only thinks about how he took her on a run all day just to find her a house where she could study better...

  He cared for her in a way that was almost imperceptible, yet she knew it. She was just a girl yearning for someone to care for her. Cares that even her own family couldn't give her!

  She sniffled, feeling a bit sour in her heart. She looked up and saw herself in the large glass mirror, her face small, eyes red, lips swollen and cracked, looking not only dull but also pitiful. But wasn't this the path she had chosen from the start? She told herself that since she had made the choice, she wouldn't regret it. Was she going to regret it now when things had just begun? Could she guarantee a better life than now if she left Rong Ling? And did she want to leave because of Xiao Yue's mockery, or was it also because of that strange woman?

  Heart, slightly stung, a little painful, a little sour!

  She reached out, gently touching her swollen lips, staring intently at the small face surrounded by black hair in the mirror, pale under the dark redness. In the end, she slowly lowered her head, exhausted and helpless, a defeated bow of the neck.

  As she walked out of the bathroom, she raised her eyes and saw him. He was still leaning against the bed, half-closing his eyes, seemingly lost in thought, but this time, he wasn't smoking again. She approached him quietly, her movements light and cautious, perhaps trying to confirm something. He lifted his head to look at her, but his gaze was different, sharp as if he wanted to see through her from head to toe.

  She came to his side, lowered her head, and finally managed to look down on him, but unfortunately, she could never surpass him in momentum. His eyes were too sharp, and she couldn't hold his gaze for long, so she still ended up losing and shifting her eyes away.

  The man was somewhat disheveled from his previous fight with Xiao Yi. His body had bruises of various colors, all results of the earlier battle. Even his face had two large dark marks. His lips were slightly cracked and bleeding, also courtesy of Xiao Yi's handiwork. Yet this man somehow managed to ignore his own dishevelment, still using that haughty gaze to coldly size up others, as if everyone he looked at should be even more downtrodden than him!

  She slightly tilted her head, thought for a moment, and slowly sat down beside him.

  He slowly sat down, straightened his body, pursed his lips, and looked at her coldly, his dark eyes revealing a gloomy atmosphere that allowed no light to enter. He knew this was the moment she would announce her decision! As he saw her lips move slightly, he felt an urge to rush over, press his lips tightly against hers, and prevent her from speaking. He regretted being so merciful, repeatedly giving in to her, and even more foolishly suggesting that she make a choice earlier. Heaven knows what kind of fool he was to tolerate her to this extent. Shouldn't he have refused outright without hesitation? Or better yet, taken her directly to bed and...

  If she dares to say the second option...

  He wondered with hatred, how would he deal with her in the future?!

  She finally spoke up and said something, but it was absolutely beyond his expectation.

  "Is there medicine? Let me put some on for you!"

  She said softly, her dark eyes looking at him with pure kindness, like a lamb, her face was very faintly gentle, as if nothing had happened before!

  He was stunned for a moment, then reacted immediately, taking a long breath and relaxing his tense body. Perhaps he felt that he had overreacted, and suddenly turned his head away unnaturally, remaining silent for a while before regaining his composure, coolly humming. "There's a first-aid kit in the big cabinet against the wall!"

  He stretched out his hand and pointed remotely.

  Lin Meng got up and went to fetch it.

  Behind him, Rong Ling lazily leaned back against the headboard, his mouth curving up slightly, the extent was very small, but he indeed smiled.

  Lin Meng took back the first-aid kit, opened it and saw that there were many useful things inside, including Yunnan Baiyao, trauma wine, iodine, gauze, cotton balls, band-aids and so on. She vaguely guessed that with such a well-prepared first-aid kit, this man might often get into fights!

  On the other side, Rong Ling had already cooperated and sat in the middle of the bed, waiting for Lin Meng to take the bait.

  Lin Meng pushed the medical box, knelt down beside Rong Ling, and carefully treated his injuries like a little wife. The wounds were easy to deal with, but the bruises needed to be rubbed vigorously with medicinal wine to dispel the blood stasis. She didn't have much strength, while he had thick skin, so after a short while, she was panting and her small hands started to ache, forcing her to switch hands and continue rubbing back and forth.

  He gazed at her with his eyes narrowed, watching as she sweated from exhaustion and her small face turned red. His eyes gradually deepened. He didn't even lift a hand to help, not even touching the wound on his chest that he could have handled himself, instead letting her struggle to catch her breath. Because, he had to admit, he was enjoying the feeling of those small hands massaging him. This also dissipated some of the frustration from fighting with Xiao Yi. He even hoped there would be more bruises on his body, so that those small hands could linger a while longer.

  The flavor of medicinal wine slowly spreads in the air, with a serene tranquility that makes one reluctant to disturb it.

  Lin Meng crouched behind Rong Ling, applying the medicinal wine to the last remaining bruise on his back. After finally rubbing it open, she used her body to wipe away the sweat from her forehead. Looking at the robust back in front of her, with each block-like wound turning red due to the medicinal wine, she was taken aback for a moment and couldn't quite put her finger on what she was feeling. She screwed the lid back onto the bottle and set it aside. Pouting her lips, she gazed at Rong Ling's back. The man still sat there, motionless, like a big shot. His damp black hair slightly covered his neck, softly lying there, making him seem less cold and arrogant than before.

  Not looking at the man's front, only looking at his back, actually doesn't feel that much distance. The man's back looks very broad, she somehow feels a little moved, moved by the dynamic small wheat-colored glow, moved by the tight and tense touch. She inexplicably leans forward, foolishly stretches out her hand, finally bites her lip, boldly hugs him from behind, and sticks her body to his back. His muscles seem to tense up slightly because of this, she doesn't care, lightly leaning her head on his shoulder.

  She snuggled up, found a more comfortable angle, and half-closed her eyes. She just held him like that, not moving anymore. He didn't move either, indulging her, letting her put most of her body weight on him.

  After a while, when he thought she might have fallen asleep, he heard her whispering softly in his ear, as if talking in her sleep.

  "Rong Ling, be... nicer to me!"

  His eyes flashed and he responded with a sound.

  "Uh-huh."