Chapter 137: Chapter 137

Hua Xiaomo glanced sideways at Qi Longbing. His handsome face was calm as usual, showing no change whatsoever.

Looking back at the screen, if one were to say this was an R-rated film, it would not be an overstatement—in fact, "pornographic" might be more fitting. All the scenes were crystal clear, and everything from the characters’ emotions to their actions was depicted in great detail.

Hua Xiaomo watched, her eyes filled with a deep, lingering focus.

However, one of the men in the film had been wearing a mask from the moment he appeared, making it impossible to see his face clearly. One could only see that his figure was exceptionally well-built, impressively so.

As the story progressed past the halfway point, romance was almost omnipresent. By the end, the female lead had long withdrawn from the scene, leaving the two men to be happily together.

The movie lasted a full four hours, but the most thrilling part was the very last scene, which was rather chilling.

If Hua Xiaomo hadn’t noticed anything unusual about Qi Longbing during the entire screening, she might have simply dismissed it as a "Brokeback Mountain"-type film. But the moment the mysterious, perpetually masked man finally revealed his face, Hua Xiaomo was truly stunned! The face on the screen... it was Qi Longbing’s!

Qi Longbing’s own internal reaction was visceral: That face... it’s *mine*?! I’m gonna hurl...

This was his immediate thought. He practically sprang up from beside Hua Xiaomo, quickly grabbed the remote control, and turned off the large screen with a flick.

For a moment, his handsome face was clouded with a severe gloom, and he stayed silent for a long time.

It was only after watching the entire film that Hua Xiaomo understood Zhou Xiyang’s painstaking intentions. It seemed the male lead wearing a mask throughout the movie was a deliberate choice, and then computer technology had been used to Photoshop Qi Longbing’s face onto the male lead at the end...

Hehe, how interesting... Hua Xiaomo smiled wickedly to herself deep down. Then, just as she was about to get up...

Suddenly, a deep and peculiar voice permeated the air, "Hua Xiaomo, where did you get this thing?"

Hua Xiaomo chuckled. "President Qi, aren’t you being a little too sensitive? Although I’m also surprised that the man looks so much like you..." Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵

"Where did you get this disc?" Qi Longbing asked sharply again, his handsome face showing a trace of fierce, unpredictable allure.

"Bought it on the street," Hua Xiaomo answered casually, and then she stood up.

Suddenly, her wrist was forcefully yanked, pulling her back down into her seat.

His gaze bore into her side profile, and his deceptively gentle voice was laced with suspicion. "Hua Xiaomo... so you’re still such a boring person, aren’t you!"

"Photoshopping that person’s face onto mine... is that amusing to you? Are you satisfied?" Qi Longbing stared at her. He wondered how she had tampered with the movie disc. What sort of mindset was behind this? And what was her intention? Was she trying to vent her long-standing dissatisfaction and repression through this disc?

Hua Xiaomo was taken aback. How could I have done that? she thought. I’m not that bored! I wouldn’t go to such lengths to make something , especially for him to watch. Still, I have to admit, the movie itself was quite well-made; yes, it was actually very captivating.

But before she could speak, Qi Longbing’s other hand tightly grasped hers. Hua Xiaomo turned her face away unnaturally, trying to break free, yet he just chuckled without letting go, his gaze seeming to peer straight into her heart.

"Why do you have to be ? Do you hate me that much?" Qi Longbing’s voice was soft and sinister as he looked at her, his handsome face full of evil and sly charm. "Hate me for contracting you?"

Hua Xiaomo’s eyes turned cold. She briskly pulled her hand away and suddenly stood up. "President Qi, that’s quite amusing. It wasn’t me who photoshopped this!"

"Oh? So you know who photoshopped it? Then what’s the difference between that person doing it and you doing it yourself?" Qi Longbing watched her, his deep eyes holding a teasing, uncertain gleam.

Hua Xiaomo didn’t speak, her eyes darting around before an unwitting smile touched her lips. "President Qi, after watching it, don’t you feel moved?"

"Moved?" Qi Longbing squinted strangely. Looking at her pretty and captivating face, he said mischievously, "Why would I be moved? However, if we changed one of the protagonists... yes, if that other protagonist were you, I’m sure I’d feel something then."

"You..." Hua Xiaomo felt a burst of anger, wanting to curse him out loud.

"Hehe!" Qi Longbing chuckled, his astonishingly handsome face radiant, lips pressed tightly into a taunting smile as he spoke, "Xiao Mo... don’t think about leaving me anymore. I’ve decided to take care of you."

’Provide’ for me again!!

Hearing this, Hua Xiaomo clenched her fists, wondering how she managed to endure such humiliation!

"Do rich people just love to be so willful?" Hua Xiaomo forced a light smile, trying hard to feign indifference.

No, I will absolutely not be kept by anyone...

"Haha... I really wish I had the luxury to be willful," Qi Longbing laughed, speaking almost drunkenly. "Did you know? I’ve been holding myself back from hurting you! I really do care about you, you know?"

Hua Xiaomo frowned upon hearing this, involuntarily glancing at the wall clock...

"President Qi, it’s getting late. I should leave..." Hua Xiaomo said decisively, really not wanting to listen to any more of his nonsense.

A hint of dark light passed over her delicate face. Everything has a bottom line, she thought, and my bottom line is definitely not to be a laughingstock!

Her words were like a bucket of cold water poured over him, chilling him from head to toe. Even the strongest fire, the most passionate feelings would be doused by the cold water!

Qi Longbing was rendered somewhat speechless with anger. He lifted his head to look seriously and closely at the woman in front of him, his tone suppressed and somber. "You, Hua Xiaomo, can you not say that again in the future? OK?"

Hua Xiaomo gave him a sidelong glance and countered with a mocking smile of her own, "As long as President Qi remembers the time himself, without needing my reminder, then of course, I won’t say it!"

Qi Longbing looked at her, his teeth almost grinding. Finally, he inhaled deeply. "Fine, fine... I’ll remember. I will remember!"

He always remembered the time. He always remembered that when the time came, she had to leave. Ugh, how could he be so good at remembering *this*? His memory wasn’t great for other things, but for this, it was infuriatingly precise. It annoyed him, made him uncomfortable—altogether, it was just unpleasant.

Qi Longbing let go of her, brushing his brown hair back from his forehead. His handsome face, now sullen, clearly displayed his displeasure as he walked towards the car.

Hua Xiaomo followed closely behind.

Suddenly, just as he was about to get in the car, he stopped in his tracks, causing her to nearly bump into him.

He whirled around, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her with a faint, unsettling smirk towards him against the side of the car. "I really don’t want to let you go!" He bent down close, smiling, looking at her, his gaze seeming to pierce right through to her soul.

Hua Xiaomo quickly turned her face away, avoiding his gaze. She felt somewhat embarrassed, somewhat awkward indeed.

"Don’t be like that, President Qi. We’re not children; we should abide by the contract," Hua Xiaomo reminded him timely.

"..." Qi Longbing’s eyes darkened significantly. Does this damn woman truly take that contract as an Imperial Edict?