Chapter 200: Chapter 200

Hua Xiaomo bit her lip and turned her face away, the light dancing subtly in her eyes hidden beneath her hair.

But she really couldn’t accept it. Why did things have to be this way...?

Finally, Hua Xiaomo also roared in exasperation, "I haven’t spent a penny of your money, Qi Longbing, you have no right to treat me !! I’m not a woman you keep!!"

Then, with strength from who knows where, she forcefully wrenched herself free from him and fled as if escaping for her life.

But at the mansion’s front gate, a tall figure stood in her way.

"Miss Hua, you cannot leave this place," Yu Bao said, his voice strained.

"Move!" Hua Xiaomo looked at him, so angry her teeth ached.

On the second floor, that slender and handsome figure had already walked to the top of the stairs and spoke coldly, "Yu Bao, lock her in my room."

"Yes," Yu Bao responded. His gaze softened slightly as he looked at Hua Xiaomo. "Miss Hua, will you go to President Qi’s room by yourself, or... should I escort you?"

Hua Xiaomo glared at him and then at the man at the top of the stairs, cursing furiously, "What right do you have to confine me? I’m going out, so what about it?"

With those words, Hua Xiaomo quickly tried to bypass Yu Bao and dash out.

Yu Bao moved faster, grabbing her elbow with one hand, his expression growing colder. "Forgive me, Miss Hua!"

It would be a joke if he, the President’s bodyguard, let her escape right under his nose. His role as a bodyguard would be meaningless.

"Get lost!" Hua Xiaomo struggled against his grip, but Yu Bao’s strength was immense. Infuriated, Hua Xiaomo threw a punch straight at his face, which wore a slight, professional smile.

Suddenly, "Don’t hurt her!" a voice floated down from the second floor. Qi Longbing’s eyes glinted with a dark, hidden light.

This was the first time she had torn off her mask in front of him.

He had known this was the truth... She would never submit to him so easily!

Yet, it was as if he possessed a perverse kind of satisfaction; the less she submitted, the more his interest was piqued!

They fought for a while, with Yu Bao mostly taking the hits. However, in the end, he managed to subdue the savage ’little beast.’ He struck a pressure point on her shoulder, causing Hua Xiaomo’s vision to blur before she passed out. Then, Yu Bao bent down, swiftly scooped her up, a faint smile playing on his lips as he carried her upstairs.

Hua Xiaomo’s shoulder had only recently recovered. Facing Yu Bao, a world-championship-level martial arts expert, was certainly not as easy as dealing with one Ma Li, or even two. Her defeat was entirely to be expected.

As Yu Bao passed by Qi Longbing, he said, "Sorry, President Qi, I didn’t mean to hurt Miss Hua."

"Take her to my room," Qi Longbing’s voice was ice-cold. Shadows darkened his handsome features.

"Yes." Yu Bao quickly laid Hua Xiaomo on Qi Longbing’s bed. As he left, he caught the turbulent, gloomy look in Qi Longbing’s eyes.

"President Qi, perhaps it’s just a matter of time... Why not give her a little more?" Yu Bao suggested comfortingly, feeling genuinely sorry for her.

But why wasn’t she willing to be with President Qi? Even he, an outsider, could see that President Qi genuinely cared for her. But Hua Xiaomo... she...

"Time? Unfortunately, I’ve already given her plenty..." Qi Longbing looked at the person on the bed, "and my patience with women has been completely worn thin..."

Yu Bao didn’t know what to say and fell silent for a moment. Remembering something, he added, "President Qi, regarding your earlier instruction to investigate Miss Hua’s debt, I’ve found a clue."

"Speak." Qi Longbing uttered a single, sharp word, his handsome face remaining frigid. He was eager to find out who would dare make *his* woman pay such a price... to repay a debt! ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝕟𝕖𝕥

"Miss Hua visited an old castle on the outskirts of City A some time ago," Yu Bao reported.

"An old castle? What was she doing there?" Qi Longbing’s eyes darkened, his mind racing.

"I went there, but unfortunately, I didn’t meet the castle’s owner. Later, through other channels, I learned that the castle originally belonged to a Mr. Shi. After Mr. Shi died from unknown causes, the castle became uninhabited. It was even dubbed a ’ghost castle’ by locals, as it was frequently rumored to be haunted. Until recently, a Feng Shui Master named Xia Shuangming moved in. The local people didn’t pay it much mind. However, since then, the ghostly disturbances have ceased, and the number of people seeking out Xia Shuangming by reputation has actually increased. President Wang of Xingda Mall, Wang Yuetcai, consulted this Feng Shui Master about selecting a site for his company’s new project. On the very day he went, he also encountered Miss Hua, who was there to see Xia Shuangming. So, I thought of seeking out this Feng Shui Master myself. However, he had suddenly moved out of the castle a few days prior, vanishing without a trace."

Qi Longbing was silent for a long while before slowly saying, "From the sound of it, this person definitely has some connection to Xiao Mo... Send people to find him. I don’t care what it takes! I want results, and I want him!"

"Yes, President Qi!" Yu Bao acknowledged and quickly retreated.

Qi Longbing gazed at the figure lying on the bed, a deep melancholy clouding his eyes. "Xiao Mo... what secrets do you still hold that I don’t know about?"

"But, do you know? No matter what difficulties you face, you should tell me. Because... my shoulders... are here to shelter you from the wind and rain..." Qi Longbing murmured softly, sitting beside her. He couldn’t help but reach out, his fingers gently tracing her cheek, a soft smile playing on his lips as his touch lingered.

After a long moment, he leaned down, his handsome face alight with a smile that seemed to reach deep into her heart.

When Hua Xiaomo woke up, she tried to turn over but found it extremely difficult. She couldn’t help but open her eyes to look around.

She was still in the familiar room—to put it bluntly, Qi Longbing’s room.

But... but she couldn’t move at all. Not only that, she realized her limbs were bound with ropes, spread-eagled and tied to the four corners of the bed.

Across from the bed, not far away, a man slept on the sofa, his tie loosened, revealing a glimpse of his fair skin beneath his open collar.

He looked utterly languid, apparently asleep.

But what right did he have to tie her up?

"Qi Longbing, stop pretending to be asleep! Release me immediately, or I’ll make you regret it!" Hua Xiaomo suddenly erupted in anger. That infuriating man! How dare he tie me up? Why would he do such a thing? What right did he have to put me under house arrest?

The heavy silence in the room was shattered. Roused by her shout, Qi Longbing also woke up.

The first thing he did upon opening his eyes was to smile.

That perfect, flawless smile spread across his handsome face, a sight that would make anyone exclaim "demonically charming!"