At night, Su Ci was video chatting with Lu Zhe, telling him about another good deed she had done today.
Lu Zhe noticed that since he'd known Su Ci, the girl had helped quite a few people. He knew that while she usually liked to tease people, she had a soft and kind heart.
Lu Zhe spoke in a calm tone, "Be careful about your safety when helping others." If helping others would put her in harm's way, he'd rather she be a little more cold-hearted.
No one else was as important as her.
"Don't worry, I know," Su Ci was quite afraid of death, and she wasn't a bleeding heart who helped everyone indiscriminately. When helping others, she always made sure of her own safety first, only acting when she was certain there was no danger.
If anything really went wrong, she would run faster than anyone else to protect herself.
Lu Zhe: "Mm."
Just then, he heard someone knocking on Su Ci's door.
"Wait a moment, I'll get the door," Su Ci said, putting down her phone.
Su's Mother was standing outside with a servant who was holding an evening gown.
"Mom."
"Ci Ci, the design studio sent over a gown. Try this one first; there are several more coming in a few days." Su's Mother had particularly liked this dress when helping her daughter choose gowns, certain it would look beautiful on her daughter.
Su Ci looked at the gown and suddenly thought of something, her dark eyes lighting up. "Thank you, Mom. I'll try it on in a bit."
The servant brought the gown into Su Ci's room and hung it in front of the wardrobe. Under the lights, the blue gradient dress sparkled brilliantly.
After Su's Mother and the servant left, Su Ci closed the door, walked back to her bed, and picked up her phone. Lu Zhe was still there on the video call.
Looking at the handsome, cool features of the young man on screen, she smiled sweetly at him. "Lu Zhe, I'm attending a banquet the week after next. Mom just brought me the gown."
Lu Zhe didn't know much about banquets; such things were far removed from his world.
Su Ci continued: "Do you want to see how I look in the gown? I can change into it now for you." Seeing the young man's indifferent expression, she glared at him imperiously, "You're not allowed to say no."
Lu Zhe's lips curved into a smile. "Alright, I'll look."
Su Ci finally smiled, "Wait a moment, I'll be right back."
Su Ci put her phone on the bed and walked barefoot to the wardrobe to take down the gown.
Lu Zhe sat on his folding bed, looking at the moonlight outside while hearing the soft rustling of fabric through the phone.
He knew the girl was changing clothes.
Lu Zhe suppressed his wandering thoughts.
Su's Mother had always had good taste; she chose her daughter's clothes every month, knowing exactly what styles looked best on her.
Su Ci put on the gown, and since it was custom-made, it fit perfectly - not too loose, not too tight, conforming beautifully to Su Ci's figure.
The room's lighting was a bit dim, so Su Ci turned on all the lights.
She walked back to the bed and placed her phone upright on the dressing table.
"Lu Zhe, I'm done changing."
Su Ci chose an angle that would let Lu Zhe see her full figure, and asked him confidently, "Aren't I beautiful?"
On screen, Lu Zhe frowned instinctively, "Why aren't you wearing shoes?" His gaze fell on the girl's feet; even from a distance, he could see her bare feet touching the floor.
"I'm standing on the carpet," Su Ci paused, then glared at Lu Zhe angrily. "You're not supposed to be focusing on my feet!"
She had dressed up so beautifully and sensually, yet he hadn't properly looked at her, instead worrying about her not wearing shoes?
Su Ci complained, "You should be looking at my dress, at my figure!"
The girl on screen was getting quite exasperated.
Lu Zhe's thin lips curved up, his dark eyes filled with amusement, "I see them."
Su Ci's breath caught, "That's it?"
This wasn't how she had imagined it - shouldn't his eyes be full of amazement, or shouldn't he be completely captivated by how beautiful she looked? Or at least he could compliment her.
Not to brag, but her looks and figure were truly unmatched.
Especially now in the gown, her figure looked even more graceful and curvaceous, her upper body's lines full and beautiful. She was truly enchanting; even she couldn't help but admire herself.
Su Ci walked closer to the dressing table and picked up her phone, accusing the young man, "Do you not have any desire at all?"
Then, Lu Zhe heard her ask bluntly, "Lu Zhe, have you ever had wet dreams?"
Lu Zhe: ......
He gave her a long look.
Su Ci sat down in the chair with her phone, adjusting her grip to make herself more comfortable.
Looking at the unresponsive young man, she raised an eyebrow, "Even if you don't answer, I know you haven't."
This person's heart was like ice and hadn't awakened yet. She pouted boredly, "Then you definitely haven't watched any adult videos either."
"Have you?" Lu Zhe finally spoke.
Su Ci tilted her head, thinking seriously, "No." She sighed, "I don't know where to find them."
Lu Zhe: ......
His temple twitched.
At this point, Lu Zhe's cool voice became slightly lower, carrying a hint of coaxing, "Tuan Tuan, don't watch those." Such things weren't good.
Su Ci was just teasing Lu Zhe; she would never actually look for such things.
She lifted her chin, making demands of the young man, "If you won't let me watch those, then compliment me. Do I look good in this?"
Under the lights, the girl's dark eyes sparkled, the small beauty mark below her eye corner adding a touch of allure, like a little enchantress trying every way to tempt a deity's mortal heart.
Lu Zhe raised his eyes to meet the girl's gaze, his lips curved in a smile, his cool features somewhat otherworldly, "Beautiful."
The girl was incredibly clever, always able to make him retreat step by step.
At night, everything was quiet around him.
Lu Zhe reached out to push away the girl who was softly leaning against his chest, powerless.
She looked at him with accusing watery eyes, as if his pushing her away was some terrible crime.
Lu Zhe stopped his hand, and the girl took the opportunity to wrap her jade arms around his shoulders, pressing her body close to his.
Her extremely soft, slender waist moved under his large hand, and Lu Zhe realized for the first time that his palm could feel so hot.
He wanted to let go, but the girl rose on her tiptoes, her red lips landing on the corner of his mouth.
Her laugh was light and clear, like a little troublemaker who had successfully played a prank, "Lu Zhe, do you like it when I kiss you like this?"
The girl's soft, fragrant breath washed over him.
Lu Zhe's eyes darkened, and he gripped that extremely soft, slender waist, wanting to pull her down, but in the next moment, the girl disappeared.
He slowly opened his eyes.
At least he genuinely liked his sister.
"Girls need time to prepare," Su ZhiYuan said.
"Other girls who are ugly need to prepare, but Ci is so beautiful, why would she need any preparation?" He Ermeng was absolutely Su Ci's number one fan when it came to her looks.
Su ZhiYuan gave him an exasperated look.
At that moment, Su Ci came out with Su's Father and Su's Mother.
Su Ci was already beautiful, and with light makeup, wearing a blue gradient dress studded with crystals, she looked like a beautiful mermaid enchantress.
Su ZhiYuan glanced at He Ermeng beside him, and sure enough, he was staring in a daze.
How immature!
He Ermeng saw Su ZhiYuan walk over and quickly followed. Up close, he found Su Ci even more beautiful.
Damn, Ci is so beautiful tonight!
The young tyrant He Ermeng's heart couldn't help but beat rapidly as he stared straight at Su Ci, "Ci, you look so beautiful today."
Su Ci was already used to He Ermeng's infatuated gaze. She said irritably, "I look beautiful every day."
"Yes, Ci looks beautiful every day." He Ermeng agreed with whatever Su Ci said.
Su Ci ignored him.
He Ermeng still gazed at Su Ci expectantly while greeting Su's Father and Su's Mother.
Su's Mother responded, thinking that the He family's younger son truly did love her daughter.
Su's Father was different; his sharp gaze scrutinized He Ermeng, and even though he could see the wolf-like nature in this young man from the He family, he still didn't approve. No matter how he looked at it, he felt the boy wasn't worthy of his daughter.
When people around saw Su's Father and Su's Mother coming out with the Su family's precious daughter, many came over to socialize.
One couldn't help but marvel at how the Su family standing together created a stunning sight.
The Su family's genes were exceptional. Not to mention Su's Father and Su's Mother who were famous for their looks in the past, now their heir Su ZhiYuan, daughter Su Ci, and even the little baby Su Ning in the servant's arms - they all possessed otherworldly beauty with outstanding faces.
Su Ci's mind wasn't on the banquet at all. She looked at the life values on Su's Father and Su's Mother's wrists, feeling tense.
Only ten minutes left.
She had thought about asking Su's Father to change the time, but the invitations had already been sent out, and she couldn't think of a reason to change the banquet time. More importantly, she couldn't be certain if the fire would start in the hotel.
Now that Su's Father and Su's Mother only had ten minutes of life value left, it seemed their place of death would indeed be at the hotel.
The difficulty was that with so many guests present, Su Ci didn't know who would start the fire or where in the hotel it would begin.
Moreover, with the hall full of guests, it was hard for her to abruptly take Su's Father and Su's Mother away from the hotel.
Su Ci's brows furrowed deeply.
Su's Mother noticed her daughter's furrowed brows and, thinking she was unwell, asked worriedly, "Ci Ci, what's wrong? You look terrible."
Su Ci's eyes brightened. She moved closer to Su's Mother and said weakly, "Mom, I'm not feeling well. Could you and dad take me home? I don't want to stay here."
She knew her excuse was flimsy, but the situation was urgent, and she couldn't hesitate anymore.
"What's wrong? Where are you feeling unwell?" Su's Mother looked at Su Ci with concern. "I'll take you to the rest room, and we'll have a doctor come check on you later."
Su Ci quickly shook her head, "I'm not feeling well anywhere. I want to go home."
She didn't need a doctor; she just wanted to get her family out quickly.
Seeing her daughter's determination, Su's Mother was a bit worried, "Wait a moment, let me tell your father, and I'll go back with you."
Su Ci shook her head, "Let's all leave together."
"Ci Ci, the banquet has just started. Your brother and father need to stay here to entertain the guests." Otherwise, people would think the Su family was being discourteous.
Su Ci's brows furrowed again, watching as the red line of Su's Mother's life value grew fainter. She directly grabbed Su's Mother's hand, wanting to find Su's Father and leave together.
At that moment, the alarm suddenly rang through the hall.
Su Ci's heart sank.
"Fire! There's a fire downstairs! Quick, everyone evacuate!" Someone shouted at the entrance, dropping what felt like a bomb in the hall, causing immediate panic.
The guests who had been chatting just moments ago instantly scattered in fear, throwing the entire hall into chaos.
"Ci Ci, quick, follow mom." Su's Mother held her daughter's hand, wanting to find her young son.
However, perhaps because the guests could feel the heat rising from below, the panic intensified, with everyone rushing to get out first.
Su Ci's hand was separated from Su's Mother's several times in the crowd.
At the doorway, Su's Mother pushed Su Ci outside, "Ci Ci, your brother is still inside. I'm going to find him - you need to leave quickly." She had seen the servant with her young son fall behind in the crowd.
"Mom......" Su Ci had no strength to resist and was pushed along with the crowd, forced to move with them.
Someone shouted, "Run! It'll be too late if we don't run now!"
Su Ci tried to move against the crowd to find Su's Father and Su's Mother, but then someone grabbed her hand.
"He Ermeng!"
"Ci Ci, quick, come with me this way. There's a passage over there that hasn't been completely burned yet. Let's go that way." He Ermeng held Su Ci's hand.
"You go quickly. My mom and brother are still inside." Su Ci tried to break free from He Ermeng's grip, but he held on tighter.
He Ermeng had lost his usual puppy-like demeanor. His face was stern, "Ci Ci, don't be difficult. The firefighters are almost here. With your condition, who could you save? I'm taking you away."
He forcefully pulled Su Ci along.
Su Ci was furious as He Ermeng half-dragged, half-pulled her away.
The fire in the hotel grew more intense, and the firefighters hadn't arrived yet.
Once He Ermeng successfully got Su Ci out and released her hand, she immediately slapped him across the face, "I don't need you to manage me."
He Ermeng touched his slapped cheek, looking at Su Ci with bright eyes, "Even if you hit me, I don't regret it. I couldn't bear to see you get hurt."
Aliali: 67489a52c4f3f33ac47b5160
Su Ci didn't want to deal with him. She anxiously looked up at the building, seeing the fierce flames.
"Ci Ci." At that moment, Su ZhiYuan came out carrying little Su Ning, whose face was streaked with tears.
"Brother, where are mom and dad?" Su Ci ran forward.
"They haven't come out yet?" Su ZhiYuan had only found their brother; there were too many people in the hotel, and he hadn't seen their parents.
Knowing their parents hadn't emerged, Su ZhiYuan's face darkened. Even if they wanted to go up now, it was impossible.
Su Ci's brows were tightly knitted. Was she still unable to prevent it?
Just then, Boss Fang appeared from somewhere and called out to Su Ci, "Little Ci, have you seen Lu Zhe?"
"Uncle Fang?" Su Ci's heart was already in chaos. She looked at Boss Fang in shock, "Why are you here? Lu Zhe is here too?"
Boss Fang looked anxious, "Lu Zhe and I came here for something. When passing by the hotel, he heard about the fire and knew you were upstairs, so he went up to find you."
Su Ci's mind went blank, unable to hear anything else.