Chapter 8: Quit 8

Chapter 8

After everyone finished their late-night snacks, they continued setting up the event venue. Su Tao was a bit late getting back from outside. She worked with everyone to finish up the last few things. Looking at the time, it was already 2 AM.

The event was scheduled to start at 8 AM, and since the venue was in the suburbs, they'd have to spend half of the 6 hours just on the round trip.

At such a crucial moment, it was still Jin Chuiwen who had arranged a hotel early on, just a 5 minute walk from the venue.

The hotel was a standard luxury chain, with two people to a deluxe room. Room keys were handed out, and Su Tao noticed she wasn't on the same floor as everyone else.

Before she could raise any objections, Xie Jin grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the elevator.

None of their colleagues dared step into the elevator, stunned for a moment before pretending to be blind, suddenly very interested in the lobby murals.

Only after the elevator doors closed did they exchange knowing glances, communicating their shock silently.

Since they were all senior and mid-level leaders, they tacitly agreed not to spread this around, after all with such high salaries, one wrong word could get them fired.

Su Tao sat at the work desk in the outer room of the luxurious suite, with her laptop open, continuing to review the event flow.

She didn't like clashing with people, even if there was some grievance, she wouldn't make a scene and argue in an undignified way.

So after Xie Jin forcibly pulled her into the room, she only expressed her displeasure. Knowing he wouldn't let her leave, she didn't struggle excessively, instead going straight to her laptop, planning to work until dawn.

"Little peach, go to sleep!" Xie Jin came out of the bathroom, the loose dark blue bathrobe draped over him.

He shook his still-damp short hair, looked up, but didn't see the little peach who should have been curled up in bed, drowsy and ready to fall asleep.

Instead he saw her diligently working in the outer room. He strode over and slammed her laptop shut with one hand.

Su Tao looked up. Xie Jin's bathrobe had no buttons, revealing half his chest. He made no move to cover up, as if deliberately showing off to her. He leaned down over her.

Su Tao's gaze calmly swept over his muscular chest before settling neutrally on the documents, saying lightly: "You go to sleep."

"If I sleep, you'll just run away, right?" Xie Jin wrapped his arms around her and picked her up.

Suddenly losing her footing, Su Tao panicked, branches trembling in the wind. She gritted her teeth. "Put me down."

Of course Xie Jin wouldn't listen to her. Holding her was like holding a cat. He easily placed her on the bed and tucked her in, lying down beside her and hugging her tightly from behind.

When he clasped her small hand in his, she scratched him. He turned her hand over, straightening her fingers, and saw one nail had split without being trimmed, leaving a sharp slanted edge.

"Your nail split again?" Xie Jin frowned unhappily at her, his voice low but tender. "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt." Su Tao scrambled up, just showing her head before he pressed her back into his embrace.

"If it doesn't hurt then lie still."

"I want to shower." Su Tao scrambled out again. Using her agile figure she slipped out from under his arm and raced into the bathroom.

Taking advantage of her shower time, Su Tao quietly opened the bathroom door and peeked into the bedroom, guessing Xie Jin had fallen asleep. She successfully snuck over to the sofa.

Only to be startled by Xie Jin, who had been leisurely waiting for her on the sofa.

"You're not asleep yet?" Su Tao's expression was a little awkward.

"How could I sleep if you don't?"

Su Tao was fished out of the sofa and bundled up into Xie Jin's arms. He carried her back to the bed and wrapped himself around her limbs, sighing softly and hoarsely, "You're less and less well-behaved as you grow up."

After muttering this, he peacefully closed his eyes, falling asleep within two seconds.

The room became tranquil. Su Tao turned to look at the suddenly sleeping Xie Jin. She could feel his exhaustion and slight cold over the past few days.

She quietly watched him as memories of their past played through her mind like a slideshow - their acquaintance, their love, seemed like a dream, unknowingly arrived at the time to wake up.

She had loved Xie Jin. She hoped that even if the dream ended and the love was gone, they could have a clean break, and not hurt each other.

-

Xie Jin slept his first good sleep in days, not waking until 7 AM.

As the hottest current little flower, Jiang Wan diligently acted, with several hit shows under her belt, considered the actress with the most commercial value.

She was gentle, but not falsely modest. After guesting on some variety shows and speaking too bluntly, she had offended quite a few industry insiders and lost some general favor.

If her team didn't have her randomly appearing on those variety shows, instead maintaining an appropriate level of exposure, her fanbase might be even bigger.

Watching Jiang Wan shine brightly on stage, Su Tao couldn't help sinking into thought, not even hearing Xie Jin calling her.

A pair of strong hands covered her eyes, warm breath tickling her ear, making her shiver. His hoarse low voice seductively spread into her ear, "Like what you see, little peach?"

Su Tao's gaze shifted, meeting his overbearing yet tender look. Her expression faltered for a second before nodding cooperatively, refocusing on the stage.

Taking advantage of the dim lighting below the stage, Xie Jin reached out and grabbed her hand. Su Tao slyly glanced at him, checked their surroundings, and seeing no one was paying attention to the dark audience area, didn't forcibly struggle free.

She didn't want any incidents at such an important event.

Holding her hand, Xie Jin became much better behaved, also letting her continue watching Jiang Wan.

Su Tao noticed one of the stage edge spotlights was sticking up.

Jiang Wan was wearing a full skirt. When she walked near the stage edge, the skirt brushed against the light.

From Su Tao's angle she could clearly see the skirt get caught on the jutting light. And her dress was strapless.

She would be exposed!

Almost as soon as Su Tao realized, she shook off Xie Jin's hand, took off her windbreaker and ran up on stage. She got there just before Jiang Wan's skirt got pulled down, using her jacket to cover Jiang Wan's body.

It happened in a flash, too fast for the reporters to react. Su Tao pulled Jiang Wan's skirt back up, covering her chest, shielding her all the way off stage.

Jiang Wan went back to the dressing room to change outfits.

Since it happened at the end of her appearance, when she was about to leave the stage anyway, her manager and the Tianjin PR staff decided she wouldn't go back on stage after changing out of the gown.

The PR staff arranged for media to leave for lunch.

Soon the venue quieted down, left only with the mess after the departure, and colleagues cleaning up equipment and supplies. It seemed somewhat desolate.

"Little peach, when you rushed onstage just now, did you think you were Superman?" Xie Jin leaned in close, strong fingers clasped behind her neck, forcing her to come closer to him. His voice wasn't loud but laced with danger. "Which hand pushed me away earlier?"

"Let go." Su Tao lowered her voice.

Some staff were still coming and going. He might not care, but she didn't want to constantly become office gossip.

Before Xie Jin could say anything, a slightly fat man of around 30 appeared, wearing jeans and an orange cap, interrupting the undercurrents between them.

He was still holding the windbreaker Su Tao had used to save the situation for Jiang Wan.

"Hello, I'm Jiang Wan's manager. Thank you so much for just now, here's my card."

Xie Jin took the card with an unfriendly look at the chubby man, tone cold. "Give me the jacket."

The manager was frightened by Xie Jin's terrifying aura. He hurriedly returned the jacket draped on his arm, hesitantly adding, "Wanwan wants to take you out for a meal to express her gratitude."

"No need." Xie Jin coldly declined, and casually threw Su Tao's jacket in a nearby trash can. He wouldn't let her wear anything another man had touched.

"Please tell Jiang Wan it was a trivial matter, no need to think much of it." Su Tao gave the manager a gentle smile to smooth things over for him.

The agent shrank back in fear from Xie Jin's dangerous aura that warned people to keep their distance. Staring at Xie Jin's piercing yet alluring eyes, he gulped nervously and cursed under his breath that this man was insane. He fled as if avoiding the plague.

Only after the agent left did Xie Jin's frosty demeanor dissipate. Seeing Su Tao glance at the trash can, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent as his heart gradually calmed.

"Little Taozi, are you afraid of me?"

Su Tao was not afraid of Xie Jin's possessiveness. It was precisely because of his intense possessiveness that she felt secure.

What frightened her was that her feelings and belongings might not be exclusively hers anymore.

Now he could no longer give her that sense of security.

Just like with that coat, if he didn't discard it, she would.