The Master's Mask Unveiled Again

Chapter 374: Chapter 373 This Cherry Is Indeed Very Sweet

How do I eat this?

Lu Mian found this question very strange, didn’t he just need to use his hands to eat it?

Could it be he wanted her to feed him?

Xiao Qimo certainly couldn’t act like those sixteen or seventeen-year-old boys, opening his mouth to beg her to feed him.

But hearing that this was especially left for him, he naturally couldn’t let down her kindness.

So, he silently waited for Lu Mian’s answer, with a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.

Lu Mian inexplicably tilted her head to look at him, and somewhat uncertainly she asked, “Do you want me to feed you?”

The man: That could be arranged.

Before he even replied, she saw the girl in front of him shaking her head firmly, “No, you just said that action is very dangerous.”

Xiao Qimo: She catches on quick!

I’m this close to you, wouldn’t you be able to gently place it into my mouth?

Lu Mian, unaware of his thoughts, stared at the fruit in her palm, picked one up, and silently popped it into her own mouth.

As if demonstrating on the spot how to eat a cherry.

Xiao Qimo: He must’ve been taken for a fool!

The little devil!

It really infuriated him!

The man’s frustration simmered inside as his gaze settled on the glistening, luscious fruit between her lips; he propped his hands against the wall and leaned down towards her with a tilted head.

Lu Mian’s pupils dilated sharply!

With the cherry lodged in her mouth, her action froze, forgetting what to do next. Then before her eyes, the handsome face grew closer and larger.

The air before her was dominated by his assertive, penetrating breath; his breathing was deep and slow.

Just inches away.

At her moment of shocked bewilderment, he slightly parted his lips and stole the cherry she had been holding in her mouth. His cool and thin lips grazed hers like the touch of a dragonfly, calculated and controlled, both quick and light.

Leaving her unable to discern for a moment whether he wanted to eat the cherry or to kiss her…

Lu Mian’s mouth felt empty as her lips parted slightly.

Both cheeks were swiftly brushed with a wash of red, her gaze wavering uncertainly.

When she looked up at Xiao Qimo again, she saw that his previously solemn and cold face was now concealing a cryptic smile, those unfathomable dark eyes rippling with an emotive undercurrent.

He glanced at her again, slowly chewing the cherry and gracefully using a white handkerchief to dab at his lips before spitting out the pit.

Then he smiled, “It’s really sweet indeed.”

Lu Mian stared at the triumph in his expression as if he were a cat that had just stolen cream and pouted.

“Such a hypocrite! A beast in gentleman’s clothing!”

It was the first time her emotions had shown so clearly and vibrantly, her face flushed as if they were a couple playfully squabbling.

Xiao Qimo drew the line there, lightly lifting his thin lips, “Let’s go back to class.”

He added one more line, “Remember to maintain discipline.”

Lu Mian glared at him, touched her slightly burning lips, and muttered under her breath, “Sly old fox.”

With her head lowered, she quickly returned to the classroom.

Xiao Qimo watched her retreating figure, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

The little devil!

I’ll eat you up one of these days!

Finally, Lu Mian made it back to the classroom, to the relief of her classmates.

“Lu Mian, did Director Qimo do anything to you?” someone asked with concern.

“Ah…” Lu Mian’s pace quickened, and it wasn’t until she sat back in her seat that she seemed to recover her soul, slowly saying, “I’m fine.”

Everyone: What does ‘fine’ mean exactly?

And also, Lu Mian, why is your face red?

Shouhao turned his head to glance at her, squeezing his eyes to hint at the rotund Hao: See, I told you Director Qimo would win this round!

The rotund Hao lost a hundred bucks, but he laughed along.

Their ‘Bro Mian’ really blushed this time!

——

Ever since the truth about the pavilion incident came to light, Ye Jinwen and Mo Si had been keeping watch near the hotel where Sheng Zijin, Gu Jingyi, and others lived.

Qiong Can was busy preparing a lawsuit, and Sheng Zijin was in over her head.

On one hand, she was dealing with phone calls from the old master of the Sheng Family, and on the other, she needed to talk to Gu Jingyi.

Looking at the girl with an innocent face who seemed to be an outsider to the matter, she asked, “Jingyi, why did you do this?”

Swinging her twin ponytails with a naive look, Gu Jingyi said, “Sister Sheng, I was just telling the truth. This matter is really your fault…”

“You…” Sheng Zijin felt that something was off but couldn’t refute the watertight argument of the other party.

She could hardly believe that she had been fooled by a girl not even twenty years old.

With resentment, she said “You’re really something,” and then left Gu Jingyi’s room.

Gu Jingyi smiled sweetly. When she closed the door of her room, that sweet smile was gone, replaced by a complex struggle of fear.

——

Ye Jinwen had been absent-minded recently, even while carrying out missions, he was heavily preoccupied.

Mo Si also sighed remorsefully, hesitant to speak.

“Young Master Ye.” They sat in a black car outside the hotel, and Mo Si called out with a troubled voice.

“Do you think that if I know a big secret and don’t tell Elder Mo, it means I’m not loyal? Will Elder Mo send me off to the F Continent in the future?”

Ye Jinwen, half-reclining in the car seat, couldn’t bother to entertain him and answered perfunctorily, “It depends on the secret. If you’ve secretly fallen for the Cu Hua next door, that kind of secret doesn’t need to be told to Qimo.”

“…” Mo Si blushed with a shy ‘aiya’, “It’s not about Cu Hua, it’s about Miss Lu.”

Ye Jinwen sat up straight all of a sudden. Is there really a Cu Hua?

“Lu Mian? What secret does Lu Mian have?” You can’t keep this a secret.

“I…I can’t say yet…” Mo Si was afraid of being silenced. Without Elder Mo’s protection, he couldn’t speak out.

Since he found out about this matter, he had been tormented for several days.

“Ni Ge managed to escape death in the F Continent and will return soon. I don’t want to take over his position… but I’m too scared to speak out, ah…” Mo Si rambled on and on for quite some time.

Ye Jinwen looked at him with disdain. Coward!

“Alright, let’s focus on the matter at hand. It’s no use always watching from outside; we have no idea what actions they are taking or what they are saying inside. Especially that Gu Jingyi, she’s very cunning,” said Ye Jinwen, frowning, “It would be great if we could install a bug in their room.”

“That might be a bit tricky to achieve…” Mo Si analyzed the feasibility of the plan very professionally.

First, they would need to bribe hotel staff, then they’d have to get their hands on their outing schedule. The bug would only be useful if it was installed when they were completely unsuspecting. Otherwise, the other side could very likely turn the tables on them, creating danger for themselves.

Of course, bribing the staff would be the tough part.

Hotels place utmost importance on privacy, and without any formalities, their approach to solicit someone would surely be rejected.

Besides, this wasn’t Jinjing’s turf; not everyone knew and gave face to the Xiao Family.

Ye Jinwen had no choice but to call Xiao Qimo.

The response was a single simple sentence, and with mouth agape, he was quite impressed as he hung up the phone.