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"Why should I help you?" Gu Xiaoxi snorted coldly, her eyes brimming with defiance.

He had come to her room on his own, did the deed, and left.

As long as it involved anything serious about Bai Yaxuan, she would never help him.

Even though she was only Bai Yaxuan’s wife in name, they had taken vows before billions of countrymen and sworn to God.

Most importantly, he was very good to her.

Even if she didn’t like him, she would never conspire with outsiders to make trouble for him.

Quan Shaoqing felt a hitch in his chest, sensing that she had always been wary of him.

Perhaps from the moment he handed Gu Xiaoxi over to Bai Yaxuan, their fates were sealed to be forever apart.

Suddenly, he broke into a devilish grin, "You don’t have to help me! I’ll just ask him myself and take the opportunity to tell him about us sharing a bed. I wonder, how would the gentleman react to that news, would he be very upset?"

"You... have no shame!" Gu Xiaoxi bit her lip, wishing she could tear his handsome face to shreds.

She was just a girl who had recently come of age and still cared a great deal about her reputation.

"Take your time to think about it. If you don’t help me before I leave, I’ll retrieve it myself; the item must not remain in his hands," he said.

With that, Quan Shaoqing vanished from the room.

Gu Xiaoxi’s face turned from white to red, and then from red to white again!

Quan Shaoqing was indeed not a good person! He was actually threatening her.

He had come under the pretense of using the washroom to find Gu Xiaoxi, so his visit lasted no more than two minutes.

Gu Xiaoxi chewed her candy viciously, imagining it was Quan Shaoqing’s neck she was biting, almost cursing his ancestors eighteen generations back.

No one knew what Quan Shaoqing and Bai Yaxuan had talked about, but the conversation lasted all afternoon until they finally emerged from the room at dinner time.

Jue Qi had prepared dinner, and Bai Yaxuan and Quan Shaoqing seemed to have enjoyed their chat immensely, even inviting them to stay for dinner.

In the evening, a large group surrounded the dining table.

Gu Xiaoxi sat next to Bai Yaxuan, followed by Quan Shaoqing, Mi Xi, the two secretaries, and Gu Yuxin.

"Let’s settle our affairs like this! I believe we will make excellent allies," Quan Shaoqing said with ease, showing that his relationship with Bai Yaxuan had improved considerably over the course of the afternoon.

"A pleasure doing business!" Bai Yaxuan toasted with him lightly.

Gu Xiaoxi kept her head down, eating her food, uninterested in their conversation.

Just then, Gu Yuxin raised her glass, her lips curling into a gentle smile as she said to Bai Yaxuan, "Congratulations to the gentleman on your grand ambitions."

Bai Yaxuan paused, and the atmosphere around the table suddenly became awkward.

His expression was cold as he glanced sideways at Gu Yuxin, "After dinner, I will have someone send you back."

He had no intention of drinking, nor any desire to celebrate with her.

Gu Yuxin immediately felt extremely embarrassed. Despite having dined with him on a few occasions, Bai Yaxuan had always been courteous to her.

Gu Yuxin put down her glass, her fingers covered in wounds, her lips puckering as if she was about to burst into tears.

Gu Xiaoxi was blatantly bullying her while Bai Yaxuan played deaf and dumb on the side.

Gu Xiaoxi was speechless, annoyed at her affected demeanor, her covert infatuation with Bai Yaxuan, and her relentless pursuit of him under various pretexts.

"It seems my sister has lost her appetite. You said you came to take care of me, but you were nowhere to be found. You should go back after dinner, or father will think I’ve bullied you," Gu Xiaoxi said while eating her meal, which naturally wasn’t prepared by Gu Yuxin.

After all, she had been busy in the kitchen all afternoon, merely assisting.

Since they were entertaining guests that day, they couldn’t risk having her notorious cooking skills on display.

Gu Yuxin looked down, tears dropping plop plop from her eyes.

Gu Xiaoxi raised her eyebrows, finding Gu Yuxin’s audacity to cry here astonishing. She casually reached for the Red Wine on the table, hoping to take a sip to calm her nerves.

But before she could bring it to her lips, Quan Shaoqing slapped her hand away, "You’re still not over your cold, didn’t the doctor tell you not to drink?"

"Mind your own business!" Gu Xiaoxi glared at him, feeling somewhat irritated.

This man came into her home to bully her, and she was powerless to stop him. She didn’t know how he managed to come and go as he pleased without Bai Yaxuan noticing.

What was this mysterious power that allowed him to vanish without a trace?

"Xiao Xi, the doctor instructed that you are still medicating and must not consume alcohol," Bai Yaxuan said, taking the glass from her hand.

Gu Xiaoxi was speechless, wondering who had given them the right to control her.

The three of them looked at each other, and the atmosphere suddenly became eerie and suffocating.

Quan Shaoqing looked at the cup Bai Yaxuan had snatched away, turned his head, and his gaze became especially cold in a flash.

Mi Xi reacted quickly, passing a glass of juice to Gu Xiaoxi, "Drink this!"

Gu Xiaoxi’s mood had already soured upon seeing Gu Yuxin crying, and these two men only added to her irritation.

"Forget it, I’m full. You guys eat slowly!" Gu Xiaoxi said, having barely eaten a few bites, put down her chopsticks and turned to leave.

Bai Yaxuan, sensing she was bothered by something, also put down his utensils and chased after her upstairs.

In the bedroom, Bai Yaxuan looked at Gu Xiaoxi worriedly, "If you’re feeling unwell, I can have a doctor come take a look."

"No, I’m not uncomfortable. I just have something to ask you!" Gu Xiaoxi lifted her head and stared at him.

"Go ahead!"

"I’ve lost a lighter, have you seen it?" Gu Xiaoxi’s bright, shining eyes stared at him, making it difficult for anyone to bear deceiving her.

After a moment, Bai Yaxuan nodded, took out a metal lighter from his pocket, and handed it to her.

"I found it on the floor and thought it was a man’s belonging. I assumed it was the doctor’s."

"Thank you!" Gu Xiaoxi took the lighter from his hand, flashed a brilliant smile, "Go eat. There are still guests downstairs. I’ll rest a bit, and I’ll be fine."

"Okay!"

Gu Xiaoxi turned around and went to her own little room, handling the lighter with casual grace.

When Bai Yaxuan returned, the atmosphere at the dining table was still decent, with Mi Xi and Young Master Quan engaged in a business conversation, seemingly getting along well.

Seeing Bai Yaxuan return, Quan Shaoqing couldn’t resist teasing, "Mr. Bai really spoils the little lady."

"She’s still young and has been sick. Please excuse her. Here, let me toast to everyone," Bai Yaxuan, not often one to initiate a toast, did so, and everyone raised their glasses in good spirits.

Afterward, everyone at the dining table casually chatted about trivial matters.

Gu Xiaoxi didn’t know when the guests had left, but Mi Xi sent her a message saying she was returning to her own villa.

And when she left, she took Gu Yuxin with her.

The once lively Presidential Mansion suddenly turned eerily quiet.

Lying in bed, Gu Xiaoxi couldn’t fall asleep, her mind full of Quan Shaoqing’s infuriating demeanor.

She casually turned on the bedside lamp and, in the warm yellow light, looked at the lighter in her hand.

She didn’t know what material it was made of; it was square, the size of her palm, cold to the touch, and would emit a small flame when she pressed the button lightly.

She repeatedly observed the lighter in her hand but couldn’t spot anything special about it.

Just as she tossed and turned, restless, a figure suddenly appeared before her.

The familiar scent of orchids hit her, nearly causing her to scream in fright, but upon seeing who it was, she angrily grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, "Are you trying to kill me, scaring people in the middle of the night like a ghost?"

Quan Shaoqing rarely gave her a gentle smile, took the lighter from her hand, and patted her head, "Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I promise it won’t happen again."

"Take your stuff and go quickly!" Gu Xiaoxi said crossly, not at her ease with a man in her room, especially one as enigmatic and peculiar as he was.

"Chasing me away already? Don’t you want me to keep you company?" Quan Shaoqing fiddled with the lighter in his hands, and in a swift motion, the square lighter transformed into a sphere, which then blossomed like a flower, revealing a bright, shiny diamond inside.

It was a large diamond, dazzling to behold.

Gu Xiaoxi, witnessing a scene akin to magic, gasped in amazement, "What is this?"

"Something very important!" Quan Shaoqing’s lips curved into a thin smile as he removed the diamond, reassembled the opened sphere back into shape, then twisted it into a square lighter.

After putting the diamond back, he placed the lighter back in Gu Xiaoxi’s hand, smiling, "Keep it as a memento!"

"I don’t want your stuff!" Gu Xiaoxi wished he would go far away and tossed the lighter onto the bedside table.

"Really don’t want it?" Quan Shaoqing’s deep eyes twinkled with a rogue light as he forcefully put the lighter back in Gu Xiaoxi’s hand, "Keep it. I’m afraid that in a few days, you’ll have forgotten about me."

"Who wants to remember you? Scoundrel!" Gu Xiaoxi rolled her eyes and tossed the item aside.

Quan Shaoqing looked at the young woman’s tender, blushing cheeks and touched her head as he continued.

"Be good! Take care of yourself! When I have time, I will come to keep you company." Quan Shaoqing bent down gently, with tender affection, and kissed her forehead.