Chapter 288 - 215: A Scumbag with a Conscience

Chapter 288: Chapter 215: A Scumbag with a Conscience

Pretending to be drunk, to be perfectly honest, was a pretty sleazy thing to do.

But Gu Jiayan’s scent really was wonderful. It wasn’t perfume, but a clean, fresh fragrance, with a hint of soap and body wash.

Even after coming from a place thick with smoke and alcohol, the small of her back hadn’t been "contaminated." It was still sweet-smelling and soft.

Tsk.

The thought made Lin Chu feel even more like a scumbag.

He fought back a smile.

A mature man, first and foremost, must be a competent actor.

After all, someone so drunk he couldn’t walk and had to collapse into someone’s arms would be pretty terrifying if he suddenly burst out laughing.

The Rolls-Royce drove all the way to the hotel. Gao Haitao efficiently booked a room, helped Lin Chu into the elevator, and once they reached the suite, settled him on the bed before taking his leave.

Staring at Lin Chu, who was passed out on the bed, Gu Jiayan took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair, feeling like she was about to lose her mind.

In the silent presidential suite, she could practically hear her own heartbeat.

After a moment of silence, she walked to the foot of the bed and took off Lin Chu’s dress shoes. Having been cooped up all day, they had a bit of an odor. She tossed them aside in disgust.

His pants...

’Better not take those off. He can just make do and sleep in them. It’s only for one night, anyway. Serves him right for drinking so much.’

The room had black tea bags and milk. She brewed a pot of tea and warmed some milk, placing them on the bedside table. After a moment’s thought, she added a bottle of mineral water.

She yawned and checked her phone. It was already past one in the morning.

She was usually fast asleep by this time.

And right now, she was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.

But then she remembered that drunk people can vomit in their sleep. Worried he might choke, she decided not to leave. ’Fine, I’ll just have to pull an all-nighter.’

’If he really dies, who’s going to sign my paychecks?’

As she stared wearily at Lin Chu, she suddenly saw his eyelids twitch. It looked like he was waking up.

She felt a flicker of pleasant surprise. ’Please, wake up.’

However...

The next second, she was left utterly speechless as Lin Chu roughly ripped open the buttons of his shirt, unbuckled his belt, and stripped stark naked. He rolled over once, then again, seemingly in a daze, until he found the most comfortable sleeping position and finally settled down.

Gu Jiayan: ?

She got a complete eyeful!

’What kind of high-maintenance sleeper is this?’

’So particular even when he’s blackout drunk!’

Her face instantly flushed crimson. She instinctively turned away and sat on the sofa by the window, truly unable to look.

’How terrifying!’

Seeing something like that for the first time, Gu Jiayan could only think that the old internet adage was true: men with big noses...

She practically fled toward the door.

But when she reached the doorway, she hesitated, still worried. She decided to leave the door wide open so she could react quickly if he made any noise.

"Go sleep in the other room."

Just then, she suddenly heard Lin Chu’s voice, perfectly clear.

Startled, she snapped back to reality and saw that he had already slipped under the covers, his eyes fixed right on her.

Gu Jiayan: ?

"You... You’re awake?"

It never occurred to her that Lin Chu had been faking it; she just assumed he had suddenly woken up.

"Yeah. Now go. Quick. Scram. Before my animal instincts take over."

Lin Chu said with an impatient, teasing grin.

His words made Gu Jiayan’s face flush red again. She glanced at him, looking like she wanted to say something but held back. Taking a deep breath, she hurried out and into the suite’s other room, closing the door behind her.

She didn’t turn on the light, leaning her back against the door in the darkness, her heart pounding like a drum.

’He...’

’Ugh.’

Recalling the way Lin Chu had reined in his desire, Gu Jiayan sniffled, and an irrepressible, radiant smile spread across her lips.

’That contrast is just so captivating.’

’A playboy’s self-control.’

After she left, Lin Chu leaned back against the headboard and downed most of the glass of warm milk in one go.

’Why did I suddenly go soft on her?’

’Maybe it’s because the position of secretary is just too important.’

’I was worried she’d get arrogant if I spoiled her, and then I’d have to cast her aside, losing a huge asset to my career.’

’Or maybe...’

’—Have I been spending too much time in high-class circles, wearing too many suits? Am I starting to think I’m actually a respectable gentleman?’

He climbed out of bed, took a quick shower, and walked over to her room.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

He knocked.

Gu Jiayan was still leaning against the door, her mind replaying the recent events. The shock had actually made her more awake. When she heard the knock, that strange feeling washed over her once more.

"What is it?"

she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Lin Chu said, "My animal instincts took over."

Her: ...

She was helpless, speechless, and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’So much for my earlier praise.’

Still...

She straightened her clothes and opened the door anyway.

She saw Lin Chu standing outside, wearing nothing but a bath towel, his eyes glinting with a slightly wild light.

"I have a question for you."

Lin Chu asked bluntly.

Gu Jiayan gently bit her lip. "Okay."

"Do you like me?"

Lin Chu asked again, just as bluntly.

"Huh?"

Gu Jiayan was completely floored by the question. Shy and flustered, she bit her lip and hesitated, her breath catching in her throat. After a full thirty seconds, she finally nodded.

"Alright, that’s all. Go to sleep."

Lin Chu said with a smile, patting her on the head. Then he turned and left again.

Gu Jiayan: ???

’What was that all about?’

She was truly and utterly baffled.

Without hesitating, she chased after him. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded with a playful pout.

Lin Chu didn’t turn around. "If you’d said you didn’t like me, I would have slept with you tonight," he said casually. "But since you do, tonight’s mood isn’t right. I want you to climb into my bed willingly."

’Those words...’

The logic was a bit twisted, but as a literature major, Gu Jiayan figured it out quickly enough.

’So he means, if I didn’t like him, there’d be no psychological burden to sleeping with me, is that it?’

’Unbelievable.’

’What kind of man is he?!’

’So all those other women... they were all in the "didn’t like him" category?’

She instinctively wanted to retort, ’Well, I don’t like you anymore, then!’ But on second thought, that was just asking to be slept with, and it was the furthest thing from what she truly felt.

"Oh, thank you so much, you scumbag! How conscientious of you!"

she said, her voice ringing out clearly.

Of course, she knew all about Lin Chu’s many flings. But liking someone had nothing to do with any of that. And in that moment, Gu Jiayan didn’t want to lie to herself.

The things Lin Chu did were like the two terminals of a battery, a positive and a negative. They were tangled together, forming the complete, three-dimensional man that was Lin Chu.

The bouquet she had received from the company as a Qixi Festival employee bonus... she had ended up putting it in Lin Chu’s office. But Lin Chu hadn’t come to the LC Media office for days, staying at the golf club instead. The flowers had wilted, and she’d had to secretly throw them away.

And now, in this moment.

’He may be a scumbag, but right now, it’s like he’s actually glowing.’

A man who can’t rise above his own nature isn’t a true man.

"Don’t thank me. Just sneak into my bed tonight. I won’t close the door."

Lin Chu didn’t even look back, just waved his hand dismissively as he spoke and strode back into his room.

Gu Jiayan: ...

’So bossy, yet so playful.’

’What is with this man?’

’Who "coerces" and "teases" a girl experiencing her first romance like this?’

"I’m not closing my door either!"

Gu Jiayan summoned every ounce of her strength to shout this retort, then immediately spun around and ran back into her room.

An artsy girl has her own brand of quick wit.

Lin Chu glanced back over his shoulder and couldn’t help but smile.

’Interesting.’

’Very interesting.’

...

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