Chapter 26: Fattening Up for Sale

The bathroom fell into silence.

Lin Ting kept her eyes closed, lying quietly against the edge of the bathtub, her long hair fanned out in the water. Shang Moting had one hand cupping her face while the other gently stroked her head.

Lin Ting remained very still. Shang Moting could feel that she was actually quite uncomfortable, yet she didn't utter a sound, enduring it all on her own.

After an unknown amount of time, Shang Moting’s legs had gone numb. Lin Ting opened her eyes, looked at him, and said, "Shang Moting, I’ve discovered something rather unfortunate."

Shang Moting gazed at her wet, glistening eyes; she looked like a beautiful, delicate fawn.

"The aftereffects of this drug are quite strong," Lin Ting said.

Shang Moting’s lips twitched slightly. Lin Ting looked at him with a pitiful expression.

"I’ll take you to the hospital," Shang Moting said.

"That won't be necessary," Lin Ting replied.

Shang Moting caught her meaning and, playing along, asked, "Then what should we do?"

"Promise me one thing, and I’ll feel much better," Lin Ting said, sitting upright.

Shang Moting removed his hand from her face and rested it on the edge of the tub, narrowing his eyes. "What thing?"

"Promise me first," Lin Ting insisted.

"You say it first," Shang Moting countered.

"Promise me first," she repeated.

"I won't," Shang Moting said.

Lin Ting was momentarily speechless, staring blankly at him. After a few seconds, she came to her senses, clutched her forehead, and groaned, "I can't take it anymore. I feel so awful."

Shang Moting watched her clumsy performance for a few seconds, then said, "Given our relationship, do you think I’m more likely to be worried, or to be enjoying the show?"

Lin Ting’s hand paused on her forehead. She lowered it and said, "Heart of stone. I thought you were here to help."

"How should I help?" Shang Moting asked.

"What do you think?" Lin Ting replied. "In novels, it’s always... this and that, a scene transition, a few ellipses, and then the night is over."

Shang Moting chuckled. "I don't have the habit of taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable state."

"Is that so?" Lin Ting leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands atop the edge of the tub. Her eyes flickered.

Shang Moting looked at her. After a moment of eye contact, Lin Ting reached out and guided his hand to support her chin again, asking once more, "Is that so?"

Meeting her gaze, Shang Moting felt a sense of aggression creeping closer toward her. "Ask again, and it won't be," he warned.

Lin Ting smiled. "Mr. Shang, your self-control isn't very impressive, is it?"

"Compared to you, it is indeed lacking," Shang Moting conceded.

Lin Ting rested her head on her arms again, letting his hand rest against her face. "Thanks for the compliment. But I really am uncomfortable. I can only feel better if I imagine I’m a mermaid right now."

"What was that thing you wanted to ask?" Shang Moting inquired.

Lin Ting looked at him. "You won't promise."

"How do you know I won't if you haven't said it yet?" he asked.

Lin Ting’s eyelashes fluttered. She thought for a moment and said, "Can you please not sue the Interstellar Hotel?"

Shang Moting was surprised. "Why?"

"The hotel owner is a friend of mine. I’m trying to help them figure something out," she explained.

Shang Moting tilted his head slightly, peering into her eyes. "Your friend?"

"Yes," Lin Ting said. "The hotel will definitely provide the necessary compensation. You can name your terms—double, no, triple compensation."

"So, the hotel didn't come to find me all day because they sent you as their representative?" Shang Moting asked.

"You could say that," Lin Ting replied. "I meant to tell you last night, but I suddenly forgot."

Shang Moting said, "I won't drop the suit. I’m not satisfied."

"Is there any other way to satisfy you?" Lin Ting asked.

Shang Moting thought for a moment. "Give me half of all future profits."

Lin Ting’s weary eyes widened in disbelief. "You could have just robbed them, yet you’re here negotiating with me. You really are a 'good' person."

Shang Moting laughed. "So, are we still negotiating?"

"No," Lin Ting said. She sat up straight and climbed out of the tub. "Let the owner come and negotiate in person."

Shang Moting stood up as well. Seeing the water dripping from her clothes, he grabbed two towels, wrapping one around her body and placing the other on her head. "Feeling better?"

Lin Ting pulled the towel tighter around her. "I’m starting to feel a bit cold."

Shang Moting looked at the towel on her head, paused, stepped closer, and began to dry her hair. Lin Ting, who had been bowing her head to wring the water out of her clothes, froze for a moment when she felt him drying her hair. She looked up at him.

Shang Moting dried her hair slowly and awkwardly. Feeling her gaze, he lowered his eyes. Seeing the surprise in her expression, he asked, "What is it?"

Lin Ting remained stunned for a moment, then accepted the reality. She blinked and said, "I’m missing my family."

Shang Moting knew the "family" she referred to wasn't Lin Jinchuan, nor likely her mother's side. Although he hadn't investigated her in detail, he knew the general picture: after her mother divorced Lin Jinchuan, she had disappeared without a trace, and her mother’s side of the family had gradually faded from public view, as if they had vanished.

Shang Moting finished drying her hair, placed his hands on both sides of her face, and made her look up at him. Lin Ting’s face was framed by the towel, losing its sharp edge, and the flush on her cheeks hadn't yet faded. Her beautiful peach-blossom eyes blinked, making her look like a pretty doll-faced cat dusted with blush.

"It seems Miss Lin doesn't have to dry her own hair at home," Shang Moting noted.

"That's right," Lin Ting said. "There was someone to blow-dry it for me."

Shang Moting raised an eyebrow.

Missing her family, Lin Ting spoke more freely: "When I was little, I hated having long hair and always wanted to cut it short, because it took forever to dry after a wash."

Shang Moting glanced at her waist-length hair.

"But my family said long hair was beautiful and wouldn't let me cut it," she said. "So they ended up taking on the job of drying it for me."

"And now?" Shang Moting asked.

"Now?" Lin Ting replied. "If I want to dry it, I do. If I don't, it’ll dry on its own."

Shang Moting rubbed her face through the towel. "Go change your clothes."

Lin Ting grabbed two more towels and headed to the bedroom. By the time she had changed and come back out, Shang Moting was gone. She wiped her hair slowly and wandered around the living room. The effects of the drug hadn't completely worn off, though she wasn't as miserable as before; still, she felt warm after coming out of the water.

She turned the air conditioning down, thinking about Shang Moting’s lawsuit against the hotel. She had tested the waters just now and felt the situation was difficult to resolve.

Rubbing the ends of her hair with the towel, she whispered to herself, "How did the hotel end up with an employee as dedicated as me? Even in this state, I’m still thinking about work. It’s truly a great blessing for the hotel."

Just as she was thinking this, the doorbell rang.

Lin Ting went to open the door. Shang Moting had returned, carrying an insulated food container.

"Hm?"

"Ginger soup." Shang Moting held out the container, looking at the flush on her face. "The hotel just sent it up. If you don't want to drink it now, it’ll stay warm for a while."

Lin Ting took it and looked at him.

"What's that expression for?" Shang Moting asked.

"You’re being so nice to me that I’m getting a little scared," Lin Ting said.

"Fattening you up before selling you off—isn't that the standard procedure?" Shang Moting replied. "Being scared means you’re not stupid."

"Why do I feel like you're insulting me?" Lin Ting frowned.

Shang Moting laughed and patted the top of her head. "Get some sleep once you’re feeling better."

"Oh."