Chapter 132: A Matter of Principle

Hearing those words, my mind exploded with a loud buzz. Just as I instinctively tried to turn my head away, I felt a tingling sensation spread across my chest. At some point, Liu Yi’s hand had already come to rest there.

She continued blowing softly against my ear, stirring my heart into turmoil.

I had long known that Liu Yi was an uninhibited woman, but I had never imagined she could be so direct. If I had not met Bai Rushuang, I might have lost control right then and there. But now, I still managed to retain the slightest bit of reason.

“Liu Yi, don’t. There are a lot of people around here.”

The moment I said that, Liu Yi’s eyes lit up. She laughed and pinched my cheek.

“You men are all the same—pretending to be proper. Don’t worry. I’ve already arranged everything.”

“Damn it!”

Her voice was so seductive it seemed capable of melting the soul. My supposedly firm resolve finally began to waver.

She leaned over and lightly kissed my cheek.

“Brother Dao, the men I like best are heroes like you, the kind who can exorcise demons and subdue monsters. For men like you, I’m willing to give myself.”

After saying this, Liu Yi opened the car door, pulled me out, and led me straight into the hotel.

Liu Yi truly was wealthy. Even the room she had booked was a presidential suite in a five-star hotel. I had no idea what was happening to me. My mind kept telling me that I absolutely could not do this, yet my legs refused to obey. I still followed her inside.

The room seemed to have been carefully prepared in advance. A uniquely intoxicating fragrance permeated every corner. Once we entered, Liu Yi walked over to the candlelit dinner and picked up the red wineglass from the table. She swirled the wine inside, then looked at me with a smile.

“Brother Dao, are you really a virgin? Then how about I make you a man tonight?”

It felt as though ten thousand wild horses were stampeding through my heart. Liu Yi was simply unbearable. By then, she had already walked toward me with the wineglass in hand. She hooked one arm around my neck, then used the other to feed me the wine. Afterward, she smiled and kissed my cheek.

“Brother Dao, wait here for a moment. I’m going to take a shower.”

Liu Yi soon went into the bathroom. Before entering, she even asked whether I wanted to join her. I instinctively shook my head and did not dare answer. A moment later, the sound of the shower began to ring out from inside.

Even now, my head was still spinning. I could not understand what was happening. How had I suddenly ended up getting a room with Liu Yi in such a daze?

Wasn’t all of this a little too unbelievable?

I sat down on the soft bed, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. My thoughts remained a tangled mess. To be honest, I was immensely excited.

Did I like Bai Rushuang? But what did that have to do with Liu Yi? Would I be betraying Bai Rushuang if I did this? But what relationship did I actually have with her? Were Bai Rushuang and I a couple? The answer was yes—and no.

Since we were not officially a couple, why should I be thinking about Bai Rushuang?

The more I thought about it, the hotter I felt. The intoxicating fragrance filling the room, the splashing sound of the shower from the bathroom, and Liu Yi’s graceful figure cast upon the bathroom door all left my mouth dry.

I stood up, grabbed the red wine from the table, and drained the bottle in one go. Afterward, I felt my entire body begin to burn with restless energy.

“To hell with it! Let whoever wants to matter, matter!”

I tossed the wineglass aside and lay down on the bed. Before long, Liu Yi emerged from the bathroom with a smile on her face. Without any hesitation, she lay down beside me.

“Brother Dao, do you think I’m beautiful?”

Liu Yi turned toward me and hooked a finger beneath my chin. I swallowed hard. Before I could answer, she smiled and threw herself onto me.

In that instant, it felt as though my entire body were about to explode. I drew in a deep breath, my mind turning completely blank, while Liu Yi brazenly began kissing my neck.

At that moment, the last line of defense in my heart was completely shattered. Just as I was preparing to indulge myself, a strange, sharp pain suddenly stabbed deep into my chest.

That single stab jolted me fully awake. I instinctively turned my head toward the wall, and when I saw the blurred reflection cast upon it, I was utterly shocked.

I shoved Liu Yi away with all my strength. I must have used too much force, because I sent her tumbling from the bed onto the floor.

Seeing this, Liu Yi immediately grew angry.

“Brother Dao, what are you doing?”

I dug my fingers hard into my temple, then opened my yin-yang eyes. But when I looked again at Liu Yi’s reflection on the wall, I found nothing unusual.

My heart lurched. I had clearly seen something terrifying in the reflection projected onto the wall just moments ago, so why was it different now?

Could I have imagined it?

I looked over several more times, but still found nothing strange. Only then did I let out a long breath, thinking that perhaps I really had hallucinated.

Though it had been a hallucination, it had nevertheless restored much of my clarity. I hurriedly sat up and began straightening my clothes.

“Brother Dao, what’s wrong? Are you leaving?” Liu Yi watched my movements, deep displeasure appearing in both her expression and her voice.

I glanced at her awkwardly.

“Liu Yi, we’re only ordinary classmates. I can’t do something so beastly to you.”

The moment she heard this, Liu Yi burst out laughing. She placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Brother Dao, why are you so adorable? This is something both people want. How could it be called beastly?”

As she spoke, Liu Yi reached for the buttons of my shirt again, but I shoved her away.

I sprang to my feet.

“Liu Yi, I’m sorry, but I’m not the kind of person you think I am.”

“Then what kind of person are you?” Liu Yi looked at me with an ambiguous smile.

For a moment, I had no idea how to answer. I could only stare at her awkwardly.

“Brother Dao, do you have someone in your heart? Or do you already have a girlfriend? Are you feeling guilty because you came here to meet me behind her back?”

Her question struck directly at the truth.

I did have someone in my heart. Although Bai Rushuang and I were not together, now that my reason had returned, I felt that once a person had fallen in love, they should remain faithful. Chasing after every beautiful woman—that was something only scoundrels did. I could never bring myself to act that way.

Besides, I had a powerful feeling that Bai Rushuang liked me too. Although we had not officially defined our relationship, we were separated by nothing more than a thin sheet of paper. Once that paper was pierced, we would naturally become a couple.

If something happened between Liu Yi and me today and Bai Rushuang found out, then any chance between us would be over. Matters like this could be either trivial or terribly serious. Liu Yi was beautiful, but she was not my type. I had never truly considered her, and I would not sacrifice my chance to be with Bai Rushuang for her.

With that thought, my resolve grew firmer. My mind became completely clear. I apologized to Liu Yi once more, then turned and walked toward the door.

Just as I opened it, Liu Yi apparently still refused to give up. She rushed over, wrapped her arms around my waist, and pressed her face tightly against my back.

“Brother Dao, don’t worry. Just this once—only tonight. After tonight, it will be known only to you and me, to Heaven and Earth. I won’t tell anyone. Won’t you stay and keep me company?”

I stood frozen for roughly two seconds. In the end, I hardened my heart and pried her hands away. Without bothering to see how Liu Yi reacted, I opened the door.

“Liu Yi, there may be things you consider unimportant, but I, Wu Dao, value them more than my own life. This is a matter of principle!”