C10 The Defective Product

"Damn! Isn't that a bit too forward?" Zhang Xiaodong exclaimed as he pushed her away, his tone filled with indignation.

The woman was undeterred, her cheeks flushed like ripened cherries, her gaze hazy and brimming with softness.

Zhang Xiaodong, now thoroughly provoked, was at a loss for words.

"Damn it, the Evil God being overpowered by a little minx? That's unacceptable. If word gets out, I'll be the laughingstock of the century."

"Hey, hey, hey, how about a little foreplay first? Damn, you didn't even bother to take off your pants! This is just too damn outrageous!" Zhang Xiaodong bellowed.

...

As the bright morning sun filled the room, the woman lying on the pristine white sheets slowly opened her beautiful eyes. Initially, she didn't notice anything amiss. But when she felt Xiaodong's hand casually draped over her, she blanched and bolted upright in bed.

In that moment, her mind was in turmoil, her entire belief system teetering on the brink of collapse!

Just then, Xiaodong woke up as well.

"Awake?" he asked with a smile, reaching out to embrace her.

However, she gave him a frosty look and kicked him off the bed.

"Damn! Have you lost your mind?" Xiaodong winced in pain, bewildered by her sudden change in demeanor.

"You despicable man! How could you..." Mu Shenqing's face was a picture of horror and anger.

"How am I despicable?" Xiaodong retorted, looking sullen as he grabbed a pillow to shield himself.

Recognizing Xiaodong's face, Mu Shenqing felt a surge of despair. As the CEO of a major corporation, the thought of having spent the night with this man was more agonizing than death itself.

"Listen, beauty, if I hadn't saved you last night, you could've ended up in anyone's bed. The number of people you might have woken up next to could fill a hand," Xiaodong said, feigning innocence as he lit a cigarette he'd pulled from the nightstand.

"You lowlife scoundrel! How dare you take liberties with me! I'll fight you with all I've got!" Mu Shenqing couldn't stand it any longer. She lashed out at Xiaodong, her movements showing a hint of martial arts expertise as she unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks.

"Wow, are you for real? That's harsh!"

"I happen to be your lifesaver, and this is how you treat me?" Zhang Xiaodong was at a loss for words.

"Just shut up!"

For years, she hadn't even been touched by a man.

"Fine, I'll shut up. No need to be so aggressive," Zhang Xiaodong retorted, gesturing towards her exposed skin.

"You!" Mu Shenqing glanced down to find her bare body on display, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

She hastily wrapped herself in a blanket, pointed at Zhang Xiaodong, and rebuked him coldly, "Don't look! If you look again, I swear I'll gouge out your eyes!"

"Oh please, it's not like I didn't see it all last night," Zhang Xiaodong said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.

Mu Shenqing was speechless.

After getting dressed, Mu Shenqing felt a deep sense of injustice. Her mind replayed the events of the previous night.

Gradually, she recalled the wild moments before the madness, which brought her some solace.

She convinced herself it was just like going out on a date.

Mu Shenqing continued to console herself internally.

Ready to leave, she stood up, eager to escape this vile place as quickly as possible.

"Hold on," Zhang Xiaodong called out, "Beautiful lady, you're just going to sleep with me and leave like that?"

"What more do you want?" Mu Shenqing's frame shivered slightly, her eyes flashing with anger.

Zhang Xiaodong smirked, picking up his underwear from beside the bed and spoke casually, "You owe me some compensation."

"Compensation? You're asking for compensation?" This was the most ridiculous thing Mu Shenqing had ever heard.

A man demanding compensation from her? It should be the other way around – you took advantage of me, and now you have the audacity to ask me for compensation. How utterly shameless can you be?

"Absolutely. I'm a virgin, after all. It was my first time," Zhang Xiaodong boasted with a cocky grin, a cigarette dangling from his lips, "You should at least give me a little cash. If not for merit, then for the effort. Besides, I was exhausted last night."

"..."

Mu Shenqing was at a loss for words.

This man was truly the dregs of the earth. An oddity that was beyond anyone's desire to deal with.

Reflecting on last night's events, Mu Shenqing resolved to extricate herself from further entanglement with him. She pulled a wad of cash from her purse and tossed it at his chest, her gaze icy as she declared, "Consider this payment for last night. We have no further connection! Let's just say last night was nothing more than a game."

Without waiting for a response from Zhang Xiaodong, Mu Shenqing spun on her high heels and strode away.

"Wait a minute!"

Zhang Xiaodong called out again.

"What is it now?" Mu Shenqing was truly exasperated. This man was like gum stuck to her shoe. Could he possibly know her identity and be trying to cling to her?

A wave of panic washed over Mu Shenqing. As a prominent figure in the next generation of Mu's Group, any leak of last night's incident could be devastating to her reputation and potentially derail the progress of the company she had worked tirelessly to build.

"Meeting by chance is a kind of destiny. Since you've paid me, shouldn't I offer you a keepsake?" While speaking, Zhang Xiaodong produced a white jade ring from his pocket.

The jade ring appeared unrefined and simple, yet its craftsmanship was exquisite. The intricate patterns etched into it suggested a certain collectible value.

Initially, Mu Shenqing had no regard for such trinkets, but considering last night was her first time, she thought it might be worth commemorating.

"Thanks." Taking the ring, she huffed dismissively and hurried out of the room.