Dark Mary Sue

As the city skyline loomed into view, Jian, patience stretched thin, decided to make one last attempt at normal conversation. "So," he began, his voice carefully polite but undeniably strained, "where exactly are you headed?"

Lu Suying, who had been humming along to a K-pop tune while simultaneously attempting to teach Mr. Squawks—her wooden bird—a series of complex dance moves, snapped her head up. Her wide, squirrel-like eyes blinked in confusion.

"Headed?" she echoed, tilting her head. "Oh, wherever the wind takes us, I suppose. Or… wherever the road leads. Or… maybe we should consult Mr. Squawks?"

Jian exhaled slowly, fighting the instinct to press his forehead against the steering wheel.

But then, just as he was preparing to tune her out, Lu Suying's demeanor shifted. Her playful smirk faltered, and her eyes softened, a slight shimmer appearing—so subtle he almost doubted it.

"I…" She hesitated, voice quieter now. "I don't really have anywhere to go."

Jian's fingers tightened on the wheel. He had never seen such raw vulnerability from anyone before.

"I'm a little… scared," she admitted.

"Scared?" Jian asked, his irritation briefly melting into something gentler.

"Of the city," she whispered. "It's so… big. And loud. And… full of people."

Jian considered this. "Well, I could drop you off at a hotel. Plenty of nice places downtown."

Lu Suying's eyes widened dramatically, and she let out a small, almost theatrical gasp. "A hotel?" she wailed, clutching her chest in mock horror. "All alone? In a strange room? With… with strangers?"

Jian stared at her, unimpressed. "Then where do you want to go?"

"Why not your place?" she asked, her voice deceptively innocent.

Jian's brain short-circuited. "My—my place?" he stammered. "That's… that's not a good idea."

"Why not?" She blinked up at him, all wide eyes and feigned innocence. "I promise I'll be good. I'll even help you clean!"

Jian, sensing a distinct lack of sincerity, reached for the car door handle. "I think we'll stick with the hotel." He pulled. The door didn't budge.

A chill crept down his spine.

"What the—?"

"Oh dear," Lu Suying said, her voice a melody of mischief. "It seems the doors are… malfunctioning."

Her fingers idly brushed against a button on the dashboard.

Jian barely had time to process before his vision swam, a sudden dizziness overtaking him. His limbs grew heavy, his grip on the wheel slackening.

"Lu… Suying…" His voice faded, his consciousness slipping.

She smiled. "Oops," she whispered playfully. "Looks like someone needs a nap."

Effortlessly, she maneuvered his unconscious body, placing him in the passenger seat with an unsettling amount of care. Then she slid into the driver's seat, fingers curling around the wheel with a confidence that should not have been reassuring.

"Don't worry, Jian," she purred, brushing a few strands of hair from his face. "I'll take us home."

---

The drive to the Kuana Hotel was an exercise in controlled chaos.

Red lights? Mere suggestions.

Lane markers? Artistic guidelines.

Speed limits? A personal challenge.

Jian, blissfully unaware, lolled unconscious in the seat beside her, his head bobbing slightly with each sharp turn and abrupt stop.

When the towering glass structure of the Kuana Hotel came into view, Lu Suying parked with a flourish—if one could call barely missing a lamppost a flourish.

Then, with surprising ease, she hefted Jian onto her shoulder, his unconscious weight barely fazing her.

"Well, aren't you a softy," she mused, shifting his position slightly. "I wonder how much you weigh."

Security guards at the entrance exchanged uncertain glances, one of them subtly reaching for his radio.

Inside, the receptionist—poised and disinterested—barely glanced up at first. Then she did a double take.

A petite woman, dressed like an escaped adventurer, carrying a well-dressed but unconscious man over her shoulder.

Lu Suying approached the desk, unfazed. "I believe Mr. Jian is expecting me," she announced cheerfully.

The receptionist arched a skeptical brow. "May I see some identification?"

Lu Suying simply held up Jian's phone, his reservation details glowing on the screen.

A flicker of hesitation crossed the receptionist's face before she, somewhat reluctantly, confirmed the booking. "Suite 2703," she said.

"Lovely," Lu Suying chirped, adjusting Jian's weight and making her way toward the elevator, leaving a trail of bewildered stares in her wake.

Inside the suite, she deposited Jian onto the bed with a satisfied sigh. "Not bad, Jian," she murmured, taking in the luxurious surroundings. "You certainly know how to live in style."

She wandered the room, fingers grazing over furniture, eyes flicking toward the minibar with interest. Then, unable to resist, she leaned over Jian and poked his cheek.

"Still out cold, huh?"

No response.

She grinned, then patted his thigh, an almost affectionate gesture.

---

The sound of running water and occasional giggles filled the suite as Lu Suying discovered the bathroom's jacuzzi tub. She poured in an unreasonable amount of bath gel, watching the bubbles rise in delighted fascination.

When she emerged, her damp hair framed her face, and she was clad in Jian's oversized clothes, which hung comically on her frame. She twirled once before the mirror, grinning.

"Not bad, not bad," she mused.

Then, she spotted Jian's laptop. With the precision of someone who had done this before, she cracked it open, fingers flying across the keyboard.

Eventually, she returned to the bed, where Jian remained stubbornly unconscious.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," she teased, giving his cheek another poke. "I'm hungry."

Silence.

Lu Suying pouted, then reached for the room service menu. She ordered a feast, her eyes gleaming as she browsed.

"Ooh, they have everything."

When the knock at the door came, she sauntered over, retrieved Jian's wallet, and handed the delivery person a wad of cash.

By the time she returned, her grin had turned positively impish.

With zero hesitation, she jumped onto the bed, straddling Jian with a smirk. "Wake up, sleepyhead," she whispered.

Then, instead of anything mischievous, she simply… hugged him. Tight.

A quiet warmth spread through her.

"Thank you, Jian," she murmured against his shoulder, voice barely above a whisper. "For the ride. And for the… adventure."

Then, as if the moment had never happened, she rolled off him, grabbed the remote, and flipped on the TV.

A contented sigh escaped her lips.

"This," she declared, settling in with a satisfied smile, "is the life."