Chapter 24：You Make Me Feel Dirty.

"Lianxi, didn't you say you wanted to talk about the house design?" Cheng Shaobai asked, a slight smile on his lips, finally breaking the dead silence between them.

After waiting a moment, Cheng Shaobai still didn't get a response. Her gaze remained fixed straight ahead, without the slightest change.

His thick, dark eyebrows furrowed. Cheng Shaobai used one hand to grip the steering wheel and made a sharp turn, gently touching her elbow with his other hand. "Lianxi? Are you alright?"

Touched on the elbow, Hua Lianxi finally seemed to snap out of it and turned her head to look at him, then offered a smile. "Are we there? Brother Cheng, you can just drop me off here!" Looking closely, she saw that they had indeed reached the street corner near Xiaoyue Residence, and Hua Lianxi quickly asked to get out.

"Lianxi, didn't you say you wanted to talk about the design draft with me?" Not intending to let her out just yet, Cheng Shaobai continued driving straight. "Have you decided what style you want to use?"

Leaning sideways to unfasten her seatbelt, Hua Lianxi looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Brother Cheng, I... I think I'll think about it some more and talk to you later!" She suddenly lost the desire to discuss the design, and she was too tired to speak. Hua Lianxi chose to decline the conversation.

"Brother Cheng, please stop the car. Just let me out here!" The end of the straight road was Xiaoyue Residence. Hua Lianxi hurriedly asked to get out again, not knowing why but she just didn't want to get out at Xiaoyue Residence, didn't want Kong Chengyi to have a chance to see Cheng Shaobai.

Looking at Hua Lianxi for a few more seconds, Cheng Shaobai finally relented and slowly stopped the car. "Lianxi, can we talk about me?" Hua Lianxi's unusual behavior since seeing Kong Chengyi had been churning in his usually calm heart. His intuition was constantly tearing at his insides. He didn't want his guess to be true, but he was also terrified. So, he chose to face it.

The car came to a smooth stop. Hua Lianxi leaned sideways, unfastening her seatbelt, and asked seemingly casually, "Brother Cheng, is it very important? If not, let's talk later, okay?"

Stopping all his movements, Cheng Shaobai didn't speak immediately but quietly gazed at Hua Lianxi.

It felt as if all the air had frozen in an instant. Hua Lianxi suddenly looked up, meeting Cheng Shaobai's eyes, and a thought of escape actually arose in her mind. Unable to hide it for even a moment, she reached out and twisted the car door handle.

"I love you, I want to be with you!" Leaning over quickly, Cheng Shaobai pressed his hand on the one pulling the car door, staring earnestly at Hua Lianxi. "From the first time you came to my house with Chengyi, I liked you! I've been waiting for you to grow up, waiting for you to graduate, waiting for you to come to me. I've been standing here waiting for you!"

Forced to look up and meet his gaze, Hua Lianxi tried to pull her hand away from his grip. Her lips moved, but she stopped, unable to find anything to say. "You..."

"Even when you disappeared for a few years, I kept hoping for you. You can't imagine my excitement when I saw you again, but I was also deeply hurt by your kiss with Kong Chengyi. I didn't even have the courage to face you. You can't imagine the joy that surged in my heart when I found out you were pretending. I know I'll never let you go again, never let you disappear from my world again. No matter what, I love you, I really love you!" Holding her hand sincerely in his, Cheng Shaobai said his love in a low, firm voice.

He had tasted the darkness and bitterness of her disappearance, had lost the motivation to continue working hard, and had even decided to remain single for life, unwilling to let other women enter his pale world that belonged solely to Hua Lianxi. Her reappearance assured him that all his efforts were worthwhile. He could give her a better life, a stronger support, let her enjoy the life she desired without worries. And she was like a sunflower that never withered, giving him endless bright sunshine and bringing him unlimited hope.

Wringing her hand, constantly trying to break free from his grasp, Hua Lianxi couldn't give any response.

She never knew that he had silently loved her for many years. She never knew that all his care and affection carried love. And he had always been someone she considered a dependable older brother, just like Cheng Yi could rely on him in a spoiled way. Her heart had never fluttered for him; she was only grateful for his care.

"I'm sorry, maybe I scared you. But, I had to tell you my feelings. Here," Cheng Shaobai released her struggling hands and took her right hand, placing it over his heart. "You've always lived here, and no other woman has ever been able to break in!" His strong heart beat "thump-thump" in her palm.

Having missed her once, this time, no matter what, he couldn't stand by and watch her disappear from his world again.

Warm fingers covered the back of her hand, while she could clearly feel the excited and rapid beating of his heart in her palm. Hua Lianxi panicked even more, afraid of feeling more, afraid that she couldn't give a greater response. She forcefully pulled her hand away, quickly pushed open the car door, and fled from the car in a fluster.

Watching her stumble out of the car, Cheng Shaobai shouted and quickly jumped out. "Did you fall? Are you hurt anywhere?" He swiftly grabbed her arm, anxiously checking her condition.

Unable to break free from his anxiety and concern, Hua Lianxi spoke with a slight sob in her voice, "I'm fine, I'm really fine! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I..." At that moment, she only wanted to escape quickly, to hide away alone. She couldn't give the love he wanted, and she couldn't hurt someone who had always cared for her so much.

Confirming that she wasn't injured at all, Cheng Shaobai's anxious expression didn't ease in the slightest. He excitedly pulled her into his embrace, holding her tightly despite her struggles. "Lianxi, Kong Chengyi will terminate the contract soon, leave him immediately! You can't continue to stay by his side!" The outburst of emotion made him lose his reason. He couldn't stand Kong Chengyi touching her, he couldn't watch her become a kept woman.

"Brother Cheng!" Seeing him become increasingly irrational, Hua Lianxi shouted in protest, "Let go of me first! I won't terminate the contract with him, I have to fulfill the contract..."

Her unfinished words were suddenly swallowed. Cheng Shaobai pressed his hand against the back of her head, holding her still, and embraced her tightly, inhaling the scent he had cherished and longed for for so many years.

Staring wide-eyed, Hua Lianxi couldn't believe he was holding her so tightly. She kept twisting her head, trying to break free from his grip.

A beam of strong light suddenly shone over them. A sleek black Mercedes slowly drove up. Hua Lianxi's wide eyes closed and then reopened, just in time to see Kong Chengyi behind the wheel. He drove away rapidly, as if he hadn't seen her at all.

Hua Lianxi used all her strength to push against his chest, pushing him away forcefully in one go.

Gasping for breath, Cheng Shaobai staggered back two steps, looking sadly at the tearful Hua Lianxi.

Sniffling, Hua Lianxi used the back of her hand to wipe away the constantly overflowing tears from her eyes, biting her lip tightly, trembling and unable to utter a single word.

A slightly cool night breeze gently blew past, gradually cooling Cheng Shaobai's fiery outburst. He slowly stepped forward, wanting to raise his hand and wipe away the tears on her face. "I..." Even if he didn't get a response, even though he was clearly the one who was hurt at that moment, he would rather wrong himself, wrong himself to the point of wanting to comfort her, wanting to apologize to her.

Taking a step back as he raised his hand, Hua Lianxi kept biting her lip. The tears that had been slowly flowing now poured out, blurring her vision in an instant.

"I'm sorry, please don't cry! I'm sorry..." Her clear tears seemed to fall onto his heart, making him tremble and ache all over. He wished he could slap himself twice, hating his recklessness and loss of control just now.

"I'm sorry!" Leaving behind a hurried sentence, Hua Lianxi turned and ran straight away.

She couldn't reciprocate his love, and his sad expression was like a needle piercing her chest. Her tears flowed for him. Even though he had just violated her irrationally, she had chosen to forgive him within a few short minutes. However, the love she couldn't return made her choose to escape.

Quickly wiping away the traces on her face with the back of her hand, constantly taking deep breaths to steady herself, Hua Lianxi stood in front of the entrance of Xiaoyue Residence. She took out a compact mirror, briefly tidied her hair, and then patted her cheeks to make herself look more natural before pushing open the door.

The house was full of dimness and silence. Hua Lianxi stood in the entryway, feeling a bit unable to take another step.

Even in the darkness, she could still vaguely make out Kong Chengyi's gloomy figure sitting back against the sofa with a sullen expression.

"Don't turn on the light!" Just as Hua Lianxi's finger was about to touch the switch, Kong Chengyi suddenly spoke to stop her. He then turned on the table lamp beside the sofa, the dim yellow light falling on his face, making his features look even more somber at that moment.

Withdrawing her hand, Hua Lianxi gave a soft "mm-hmm" and, with her head lowered, walked past him, intending to go straight back to her room so as not to disturb his solitude.

A distinct large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist, his deep voice saying in a low tone, "Twenty thousand. Dance now!"

Hua Lianxi stopped walking and turned around slightly. She saw red wine on the coffee table, and under the glass was a signed check.

"Okay, thank you for your custom order, Young Master Kong!" Forcing a satisfied smile, Hua Lianxi put down her bag, bent down, picked up the check, glanced at it, and then tucked it into her chest.

Without music or applause, Hua Lianxi gently twirled, her sweet smile flawless in the dim yellow light.

One hand propping up his forehead, the other slowly swirling the red wine, Kong Chengyi's chiseled features gradually became covered in a layer of frost as he watched her dance. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, controlling the surge of anger in his chest.

Smiling charmingly, Hua Lianxi suddenly lifted her skirt slightly, revealing her fair legs, then seductively placed her hand on the sofa near Kong Chengyi.

Veins popped out on his forehead. Kong Chengyi suddenly slammed down his wine glass with a "smash," forcefully grabbed her ankle, and quickly and strongly pinched her chin with his large hand. His gloomy eyes fell on her swollen lips. "Did you enjoy it? Enjoy being kissed?"

The more frivolous and charming her dance steps, the more they challenged his reason and rage. The image of them kissing flashed in his mind, and he wished he could severely punish her for actually embracing Cheng Shaobai.

She threw herself onto him, his faint scent of tobacco and the rich aroma of red wine washing over her. Hua Lianxi steadied her breath and gave a bright, charming smile, deliberately twisting her words. "Of course I enjoyed being loved! Who doesn't hope to be loved!"

Letting out a cold "tch" sound, Kong Chengyi leaned in, his face close to hers, his hot breath spraying onto her delicate skin. "How much did he pay you? Ten thousand? Or twenty thousand?"

The excessively close, hot breath made Hua Lianxi shiver. She leaned her head back, but her hands climbed up his chest. "Of course, Young Master Kong is much more generous!"

So, in his eyes, she was nothing more than someone who would sell anything for money. Ten thousand for a kiss with him, twenty thousand to show off a seductive dance, what else couldn't she sell?

Smiling sadly, Hua Lianxi deliberately moved, speaking suggestively. "Young Master Kong, as long as your price is high enough, I'll consider..."

Just as he imagined, just as he had fixed on her greed, Hua Lianxi decided to let him judge her.

His tongue traced her lips. Kong Chengyi had leaned in wanting more, but her final "asking price" instantly ignited his anger. He suddenly pushed her down onto the sofa, his gloomy eyes flashing with fierce violence. "Oh, you'll sell? How much can you sell yourself for?"

She actually openly said she would sell herself, she actually planned to sell herself!

Unprecedented anger swept through every cell in his body. The slightest twitching of his nerves pulled at his cheeks, and veins swelled and became visible in an instant.

Suddenly a rapid spin, then the back of her head slammed heavily onto the sofa. Hua Lianxi felt a wave of dizziness. Opening her eyes, she saw Kong Chengyi's gloomy face in shock, looking as if he wanted to strangle her.

"I..." Her mind was a blur, and her heart was panicked. Hua Lianxi suddenly felt afraid. The current Kong Chengyi was like a violent lion. If she provoked his ferocity again, the next second he would reach out his claws and tear her apart.

"Hua Lianxi, you make me feel dirty!" Forcefully pushing her off, Kong Chengyi stood up straight, slammed the door, and left Xiaoyue Residence.

Pushed heavily to the ground, a sharp pain shot through her arm. She clearly felt the sharp sting of her arm being cut by glass. Hua Lianxi didn't even move, and bitter tears gradually blurred her vision.