The pair of strong hands drying her hair gave her an immense sense of security.
She tensed upon hearing him.
Reaching out for his hand, Li Beinian removed the towel on her head obscuring her vision.
Then, she circled her arms around his waist and said softly, “Don’t… he didn’t do anything much to me.”
Although she spoke very softly, he could hear her grievance, and at the same time, a hint of guilt.
The fact was, the whole matter wasn’t a very big deal. Just that, she couldn’t help herself from crying and feeling upset the moment she saw Mu Xichen.
She embraced him tightly and rubbed her face gently against his palm.
Being the gun-toting man he was, his hands were a little callous.
It was a little painful and abrasive against her face.
But the feeling brought her the warmth she needed.
He turned his palm around and shut his eyes, feeling even gloomier now.
What was she afraid of?
That he’d kill someone?
He patted her back gently and tried to reassure her. “Wait for me to come home.”
As he said this, he pushed her away.
Feeling an air of hostility around him, she clung even more tightly to him. She explained as she lifted her eyes to meet his, “He dragged me into the men’s restroom and wanted to…”
Hearing these words brought even more gloom into his already stormy eyes.
His jaw muscles were obviously tightened, and Li Beinian could clearly hear the grinding of his teeth.
Startled, she quickly added, “But I brought him down to the ground!”
He looked at her intently for a moment and then asked, “Really?”
She nodded rapidly and said in a nasal voice, “It’s true!”
It was as though a rock suspended high above had fallen.
He suddenly relaxed and locked her in his embrace tightly as he felt the burning under his eyes.
The furious pounding of his heart had brought on a wave of cold sweat.
He had been on the battleground for years now, but his emotions had never fluctuated this violently.
For a moment, he was speechless and could only hold her tightly in his arms.
Feeling the pain, Li Beinian pushed him off slightly and complained. “Painful…”
Hearing her airing her grievance gave the man a renewed sense of reality. He relaxed his arms.
Li Beinian sniffed and raised her gaze.
She realized that his eyes were bloodshot.
Without taking her eyes off him, she raised her hand to caress his face.
It was the first time she’d seen him react like this. In a way, it was novel.
Having recovered from the shock, she now felt like giggling.
At the same time, she felt a sense of guilt from the mischief she had caused.
Noticing the sudden twinkle in her eyes, Mu Xichen’s eyes darkened. He lowered his head, meeting her lips with his in a deep kiss.
His kiss was forceful and demanding, sucking the air out of her as though he was about to devour her.
She blinked and felt her breathing quicken slightly.
His lips explored the terrain of her face, moving over her eyes and her forehead…
Letting her go only after he had covered every inch of those contours.
Already dizzy to start with, this left the girl slumped limply in his arms.
Mu Xichen picked up the first aid box. Then, he tilted her chin upwards. Looking at the scarlet bruised patch on her skin, he asked, “Where did he touch you?”
She got excited. Pointing to her neck, she complained. “He kissed my neck!”
After saying this, she couldn’t help but feel like she was a child who had suffered bullying outside and coming home to complain to her parents.
True enough, Mu Xichen’s expression clouded over at once, like an impending storm.
She continued, “He even tore my dress!”