Long Shenting said, "I'm not interested in you. Even if you chase me all the way to the Virgo Cluster, I won’t change my mind."
Xia Miao smiled faintly.
To be fair, it wasn’t entirely Long Shenting’s fault. Despite the rumors of his short-lived fate, his striking looks and prestigious background made him the object of many women’s desires. Having been pursued relentlessly, he naturally assumed Xia Miao was just another follower when he learned she was boarding the same train to his destination.
What Long Shenting didn’t know was that Xia Miao had no idea he was also heading to the Virgo Cluster. Had she known, she would’ve chosen a different destination. "If I understand correctly," she said, "you think I’m stalking you?"
Long Shenting’s expression turned icy. "Isn’t that obvious?"
Xia Miao feigned contemplation. "Let me think—if I were stalking you, what would be the prerequisite? Ah, it must mean I like you, right?"
Disgust flashed in Long Shenting’s eyes. Arrogant, domineering women like Xia Miao were the type he despised most. Hearing the word "like" from her lips only made him nauseous.
Suddenly, Xia Miao’s fake smile vanished, replaced by outright disdain. "But the truth is, I don’t like you at all. In fact, I find you utterly repulsive."
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she added, "You stupid pig."
Long Shenting’s face darkened with fury.
Meanwhile, No. 13 returned to the security office, where a group of young men swarmed around him.
"So? Did that young mistress give you any trouble?"
"Let us see—did she skin you alive or something?"
"You came back so fast. Guess she really doesn’t eat people after all."
"Wait, she overheard us badmouthing her, and she’s just letting it slide? That’s unusually generous."
No. 13, surrounded and fending off his teammates’ prying hands, retorted, "Enough already. I never said a word against her."
There was no proof anyway, and his instincts warned him that offending Xia Miao would be a terrible idea.
As the young men joked around, an alarm suddenly blared.
No. 13 glanced at the holographic screen on his wristband—a distress signal from Room 444. Running a hand through his hair, he led the team toward the location.
"Xia Miao, get out here!"
"I’m warning you—I don’t hit women, but don’t push me!"
"Xia Miao, come out!"
Long Shenting pounded on the bathroom door, his rage erupting like a dormant volcano. His imposing aura intensified, his dark eyes blazing like a fire-breathing dragon.
"Xia Miao!"
The moment his hoarse voice roared her name, two men seized him from behind, twisting his arms and forcing him down. With a resounding thud, Long Shenting was slammed to his knees, the impact painful even to hear.
Seething in pain and fury, he glared up at his captors. "Do you have any idea who I am? Release me now!"
No. 3 and No. 15 remained silent, their gazes shifting to No. 13, who stood at the forefront.
Tall and composed, No. 13 looked down at the kneeling Long Shenting with an almost cheerful smile. "Mr. Long, isn’t it? This is a lady’s room. As a gentleman, you really shouldn’t be causing such a scene."
As if on cue, the bathroom door creaked open slightly, revealing a pair of sparkling eyes peeking through the gap.
No. 13 turned, his smile unwavering. "Miss Xia, you’re safe now."
She had remembered his advice well—seeking refuge in the "safe room."
Xia Miao shuffled out timidly, but as if still shaken, she stayed close to No. 13, not daring to step farther.
Long Shenting gnashed his teeth. "Xia Miao!"
His sudden struggle made Xia Miao flinch, ducking behind No. 13, who instinctively raised an arm to shield her.
"Mr. Long, please calm down. Basic courtesy toward women is the bare minimum for any man, don’t you think?"
No. 13’s tone was polite, his words impeccably diplomatic.
No. 3 chimed in, "What kind of man bullies a woman?"
Long Shenting lifted his bloodied face. "Are you all blind? Who’s the one being bullied here?!"
Indeed, he looked wretched—a gash on his forehead bleeding profusely, marring his otherwise flawless features with a gruesome streak of red.
Xia Miao peeked out from behind No. 13, her face pale with lingering fear. "He grabbed me first. I panicked and hit him with a book."
Unfortunately, the thick book’s corner had struck his temple, causing the bloody mess.
Long Shenting snarled, "Xia Miao, you’re lying through your teeth!"
No. 15 pulled up the hallway surveillance footage.
The holographic replay showed Long Shenting initially speaking to Xia Miao, his broad frame obscuring her petite figure. Then, without warning, he seized her arm.
Xia Miao struggled free and fled into the room, hurling a book that struck Long Shenting. Enraged, he charged in after her. Though the room itself had no cameras, the earlier footage clearly painted him as the aggressor against a seemingly helpless young woman.
Long Shenting spat, "You provoked me on purpose!"
"I didn’t," Xia Miao insisted, clinging to No. 13 like a fragile damsel in distress. "You told me not to delude myself, that you’d never marry me, and that I should ‘know my place’ and stop dreaming of ‘a toad lusting after swan meat.’ But I’ve never heard anyone call themselves a toad before! I thought you might be mentally unstable. Remember that recent case where a single man killed an innocent woman just to take someone down with him before committing suicide?"
Her wide eyes brimmed with exaggerated terror. "What if some deranged sociopath targets a beauty like me?"
Her performance was flawless—innocent, vulnerable, and utterly convincing.
"Officer No. 13, please keep him away from me. I’m scared."
No. 13 nodded. "Ensuring passenger safety is our duty. You have nothing to worry about, miss."
Long Shenting strained against his captors. "Xia Miao!"
Xia Miao shrank back again, instinctively gripping No. 13’s arm. Through the fabric of his uniform, she felt the firm contours of his muscles and couldn’t resist stealing another glance.
I want to touch.
No. 13 smiled as gently as ever. "Let’s take Mr. Long to the quiet room to cool off first."
As Long Shenting was dragged away, he turned his head to glare at Xia Miao.
Xia Miao hid behind No. 13, only half her face visible—eyes curved in amusement, lips curled in a smug, triumphant grin, oozing provocation.
Then his gaze shifted to the young man in front of her. His bright orange hair was striking, and his sapphire-blue eyes gleamed like polished gemstones. Yet his smile mirrored Xia Miao’s—equally artificial, as if he wore a mask of pleasantry, giving off an eerie, almost inhuman vibe under the shifting light.
These two… even their smiles were infuriatingly identical!
