Chapter 84: Courting Trouble

“Knock, knock, knock!” The sound of someone rapping at the door stirred Zhou Huimin from her hazy slumber. She crawled out of her covers, peering through the gap in the curtains—night had completely fallen. The days of promotion had finally come to an end; after wrapping up the last event that morning, Zhou Huimin hadn’t even bothered with lunch. She’d showered and slipped straight into bed, sleeping soundly until now.

That nap had swept away the exhaustion of the past few days, leaving her stretching languorously, feeling utterly refreshed.

“Who is it?” she called, tying her pajamas tightly around herself as the knocking continued, wrapping her body securely.

“It’s me.” The familiar voice made Zhou Huimin open the door quickly, but in the instant she did, the smile on her face transformed into terror.

“Mmm…” Before any sound escaped her, the person pushed the door open, rushed inside, and clamped a hand over her mouth, shoving her back into the room and shutting the door behind them.

To Zhou Huimin, this was a complete stranger—oversized sunglasses, a low baseball cap obscuring his features, a black clutch in hand. His attire screamed trouble.

With her mouth suddenly covered, Zhou Huimin was terrified, unable to cry out, so she struggled fiercely. Feeling the grip loosen, she bit down hard on the hand covering her mouth.

The man yelped in pain, his arm loosening enough for Zhou Huimin to break free from his hold.

Instead of fleeing or calling for help, Zhou Huimin spun around and kicked the man squarely in the knee.

It was a fierce kick, striking the nerve, and the man collapsed onto the bed clutching his knee. Zhou Huimin grabbed a vase from the table, poised to smash it over his head.

“Don’t, don’t! It’s me! It’s me!” the man cried out, shielding his aching knee as he looked up at Zhou Huimin, who brandished the vase threateningly. If it came down on his head, he’d surely suffer a concussion or worse. He hurriedly removed the cap and sunglasses.

“It’s you?” Zhou Huimin quickly set the vase aside. “You scared me! You scared me!” Although she put down the vase, her little fists rained down on him in reproach.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” The man was Yan Xu. He’d only meant to play a harmless prank on Zhou Huimin, not expecting her to be so formidable. Her punches weren’t particularly painful, but that kick to his knee left him worse for wear.

“Are you alright? Does it hurt?” Zhou Huimin asked, concern softening her features as she saw Yan Xu grimace from the pain.

“That kick was impressive. I never realized you had it in you.” Yan Xu lounged on the bed, stretching his leg across Zhou Huimin’s, letting her massage his knee with her small hands.

“Of course. I keep my talents hidden. Sister Hong didn’t just arrange dance lessons for me—she had me learn self-defense, too.” Zhou Huimin kneaded his knee gently and shot him a glare. “Who told you to dress like that? You look like a villain.”

Reminded by her words, Yan Xu recalled that the company had consulted him when they decided to train their artists. Besides the usual classes, it was he who suggested the men learn martial arts and the women study self-defense. He never imagined he’d be the first to get a taste of it himself. Luckily, Zhou Huimin aimed for his knee; had it been his inner thigh, it might have endangered his future happiness.

“These things are for you. I just wanted to try them out.” Yan Xu’s hand found its way to Zhou Huimin’s waist, kneading softly over her pajamas.

“For me? What would I need them for?” Zhou Huimin wriggled slightly but didn’t escape his hand. She glanced at the discarded sunglasses and cap.

“Don’t you want to go out and have fun? I got them for you. You’ve made a name for yourself here in Taiwan; I doubt you’d want to be recognized in the street.” Yan Xu explained.

“You’re taking me out?” Zhou Huimin’s voice brimmed with excitement. After days of work, she’d crisscrossed Taiwan, but always in a rush, never staying anywhere long enough to savor it.

“Sister Hong said you skipped lunch, so I thought I’d take you to the night market. Tomorrow and the day after, we’ll visit Sun Moon Lake, the Memorial Hall, and the Palace Museum—really enjoy ourselves before heading back to Hong Kong.”

Yan Xu laid out his plans. They’d been in Taiwan for some time; the promotional work was finally over, and new projects awaited him in Hong Kong. He couldn’t afford to linger. Chen Long’s ‘Police Story’ had already started filming, and Zhou Huimin would soon need to join the crew.

“That’s wonderful!” Zhou Huimin jumped up and kissed Yan Xu’s cheek soundly. After all, she was only eighteen—a young girl hoping for a moment to relax after the hectic workdays. It was her first time in Taiwan; she didn’t want to leave without any memories.

“Mmm!” Yan Xu wasn’t about to let her go so easily after that kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close, breathing in the scent of her bath, and pressed his lips to hers. His hand roamed over her body through the pajamas, caressing her.

A long, passionate kiss, more intense than any French embrace. Yan Xu could feel the heat rising between them, the firmness pressing against his chest, her nipples leaving marks through the fabric.

“Growl!” Just as his hand slipped beneath her pajamas, kneading her soft skin, Zhou Huimin’s stomach rumbled, abruptly halting their passion.

“Hungry?” Yan Xu teased, his hand lingering inside her pajamas as he watched her blushing face.

“Mm!” Zhou Huimin pulled his hand out and stepped away from his embrace.

“Hurry up, I need to change.” She tugged Yan Xu off the bed.

“You can change right here, I’ll wait,” Yan Xu protested. He didn’t want to leave—he hadn’t had enough fun yet. Even if he couldn’t touch her, watching her would be a treat.

“No way, out you go!” Zhou Huimin shook her head firmly. She knew if Yan Xu stayed, there was no telling what might happen while she changed, and who knew when they’d finally get out. She practically pushed him out the door.

“Wait just a moment, I’ll be quick,” Zhou Huimin called, closing the door behind him.