Ning Xi was still pondering amidst her lightheadedness when her body was suddenly lifted mid-air. In the next second, she was carried onto a narrow, little wooden bed in the house.
The quality of the wooden bed was not great. It immediately released the teasing sound of a creak.
Ning Xi did not have much time to think. Next came the passionate kisses again. They lingered on her sensitive earlobes, her collarbones, her chest... Warm hands also followed and sneaked under her clothes, arousing trembles wherever they touched...
Unfortunately, as long as their actions were a little vigorous, the small wooden bed was like a tiny boat in the howling winds and torrential rain. It was rocking like it was going to fall apart...
Ning Xi felt agitated by the creaking sounds. She panted slightly as she said, "Damn it! This little bed... Hey... Darling... Can I discuss something with you? We should just go outside and find some maize field to roll in..."
When Lu Tingxiao heard her request, he paused his business and then bit softly on the girl's tender breasts. "Nonsense."
"I'm serious..."
With Ning Xi's interruption, the air of ruthlessness on the man had clearly tempered milder. His arms tightened as he hugged the girl in his embrace.
Ning Xi lay on the man and held his arm as she looked up from his chest. "Lu Tingxiao, what happened?"
The man's voice was low. "Nothing. I missed you."
Ning Xi thought about it. To shoot this movie, they had indeed not seen each other for a long time. This answer of his seemed quite plausible, but she still felt like there was something else.
"Then, earlier you told Sis Zhizhi that what happened today is related to you. What did you mean by that?" Ning Xi asked again.
Lu Tingxiao's expression was solemn. "I'm still not sure for now, but you only need to focus on earning dowry. Leave this for me to handle."
Ning Xi was speechless. Focus on earning dowry...
The man watched the girl before him, his eyes filled with a heavy darkness that would not dissipate. His wide hand held her waspish waist lightly. "Xiao Xi..."
"Hmm?"
"Have you ever regretted it?" The man asked in a raspy voice.
"Regret? Regret what?" Ning Xi did not understand.
"Getting together with me."
Ning Xi immediately widened her eyes at this. She said without hesitation, "How could I?! This is my rightest and most brilliant decision in my entire life! Marry one, get one free! Why wouldn't I want to get such an amazing deal?!"
Lu Tngxiao sighed as he caressed the girl's head in his embrace. "It's very late. Get some sleep and don't think too much. I'm here for everything. I'll accompany you for a while and leave before daybreak."
"Mmm." Ning Xi snuggled up into the man's chest and nodded.
Because of Lu Tingxiao's appearance, all those unsightly videos and pictures online, all those horrible words and guesses had instantly vanished, turning into post-fatigue sleepiness.
The girl clingily stuck to his embrace like a little animal. Amidst her hazy sleepiness, she muttered in a daze, "Darling... I like you the most... You are my sunshine..."
Lu Tingxiao's back stooped and he leaned over to plant a kiss on the girl's forehead.
Beside him, the girl was already sound asleep. However, Lu Tingxiao did not sleep the entire night. His head was filled with that video recording he had watched not too long ago.
The recording of Ning Xi's second audition...
That recording where he was personally brought to that scene when she had experienced hopelessness years ago...
The scene in his head switched and another scene had appeared.
Lu Tingxiao was using his phone to check his e-mail inbox. He clicked on a recent anonymous email attachment.
There were a few pictures in the attachment. The first one was the one that he had seen when he was at Ning Xi's apartment, helping her move home back then.
The picture depicted a group of young people dressed in heavy metal punk outfits, Ning Xi was right in the middle, wearing black motorcyclist apparel, appearing quite boyish. There was recklessness and a careless grin on her face.
Her arm was casually slung on another man's shoulders and her head was turned to talk to him. Her posture showed that it should be someone she was quite familiar with.
While that man was leaning his head to one side and starting a lighter, in the dusky lighting, his face could not be seen clearly. There was only an obscure side profile and a head of white hair...