The man covered his mouth with one hand as if he was trying to hide a smile. Upon closer inspection, he really was smiling! “If I said I gave you that win, would you believe me?” he laughed.

  Qin Shu stared blankly at him as he laughed. Why did he enjoy laughing so much?

  The Crimson Sand Organization was veiled in mystery. No one had ever seen its boss let alone discovered his identity.

  It was hard to reconcile the image of the organization’s mysterious leader with the man in front of her who so enjoyed laughing.

  Did he really allow her to one-up him?

  Did he tie himself up just so that she would be able to explore the villa freely?

  It sounded ludicrous even in her own ears.

  What about the towel stuffed in his mouth? Did he stuff it in himself?

  Even if he had really handed the win to her, what was there to laugh about?

  He was the masochist not her.

  She thought for a while and could not help but ask, “Why did you give me free rein to explore the compound?”


  “I liked the way you acted – bossy,” he smirked.

  “.……”


  Qin Shu folded her arms over her chest, rubbing the goosebumps showing through her skin.

  “So…… Do you agree to my conditions?” he asked pleasantly.

  “Are you being serious? If you are, then I’ll agree to your request and stay here for three days. In exchange, you must let me leave with Gu Yan unscathed.”


  The man’s reply was firm, “Of course.”


  “Very well. I accept your conditions.”


  She was standing in the lion’s den. It was too great of a risk for her to pursue a reckless course of action.

  Her best bet was to accept the man’s request and leave with Gu Yan after three days. Three days was not long in the grand scheme of things. It could be said that she would have turned a profit just by fulfilling the man’s request.

  Having received her agreement, the man said, “It’s already 4:30 in the morning. You should rest.”


  Where is my room? Where should I go to get some rest.”


  The man pointed at the big bed across from him. “Right here.”


  Qin Shu glared at him. “Didn’t you say……”


  A faint smile curled his lips. “I’ll sleep on the sofa.”


  Stunned, Qin Shu stared long and hard at the sofa that he was sitting on. Though the sofa was bigger than the average one around, it was by no means as comfortable as a proper bed.

  “Do you want to take a shower? A bathroom is attached to this room and there are a few sets of pyjamas or evening gowns for you to choose from. Suddenly, the man stood up and walked to the wardrobe. He opened the wardrobe to show her the vast collection of clothes stored within.

  Qin Shu looked at the wardrobe. In the dim light of the room, she could not see the clothes clearly.

  With clean clothes available, Qin Shu decided to take a shower before going to bed.

  She settled President Ba on a pillow by the side of the bed where she was to sleep. President Ba snuggled into the gratefully and was soon sound asleep.

  She walked to the wardrobe, picking out something that would fit her. She chose the clothes based on how they felt to her touch. Once she was satisfied with her choice, she withdrew the clothes from the wardrobe and stepped into the bathroom.

  The bathroom door swung shut behind her. Pressing the switch beside the door, the bathroom burst into light. She was not sure what she would have done if the bathroom did not have any lights.

  The bathroom and the bedroom shared a similar design. Surprisingly, the bathroom was bigger than she had expected.

  A semi-circular tub filled much of the room, making it suitable for a bath.

  Qin Shu quickly succumbed to the temptation that was a hot bath. Stripping out of her clothes, she hopped into the shower and scrubbed herself down with soap before luxuriating in the warm waters of the bath.

  Once she had soaked thoroughly soaked herself, she dried her hair and used a fresh towel to wipe the droplets of water still clinging to her skin. The whole process took some time but she completed it, eventually. Pulling on the nightgown she had chosen, she turned her sights to the vanity top.

  Two sets of toothbrushes, cups and toothpaste greeted her. There were also two towels on the shelf next to the sink. A hairdryer was tucked into a conspicuous cabinet at one side.

  When did he prepare all this?

  Could it be that he had predicted her return?

  It was truly puzzling…… Qin Shu picked up the hairdryer and blew her hair dry, lost in a myriad of thoughts flitting through her mind.

  She returned the hairdryer to the cabinet she had found in it once her hair was suitably dried.

  Qin Shu picked up the electric toothbrush with one hand and the toothpaste with the other. She looked at the brand and took a whiff. It was a familiar smell. Offhandedly, she realized it was one of her favourites.

  Her eyes clouded over in doubt. How was he so informed of her preferences?

  She brushed her teeth and washed her face, looking at her reflection in the mirror when she was done. She could not believe the things she had learnt that night – chief of those being the certain someone lounging on the sofa outside.

  She turned off the lights and stepped out of the bathroom.

  Still seated on the sofa was the man, the supposed head of the Crimson Sand Organization, shrouded in the shadows of the room. He looked like he had been waiting for her.

  The man heard the door open, glancing in her direction. “Are you hungry? I’ll get someone to prepare some food if you are.”


  Qin Shu rejected him without a second thought. “There’s no need.”


  The man had been considerate in every way possible. It almost felt like she was living in a dream. Not all dreams are sweet, however, and she knew this for a fact. It was best if she erred on the side of caution.

  Seeing that she was not interested in a meal, the man continued, “You may treat this place as your home over the next three days. You don’t need to restrain yourself. You must be hungry with how busy you’ve been all day. Eat your fill and go rest.”


  Though she was startled by his sudden proclamation, Qin Shu still refused. “There’s really no need.”


  What if she was drugged?

  The man did not press the issue. “Then sleep.”


  The man laid down on the sofa as soon as he finished speaking. It was not long before he was sound asleep. He seemed quite tired.

  With his head positioned next to the light, Qin Shu was finally able to see a small part of his face. Covering his eyes was a thick layer of gauze and it stretched over the greater part of his face. His black hair fell limply against the side of the sofa.

  Was he blind?

  No wonder there were not any lights in the ceiling – he had no need for them.

  She took off her shoes and slumped into bed with her eyes closed.

  Despite how tired she was, sleep eluded her. Stuck in a strange villa with a strange man sleeping in the same room, it made it rather difficult for her to fall asleep.

  Her mind was in a constant state of heightened tension. Her nerves were so tense that she jolted to one side every time a shadow flickered in the room.

  Helplessly, Qin Shu closed her eyes and waited.

  In the quiet room, time passed slowly. The erratic beat of her heart was her only companion while President Ba slept. The fact that he was sleeping so peacefully irked her.

  Turning her attention to the man sleeping on the sofa, she strained her ears. With her current skill, she could hear his light breathing. It was evident that he was asleep.

  He was the one who commanded his subordinates to smear poison on the knife, and he was also the one who ordered his subordinates to take her hostage.

  A chilly light danced in her eyes at the thought of the things he had done.

  Could there be some deeper purpose for him wanting to hold her captive?

  Qin Shu pondered for a long time but could not figure out what the man’s objective was. If she struck now, she was confident that she could kill him.

  Slipping her hands into her pocket, she withdrew a dagger and slid off the bed quietly. She didn’t even put on her shoes. She walked barefoot to the sofa and stopped.

  The wall lamp illuminated the figure of the man sleeping on the sofa. His breaths were slow and steady. He knew that he was sharing a room with her and yet he had not taken any precautions against her. Lying there, the way he was, he was a sitting duck.

  Is he big-hearted or does he think that I wouldn’t do anything to him after I learnt his true identity?

  She lowered herself into a crouch, fixing her gaze on the man reclining on the sofa. She gripped the dagger in her hand tightly and shifted her eyes to the man’s fair neck. The dagger in her hand approached him slowly.

  As long as it penetrated his neck, he would be dead with a single slash.

  Vengeance was within her grasp.

  Faced with this defenceless man, her grip around the dagger tightened coiling in preparation for her strike.