Chapter 48 I Have No Interest in You

Ning Rongrong sighed helplessly. Although the room was cramped, there was no other choice—after all, she had already spoken up. Compared to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, the facilities here were utterly inferior, even to an extreme degree. The lighting was so dim it seemed as if it would flicker out at any moment.

Yet, when her gaze fell upon the narrow pool steaming quietly beside her, her mood softened somewhat. She patted her chest, comforting herself: "Fortunately, there’s a pool here. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t be able to stay in this room."

She quietly closed the door behind her, then cautiously approached the bed. Unhurriedly, she removed each piece of clothing, folding them neatly before slipping naked into the shimmering water. The tender skin of her every inch met the water and was immediately chilled by an intense cold that made her shiver uncontrollably.

The steam she had seen moments ago was not from warm water, but from icy cold water emitting fog. Ning Rongrong suddenly felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar; her limbs curled inward, shivering from the cold. Unable to hold it in any longer, she cursed bitterly, “Damn it… even the bathwater is cold. What kind of miserable lounge is this?”

Instinctively, she wanted to get out of the pool, but when her eyes landed on the large bed with dark gray sheets and pillows, she could almost smell the foul stench of the bedding without lying down. The thought that had just surfaced in her heart was suppressed—at least the pool looked clean and odorless. Compared to that bed...

Not long after, Xu Sheng, lying soundly asleep on the rose-petal-strewn couple’s bed, was suddenly awakened by a hurried knocking at the door. Rubbing his eyes in confusion, he slowly rose. The first thing his gaze caught was his reflection in the mirror opposite him—his long hair was wildly disheveled from sleep.

He silently approached the mirror and began adjusting his hair. Before long, “Knock, knock, knock!” came the urgent tapping again at the door.

Xu Sheng squinted. Who would be knocking at this hour? Could it be... someone was following him? His eyes sharpened coldly, and several thorny vines, called Nine Heart Begonia, concealed in his palm, slowly emerged.

If the visitor had ill intent, then so be it—he would kill them.

Outside the door, Ning Rongrong, wrapped only in a white cloth that barely covered her enviable figure, held her soaked clothes in her arms. The modest covering diminished her usual noble aura, replacing it with a subtle, exotic charm.

She coughed lightly, shaking her dripping hair before looking at the door with a puzzled expression, pouting softly, “...Is no one there? Why did the waitress refuse to let me check in earlier...?”

If no one was there, what was she to do in such a strange and difficult situation? Every piece of clothing she owned was soaked in the leaking room next door. Otherwise, as the young lady of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, she would never be so unrestrained as to cover herself with only a piece of cloth.

Just as she was pondering this, the door slowly opened, and Xu Sheng stepped out, his face cold and unreadable. Seeing it was Ning Rongrong, the Nine Heart Begonia vines in his palm retracted immediately.

When Ning Rongrong saw Xu Sheng—his long hair cascading over his shoulders, his strikingly handsome face, and the aura of aloofness surrounding him—surprise flickered in her eyes. Could it be that men staying at couples’ hotels were all handsome? She had come to the next room on a whim and ended up encountering such a mesmerizing man.

However, his expression suggested he was not someone easy to get along with. Considering her own predicament, Ning Rongrong forced a polite apology, “I... I’m sorry to disturb your rest. I’m the tenant next door.”

“Rong...” Xu Sheng instinctively began to say her name but swallowed it back silently when he saw her stiff demeanor.

He didn’t blame her; after all, they had only known each other for a day—no, just one night. Over three long years, it wasn’t impossible for her to have forgotten someone as insignificant as him.

Suppressing his emotions, Xu Sheng’s tone was faint, “Is there something you need?”

Since Ning Rongrong didn’t recognize him anymore, there was no need to bring up the past.

Ning Rongrong trembled again, then explained, “The room next door is leaking water. All my clothes got soaked. I was wondering if I could stay here just for one night?”

Her cheeks flushed deeply, and she nearly buried her head in shame. She even felt the situation sounded absurdly melodramatic. After all, this hotel was considered five-star in Soto City; it was nearly impossible for such a leak to occur. And who wouldn’t hesitate to ask to stay overnight in another person’s room? Even she herself was reluctant.

Xu Sheng glanced at her trembling legs, then turned and walked inside the room.

Seeing this, Ning Rongrong’s face fell slightly in disappointment. She thought, “So it really is too much to ask.”

But in the next moment, a cold voice came from inside, “Come in.”

Thinking she had been rejected, Ning Rongrong’s eyes brightened at the sound. Gratefully, she said, “Thank you!”

She entered, clutching her clothes, and slammed the door shut behind her.

Inside, the room was thick with an ambiguous atmosphere, especially from the fragrant rose petals scattered about, which stirred an unusual excitement in her blood as a woman.

Her gaze lifted slightly to see Xu Sheng sitting silently on the rose-covered bed, his eyes seemingly fixed on her.

The white cloth wrapped around Ning Rongrong tightened instinctively. The thought of being alone with a man in the same room made her heart pound heavily, as if a great weight pressed down on her.

Moreover, judging by this man’s demeanor—cold and unyielding—if he intended to do anything, she, a support-type soul master, had absolutely no power to resist.

After placing her clothes on a nearby chair, she forced a smile and said, “Um...”

Xu Sheng cast a chilling glance at her cheek before silently closing his eyes. His voice was laced with coldness, “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in you.”

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong felt a sting. She looked herself over, bit her lip, and inwardly fumed, “What kind of thing is that to say? Not interested? I’m perfectly well-developed, thank you very much!”

Curves in all the right places. How could he claim no interest?

...