Chapter 16 – Lessons in Seduction (from a Maid?!)
Late at night, Qiao Xueran sat by the window, lost in thought. The moonlight traced her delicate face, but her eyes were sharp, calculating.
Her phone buzzed.
It was a call from Maid Zi, the only one who truly cared for her.
Zi's voice was urgent.
"Young Miss, your cousins are planning something again. Be careful."
Xueran's lips curved faintly.
"Then let them plan. The deeper their schemes, the harder they'll fall."
Zi hesitated, then whispered:
"But to survive, you must control Han Zixuan more tightly. Make him yours completely. Do anything… kiss him, cling to him, even tell him you're too scared to sleep alone tonight. If you must… let him stay with you."
Xueran nearly choked.
"That's too much!"
Zi's voice was dead serious.
"Power, Young Miss, always requires sacrifice."
Before Xueran could answer, there was a knock on the door.
Her eyes widened — she hurriedly ended the call, slipping the phone beneath her pillow.
The door creaked open.
Han Zixuan stepped inside, carrying a tray of steaming soup. His tall frame filled the doorway, his face unreadable as ever.
Xueran's cheeks flushed as Zi's words echoed in her mind. Kiss him… tell him to stay with you tonight…
Han placed the tray down and looked at her.
"Why are you still awake?"
Xueran's heart thumped wildly. She opened her mouth—
But from the hallway came a dramatic wail.
Fang Ye.
"Boss!! Don't fall for it!! She's just pretending to be cute to get you to stay the night! Ahhh, my poor innocent Boss, corrupted by soup and hugs—!"
Han's glare shot toward the door like a bullet. Silence.
Then, a soft thud. Fang Ye had apparently "fainted" in the hall, moaning pitifully.
"Why… why wasn't I the one born pretty enough to get soup and hugs…"
Xueran clutched the blanket to her face, shoulders shaking with laughter.
Han sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"…Ignore him. Drink the soup."
She peeked up at him with wide eyes, whispering in her childish voice:
"Scared… tonight."
Han's hand froze where it rested on the tray. His eyes flickered, his jaw tightening.
Outside the door, Fang Ye gasped faintly from the floor.
"Oh no… she said the line…"