If she dies, I'll take responsibility

Gu Luosheng straightened up. "I came to try on some clothes."

"You?" The designer, Fang Fang, looked as though she had heard a joke. "We don't have any clothes suitable for you here. Why don't you try the street stall next door? The prices are affordable, and most importantly, they'll suit your country-bumpkin look!"

At that, Fang Fang couldn't help laughing.

Gu Luosheng raised an eyebrow. She wasn't angry at all at being looked down on.

After all, she dealt with people. There was no point stooping to a dog's level.

Hmm... that was a bit insulting to puppies.

"You sound like some middle-aged busybody when you talk like that. What a waste of your reputation as a designer." Gu Luosheng clicked her tongue and fired back confidently.

"Who are you calling a middle-aged busybody?" Fang Fang's eyes widened as she glared angrily at Gu Luosheng.

Gu Luosheng blinked. "There's nobody else here. Obviously, I mean you, ma'am. That red-and-green outfit of yours is quite something, too. Unless you write 'designer' across your forehead, people might mistake you for the leader of the Beggar Gang."

"A country bumpkin like you actually dares to mouth off here? You have some nerve! No wonder you're stuck playing extras. You're not even fit to lick Xixi's toes!" Fang Fang folded her arms and looked at Gu Luosheng with contempt.

Gu Luosheng clicked her tongue. What a filthy mouth.

"Get out already. Don't dirty our shop." Fang Fang covered her nose as she spoke, as though Gu Luosheng really were garbage.

Just then, Ye Nanshen finished his call and strolled inside. "Since when did your Design Studio become so impressive?"

The moment Fang Fang saw Ye Nanshen, her expression changed. She hurriedly plastered a smile over her spiteful face. "Mr. Ye, it's just a shameless country bumpkin who actually expects us to design clothes for her. She clearly doesn't know her place. I'll throw her out right now so she won't offend your eyes."

With that, Fang Fang gave Gu Luosheng a hard shove.

Gu Luosheng: ???

Was she out of her mind?

Caught off guard, she completely lost her balance.

Oh no, oh no...

Gu Luosheng muttered inwardly.

If I fall, my backside is going to pay for it.

As those thoughts raced through her mind, she fell into someone's arms. A familiar scent, a familiar... feeling.

Her hand had accidentally touched somewhere it shouldn't again.

This time, Gu Luosheng realized it.

Last time had been an accident, but this time... her face instantly turned bright red.

When she felt that spot changing, Gu Luosheng quickly pulled her hand away.

"M-Mr. Ye, this woman is shameless. She's actually trying to seduce you!" Seeing Gu Luosheng fall into Ye Nanshen's arms filled Fang Fang with jealousy and hatred.

Ye Nanshen was the man every woman in Capital City most wanted to marry. Unfortunately, he had a terrible reputation.

Violent, cruel, bad-tempered, and unpredictable.

Rumor had it that the woman who had tried to climb into his bed years ago was still missing.

Ye Nanshen's expression darkened little by little.

He raised his eyes, a warning of the storm to come.

Gu Luosheng stood meekly to one side, counting sheep.

What she really wanted to do was shut Fang Fang's mouth first.

Yap, yap, yap. Did she think she was the only one with a mouth?

But with the big bad villain here, she didn't dare...

"Heh. Did you just say... that the person I brought is a country bumpkin?" Ye Nanshen lowered his eyes and adjusted the watch on his wrist with aristocratic elegance.

"Yes, she's a country bumpkin. All she ever plays are throwaway roles!" Halfway through, Fang Fang suddenly realized something was wrong.

Did Young Master Ye just say... he'd brought her here?

"Go on..." Ye Nanshen said calmly.

Those two words sent Fang Fang into a panic. "Young Master Ye, are you saying Gu Luosheng is... one of your people?"

"Is there a problem?" Ye Nanshen smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes. All Fang Fang felt was a bone-deep chill.

Fang Fang trembled all over in fear. "I'm sorry, Young Master Ye. I didn't know she was with you. I shouldn't have said those things."

Ye Nanshen lowered his gaze. "I won't pay for someone else's mistakes. You just insulted Gu Luosheng, which means you indirectly insulted me..."

Ye Nanshen spoke so casually, yet his words made her skin crawl.

Ye Nanshen glanced at Gu Luosheng. "I'm not good at hitting women..."

Gu Luosheng's eyes lit up. "No need to trouble yourself. I'll do it! I'm very good at it."

[Heh, Fang Fang gave me plenty of trouble before.]

[She whipped me, poured Pepper Spray over me, made me stand in the rain, and slapped me.]

[Now she's in my hands.]

Hearing those thoughts, Ye Nanshen's eyes grew even colder.

Earlier, he had listened as the little one described how twisted this woman was. But those had merely been Fang Fang's personal activities, and he hadn't been interested. He hadn't expected that she had actually hurt the little one, too.

He couldn't quite describe what he felt.

Ye Nanshen lounged in a nearby chair, narrowed his eyes, and said calmly, "Hit her however you like. If she dies, I'll take responsibility."

Gu Luosheng: !!!

As expected of the ultimate villain. Even his words were outrageously domineering.

I should hate that, so why does it feel... so damn cool?

Just as Gu Luosheng was about to act, Ye Nanshen tossed her a pair of gloves. "Put these on. Don't dirty your hands. You'll have to hold my hand later, and I don't like filth."

Gu Luosheng: ...

Ahem. I knew the villain had a venomous tongue, but I hadn't expected it to be this venomous.

Gu Luosheng obediently put on the gloves.

She raised her hand and delivered a slap.

Fang Fang, who had been so overbearing moments ago, now had nothing but terror in her eyes.

"Please, let me go. Don't hit me anymore."

Gu Luosheng gave a wicked smile. The body's original owner would surely have softened.

Sorry, but there's someone new inside now. I never let myself get the short end of the stick. Whatever people do to me, I do right back to them!

It was a matter of principle.

"You were doing a pretty good job calling me a country bumpkin just now, weren't you? Don't chicken out." Gu Luosheng wore an innocent-looking smile, but her blows were more ruthless than anyone's.

"Don't blame me. You brought this on yourself." Gu Luosheng slapped her again and again. Still not satisfied, she finished with two kicks.

Only when Gu Luosheng finally tired herself out did she stand up.

Ye Nanshen had already arranged a professional makeup artist for her, also from this studio and far more skilled than Fang Fang. In this studio, Fang Fang was the worst of the lot.

After a round of primping.

Gu Luosheng emerged confidently from the makeup room.

"How do I look?" Gu Luosheng blinked at the man.

Ye Nanshen was briefly dazed. He had never paid attention to women's looks; he saw no point in it. But from the first time he saw Gu Luosheng, he had felt that this little one was different. She was bright and poised, with delicate features. Other people were genuinely afraid when they saw him, but this little one alone only pretended to be scared. Inside, her thoughts were wonderfully lively.

She had already been breathtaking without dressing up. Now, with a little embellishment, she was an enchantress who could bewitch the world.

But he quickly withdrew his gaze, his expression as indifferent as ever. "Average."