Was He Mad with Jealousy? Was He Really Going That Far?

One hour, two hours...

Mo Xiao's message had vanished like a stone into the sea, without a response.

This was probably what Xin Lan wanted.

But why was she ignoring him?

According to her training schedule, she should have just finished her training for the day and returned upstairs.

Mo Xiao pondered for a long time before deciding to go see her directly.

But just as he reached the elevator and was about to enter, he caught sight of himself in its mirrorlike surface, looking formal and distant in his uniform, and frowned.

His uniform seemed too official.

And he wore the same uniform every time he saw her. She would inevitably grow tired of looking at it.

After some thought, he promptly returned to the ninetieth floor and changed into soft, lightweight white casual clothes before getting back on the elevator.

Ninety-first floor.

"Xinbao~ You must be exhausted today! I'll go make you a little dessert! It'll be ready in no time!"

As soon as he entered, Wu Xi's sweet, cheerful voice rang out. It sounded lively inside.

Mo Xiao stopped in his tracks and stood at the entrance instead of going straight in.

"Fuxi, please tell Guide Xin Lan I need to speak with her."

After being left hanging for so long, he had figured out quite a few things.

He felt that the reason he and Xin Lan were nowhere near as close as she was with the others, and were even rather distant, probably wasn't just because of the mistake he had made last time. His attitude had been wrong all along.

Chi Ming had been sensible and obedient from the start. No matter what she did, he neither resisted nor argued. He also took care of her daily needs and cared about her every feeling. So it was beyond question that he had been the first to win her favor.

Although Wu Xi had done something wrong and received a small punishment, his mistake had been unintentional and nothing serious. He had quickly reflected on it and changed, becoming both attentive and well-behaved. Last night, he had even stripped naked and bathed with her without rashly doing anything to make her dislike him. Since he was so patient and obedient, he had naturally been the second to win her favor.

As for why Cang Leng and Yun Jin weren't favored, he guessed their problems were much the same as his.

They didn't respect her enough.

First of all, no matter where she came from, who she was, or what her purpose was, she was a guide—and an exceptionally esteemed top-tier one at that.

But because of their mistaken impressions and suspicions of her, one had made a grave mistake early on, trying to seduce her into a physical link with his looks, while the other had spoken coldly and done nothing.

The same went for him.

He had known full well that her mental power level was probably beyond anyone else's reach, yet he hadn't adjusted his attitude as quickly as Chi Ming and the others. He had still instinctively treated her as he would an ordinary high-level guide, and had even angered her because of it.

None of the three of them were qualified guard sentinels. Any other guide would probably have unbound all three of them long ago, but Xin Lan hadn't.

Mo Xiao felt that, whatever her reason for not doing so, he should be grateful and immediately change his behavior.

That was why he had changed clothes before coming.

He just didn't know whether she would like him in this casual style, or whether she would find it strange or unattractive...

"Administrator, Guide Xin Lan invites you in."

Fuxi's voice interrupted his anxious thoughts.

Mo Xiao straightened his clothes again, then checked his reflection in the elevator doors to make sure not a single hair was out of place before walking solemnly into the apartment.

"Huh? Why are you dressed like that today, Administrator? I've never seen you wear anything like it before."

Wu Xi ran out in a little apron to see what was going on. At first glance, he thought he had mistaken Mo Xiao for someone else in those loose, casual clothes. He not only kept commenting on them, but also pulled Cang Leng and Yun Jin, whose expressions weren't very pleasant, over to look.

Cang Leng and Yun Jin didn't want to pay him any attention, but their gazes still shifted secretly to Xin Lan.

Mo Xiao had come to make peace. Would she forgive him and let him move upstairs?

Both of them were worried about that.

Only Chi Ming's gaze was full of vigilance.

He quickly glanced at Mo Xiao, a very bad feeling rising in his heart.

He was worried that Mo Xiao had heard about him and Wu Xi taking turns sleeping with her and, provoked by it, was preparing to compete with them too.

Mo Xiao's appearance was among the most distinctive and striking of them all. Xin Lan had even taken a few extra looks at him when she first saw him. So, would Lanlan take a fancy to him?

Chi Ming said nothing. He lowered his head and diligently massaged Xin Lan, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to her face as he quietly watched her expression.

Lanlan, I don't want to share my time with him...

He wanted so badly to act spoiled with her like Wu Xi did, but everyone was there today. His lips moved several times, yet he was too embarrassed to speak. He could only cry out inwardly, praying that Xin Lan wouldn't fall for Mo Xiao-at least, not enough to give him time that should have been Chi Ming's.

"Guide Xin Lan, I'm very sorry to disturb you during your rest. I came mainly to fulfill my promise to you. May I ask when you might have time?"

The moment Mo Xiao entered and saw Chi Ming wearing a sleeveless, translucent black silk vest, he knew changing his clothes today wouldn't have any effect. So he got straight to the point and stated his purpose.

But Xin Lan remained uninterested. Leaning against the sofa, she didn't even open her eyes to look at him.

"That's all? Didn't you already tell me that in your message? I thought you came all this way because there was something else."

She stretched languidly and leaned into Chi Ming's arms. At last, she raised her eyes to look at Mo Xiao, but there was no admiration in them, only disdain.

"I haven't got time lately, and even if I did, I couldn't be bothered with that. Administrator privileges aren't much use anyway. If there's nothing else, you can go back. I won't ask you to stay."

Mo Xiao knew the mistake he had made meant Xin Lan wouldn't change her opinion of him so easily. But when she actually dismissed him so mercilessly, his heart still felt as though it had been pierced by a needle. The pain was sharp and impossible to ignore.

Still, the trip hadn't been entirely fruitless. At least he had heard another meaning in her words.

What she wanted wasn't privileges, but his position and actual power.

That undoubtedly meant that, after giving her all his assets, he would also have to hand over his position and power in their entirety.

Mo Xiao hesitated.

But he hesitated for only three seconds before walking solemnly up to Xin Lan and sincerely dropping to one knee.

"Guide Xin Lan, I'm sorry. I expressed myself incorrectly just now. Please allow me to restate why I came."

"I know your mental power level is very high, and your mental fortitude and ambitions are different from those of ordinary people. Your goal surely isn't just to be an esteemed guide who is protected but has no say. Although I don't know what your ultimate goal is, I still hope I can lend you a hand."

"So, I would like to ask you to succeed me as administrator of K9 District after I step down. If you agree to my request, I would be deeply honored."

"When the time comes, Xuan Jia and I will nominate you together, and the appointment notice will be issued soon afterward. Then we'll start a livestream on the Star Network to announce that you're taking over as administrator of K9 District. You'll become the first and only guide in the Federation's history to serve as a district administrator."

He held out a clean hand with long, slender, well-defined fingers and looked up at her. A polite, gentle smile remained on his cool, refined face, but there was no longer any distance in it. All that remained in his deep-blue eyes was a humble longing to be accepted after entrusting her with everything.

"I wonder if this one thing of value I possess might be fortunate enough to earn your approval, Guide Xin Lan."

Wu Xi, who had been quietly muttering about Mo Xiao's outfit, had fallen silent at some point. The vast living room suddenly went quiet, and no one spoke for a long while.

Chi Ming was so shocked that his massaging faltered, and he nearly couldn't recover his senses.

Wait, had they misheard something?

Had Mo Xiao just said he wanted Xin Lan to become administrator?

No way!

Was he mad with jealousy? Was he really going that far?

All four were too stunned to speak, but Xin Lan remained calm.

She knew Mo Xiao was a smart man. Between being neglected and treated differently from the others, he had lost his composure, and with the hint she had given him last time, she wasn't at all surprised that he had figured out exactly what she wanted.

She just hadn't expected him to come around and act on it so quickly.

Power and status weren't things that were so easy to give up.

Was he really willing to pay such a steep price?

Xin Lan leaned forward and frivolously tipped up his chin, forcing him to raise his head higher. Her expression was somewhat playful.

"Administrator, are you sure you want to give me your position?"