49: Bathroom 302, the door that can't be locked

"Bang! Bang! Bang!!"

The pounding on the door didn't stop; instead, it grew more intense, making the soles of Chen Yun's feet go numb from the vibrations.

"Chen Yun! Open the door! You have the guts to steal my man but not the guts to open the door!"

Lin Xiaocao's tearful roar was like a sharp knife, instantly slicing through the pink haze in Chen Yun's mind.

She gasped sharply, suddenly realizing her hands were pressed against Wang Fugui's burning chest, her entire body clinging to him like melting sugar.

"Get... get up!"

Using every ounce of her strength, Chen Yun gave the mountain of a man in front of her a hard shove.

Wang Fugui's mind was burning like a steel furnace. The cool, smooth jade in his arms had been his only salvation, and as he was suddenly pushed away, he shook his head in a daze. His footing was unsteady, his heel caught on the entryway mat, and his massive frame stumbled backward uncontrollably.

*Thud!*

A dull sound echoed.

His shoulder slammed heavily against the bathroom doorframe, and he tumbled into the cramped space.

"Water... cold water..."

Wang Fugui instinctively fumbled toward the sound of water and twisted the sink faucet open.

The rushing sound of water rose, masking the pained, suppressed growls in his throat.

Chen Yun couldn't spare a thought for him. She frantically smoothed the wrinkles in her Qipao, messily brushed back her disheveled hair, took a deep breath, and forced herself to look calm.

*Click.*

Just as the lock turned, a great force burst in from the outside.

Lin Xiaocao charged in like a loaded little cannonball, her hat askew and her eyes bloodshot—the look of a small beast protecting its food.

"Where is he?!"

Lin Xiaocao tried to rush inside, but Chen Yun was prepared. She stepped forward, blocking the narrow hallway with her body.

"Stop right there."

Chen Yun's voice was still a bit raspy, but she maintained her authoritative Supervisor's presence. She braced one hand against the wall, staring down at Lin Xiaocao, who was half a head shorter than her.

"What do you think you're doing? This is the Female staff dormitory!"

"You know this is a female dormitory?" Lin Xiaocao gritted her teeth, her gaze cutting like a knife over Chen Yun's flushed neck and messy collar. "Then why did you bring him in here? Have you no shame?!"

"He's drunk."

Chen Yun lied with a cold face, but she couldn't suppress the unnatural flush on her cheeks. She crossed her arms, trying to hide her trembling fingers.

"Drunk? Do you think I'm an idiot?" Lin Xiaocao sneered, trying to push past her. "Move! I'm taking my brother back!"

*Boom—*

A loud crash suddenly came from the bathroom, as if someone had slammed their body hard against the wall tiles. It was followed by the ear-grating sound of shattering porcelain.

Lin Xiaocao's face turned pale instantly. "Brother!"

"Don't go in!" Chen Yun grabbed Lin Xiaocao's shoulder, her nails nearly digging into the skin.

"What did you give him to drink? That wasn't alcohol!" Lin Xiaocao stomped her feet in anxiety, desperately trying to shake off Chen Yun's hand. "That sound isn't right! He needs to go to the hospital! Right now!"

She pulled out her old phone with its shattered screen, her fingers trembling as she prepared to dial.

"You can't call!"

Chen Yun was quick, snatching the phone away.

"Are you crazy? Can't you hear him suffering?" Lin Xiaocao screamed, reaching for the phone. "Give it back!"

"The wine was drugged! It was meant for me!"

Chen Yun lowered her voice and roared the words out rapidly.

The air froze instantly.

Lin Xiaocao froze in place, her hand still reaching out. "Meant... meant for you?"

"Someone wanted to harm me, to make me humiliate myself in public. He drank the whole glass for me." Chen Yun's chest heaved violently, a mix of lingering fear and guilt. "It was a potent aphrodisiac. If you take him to the hospital now and the doctor runs a blood test, the whole factory will know."

She stared intensely into Lin Xiaocao's eyes, stepping closer.

"By then, everyone will know he took such a vile drug, and they might even say he tried to do something inappropriate in a female Supervisor's room. He'll be fired, his reputation will be ruined, and he might even go to jail! Do you want to destroy him?"

Lin Xiaocao bit her lip until she tasted blood. She wasn't stupid; she knew how much people in the factory loved to gossip.

Another suppressed roar came from the bathroom, making one's heart skip a beat.

"Then what should we do? Just watch?" Lin Xiaocao's eyes brimmed with tears of anxiety.

"I have ice, and I have cold water." Chen Yun stuffed the phone back into Lin Xiaocao's pocket, her gaze becoming resolute. "We just have to wait for the drug's effects to pass."

"I don't trust you!" Lin Xiaocao tried to rush in again.

"Stop."

Chen Yun blocked the bathroom door, her eyes narrowing as she swept a sharp gaze over Lin Xiaocao.

"He's lost his mind in there. He'll pounce on anyone he sees. You know how strong he is; an ordinary person going in there is just asking for trouble."

Chen Yun's voice was low, carrying a hint of meaningful testing.

"Lin Xiaocao, if you're a man, then go in and help me hold him down. If you're a woman... then stay here and guard the door. Don't let anyone hear what's happening inside!"

Lin Xiaocao's pupils constricted.

She stood frozen, her legs feeling like they were made of lead.

In that clumsy bear's current state, if she went in and he grabbed her... her disguise would definitely be blown.

Seeing Lin Xiaocao's pale face, Chen Yun understood.

"Guard the door."

With that, Chen Yun turned, pushed open the bathroom door, closed it behind her, and locked it.

*Click.*

The latch on the glass door engaged.

Inside the bathroom, a wave of heat hit her.

It wasn't steam; it was a pure, scorching heat radiating from a human body.

The small space was filled with a thick scent of hormones, making Chen Yun's newly calmed heart race once more.

Wang Fugui was sitting in the bathtub, still wearing the suit that was now strained and deformed. The showerhead was turned to the maximum, cold water pouring frantically over his head and body.

*Sizzle—*

As the cold water hit his crimson skin, wisps of white steam actually rose.

His whole body was shaking, his teeth chattering, and his hands were gripping the edge of the bathtub so hard that he had actually cracked the porcelain.

Hearing the lock, Wang Fugui snapped his head up.

In that instant, Chen Yun felt as though she had been targeted by a wild beast.

His eyes were blood-red, his pupils dilated, swirling with an overwhelming tide of desire.

But the moment he saw Chen Yun, a flicker of painful clarity flashed deep within his eyes.

"Sister..."

Wang Fugui called out hoarsely, his voice sounding like sandpaper on the floor.

He recoiled, curling himself up under the showerhead and hugging his knees, as if trying desperately to restrain himself.

"Get... get out..."

He panted heavily, his nails scratching harshly against the bathtub wall. "I can't control it... don't... don't let me hurt you..."

His usually honest and simple face was now filled with struggle and fear.

Not fear of the drug, but fear that he would hurt her.

Chen Yun looked at the man before her, who was like a trapped animal.

In that moment, all her reserve, all her worries, and all her boundaries crumbled before this heartbreaking protective instinct.

"Fool."

Chen Yun cursed softly, her eyes stinging.

She leaned down, decisively kicked off her high heels, and stepped barefoot onto the water-covered tiles.

The cold water soaked through her stockings, but she didn't even notice.

She rolled up the exquisite sleeves of her Qipao, revealing her lotus-white forearms. The usual arrogance in her eyes was gone, replaced by a watery tenderness and resolve.

"I'm not leaving."

Chen Yun walked to the edge of the bathtub and, ignoring the splashing water soaking her expensive hem, knelt directly on the tiles.

"Don't... don't come over!" Wang Fugui growled, trying his best to shrink into the corner. "Hot... I'm too hot..."

"It's fine that you're hot."

Chen Yun reached out, ignoring Wang Fugui's attempt to dodge, and firmly grasped his large, trembling hand in the water.

The contact felt terrifyingly hot, like holding a piece of red-hot coal.

But this time, Chen Yun didn't pull away.

She turned her hand and interlaced her fingers with his, squeezing tightly.

"Since you drank that for me," Chen Yun leaned close to his face, her orchid-like scent mingling with the steam and drifting into Wang Fugui's nose, "then let me help you cool down."