Chapter 53: Qu Xiaoxiao is treated differently again (Please vote for monthly tickets!!!)

While Qin Hao and Guan Ju'er were enjoying their intimate moment, Qu Xiaoxiao received a call from Yao Bin.

"What? You mean the company Fan Shengmei does live streaming for is owned by Qiu Yan? That can't be right. Didn't you say last time he was in social media operations? How is he involved in live commerce now?"

Yao Bin said helplessly, "Live commerce is a business Qiu Yan expanded into later, and it's growing incredibly fast. His company has trained a huge number of streamers now. I heard he's even preparing to launch a curated selection store. His annual net profit is expected to be several hundred million at the very least. You have no idea—our family has a partnership with Qiu Yan. My old man uses him as an example to lecture me every single day; my ears are practically calloused from listening to it."

Qu Xiaoxiao was stunned. "Several hundred million in annual net profit? Then his revenue must be in the billions? Just from social media and live streaming? How is that even possible?"

"That's why people say he's making money. This industry is exactly where the momentum is right now. He was among the first group to taste the benefits. Isn't there a saying? Even a pig can fly if it stands in the path of a whirlwind." The more Yao Bin spoke, the more frustrated he became. For playboys like them, life might look glamorous on the surface, but in reality, they only managed to squeeze a million or so from their families each year. The gap was simply too vast.

Qu Xiaoxiao felt terrible. Originally, she had planned to use work to manipulate Fan Shengmei and teach her a lesson, but it turned out to be that guy, Qin Hao.

If that was the case, hadn't those two slaps she received been for nothing?

As Qu Xiaoxiao's number one simp, Yao Bin began offering bad advice: "Xiaoxiao, why don't we just use my method? Find someone to give her a beating to vent your anger, and that'll be that. Why make things so complicated?"

Qu Xiaoxiao didn't see it that way. Seeking revenge through others was a low-level tactic. What she wanted was the "high-level pleasure" of crushing Fan Shengmei's self-esteem; only then could she truly satisfy the resentment in her heart.

"Forget it, stay out of this. I'll handle it myself!" Qu Xiaoxiao said, hanging up the phone immediately.

After thinking it over, Qu Xiaoxiao decided to give it a try. She changed into a revealing camisole and hot pants and headed to the door of Room 2102.

An abrupt knock at the door broke the warm atmosphere inside the room.

Guan Ju'er was startled. "Do you think Sister Fan and Yingying have come looking for us?"

Qin Hao smiled and lightly flicked her forehead. "Stop scaring yourself. Besides, we are in a legitimate relationship. You're making it feel like we're having an affair. Even if we get caught, we'll just go public."

Guan Ju'er pursed her lips. She thought he was right, but she still grabbed her shoes and hid in the room.

When Qin Hao opened the door, he found it was actually Qu Xiaoxiao.

"What are you doing here?" Qin Hao frowned slightly.

Qu Xiaoxiao leaned against the doorframe with a beaming smile. "Oh, come on. I already apologized for the noise disturbance last time, and I explained the misunderstanding with Andy in the elevator. Don't be so hard on a little girl like me, handsome Qiu."

"Um, can we go inside to talk?"

Qin Hao blocked the doorway with one hand and shook his head coldly. "If you have something to say, say it here."

Qu Xiaoxiao felt incredibly frustrated. How many times had she been treated differently like this? She didn't understand why Qin Hao was so gentle with the other girls on the 22nd floor but couldn't stand the sight of her.

"I heard Fan Shengmei is a streamer at your company?" Qu Xiaoxiao asked tentatively.

Qin Hao frowned slightly. "What does that have to do with you?"

"Fire Fan Shengmei, and I can introduce business to you. She's just one streamer; one more or one less won't make a difference..."

Before Qu Xiaoxiao could finish, Qin Hao interrupted her directly. "No need. I'll handle my own business; I don't need your introductions. Also, a warning: don't think about using those low-life tactics to get revenge on Fan Shengmei. If you do, I'll be the first to suspect it was you. Guess what happens to your share of the Qu family fortune if your father finds out you've been doing things like this behind his back!"

"Then how do you account for her hitting me?" Qu Xiaoxiao exploded in anger.

"That was your own doing. You struck first, so you have to bear the consequences." Having said that, Qin Hao shut the door directly.

Qu Xiaoxiao pounded on the door indignantly, cursing for a long while before finally leaving.

Guan Ju'er had heard their conversation and said indignantly, "How can Qu Xiaoxiao be like this! Sister Fan finally has hope of settling down in Shanghai; isn't what she's doing trying to kill her!"

"And to think I saw her feeding stray cats and thought she wasn't a bad person, just a bit extreme. I didn't expect her to be this kind of person!"

Seeing Guan Ju'er's righteous indignation, Qin Hao cupped her face and teased, "Are you only concerned about Sister Fan?"

"Huh?" Guan Ju'er blinked, seemingly not catching on.

Qin Hao felt somewhat helpless; this girl still hadn't quite figured things out.

"Qu Xiaoxiao came knocking on my door in the middle of the night dressed so sexily. Aren't you worried I won't be able to control myself?"

Guan Ju'er's eyes widened, and she immediately covered Qin Hao's eyes. "What? Qu Xiaoxiao... she's trying to seduce you? What was she wearing? Was it very revealing?"

"Mmph—"

Before she could finish, Qin Hao removed her hand from his eyes and immediately captured her soft lips with his own.

At first, Guan Ju'er was somewhat passive, but gradually—perhaps thinking of Qu Xiaoxiao—she began to respond passionately, being more proactive than ever before. In this moment, she was suddenly terrified of losing Qin Hao.

"Alright, silly girl, don't worry. Qu Xiaoxiao isn't my type. When have you ever seen me give her a kind look?"

After a long while, seeing that Guan Ju'er was breathless and still trying to keep up with him, Qin Hao proactively released the tempting contact and pulled her into his arms to comfort her softly.

Guan Ju'er panted heavily, burying her face in Qin Hao's chest, and murmured, "But I'm still afraid. I'm just an ordinary girl. I'm not as sultry as Qu Xiaoxiao, not as beautiful as Sister Fan, and certainly not as excellent as Sister Andy. I'm really afraid of losing you."

Feeling a pang of heartache, Qin Hao lifted Guan Ju'er's small face. As their eyes met, he said softly, "Silly girl, no one defines what beauty should be. Besides, you are very excellent. In my eyes, you are the most beautiful girl in the world. Don't let your mind wander like that again, or else..."

"Mmm—" With a sharp *smack*, Guan Ju'er felt a tingling sensation in her hips, and a flush quickly spread across her body, soon staining even the tips of her ears red.

"Then... should we tell Sister Fan about this?"

It took a while for Guan Ju'er to recover before she asked.

Qin Hao shook his head. "It's best not to. Given Sister Fan's personality, she would definitely go after Qu Xiaoxiao to settle the score. If she actually hurt her, she might end up in a police station."

"Ah, then it's better not to tell her!" Guan Ju'er was startled; for a good girl like her, the police station was a terrifying concept.

The two shared a few more intimate moments. When Guan Ju'er checked the time, she scrambled out of Qin Hao's arms, intending to leave.

However, Qin Hao pulled her back into a hug from behind and said with a mischievous grin, "Are you really going to be so heartless and leave me alone in an empty room? Why don't you just stay the night to accompany me? I promise I won't misbehave."

Guan Ju'er blushed and spat at him. "Stop it! Let go, quickly. Sister Fan will be back soon; if she sees me coming home this late, she'll get suspicious."

Qin Hao had no choice but to let her go, though before she left, he demanded a long French kiss as a farewell.