Naughty Puppy Will Be Eaten by a Bad Woman - Chapter 31

“Baby, don’t be like this…”

“What?” Lu Zhao asked softly, turning her head to find herself so close to Gu Xianyue that she could hear her breathing.

In the darkness, the sound of their heartbeats seemed amplified a thousandfold.

Lu Zhao suddenly realized she had brought Gu Xianyue to such a private place and made her the first person to learn her secret…

No matter how she resisted falling, a voice deep within her still called out, urging her to get closer to Gu Xianyue, closer still…

A click of the door lock turning broke her reverie.

“See? This place is nice, right?”

Gu Xianyue reacted first, pulling Lu Zhao down to crouch behind the podium.

“Mm, it is nice… But Senior Sister, how did you find this place?”

“The school forum~”

The voices belonged to two girls. One was sweet and saccharine, the other cool and aloof. They didn’t turn on the lights, instead using flashlights to reach the back of the classroom, where they lit a string of pumpkin lanterns—likely leftover projects from previous students.

Warm, amber light spilled from the back of the classroom, casting a soft glow on the two crouching figures.

To make it easier for Lu Zhao to lean on her, Gu Xianyue positioned herself behind Lu Zhao, pressing her back against the wall and looping an arm around Lu Zhao’s shoulder. In the warm, yellow light, she could see the tips of Lu Zhao’s ears flushed red.

The two students suddenly fell silent. Lu Zhao, watching, startled and her breathing quickened.

Her peach blossom eyes widened, and she abruptly covered her mouth.

Gu Xianyue followed Lu Zhao’s gaze. Through the ventilation holes of the computer tower beneath the podium, she could vaguely see the two students pressed close together. The taller one was pinned against the wall, while the other stood before her, one hand gripping her wrist and the other lifting her chin for a slow, lingering kiss.

Gu Xianyue’s expression shifted slightly. She withdrew her gaze and looked back at Lu Zhao’s face.

Lu Zhao’s clear eyes were slightly widened, fixed unblinkingly on the scene. Her full lips parted slightly, revealing a look of curiosity.

Is it really that interesting?

Gu Xianyue gently covered Lu Zhao’s eyes with her palm. The sensation beneath her hand was ticklish; Lu Zhao’s long lashes fluttered, as if she were growing impatient.

Ignoring her protests, Gu Xianyue kept her hand firmly in place, blocking Lu Zhao’s view. Unexpectedly, Lu Zhao grabbed her wrist and scratched her palm with her fingertips, looking pitiful.

Like an impatient kitten.

Gu Xianyue sighed softly and widened the gap between her fingers slightly.

Lu Zhao opened her eyes, revealing a glimpse of hidden spring light.

“Senior Sister… not here…”

That usually cool and composed voice had lost all control. The blush-inducing gasps, mixed with the ambiguous sound of water, stimulated her senses in the dim light.

Even through their backs, Gu Xianyue could feel Lu Zhao’s heart racing, each beat a powerful thud.

Gu Xianyue felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, but Lu Zhao remained riveted, her eyes fixed on the scene.

Gu Xianyue: “……”

Is it just that journalism students are naturally gossipy?

“Senior Sister, are you embarrassed? It’s just a kiss… and you’re already…” The slightly shorter one paused, but her teasing continued in a soft whisper.

The voice was too soft; Gu Xianyue couldn’t quite make out the rest.

But from Lu Zhao’s increasingly flushed cheeks, she could guess the gist. Lu Zhao would frown and look away, then inevitably steal another glance.

This is quite amusing. Gu Xianyue had no interest in what the two were doing; she was far more entertained by Lu Zhao’s rapidly shifting expressions.

The two students fell silent again, the air now filled only with the rustling of fabric and the ambiguous, intertwined breaths.

Seeing that the pair were about to take things further, even Lu Zhao felt it was inappropriate to watch.

She tilted her head back, resting it against Gu Xianyue’s chest, and looked up at her with a slightly flustered expression. Her bright eyes seemed to ask, “What should we do? Should we leave?”

Hmph.

Gu Xianyue lowered her gaze, meeting Lu Zhao’s clear eyes and flushed cheeks.

Now you want to leave? Weren’t you enjoying the show just a moment ago?

Gu Xianyue frowned. If they tried to leave now, they would surely be discovered.

Or should they simply reveal themselves politely and interrupt the pair?

Neither option seemed ideal, leaving Gu Xianyue in a dilemma.

But the two students seemed completely lost in the moment. The longer they waited, the worse the situation would become. Gu Xianyue adjusted her posture, preparing to stand up and intervene.

“Wait, what’s this?” The voice that had been soft and teasing just moments ago suddenly turned cold and stern.

“This is… Oh, Senior Sister, I told you about it. It’s a bug bite,” the other voice replied, its earlier confidence now tinged with panic.

Hmm? A change in circumstances. Gu Xianyue settled back down.

Lu Zhao, who had just been lifted up, now found herself nestled even more intimately in Gu Xianyue’s arms, pressed closer than before.

Gu Xianyue’s scent lingered around Lu Zhao’s nose, still that familiar, rich fragrance… Lu Zhao lost all interest in sneaking glances, focusing instead on calming her breathing.

Perhaps sensing her noticeably rapid breathing, Gu Xianyue shifted one hand to cover Lu Zhao’s mouth, her thin lips drawing close to her ear.

“Shh.”

A tingling sensation, accompanied by warm breath, spread from Lu Zhao’s earlobe through her limbs, causing her to tremble slightly.

Now, she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.

“What kind of bug bites your chest like that? And in that shape… You’ve been having quite the fun, haven’t you?”

The previously intimate atmosphere plummeted to freezing. The speaker’s voice was laced with ice, as if their earlier passion had never existed.

“No, Senior Sister… Let me explain…”

“Give me your phone.”

“Baby, don’t do this…”

“Are you going to give it to me or not?”

After a brief struggle, a long silence followed. Lu Zhao and Gu Xianyue stared at each other, Gu Xianyue seeing disbelief etched across Lu Zhao’s face.

The slightly taller one flipped through her phone, while the other hung her head, looking utterly despondent.

After a moment, the taller woman’s expression shifted rapidly. With a sharp smack, she slapped the “Junior Sister” across the face.

Footsteps followed immediately, retreating without a trace of hesitation.

“Senior Sister… wait…”

But no matter how the person behind her pleaded, the “Senior Sister” never looked back.

“Tch… this concealer is useless…”

Realizing there was no turning back, the “Junior Sister” shed her saccharine sweetness. Her once-sweet voice turned bitter as she muttered curses, threw something down in a fit of anger, and stormed off.

Only after both sets of footsteps had faded completely did Gu Xianyue rise.

She reached out and helped Lu Zhao to his feet.

“Satisfied with what you saw, Reporter Lu?” Gu Xianyue asked, her tone flat as she noticed Lu Zhao’s lingering expression of disbelief.

Lu Zhao, still reeling from the scene, could only manage a dazed, “Mm…”

Gu Xianyue raised an eyebrow. “Still ‘Mm’?”

Lu Zhao stepped forward and picked up the item that had been thrown to the ground earlier—a concealer compact. The powder inside had shattered into cracked fragments, beyond repair.

“What’s wrong?” Gu Xianyue asked, approaching her.

Clutching the broken compact, Lu Zhao murmured, “I was just thinking… It’s nothing. I’ll throw it away for them.”

Gu Xianyue noticed Lu Zhao’s hesitation and frowned slightly.

For Gu Xianyue, such incidents were commonplace—as cliché and real as a prime-time soap opera, happening almost daily. This was merely one they happened to witness.

But Lu Zhao seemed to see it differently. After leaving the classroom, she grew unusually quiet, her eyes downcast as she tossed the broken compact into the trash.

She seemed genuinely saddened by what had happened to the two girls.

Gu Xianyue didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t understand why Lu Zhao would lose her usual objective composure over something like this.

Was it because the girls were so young? Did that make her especially… sentimental?

It was at moments like these that Gu Xianyue truly felt the weight of being a full twelve years older than Lu Zhao.

Gu Xianyue had seen such things countless times, so she was no longer surprised.

At their parting, she gently squeezed Lu Zhao’s hand and said softly, “See you tomorrow, Lu Zhao. Get some rest tonight.”

The private car to take Gu Xianyue home had already arrived. Lu Zhao didn’t respond.

Assuming she hadn’t heard, Gu Xianyue turned to get into the car, her long legs striding forward.

But her sleeve was suddenly gripped.

Lu Zhao tugged lightly on her sleeve, her head bowed.

“What is it?” Gu Xianyue leaned closer, trying to see her expression.

After a moment’s hesitation, Lu Zhao whispered, “Would you… ever do something like that?”

Gu Xianyue raised an eyebrow. Something like that?

She recalled the scene she had accidentally witnessed earlier and considered the question.

In truth, she would never allow herself to be in either of those positions. She was accustomed to eliminating such possibilities at their root.

She would never betray her feelings, and if betrayed, she would never settle for a mere slap. Instead, she would make the offender pay the full price.

“No,” she said firmly.

Lu Zhao lifted her head, her voice equally resolute. “I wouldn’t either.”

The evening breeze gently stirred, carrying away the syllables. Gu Xianyue suddenly felt as if Lu Zhao’s solemn demeanor was conveying some kind of solemn vow.

The car Lu Zhao had called arrived. Gu Xianyue watched her get in and drive away from the school before getting into her own car.

For some reason, Gu Xianyue was in an unusually good mood.

This good mood persisted until the next day when Lu Zhao met her, dressed in formal attire and seated in a wheelchair.

Lu Zhao maintained an upright posture, her back straight even in the wheelchair. Her right pant leg hung limply, empty inside. Two badges were pinned to her chest: a journalist’s ID and a product reviewer’s badge.

“Reporter Lu, it’s good to see you again! How are you finding it? Getting used to it?” Lingxi asked, crouching down to examine the wheelchair, intrigued by seeing Lu Zhao in it for the first time.

“Yes, it’s much better than most wheelchairs on the market. Thank you, President Ling,” Lu Zhao replied, her eyes crinkling into a smile. This was an electric wheelchair developed by Lingkang, specially brought to Lu Zhao by Lingxi.

To lower the security’s guard at Shengye Group’s production department, Lu Zhao had chosen to use the wheelchair and forgo her prosthetic leg. After all, no one would suspect a disabled person who couldn’t walk independently of causing trouble.

“It’s almost time, President Ling. Shouldn’t we avoid appearing too familiar with Reporter Lu?” Gu Xianyue reminded her from the side, her tone neutral.

Lingxi tactfully moved away from Lu Zhao as Gu Yu and Sheng Huaixing approached.

“Reporter Lu, why are you suddenly in a wheelchair?” Sheng Huaixing asked, feigning concern as he noticed Lu Zhao.

“I injured my leg,” Lu Zhao replied with a smile. “It’s best not to wear a prosthetic until it heals.”

“Oh… I see,” Sheng Huaixing nodded, then turned to chat with Gu Yu.

“Lu Zhao, I’m heading to Yunqing’s booth now. You… be careful,” Gu Xianyue murmured, though she knew Lu Zhao was only covering the summit for the Provincial Television Station. Given past incidents, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

She now had a completely new understanding of Lu Zhao, constantly expecting her to pull off some unexpected “surprise.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Lu Zhao said with a smile, waving her off. “Go take care of your work.”

Gu Xianyue and her group dispersed to their respective booths.

The International Medical Summit had invited numerous companies to participate. In addition to individual booths, the event featured themed zones for lectures and press conferences, creating a grand spectacle.

Zou Zi had already set up the camera, while Zhou Muting adjusted the equipment nearby.

Since the Capital Channel was broadcasting the event live, the Provincial Television Station only needed to relay the feed. Their task was relatively light, mainly focusing on gathering footage for news reports.

The Provincial Television Station had arranged interviews with several prominent medical media outlets in advance. At the agreed-upon times, Lu Zhao and her team conducted exclusive interviews at various exhibition booths.

Intent on training Xiao Jia, Lu Zhao assigned her to conduct the interviews for the latter half of the day, while she observed from the sidelines.

The main event of their trip, however, wasn’t these interviews, but the performance later staged by Shengye’s production department.

Xiao Jia proved capable, requiring little supervision from Lu Zhao. With Fang Lin’s occasional prompts, the interviews progressed smoothly.

Shengye Group’s booth was adjacent to the company’s. A stage had been erected, where a renowned “inspirational athlete” was delivering a speech.

Despite suffering a debilitating injury, the athlete had refused to abandon his sporting dreams. With the aid of artificial joints, he had successfully regained his mobility and continued to compete in para-sports events.

He demonstrated the capabilities of Shengye’s latest artificial joints, performing a series of challenging maneuvers.

Lu Zhao narrowed her eyes, studying the passionately speaking athlete for a long moment.

Without the filter of a screen or the obscuring effects of video, observing him in person revealed subtle details she had previously overlooked.

These details coalesced in her mind, gradually piecing together a hidden truth.

She whispered a few words to Zou Zi and Zhou Muting, removed her press badge, and put on a mask.

Fang Lin approached with a foreboding feeling. “What are you planning? Xiao Jia is still conducting her interview.”

Lu Zhao smiled. “Opportunity knocks but once. Lend me your hat.”

Lu Zhao quietly explained the situation to the group. Fang Lin glanced at Shengye’s booth, her expression incredulous.

“No way… He used to be a national-level athlete…”

Lu Zhao adjusted the hat and pulled her mask higher, then exchanged coats with Fang Lin, completing her disguise.

“Precisely because he once stood so high, he’s now become capital’s pampered pet.”

Zhou Muting pushed up her frameless glasses. “Xiao Lu, you can try, but remember to be careful.”

Zou Zi handed her a lapel microphone. “Hide this inside your collar.”

Lu Zhao took it, clipped it on expertly, and straightened her clothes, now appearing as an ordinary disabled person.

She maneuvered her electric wheelchair to the foot of Shengye’s booth, blending into the throng of spectators.