**Chapter 73: A Trap Made of This**

After leaving Wutong Avenue, a few loops of red thread now adorned Qin Mang’s slender, fair wrist.

Under the dazzling chandeliers of the fashion show’s hotel lobby—

When Meng Ting came to pick her up, he had a gossipy look on his face.
“Guess who I just ran into?”

Qin Mang glanced at him nonchalantly. “Who?”

“Your ex-girlfriend?”

“Of course not!”

Seeing she wasn’t playing along at all, Meng Ting lost interest. “Lou Tingdai. I just saw Lou Tingdai.”

“She’s being pursued by some foreign rich guy.”

Qin Mang had almost forgotten that name.

Hearing Meng Ting mention it now made her pause for two seconds, and in her mind, those two long text messages resurfaced.

Even though she hadn’t wanted to care back then—

They still left a shadow in her heart.

If it hadn’t been for that fire—

She might never have seen He Lingji’s heart clearly.

He had once said that he would only have a story with her.

No one else.

One of a kind.

So Qin Mang said flatly, “Oh? Then I guess congratulations to her?”

Meng Ting clicked his tongue. “Congratulate her for what? She looked pretty resistant, but that foreigner was practically glued to her.”

Qin Mang waved a hand, uninterested:
“Alright, if you’ve got that much time on your hands, how about checking my schedule instead?”

“I want a few days off.”

“But didn’t we agree you’d audition for the new film right after the fashion show?”

“You know how tough the industry is right now, how many actors are unemployed, and you—”

Under her cold stare, Meng Ting switched gears mid-sentence and asked weakly, “Why do you want time off?”

Qin Mang let out a soft laugh.

Under the ornate lights of the hotel corridor, her profile looked refined and flawless. Without fancy clothes or jewelry, the only adornment was that fine red thread on her wrist. As she moved, its vibrant tail swayed.

She lifted her wrist and gave a faint smile. “To tie someone up.”

Meng Ting: “?”

He watched the girl’s graceful figure walk away and only then dared to mutter, “That thread’s so thin—it couldn’t even tie up a bee.”

A Tong walked past, head tilted up at him.

Scoffing: “Brother Meng, you really have zero sense of romance.”

Meng Ting stood there for a few seconds.

Then it finally clicked.

Oh. Another couple game.

Tsk tsk tsk.

Truly a new-age ‘plastic couple’—playing harder than real ones.

“Wait—don’t head back to your room just yet!”

“The hotel’s most luxurious terrace is free now, you’ve got to go film a vlog.”

Suddenly remembering something, Meng Ting rushed to call out.

Qin Mang: “Didn’t you say no schedule tonight?”

Meng Ting: “Well, our goddess Qin Mang just blinded the fans with her radiance—our inbox is stuffed with vlog requests!”

Qin Mang, who was originally planning to boycott work, didn’t hesitate once she heard it was for the fans.

She turned and headed to the rooftop.

…

Not only did Meng Ting see Lou Tingdai—Lou Tingdai also saw Meng Ting.

After resigning from the He Group, she had joined this hotel, and thanks to her experience as a former executive, she quickly climbed to a managerial role.

Today, she happened to be inspecting the hotel.

With her access, she easily obtained Qin Mang’s room details.

As expected.

She was here too.

While Lou Tingdai leaned at the front desk holding Qin Mang’s spare room card, lost in thought—

The foreign businessman she’d just shaken off a few hours ago appeared again.

This time, holding a huge bouquet of pink roses.

He happened to overhear the front desk’s conversation.

Lou Tingdai’s previously calm expression cooled instantly.

Her gaze fell on the man’s typically H-nation features: blond hair, blue eyes, tall and broad like a pure white bear. Though it was a passionate confession, an almost undetectable look of revulsion flickered in her eyes.

She knew—

This man simply wanted to toy with a black-haired, black-eyed woman, and she just happened to fit his type. He had pestered her for over six months, but she had never relented.

The more she rejected him, the more determined he became.

But if it meant sleeping with him—

Lou Tingdai felt utterly disgusted.

He could never compare to the man in her heart.

Even if—

That man now belonged to someone else.

Maybe it’s true that what you can’t have becomes the most irresistible.

Though she lived abroad, Lou Tingdai had always kept track of his every move, hoping that one day, she could reappear in front of him, clean and fresh.

But she couldn’t afford to offend this man either.

Lou Tingdai caught sight of the golden keycard in her hand—5102.

She looked up, meeting the man’s greedy, possessive eyes. As he handed her the bouquet, she impulsively slipped him the room card.

Then she gave him a sweet smile.

As they brushed past each other, she whispered, “Eleven o’clock tonight.”

A very suggestive invitation.

The businessman took the chance to grope her hand.

The move was flirtatious and presumptuous. “Baby, wait for me.”

Six months—

And he was finally going to bed with her.

Lou Tingdai pulled her hand back, barely holding back her disgust. “Don’t be late.”

She had already checked Qin Mang’s schedule.

Her assistant and agent usually left before ten.

So eleven—

Was perfect.

Inside the elevator, Lou Tingdai squeezed out some hand sanitizer and scrubbed her palm like she wanted to erase the greasy feeling. Thinking of the keycard, her eyes lowered slightly, taking on a shade of mystery.

She had merely given the wrong card.

If that foreigner didn’t mean harm, he’d just knock on the wrong door.

Whatever happened afterward—

Had nothing to do with her.

Lou Tingdai took the staff elevator and left the hotel.

As for that bouquet of pink roses—

She tossed them into a trash can she passed.

…

Unbeknownst to her—

An hour after she left,

The door to room 5102 was opened.

He Lingji had only informed Fu Yuan of his arrival.

So—

In the vast presidential suite,

After showering, the man wore only a silk robe, his sculpted muscles clearly defined. He leaned against the bay window beside the floor-to-ceiling glass, adjusting a black spider lily in an antique vase.

He was meticulously adjusting its position, again and again, until it was just right.

Then he opened a painting techniques book—

And started flipping through it at a leisurely pace.

Qin Mang’s vlog shoot ended smoothly—done before 8 p.m.

At her door,

Fu Yuan smiled and said, “There’s a surprise inside.”

“We won’t go in with you.”

Surprise?

Qin Mang’s delicate brows arched slightly.

She was still wearing the ornate gown from the vlog shoot.

It was embroidered with hundreds of flower petals in gold and silver thread—elaborate and stunning. Though the petals seemed chaotic, they blended beautifully.

Qin Mang had originally intended to change.

But Fu Yuan didn’t let her.

She hadn’t even removed her makeup.

Seeing Fu Yuan’s rare teasing expression, Qin Mang suddenly caught on—

“He’s here?!”

Without waiting for Fu Yuan to answer, she turned and opened the door.

She lifted her skirt slightly, her previous listless demeanor gone. Now, her eyes sparkled like a galaxy of stars—brilliant and alive.

The first thing she saw was the silhouette of a man sitting on the bay window.

He, He Lingji, possessed the face of an elegant beauty. His features, as always, were indifferent and aloof, like an untouchable deity carved in stone.

Beyond the clear glass behind him stretched a dazzling neon sea, a boundless, decadent metropolis of color.

In front of him stood a newly acquired, exquisitely crafted imperial palace porcelain vase. But now, a single black spider lily had been placed inside.

The strange and alluring flower only enhanced the vase’s mystique.

Under the light, his fingers—pale and well-defined—occasionally toyed with the delicate flower from the banks of the underworld as he read, the gesture natural and seamless.

Qin Mang still held her phone in hand.

Staring at the scene like a painting out of a dream, her first instinct was to capture it.

He Lingji had already heard her tiptoeing into the room.

He was only playing along with Madam He’s mood.

Qin Mang tried to hold back a smile, but her lips curled up involuntarily. She tossed her phone aside and, barefoot, tiptoed behind the man.

Her soft white hands covered his eyes.

“Guess who?”

Her voice was deliberately drawn out, like a mischievous little sprite trying to tempt someone into sin.

He Lingji grabbed her slender wrists and pulled sharply.

*Thud*—the heavy book dropped to the carpet.

Her little prank failed.

Qin Mang was caught off guard and fell straight into his arms. She instinctively looked up, about to speak—

But his lips were already on hers.

Unlike yesterday’s light and playful kiss meant to soothe, tonight’s carried the weight and hunger of an adult’s desire.

Like lava beneath an icy glacier, suddenly ignited into a blazing tide.

Her glamorous gown, his loosely tied black robe—the two figures entwined like characters in a dramatic, vividly colored oil painting.

His voice, low and magnetic, sounded in her ear: “She’s my wife.”

So, he could kiss her however he wanted.

…

They kissed for over half an hour.

Only then did Qin Mang slip away to remove her makeup and take a long bath.

When He Lingji went to get a midnight snack, she wandered back to the bay window, admiring the pink porcelain vase. She wanted to pick it up but, remembering the skincare on her hands, decided against it.

“No wonder this vase cost nearly a billion. It’s stunning.”

Up close, it was even more breathtaking. The ancestral craftsmanship, full of intricate details, lived up to its reputation.

He Lingji walked over slowly and lifted her into a white leather lounge chair.

Under the bright lights, his pale lips and cool eyes were like the deep, silent sea—yet beneath the surface, waves stirred with heat.

His hand calmly glided down her delicate arm, then interlaced fingers with hers.

“Not as beautiful as this one.”

Huh?

At first, Qin Mang didn’t understand.

Seeing the depth in his gaze, and remembering what had already happened in the bathroom, she pouted and asked, “What exactly did you come here for?”

He wasn’t here to miss her—he just wanted her body!

He Lingji replied lightly, one word at a time: “To. Arrange. Flowers.”

Immediately—

He gave her no time to process it.

Just as she turned her head slightly—

Her dewy lashes fluttered as her eyes fell on the porcelain vase right beside them. Inside, the black spider lily shimmered with droplets of water. A tiny bead rolled down its curled petal, landing right near her fingertip.

Then her gaze dropped to his back—where a tattoo of a black spider lily stretched across his pale skin, perfectly mirroring the real flower in the vase.

*Drip.*

A soft splash of water.

And in her mind—it exploded.

The vase?

Arranging flowers?!

*What the f—?!*

This damn man might as well seduce her to death!

Is that something people say?!

But she didn’t get a chance to yell at him.

Time passed.

In the dark, silent room, only the sound of their carefully restrained breathing remained.

At some point, He Lingji draped a pale gold robe over her shoulders.

He watched her with satisfaction—

Qin Mang stretched out a foot from under the thin blanket and kicked him. “I knew you weren’t up to anything good.”

First the antique vase, then the spider lily, then that whole performance about arranging flowers.

And now a robe over the vase?

What kind of show was this?

She felt hot.

Her mind was fuzzy.

She tugged at the thin golden silk.

“Don’t rush.”

“I *am* rushing!”

Qin Mang’s eyes flushed a deep red. Pointing to her throat, she blurted out, “I’m thirsty!”

He Lingji stared at her for a second.

She wasn’t lying.

With a sigh, he got up to get water for his spoiled little darling.

Suddenly, the sound of a door unlocking echoed from outside.

He Lingji’s expression instantly darkened.

Qin Mang also found it strange. Her voice was hoarse, “Who’s that?”

It was the middle of the night—and A’tong knew He Lingji was inside. He’d never swipe the keycard without warning.

Which meant—

The next second, He Lingji tightly wrapped her in the blanket. “Don’t move.”

Qin Mang, understanding the situation, obediently curled up under the blanket. “Be careful.”

Luckily, He Lingji had changed into loungewear earlier. He casually threw on a shirt and stepped out.

One hand held a bottle of drugged red wine, the other a pack of the latest condoms—a wealthy businessman finally succeeded in unlocking the room.

Hearing the door beep open, he was thrilled.

“Baby—I’m here—!”

But—

The next second—

A powerful, imposing figure stood in the doorway.

The businessman froze.

“Get out.”

He Lingji’s first move was to drive the stranger out before Qin Mang saw him and got frightened.

He Lingji had a tall, lean figure—his shirt hung loosely, muscles clearly defined beneath, radiating raw strength and dominance.

Even against a strong foreign man, he didn’t seem the least bit weaker.

From the businessman’s angle—

He could clearly see the scratches inside He Lingji’s open shirt.

Made by a woman.

Instead of leaving, the man grew furious, veins bulging in his neck. “Why did you sleep with my woman?”

That did it.

Usually calm and composed, He Lingji—who hadn’t raised a hand in anger since adulthood—punched him square in the face.

Expressionless, he added, “*You stupid jerk.*”

**Your woman?**

Even trash like you dares claim his precious girl?

The burly foreigner took the punch hard.

He didn’t exactly go flying, but he did tumble out into the hallway.

The sound of fist against flesh was enough to make one’s scalp tingle.

“AHH!”

His scream drew hotel staff.

They saw a foreign businessman slumped like a dead pig on the floor, and an icy, imposing Chinese man standing tall at the doorway. The contrast of the dim room behind and the glaringly lit hallway split his handsome face in two:

One side—like a god above all others.

The other—like a soul-reaping demon from hell.

Either side was terrifying.

Some people are born with an intimidating aura.

And even foreigners could tell—*this* was not a man to mess with.

Just then, Secretary Cong arrived with bodyguards in tow.

He Lingji gave a cool command: “Call the police.”

In the dead of night, the hotel alarm blared.

The white businessman never expected the person who hit him to be the one calling the police. He ranted that He Lingji should be the one going to jail.

He Lingji paid him no mind.

In front of everyone, he calmly closed the door, shutting out the noise and chaos outside.

Qin Mang remained curled up obediently in a thin blanket, drowsy on the edge of the bed. She heard the commotion too, but because she trusted He Lingji, she didn’t go downstairs.

No need to escalate things.

He Lingji would have to protect her then.

Qin Mang was very self-aware about her lack of fighting ability. She had already called Cong Zhen and the others, telling them to bring bodyguards for protection.

He Lingji went to the bathroom to wash his hands first, ignoring the scrapes on his knuckles. Then he laid Qin Mang down on the bed.

“Sleep. I’m stepping out for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”

Qin Mang reached out and grabbed his wrist nervously:

“Where are you going? I’ll come with you.”

“Don’t leave me alone.”

“I’m scared.”

Her face was full of pitiful helplessness.

She was just trying to get He Lingji to take her with him.

He Lingji let out a low chuckle and gently brushed her cheek with his long fingers. “Forgot?”

“Hm?”

“With that face, you can’t go to a place like that.”

“Be good and wait for me.”

Her appearance at today’s fashion show in Country H had made international headlines. If someone recognized her…

It would be a disaster.

After speaking, He Lingji even took his time to shower and change clothes, completely unbothered by the chaos outside.

He had hit someone, so he had to go to the police station to settle it.

But more importantly—

He recalled the room key card in that man’s hand, and the way he spoke so righteously about catching someone cheating—it might not have been a mistake at all.

Tonight, he had come quietly. What if he hadn’t come at all?

In the dead of night, Qin Mang—a fragile girl who couldn’t even fight off a chicken—would’ve faced a burly, violent foreign man. She might not have even been able to scream for help.

Thinking about it, He Lingji’s gaze darkened inch by inch.

He couldn’t tolerate even the slightest threat to Qin Mang.

Qin Mang still felt uneasy.

He Lingji explained the situation briefly.

Only then did Qin Mang understand why he was going out.

She stopped insisting on going with him—what if she alerted the enemy?

The slender girl rested her hands on the blanket. “I’ll wait for you to come back.”

After He Lingji left, she couldn’t fall back asleep.

Fu Yuan and the others rushed over in the middle of the night to accompany her.

This was a total disaster out of nowhere.

Meng Ting was still shaken: “Good thing President He was here.”

“Otherwise, you being alone…”

A strange foreign man breaking in during the night—anyone would be terrified.

“And he even had… a condom in hand.”

Fu Yuan frowned.

Qin Mang only then realized just how dangerous the situation had been.

“This hotel is known for its privacy. It’s almost impossible to go to the wrong room.”

“President He was right to call the police.”

“I’m going with him to check things out,” Meng Ting said, increasingly feeling something was off.

Fu Yuan had no objections.

Qin Mang agreed too and nodded. “Alright, keep me updated.”

Meng Ting: “Got it.”

At the police station—

Lou Tingdai hadn’t expected to see He Lingji face-to-face again.

“It’s been a while,” she murmured, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

He Lingji had no interest in small talk. His cold, cutting gaze swept over her.

The businessman’s injuries had already been treated.

But Lou Tingdai didn’t spare him a glance.

The businessman finally understood that he had entered the wrong room.

But the room card had come from Lou Tingdai.

At first, he thought she had cheated on him and had cursed her out.

But when he saw that the man and woman inside clearly hadn’t just done anything and looked more like they hadn’t seen each other in a while, he realized—he might’ve been set up. As lustful as he was, he wasn’t stupid.

“You gave me the room card!”

“What the hell is going on?”

“Wasn’t that your room?”

Faced with his questioning, Lou Tingdai bit her lip and looked at He Lingji. “I handed him the card in a panic.”

“He wanted to… sleep with me. I refused.”

“I’m sorry, I panicked. I didn’t know that was your room.”

She never mentioned she knew it was Qin Mang’s room—just shifted the blame onto He Lingji.

When she saw him there, she realized he must’ve stayed with Qin Mang that night.

That woman was really lucky.

Lucky to become Mrs. He.

Even a hastily planned scheme like this failed to touch her.

He Lingji showed no pity. His cold expression was like frost. “I’ll cover the medical expenses. But this woman, as a hotel employee, gave out a guest’s room card without permission—I reserve the right to press charges.”

With that, he turned and left without looking back.

He wondered if that little flower vase had been too scared to sleep.

“Lingji!”

Lou Tingdai finally panicked.

She hadn’t panicked when she left Shen City, because she knew she could come back.

She hadn’t panicked when she left the He Group either.

But now—

He Lingji was willing to sue her over something so “minor,” disregarding their lifelong friendship.

In Country H, intentional harm—even without real injury—could land someone in prison.

“Bitch.”

The white businessman’s translator had heard everything.

He slapped her across the face.

He even tried to drag her toward the detention room…

Thankfully, the police didn’t let him go that far.

Lou Tingdai numbly asked the policewoman, “Can I make a phone call?”

The officer hesitated for two seconds, then nodded.

Qin Mang had meant to stay up and wait for He Lingji.

But as she waited, she fell asleep.

The next morning—

She woke up a little dazed.

Instinctively, she looked to her side.

Seeing that familiar face, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin Mang rarely got to see He Lingji sleeping—she usually slept earlier and woke up later.

Most of the time, he was already up or had gone to work.

She knew he must’ve come back very late last night.

She didn’t want to disturb him.

But she couldn’t sit still—either rubbing her cheek against him or using her little “wolf paws” to secretly touch his eyelashes.

Amusing herself for a bit.

Then she caught a glimpse of her long hair spilling across the pillow and suddenly remembered something.

She instinctively reached for the red string on her wrist.

Relieved to find it still there.

Qin Mang quietly moved toward the foot of the bed.

She lifted a bit of the blanket, exposing He Lingji’s legs below the knee.

He was wearing a robe underneath and lay in a proper sleeping posture.

His pale, slender legs glowed in the morning light, like they were carved from jade.

Qin Mang untied the red string from her wrist and was just about to tie it around his ankle when—

He Lingji, having noticed her little secret actions, could no longer pretend to sleep.

He sat up, his cold white fingers hooking the bright red string now resting on his ankle. His morning voice was low and slightly magnetic:

“What’s this?”

He’d seen the red string on her wrist yesterday and thought it was just some vlog accessory.

He hadn’t expected to wake up to find Mrs. He sneaking around…

“Don’t move, I’m busy.”

“Go back to sleep.”

Qin Mang didn’t answer immediately. She snatched back the red string, hesitated for two seconds, then chose his left ankle.

There, a flame-shaped scar stretched from his ankle bone up toward his calf—still visible even now, like a permanent brand.

Her slender fingers gently touched the faded red mark—

And then…

Circle by circle. The red string was wound around the man’s ankle, which looked like a finely carved piece of jade. Three loops—no more, no less—finally tied into a tight knot.

Under the dim and hazy glow of the wall lamp, Qin Mang admired her handiwork with satisfaction.
She looked up triumphantly at him, lightly patting the knot with her small hand. “Tied you up, so you won’t run away.”

He, He Lingji, lowered his gaze. The thin red string could snap with a simple tug.
Yet his eyes couldn’t help but fill with a deep, rich smile. His smile made Qin Mang hurriedly cover his mouth, afraid he’d say something to spoil the mood:
“No talking, no smiling!”

“Go wash your hands.” Halfway there, He Lingji grabbed her wrist.

“You’re even disgusted by yourself?”

“Yes.”

“What about me?”

“…”

He Lingji hesitated for half a second.

“You hesitated!”

The little lion flared up, ready to throw a tantrum!

“I’m not disgusted.”

“Liar!”

The two seemed to have completely forgotten the incident from the night before.
Sunlight streamed in through the half-drawn curtains, filling the spacious room.
At some point, the atmosphere shifted into the crisp, melodious laughter of a girl, “Don’t tickle me, I’m super ticklish~~~”

“Honey, I was wrong.”

“You’re not a liar.”

…

Qin Mang later found out the full story of the previous night from Meng Ting.

From the moment she encountered Lou Tingdai, Qin Mang had known nothing good would come of it.
What bad luck!

But then she remembered how He Lingji, not giving a damn about his mother’s reputation, hadn’t shown any mercy to Lou Tingdai. Qin Mang’s red lips curled up slightly.

Last night, Madam He had gotten a call from Lou Tingdai and had questioned He Lingji about what happened. It almost gave her a heart attack. Thankfully, Mangmang was unharmed.

As for Lou Tingdai, Madam He had already done everything she could. She wouldn’t meddle in anything else. Everyone must pay the price for their own actions.

In the end, to prevent similar incidents, He Lingji simply left his bodyguards behind. Day or night, they would take turns guarding her door.

Right before leaving Country H, despite his packed schedule, He Lingji had someone book a tattoo artist during his lunch break.

It was the first time the tattoo artist had heard such a strange request.

“You want this red string tattooed around your ankle?”
“Yes.”

He Lingji’s expression was calm and composed.

At first, the tattoo artist thought it was odd.
He even offered a suggestion: “This scar here looks like flames. If we worked with the shape, it could look really cool.”

“No need.”

This distinguished client had only one request:
Tattoo the red string.

Unexpectedly, the result turned out beautifully.
On the man’s cool, glacier-like ankle,
the red string intertwined with the scar like flames—
as if fire and ice had been bound together.

One loop.
Two loops.
Three loops.

They represented:
He Lingji would forever be tightly bound by Qin Mang.

After finishing, the foreign tattoo artist couldn’t resist asking,
“Does this have some special meaning?”

He Lingji lowered his eyes for a moment.
His thin lips parted slightly, voice crisp and cool:

“Something like…”

“Let this be the cage—”

“To forever imprison you and me.”