"You! What are you doing here?" Undoubtedly, that guy was not done with irritating her. "How did you barge into my hotel room like this?" She had always known how to handle herself in difficult situations, and she was not about to start backing down now.

"I always find what I want," Qingcang murmured with a calm, aloof expression. "I told you, you're never to leave my sight. You sleep with me."

Lina rolled her eyes at his demands and got out of bed, not tolerating his nonsense. "I don't want you here. Get out." That assertive demeanor and arrogant personality were starting to suffocate her.

But Qingcang refused to leave. "You can have any opinion you like, but you belong to me! And I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Got it?"

Lina was enraged. How dare he claim ownership over her like that? She was not a child and did not want anyone, especially someone as smug as him, to protect her. "You're hopeless!" She leered at him straight in the eye. "Move over; I need to sleep." She tried to push him out of bed and not give him the satisfaction of lying so close to her.

Qingcang was stubborn and refused to budge. "Hmph. I'm not moving." A sly smirk played at the corners of his mouth.

Lina's tired eyes surveyed the dimly lit room, searching for a way to escape the uncomfortable situation. Her muscles ached, and her mind longed for a good night's rest, but the idea of sharing a bed with him made her skin crawl. She could not believe how difficult it was to move him. With a deep breath, she leaned over and grasped his legs, pulling with all her might. Despite her best efforts, he remained rooted in place. She huffed and puffed, but it was no use. 'He's heavier than I thought.' Annoyed, she grumbled under her breath, glaring at him as he lounged on the bed, "You're such a pain."

"Hmph. You don't know the honor of being in my presence, Silly Little Human."

Lina's eyes narrowed, and her fists clenched at her sides. She hated the way Qingcang spoke to her as if he were superior to her in every way. When he referred to her as 'Silly Little Human', the brass in his voice only fueled her fury. But she was not one to be underestimated and was just as strong-willed as he was. With a roll of her eyes, she refused to let him get the better of her. "I don't want to sleep next to you, Pretty Eyes."

Qingcang's eyes snapped open, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise, taken aback by Lina's audacity and the nickname she had given him. Despite his surprise, he quickly regained his composure. "Just give up. From now on, you're staying with me. Do you understand?"

Lina sighed, knowing that she was not making any headway with Qingcang. Despite her annoyance, she was grateful for his help in rescuing her from the dark beings that attacked her. But that did not mean she had to like him. 'No, I can't let him win this!' she thought, determined not to be a pushover. She tried to push him off the bed again with all her might, putting all her strength into one final effort. She knew she had to find a way to deal with him, or she would never get any sleep.

Qingcang leaned against the pillow and watched Lina with interest, noting the determination in her eyes. 'This Silly Little Human isn't giving up.'

Suddenly, Lina lost her balance and stumbled, her body falling onto a solid, fleshy surface covered in fine black textiles. She was disoriented for a moment, her face buried in the sheets and her legs dangling off the edge of the bed. 'Oh no,' she thought as her senses returned to her. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she realized that she was lying on Qingcang's chest. She could feel the heat radiating off his body and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The closeness of his warm body, heartbeat, and familiar smell sent her heart racing.

Qingcang looked down at Lina and remained impassive, not even flinching at her sudden fall. 'This silly girl is so clumsy.' His eyes were cold and emotionless. He observed her emotions run wild when she watched his handsome face up close, her heart beating faster with each passing moment. He could smell the sweet scent of her hair and the warmth of her body against his chest as she lay on his chest. "Why is your heart beating so fast?" he asked in a low, husky voice.

Lina felt her face turning red with embarrassment at her awkwardness. "You!" She quickly pushed herself off Qingcang and tried to ignore how her heart was pounding in her chest. "Fine! I'll go back to my house. You sleep here!"

Qingcang stood up, his tall frame blocking the exit of the hotel room. Lina tried to move past him, but he followed her movements, stepping to her left or right whenever she tried to go around him. His face was stoic and unreadable. "Why do you want to leave?"

"Because I don't trust you." Lina scowled, pushing him with all her strength. But Qingcang only moved closer, his body overpowering her stiff body as he stepped forward, causing her feet to brush against the floor.

"I'll only protect you. As I said, I won't hurt you."

Lina furrowed her brows, still unsure about the stranger's intentions. "Why should I trust you? How do I know that you won't hurt me?"

"If I had wanted to hurt you, I would have done so already. Nothing could have stopped me." Qingcang bore his eyes into hers.

Lina's mind raced as she tried to make sense of the situation. 'I can't win against him... But strangely, he isn't interested in touching me inappropriately. Could this be a sign that he respects me in that sense?' If Qingcang did not touch her, it would not be a problem, would it? But she quickly shook her head, realizing that she could not let her guard down. 'No! I won't give in! I'll show him who's boss.' Attempting to ease the tension, she offered a bold solution. "How about I sleep in this bed, and you sleep on the floor?"

But Lina's suggestion only served to tick him off. Dongfang Qingcang raised his eyes and stepped toward her, his gaze becoming a scowl. His eyes narrowed as he spoke each word slowly and menacingly, "I... sleep... on... the... floor?" He became increasingly frustrated. She was trying his patience, and he did not like it. No one had disrespected him like that in his entire life. 'Does she think of me as a servant?'

Lina gazed up at Qingcang with a playful grin, "Exactly. What do you say, Pretty Eyes?" she quipped, attempting to lighten the mood. However, he remained silent, his stare harsh and unforgiving as he observed her. She recognized the severity of his gaze but did not let it deter her from teasing him. "Hey, don't look at me like that," she whined, her shoulders lifting in a dismissive shrug. "You're the one who keeps talking about being so close to me," she pouted, shrugging her shoulders as she sensed his dissatisfaction.

'She's playing a dangerous game with me,' Qingcang thought. His reaction made it clear that Lina was playing with fire, tempting fate with her reckless behavior to have a death wish. His voice lowered to a growl as he spoke, "I'll say it again," he grumbled, his expression darkening with bitterness at her rude tone.

'Oh boy, here we go again...' Lina rolled her eyes. It was a mantra she had heard from him, time and time again, and it was beginning to wear on her. It felt as if she was walking on hot coals every time she was near him, and he kept spouting nonsense about her belonging to him.

"You belong to me. Not the other way around. You—"

Lina had had enough, and she could no longer bear to hear the same thing repeatedly. She sighed and closed her eyes briefly before turning away from Qingcang and ending the tiring conversation.

Qingcang held Lina's arm and gently pulled her close to his chest, forcing her to meet his gaze. She stumbled backward, but he quickly steadied her by grabbing the back of her head and bringing her face even nearer, so close that she could feel his hot breath on her lips. She blinked as his face was only an inch away from hers.

"Silly Little Human... Do you think that I can't do anything about you?" Qingcang spoke in a low, husky voice, his dark eyes fixed on Lina's.

Lina tried to remain calm, but her heart was racing. 'He's bluffing and babbling; he needs me,' she told herself. 'He's just trying to make me submit,' she thought as she raised an eyebrow. She could not stand someone who tried to control her; she had longed for freedom for the longest time and was not about to give that up for anyone, even a handsome man like Qingcang.

Qingcang tilted his head to the side, giving him an almost puppy-like appearance. His sharp features softened, making him look cute and approachable.

"You..." Lina's mouth went dry as she tried to speak. 'Why is he so close to my face and talking in such a deep, seductive voice?' Her heart raced as she tried to steady her breathing. 'Don't tell me that he really fell in love with me...' She cleared her throat, trying to hide her confusion in front of Qingcang, who stood before her, his piercing gaze fixed on her.

"Mhm?" Qingcang could tell that she was carefully considering her words, which meant that this was likely a significant moment for her.

I had a lot of fun writing this, lol. More to come! Be sure to tell me what you think and leave a like to help me out! I'd appreciate it a lot!