Chapter 445

After finishing both seasons of "Chang'an Twelve Hours," Bai Liang looked at the time, then turned to Mao Xiaotong.

He said nothing, simply waiting there "obediently" for her to speak first.

After ten seconds of eye contact, Mao Xiaotong suddenly sighed; her body, which had been tense all along, seemed to relax slightly.

This state felt familiar.

And then, out of nowhere, she said: "Actually, I've always known we weren't right for each other."

The second half of that sentence she kept buried inside: but she still couldn't help wanting to walk a path with no ending.

After hearing this, Bai Liang only smiled and said, "Want to watch one more episode?"

"Okay."

After saying that word, Mao Xiaotong decided to begin her "close surveillance."

But just as she leaned in to rest her head on Bai Liang's shoulder, the guy turned away to grab water from beside him.

With her center of gravity off-balance and no support, the girl collapsed straight down.

Bai Liang, about to take a sip, looked down at her and thought: why does this scene feel so familiar?

Last time, it was when he answered Re Ba's video call; Mao Xiaotong panicked and tried to hide, then collapsed outright.

Is she doing this on purpose this time?

Mainly because she showed no intention of getting up after falling.

Then came another soft sigh, and Bai Liang's body stiffened slightly; his entire weight unconsciously sank into the sofa as he slowly closed his eyes.

He thought: Do I really need to clean myself? Does she have some kind of fetish for this?

But Mao Xiaotong's inner thought was: This guy really knows how to humiliate people—he's going to make me taste it again!

She certainly didn't have this strange habit; even when she had serious boyfriends before, she'd never done anything like this.

Does Re Ba like cleanliness? Does she wash before sucking?

She likes cleanliness even more! She washes and still won't suck.

But just like her stance and boundaries, with this bastard Bai Liang, she kept retreating further and further.

Even bigger boundaries had been broken; this weird little thing didn't matter much anymore.

From a psychological standpoint, this might be a form of self-punishment born from inner turmoil she couldn't overcome.

She knew it was wrong, didn't want to do it, but simply couldn't help herself—so she "humiliated" herself this way to soothe her inner unease and fear.

Bai Liang analyzed it this way; the content from the psychology book he'd read earlier could only support up to this point.

At the same time, he sensed something different today, wondering: what if she tries to kiss me later?

If she kisses me after coming out, it's the torment of a tiger not eating its own cub.

If she kisses me before coming out, he himself—well, he was actually quite hygienic.

So he, too, became conflicted; right now, their mental states were oddly aligned.

In this sense, it was a mutual rush toward each other.

As expected, the unexpected happened right then.

"On the ancient city's bridge, people surge like the sea, cars line up in rows; you smile like light, suddenly illuminating me."

The phone rang—it wasn't Bai Liang's phone; he didn't use "Weiyi"'s opening theme as his ringtone.

It could only be Mao Xiaotong's.

She glanced at her phone, ready to hang up immediately—but when she saw the caller ID, she hesitated.

She first exhaled, wiped her mouth with a tissue, then picked up the phone and whispered: "It's my ex-boyfriend."

"Huh?" Bai Liang frowned. "You still keep in touch?"

"No!" Mao Xiaotong immediately denied it, but after glancing at Bai Liang, her eyes flickered. "Actually, yes—we talk often. I'm thinking about getting back together with him."

Bai Liang had no intention of exposing her; playing along with her little drama was fine.

But her expression and tone were just too fake.

"You're not good at lying—it's way too obvious."

Realizing she'd performed for nothing, Mao Xiaotong rolled her eyes. "He just wants to clean up his image—comes around every so often to test me."

"You didn't even block him?"

Block him? Why block him?

At that moment, Mao Xiaotong showed Bai Liang a move: she let him check her phone's voice recordings and casually opened two files.

After listening, Bai Liang knew her ex-boyfriend was completely done for.

Being bad didn't matter much—these days, people's moral standards weren't that high.

If Bai Liang's own little story ever got exposed, he'd get hammered too.

But being stupid? That was truly beyond saving.

Trying to clean up his image while constantly handing out new "Thunder Hammers."

In that sense, Mao Xiaotong was actually quite kind—if she wanted to exploit this for publicity, with all the material her ex provided, she could trend every few weeks.

But so far, she hadn't done it; she'd remained dignified in this regard.

And these recordings proved: dignified she was, but she wasn't a naive fool—if he ever tried to stir up trouble, she'd destroy him in an instant.

While Bai Liang listened to the recordings, Mao Xiaotong got up and went to the bathroom, letting Bai Liang exhale in relief.

This girl really was kind!

She hadn't used the slogan "Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself" to make him experience it too.

But this call had interrupted things—would there be any follow-up?

Just as Bai Liang was reflecting on this, the phone, which had never been answered, rang again a few minutes later.

"He's calling again—answer it or hang up?" Bai Liang called toward the bathroom.

At this moment, Mao Xiaotong walked out of the bathroom, looking quite different from before—she had undone her bun.

Now her hair fell over her shoulders, and her demeanor had changed slightly.

She took the phone from Bai Liang's hand, didn't think twice, and answered it directly, even turning on speakerphone before setting it aside.

Of course, she also didn't forget to turn on the recording function.

"Xiaotong~ You finally answered my call."

As the person on the other end began performing, Mao Xiaotong responded casually while inspecting the thing she'd been working on half-finished.

It was still lively.

But this time, since she needed to keep talking on the phone, she couldn't continue as she had before.

So she extended her hands—both of them.

At this moment, Bai Liang also noticed the blind spot.

Although winter had arrived and it was bitterly cold outside, Mao Xiaotong was still wearing a dress today.

Originally, she had worn thick, fleece-lined nude tights—women's winter beauty secret, the only thing allowing her to wear a dress.

But after coming out of the bathroom, those tights had vanished.

Two pale, bare legs now revealed themselves.

Hmm—not long, but proportioned well for her height, with a soft, rounded fleshiness similar to the impression her face gave.

This was exactly the feeling! The vibe was right!

Bai Liang knew this so clearly because he had already touched them.

Reciprocity is customary.

But he soon realized the girl had removed more than just the tights.

"Mmm~~"

The girl couldn't help closing her eyes; after several seconds, she turned her head to glance at Bai Liang, then at the still-connected phone.

Her eyes now held a hint of seduction—and a touch of vengeful delight!

So she finally made up her mind, let go, stood up, and under Bai Liang's startled gaze, continued "sparring" with the person on the phone in a cold tone while beginning to engage him closely again.

Her initiative was truly strong.

Once she decided, she didn't hesitate or dawdle.

But perhaps it was also due to the "ex-husband's" assistance—this call came at just the right moment.

But like the problem with Xiao Zhao's sister, these petite girls found it quite strenuous.

Mao Xiaotong was even less capable than Xiao Zhao's sister.

But as always: believe in human potential~

This was already taught in "Records of the Peach Blossom Spring."

Bai Liang: So we're still keeping this call going?

For himself, this experience was quite thrilling, with an "ex-husband" listening as if adding to the ambiance.

But they hadn't parted amicably—the "ex-husband" was probably waiting to catch some small slip-up from Mao Xiaotong.

He likely was recording too—if he caught anything…

Bai Liang: No, how could he possibly record anything?

With hormones so fully in control, he'd almost forgotten who he was.

So he relaxed, reached out, wrapped his arms around the girl's waist, and slowly pressed her down.

During this, Mao Xiaotong cooperated fully—she didn't seem at all worried about the person on the phone discovering them.

In the end, whether intentional or unavoidable, she let out a long, sighing sound—melodious and lingering.

Only then did she hang up the call~

The "ex-husband" on the other end:???

At first he didn't react, but recalling the sound just before the call ended, he immediately realized what they were doing.

It couldn't possibly be eating spicy strips.

While burning with rage, he suddenly felt a flicker of joy—he had recorded it! After all this time, he finally had proof!

A few seconds later, his smile froze on his face.

How could it not be recording?!

He tried calling back, but the line wouldn't connect.

The phone had been switched to vibrate, lying alone on the sofa.

And its owner was now in vibrate mode too—though the amplitude and noise were far greater than the phone's.

——

"Staying at a five-star hotel really is more comfortable than lower-tier hotels."

"Hm?"

While eating breakfast, hearing Mao Xiaotong suddenly make this remark, Bai Liang felt she had something deeper in mind.

Was this comparison about hotels—or about people?

Then the girl suddenly changed the subject, confirming Bai Liang's suspicion.

"I heard you've never bought a house?"

"Yeah."

"You're really different from most people. Most, after earning money, want to own a house—it gives a sense of home. It might not be as convenient or comfortable as staying in a luxury hotel, but a home of your own carries a different emotional weight."

Bai Liang: I see~

Although he didn't own a house, he had several "homes."

So after thinking it over, he extended his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Huh? Aren't you going to give me the keys to your place?" Bai Liang asked, puzzled.

Mao Xiaotong: "You're insane! Why would I give you the keys to my place?!"

Bai Liang scratched his head—he thought people usually did that anyway~

The young lady clearly guessed something, and couldn't help rolling her eyes. "Just keep staying at the hotel! I live with my mom—I don't want her to see you, or she'll start nagging me again about how I'm still tangled up with some jerk."

"Does my aunt have such a big misunderstanding about me? Does she even know me?"

"I've used you as an example when talking to her," Mao Xiaotong admitted, slightly guilty.

Sneaking behind her mother's back to complain about jerks—and yet here she was, knowingly doing the very same thing, still unable to resist. How weak!

More importantly, what exactly had she been spying on for her sister?

Complete betrayal from within.

How could she ever face Reba again? How could she even interact with Sister Tian Tian now?

Just thinking about it made her feel guilty and overwhelmed.

She wasn't even as good as that evil little kitten—same thing, stealing from her best friend, yet the kitten had zero guilt.

Now it even had the nerve to act all confident, even trying to wash Meng Jie's hair and pull off that "Chronicles of Time" nonsense.

But the two of them did share one thing in common.

"My mom actually really likes you."

When it came to winning over elders, Li Yitong and Mao Xiaotong both had a distinct advantage in appearance.

They just loved this kind of sweet, innocent-looking girl.

"Huh?!"

Mao Xiaotong suddenly panicked—she couldn't even finish her breakfast. She dropped her chopsticks. "I didn't mean it like that! Can't we just pretend nothing happened?"

"If you can manage that, I'll cooperate," Bai Liang said plainly.

He was always passive—if the young lady was just occasionally craving something, even if she never contacted him again afterward, fine~

But so far, Bai Liang had never met such a person.

Not a single one!

Still, he thought Mao Xiaotong might actually pull it off—she was a "hardcore" type.

Maybe she could truly forget each other in the rivers and lakes, never to meet again.

Just look at how she got up this morning with him—flung off the covers and straight out of bed. She definitely had the ability and determination.

While Mao Xiaotong was psyching herself up, trying to freeze their relationship at last night's level and resolve to exercise restraint from now on—

Bai Liang trotted up to her. "We've got over an hour before heading to the set. Want to..."

"Are you a dog? Can't get enough?!" the young lady blurted out.

"... Want to go work out at the gym for a bit?"

"Nah, forget it," Mao Xiaotong quickly waved her hand—she had zero desire to exercise; her whole body ached.

Some spots even throbbed faintly, but thankfully not badly—otherwise she might not have been able to film today.

Filming?

Today the crew was mainly shooting Bai Liang's guest role—after leaving the hotel, Mao Xiaotong had been trying to keep some distance from him.

But once they got to the set, the director told her to kiss Bai Liang~

What a load of nonsense about keeping distance!

Yet despite having filmed with Bai Liang twice before, this guest role was the first time they actually fell in love on-screen.

"Mao Xiaotong's performance today was excellent! That mix of sweetness, hesitation, and inner turmoil—perfectly captured!"

Hearing the director's praise, Mao Xiaotong felt embarrassed, yet her heart was tangled.

As if trying to make up for something, she added: "Too bad I'm not a tall, stunning beauty—I'm not really his type."

"No way, you two had real chemistry. Here, take a look."

They really did.

Watching the monitor replay of herself nestled in Bai Liang's arms, sweet and delicate—there wasn't a hint of awkwardness.

This guy Bai Liang was just too versatile!

That night, Mao Xiaotong, who had originally decided to end it there, hesitated for a long time—then chose to stand her final watch.

But all her messy, negative thoughts vanished completely when she saw Jiang Shuying!

Holy cow!

Someone really came to "steal the house"!

Though technically, it wasn't stealing her home—it did make her own actions feel a little more justified.

Thank you, Jiang Shuying!

Jiang Shuying: "Wait, are you crazy?"

Everyone came knocking at night—but why was only she embarrassed, while Mao Xiaotong stood there all smug and glaring?

Had these two actually started dating? Had she succeeded in taking over?!

They stared at each other. Finally, Mao Xiaotong spoke first: "Why are you here so late at night? It's quite far."

"Aren't you here too?"

"How can you compare? You being here will cause gossip. I came because my sister asked me to check if there were any other women in his room."

Hearing this, Jiang Shuying was genuinely startled.

Which sister asked her to come?

At this moment, she suddenly remembered that Mao Xiaotong was a ruthless expert at catching adulterers.

Could she have taken on a "Didi Catch-Adultery" job?

The petite Mao Xiaotong now completely overshadowed Jiang Shuying's aura, leaving her mouth dry, her heart tense, and prompting her to consider retreating.

She didn't want to be hammered online.

And she already had a hunch about who had hired Mao Xiaotong.

That new rising starlet from Jiangnan wasn't someone to mess with—if this blew up online, she'd definitely "die horribly," and worse, she might face a mob attack.

So she quickly came up with a flimsy excuse for why she was here.

After a few sentences, she hurriedly took her leave.

Gone, gone!

Bai Liang: This young lady must be a "bad woman"—her intentions are far from pure.

Otherwise, with his luck, the two of them wouldn't have arrived one right after the other.

The reason why the fear of him being tricked or used by a "bad woman" had never come true was precisely because this would happen.

Someone would step forward!

Last time, Yang Tianbao was disrupted first by Ni Ni, then by that face-slapping incident.

This time, Mao Xiaotong alone handled Jiang Shuying, simply waving a tiger's pelt and scaring her off.

"Task complete, I'm heading back!"

"Huh?"

"Why are you staring at me? I already said, let's pretend nothing happened—I'm not staying here tonight," Mao Xiaotong declared firmly.

Though she spoke these words, her feet didn't move an inch.

"Oh~" Bai Liang nodded, giving her credit for keeping her word, but then raised another point: "What if she comes back for a surprise attack?"

Hearing this, Mao Xiaotong thought it made sense.

Then she had no choice—she might as well stay.

Fine, if I'm staying, I'll sleep on the sofa tonight!

After she scurried about, arranging blankets and pillows into a nest on the sofa, Bai Liang "reminded" her again: "It's winter—sleeping on this leather sofa will be freezing."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Mao Xiaotong glared at him in fury.

"I just thought of it now."

No choice then—the sofa was out, she'd have to sleep in the bed.

But she insisted she could control herself—her determination and willpower were strong.

"Mm, don't—"

"This is the last time!"

(End of Chapter)