Xu Peng bolted out of the office in a desperate flurry, his back hunched and his nose cupped in his hands like a hapless jester fumbling his way through an ill-practiced trick. Anyone with half an eye could see something was amiss; even more so for someone as keenly perceptive as Senior Bai Ling.
Had Xu Peng glanced back while stumbling through the office door, he would’ve caught a glimpse of the person he idolized—his image of Bai Ling as the epitome of gentleness and grace—staring back at him with a gaze so cold and calculating it could have frozen fire.
Behind the closed door, which Xu Peng mindfully shut despite his panicked state, a hint of indifference curved the corners of Bai Ling’s delicate eyes. Her slender, nimble fingers danced the pen along their tips as if it might whirl out of her grasp at any moment—only for her to firmly reclaim control, tracing perfect arcs of uninterrupted grace.
Just like a heart, awakened at the precise moment it was intended to be.
“Well then, wasn’t that unexpected... but exceptionally smooth.” Her voice carried a lilt of quiet amusement, and as her thin lips curled into a chillingly soft smile, the warmth in her expression slipped, replaced by an eerie undercurrent of hunger. A muffled laugh, born from deep within, worked its way to her lips—a low, restrained chuckle with the sharp undertone of winter's bite.
An entire year had passed since she’d sown the seeds of her plan, letting them lie dormant, nurtured only by patience and precision. And now, they germinated at exactly the moment she willed them to bloom. Life, indeed, was a fascinating experiment. Once a particular desire awakened, there was no way to revert to that past idyll of naive innocence. Faithful dogs, once pledged to their masters, never betrayed them. In fact, humans could be decidedly less reliable. Dogs, at least, had the merit of being predictably loyal.
All she'd done was act at the right time, from the optimal position, within a serendipitous encounter. It was then that Bai Ling had noticed Xu Peng's unspoken hunger, desperate and raw, hidden behind his every look. A yearning even he dared not acknowledge. She’d merely nudged him into facing himself, inviting him to recognize what had been gestating all along.
But the path...ah, now that was his. One he had to tread for himself. To Senior Bai Ling, her guidance towards those like her had always been delivered so—a nudge here, a knowing smile there.
As for what Xu Peng would become, whether his transformation aligned with her expectations, well, she would let time tell. After all, it was far more interesting to let the fruit of mischief grow wild, without forceful sculpting, than to neatly prune its evolution.
Senior Bai Ling was never in want of patience. Her resolve, while occasionally pulled taut by moods that flirted with the edges of impatience, was a well-honed blade, tempered and enduring. How else could she have reined her desires in check for over a year... for the sake of her dearest Junior Li Ming?
“Although…” she mused with an arch of her delicate brow, “perhaps things went a bit *too* smoothly. If he becomes too aware of his repressed impulses now, it could... complicate matters.” Her voice trailed off, taking on a singsong cadence. “After all, Junior Li Ming hasn’t even truly entered the battlefield of the Student Council yet. I can’t have him struggling to overcome this kind of ‘boss’ just yet~~”
Unruly chaos, while amusing, was not quite her preferred art. Assuming, of course, that everything could meander toward her meticulously planned conclusion—well now, that would be ideal~~.
“Which means,” she murmured, interrupting the mesmerizing spin of her fountain pen and snapping it decisively back into its stand, “It’s time for the warm and understanding Senior Bai Ling to sweep those recent… hiccups under the rug~~ But not entirely, of course… Just enough to leave a trace, something for him to dwell on~~”
With a final flourish of calm precision, Bai Ling left the office, her fingers brushing over her phone to fire off the pre-arranged announcement for the Student Council recruitment process to the work chat group. Predictably, the chat erupted into a flurry of eager responses and courteous queries.
Bai Ling answered those messages with nothing less than her polished, gracious warmth, offering a smile that was as flawless as a porcelain doll’s. The cracks that had marred her serene mask earlier were smoothed over seamlessly, leaving no trace of the predator's grin that had graced her lips not moments before. Poised and impeccable, the epitome of soft grace, Senior Bai Ling was once again untouchable. Any trace of the frigid menace she'd revealed earlier had dissipated, like mist retreating before the sun.
–––––– *** ––––––
Xu Peng’s heart pounded with a frantic desperation, each frantic beat a drum announcing his spiraling turmoil. His entire chest burned, suffused with an emotion so foreign and wild it threatened to overtake him.
How many handfuls of cold water had he splashed on his face in a vain attempt to cool the fire racing through his veins? Yet, the heat in his cheeks persisted—alongside an all-consuming guilt that hollowed his stomach. He braced himself against the sink, his palms pressed firmly to its cold surface, staring into the mirror.
How could he?
How could he?!
In the middle of work, of all times. When Senior Bai Ling, so serene, so unsuspecting, was there. And yet he’d allowed himself to commit such a profane act! *Such a heinous thought, so vile, so repugnant…*
Unforgivable. *I’m unforgivable!*
He clenched his teeth so hard his jaw ached. It wasn’t just that… that he’d always revered Bai Ling as though she were his own sister. Nor that she held that comforting warmth he’d never felt entitled to, that he’d long considered untainted by any form of base desire. No, the worst part was that *his weak mind, his treacherous body, had responded!*
The image returned, unbidden, wrapping around his thoughts like a hungry mist. Bai Ling’s half-lidded gaze, her neck arched in lazy elegance, the milky column of her throat bathed in soft light, that mesmerizing hollow of her collarbone that seemed to beckon his gaze downward... His breath quickened, and he realized with horror that blood had begun its traitorous trek down his upper lip once again.
*SMACK!*
The slap he delivered to his own flushed cheek cracked through the air like a gunshot. It left a burning sting that forced his wild thoughts to recoil momentarily. However, with bitter recognition, Xu Peng stared into the mirror, at his bleeding, disheveled reflection—like a man fresh off a brawl. Only, his fight was far from over. His darting, unfocused eyes betrayed the real struggle within. His fists shook, and he drew his hand high above his head, ready to deliver another crushing blow to the side of his skull.
*CRACK.*
The sound that met his ears wasn’t the slap of skin against skin. Instead, his hand met resistance—firm, delicate fingers ceasing its turbulent descent.
The subtle fragrance that made its way into his senses was unmistakable. His eyes flew open with panic.
His misplaced blow had landed on the arm of Senior Bai Ling, who stood just beside him now. Whatever punishment he had meant for himself was upended—the force of the strike only causing the loose tendrils of her hair to sway gently.
His mouth moved but no words came out. Eviscerating shock churned in his chest, his feet stumbling backward under her calm, steady gaze.
"Running out like that so flustered… Don’t forget you’re a part of the Student Council now. Always hold yourself together. First, clean yourself up." Bai Ling’s voice was even, untouched by fury. She extended a soft, white towel—procured from who knows where—and gently placed it in his trembling hands.
In that moment, Xu Peng could scarcely believe his eyes. She didn’t display even an ounce of anger, her refined features serene and gracious as ever.
“I’m… I’m sorry, Senior Bai Ling…” he stammered, his voice faltering with guilt.
Bowing his head, Xu Peng clutched her offered towel and spoke to his shoes rather than her face. Even in his despair, his mind involuntarily betrayed him—a sudden flicker of his gaze darting to her neatly buttoned shirt. Not a stitch was out of place. The glimpse he’d stolen earlier was but a thing of the past, yet Bai Ling had to have caught on to his shameful act. There was no way she hadn’t.
“Admitting your mistake is a good first step,” she replied calmly, a mother’s warmth in her voice that only deepened his self-recrimination. “I, too, ought to take better care to carry myself appropriately while working.”
“No, it’s not your fault, Senior!” His voice was almost a shout in its resolve, filled with undeserved fervor.
“Let this be the end of it, then,” she said, dismissively. “By the way, the latest Student Council recruitment process has been sent out. Make sure you check the group chat.”
With that, she gave him a small, encouraging smile—the very image of poise in her understanding and composure. Gazing into her kind eyes, Xu Peng's frantic spirit ebbed slightly, subdued by the warmth they carried.
He dipped his head, his face reddening and his resolve hardening in equal measure. "I'll work hard, Senior Bai Ling!"
She offered a last serene glance before disappearing down the corridor. Though his heart beat fiercely in his chest, Xu Peng clung to his sense of shame as if it tethered him to reality. Little did he realize, the spark of exhilaration that had ignited his pulse and sent blood surging through his veins still smoldered faintly within.
