Chapter 1645

Samuel chuckled and reached out to tousle Xiao Qingqing's hair affectionately. "Alright, I'll have someone get you a proper bed for this room soon. Just bear with it for a few days." He sighed inwardly, wondering how long it would take for her psychological wounds to heal. This time, Xiao Qingqing didn't object. As Samuel returned to his bed and lay down, Xiao Qingqing felt an awkward tension lingering in the shared space. Without another word, she placed her pillow on the sofa and settled in for the night. Perhaps it was the unfamiliarity of sharing a room with a man, but sleep eluded her. Hours passed before she suddenly heard faint, distressed murmurs from Samuel’s bed. Alarmed, she sat up and hurried over. Under the dim glow of the bedside lamp, Samuel’s eyes were tightly shut. Though his complexion wasn’t as deathly pale as the night before, and no sweat beaded his forehead, his features were twisted in anguish. Soft, incoherent words escaped his lips. Xiao Qingqing leaned closer, trying to make sense of his murmurs—when suddenly, his arms shot out and pulled her into a crushing embrace. She gasped as she tumbled against his chest, instinctively struggling to free herself. But then she heard his tormented plea, "Don’t go… don’t leave me." Her brows furrowed. Had Third Uncle fallen into another nightmare? *Don’t leave…* Was it about the woman he loved? She tilted her head to study his pained expression and whispered, "Third Uncle?" But he gave no response, only held her tighter. Then, with a shuddering breath, he pressed his lips gently to her forehead. The warm sensation made Xiao Qingqing instinctively shrink her neck. She quickly lowered her head, avoiding the unintentional intimacy. Yet, Samuel tightened his arms in response, forcing her head to rest against his chest. She wriggled slightly, trying to free herself, but to no avail. With an exasperated sigh, she muttered under her breath, "What kind of mess is this?" Unbeknownst to her, the strikingly handsome face above curved into a faint, knowing smile. Since sleep eluded her anyway, she stopped resisting and simply lay still. She had assumed she could endure until he loosened his grip—but strangely, despite her usual insomnia, nestled in his embrace, drowsiness soon overtook her again. By the time she awoke, dawn had already broken. Now lying with her back to Samuel, she felt his arms still wrapped around her neck and waist, their bodies pressed close. What unsettled her most, however, was the unmistakable pressure against her beneath the sheets. Her petite face flushed as she recalled what she’d read—about men’s natural morning reactions. She inched forward slightly, attempting to create some distance. But Samuel’s arm, like an octopus’s tentacle, effortlessly reeled her back in. Xiao Qingqing could only sigh in resignation. To make matters worse, still lost in sleep, he nuzzled against her unconsciously before resting his chin atop her head. Xiao Qingqing gritted her teeth—this was absolutely... mortifying! She couldn't lie still any longer. With a determined shift, she twisted out of Samuel's embrace and sat up abruptly. The sudden movement naturally "woke" Samuel. His drowsy eyes fluttered open, meeting Xiao Qingqing's gaze. A hint of confusion flickered across his face as he murmured, "Qingqing? Why are you in the bed... Oh, did I start sleep-talking again last night?" Xiao Qingqing forced an awkward smile. It was undeniably... strange for someone who had been sleeping on the sofa to suddenly appear in another person's bed. But she couldn’t very well tell him that he had trapped her in his arms all night, refusing to let go. That would only burden him with unnecessary guilt. Instead, she deflected, "Uncle Samuel, your symptoms last night weren’t as severe as the night before." "Really?" He rubbed his temple absently. "I don’t remember much—just that the nightmare was agonizing at first. Then suddenly, I grabbed onto something... and felt safe. Seems like you were my anchor, Qingqing." As he spoke, his gaze lingered on her flushed cheeks. Concern creased his brow as he slowly sat up and reached out, brushing his fingers lightly against her face. "You’re burning up. Are you feeling unwell?" Xiao Qingqing suppressed a groan. This man was utterly clueless about the effect he had on her! Yet he wasn’t doing it on purpose, so she couldn’t exactly call him out. She leaned away slightly, evading his touch. "No, I’m fine—just a bit warm, that’s all. Uncle Samuel, I should... go back to my room now." Samuel nodded, watching as she hurried out with quick, flustered steps. Once the door clicked shut, he glanced down at himself and let out a quiet, rueful chuckle. After restraining himself all night, his body ached with emptiness. Talk about self-inflicted torment. He muttered under his breath, "Hold on, just a little longer. I'll satisfy you soon enough!" He stepped into the bathroom and took a cold shower. Wrapped in nothing but a towel, he had barely stepped out when the door suddenly burst open. Xiao Qingqing rushed in, her voice frantic, "Uncle! Uncle! Something terrible—" Her words cut off abruptly. Before her stood Samuel, clad only in a towel around his waist. His damp hair dripped water down his chiseled torso, beads sliding over the defined ridges of his eight-pack abs, lending him an almost indecent allure. Xiao Qingqing quickly averted her gaze, regretting her impulsive intrusion and the sight she had stumbled upon. Yet Samuel seemed unfazed by being seen in such a state. He approached her calmly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear before asking in a gentle tone, "What's wrong? Take your time, tell me slowly." The urgency of her mission suddenly rushed back to her. "You haven't seen last night's news, have you?" she blurted. "No, I haven't. What happened? Fill me in." Xiao Qingqing took a deep breath. "Two things went viral online last night. First, Su Jiaojiao was caught sneaking into a hotel with President Qin after leaving the club—they spent the night together. And second... footage of us leaving the club and coming back here together was also leaked..." She glanced at him anxiously. After all, Samuel had no shortage of enemies waiting to pounce. With the news now exposed, she feared she had dragged him into trouble. Sure enough, after a moment of contemplation, Samuel's expression darkened. He met her gaze solemnly. "Seems I wasn't cautious enough—someone managed to exploit the oversight. I'm sorry, Qingqing. This is my fault. I’ve put you in a difficult position."