One hundred and ten.

The Commander’s residence is not a place just anyone can enter. Zhehui, unable to shed her pride, could not bring herself to force her way in, so Xiaodie spent several days loitering at the gate on her behalf. Unfortunately, not only did she fail to see the man, but she was also nearly gunned down on the spot for being treated as a security threat.

Just as Xiaodie was feeling dejected and ready to give up, by a twist of fate, Ding Xia—who was visiting with her sisters to deliver a birthday gift for the Commander’s wife—noticed her pacing at the gate.

The kind and innocent Ding Xia could not bear to see someone looking so distressed. She walked over and kindly asked what was wrong. Xiaodie, a sharp and resourceful woman, immediately sensed that Ding Xia was easy to manipulate. She spun a story that was half-truth and half-lie, then begged Ding Xia for help.

"Brother Zhuo?" Ding Xia said softly. "Alright, I’ll speak to the Commander’s wife and have her pass a message to him, how about that?"

"No, that’s not quite right," Xiaodie said, putting on a pitiful expression. "Um... in short, I hope you won't go through anyone else and will tell Officer Zhuo directly."

"I will try my best," Ding Xia offered a gentle smile. "I hear he has been very busy lately, so I cannot guarantee the message will reach him."

"It’s fine, I will remember your great kindness," Xiaodie thought to herself, mocking this woman for being so gullible, while wearing an expression of the utmost sincerity. "If there is ever a chance, I will surely repay you!"

"No need," Ding Xia said. "We will be out very soon. If you have nothing else to do, just wait here so you don’t miss the news."

"Alright, thank you so much!"

Xiaodie waited outside, feeling smug and triumphant. Ding Xia was true to her word; she emerged in less than an hour and said happily, "You are quite lucky, Brother Zhuo happens to be home today. He agreed, but he said that meeting at that location is inappropriate and might cause misunderstandings, so he will send someone to pick you up and take you elsewhere."

Xiaodie quickly agreed. "No problem, is the time still the same?"

"Yes, seven o'clock in the evening," Ding Xia said considerately. "If you have any grievances, just speak up. Don't be afraid; Brother Zhuo is a good man and will see justice done for you."

"Thank you, you are truly a wonderful person, thank you!"

After respectfully seeing Ding Xia off, Xiaodie turned and hurried toward their dormitory, smiling from ear to ear the entire way. Indeed, flowers raised in a greenhouse had no idea how sinister the human heart could be. A few sweet words and she believed everything. Life was so unfair; such people were lucky enough to remain naive forever, while she had to use any means necessary just to survive. Being born into the right life was truly a technical skill.

Once Zhehui learned of Xiaodie’s success, the weight lifted from her heart. "You are a benefactor to both me and Chenglan. If we are ever together, I will never forget you."

Xiaodie replied, "That is exactly what I was waiting to hear. Remember what I told you; stay calm when the time comes, take it slow, and don't make any mistakes, or else you'll lose everything."

"I will."

With about three hours left until the meeting, Zhehui prepared herself nervously under Xiaodie’s guidance. After a careful bath and grooming, she put on a dress that Xiaodie had "borrowed" from a shop, making herself look quite presentable.

Thinking that she would finally see Zhuo Chenglan, Zhehui was filled with such intense excitement that time seemed to slow to a crawl. She checked the clock on the wall multiple times, wondering if it had broken, and ran out to ask, only to be teased by Xiaodie repeatedly.

Zhuo Chenglan’s men were indeed punctual. As the hour hand struck seven, a soldier knocked on the door. Zhehui stood up, forcing herself to appear composed, and opened the door.

It was someone from the cleanup squad whom she had seen before—one of the young men under Feng Ying. He seemed to recognize Zhehui and said with a smile, "Are you ready to go? Our director is already waiting."

"Yes," she replied coolly.

"Please, this way."

The car sent by Zhuo Chenglan took Zhehui directly to a restaurant in the Capital Garden. The place was much like "The Maze"—elegant and mysterious. What made her heart race was that he had taken her to a private room; it seemed things would be much easier than expected.

Pushing the door open, Zhehui was momentarily dazed.

From the outside, the room looked ordinary, but the interior was a different world. The ceiling was textured with embedded starlike bulbs, resembling a brilliant night sky. Aside from the dining table and chairs, the room featured flower stands, a small artificial fountain, a swing, and a vintage sofa. The sofa was large and luxuriously draped in velvet; it would surely feel wonderful to lie there together. The only drawback was that the room was too bright, feeling a bit too exposed in the broad daylight.

Wait, what was she thinking?

Zhehui coughed a few times and sat down across from Zhuo Chenglan, her voice as soft as water. "Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to see me."

Zhuo Chenglan’s voice was flat. "No need to be so formal. I heard you were bullied at the shop?"

Zhehui nodded, her eyes reddening. "It’s a long story, I don’t know if you are in a rush..."

"I have no other plans for the evening." Zhuo Chenglan suddenly thought of something. "I apologize, I was in a rush to get here and haven’t eaten yet. Would you mind joining me?"

Zhehui was overjoyed but lowered her head to hide her expression. "Um... as it happens, I haven't eaten either."

Zhuo Chenglan rang the bell. Soon, a waiter arrived and asked in a low voice what they required. Zhuo Chenglan ordered a few items, checked the list of dishes and drinks, and left the room after confirming everything. A moment later, he returned with several waiters pushing a cart; they arranged the items neatly and exited silently. The entire process was as fluid and quiet as a cunning cat.

While Zhuo Chenglan was ordering, Zhehui had quietly taken out the small perfume bottle hidden in her clothes and dabbed some of the liquid onto her wrists.

This aphrodisiac perfume was something Xiaodie had gotten for her, reportedly containing extracts from some kind of crystal core. Its effects were legendary—an essential item in brothels that could drive a man to lose all self-control in minutes, while having no effect on women. Even so, as Zhehui caught the scent, she couldn't help but associate it with what was to come. Her whole body trembled slightly, and a wave of heat and electricity surged between her legs; she felt as though she were already uncontrollably damp.

"It’s very fragrant," Zhuo Chenglan asked. "Are you wearing perfume?"

"No..." Zhehui shook her head. "It might just be my natural scent."

"Is that so."

As Zhehui ate, she recounted her ordeal in detail. These were words Xiaodie had coached her on, and they sounded exceptionally sorrowful. Coupled with her naturally attractive face, most men would typically feel pity and rush to comfort her.

Unfortunately, Zhuo Chenglan remained calm. He listened in silence, offering no opinion.

Zhehui grew anxious. Just as she considered going to the restroom to apply the rest of the perfume, Zhuo Chenglan’s expression suddenly changed.

"What’s wrong?"

"It’s a bit... hot." Zhuo Chenglan frowned and slowly undid the top two buttons of his military uniform and the first button of his shirt. "Forgive my rudeness, please continue."

Zhehui couldn't help but swallow hard.

The way he unbuttoned his shirt was incredibly seductive; the sight of his long fingers brushing against his collar and the sliver of skin at his collarbone was enough to kill.

"Uh, it’s, it’s just that they gathered together and spoke ill of me..." Zhehui was about to reach her limit. "Um, may I be excused for a moment?"

"Of course, please go ahead."

Zhehui tried to maintain an elegant demeanor as she walked into the adjacent restroom. After closing the door behind her, she nearly collapsed against the sink, breathing heavily.

In the mirror, her face was flushed with lust. The raw desire visible on her own features startled even her.

Zhehui reached into her skirt and was mortified to find herself drenched from her thighs to her knees. She couldn't help but wonder if Xiaodie had given her a fake—an aphrodisiac for women instead. But looking at Zhuo Chenglan’s expression earlier, he should have been affected too.

With this thought, her confidence returned. She gritted her teeth and sprayed all the remaining perfume on herself. Perhaps it was just psychological, but she felt that her reflection looked exceptionally alluring—no man could resist her.

Had she used too much? She hoped he wouldn't be too rough later... No, if it were him, she could endure anything. Zhehui covered her face and couldn't help but giggle.

After tidying her clothes and expression, Zhehui regained her cold, alluring look and walked out.

Huh? Where was Zhuo Chenglan?

The chair opposite her was empty. Zhehui froze for a moment, and just as she was about to panic, she saw that Zhuo Chenglan was already lying on the large sofa.

He seemed to be in great discomfort, with his left arm over his eyes and his right hand limp against the floor. His clothes were already in disarray.

Zhehui approached him, trembling, and reached out to touch his face. "What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Zhuo Chenglan pushed her away with his right hand. "Don't touch me. Leave, quickly."

"How can I leave you like this?" Zhehui leaned closer. "Are you very hot? Do you want me to help you take off your clothes?"

In truth, her personality would never allow her to say such things, but this was also Xiaodie’s instruction. Under these circumstances, suggestive language could best steer the situation and stir the desires hidden deep within a man.

"Get away from me. This restaurant is problematic; I was careless," Zhuo Chenglan said, sounding agitated. "Go call the soldier outside in the hallway to come in and take me back, or something bad will happen."

Zhehui naturally wouldn't call anyone. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Zhuo Chenglan’s waist. "It doesn’t matter if something happens. I... I don't care."

"I care." Zhuo Chenglan seemed to be using his last shred of reason. "I am already engaged. I cannot betray my wife."

"Then can you betray me?" Zhehui said, tears welling up. "We love each other, why can't we be together?"

"What are you talking about? You are not the one I love." Zhuo Chenglan sounded angry. "Go call someone, I can't hold on much longer..."

"I don't care! I won't hand you over to anyone else!" Zhehui frantically stripped off her clothes one by one, standing completely naked before Zhuo Chenglan. "I don't care who you love, I just want to be with you!"

After she said this, Zhuo Chenglan’s rapid breathing suddenly steadied. His body stopped tensing and relaxed completely. He lowered his arm from his eyes, his gaze clear and untroubled—not a hint of distress or urgency remained. "Are you planning to rape me?"

Zhehui felt that something was wrong, but she was so intoxicated by the drugs that she wanted nothing more than to swallow him whole. She had no room in her mind to think of anything else. She coiled around him like a snake. "You are the only one in my world. I want no one but you..."

Zhuo Chenglan laughed. The smile was thrillingly wicked, leaving Zhehui feeling weak and unable to look away.

"While it is quite flattering to have a woman feel so deeply for me," Zhuo Chenglan said lazily, "what about my brother? Are you giving up on him?"

Zhehui went stiff.

"Hey, you lot have seen enough, haven't you?" Zhuo Chenglan stood up and addressed the wall. "It was just a cameo; don't make me actually sacrifice myself."

In an instant, the wall began to shimmer. A few seconds later, it transformed into a transparent glass partition. Behind it, several rows of stunned onlookers sat in theater seats, staring at the naked Zhehui. The expressions on both sides were one of utter shock.

"Zhuo Chenglan" straightened his clothes and said idly, "I forgot to tell you: this restaurant was renovated. This private room used to be a prop room for filming. The wall was custom-made recently—people outside can see in, but those inside cannot see out."

Seeing Zhuo Chenglan and Ye Yin sitting side-by-side in the viewing gallery, Zhehui’s face turned paler than a ghost’s. She shook violently, her teeth chattering so hard she couldn't speak.

Zhuo Zelian tilted Zhehui’s chin up, smiling quite harmlessly. "Would you rather walk away yourself, or become the most famous actress in the First Base?"