Chapter 216: Asked Out
Goosebumps instantly erupted over Chen Dong's skin. That voice was just so forced and high-pitched.
The man's face and build were average, but he had a rather effeminate air about him. He looked to be in his twenties. 'Can't he just talk normally?'
Chen Dong was puzzled.
Without waiting for Chen Dong to respond, the man stepped forward, grabbed his hand, and started pulling him toward a small grove of trees.
Chen Dong frowned. "There's no one else here. If you have something to say, just say it."
The man covered his mouth, letting out a coquettish giggle. "Oh, honestly! There's no cover at all out here. It's making me a little shy!"
Chen Dong was confused. "I've already scanned the area. There's no one around. You can relax."
The man glanced around, then nodded lightly as if he'd made a decision. "Alright!" he said, then wrapped an arm around Chen Dong's waist and placed his other hand on Chen Dong's chest.
Chen Dong immediately shoved the man away, his expression turning sour. "What do you think you're doing?!"
The man froze, stunned, not understanding why Chen Dong had pushed him away. A flash of anger crossed his face, but the infatuation in his eyes kept him from leaving. In that same pitiful, cloying voice, he said, "But didn't you say to do it here? I was doing just what you wanted! Or... do you prefer to be the one to take charge? A little rougher, maybe? Siiigh. Fine, then. You can have your way. I'll even pretend to fight back!" His expression shifted from pitiful to one of grudging compromise.
As he spoke, he pulled down the collar of his tracksuit, baring a shoulder.
Seeing this, Chen Dong finally understood what the man was after. "I believe there's been a misunderstanding," he said coldly. "I thought you invited me here for something important. This sort of business isn't what I had in mind. Goodbye." He turned to leave.
The man's expression instantly soured. "Hold on! You came all the way out here and you're telling me you didn't know what this was about? Are you trying to play me for a fool? If you're not into me, just say it! Don't pull this 'I'm so innocent' act, pretending to be all pure. God, you people are such a turn-off!"
With that, he shot Chen Dong an eye-roll, straightened his clothes, and sashayed back down the mountain.
Chen Dong sucked in a sharp breath, purely out of frustration. 'To think someone could see my masculine haircut and still mistake me for being gay!' He fought down the urge to beat the man to a pulp, slapping at his own chest instead.
Having just been hugged and his chest touched by that man, Chen Dong felt... sullied. He slapped at his chest again as if dusting off filth, muttering to himself, "It's ruined. This chest is tainted. I'll have to get rid of it."
It wasn't that Chen Dong was homophobic; he was just thoroughly disgusted by that particular man.
Pulling out the other note, Chen Dong hesitated. 'Should I even bother going up?' But he had come all this way. 'Might as well see it through. Surely not *every* note is for a hookup, right?'
Chen Dong didn't think he was that charismatic; after all, he'd been working at the Li Group for some time now and no one had tried to hit on him. What if that guy was just an outlier? Besides, it wasn't much farther.
Chen Dong walked briskly to the summit. At a spot with a superb view stood a scenic pavilion. Beside its red pillars sat a graceful, beautiful woman. She had wavy hair, a lovely face adorned with exquisite makeup, and an outstandingly curvaceous figure. She appeared to be around thirty but looked even younger.
Chen Dong glanced at the ring on the woman's hand. 'She's married,' he thought. 'There's no way she's here to proposition me, too.'
Hearing footsteps, the woman turned. Her eyes, hazy and flirtatious, settled on Chen Dong as she said gently, "You're here."
Chen Dong straightened up and gave a slight nod. "Excuse me, ma'am. Why did you ask me to meet you here?"
Seeing his formal demeanor, the woman gave a captivating smile. "Come, sit," she said, patting the empty space beside her.
Chen Dong grew wary. 'Why so close?' He sat down on the bench opposite her instead.
The woman wasn't offended by his reservedness. Smiling, she simply stood up and moved to sit next to him.
Chen Dong frowned. "Ma'am, can we get down to business now?"
The woman's hand crept onto his thigh, and she began to lean her head toward his shoulder. "Isn't this the business?"
A choice from his Inner Realm Mystic Passage flashed before him, but Chen Dong ignored it completely. He shot to his feet, putting several feet of distance between himself and the woman.
'This again?' Chen Dong cursed inwardly, not even bothering to look at the Inner Realm choice that had appeared. Ever since his resurrection with the Evil Flood Dragon Essence Blood, his libido had been off the charts, but he still had his standards.
The woman before him was attractive, with a great figure, but she was married. And while Chen Dong might have Chancellor Cao's eye for beautiful women, his interest was purely appreciative. He couldn't bring himself to destroy a family and a marriage.
"Are you that scared of me, handsome?" the woman said, rising to her feet. "I don't bite. You're already here... shouldn't we make the most of our time?"
Chen Dong took another step back, forcing a smile. "Ma'am, I think you've misunderstood. Let's just say our goodbyes here."
The woman's eyes were brimming with passion. "There's no misunderstanding," she cooed. "When you touched my hand, the feeling was so electric. It made my heart race. I'm sure you felt it too. How could that be a misunderstanding?"
Chen Dong was stunned. 'When did my touch become so magical? All I did was touch her hand and this beautiful married woman is completely smitten?'
Though he couldn't figure it out, Chen Dong backed away again. "Ma'am, please don't come any closer!"
The woman closed the distance again. "Are you nervous about being on the mountaintop? You don't look like a timid man. Don't worry, I brought a mat. We can go to a more secluded spot over there."
Chen Dong's gaze fell to the woman's fair, slender calves, and his baser instincts began to stir. He cursed silently, 'So this is how the Tian Family tests outsiders!'