«What do you mean?» a confused Lin Longwei asked.

«It should be me jumping on you and not the contrary.»

«I won't complain.»

Xu Mei casually hit him on the chest. «I'm serious. What are you doing?»

«You want me to be more of a challenge to conquer?»

«No, it's not...» she was suddenly silent, perplexed.

Lin Longwei was messing with her mind!

«Why are you touching me all the time?»

«Does it bother you?»

«Answer my question first!»

«Because I like to. Now you can answer me too.»

«It doesn't bother me.»

«Then I don't have to stop.»

He tightened his embrace and moved his face closer to hers.

«Wait!»

Xu Mei pushed him and made some steps back. She stopped when her back touched the wall. She finally could breathe.

Lin Longwei didn't come any closer but waited for her to clean her mind.

«Are you taking advantage of me?» she asked when she recovered her ability to speak.

«Yes.»

Xu Mei didn't expect such a direct admission, but it made sense. Lin Longwei knew about her involvement with the Insurgents, and he was sure she wouldn't try any trick on him because of that. He knew what the Prime Minister wanted her to do, so why wouldn't he rip the best benefits from the situation?

«I won't work for you if you do that,» Xu Mei stated, a bit disappointed.

She had thought Lin Longwei was different from the people she was surrounded by in the Xu family, but why would he be? He was the same: he had the same education and social status, the same wealth and family background. There was no reason for him to be more human than the people she was trying to break free from.

«You know I can find another expert in no time.»

'Right,' she thought, and her body froze.

She could leave whenever she wanted, she was capable of escaping from Pearl Palace. At least, she could try. Though, that wouldn't be a wise move.

Xu Mei couldn't foresee Lin Longwei's reaction, so she had to make sure he wouldn't retaliate later.

«I am more useful than you think.»

«I know,» he smiled mischievously.

She fought against herself to not fall under his charismatic spell. She had to clear some points before losing her mind for good. What more, she needed a solution to the fact that she liked that smile, or she would be staring at that attractive devil non-stop and wouldn't be able to do her job!

«Then you should let go of me.»

«But you already are free to come and go from here as you wish.»

She swallowed. Her brain wasn't working any more. It was the first time in her life that she didn't have control over a situation.

Even Zhou Anan or Xu Bao could bully her solely because she let them. That man in front of her was the first person that could make her lose her keen mind.

Lin Longwei moved a step in her direction.

«Stop there! Don't come any closer!»

«Are you afraid of me?»

She shook the head, but Lin Longwei didn't believe her.

«I already told you that I don't want to hurt you. And I won't touch you any more without your consent, ok?»

His voice was tender and seducing. Xu Mei didn't know whether she could trust him, but a part of her had already surrendered.

Lin Longwei moved another step forward. The girl's reaction had initially been a pleasing sight. Seeing Xu Mei all worked up for his embrace had pushed him to tease her even more. But then, she had started to panic again.

Lin Longwei understood that he didn't like to see her frightened, even if the reason for that reaction was him.

«I was joking.»

Xu Mei flattened against the wall to get further from him.

«I won't do it again, I promise.»

«You are lying,» she uttered with a broken voice.

«If I do it again, I'll let you take revenge. Deal?»

«No deals with politicians any more.»

«No deals, then.»

Lin Longwei had already accepted that crossing the line would make Xu Mei leave forever. The man leaned on the wall, paying attention not to create any contact between their bodies. He knew that, if he just let her leave like that, there was the possibility he wouldn't meet her again.

«Let's go see the sunrise.»

«What?» she frowned. «The sun has already been up for some time.»

«Here.»

«What?»

«Here is up, but five thousand kilometres from here it's still night.»

«You want to teleport?»

«Teleportation is not safe yet, I'm talking about bullet trains.»

«Are you messing again?»

«Do you want to try it? The safety testing just ended, and it can be now used by humans.»

«Seriously?» she inquired with sparkly eyes. «So the rumours about the underground tunnels are true? How fast are the bullets? How much energy do they require? What material are they made of?»

«Details are confidential but, if you want to take a ride, we can go now.»

Xu Mei nearly followed him before realising it. At that moment, the rational part of her being was entirely under his spell as well. There was no trace of resistance anymore.

Still, she tried to put an act, to not let him notice how easy it had been.

«But how? You are just a senator after all.»

«Who said I am only a senator?»

«It's impossible! It's too much: you have a corporation to manage, political issues to solve and also military-level clearance? Who are you?»

«It's confidential.»

«This is a trap.»

«I don't need to trap you, now, do I?»

«Indeed.»

Lin Longwei smiled victoriously. He had realised long before that curiosity was her weak point and used it. Still, he needed to make sure she wouldn't follow around other people just like that, in the future.