Survival Guide After Accidentally Kissing a Demon - Chapter 370

Extra — IF: Cassius (2)

He had replied.

He had accepted her offer of a gift in return.

He was a man. A very tall man.

Beili stared blankly at the set of numbers on the screen.

A height of 189 cm, a chest measurement of 104 cm, and a waist of 75 cm.

It was the sort of dramatic inverted-triangle physique possessed by only the finest male models she saw in magazines and at fashion weeks.

The measurements were even better than those of many professional models.

They met an almost inhuman standard.

She had originally imagined that C might be an elegant elderly British aristocrat, or perhaps an older, exacting businessman.

But the figure outlined by these numbers was altogether different: tall, flawless, and possessed of the commanding presence of a statue molded by the hand of a God.

As her mind sketched out his silhouette, a strange feeling slowly welled in her heart.

Beili drew a deep breath, cleared the unnecessary thoughts from her mind, and replied to the email.

> I have received your measurements. I will put great care into designing and making the garment. Thank you again for your gift and your trust.
>
> Beili

Heavy snow fell outside the window, draping all of London in a white blanket.

After heating the pizza, she ate while she thought.

Then she opened her sketchbook and began laying out the lines in her mind.

She wanted to make a coat.

A structured coat that suited his height. Its overall silhouette would be long and austere. The fabric would be fine pure wool, and its color deep-space gray…

The scratch of her pen across the paper filled the room.

After revision upon revision, the design was finished by late that night.

The fine fabric and premium buttons she had chosen, however, were far from inexpensive.

Beili did not want to use the sponsorship money to buy the materials for the garment. That would greatly diminish the sincerity of her gift.

Nor was she willing to lower its quality.

If someone so wealthy received a garment made from mediocre materials, they might never even try it on before burying it at the bottom of a chest.

She naturally hoped that the clothing she designed and made with her own hands would be worn.

And so, Beili decided to find a job over the winter holiday and earn the money for the materials.

The moment the idea occurred to her, she began searching for short-term jobs in London.

Many large shops were desperate for staff over the Christmas holiday.

With the seasonal sales approaching in particular, they needed large numbers of temporary employees.

Her English was already sufficient for everyday conversation, so finding temporary work was not especially difficult.

The next day, Beili found work as a temporary sales assistant for the Christmas and New Year period at an upmarket department store in central London.

She would assist with the sale of luxury jewellery in the store.

Plenty of people looked at the luxury goods, but few ultimately took out a card and bought them.

Beili was only a temporary worker, and her pay was not linked to sales performance. Product introductions and sales pitches were not entrusted to her.

All she had to do was take pieces from the gleaming glass cases according to a customer’s preferences, help the customer try them on, and finally package them—or return them to the case.

The work was repetitive, but far from easy.

She had to wear the standard uniform and thin stilettos, standing for long periods without even being able to sit down and rest.

By the end of each day, both her calves and her heels ached.

But two weeks of temporary work would earn her enough to pay for the materials. No matter how much it hurt, she was more than willing.

It was now nine in the evening, London time.

Christmas had passed a week ago, but the festive cheer still filled the air.

It was also the weekend, and the entire department store was packed with people carrying gift bags of every size.

Beili stood behind a glass counter when she suddenly heard the saleswoman to one side call her name gently and signal for her to take the newest gemstone bracelet from the case so that a female customer could try it on.

Beili acknowledged her and turned around.

The female customer’s male companion wore a white coat. He was tall, with pale skin, golden hair, green eyes, and features as perfect as the sculpture of an angel.

Yet when this flawless man saw Beili, unmistakable surprise appeared on his face.

It was as though a stone had been dropped into his emerald pupils, sending ripples of astonishment across them.

After their gazes met for two seconds, he seemed to remember something and quickly stepped to the side. He placed more than half a meter between himself and the female customer, establishing a clear boundary and distance between them.

Then he lowered his gaze, obvious nervousness showing between his brows and eyes.

“Oh, Mr. Cassius, what is the matter? You look as though your girlfriend has caught you red-handed.” The female customer lifted a hand to cover her lips, her eyes curving with laughter.

The teasing words pulled Beili back to herself.

It was terribly rude to keep staring at a customer’s companion. Realizing her lapse, she immediately lowered her lashes as well, concealed the amazement in her eyes, and focused on her work.

Wearing white gloves, Beili took an emerald-studded bracelet from its velvet cushion and leaned forward slightly to help the female customer try it on.

The cool gemstones settled against the woman’s wrist, and the clasp made a faint click.

“The design of this bracelet was inspired by vines from the Victorian era…” The saleswoman beside her began a smooth explanation.

Beili stood to one side with a faint smile. At the same time, she could sense that emerald gaze drifting toward her every now and then.

Why had this man reacted that way when he saw her? Had they met before?

The possibility left Beili even more confused.

She was absolutely certain that she did not know this excessively handsome gentleman. If he had ever appeared at the college, he would undoubtedly have become the center of attention.

The female customer turned her wrist, making the gemstones sparkle beneath the lights, then looked at the man beside her. “Mr. Cassius, you are the one paying. What do you think?”

The man called Cassius went slightly still. His green eyes darted instinctively toward Beili before finally settling on the gemstone bracelet at the woman’s wrist.

“Miss Green, if you like it, then please buy it. As I promised from the beginning, you may choose any gift you wish as an expression of my gratitude.”

His voice was exceedingly gentle, his British accent elegant and precise.

“Since you put it that way, I will not hold back.” The female customer laughed, removed the bracelet, and handed it to Beili. “Please wrap this for me.”

“Certainly. One moment, please.” Beili accepted the bracelet and turned toward the wrapping counter in the back.

When she returned to the counter carrying the paper bag, Miss Green was smiling and murmuring something to Mr. Cassius. A polite curve rested at the corner of his lips.

But his green eyes seemed somewhat distracted.

“Your purchase. Please take care of it.” Beili handed the paper bag to Miss Green.

“Thank you. Let’s go.” Miss Green took the bag, turned, and smoothly linked her arm through Mr. Cassius’s.

Mr. Cassius’s body visibly stiffened again for an instant.

He lowered his arm, but Miss Green continued holding it and did not let go.

They watched the pair leave the department store.

“What a generous gentleman, don’t you think?” the saleswoman beside Beili murmured enviously. “Miss Green chose the most expensive design this year. Still, that gentleman did not look like her boyfriend…”

Beili did not reply. She knew nothing about London’s elite circles. She merely took out another bracelet and quietly placed it in the glass case.

Beili remained on her feet until eleven that night before she was finally ready to leave work.

There were no buses at that hour.

She could only wrap her coat tightly around herself and walk back. It would take about half an hour to reach the college accommodation.

The streets were almost empty. Now and then, she passed someone so drunk they had collapsed by the roadside and fallen unconscious.

The man named Cassius flashed through Beili’s mind. For some reason, she thought of C. That man truly was very tall, and his build closely resembled the measurements C had provided.

Beili did not know why a trace of disappointment flickered through her, but she quickly swept it away.

As she walked farther from the city center, fewer and fewer people remained around her.

Footsteps seemed to be following behind her, yet whenever she looked back, she saw no one.

Beili’s heart lurched. She gave no sign that she had noticed and maintained her original pace, only breaking into a run when she turned a corner.

But then misfortune struck.

The icy ground was extremely slippery, and she was still wearing heeled boots. The instant she accelerated, she twisted her ankle and fell hard.

Her backpack, phone, and umbrella all flew from her hands.

A sharp pain shot through her ankle, and the rough, icy ground scraped the skin from her palm.

Beili sucked in a cold breath and knitted her brows.

Almost in the next second, a figure appeared before her in an instant.

A long shadow fell over her, blocking the dim light of the streetlamp.

Someone crouched down, reached out, and helped her up. A familiar man’s voice sounded above her head. “Are you all right?”

Beili looked up and saw the same impeccably tailored white coat she had seen at the department store.

Golden hair gleamed softly in the dim light, and emerald eyes looked down at her with concern.

“Are you Mr. Cassius, the man who was shopping just now?”

Her heart was still pounding wildly inside her chest. Badly shaken, she spoke such disjointed English in her nervousness that the question came out in a jumble.

Beili’s mind was somewhat blank, containing nothing but pain and confusion.

Cassius crouched until they were at eye level.

He was very close. The pleasant woody fragrance on his body mingled with the cold winter night air and drifted beneath her nose.

“Yes.” His voice was far gentler than it had been in the department store, and concern colored his precise British accent. “You have fallen.”

Like a gentleman, Cassius supported the outside of her arm with one hand and steadied her shoulder with the other, helping her rise from the icy ground.

“Can you move your ankle? Is there anywhere that hurts especially badly?” he asked.

Beili tried to move her right ankle. Pain made her heel tremble, and her face pinched slightly.

“It appears to be sprained,” Cassius concluded. His gaze returned to her face. His emerald eyes were deep as he made a request. “Please allow me to take you to a hospital.”

The man’s manner was polite and concerned, and he maintained exactly the right distance.

But Beili knew that he was the one who had been following her.

Had he waited for her to finish work, then followed behind to escort her safely back to the accommodation?

How could that be possible?

The suspicions in her heart rolled larger and larger like a snowball.

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”

Beili gently pulled her arm from his support and said with a composed expression, “I can contact a friend myself.”

Cassius’s hand paused slightly in midair.

He remained silent for several seconds. A complex emotion crossed his green eyes, as though he wanted to say something.

“Of course.”

In the end, he merely stepped back with graceful courtesy, giving her more space.

“But please permit me to at least gather your belongings.” His voice was low. “The streets of London are not always safe at night.”

He then bent down and thoughtfully picked up her scattered backpack, umbrella, phone, and other odds and ends one by one. He placed them in the bag before handing it to her.

“Thank you.” Beili accepted it.

“I will leave after ensuring that you can contact someone safely,” he added, his gaze lingering on her with extraordinary focus.

Despite the elegance and courtesy the man beside her maintained, Beili did not want to cause him any trouble.

She took her phone from her bag and pressed the screen. Several cracks ran across it.

To make matters worse, the touchscreen had also stopped responding after it cracked.

Three invisible black lines slid down Beili’s forehead. She could only feign composure and put the phone, which had gone on strike, back into her bag.

“Thank you for your kindness. I think I can try walking back, since I feel much better now.”

After saying that, Beili gritted her teeth against the pain and began limping away.

Several seconds later, Cassius’s voice came from behind her.

“Please wait.”

Enduring the pain, Beili pretended not to hear and quickened her pace without turning around.

Her high heels struck the icy pavement, sending pulse after pulse of sharp pain through her ankle.

The footsteps behind her rapidly drew closer. In only a few strides, Cassius circled in front of her and blocked her path.

His tall figure almost entirely enveloped Beili.

She raised her head. His emerald eyes were deep, and something like heartache seemed to lie within them.

“You cannot return by yourself like this.” His gentle tone carried a firmness that allowed no refusal. “Your ankle requires immediate attention, and walking alone late at night is unsafe. Please allow me to take you.”

“There is truly no need, sir…”

Beili tried to refuse.

Cassius gave her no opportunity. First, he removed his white coat. Before she could react, the coat had already been wrapped around her, instantly shutting out the cold on every side.

Then he bent down, slipped one arm behind her knees and the other around her back, and lifted her into his arms.

Beili felt her mind crash.

Her hand instinctively grasped the front of his sweater. Even through the fabric, she could feel the solid chest beneath it.

Her face grew hot, half from fright and half from embarrassment.

“Please be assured that I will not hurt you. I merely wish to take you back by the quickest means possible.”

Cassius lowered his head and glanced at her. His voice was soft and soothing, as though he were calming a frightened little animal.

Then, carrying her in his arms, he strode toward the other end of the street.

A black Bentley appeared at the roadside and stopped without a sound, as though it had been waiting for them for some time.

The driver quickly got out and respectfully opened the rear door.

“Take her to No. 17 West Road, X Academy, Dormitory Building 0.”

When Beili heard him give the driver that address, her shock instantly overwhelmed both the pain and her embarrassment.

She jerked her head up to stare at the devastatingly handsome face so close to hers. “H-how do you know my address?”

Cassius did not answer. He merely gave her a gentle smile, then carefully placed her in the rear seat.

He gave the driver several quiet instructions. The driver nodded and returned to the front seat.

Only before closing the car door did he bend down and look at her. “I will ask the college doctor on duty to wait for you at the accommodation. Please make certain that you rest well tonight.”

With that, he gently closed the door without getting into the car.

Beili turned around. Through the rear window, she saw that tall figure still standing in the cold wind, silently watching the car depart.

Who was this man, this Mr. Cassius?

Or was he C himself?