Chapter 4 Which Do You Choose Crocodile Mouth or Tiger Mouth

Elzi did not care. No matter how people looked at her, she simply did not care. Rather than worrying about their stares, she chose to focus on her own lungs, struggling to breathe in the oxygen.

"So stupid! The most important thing right now is to survive," Elzi scolded herself.

However, she knew very well that she could not escape from there. Someone had held the elevator door open, and that someone was a middle-aged man who looked surprised when Elzi shouted at him. She quickly rushed into the elevator.

"Oh God, am I really such a social person? Even in this critical situation, I'm still concerned about the fate of others who might miss the elevator. Please, for heaven's sake, now it's your life that's in danger, Zi!"

After the middle-aged man entered the elevator, Elzi quickly let go of the door and pressed the button to close it. And at that moment, her eyes caught a sight from a distance that made her tremble. Mario was running, trying to button his shirt.

"Elzi, wait! Don't go!"

"For heaven's sake, Zi! For someone else, you're even risking your own life."

Mario ran with all his might, and when he was almost reaching the elevator, he stretched out his hand, trying to enter just as the doors were half-closed. Without much thought and filled with fear, Elzi immediately took off one of her shoes.

The shoe soared through the air and landed squarely on Mario's nose, causing him to stumble backward.

"Yes! I must be talented as a sniper!"

Then, the elevator door closed, right in front of Mario, who was still cursing before Elzi finally felt relieved. The elevator slowly descended to the next floor.

Elzi hugged her chest, holding onto her handbag, which she miraculously managed to bring with her while trying to escape from Mario's apartment. However, that miracle felt in vain as she still vividly remembered how her pink shoe had rolled in the hallway after she carried out her escape plan to perfection.

"Bye bye, my new shoe. You will always be remembered as an unsung hero."

But unexpectedly, Elzi's mind brought up another fact that made her grimace.

"Why am I so unlucky, God? Last week, I lost a new dress and underwear. And now, my shoes are also forced to be single! Hiks! My shoes are now single too!"

And without warning, Elzi's body slumped down. She fell, sitting on the floor of the elevator. As if she did not realize that there were other people inside, her tears burst out.

While letting her tears flow, Elzi tried to fix her disheveled appearance, though it did not make much difference.

As the elevator doors finally opened, Elzi wiped her tears away and slowly stood up, then walked out weakly. She seemed to have no strength left. A few people in the apartment lobby stared at her, puzzled, but also amused. And Elzi knew exactly why.

"Of course! With this messed-up appearance, swollen eyes, and walking with only one shoe, anyone would laugh at you, Zi!"

Ignoring all the gazes on her, Elzi chose to look down and hastened her steps. At that moment, she realized her phone had been ringing in her handbag all along, but she paid no attention to it.

"Elzi!!!"

Oh no!

Elzi flinched. Her steps came to a sudden halt. She turned around and her eyes widened when she saw Mario running towards her.

"That jerk...," Elzi muttered with anger. "Did he really make me run with one shoe?"

As she finished saying that, Elzi wasted no time and sprinted as hard as she could. She thought Mario was crazy!

This time, of course, more people were confused. They saw Elzi seemingly trying to escape from the pursuit of a handsome guy. But when a security guard tried to stop her, Elzi forcefully pushed him aside, causing the security to stumble backward.

Heading down the apartment building's courtyard, Elzi nearly stumbled due to her unbalanced step. Eventually, without much thought, she made her decision again. She took off her other shoe and immediately hurled it towards Mario.

On the other side, Mario's eyes widened as he saw the shoe flying towards his face, and he shouted.

Mario turned his face and dodged, allowing the shoe to fly past him without hitting him.

The shoe rolled on the floor, missing its target!

Damn it! Mario managed to dodge my perfect aim!

However, Elzi had no time to analyze the deceleration of her precise aim. Instead, she decided to run again, shouting at Mario.

"Don't come near me again, Rio!"

And finally, when Elzi managed to leave the elite apartment complex, she looked exactly like a beggar! However, she had no time to worry about her appearance. Instead, she ran as fast as she could, scanning her surroundings, trying to find the quickest way to escape.

Then, Elzi realized she was in a favorable situation. Mario's apartment building was in a bustling area. It did not take her long to find a solution. There was a lively hotel nearby, probably due to a weekend event or some festivities. Regardless, Elzi headed there immediately.

"Dear God, please help me. If I make it out of this, I promise I won't haggle at the market anymore, starting tomorrow!"

Apologizing repeatedly, Elzi moved slowly, blending with the crowd of people coming in and out of the hotel. When she reached the hotel's courtyard, Elzi searched for a place to hide and decided to crouch behind a tall potted plant near the entrance. From there, she saw Mario had also followed her there.

"Oh, my goodness. Does he have a sixth sense or something? How could he end up here too?"

As she inched further behind the pot, Elzi whispered under her breath, hoping Mario would not actually think of looking for her in the hotel. But just as she was trying to stay calm, she was suddenly approached by a security guard.

"Excuse me, Miss."

Horror-stricken, Elzi turned around to find the security staring at her with a puzzled expression.

"What?"

The security guard tried to smile, though still confused and suspicious. "Miss, is there something I can help you with here?"

Oh no.

Elzi suddenly became aware of her current situation. She stuttered for a moment, "Oh, I'm sorry, Sir. I won't cause any trouble. I just want to hide here. It'll only be for a moment, I swear."

However, of course, Elzi's words didn't convince the security guard. Besides, how could a security guard not be suspicious when he saw a girl wearing a dress but no shoes? And then hiding behind the plants?

Ignoring the security, Elzi continued to observe Mario from her hiding place. Unfortunately, at that moment, Mario turned his gaze towards the hotel courtyard.

Oh God, please. Please don't let him think I'm really hiding here. Please...

Then, as fear began to overwhelm her, Elzi unconsciously whispered to the security guard, accompanied by her sobs, "I was almost assaulted, Sir. So, I just want to hide. Please, allow me to hide."

Elzi's confession confused the security guard. He scratched his head and asked, "Should I call the police, Miss?"

Her tears stopped immediately. Instead of letting her tears flow, Elzi looked at the security with bewilderment.

There's a girl who was almost assaulted, and instead of being asked if she wanted to call the police or not? Goodness gracious. No, Sir. You should have just called a childbirth doctor right away!

However, strangely, Elzi shook her head because she realized she only wanted to escape. To get away from Mario's pursuit.

But it seemed that fate had a hobby of making Elzi's heart pound faster. Across the courtyard, Elzi saw Mario walking towards her.

Oh no. Why is he coming here?

So, without hesitation, Elzi decided it would be too risky to stay there. She ran away again, glancing back occasionally. She felt a little relieved when she saw Mario still looking around, searching for her.

Yes! At least, he hasn't realized I'm here! Great!

However, suddenly...

Ouch!

Elzi bumped into someone because she was not paying attention to the road in front of her. She fell immediately, sitting on the ground, and let out a groan of pain while rubbing her body.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't careful while walking."

Trying to stand up quickly, Elzi made sure that Mario had not noticed her yet. She needed to leave immediately before he got any closer.

Before he gets any closer, I should just run away.

Thinking that a simple apology was enough to resolve the collision, Elzi was taken aback when she felt her wrist being held firmly, accompanied by a voice.

"Zizi?"

The night wind blew, sending a chilling shiver down her spine, as if it carried the eerie laughter of a ghost. Elzi was startled, feeling goosebumps rise on her skin.

Please, not him, God. I beg you, not him.

"Are you okay?"

*

I really need to do charity work as soon as possible! Why do I keep experiencing this chain of bad luck? From Ben to Mario, and now from Mario back to Ben. There's no end to these unfortunate events lately!

Ignoring Ben's questions, Elzi shuffled behind his tall figure. Right now, the most important thing was to escape from Mario first. Dealing with Ben could wait until later. Ben furrowed his brow, puzzled by Elzi's unusual behavior, and glanced in the direction she seemed to be wary of.

"Are you being chased by that guy?"

Not answering, Elzi remained silent while gripping both of Ben's suit sleeves to prevent him from changing his position.

"Who is he?"

Elzi still did not respond, but her body trembled when she saw Mario approaching the security guard they encountered earlier.

"Excuse me, Sir. Have you seen a pretty girl in a peach knee-length dress without shoes coming this way?"

Oh, God. This guy is really unbelievable!

Hearing the question, Ben examined Elzi's appearance-wearing a peach knee-length dress and no shoes. Meanwhile, the security guard looked confused. Mario continued speaking.

"She's my wife, and we had an argument. She planned to run away from home."

What?!

Elzi's eyes widened.

Your wife?

However, Mario's words seemed to convince the security guard as he pointed in a certain direction.

"Uh, yeah, she ran over there. She looked really scared."

Elzi growled, unconsciously squeezing Ben's hand, causing a slight groan from him.

You impudent, disrespectful security guard! I curse you to have a hard time finding a spouse for ten years!

Mario looked in the direction indicated by the security guard, leaving Elzi with no choice but to continue hiding behind Ben, pulling him even closer as they moved towards a corner of the building.

Darn it! Darn it! Darn it! You wretched, vile man!

"Zizi," Ben's voice called out softly, addressing the girl.

Elzi asked with an equally soft voice, "What?"

Without answering, Ben made a move. He released himself from Elzi's grasp and turned around to face her. Ben's hand rose, gently lifting Elzi's face, and in a lightning-fast motion, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a kiss.

Wait, did Ben just kiss me again? Three times we've met, and three times he's kissed me? Elzi's eyes widened so much that she almost believed her eyeballs could pop out at that very moment! While my heart is racing from all the running, Ben decides to kiss me?

Squidward's nose! He always finds opportunities in tight situations!

Quickly, Elzi clenched her fists in front of Ben, trying to push him away and break the kiss.

As if Mario's kiss wasn't enough, now Ben is taking his turn?

But then, Elzi felt Ben pulling back, breaking the kiss, but still maintaining a close distance between them.

"He's coming closer," Ben whispered above Elzi's lips. "You don't want to get caught, do you?"

Instantly, Elzi was puzzled.

Ben was right. But...

Before she had time to think, Ben leaned down again, kissing her once more. For a few moments, confusion and fear left Elzi unsure of how to react. But sensing her hesitation, Ben took advantage of it.

Ben's hand wrapped around Elzi's waist, pulling her close into an embrace that felt secure. And in that moment, Ben's tender kisses seemed to sway Elzi's emotions. He continued to passionately kiss her, making her entire body tremble.

No... I'm probably just trembling from all the running. Oh, and because I haven't had dinner yet.

Until the next moment, as if carried away by the atmosphere, Elzi welcomed the kiss. Perhaps it was due to the adrenaline rush that night, making her easily sway as Ben kissed her.

Ben's kiss was far from gentle. He skillfully devoured every corner of Elzi's lips, eliciting a gasp that, strangely, Elzi found rather seductive.

Oh my God. Is this the effect of running around at night with an empty stomach?

As Elzi took a breath, her clenched fist on Ben's chest suddenly transformed. It turned into two gentle caresses, pulling him closer, fulfilling the unspoken desire Elzi had - to deepen their kiss.

Faintly, Ben's lips moved into a victorious smile, and any lingering hesitation vanished, replaced by burning desire. Ben couldn't wait any longer.

Holding Elzi in his embrace, Ben tilted his head slightly, seeking the perfect angle. He wanted to delve deeper into those lips, savoring and tasting every bit of them.

And then, Ben extended his tongue, caressing Elzi's lips, arousing trembles within her. She unconsciously parted her lips, inviting Ben to explore the warmth she possessed.

Finding what he sought, Ben sucked on Elzi's tongue, caressing it warmly, savoring the taste before rhythmically entwining it with his own.

"Excuse me, Sir."

Elzi's eyes, which had been closed for who knows how long, suddenly opened when she heard the familiar voice in her ears. Of course, it was Mario's voice.

"What-"

"Aaargh...."

Elzi shivered, unsure whether it was from hearing Mario's voice or Ben's groan. Either way, her heart was in turmoil.

"Oh, I apologize," Mario quickly stepped back, bringing a sense of relief that calmed Elzi's nerves. She was certain that the sound of their passionate kissing had successfully driven Mario away. Especially with Ben's moan, any normal guy would know exactly what Ben was up to in that dark corner.

With one eye following Mario's departure, Elzi felt an immense sense of relief. Finally, she was completely free from Mario's grasp. Now, she wanted to break free from Ben as well.

Without hesitation, Elzi bit Ben's lip, causing him to jerk back and break the kiss. Strangely, he did not seem angry at Elzi's action; instead, he found it amusing.

"Long time no see, and you're already into playful biting," Ben teased while gently caressing his bitten lip. "Hmm... interesting. Just my type of preference."

"Playful biting, you Squidward nose!" Elzi growled, making sure to take long deep breaths to calm her erratic heartbeat. And in that moment, she spoke up, "I really don't want to say this, but... thank you for your help."

In response to her gratitude, Elzi felt Ben's fingers gently stroking her face.

"Who is he?" Ben inquired.

Elzi did not answer.

Ben continued speaking, "Your life is a mess, Zi."

Of course, Elzi agreed. As she became more aware of her current situation, she felt her strength draining away. Suddenly, she slumped down to the floor, her hands covering her face, and tears flowed uncontrollably.

"Zi?" Ben panicked. "What's wrong with you?"

At that moment, whether consciously or not, Elzi managed to answer Ben's question amidst her ongoing sobs.

"Mario," Elzi sobbed. "Rio tried to assault me, Ben."

Then, her crying escalated, but she made no attempt to resist when Ben pulled her into his arms.

Elzi clutched at Ben's chest, then hit him, and hit him again. All to vent the mixed emotions raging inside her.

"He's cruel, Ben."

Ben remained silent, gently caressing Elzi's body, giving her time to pour out her sadness.

"He's cruel. He made my three-month savings for those branded shoes vanish just like that, Ben."

"Huh?"

Ben's hand stopped momentarily. His forehead now creased with confusion, wondering why Elzi suddenly brought up her lost branded shoes, whose whereabouts were now unknown.

"Why do I always have such bad luck, Ben?" Elzi asked again. "Last week, I lost my new dress. Now I lost my new shoes."

Elzi held her bag tightly, gently caressing it.

"Thank goodness I managed to take this limited-edition clutch before escaping from Mario's place. Otherwise, I don't know what would have happened to my life."

And this time, Ben could not hold back.

"Zizi..."

Wiping her tear-filled eyes, Elzi looked at Ben and found a clueless expression on his face.

"What?" she asked.

Then, Ben questioned her. "Are you still sane?"

*