Chapter 53

The heat rising up could hardly be controlled. Every experience had been taught by him, so it was only natural that she could not resist him.

The kiss continued.

Shao Yihuai seemed intent on making up for the one year and five months of emptiness.

The sensation of the tip of his tongue being sucked and nibbled sent tremors straight down to her soul. Chu Tong’s eyes welled with tears, her heart aching and sour to the point of breathlessness.

Finally, he paused. His breathing was somewhat heavy, and with lingering reluctance, he pressed light kisses one by one onto the tip of her nose and her trembling eyelashes.

Chu Tong clutched the fabric of his shoulders and whispered, "You are completely bullying me..."

Her tone was filled with accusation.

Shao Yihuai raised his eyelashes slightly, meeting her eyes. His voice, steeped in desire, turned hoarse as he asked, "Don't you like it?"

Naturally, she liked it.

And precisely because she liked it, she felt that she was being bullied.

She remained silent, using her gaze to trace the lines of his face.

He was indeed mesmerizing.

A poised, mature man, with a barely contained intensity pressing at the bottom of his eyes that threatened to spin out of control—all the more reason for her heart to tighten.

Shao Yihuai kissed her cheek and murmured, "To the bed?"

Chu Tong's heart skipped a beat.

Just as she expected.

The moment she let her guard down and her defenses relaxed slightly, he seized the opportunity to push matters to this very point.

She did not answer immediately.

Shao Yihuai had not been asking for her opinion in the first place. Without waiting for her reply, he picked her up and carried her toward the bedroom.

Hugging him like a koala, she pressed her face against his shoulder. After so long, she finally caught the scent of the skin at the side of his neck again—that pheromone that belonged exclusively to him.

The curtains were tightly drawn.

The master bedroom, decorated in a light French cream palette, exuded a girlish lightness everywhere. Two wall lamps on either side of the bed cast soft halos of warm light, while the crystal chandelier shone brilliantly.

The moment she was placed on the bed, she scrambled directly toward the headboard, reaching for the main switch to turn off all the lights.

Before she could exert any force, her ankle was grabbed and she was dragged toward the foot of the bed.

"What are you doing? I'm going to turn off—"

The end of her sentence was cut off as Shao Yihuai intercepted it. He leaned down and kissed her, his hand wrapping around her back, touching her spine inch by inch.

She could never endure such treatment; she shrank back and tried to push him away.

Yet right behind her was the mattress, leaving her nowhere to hide.

Amidst the deep and shallow kisses, his hand finally brushed against her through the fabric. Chu Tong let out an immediate whimper, her hands groping blindly into mid-air, wanting to grab something for support, only to have one of his hands free up and pin her to the mattress beside her.

As the pads of his fingers massaged the skin of her wrists and he listened to the sweet, breathless sound in her ear, Shao Yihuai lowered his voice. "Did you miss me?"

She finally confessed with a trembling voice.

Her lower back was lifted and propped up with a soft pillow as she felt him pull back. Then, her mind went completely blank for a good two or three seconds. Subconsciously, she propped up her upper body to look, catching sight only of his dark hair.

They had never done such a thing for each other before.

Chu Tong had no spare capacity to think about anything else. With her eyes tightly shut, she stepped against his shoulders. She wailed, her voice clearly wrapped in extreme panic and unease, prompting Shao Yihuai to stretch out his arm to her.

She grabbed his arm like a drowning person fighting for survival, but his fingers pinched her jaw and slid into her mouth.

Chu Tong's mind was blank. She cried so hard she was gasping for air, unable to swallow as saliva spilled down the corners of her lips.

***

Chu Tong had fallen asleep.

When she woke up again, it was already the dead of night. In the master bedroom, only a single layer of sheer curtain was drawn. The torrential rain outside the window showed not the slightest sign of easing, pouring in sheets down the glass, with the distant rumble of thunder faintly audible.

Shao Yihuai was nowhere to be seen.

She simply chose not to look for him, lying on her side facing the window.

Her heart felt hollow.

She had no idea what mindset had brought him here to entangle with her. Was it that he couldn't let her go?

Would he just let go of her hands so easily again?

What exactly did she count for in his life? Not to mention the fact that he was still burdened with an arranged marriage...

At this thought, Chu Tong couldn't help but sigh to herself.

Human beings truly were greedy. In the very beginning, she had only wanted to have *something* with him. But as they grew closer, she wanted his sincere heart, she wanted his love. And now? Not only did she want love, but she also wanted the most unique, singular favoritism. She wanted to be the first priority in his heart, wanting him to see only her in his eyes forever.

Once again, she felt that age and social status formed an insurmountable chasm.

***

So what if she had been taught by him? So what if he had endowed her with money, property, and connections? She was no match for him; he had too many tricks up his sleeve. Moreover, given his status and position, applying both soft and hard tactics left her with absolutely no way of escape.

Could she just indulge in immediate pleasure?

Disregarding the future, seeking only the present moment?

That could only be considered settling for second best.

And it inevitably carried a tinge of sorrow.

Chu Tong felt this notion was far too cowardly; young and full of spirit, she was naturally unwilling to resign herself to it.

Unable to make up her mind for the moment, she threw a light cardigan over her shoulders and got out of bed.

In the living room.

Shao Yihuai was sitting on the sofa smoking a cigarette, his discarded tie and suspenders scattered over the armrest beside him.

Chu Tong's first glance went straight to his suit trousers and those long legs. Just moments ago, he had only served her pleasures, while he himself had never...

Shao Yihuai watched her walk over step by step.

For some inexplicable reason, a blush stained the girl's cheeks. Back on the bed, those eyes of hers had looked up at him brimming with moisture; now, wearing a long dress, the hem swayed as she walked, outlining the graceful curves of her slender legs.

His mind was once again filled with the tactile sensation of her thighs, his throat going dry in a way that even smoking could not alleviate.

Of course, he was nowhere near satisfied.

Not by a long shot.

Crossing her arms, Chu Tong stopped at the other end of the living room. "You must have achieved your purpose by now, haven't you? Why aren't you leaving yet?"

"With such a heavy downpour, where do you expect me to go?"

"Who cares where you go."

She muttered under her breath.

Shao Yihuai narrowed his eyes slightly.

Just a moment ago she had been obedient to a fault, so why was she putting up her defensive posture against him again now?

He looked her up and down and said calmly, "Waking up from sleep and pretending you don't know me anymore?"

Chu Tong snorted. "You have the nerve to say that. Weren't you just taking advantage of someone's vulnerability?"

"And so?"

She choked for a moment, then scolded, "You are despicable and shameless."

"Only just realizing it?"

Chu Tong glared at him, only to find his gaze entirely different from any time before.

In the past, he had always been gentle and warm, never displaying such intense aggressiveness toward her. Right then, a heavy, deep sense of predation was suppressed beneath those profound eyes.

The gaze of a predator, as if he had already mentally torn her apart and devoured her into his stomach ten thousand times over.

"Come here."

Chu Tong didn't move.

Shao Yihuai gently reminded, "...Do you need me to come and catch you?"

You bastard.

Chu Tong cursed inwardly.

She had always possessed her own survival philosophy: when the situation was unfavorable, one had to soften one's stance and avoid immediate losses.

Secretly taking a deep breath, she pulled the front edges of her cardigan tightly together and walked straight over to sit on his lap.

Shao Yihuai half-drooped his eyelashes, holding her hand to knead it as he asked mildly, "How far have things gone with Jiahao? Have you made things clear to him?"

Chu Tong played dumb. "Huh? What gone how far?"

He lifted his eyelids. "...I made a trip to Professor Chen's place. She said Jiahao is your boyfriend?"

It was a questioning tone.

Chu Tong deliberately refused to answer. "Oh, is that so?"

"Regardless of whether you're dating or not, make things clear to him."

"Make what clear?"

Shao Yihuai watched her for a few seconds, then stubbed out his cigarette butt, gathered his hands to light another one, and said casually, "...I can talk to him myself, if you prefer."

Perhaps that would be even better, saving that kid the youthful unwillingness to accept defeat.

Since he had already achieved his goal, Chu Tong actually relaxed at this moment, no longer on guard with startled jumps. Remaining temporarily inactive, she asked, "...How do you plan to talk to him? What will you say?"

"You are my person," his gaze was unfathomably deep. "You were in the past, and you always will be in the future."

Though his overbearing attitude was aggravating, Chu Tong's heartbeat still skipped a beat inevitably.

Her eyelashes trembled as she feigned ease. "...Oh? Is that something you can decide all by yourself? Did I agree to it?"

"You have a lifetime to slowly agree."

His tone was far too steady, sounding more like an announcement. Chu Tong's heart gave a slight jolt. "...You..." She caught her breath. "...You wouldn't have been like this before. Weren't you the epitome of a gentleman—gentle, moderate, and considerate?"

Shao Yihuai fell silent for a few seconds, then let out a soft laugh.

If Zong Liangzhi had been standing nearby, he would surely have thought Miss Chu was truly naive.

Anyone close to him knew that composure and gentleness were merely an exterior shell for the master—that was the tolerance of someone in a position of power. When he truly wanted to get things done, his methods were thunderous and terrifying.

He felt he had been too foolish in the past, merely exercising restraint and treating her as a mere accident in his dull and uninteresting life, intending to let her go when the time was up. Only after dying once did he realize his life shouldn't have been the listless, dreary existence it originally was; it should have been spent with her in his arms.

Otherwise, living like a walking corpse held no meaning whatsoever.

Shao Yihuai pinched her chin, his thumb rubbing across her skin. "I was stupid before." He leaned in to kiss her lips and murmured, "...As early as that night in the suburban hotel, I shouldn't have let you leave my room."

The heavy, predatory look in his eyes was heart-palpitating. Chu Tong panicked for a good long while before squeezing out a few words. "...You're so self-righteous..."

He did not reply, merely pinning her down with those eyes.

The cigarette between his fingers was still burning. He raised his hand for a puff and asked, "What time is your class tomorrow?"

"Don't you already know?"

"Send me your schedule."

"You must have it, don't you? Why bother asking me?"

"I want you to send it to me."

His tone was mild.

"Hmph."

"Did you block me on Moments?"

As someone who never browsed Moments, in order to keep track of her daily updates, he had once deliberately tapped her profile picture to check her Moments feed, only to find it completely blank.

He patted her waist. "Be a good girl and go get your phone."

Chu Tong was unsatisfied with his attitude. "What are you acting so arrogant for? Not deleting you already shows I'm exercising restraint."

Shao Yihuai chuckled softly.

She didn't move, sitting firmly on his lap.

He remained unmoving as well, smoking leisurely while looking at her with a half-smile.

Her spine tightened, feeling as though she faced a formidable enemy. "What are you doing? What scheme are you plotting?"

Shao Yihuai found this reaction of hers rather amusing. "...What did I do this time?"

"I suddenly feel," she said with lingering suspicion, "...that I apparently never really understood you before. You're actually not a righteous gentleman at all, are you?"

Shao Yihuai chuckled. "Not quite that bad."

"Really?"

He didn't speak, his eyes remaining as deep as an abyss.

When the cigarette was finished.

He said, "I'm going to take a shower."

Waiting quietly for a few seconds, she still didn't move, so he simply picked her up and rose to his feet.

Only then did Chu Tong realize something was amiss. "I want down."

Shao Yihuai turned a deaf ear, carrying her straight into the master bathroom. Stepping inside, he locked the door behind them.

He placed her right under the shower stall and slid the glass door shut.

His tall figure blocked the way, leaving Chu Tong with absolutely no retreat.

He turned on the showerhead, and warm water poured down. His shirt and her nightgown were soaked through in an instant.

She still hadn't given up hope of escaping and took half a step forward, only to have her waist scooped up and hauled right back, half-pushed and pinned against the wall.

Within her field of vision, the lines of his broad shoulders and chest muscles beneath his soaked shirt filled her entire sight. Her breathing tightened, her heart threatening to leap right out of her throat.

A scorching kiss fell along with the water from the showerhead.

By the time she regained her senses, she had already been stripped bare. Shao Yihuai held her waist with one hand while undoing the buttons of his own shirt with the other, stripping it off to expose his lean, smooth muscle lines completely to her eyes.

Lowering his gaze, he could see the bulging veins on his lean abdomen. Chu Tong's legs turned to jelly, and with a whimper, she was flipped around, her feet resting on top of his as she faced the tiled wall.

His voice was low and hoarse. "Be a good girl, stand on your tiptoes."

She refused to cooperate.

Shao Yihuai offered her options unhurriedly. "Either I go downstairs to the convenience store to buy supplies right now, or you obediently let me play for a while."

Right there in the shower stall, Chu Tong cursed him eight hundred times over.