Xia Yan's eyes fluttered open slightly. She glanced at the back of Lu Zhengting's head and asked in a hoarse voice, "Why are you still so energetic while I'm completely drained?"
"That's because you're out of shape."
Out of shape? If she had any more stamina, they'd probably still be going at it...
Xia Yan caught a glimpse of the fleeting scenery and buildings outside the window. When the car came to a stop, she propped herself up with one hand and slowly sat up. In an instant, her face flushed red then pale—the sensation was anything but pleasant!
"Aren't we going back to Dongshan Villa?"
"No."
"Then where are we going now?"
"You'll know when we get there."
Hearing this, Xia Yan stopped asking and closed her eyes again, trying to ease the soreness throughout her body. Truth be told, doing it in the car was thrilling, but otherwise, it was utterly exhausting.
The car finally stopped. Xia Yan was half-asleep, vaguely aware of being lifted up. She caught the familiar scent of Lu Zhengting and didn't even bother opening her eyes, instead nestling into a comfortable spot in his arms.
Both of them were a mess. Lu Zhengting stripped off the remnants of Xia Yan's clothes, then gently placed her into a bathtub filled with hot water. He shed his own clothes and joined her in the tub.
At that moment, Xia Yan felt like a queen. Lu Zhengting handled everything—bathing and dressing her—while she simply slept undisturbed. As he washed her, he noticed his handiwork on her neck: a dense cluster of hickeys. The lighter ones hadn't faded yet, and now new ones had been added. No doubt, Xia Yan would throw a fit when she woke up.
Lu Zhengting's sharply defined fingers lightly brushed over Xia Yan's neck. A tingling, numbing sensation shot through her entire body. She pushed his hand away and murmured, "No more, I'm exhausted."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting couldn't help but laugh at her sleep-talking. Last night, she'd been dreaming too, and he'd taken full advantage. The thought made his heart skip a beat, his eyes brimming with deep affection. A smile tugged at his lips as he leaned down to plant a feather-light kiss on her lips.
Xia Yan slept until evening. She opened her groggy eyes, surrounded by pitch-black darkness, and instinctively reached for the lamp on the nightstand. After fumbling around for a while, she realized this wasn't the room at Dongshan Villa. The air carried a faint hint of aromatherapy. Frowning, she took a deep breath, withdrew her hand, and patted the space beside her. It was soft, yet firm...
In the darkness, Lu Zhengting let out a soft chuckle. He stretched out an arm and pulled Xia Yan into his embrace, his deep voice blending seamlessly with the stillness of the night. "Awake?"
"What time is it? How long have I been asleep?" Xia Yan rubbed her eyes, instinctively leaning into him, her arm draped across his chest as she mumbled.
"Eleven at night."
"What? Eleven? So we slept the whole afternoon? You didn't go to the office?" Xia Yan propped herself up on his chest, lifting her head to look at him in the dark. The moonlight streamed into the room, casting a pale glow on the carpet. She tried to make out his features in the faint light but accidentally got lost in his star-bright eyes. She blinked, pursed her lips, then flipped over to lie on top of him. Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him squarely on the lips.
"I'm finding myself liking you more and more. What should I do?"
"Perfect. I'm liking you more and more too."
******
Xia Siyue had been kicked out of Ye Yunchen's car in broad daylight, and later that same day, she caught Mu Chengfeng cheating on her at school, humiliating her publicly. Her rage couldn't be quelled by simple venting. The woman Mu Chengfeng had cheated with was a fellow student, a freshman. Xia Siyue had someone dig up her information, reading every detail meticulously before sneering, "And she dares to compete with me for a man?"
Mu Si, since you're so fond of men, she'd gladly oblige.
Xia Siyue set a trap specifically for her, waiting for Mu Si to walk right into it. Anyone who crossed her would meet a grim fate.
At Jiangda's back mountain.
Mu Si was thrown to the ground. Xia Siyue loomed over her, then crouched down to get in her face, sneering, "Mu Si? What a pretty name. It even suits your delicate look. Tsk, tsk, look at that pitiful expression."
"Who are you? What do you want?" Mu Si stared at Xia Siyue in terror, finding her vaguely familiar but unable to place her. As Xia Siyue leaned in, she instinctively recoiled.
"Who am I? You have a short memory. Weren't you so smug that day? Laughing so happily? What, don't remember now?"
"You're... Fengfeng's ex..."
"Slap!"
Xia Siyue's hand shot up and came down in an instant. Mu Si's head snapped to the side, glaring at her. "Isn't it true? You were the one Fengfeng dumped. And how dare you hit me! Do you think Fengfeng will let you get away with this?"
"Slap!"
"You! How dare you—" Mu Si covered her cheeks with both hands, staring in disbelief at the sinister woman before her. She glanced at the tall men surrounding Xia Siyue, then asked through gritted teeth, "What exactly do you want?"
"What do I want? Aren't you fond of stealing men? You knew Mu Chengfeng was mine and still went for him? Hmph, since you love men so much, I'll give you what you want."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean giving you a night to remember." Xia Siyue narrowed her eyes, turned her back on the stunned Mu Si, and flicked her fingers, signaling the men.
Mu Si watched the men closing in, barely daring to breathe. Realizing what Xia Siyue intended, she scrambled backward, hands on the ground, shaking her head frantically. Tears streaming, she looked at Xia Siyue, who had turned around, and burst into sobs. "Please, make them leave! Don't let them near me! I swear I won't go near Mu Chengfeng again! Let me go!"
"Stay back... no!"
"Do you know this is illegal? I'll call the police! The police!"
Xia Siyue crossed her arms and sneered at Mu Si. "No? Illegal? Police? I don't think you'll get the chance."
"No! You can't do this to me!"
"Rip!" Mu Si's thin clothes tore as one of the men yanked at her sleeve, exposing her slender arm and fair skin. She was sobbing uncontrollably now, filled with fear and hatred for Xia Siyue.
"What's wrong? Tsk, look at that smooth skin. You all better take good care of her—don't make it too ugly." Xia Siyue pinched Mu Si's arm lightly, then turned and walked away with a cold smirk.
No one ever came to Jiangda's back mountain, so she had no fear of being discovered. She moved farther off but could still hear Mu Si's agonized screams, piercing cries, sobs, and shouts of rage blending together. Xia Siyue stood expressionless, a cruel smile curling at her lips. If she didn't want something, no one else could have it. Conversely, what she wanted, no one could take away.
An hour later, Xia Siyue reappeared before Mu Si. Looking down at the battered, barely conscious woman, she crouched and patted her face. "If there's a next time, this video might end up on every school forum—or even in every newspaper in Jiangcheng."
"Who are you?" Mu Si squinted, hating this woman with every fiber of her being but also terrified of her.
"Who am I? Aren't you close with Mu Chengfeng? Go ask him—maybe he'll tell you." Xia Siyue smirked. After ensuring her men were tidied up, she picked up her phone and kicked the torn clothes at Mu Si's face. "Clean yourself up. You're disgusting."
Having dealt with Mu Si, Xia Siyue couldn't care less about Mu Chengfeng coming after her. It wasn't long before he stormed into the girls' dormitory alone, barged into her room, and dragged her out without a word. Xia Siyue didn't resist, following him calmly to Mist Bridge.
Most students were in class, so few couples lingered there. Mu Chengfeng shoved her hard, causing her to hit the railing and scrape a long gash on her elbow. Xia Siyue's face darkened instantly. "Mu Chengfeng, what do you want dragging me here?"
"Xia Siyue, I never thought you could be so vicious! You had someone rape Mu Si!" Mu Chengfeng roared, barely containing his fury.
"So that's what this is about? I thought it was something big. Yeah, I had her raped. So what? You want revenge now?"
"You—you're utterly despicable!"
"Despicable? Mu Chengfeng, I never lose what I want. Anyone who tries to compete with me won't win. Hmph, a piece of trash like Mu Si—I can't believe you actually care about her. I overestimated your taste." Xia Siyue's tone was icy, her gaze dripping with contempt.
"Xia Siyue, you're asking for it!" Unable to contain his rage, thinking of the violated Mu Si, Mu Chengfeng raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face. Xia Siyue couldn't dodge in time and took the full force of the blow. Her eyes widened as she tasted blood in her mouth. She lunged at him like a madwoman, flailing with both hands and feet.