Lower Manhattan
Inside a private apartment on the top floor.
Shen Yuetao was curled up on a beige cashmere sofa, wearing nothing but a man’s oversized white shirt. Its hem barely covered the tops of her thighs, and her long, shapely calves were casually draped over the armrest.
Sleepiness washed over her like a rising tide. Her eyelids began to droop, and as she waited, her thoughts gradually grew hazy.
Just as she was on the verge of drifting off, a soft beep sounded.
The heavy front door swung open. The cold, harsh light from the hallway cut into the apartment first, followed by a tall, broad-shouldered figure bringing in the chill of the night.
Warm orange light from a floor lamp spilled across the room just so. At the boundary between light and shadow, Yuetao’s lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes.
In that instant, it was as if stars had awakened in her eyes. Sleep still lingered on her small, palm-sized face. Her skin was so fair it seemed almost translucent, its delicate, porcelain-like sheen catching the light.
Her long black hair fell lazily over her shoulders, a few strands playfully clinging to her cheek. Her just-awakened eyes seemed like pools of spring water—hazy and innocent, yet alluring enough to take one’s breath away, like a naive little temptress who nevertheless knew exactly how to lure someone in.
The instant she saw the man, the haze in her eyes gave way to delight.
“Brother Zhan!”
Barefoot, she stepped onto the carpet and flung herself at him. Before he had a chance to react, she had wrapped herself around him like a koala, arms and legs clinging to his body.
Shang Zhan had just left the negotiating table at a Wall Street merger-and-acquisition meeting. His expensive bespoke suit still seemed to carry the smoke and chill of that battlefield.
She came hurtling into his arms, soft and warm, and he instinctively caught her. A trace of warmth instantly softened those deep, usually unreadable eyes.
“Why are you still awake?”
His voice was low and pleasant. Yuetao’s ears even twitched at the sound.
She’d probably miss that lovely voice someday, wouldn’t she?
She lifted her porcelain-pale face and gazed at him with misty, limpid eyes, speaking in a sweet, coaxing voice.
“I was waiting for you. I can’t eat or sleep when you’re not by my side. Oh! How am I supposed to live without you there with me?”
Her last words rose in pitch, turning plaintive.
The man’s voice softened further.
“Then stay by my side and be good.”
“Mhm, mhm.”
She nodded, obedient as could be, and his heart, exhausted by his studies and work, melted.
“Have you eaten yet?”
The young woman shook her head and looked up at him pitifully. “I’m so hungry.”
He supported her backside as he carried her toward the dining room.
“Then let’s get you something to eat.”
In the dining room, he set her on the table and turned to look for food in the refrigerator. But he had barely turned around when the young woman hooked her slender arms around his neck and pulled him back. Leaning close to his lips, she brushed them lightly as she murmured,
“I’m so hungry. I want to eat Brother Zhan. Only Brother Zhan can satisfy Xiaotaozi~”
Her red lips parted, and the tip of her tongue traced them.
The man’s deep eyes darkened like the sky before a storm. “Are you sure?”
“Sure. Taotao wants to eat… Mmph~”
He lowered his head and captured her soft, sweet lips. In an instant, their breaths tangled together, urgent and feverish…
They made their way from the dining room to the bedroom, and her poor shirt ended up in pieces across the floor.
The man straightened his back and picked up a small Durex condom packet from beside the bed. Yuetao caught his hand.
“Don’t put that on. It’s uncomfortable.” This box was new, and she hadn’t gotten around to poking holes in the condoms yet.
“What if you get pregnant?” She was still so young, only in her first year of university.
The young woman gave a coquettish little whimper. “Then I’ll have the baby.”
The man visibly paused. Yuetao arched her body, hooked an arm around his neck, and suddenly pushed him down, pinning him beneath her.
“Brother Zhan, Taotao can’t wait~ I’m dying of hunger, mmph…”
She was like a soul-stealing little temptress—both innocent and bold.
Unable to leave the poor little thing craving any longer, Shang Zhan tossed aside what he was holding and kissed her luscious lips. Together, they fell into the clouds.
Through her haze, Yuetao heard his low voice beside her ear: “All right. We’ll get married.”
At those four words, Yuetao’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a mocking curve tugged at her lips.
But the man’s kiss soon swallowed that mocking smile, and it vanished into the sultry night…
By the time the storm had passed, the night was nearly half over.
The man, an extreme neat freak, wanted to carry Yuetao off to bathe.
She clung to him with both arms and legs, acting spoiled and insisting that she wanted to keep sleeping with him.
If he wouldn’t agree, she would whimper as though she were about to cry.
He had no choice but to give in.
“Why are you so clingy today?”
His only answer was the young woman’s steady breathing.
Watching her sweet sleeping face, he kissed her slightly swollen lips and murmured, “Little temptress.”
Holding her soft, delicate body close, he closed his eyes too.
When everything had fallen silent, the little woman who had seemed asleep slowly opened her eyes. Her beautiful, limpid gaze was perfectly clear.
It was two in the morning, and Yuetao’s visa was due to expire that very day.
After coaxing him into doing it three times, surely her haughty little egg princess had managed to choose a consort, right?
If the little princess still failed to choose one this time, Yuetao was done with this lousy business.
It wore her out physically and emotionally!
A little over ten minutes later, she gently lifted the arm wrapped around her, sat up, and looked at the sleeping, handsome man for a full minute.
Then, reluctant to leave, she gave his sexy Adam’s apple a light kiss. She brushed her fingers over his sensuous lips and kissed them once, then again, before finally climbing out of bed.
…
The next morning, before Shang Zhan had even opened his eyes, his hand reached out and found the space beside him already cold.
“Taotao?”
His voice was still husky from their night of passion. He called softly, but there was no answer.
He slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the empty space beside him, he frowned and got up.
The bathroom, kitchen, dining room, study, balcony…
At last, in the entryway, he found an envelope decorated with a cartoon peach sticker.
“Dear Brother Zhan,
“By the time you read this letter, I regret to tell you that we can’t get married!
“Because… I’m off to carry out a glorious and arduous mission: protecting the galaxy!
“To tell you the truth, my birth mother is the Queen Mother of the West, my birth father is the Jade Emperor, and I’m the Moon Peach Fairy who lives in the Moon Palace…”
He could barely stomach the rest of her nonsense.
“Shen Yuetao, you’d better hope I don’t catch you, or you’re dead!”
As the man swore through gritted teeth, Yuetao was already enjoying a delicious meal aboard her flight back to China.
Smoking Cat:
A new book is here, dear readers! I’ve started a new story, so come on in! Once you do, you’ll find it’s quite an interesting one. If you like it, please leave a precious five-star review and send a free little gift to show your support. If you don’t, please be kind and don’t leave a bad review to drive readers away. Just remove the book from your bookshelf.
Taking away someone’s livelihood is like killing their parents. Writing isn’t easy, and you can’t please everyone. Life is stressful enough these days. I write for fun, and you read for fun, so there’s no need to take things too seriously. If you want to argue, you’re right—now, come along and enjoy the story!