Zhou Wanning’s fork clattered to the floor as she stared at Lu Jinzhou in terror.
She thought he was kissing her and hadn’t noticed her movements at all.
Yet his hand had accurately seized her wrist, and with a clang, the fork failed to pierce his shoulder.
A faint smile curled at the corner of Lu Jinzhou’s lips. He didn’t seem angry, but his eyes gleamed with a sinister light. “Trying to kill me?”
Zhou Wanning pressed her lips together. She hadn’t intended to kill him—only to wound him enough to make him stop.
“What a pity. You missed your chance. Do you know what happens next?”
He began questioning her again.
Like a cold snake, he stared intently at his prey.
“I… I…” Zhou Wanning stammered in fear, unable to justify her earlier actions.
Lu Jinzhou retrieved a few items from the nightstand drawer.
Zhou Wanning froze for a moment upon seeing them, then pushed herself up, trying to get out of bed.
But as soon as her fair feet touched the floor, the man pressed her shoulders down.
“No, don’t, Lu Jinzhou, I don’t want to.” She struggled, pushing against him.
Lu Jinzhou knelt on one knee beside the bed, gripping her chin and forcing her to look at him.
Her beautiful eyes held nothing but panic. She shook her head, murmuring at the corner of her lips, “No, don’t.”
“I didn’t want to use these on you, but Ningning is so violent—I’m scared.”
He was twisting the truth.
Zhou Wanning was forced to lie face down on the bed, her wrists pinned behind her back.
She didn’t know how much time had passed or how many times Lu Jinzhou had tormented her before she finally fell unconscious.
When she woke again, Zhou Wanning found herself in darkness once more.
In the silent space, only her breathing could be heard.
She didn’t call for Lu Jinzhou, simply turning over to lie on her back.
She recalled what Lu Jinzhou had done the day before, the lewd words he’d whispered in her ear, and the things he’d forced her to say—words she would never have uttered in her lifetime.
Humiliation. Nothing but endless humiliation.
When the door opened, Zhou Wanning sat up and saw Lu Jinzhou enter with food.
There were crab roe buns she loved, plain congee, and a few side dishes.
After setting the meal down, Lu Jinzhou carried her into the bathroom.
“Wash up.”
Zhou Wanning had no shoes, so she sat on the bathroom counter while Lu Jinzhou watched her brush her teeth.
Being stared at like this made her uncomfortable all over, but there was nowhere to hide.
He lifted her nightgown. “Does it still hurt?”
Zhou Wanning stiffened, pressing her legs together. It did hurt—thanks to him. He had no concept of restraint.
“Let me see.” He moved her blocking hand aside.
He was always domineering, leaving no room for refusal. “I’ll apply medicine for you later.”
Only then did she realize she was completely bare beneath the nightgown.
She tugged the hem of her nightgown down, signaling with her eyes that it wasn’t necessary.
After she finished brushing her teeth and wiped her mouth, Lu Jinzhou carried her back out.
“Open your mouth.” He held a bun to her lips.
Zhou Wanning didn’t dare disobey. She opened her mouth and took a small bite, though she had no appetite at all.
After chewing for a while, Lu Jinzhou pressed the bun to her lips again, and she mechanically took another bite.
Once she finished the bun, he tried to feed her congee, but Zhou Wanning turned her head away. “I don’t want any. When will you let me out?”
“What do you want to go out for?”
She looked at him—such a handsome face, yet doing inhuman deeds and speaking inhuman words.
Lu Jinzhou placed the bowl of porridge back and rested his hands on her knees. His palms were warm.
His gaze was even more scorching, as if all his affection was devoted to the woman before him.
Zhou Wanning avoided his gaze, but he gripped her chin with his thumb and index finger, forcing her to turn toward him.
“Speak!”
“Work.” Her voice was low.
“The holiday hasn’t ended yet.”
A glimmer of light flashed in Zhou Wanning’s eyes—perhaps once the holiday ended, he would let her go.
“If Ningning behaves obediently, I’ll let you out. But during this time, Ningning must think about what mistakes you’ve made before?”
Was he asking her to self-reflect and self-correct?
What mistakes had she made? The biggest mistake was unknowingly provoking this man in some situation.
He took a tube of ointment from his pocket, parted her legs, and prepared to apply it.
Zhou Wanning reached out and pushed him away. “Don’t… don’t touch me.”
“Without the ointment, you’ll feel uncomfortable. Be good, don’t avoid it.” He spoke in a coaxing tone, like talking to a child.
Zhou Wanning bit her lower lip, staring at his seemingly earnest face.
But his hands were not like his face.
While doing improper things, he lifted his gaze to watch her face, observing her losing control…
“Lu Jinzhou… enough.”
His lips pressed against her collarbone. “Ningning, so fragrant.”
The scent belonged to her.
Zhou Wanning gripped his wrist. “Please, let me go.”
“If Ningning tells me one mistake you’ve made now, I’ll let you go.”
Her mind was chaotic; she truly didn’t know what mistakes he referred to.
After he stopped harassing her, Zhou Wanning had been happy every day, so she couldn’t think of any mistakes she had made.
“If you can’t remember, you’ll be punished.”
Zhou Wanning flushed, biting her lower lip tightly, thinking and thinking again. “I… I shouldn’t have gone out with others.”
He had questioned her about Gao Yanchu before, so presumably he cared about this.
“What should you do in the future?”
Zhou Wanning’s eyes stung, but she could only answer against her own heart. “I won’t go out with others anymore in the future.”
“And what else?”
What else? This man was truly annoying.
“Only… only go out with you.”
He finally stopped, and Zhou Wanning also relaxed.
He stroked her beautiful hair. “So obedient, Ningning.”
“Now Ningning isn’t eating anymore, are you full?”
“Yes.” Even if not full, looking at him made her unable to eat.
“Then it’s time for me to eat Ningning.”
“Lu Jinzhou!”
“Yes, I’m here.” He had already begun leisurely removing his clothes.
In such a small space, where could she possibly hide?
She was pressed against the cold wall of the bathroom, her hands clinging to his shoulders, speaking words of appeasement.
Fortunately, warm water flowed down, masking whether the drops on her face were tears.
Lu Jinzhou’s insatiable demands left Zhou Wanning falling unconscious once again.
He held Zhou Wanning and slept for a while, then rose and walked out.
Whenever he left this place, brightness immediately turned to darkness.
Zhou Wanning vaguely remembered Lu Jinzhou saying that only after thinking of all her mistakes would he release her after the holiday ended.
Otherwise, she would remain locked here forever.
Enduring endless darkness.
Zhou Wanning curled up her body. No, she wanted to leave, to run away, to escape from Lu Jinzhou, this demon.
However, five days later, Zhou Wanning, exhausted both physically and mentally, had long forgotten the vow she had made.
She clung to Lu Jinzhou, sitting on his lap, and brushed her lips against his Adam’s apple. “Let me go out, please. I want to get some sun.”