1 – Tanshen, Embrace
Kyoto’s affluent district, the Xie family villa.
Jiang Mingci stepped out of the taxi, dressed simply in white shirt and black pants. Under the sunlight, the young man appeared bright and youthful, gazing somewhat nervously at the luxurious, palace-like villa.
“Hello, are you Mr. Jiang?” a maid opened the door.
“Yes.”
“Please follow me. The young lady is already waiting for you in the dance studio.”
Jiang Mingci nodded and followed behind her.
He was a student majoring in ballroom dance at Kyoto Sports University, ranked second in his program, and had been hired at an exorbitant price to accompany the Xie family’s young lady in dance practice.
The Xie family was a prominent financial conglomerate in Kyoto, one of the world’s top three pharmaceutical companies, with operations spanning the globe—undoubtedly the wealthiest family in Kyoto.
He randomly imagined what the Xie family’s young lady might be like.
The daughter of a pharmaceutical conglomerate—likely the angelic type.
Gentle, pure, noble, elegant.
Jiang Mingci had always harbored admiration for such fairy-like figures, and he couldn’t help but blush slightly at the tips of his ears.
The maid leading the way paused briefly, bowing respectfully. “Mr. Tan.”
“Hmm.”
A deep, resonant voice sounded coldly from above, low and sensual.
Jiang Mingci looked up at the approaching man.
The man was strikingly handsome and stern, his suit accentuating his tall, slender frame. His features were sharp, his eyes like cold stars, and his presence carried the overwhelming authority of someone in power.
His icy gaze swept over Jiang Mingci indifferently—
Jiang Mingci nearly started planning his own burial.
The maid introduced, “This is the new dance partner hired for the young lady.”
Tan Shen responded without much emotion, seemingly uninterested in him.
His voice was cold and steady. “She wants lychees.”
“Lychees? There are some in the front kitchen. I’ll go get them now…”
Tan Shen interrupted her. “No need. I’ll go.”
The maid looked at him with slight surprise. “You…”
Tan Shen had already taken long strides and walked away briskly.
Jiang Mingci watched his retreating figure. Even though he had seen many well-built young men at the sports university, including himself, who was exceptionally outstanding, none could match this man’s commanding presence.
He couldn’t help but ask, “Who is that…”
“The young lady’s personal bodyguard.”
“Bodyguard?”
Jiang Mingci was somewhat puzzled. Just a bodyguard—why treat him with such reverence?
The maid seemed to sense his thoughts and simply said with a smile, “The young lady likes him.”
Jiang Mingci nodded, not taking this “liking” to heart.
Its meaning was probably equivalent to liking a beautiful piece of jewelry or a pretty dress.
Xie Yurao’s dance studio was on the second floor of the villa.
The spacious windowsill flooded the room with bright, ample light. She sat on the bay window, idly swinging her slender legs.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Xie Yurao lazily yawned.
“Here?”
Jiang Mingci froze for a moment.
He looked at the appearance of the Xie family’s young lady, comparing it to the gentle, elegant angel he had imagined.
It was—
Nothing alike.
The beauty leaned lazily against the bay window in a red dress, her fair, delicate legs swaying gently. Her fox-like eyes, hazy with drowsiness, lifted lazily, as if tipped with tiny hooks.
Not an angel—a temptress.
“Hello, I’m from the ballroom dance program at Kyoto Sports University…”
“The campus heartthrob,” Xie Yurao jumped down from the windowsill. “I know.”
Jiang Mingci: “??”
He seemed to vaguely understand why he, ranked second in his program, had been invited.
Xie Yurao walked toward him in her high heels, her expression slightly lifted, thoughtfully saying,
“He looks a bit soft.”
“…?”
He wasn’t here to…
Xie Yurao chuckled softly and continued leisurely, “Won’t cry if I step on you, will you?”
“…No, I won’t.”
This boy didn’t seem easy to tease, blushing easily, and Xie Yurao wasn’t particularly interested in soft, gentle types anyway.
She preferred the wild, hormone-charged, indifferent ones.
She stretched out her slender, fair arms, loosening the pampered muscles and bones Tan Shen had spoiled.
“Haven’t practiced much lately, might step on you—just a heads-up.”
“Let’s begin.”
In the dance studio, rhythmic, drum-heavy music started playing.
Xie Yurao, in an exceptionally striking red dress and ten-centimeter heels, fell into the rhythm with the music. Her slender, elegant neck lifted slightly, noble as a swan.
The swaying hem of her dress rippled like layers of waves, her long legs fair and toned, dazzlingly eye-catching. Her innate aura perfectly matched the essence of ballroom dance—
Noble, flamboyant, unrestrained.
Jiang Mingci had partnered with girls before.
But he’d never felt this nervous.
His hand lightly rested on her soft waist, and just that simple touch made his entire mind explode with heat.
Damn.
It seemed he suddenly… didn’t like fairies anymore…
As the final piece ended,
Xie Yurao was drenched in fragrant sweat, breathing lightly as she took a step back, putting distance between them.
She didn’t particularly enjoy ballroom dancing—too exhausting—but her family placed high demands on posture, so she had to practice regularly.
“Sorry, stepped on you once.”
Jiang Mingci lowered his gaze to her slightly flushed cheeks, dotted with fine beads of sweat, her long lashes damp and beautiful.
“It’s… it’s fine, didn’t hurt.”
Looking at the beauty before him, only one phrase echoed in his mind: a stunning beauty among mortals.
Just one afternoon of dancing, and he felt his soul was about to be stolen.
Jiang Mingci seemed to understand what love at first sight meant.
He nervously clenched his hand. “Could I…”
Xie Yurao looked up at him. The boy hailed as the campus heartthrob was handsome, and his nervous demeanor was quite appealing.
She always paid a little more attention to good-looking people.
“Could you what?”
Jiang Mingci said, “Could I add you on We—”
Knock knock—
The dance studio door was abruptly pushed open, and the cold, stern man they’d seen earlier appeared in the doorway, his tall frame almost blocking the view outside.
His icy eyes, devoid of emotion, swept over the two before settling on Xie Yurao.
In a cold tone, he commanded, “Come out. Eat lychees.”
Jiang Mingci: “??”
Was this bodyguard really speaking to the Xie family’s young lady so boldly?
Though he didn’t understand high-society life, with an attitude like that, wasn’t this bodyguard afraid of being fired?
Especially since the Xie family’s young lady had such a flamboyant and noble tempera—
“Tan Shen…”
Xie Yurao looked toward the handsome, cold-faced man at the door, tilting her head slightly and blinking her watery, captivating fox-like eyes.
“I’m out of strength.”
Tan Shen’s cold eyes remained fixed on her, unmoving.
Xie Yurao was used to his aloof detachment, so she stretched out her fair, soft, tempting arm, her tone lightly teasing at the end.
Like a soft, coquettish little fox.
“Carry me~”
—???—
Here it is, just writing casually—hope you all enjoy!
Character dynamics: The radiant, pampered, spoiled young lady × The Bking, devilishly handsome, stoic bodyguard.
The male lead is initially cold and sharp-tongued, but he is absolutely doting, with a hidden loyal nature.
Later, he chases his wife through a fiery ordeal, transforming from a wolfish rogue into a devoted companion.
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