In the evening, Song Man bathed and reapplied medicine to her wound.
She had just finished when the door to her room was pushed open.
Song Man looked up and froze.
It was Song Junyan.
He seemed to have just come from the study, gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. Standing in the dim threshold outside the door, his eyes were as sharp as snow glinting under a clear sun.
In recent years, Elder Song had grown older and his health increasingly frail, with the family doctor practically never leaving his side. Song Lianming had thus moved the entire family back to the old residence. As for Song Junyan, he had moved out upon reaching adulthood and only returned once a month at month’s end unless something important came up.
Today he had come to the old residence to discuss the marriage alliance with the Shen family. By all rights, now that the Shens had left, he should have left as well.
Song Man watched him warily. “Why are you here?”
She had just bathed, and her usually snow-pale face was flushed a healthy rosy red from the hot water. A few strands of her casually pinned-up hair had come loose and clung to her neck.
That spot—she had always been sensitive there.
Back in the bathroom, with the door closed and the shower running, water splashing loudly, when the nanny outside called out to ask something, he would take advantage of the cover to suck on her without restraint.
Song Junyan swallowed hard, answering her question with a non-sequitur: “To apply medicine for you.”
As he spoke, his gaze drifted downward.
Song Man followed his line of sight and realized that because she had been applying medicine, one leg was propped on the edge of the bed, causing her knee-length nightgown to slip up to her upper thigh. From his angle, he could easily see everything beneath.
Song Man hastily lowered her leg. “I’ve already applied it…”
But the man moved faster than she did—closing the door, approaching, and pressing her down onto the bed, one leg sliding between hers to block her from closing them.
“Not there—here.”
His fingers tapped the spot, patiently enlightening her.
Song Man’s whole body jolted as if struck by an electric current. She reached out to push him away, only to find she couldn’t budge him at all. She had no choice but to say, “No need.”
“No need?” He must have just drunk coffee; when he leaned in close, she could clearly smell the bitter aroma. “If I remember correctly, I was rather rough this afternoon.”
Song Man thought to herself, You know it. But what came out of her mouth was, “No, I’m fine. Please just leave.”
Song Junyan raised an eyebrow, his fingertips lingering there.
“Since it doesn’t hurt…”
The phone rang just then.
Song Man tried to reach for it.
But the man grabbed both her hands and pinned them above her head. “Ignore it.”
His voice was hoarse, and Song Man knew exactly what he was thinking. She struggled free from his grip and grabbed the phone.
The screen displayed three large characters: Shen Zhiyin.
Song Man’s heart lurched. “Your fiancée is calling me?”
Her tone carried both surprise and a hint of warning.
As if trying to use those words to dissuade Song Junyan from continuing.
And she was also panicked—was Shen Zhiyin calling now because she had discovered something this afternoon?
At that thought, Song Man instinctively wanted to hang up, but then again, she and Shen Zhiyin weren’t that close. If Shen Zhiyin was calling at this hour, something must be up.
It wouldn’t be good to hang up.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Song Man answered the call, but didn’t notice that the man beside her had taken off his glasses and was kissing down her neck—just as fierce as this afternoon, with a punishing edge.
Song Man’s breath caught, a scream nearly bursting from her throat.
“Man’er?”
Shen Zhiyin’s voice came softly through the phone.
On this end, the man’s warm breath moved from her neck down to her chest, deliberately targeting her sensitive spots.
Song Man’s head spun, her body burning. She clenched her teeth, struggling to keep her breathing steady. “Mm?”
Shen Zhiyin said, “Are you free right now?”
Song Man looked at the man hovering over her, pushed at him, and held up the lit screen for him to see, silently hoping he would stop.
But the man only raised an eyebrow and lowered his face again…
“Man’er?”
Song Man hurriedly replied, “I’m a bit busy right now, Shen—Sister Shen, is something the matter?”
Shen Zhiyin glanced at the time—past eight. She was probably getting ready to settle in for the night?
Shen Zhiyin got straight to the point. “I’d like you to come with me to try on my engagement dress.”
At the same moment, Song Junyan twisted open the medicine cap, grabbed her ankle, and hoisted it onto his shoulder. Suddenly, his hand slipped inside.
The instant he touched her, Song Man couldn’t hold back a scream. “Ah!”
“What are you doing?”
The voice on the other end had clearly turned cold.