Su Wan was barefoot, deliberately swaying her two clean, fair little feet in front of Chen Luosheng a few times before settling cross-legged into the soft chair.
Chen Luosheng stood behind her, using a handkerchief to gently wrap the ends of her hair, slowly drying the moisture.
Su Wan let out a contented sigh.
Closing her eyes, she murmured to herself, “When I was little, my father also liked drying my hair like this. He was about as tall as you, with big, broad palms. While drying my hair, he would tell me stories.
He said I was his favorite daughter.
But that was all before I turned ten. After that, my father didn’t like me anymore and never dried my hair again.”
Her voice was soft, but every word reached Chen Luosheng’s ears.
He laughed in exasperation, “I’m kindly drying your hair, and you compare me to your old man?”
Su Wan turned to look at him, her sparkling eyes brimming with a clear spring-like moisture, looking so pitifully damp it seemed she might burst into tears at any moment.
“But you really do remind me of my father. That’s why I was willing to come to a place like this with you.”
Chen Luosheng was taken aback, and at the same time, the strange feeling he had finally dissipated.
He had thought as much—how could an innocent young lady rashly agree to ride in a carriage with a strange man and willingly accompany him to Snowflake Retreat? He had been suspicious all along that Su Wan had ulterior motives, thinking her innocence and naivety might be a facade.
It wasn’t until Su Wan said he reminded her of her father that his doubts were dispelled.
“Although I’m five years older than you, I’m not so old as to resemble your father, am I?”
“It’s the feeling. The way you take care of me feels just like how my father used to take care of me.”
Su Wan seemed afraid he would misunderstand, nervously curling her toes and gesturing animatedly as she explained, “I’m a concubine-born daughter. Mother passed away shortly after giving birth to me. In the household, I was quite disliked. Only Father would occasionally come to check on me and help dry my hair.
When Father dried my hair, he would also use a handkerchief like this, gently wrapping the ends of my hair and squeezing the water out. You dry my hair the same way, exactly the same.”
So, it was because of this small, subtle act of drying her hair that she associated him with her father?
Chen Luosheng found it amusing, yet inexplicably felt a pang of sadness.
She was a concubine-born daughter, her mother died early from a difficult childbirth, and her father only visited her occasionally. Since childhood, she had no one to rely on. When a stranger showed her a little kindness, she thought that stranger resembled her father…
Chen Luosheng stopped drying her hair and admonished her, “If other men are kind to you, will you also consider them your father? You need to break this habit of calling everyone ‘father.'”
Su Wan muttered, “Why would other men be kind to me? They’re all bad people who want to bully me.”
Chen Luosheng frowned slightly. He, too, was one of the “bad people” Su Wan spoke of—someone who only wanted to bully her.
He hooked a strand of her hair with his fingertip, wrapped it around, then released it, repeating the motion three times before finally letting go and gently patting her shoulder.
“Alright, put on your shoes. I’ll take you back in a while.”
Running into her today and bringing her to Snowflake Retreat—what he intended to do was bully her.
Accustomed to a life of privilege, he never hesitated when it came to things he liked, nor did he hesitate when it came to women he fancied.Women were a seasoning in his life; to him, they were more like a dish—something to savor when he felt like it, and to discard when he grew tired of it.
But she was too naive, clearly untouched by the affairs between men and women.
She didn’t even understand the meaning of going barefoot.
Those fair, delicate feet were like soul-hooking claws, ensnaring his thoughts.
Standing behind her as he dried her hair, he had countless times wanted to tear her dress, grab her long hair from behind, and press her roughly onto the cold floor tiles.
The more beautiful she was, the more he wanted to destroy her.
Chen Luosheng’s heart softened for a moment, and this time, he decided to spare her.
The pitiful beauty, having narrowly escaped danger, seemed unaware that the man before her wanted to devour her. Right in front of him, she lifted her skirt, revealing her feet, and slipped on her silk stockings.
Chen Luosheng’s faint, lingering gaze remained fixed on her feet.
Su Wan inwardly scoffed—was this guy a foot fetishist?
Throughout the journey, she remained on high alert, every nerve taut, fully immersed in this performance.
She was pure and innocent, naive and fragile.
She hadn’t seduced him.
She was merely an unloved and pitiful concubine’s daughter.
She was only grateful for Chen Luosheng’s kindness today.
Even though she had deliberately opened the collar of her dress and chosen the best viewing angle when bending over, she was a good girl.
Good girls didn’t deceive men, much less use tricks to enchant them.
Once her shoes were on, she looked up to see Chen Luosheng sitting in the chair opposite, leaning back.
Outside the window, the rain had cleared, and sunlight filtered through the willow trees planted in Snowflake Retreat, casting dappled shadows inside.
Behind him was a blaze of white sunlight, but his face remained hidden in the dim light.
His figure, his face, his eyes—all seemed illusory, hazy, and indistinct.
But Su Wan knew he was watching her.
He was captivated by her blend of allure and innocence.
“Come here.”
Chen Luosheng suddenly leaned forward, his bloodshot eyes meeting Su Wan’s gaze.
She had ignited a fire in him.
Pretending to be clueless, Su Wan obediently walked over to him, her voice soft and gentle.
“I’ve put on my shoes. When are we leaving?”
“No hurry. Didn’t you say your golden hairpin hasn’t been found yet?”
Chen Luosheng grabbed her, pressing her onto his lap, one arm locking around her waist to hold her in his embrace, while the other hand slid down to her ankle.
First, he removed her shoes, then slowly peeled off the silk stockings she had just put on.
Su Wan’s heart raced, her face flushed.
Was he going to force himself on her?
Had she overacted earlier, revealing too much, making him lose control?
“Chen Luosheng, I…”
Su Wan struggled.
Chen Luosheng leaned close to her ear and whispered softly, “Don’t move. You put your stockings on inside out.”
Huh? Su Wan showed a flicker of confusion—this time, she was genuinely puzzled. Inside out? Impossible.
She lowered her head to check if she had indeed put them on wrong.
But the large hand encircling her waist suddenly tightened, forcing her even closer to Chen Luosheng’s chest.
“Don’t look. If I say they’re inside out, then they’re inside out.”
As the stockings were slowly removed, his fingertips deliberately brushed against the top of her foot, sending a shiver through her.
Now she understood completely.
This man was toying with her.
Though inwardly overjoyed, outwardly she had to struggle and resist with all her might.
“I’ll put them on again myself.”
“I don’t need your help.”Her struggle only added fuel to the fire.
Chen Luosheng leaned close to her ear again, his hot breath making her gasp.
“Don’t move, or I’ll strip you and dress you again.”
Su Wan let out a soft moan, clenching her fist to hit him.
With a creak, the door suddenly opened from the outside.
The owner of Snowflake Retreat entered with a flattering smile.
“Third Young Master, I’ve found the gold hairpin you were looking for…”
“Get out!”
The owner’s intrusion shattered the rising tension in an instant.
Su Wan seized the opportunity to break free.
Chen Luosheng’s eyes gleamed coldly: “Leave the thing and get out!”
The owner of Snowflake Retreat trembled, his legs shaking. He had knocked outside for a while, and when no one responded, he mustered the courage to push the door open. He never expected to ruin Third Young Master’s moment. Today was truly unlucky for him, having messed up twice in the hands of the Third Young Master.
Leaving the gold hairpin behind, the owner scrambled out, not forgetting to close the door behind him.
But the best moment had already passed.
Chen Luosheng lost interest and closed his eyes again: “Go see if that hairpin is yours.”