Smoke slowly drifted between the two of them, the scent carrying a threat that rushed toward Xia Wanzhi.
It reminded her of the expression he had when he placed the knife in her hand—a lazy, half-smiling look that barely concealed the oppression and dominance beneath.
The two of them stood locked in a visual standoff. Just as the tension in her nerves stretched to its breaking point, Xia Wanzhi’s eyes reddened. Her delicate gaze held a final stubbornness, her breathing grew labored, and a choked sob slowly escaped.
Afraid yet determined.
Soft, with a hint of fierce innocence, clumsily trying to protect herself.
Tears welled up but did not fall, making her all the more pitiable.
Lu Zhuojin stared at her, narrowed his eyes, clicked his tongue, and tapped the ash from his cigarette into the ashtray before conceding, “Then at least turn around, will you?”
Xia Wanzhi bit her lip. Was he… inspecting goods? As if she were merchandise, being appraised inch by inch under his gaze.
But she didn’t dare resist.
This man… dared to kill…
She still remembered the moment blood sprayed, the pungent smell of blood filling her nostrils, the screams in her ears, the sticky blood on her hands, and the overwhelming crimson that filled her vision when she opened her eyes…
Xia Wanzhi covered her chest, timidly shifting her feet in small steps as she slowly turned in a circle.
Lu Zhuojin’s gaze swept over her. He took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaled, and clenched the filter between his teeth. Despite her innocent face, her figure was exceptionally alluring—half-concealed, half-revealed. Through the torn hem of her skirt, glimpses of her skin sparked imagination. Her pale fingers pressed against her chest, yet they couldn’t hide its curves.
Her legs were slender, smudged with dirt and marked with fine scratches.
Flecks of blood seeped from the mottled wounds, making her look both fragile and pitiable—tempting one to ravage yet also… to kiss…
Xia Wanzhi timidly stopped, looking at Lu Zhuojin with wide, pleading eyes.
Lu Zhuojin’s gaze was openly aggressive, making her afraid. It seethed with turbulent intensity, as if a storm were about to erupt at any moment.
Lu Zhuojin’s expression darkened. He stood up, forcefully crushed his cigarette, extinguishing the embers, and strode over to Xia Wanzhi.
His shadow enveloped her. She felt the light dim before her, only to be pressed against a scorching chest. A large hand covered the small of her back, sending tingling waves of heat through his touch.
Xia Wanzhi let out a startled cry, but it was swallowed by lips burning with heat, pressing insistently against her own.
Then, the mingled scents of tobacco and cedar, mixed with unrestrained hormones, assaulted Xia Wanzhi.
Their breaths intertwined relentlessly.
Xia Wanzhi’s air was stolen away.
She pushed against Lu Zhuojin’s chest, struggling with muffled “mmph” sounds.
His kiss was forceful and domineering, allowing no escape. It felt as if he sought to claim her entirely through this one act—savage, conquering, overwhelming, leaving her defenses shattered and retreating step by step.
It was also like a declaration of sovereignty through a kiss, carrying both warning and threat, making her afraid to defy his will in any way.
As she was kissed, Xia Wanzhi was too terrified by this primal savagery to move. Her breath grew shallower, her breathing weaker.
Tears of instinct slowly streamed down.
Only when Lu Zhuojin released her, his low, hoarse voice whispering in her ear, “Breathe!” did Xia Wanzhi gasp for air.
Kissing this man felt like dying every time.
If… it really happened, would it be just as savage… to the point of death…
Xia Wanzhi felt a surge of fear and regret. She shouldn’t have agreed.
She didn’t want it, and she didn’t dare… for it to happen…
Feeling Xia Wanzhi tremble slightly, Lu Zhuojin’s hand pressed against the dip of her waist slowly grasped the fabric of her clothes at her back and pulled downward.
He whispered softly by her ear, his voice gentle and lingering: “Afraid of me?”
“What will you do later then?”
He sighed leisurely, like a beast pitying and lamenting its prey.
Xia Wanzhi stammered: “You… you’re taking advantage of the situation.”
Lu Zhuojin nodded: “Indeed.”
Without a trace of remorse.
“But didn’t you agree?”
Xia Wanzhi pleaded softly: “Not… not here…”
Lu Zhuojin’s lips brushed lightly past her ear, nipping gently, his warm breath grazing her skin as he deliberately twisted her meaning: “What, you want it here?”
As he spoke, he pressed her against the door, kissing her gently, no longer as forceful, yet his movements left no room for refusal.
Xia Wanzhi was kissed into a daze, her back chilled against the door while Lu Zhuojin’s scorching chest pressed against her front, the alternating sensations of cold and heat overwhelming her senses.
She was tainted by Lu Zhuojin’s scent, like a beast marking its territory.
The sharp sound of a zipper jolted Xia Wanzhi awake.
Xia Wanzhi was disheveled all over, while Lu Zhuojin remained impeccably composed, his eyes turbulent with intensity. His shirt was buttoned neatly, not a single button undone, his breathing hot, yet his expression remained dignified and steady.
As if all he needed to do was unbuckle his belt, nothing more.
It didn’t affect him in the slightest; he could withdraw from desire at any moment.
Xia Wanzhi felt humiliated, a flicker of courage rising within her, dissatisfied with the way she was being treated. She… she wasn’t that kind of person.
She pushed Lu Zhuojin away forcefully, picked up the discarded suit jacket from the floor, and wrapped it around herself, whispering quickly: “I… I’ll do it next time.”
After saying this, she didn’t dare look at Lu Zhuojin, mustering the last of her courage to pull the door open and flee.
As soon as she opened the door, she froze.
Over a dozen bodyguards in black suits stood in two rows at the entrance, expressionless and eyes fixed straight ahead.
Where could she run? There was nowhere to go.
She nearly burst into tears, panicked and uneasy.
Lu Zhuojin watched Xia Wanzhi standing dumbfounded by the open door, his fingers lightly rubbing together. He had only intended to check if she was injured, but he lost control, almost as if he had planned to take her right there in the foyer.
He had frightened her.
Lu Zhuojin pulled the door wider, crossing his arms with a faint, teasing smile as he leaned lazily against the doorframe: “You want them to watch? That’s quite a unique preference, but I can indulge you…”
Xia Wanzhi’s courage was utterly spent. Moonlight spilled over her, making her appear even more innocent yet alluring.
Her eyes filled with despair as she looked at Lu Zhuojin, pitiful and pleading.
Like a kitten scratching at his heart.
It made Lu Zhuojin’s heart itch. He reached out, pulled her back, switched their positions, and pressed her against the door, kissing her.
Xia Wanzhi tilted her head back to receive the kiss, her fair neck delicate and slender under the moonlight, pure and exquisite to the extreme.
His hand slipped inside her jacket.
The others held their breath, afraid even a heavy exhale would earn Lu Zhuojin’s resentment.
Xia Wanzhi was tense, a faint blush slowly creeping across her face. With two rows of people standing beside them, Lu Zhuojin remained utterly brazen.
Lu Zhuojin’s kiss was less intense than before, more like a teasing jest. His lips lingered by her ear, gently nibbling at the tip, watching it turn red, but his hand…
Xia Wanzhi’s hand blocked Lu Zhuojin’s deliberate, unhurried movements, stammering a plea: “We really can’t do it here…”
Her voice was like a kitten’s.
Lu Zhuojin’s slender fingers brushed gently as he whispered in her ear, “Didn’t you like being watched?”
Xia Wanzhi replied shyly, “No, I didn’t…”
Lu Zhuojin drew her closer, using his foot to shut the door with a “bang.” His scorching breath lightly nibbled at her ear as he murmured, “If you try to run, you’ll be punished~”
His tone was gentle and lingering, soft yet persistent, like a tender… executioner.