When Yan Jiaojiao heard the knocking, she thought it was the housekeeper bringing her fruit. But as soon as she saw the person’s face, her smile immediately vanished. “What are you doing here?”
Xie Chuanyan used his long leg to stop her from closing the door and effortlessly stepped into the room. He sat on her bed and began unbuttoning his shirt. Yan Jiaojiao grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?!”
Xie Chuanyan stared at her. “Aren’t you sleeping here?”
“This is my home, of course I’m sleeping here.”
His gaze fixed on her with an obsessive intensity. “Together.”
Yan Jiaojiao was so infuriated by his shamelessness that she felt a pang in her chest. She grabbed his collar, trying to drag him out of the room. A dark glint flashed in Xie Chuanyan’s eyes as he let himself fall backward onto the bed, pulling her down with him. His arm tightened around her waist.
Only when she saw the deepening darkness in his eyes did Yan Jiaojiao begin to feel afraid. She braced her hands on either side of his shoulders, trying to put some distance between them.
Xie Chuanyan played with the ends of her hair, pulling her head closer until their noses touched. She could feel the heat of his breath. Yan Jiaojiao avoided his predatory phoenix eyes and said pitifully, “Don’t you dare act like a rogue!”
“Then come back with me?”
Yan Jiaojiao clung to her last shred of stubbornness, pressing her face against his shoulder to keep him from kissing her, and muttered, “No!”
Xie Chuanyan savored her closeness, breathing in the unique cherry blossom scent that clung to her. He turned his head and kissed her hair. “Come back with me, or sleep here together. Choose one.”
Yan Jiaojiao didn’t want either option. “Xie Chuanyan, just let me go.”
“Let’s break u— Mmm—”
Before she could finish, he flipped her over and sealed her lips with his own. Xie Chuanyan’s eyes were bloodshot and fierce, filled with a savage intensity. The kiss was punishing in its force, lasting a full hour.
Yan Jiaojiao’s lips were bruised, and his were stained with blood. Xie Chuanyan gave her only three seconds to catch her breath before kissing her again. He wanted her to remember this lesson.
When Xie Chuanyan finally released her, he brushed aside the damp strands of hair clinging to her forehead and trailed kisses down to her earlobe. His hoarse voice whispered like a curse in her ear, “Be obedient to me. Don’t let there be a next time.”
“In this life, the next life, and every life after, you will never escape me.”
“So, be good.”
Yan Jiaojiao sobbed softly, too overwhelmed by his cruelty to argue. She nodded meekly, hoping he would stop.
In the end, Xie Chuanyan carried her back to Morning Garden.
After returning to Morning Garden, Yan Jiaojiao kept a low profile for several days, terrified that Xie Chuanyan might suddenly lose his temper. He was always threatening her, biting her—utterly unforgivable.
While reviewing documents on the sofa, Xie Chuanyan felt a sudden chill down his spine. He turned to look at Yan Jiaojiao, who immediately lowered her head and started eating faster, clearly guilty.
He walked toward her. Yan Jiaojiao glanced at his cold expression and panicked. No way… Does he have mind-reading powers? Does he know I was cursing him behind his back?
Could fate be any crueler to me? If only I had wings, I’d fly far away from here.
Yan Jiaojiao hurriedly swallowed her last bite of rice. Just as she was about to reach the stairs, he stopped her, pressing her back against the cold metal railing. A chill crept up her spine.
“What are you doing?!”
Xie Chuanyan brushed a grain of rice from the corner of her mouth, his voice tinged with resignation. “Why are you acting like a child?”
He lowered his gaze, but his dark eyes held a hint of indulgence.
Yan Jiaojiao pursed her lips. “None of your business.”
“I’m going upstairs. Get out of my way.”Her voice was soft and sweet yet fiercely threatening, her little face scrunched up but without the slightest hint of menace—instead, it was unbearably adorable.
Xie Chuanyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed twice. Those intensely predatory eyes never left the girl, gazing with obsession and seriousness.
The newly hired maid couldn’t help but mutter under her breath, “Miss Yan is just too much.”
“Even if President Xie has the best temper, there’ll come a time when he gets tired of her. She won’t even know where to cry then.”
“She’s a young lady from a wealthy family, after all, with her clan backing her.”
“Give it a rest. The Yan family has been struggling for years. If it weren’t for the Xie family’s support, they would’ve gone bankrupt long ago.”
Just as they were whispering among themselves, the Butler approached, his expression grave. “Both of you, pack your things and leave.”
The two girls panicked instantly upon hearing this, pleading, “We promise we’ll never slack off again.”
“That’s right, we know we were wrong.”
They apologized repeatedly, hoping to keep their high-paying jobs, but all they received was his cold sigh.
“It’s not me you should be apologizing to. Who gave you the nerve to slander Miss Yan behind her back? Letting you go now is for your own good. If President Xie finds out, you’ll never leave this villa alive!”
His tone carried a hidden meaning, and the two girls’ legs trembled like sieves. They shook their heads in panic and backed away.
Yan Jiaojiao glared fiercely at the man. Xie Chuanyan actually took a step back in cooperation. She tossed her ponytail and turned to go upstairs. Just as she was about to close the door, the man’s long leg blocked it, and he slipped inside effortlessly.
“What are you doing?”
Xie Chuanyan found a chair and sat down on his own, flipping open her textbook. “Helping you with your studies.”
She had lost her memory now, so proud and concerned about face. If she regained her memory and found out she had failed her classes and had to repeat a year, she’d probably give him hell for half a year.
Yan Jiaojiao snatched the textbook from his hands, said haughtily, “I don’t need your help.” This young lady can manage on her own.”
Xie Chuanyan watched her stubborn little expression, his gaze deepening. “Really don’t need it?”
“No need!”
Yan Jiaojiao stood her ground with great resolve, shaking her head like a rattle drum.
Xie Chuanyan stared at her for a few seconds, then stood up and ruffled her hair. A few buttons of his shirt were undone, the veins on his neck bulging, winding down to his prominent collarbones.
“Come ask me if there’s anything you don’t understand.”
Only when his back view disappeared outside the door did Yan Jiaojiao cleanly shut it and clapped her hands. “Who does he think he’s looking down on?”
Unconvinced, she opened her textbook, muttering something under her breath. Her eyebrows furrowed and relaxed alternately, her little expressions incredibly animated.
Ten minutes later, she let out a long yawn, propped her head up, and twirled her pen boredly. Her sigh dragged on as her eyelids gradually drooped.
The ringing of her phone startled Yan Jiaojiao awake. Her elbow slipped, and she fell flat on her bottom. Picking up the phone, her anger surged out.
“Who is it? Did you see a ghost or get hit by a car and want to invite this young lady to watch?”
“You…”
Before Liu Jinzi on the other end could finish speaking, she was cut off again.
“Or did you go bald and need me to take a photo for keepsake? Listen to this young lady’s advice: eat more black sesame seeds. Oh, and walnuts too. I suggest you eat two pounds at once, so it doesn’t affect your next-generation genes.”
Yan Jiaojiao’s barrage left Liu Jinzi fuming, her temples practically smoking. She pinched the spot between her nose and upper lip, gritting her teeth. “Yan Jiaojiao, don’t go too far.”
“Beep…”
The call was disconnected. Liu Jinzi tried several times, but no one answered. Finally, she sent a text message: 【This is Liu Jinzi.】Yan Jiaojiao picked up the phone and snapped, “Spit it out if you have something to say.”
Liu Jinzi said, “I’ve been invited to a variety show starting next month, and I can bring one more person. Out of the goodness of my heart, I’m giving you this opportunity.”
Yan Jiaojiao sneered, “Hah, no need. How could I ever stoop to working for someone else?”
Liu Jinzi, who was indeed working for someone else, retorted, “Yan Jiaojiao! You can’t do anything without relying on Xie Chuanyan. Just wait until he abandons you and you end up on the streets, you gold digger!”
“What did you just say, you… you’re really crossing the line! Let me tell you, if anyone’s doing the dumping between Xie Chuanyan and me, it’s me!”
The mention of ending up on the streets made Yan Jiaojiao think of her tragic fate in the book, and her eyes reddened with anger.
Liu Jinzi didn’t want to waste time arguing and dangled the bait. “One million per episode.”
Silence on the other end. Liu Jinzi gritted her teeth and added, “I’ll throw in another five hundred thousand.”
Yan Jiaojiao rested her chin on her hand, unmoved by the temptation. “I don’t care for it. One of my handbags costs a million and it’s gone just like that.”
Having been pampered since childhood, Yan Jiaojiao had no real concept of money—after all, she could never spend it all.
The stark contrast between their financial situations made Liu Jinzi so furious she felt like vomiting blood. She took deep breaths and patted her chest, trying to calm herself down.