The morning at Nanhuan Station was bustling with people.
Men and women in suits kept walking out of the ticket gates.
8:19 a.m. — the time many workers start their day.
I leaned against the side of the manual service counter, staring down at my phone.
This was the first time in my life that I didn’t have enough money to leave the subway, so I had to send a message to Mo You.
“Mo You, I need to take a day off today. Also… could you advance me some of my salary?”
It was embarrassing, but time was tight, so I had no choice but to ask for her help.
“Did the job fail?”
She replied immediately.
“Yeah. I’ll explain the details later. I need to go see her now.”
“(You) transferred 4000 yuan to you.”
“Thank you!”
Looking at the orange-red transfer notification, I thanked her while scanning the code to exit the gate.
“I transferred it to you personally. Don’t worry about the leave for now. Hurry.”
“Thanks, I’ll pay you back when I get my salary!”
While texting, I jumped into the construction site and almost ran into a lamp post.
The photo studio was right ahead.
Please, An Zhi… you have to still be there!
“Be careful. And watch out for Jiang Liulan.”
I glanced at the screen one last time, then walked around the back of the studio and looked up.
The gap in the electric fence was still there.
Even the stone I had moved earlier hadn’t been touched.
That was great.
Without thinking further, I dropped my suitcase, stepped on the stone, and leaped over, landing smoothly.
The thought of seeing An Zhi soon sent something like electricity running through my body, making me feel swollen with excitement.
I stared straight at the slightly open back door of the studio.
Just as I took a step forward—
“Whoosh!”
The sound of air being torn apart rang out.
A sharp pain exploded at the back of my head.
Before my mind could react, my consciousness sank into darkness.
…
A needle-like pain came from my wrists and ankles.
My brain felt as if it were pressed down by something heavy, and the back of my head was almost numb.
Was I… attacked?
I forced my eyes open.
The blinding white light made them sting, making it hard to see.
So the gap in the outer wall couldn’t possibly still be unrepaired.
Everything had been a trap prepared for me.
I had been blinded by urgency and only realized it now.
An Zhi was leaving today.
Wouldn’t it be normal for security to be tightened before she left?
Especially with someone dangerous like me around.
Where am I?
It felt like I was sitting on a chair.
I tried to move my body.
Rough ropes scraped against my hands and feet, leaving me unable to move.
My eyes gradually adapted to the light.
The scene slowly became clearer.
It was a small room.
The walls on both sides blocked most of my view.
I could only see a door and a figure sitting in the corner with legs crossed.
“W-Where am I? Who are you?”
I tried to speak.
“You’re awake? Unfortunately, you won’t get to see An Zhi today. You’re out~”
That voice…
Jiang Liulan?
Through the white light of the ceiling lamp, I could finally see her clearly.
Her hair was tied up, and her face still had a slightly youthful look.
She wore a low-cut black gauze dress.
The pale gray transparent straps sank into the skin of her chest, framing the deeper cleavage between them.
Beneath the semi-transparent skirt, the outline of her fleshy thighs was visible.
Though unfamiliar, I recognized that voice.
It was indeed Jiang Liulan.
“Has An Zhi already left?”
“Who knows? Asking that is meaningless anyway. After all, you can’t move at all.”
She walked up and brushed her round fingertips across my face, staring straight into my eyes and blinking with amusement.
“…”
I turned my gaze away.
The breath blowing onto my face carried the scent of grapefruit.
Does this woman have no sense of personal space?
I twisted my body in protest, making the chair screech loudly against the floor.
“Hehe~ You’re quite handsome.”
She licked her finger with satisfaction, put her hands on her waist, and stood in front of me.
“What? Not convinced? I told you before—if you dared to upset the princess, you’d be dead~”
“Restricting someone’s freedom is illegal. I can report you.”
I had to get out of here first.
Looking at the hooks on the wall and several flashy pairs of shoes in the cabinet below, I guessed this room was inside the studio.
Probably a dressing room.
“Smack!”
She suddenly lifted her leg and stepped on the back of the chair.
My body tilted backward briefly, making me dizzy.
“Illegal? Can you call the police right now, Li Mingshan?”
Near my ear came the sound of socks rubbing against leather shoes.
The smell of leather drifted into my nose.
From her round ankle, I could see the soft flesh of her calves swaying—and beneath the hem of her skirt… something I shouldn’t be seeing.
What exactly was she trying to do?
If it was just to watch me, was all this necessary?
“Looking at my legs? You scumbag. All men are the same—they’ll accept anyone. Are you the same? After all, the princess likes you so much, yet you’re living sweetly with another woman. Disgusting—!”
Her shrill insults pounded against my brain, making my heart race.
“I—I came to explain this. I came to explain everything to An Zhi. So…”
“She doesn’t need it! I’m waiting here for you because it’s also what she wanted. Guess what she asked me to do?”
Her little leather shoe slid downward and stepped between my thighs.
My legs were forced apart by the pain as she planted her foot on the edge of the chair.
“I know I did something wrong and hurt her. I’m prepared to be scolded or even beaten by her… I’m ready to accept any punishment. If you’re here to punish me on her behalf, then just do it already! There’s no need for these threatening gestures!”
I gritted my teeth and relaxed my strength, slumping against the chair.
“Oh? Given up?”
“But after the punishment, please let me see An Zhi once. I have to explain things to her. Okay?”
“You still dare to negotiate!?”
She grabbed the back of the chair and leaned over me, her spit spraying onto my neck.
“She couldn’t even bear to punish you! Even after hearing that recording, she still refused to believe you were a cheating scumbag. She stayed depressed all night, unable to sleep, wondering if she could still see you, wondering if you really had another woman behind her back! Do you know that!? Can you understand how she feels, you bastard!?”
“Precisely because I realized I hurt her, I rushed here desperately to see her again… And you too—I’ve heard you’ve been staying by her side. I should thank you for that, Jiang Liulan… but I must see her. No matter what you do! Just get it over with!”
“Stop saying things like that! Men’s mouths are never as honest as their bodies!”
She slipped off her shoe through the gap between my legs.
Her black-and-white striped socked foot stepped onto my leg and slowly crawled upward along my thigh.
“What are you trying to do? You—”
Feeling her breath grow warm and moist, and the tingling sensation creeping up my leg, I panicked.
“I’ll confirm the thing An Zhi wants to know. Are you the kind of man who ‘can accept anyone’? If you really like An Zhi, then try rejecting me. Your body won’t lie.”
This reckless woman… no wonder Mo You was wary of her…
I really got mixed up with a strange person.
But for An Zhi, no matter how she tries to seduce me, I must endure.
“Hm? Still no reaction?”
She tilted her head like a little girl, smiling mischievously.
This scene reminded me of the past—when Su Xixia once tricked me into the bathroom alone.
She slid the strap off her shoulder with a flick, revealing her flushed shoulder, then lightly tugged at the lace of her neckline, deliberately leaning forward so I could see.
Whenever I closed my eyes, she moved even closer, letting her skin press against mine—replacing visual temptation with touch.
My whole body filled with itching and tingling sensations.
Even my brain felt numb, constantly warning me:
She’s serious…
She’ll really keep going…
An Zhi asked her to test whether I could resist temptation.
I must endure!
Endure no matter what!
Right…
Think about the past…
About the feeling when I tightly embraced Su Xixia, when we were that close.
“Almost there~ Looks like you’re getting into the mood~ How’s my foot? Watch me twist!”
My clenched teeth creaked as I fought against my instincts, my body tensing painfully.
Right… compared to Su Xixia, she wasn’t nearly as attractive.
Her touch, her skills, her figure—none of them compared.
When Su Xixia “bullied” me back then, it had been far harder to endure…
“It’s useless… Jiang Liulan.”
Compared to Su Xixia, you’re far inferior!
Even Su Xixia can’t stir my desire anymore—what makes you think you can!?
“Huh? How is that possible?”
She began tugging at her skirt more frantically, her brows knitting together.
“I only react to someone I like. The one I like is An Zhi. I have no feelings for you! It’s useless!”
I succeeded.
Even though I used Su Xixia in my thoughts, I managed to suppress my desire.
But immediately after, I felt doubtful about the words I had just spoken.
Only someone I like…?
Now isn’t the time to think about that!
“How can this be? Are you impotent? Or am I completely unattractive? Come on, react already!”
She grabbed my shoulders and pressed her entire body against mine.
At that moment, the sound of metal clinking came from outside the door.
The door opened inward.
Did this idiot woman forget to lock the door?!
Push her away—no, I can’t move at all…
“Liulan-jie, are you still… not done? Ah—! Your… clothes…”
Seeing the familiar face peeking through the door crack—eyes wide in shock, hands covering her mouth—my blood seemed to freeze.