trade

trade

"You don't want it anymore?" Xie Yong waved the lipstick in his hand at me again. "Then I'll throw it away."

I held out my hand and showed him my phone again. "I'm really not pursuing you. Please go back and open that letter and read it, okay?"

He curled his lips slightly, his expression full of mockery.

I noticed this very subtle movement, and explaining it to him was completely useless.

He possessed the arrogance unique to the chosen ones, believing only in what he saw and what he considered to be the truth, and always maintaining a skeptical and sarcastic attitude towards the answers of others.

Before I could say anything more, someone called him. A girl's gentle voice rang out in the car, "Brother Xie Yong, are you home yet?"

"Not yet, I have other things to do." Xie Yong replied somewhat indifferently.

"Okay, then call me when you get home, okay?"

"……Um."

"Brother Xie Yong, is that girl still in your car?" Lin Zhi'en finally asked the most crucial question.

God is my witness, I had absolutely no intention of disturbing the male and female protagonists, but at this moment I still feel like a shameful third party who is ruining other people's relationship.

While I was in the car, the air conditioning was providing plenty of warmth, but even though I've been off the bus for a while now, I still feel like my whole body is burning up.

Xie Yong's gaze lingered on me for a moment, then he calmly told Lin Zhi'en, "She's gone."

I grabbed my bag, turned around, and ran.

From the moment I entered Imperial University today, I felt like a fool who couldn't do anything right without Yu Xu, who would only make mistakes and hold everyone back.

After confirming that I could no longer see the car behind me, I looked at the street in front of me with some hesitation. The shops along the street were decorated with lights, which shone brightly in the night. In front of me was a giant Christmas tree prepared by the shopping mall.

If it were Yu Xu... I instinctively picked up my phone, wanting to capture this beautiful scene.

Before I could even walk over, someone grabbed my coat.

I looked down in surprise and saw a little girl with pigtails staring at me expectantly. At first, I thought she wanted my phone, but then the girl suddenly hugged me tightly and said, "...I'm hungry, sister."

Her face was flushed red from the cold wind, and her bangs were disheveled. She snuggled into my arms, very dependent on me.

I was startled and looked up. There were people coming and going. This little girl must have also been separated from her family.

The best thing to do now is to stay where she is and wait for her parents.

Without thinking too much, I tied my scarf around her neck and carried her to buy a hot cocoa.

I made up my mind that if her parents didn't show up within half an hour, I would take her to the police station immediately.

She obediently let me hold her, holding the cup, her lips smeared with chocolate. Suddenly, the little girl looked up and rubbed her face against mine. "Sister, are you too cold? That's why you were crying so sadly. I'll give your scarf back to you."

I shook my head.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" She touched my hair. "I know, you ran away from the shop window. You're afraid people will find out you're different from us because you're an antique doll that escaped."

Children are always so innocent and speak without restraint.

I was amused and patted her head. I saw a young couple running anxiously towards me in the distance, so I quickly put the little girl down and waved.

"I'm sorry, baby..." The child's mother quickly hugged her, feeling both guilty and upset. "You're so naughty. Mommy and Daddy just turned around and you ran away."

The little girl's father bowed slightly and thanked me. I quickly waved back, but I didn't say much, which puzzled the couple.

"Shh, don't talk to your sister, or she'll be taken back."

Her parents were a little confused, but the little girl said mysteriously, "My sister has such white skin and such long eyelashes, she must not be human, she is a doll in a shop window!"

We all laughed. His parents noticed that I couldn't speak, so they simply shook hands with me one by one.

The young mother even hugged me and gently patted my back: "Happy Holidays."

As we parted, the little girl even kissed me.

After saying goodbye to the family, I took some more photos along the street, which was filled with Christmas decorations. As I put my phone back in my bag, I saw unfamiliar faces in my field of vision.

"Miss, are you alone?" The man in front of her asked with a solicitous expression.

I've had plenty of opportunities to be approached by strange men like this, and I'm always very wary of them, never showing any signs that would give them the impression that I'm being taken advantage of.

I was about to walk past him when the man stubbornly reached out and blocked my way. "Am I lucky enough to be invited to dinner?"

"..." I simply turned around, letting my actions speak for themselves.

The man's otherwise handsome face showed a hint of embarrassment.

He jogged a few steps and caught up with me again. Seeing his persistent look, before I could even speak, the car headlights suddenly shone brightly on me, blinding the man. The car even honked its horn in a very rude manner.

I shielded my eyes from the light and turned my head. I saw the black G-Class that should have left standing not far away, its headlights flashing alternately at high and low beams, as if it were a warning, or perhaps a casual show of defiance.

The man left quickly.

The car window slowly rolled down, revealing Xie Yong's noble face hidden in the dim light.

From this angle, his brow bone appears deep-set, his nose bridge high, and he is not only handsome but also possesses a sharp and contradictory quality that lies between a boy and a grown man, making him very attractive.

He tapped his knuckles lightly, giving a lazy tap, "Get in the car."

I thought he had come back after reading my letter, so I happily opened the car door, but Xie Yong drove quietly without looking at me.

This time, he took me to the subway station, and then without hesitation kicked me off the train again, without giving me a chance to type an explanation to him.

...

Next time, after class, Lu Qixi accompanied me to the street where the traffic accident had occurred.

The most famous feature of this street is the building that overlooks the entire business district of the Empire State. It is one of the landmarks of the skyline, attracting countless tourists and a constant flow of traffic every day. However, the place where Yu Xu had his accident was in an alley nearby, in a blind spot of the surveillance cameras.

There was only one convenience store and one coffee shop nearby, but when the police came to retrieve the surveillance video, the coffee shop owner happened to be sick and not open, and the surveillance footage from the convenience store that day was also inexplicably missing.

Lu Qixi came out of the store and handed me the coffee: "There was really nothing we could do. The staff said that there were unusually many people that day, mostly tourists who had come from watching the fireworks at the Empire State Building. And the fireworks were very loud, so she didn't even notice the car accident that happened nearby."

I thought for a moment, then looked down the street and saw an inconspicuous spot on the other side of the road: the open-air parking lot behind the department store. It was clearly for employee use only, and there weren't many cars there.

I pointed, and Lu Qixi immediately understood what I meant. She pulled me around to look, and even consulted the drowsy security guard. The result was still disappointing. On the night of the 22nd, half an hour before Yu Xu's accident, the department store had a power outage, so the surveillance cameras naturally didn't capture anything.

I was somewhat saddened that none of the nearby surveillance cameras captured anything.

As I was leaving, I looked at the cars parked in the parking lot and suddenly had a strange yet daring idea.

A dashcam... Is it possible that a car parked here that day recorded the entire accident that happened on the opposite street?

My heart was pounding, and I gently bit my lips.

Besides the dashcam, I also prepared some other things. A photo of me and Yu Xu, and photos of Yu Xu and Xie Yong participating in a high school competition. Last night, I specifically opened Instagram, but this time my subject wasn't Xie Yong, but Ye Fenglin, whom I met yesterday.

Compared to Xie Yong, whose account couldn't even be found, Ye Fenglin was quite high-profile.

He posts updates on his account very frequently, several times a day. After browsing through them all, I know almost everything about him: his favorite brands, his clothing style, the things he likes, the sports he's interested in…

I knew he played on the ice hockey team in college, and today happened to be his training day, so I decided to try my luck.

When I arrived at Imperial University again, I wasn't nervous at all. I went straight to the hockey rink, where the team members, dressed in orange and dark blue hockey uniforms, were competing on the smooth ice. This sport, which is explosive and allows for physical contact, is very popular among college students at Imperial State.

The players, holding hockey sticks, skated and competed against each other. The atmosphere was tense, but they were determined not to give an inch, making the game even more exciting.

I found Ye Fenglin among all the people wearing helmets on the ice rink.

He's tall, and even in his heavy training clothes and helmet, he's still a handsome guy from every angle, shining brightly.

I didn't dare blink, I kept staring at him until the end of the match. Ye Fenglin swung his club and scored, glided forward a few steps, took off his helmet, and saw him getting closer and closer to the fence near the ice rink. I quickly ran down from the stands and waited there in advance.

Ye Fenglin's temper is much better than I thought.

When he saw me, he took off his helmet. His short hair was soaked and dripping with sweat. His features were extremely handsome, and he had a youthful appearance. He smiled and said to me as if he had met an old friend, "What brings you here?"

I quickly handed him the letter and the photo together.

Other ice hockey teammates also skated over one after another. When they saw Ye Fenglin stop here, their curious, inquisitive, and gossipy eyes fell on us.

"Oh, so you're finally willing to go on dates with girls other than Lim Ji-eun?"

"We're having a get-together later, why don't we come along?"

I recalled the embarrassment I felt in the classroom yesterday, and my body stiffened. My fingers quietly curled up and clenched into fists.

He seemed to notice, and with a slight smirk, he said to his teammates, "She needs to talk to me. You guys go ahead."

Even though he was driven away, his teammates weren't angry. "Ye Fenglin, you should go on dates with other girls too. But this girl looks so delicate, be gentle and don't bully her."

"Get lost, he's my friend." Ye Fenglin smiled, completely different from how he acted in the classroom. He didn't mistake my anxious plea for a pointless confession.

I suddenly looked up and stared at him blankly.

Does he consider me a friend?

"I'm not feeling well right now. Let me change my clothes first," Ye Fenglin said to me. I breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

He has a private locker room, and I watched him take off his skates and uniform without any hesitation, even showing off his well-proportioned physique and excessively superior back muscles right in front of me.

I noticed that the veins on his neck were clearly visible, and there were black tattoos that extended to his shoulders and neck, giving him a frivolous air that was quite different from his youthful appearance.

Ye Fenglin found a loose T-shirt, put it on, and then I handed him the things.

He sat on the bench in the locker room, reading intently, word by word. I even noticed his brow furrowing slightly, and at that moment I felt a surge of secret delight, thinking that perhaps he was willing to testify for Yu Xu in court.

But I never expected this.

Ye Fenglin smiled.

At first, he just smirked, as if he had seen something amusing. But as he read on, his laughter grew louder and louder, clearly showing his enjoyment. After laughing for a while, he finally said, "Is this your new way of pursuing Xie Yong? It's quite interesting."

My face turned pale instantly. I shook my head frantically and subconsciously tried to use sign language, but I knew he wouldn't understand. So I took out my phone and told him that it was all true.

"So?" Ye Fenglin's voice was a little deep, even slightly breathy. He suddenly stood up, and that extremely strong sense of oppression came over me. I subconsciously took a few steps back.

"Even if what you're saying is true, why should I help you? What does it matter to me whether your boyfriend lives or dies?" Ye Fenglin revealed a wicked smile.

"I...I can't just stand by and watch him do this," I desperately tried to explain.

"Oh," Ye Fenglin suddenly smiled, "Let me think, I can help you."

I was almost driven to the brink of collapse by his unpredictable and moody attitude, but when I heard him say that, I still had unrealistic expectations and silently looked up to meet his gaze.

Ye Fenglin raised an eyebrow. "Did Xie Yong take you home last night?"

I typed, "No, he only dropped me off at the subway station."

“You’re the first.” He suddenly spoke out of the blue. Ye Fenglin’s gaze swept across my face, and he suddenly sighed, “...I know he left just to create opportunities for me and Zhi’en, but there’s nothing I can do. He’s the one who’s been favored since he was a child.”

I snapped out of my reverie and gently pursed my lips.

"Make a deal with me, and you go after Xie Yong and make Zhi'en give up on him completely."

My face froze for a second, I lowered my eyelashes, and clenched my fingers.

He is essentially the same kind of person as Xie Yong—cold, arrogant, and aloof. He just puts on a friendly, youthful demeanor, which makes him seem more approachable than Xie Yong. Or perhaps, he deliberately makes himself different from Xie Yong.

"This deal is too good for you. If you can make Xie Yong fall in love with you, with his status, he can easily get your boyfriend out of prison. If you can't do that, as long as you keep pestering Xie Yong and make Zhi En give up, I can be with her and I also have a way to save your boyfriend."

I still didn't believe it. I wanted to push the door open and go back, but suddenly my foot stepped on something, and my body leaned backward uncontrollably.

A muscular arm was wrapped around his waist.

Seeing that I had stopped, Ye Fenglin withdrew his hand and smiled. "You know I'm no worse than him. Why don't you consider it?"

I looked up abruptly, and there wasn't even a hint of a smile in Ye Fenglin's eyes, only an unfathomable darkness.

Ye Fenglin's father was the most famous top lawyer in the entire state. More than a decade ago, he defended a female celebrity who had accidentally killed her husband. Not only did he exonerate the celebrity, but he also made a fortune, transforming himself from a poor boy from the countryside into a rising star in the legal world.

After quickly establishing himself, he married his girlfriend, an elite woman who was also well-known in investment banking. They had a child, and in the powerful and wealthy Empire State, they had extensive connections and resources in the political and financial circles, giving them considerable influence.

Ye Fenglin was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and was a top-tier rich kid who never had to worry about food or clothing. His personality was not as humble and cautious as his father's, but rather very much like his strong and flamboyant mother.

If he wasn't just teasing me out of boredom, with his parents' abilities, investigating Yu Xu's case and getting him out of prison would have been a piece of cake.

"Have you figured it out?" Ye Fenglin smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

I was stuck in a rut. Last night in Xie Yong's car, Lin Zhi'en's phone call made me feel like a thief who couldn't be seen in the light of day, shamelessly stealing Lin Zhi'en's things.

Whether it's Xie Yong or Ye Fenglin in front of them, they were originally Lin Zhi'en's "male lead." Even if they don't like her now, they will love her to the point of no return in the future.

I have absolutely no desire to be involved in their lives, and if possible, I would prefer to never run into them again in this lifetime.

Perhaps my face was just too pale and looked too bad.

Ye Fenglin's smile faded. "Forget it then, there's no point in forcing your way out. It's just that your boyfriend has offended someone, so the trial is going to be delayed more than other cases, and he can't post bail, so he'll have to stay in jail for now."

I bit my lip.

A moment later, the bell rang.

He picked up his phone; the other end was noisy, filled with voices from the hockey team urging him to go eat.

He brushed aside my loose hair, a single action that instantly turned me into a cat with its fur standing on end, my back straight and taut.

Ye Fenglin seemed somewhat distracted, saying, "Okay, I know, I'll be right there."

He spoke in a very friendly tone to my friend, but the next second, he leaned close to my ear, suddenly spoke, and sneered: "...Do you like him that much? Stop begging around with those self-pity stories, just break up with him as soon as possible."

The voice felt like it was right next to my ear, making me tremble.

My heart skipped a beat.

When I first entered the state university, I wasn't that excited; instead, I felt a little sad.

University tuition is exorbitant, and the family the game created for me is long gone. No one can help me.

I once wanted to give up, but Yu Xu took on part-time jobs and even took out a bank loan to cover all my tuition fees. He also rented an apartment near the school so that it would be convenient for me to go to class.

"I agree." I typed and handed it to Ye Fenglin.

He was surprised, his eyes filled with interest.

“But I can’t make Xie Yong like me,” I continued typing. “Xie Yong is her childhood sweetheart, just like you. They have feelings for each other. What can I do?”

Ye Fenglin has a pair of not-so-obvious peach blossom eyes. When he smiles slightly, his eyes sparkle with laughter, making him incredibly charming and easily dispelling any tension or embarrassment.

"You really lack self-confidence. We should end our negotiations as soon as possible."

He walked past me and was about to leave. In my panic, I could only grab his arm from behind and plead, "I promise you, at least let me see Yu Xu once."

"What right do you have to negotiate with me?" he reminded me bluntly, forcefully shoving me away. "Get out, I need to change my clothes."

I stood there, stunned. Silently, I came out of the locker room, leaned against the wall of the corridor, and realized once again how isolated and helpless I was.

Half an hour later, Ye Fenglin finally changed his clothes and slowly came out.

Wearing a black trendy designer jacket, she seemed completely unfazed by the cold; the low neckline revealed her collarbone. She exuded an air of extravagance and ostentation.

He saw that I was still at the door and suddenly reached out and patted my head. "Alright, alright, go back now. Are you planning to follow me around all Christmas? Someone will contact you tomorrow."

His tone was nonchalant, like someone who had just vented their anger, much like the lighthearted tone he used when he invited me to dinner at the restaurant yesterday.

I understand that he has the initiative in everything.

His temper was unpredictable, and his attitude was hot and cold. Perhaps it was just a sudden whim, a simple attempt to tease me, but it became my lifeline.

His eyes were gentle, and his movements were very light. I knew that he was like someone who had encountered a pitiful kitten or puppy on the street. If he was in a good mood, he would beckon them to his side, comfort them, and play with them for a while. If he was in a bad mood, he would kick them far away.

In essence, he was still that class-conscious, aloof young master who wouldn't tolerate any questioning or rebuttal.

I watched Ye Fenglin leave, tears welling up in my eyes.

When I got home, I didn't even feel like eating. After cleaning up the house, I went to bed. I was prepared to be teased by Ye Fenglin on a whim, but to my surprise, I received a call from a lawyer early the next morning, asking me to meet.

I met him at a coffee shop near the school. After briefly understanding the situation, he didn't delay and took me to the police station again. Although we returned empty-handed again, he told me that he had arranged sick leave for Yu Xu and assured me that the car accident would not affect Yu Xu in any way before the trial.

I have classes in the afternoon, so I have to leave everything to the lawyer.

He secured visitation rights and will meet with Yu Xu at the prison this afternoon. He will then continue to communicate with the prosecutor in the case, on the condition that Yu Xu be released on bail.

I have a somewhat unreal feeling; it was just one night, and things that seemed to have reached a dead end suddenly changed.

In the evening, I was preparing for my final assignment in the art studio. Lu Qixi insisted on staying with me, but her parents had come all the way from Yancheng to visit her, so I pushed her out, hoping she could enjoy this hard-won Christmas.

There weren't many people in the art studio tonight; everyone had gone to celebrate the holiday. The corridor was bustling with people coming and going, but it all seemed to have nothing to do with me.

I made myself a cup of coffee, and when I came back, I found someone propping their chin up, admiring my half-finished drawing. Hearing the door open, they turned around, their smile still on their face, and said, "Not bad."

...What can you tell from just an outline?

However, these past few days have made me fully aware of how easily Ye Fenglin's personality can change. One second he's all smiles, and the next he might be furious.

I asked him, "You came to see me? Is there something you need?"

"You haven't forgotten our agreement, have you?" Ye Fenglin strode over to me with ease. "Are you satisfied with the lawyer? He's my father's apprentice and one of his partners; he's very experienced in criminal cases."

I nodded and typed a thank you message: "Thank you. What should I do now?"

Ye Fenglin: "Come with me."

Before he finished speaking, he looked me up and down again, clearly disgusted. "Later, I'll take you to buy clothes."

Ye Fenglin drove me to a nearby luxury store.

Pingli, I am someone who serves others, but today I am sitting there, having people bring out exquisite and beautiful clothes for Ye Fenglin to choose from one by one.

I'm afraid of the cold, and even more afraid of trouble. In winter, I only like to dress like a clumsy, warm polar bear. Ye Fenglin only picked out fitted dresses that showed my shoulders and legs, making my chest look voluptuous, and my legs under the skirt looked cold.

Looking at the paper bags piled on the sofa with luxury brand logos, I couldn't help but think that Ye Fenglin really went to great lengths to make Xie Yong like me.

He wanted to possess Lin Zhi'en exclusively, but he had no idea that Lin Zhi'en was the one and only female lead, while he was just one of the "male leads".

Lin Zhi'en is destined to love each "male lead" equally, without giving him even a little bit of extra love.

Not wanting to keep Ye Fenglin waiting, I let the sales assistant pick out a so-called "pure and alluring" off-the-shoulder black bodycon dress and a white leather jacket for me, and then I went out.

The stylist curled my hair and gave me a delicate chain bag to carry.

Ye Fenglin was playing on his phone when he saw me appear. He smiled and asked, "How are you feeling?"

He probably enjoys the feeling of dressing up a stray dog ​​as a pampered pet at home.

I thought for a moment and typed to him: "It's pretty cold."

He suddenly laughed, not understanding what was so funny about that statement.

The car stopped at a private club, and the doorman took the car keys from Ye Fenglin and led me inside.

Inside the private room, men and women, dressed in fashionable and sophisticated attire, filled the air with a faint smell of alcohol.

It was clear that this was a typical gathering of young, wealthy heirs at the center of power. Some people on the sofas were playing cards, while others were chatting. The lighting was dim and ambiguous. Someone with sharp eyes spotted Ye Fenglin.

"Ye Zi, you've finally arrived! Where's Brother Yong?" the man said casually, his gaze lingering on me for a long time, his eyes filled with amazement.

“On the way,” Ye Fenglin said.

As soon as he entered, the private room became very lively. I overheard their conversation and learned that one of their friends had decided to get engaged, so they decided to celebrate. Ye Fenglin didn't seem to want me to meet anyone, so I found a seat and sat down.

Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open again.

"Xie Yong, you've finally arrived."

"Sorry, there was traffic." His tone inexplicably carried an air of arrogance as he nodded to one of the girls. "Congratulations on your engagement."

"Thank you for coming, Yong-ge." The girl smiled happily in her boyfriend's arms. "Ji-en said she couldn't come, what a pity."

"You're welcome. She has a performance in a few days, and I'll send you the engagement gift after that."

The people over there were chatting, and before I knew it, a few people came over to chat with me. I hesitated and looked at Ye Fenglin, but he obviously didn't have time to pay attention to me. I knew that my target today was Xie Yong. I stood up from my seat and stared straight at him.

He was chatting with his friends, so I couldn't just suddenly walk over.

"What's your name? Ye Fenglin brought you here, are you his girlfriend?" But the boy who had been trying to strike up a conversation persisted.

I shook my head and typed on my phone to tell him that I couldn't speak, but that I had nothing to do with Ye Fenglin.

"That's alright, we can communicate like this." The boy called over a waiter, who brought over orange juice. "Have a glass first."

I must say, he has a pretty good temper, which at least eased my embarrassment to some extent.

Just as I was about to reach out and take it, my fingertips almost touching the glass, someone walked over, perfectly separating us.

Xie Yong looked down at the boy, slightly raising his chin: "Is someone there?"

"No, Brother Yong, please sit down." The boy's aura was completely suppressed and he left immediately. Xie Yong sat down not far from me, his clean and beautiful fingers, without a single flaw, holding a long black cigarette.

Seeing Xie Yong's actions, I lowered my head and frowned.

I don't really like this kind of thing, maybe because the Jiang brothers, Jiang Mingzhuo and Jiang Zhao, both like it, which makes me physically hate everything related to them.

He fiddled with the thin cigarette for a while, but didn't touch it.

However, because Xie Yong was sitting next to me, I felt that the people who had been eyeing me earlier had all looked away and were very restrained.

I could barely recognize Ye Fenglin and Xie Yong in the entire private room, but since I came in, neither of them had said a word to me.

"Everyone's here, shall we play a game?" someone in the private room suggested, holding cards in his hand. "With so many people, everyone can draw a card at random. Whoever draws the King can command the person whose number card is drawn to do anything."

The atmosphere was instantly ignited. "Shuffle the cards! Let me make it clear beforehand, we can't go too far!"

"You're so excited even though you can't play. Don't listen to him, just go for the big ones."

A group of people were talking all at once. I thought I was invisible at this party, but to my surprise, the girl handed me the first card and let me draw it first.

The girl who was engaged enthusiastically had the person whose name was drawn pass a piece of paper back and forth ten times. They couldn't use their hands; if they dropped it, they lost.

The game started off ambiguous and exciting. Although I didn't draw any cards, I couldn't help but get more and more scared as the game progressed.

Another round.

This time, the two of them were dancing intimately. As they danced, the girl simply hugged him and the two shared a passionate kiss. I watched, biting my lip and widening my eyes, afraid that this game would happen to me.

Without realizing it, I looked up and met Ye Fenglin's gaze.

His eyes were deep and thoughtful as he sat with Xie Yong in a corner of the sofa. There was a very pretty girl next to them, but she was clearly mindful of the distance, looking at them pitifully but not daring to get too close.

Ye Fenglin raised an eyebrow at me.

As if it were reminding me of something, I lowered my head in fright. Unfortunately, God did not favor me this time, and Ye Fenglin drew the designated card.

I gripped the 7 of spades tightly in my hand.

Ye Fenglin's lips slowly curled up: "Then how about number 7 and number 10 give each other a deep kiss for 30 seconds?"

As soon as he said this, everyone around him started whistling. If the previous games were just skirting the edge, this was blatant flirtation, and the air suddenly heated up.

Everyone wants to know who this person is who can play such a big game.

I was pale, and the girl next to me raised my hand high. "She's number 7, who's number 10?"

“...It’s me.” Xie Yong crossed his long legs, sat in the dim light, and raised the playing card in his hand.

The jeers around me grew louder and louder. I looked at Xie Yong, whose dark eyes seemed to be brewing a subtle storm. Among this group of rich kids, I had already vaguely realized that Xie Yong's identity was different from the others, and the others were all consciously or unconsciously being wary of him.

“Brother Yong, if you don’t want to, we can find someone else,” the engaged girl said.

I was somewhat relieved that someone spoke up.

He definitely disagrees.

However, Xie Yong slowly unbuttoned one of his cufflinks and threw it into the waiter's plate.

The other cufflink was also accepted respectfully by the other party.

He slowly began to speak: "It's just a game."

I pursed my lips and looked at Ye Fenglin hesitantly.

I knew this was an opportunity he had arranged for me to have "close contact" with Xie Yong, but I couldn't break through my mental defenses at all.

Amidst the jeers and cheers, I slowly walked to Xie Yong's side. He was leaning back in the sofa, exuding arrogance and aloofness, with a hint of disdain. He probably thought I wouldn't dare to do anything to him.

My skirt was a bit short. I wanted to sit next to him, but there were people on both sides of him. If I bent down to kiss him, there was a risk of me exposing myself.

The heat on my cheeks felt like it was burning my forehead, so I had no choice but to sit on his lap with my legs together.

Unexpectedly, he only frowned slightly, but did not refuse.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and felt it burning hot. In front of everyone, my fingers only lingered on his shoulder for a moment before I finally chose to wrap my arms around his neck.

Why... is he still not refusing? I looked into Xie Yong's eyes, which were sharp and upturned, handsome yet indifferent.

He didn't speak, and his breathing was normal. On the contrary, I was stiff and tense. I tried to close my eyes and kiss him, but I just couldn't.

I don't like him, but I have to do this.

This made me vaguely recall the time when Jiang Mingzhuo and Jiang Zhao defiled me, feeling like an emotionless doll. My hands were clasped together behind Xie Yong's neck, clenched tightly. I knew that if I just hardened my heart and kissed him, he would push me away, but I still couldn't do it...

I must have cried, because tears streamed down my face. I slowly opened my eyes and saw my own disheveled self reflected in Xie Yong's eyes.

Tears welled up in her eyes and slid down her cheeks, her lips were clenched, and she looked truly pitiful.

I suddenly felt someone grab my waist in a very intimate way, and then tighten their grip. I was startled. Xie Yong had moved closer without warning, and he asked me in a low voice, "Do you particularly like crying in front of men like this?"

I didn't know how to answer. I wanted to run away, but my waist felt like it was going to break. The faint, cold scent emanating from him made me feel like I had lost all my strength. I gritted my teeth, stubbornly raised my head, and instead of kissing his lips, I kissed his cheek.

Xie Yong's eyes darkened.

He raised his hand and pinched my chin, then turned his head to kiss my lips. My breathing suddenly quickened, but Xie Yong swallowed it all. He was out of control and intense, and I couldn't help but moan. I could even feel his hand moving from my waist to slowly caressing my legs, then up my skirt.

If the defenses below are lost, things won't be easy for the defenses above either.

I kept clenching my teeth. Xie Yong tightened his grip on my chin and forced me to open my lips. I didn't want to, and soft whimpers escaped from between my lips. Xie Yong, as if he was drunk, ignored my wishes and entered my lips, his lips trembling.

Why did 30 seconds take so long...? My hands were too weak to wrap around his shoulders anymore, so I had no choice but to cling to him passively.

"you……"

Someone spoke up, and Xie Yong's eyes slowly regained their focus. I looked at him, my breathing rapid.

After a long while, he reached out and picked me up. I don't know when, but I was completely pinned down on the sofa, and most of my coat was taken off.

I think he was already drunk.