Xie Yong
camouflage
I didn't sense any danger from Lim Ji-eun. She just scared me, but I didn't feel any suffocating feeling of not being able to breathe.
After a long silence, I spoke softly, "Can I be alone for a while?"
Lin Zhi'en looked at me for a few seconds, then smiled slightly, "I know you're very strong, you won't let yourself get hurt, right?"
I nodded at her.
After Lin Zhi'en left, I sat in the bathtub. The water was warm and soft, and I slowly immersed myself in it. Suddenly, the water rushing in from all directions was no longer so gentle. It felt as if it was trying to block my mouth and nose. I felt suffocated and uncomfortable. My chest felt like it was being stabbed. In a daze, I saw Yu Xu.
"Splash..." My hand gripped the edge of the bathtub, and I began to cough softly, my thick eyelashes trembling violently.
So this is what death is like—a painful thing, where helplessness and despair completely envelop a person.
I won't die, I still have Yu Xu.
I slowly clenched my fists and stepped out of the bathtub.
The dress prepared by Lin Zhien still had thin shoulder straps and ruffles. The overall color was a light pink with very low saturation. Her fair arms and collarbones were exposed, making her look very gentle and innocent. Just as Lin Zhien said, it was very suitable for a doll to wear.
After drying my hair and stepping out of the room, I realized it was one of the hotel's presidential suites. The decor was simple yet elegant, with a high ceiling that made the room feel exceptionally spacious. A marble gas fireplace, artwork, and high-quality furnishings combined to create a luxurious and sophisticated ambiance.
The huge floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of the snow-covered landscape of the entire Empire State.
On one side of the living room stands Sweet's grand piano, while on the other side is a small bar. A temperature-controlled standing wine cabinet displays wines from different regions and vintages, and on the black countertop are a Boston shaker and a filter.
Guests staying here can enjoy the food as they please, or even try their hand at bartending on a whim.
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I then noticed that Lin Zhi'en was sitting on a high stool in front of the bar. Her back was slender and elegant, exuding a noble air that no one would dare to defile.
The Lin family's servants came in carrying trays with freshly squeezed orange juice, an ice bucket, and small tongs. Lin Zhi'en glanced at me and saw me. She rested her hands on the bar and said, "Xiao Fu, come and have a drink."
I obediently walked towards her. Lin Zhi'en smiled and gently touched my hair. "Would you like some orange juice, or try a cocktail?"
I looked at the shaker. "Jie-eun...can mix drinks?"
"Is it strange?" Lin Zhi'en smiled, got off the chair, walked closer to the bar, and asked me, "Have you ever drunk this before?"
I nodded. Lu Qixi and I would often go to the bar near the square after we were busy with our studies or after we received our monthly part-time pay. But most of the bartenders there were handsome and eloquent young men. I blinked when I saw Lin Zhien skillfully take out the bartending tools.
“Pink lady.” Lin Zhi’en looked at me, chose a cocktail glass, and held the shaker with her fair and slender fingers, her posture relaxed and at ease.
A short while later, a hazy, beautiful pink cocktail was placed in front of me. The pink color was light and looked exceptionally elegant. It was even decorated with a pink bow.
"How was it?" Lin Zhi'en asked me.
This wine looks good. I picked up the glass and saw a layer of fine foam on top. It was smooth and creamy on the palate and even had a faint fruity aroma. I drank it all in one gulp.
"...I'll show you my older brother's bartending skills another day; he's way better than me." She curled the corners of her lips slightly.
The alcohol content wasn't high, but I drank several times the normal amount. Gradually, my head started to feel dizzy and I couldn't control myself anymore.
Lin Zhi'en supported me, letting me put all my weight on her, and led me back to the bedroom.
I had blow-dried my hair, and the ends were still a little damp. Lin Zhi'en picked up the towel the maid handed her and patiently and carefully pressed it into my hair to absorb the moisture. She asked me softly, "Xiao Fu, what shampoo did you use?"
“...It’s jasmine camellia flavored.” I told her the brand.
Lin Zhi'en's fingers lingered on my hair for a moment. "It smells very nice, and it suits you well. Does Xiao Fu like jasmine?"
"It smells so good..." Before I could answer, she suddenly leaned down and quietly pulled down the shoulder strap of my dress, revealing my round, snow-white shoulders, letting my long, black, curly hair fall over them. She lingered on my neck for a long time.
Actually, Lin Zhi'en's fragrance was also faint, different from mine, but as her movements became more intimate, the two fragrances seemed to slowly intertwine and blend together.
I had to tell her that these were discounted products, and that I had bought a lot to stock up at home, and that I could give them to her if she wanted.
Lin Zhi'en couldn't help but laugh. "But I feel that this scent only suits you. Cheap ones might not be of good quality, so I'll buy you better ones. I'll also buy back all the Miu Miu clothes and bags. No, whatever you like, Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier... I'll give you anything. I'll pick out a new outfit for you every day, okay?"
She acted like she was being spoiled and wouldn't let go of my arms no matter what.
Lin Zhi'en looked at me with increasingly fervent eyes, but she didn't frighten me.
"Please promise me, Xiao Fu."
I remembered her mentioning a doll that was "exactly the same" as mine. I just felt a little sorry for her.
She was the heir of her family from a young age, raised with strict discipline and not allowed to make any mistakes, growing into a perfect young lady, but she always lacked the childhood that was accompanied by dolls.
After thinking for a moment, I reached out and hugged Lin Zhi'en. "Okay... Zhi'en, go to sleep. I'm here with you."
Lin Zhien wrapped her arms around my waist.
The silky sheets and soft, fluffy blankets made me feel as if my consciousness was sinking into fluffy clouds, making me dizzy and lightheaded. What's more, there was a girl sleeping very quietly next to me, so I closed my eyes with peace of mind.
However, the peace was quickly shattered. I felt like I had been asleep for a while, but a loud noise outside the door made me open my eyes abruptly. I subconsciously looked to my side, but Lin Zhi'en was nowhere to be found.
I quickly got out of bed and pressed my ear against the bedroom door, where I could vaguely hear men arguing.
"I didn't expect you to mind her so much." It seemed to be Xie Yong, but his voice was excessively arrogant. I had never seen Xie Yong speak with such aggressive words before.
"What do you think?" The other person was Ye Fenglin. Even without seeing him, I could tell from his voice that Ye Fenglin was furious.
"Ye Zi, you're giving me a headache. No matter what you think, I still consider you my friend. You're in my heart just like Zhi En."
"Xie Yong," Ye Fenglin's tone rose slightly, "shouldn't I be the one with a headache? I think my best friend stole my favorite girl! You liked her, why didn't you say so sooner? Did you only try to steal her away after we both already liked each other?"
Ye Fenglin's voice suddenly rose, "Do you think I'm an idiot? Xie Yong, I'll just ask you one question: when exactly did you start seducing her? Have you no shame?"
Xie Yong remained silent for a while after being accused by Ye Fenglin in such an angry and exasperated voice.
"Ye Zi, I'm sorry for what happened this time, but I knew her first. To be precise, you were the third party." Xie Yong was very calm. I could almost tell what he was like at that moment: one hand in his pocket, chin slightly raised, jaw taut, looking very arrogant and confident.
Ye Fenglin spoke almost word by word: "I've never seen a shameless man like you. Brother Yong, for the sake of me still calling you brother, answer my question! When did you two get together? Was it after I got back to my apartment?"
"December 23, the day after I was born."
Hearing this date, I was stunned. This was the day I went to Imperial University to find Yu Xu after his accident... My eyes flickered slightly, and my pursed lips trembled slightly. Did Xie Yong also remember what happened last time? I was in a daze, and continued to move closer to the door, trying to find some clues from their conversation.
"Number 23..." Ye Fenglin chewed on these words, then suddenly let out a cold laugh, "Are you kidding me? You only met her when you came to the hospital to see me that day. You fucking don't know what really happened that day? You want to humiliate Xiao Fu and deliberately frame her, is that it?"
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Then, I heard the familiar sound of impact again, like a punch landing on flesh. My mind went blank until Xie Yong calmly said, "Have you had enough, Ye Zi? I'll allow you to hit me until you're satisfied, but from now on, Jiang Fu is my girlfriend."
"You seduced her behind my back, forced her to have sex with you, and even messed around in my apartment... Do you really think these few punches are enough?" Ye Fenglin's words fell, followed by another hard punch. My heart trembled violently. If this continued, Xie Yong might be beaten to death by Ye Fenglin.
"Ye Zi, if you keep making such a racket, she'll wake up again after finally falling asleep." Whenever this happens, Lin Zhi'en has to come out and clean up the mess.
The sounds outside the door seemed to suddenly stop.
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"Xiao Fu is mine," Ye Fenglin said, leaving only those words behind.
Then, there was a loud slam of the door. Ye Fenglin seemed to have left, but Xie Yong was still outside. My heart skipped a beat. The thought that Xie Yong might regain his "memory" made me feel uneasy, and my chest even tightened.
The man's voice outside the door softened slightly, "How is she?"
"...I arranged for the doctor to give her a sedative, and she's already asleep," Lin Zhi'en replied. "For the sake of our relationship, at least tell me what your relationship with her really is. I need your explanation."
Lin Zhi'en... lied. The doctor didn't come. We only had a few cocktails, and I believe she knew perfectly well that I was listening in the bedroom. I heard everything clearly, so why would she do that?
My fingers twisted gently.
“Zhi’en, I know you might not believe what I’m about to say, but I can tell you,” Xie Yong said coldly, “I had a dream, and in the dream I did the same things as in reality.”
Lin Zhi'en chuckled softly, her words quite direct: "You mean being a mistress?"
"Yes." No one expected that Xie Yong would admit it so readily. In such a large room, his voice even carried a strange hint of resentment.
Xie Yong spoke slowly yet clearly: "Initially, I only had a very vague dream. In the dream, I couldn't see the woman's face, but I could see myself very clearly. It was probably what I would look like five or six years later. As is our family tradition, I became the mayor of the Imperial State. However, I was actually having an affair with a married woman. I would go to her house to keep her company when her husband was not home, and I would stay with her all night. Or if her husband came back, I would invite her out and force her to come to a hotel for a date. Sometimes she would even be in my office or in my car. We would have sex anytime, anywhere."
I stared in astonishment. The Xie Yong in this "dream" was completely different from the calm and composed man I knew now. He seemed like a wild beast controlled by his desires.
But Xie Yong didn't seem ashamed to have such vulgar and low-class dreams.
He continued to present his arguments rationally and logically, but they sounded increasingly insane.
“Ji-eun, the scariest thing is that it seems like we’re husband and wife. But it’s like our relationship is just a purely business partnership. We respect each other, and marriage is just a formality. You know me, I never let things get out of my control. I’ve considered marrying you, but I never thought I would be so shameless as to molest a married woman.”
I opened my mouth, only to feel as if my heart was being squeezed, a dull ache spreading through me.
"Of course, I couldn't see the woman's face clearly in the dream, so I just felt that I was under too much pressure. Until I met Jiang Fu, I started having a different dream, which was much clearer, as if I had just experienced it yesterday. She came to my school to find me, but she couldn't speak yet. She could only look at me pitifully because her boyfriend had hit someone, and she asked me to be her witness. The moment I heard that she had a boyfriend, I wanted to take her away and bring her back to my side."
My hands and feet suddenly turned ice cold, and even my fingertips were trembling.
Xie Yong did recall it, and I slowly knelt down on the soft yet extremely cold carpet, unable to make a sound.
“Brother Xie Yong…” Lin Zhi’en was stunned.
After a long while, Xie Yong's voice turned somewhat cold. He asked Lin Zhi'en, "Don't you want to know who Jiang Fu married in that first dream?"
Who is it?
“Of course it’s Jiang Zhao.” Xie Yong laughed. “She had a child with Jiang Zhao, do you believe it? I was entangled with her for ten years, until I became the Minister of Finance, and the Crown Prince never knew about my relationship with her. But… I think, maybe, the daughter she had wasn’t Jiang Zhao’s, but my child.”
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