Chapter 122: Chapter 121: A Grand Performance

After watching Wang Zhefei leave, Yang Huixian calmly rose, walked to the door, and closed it. She then lowered the electric curtains, cloaking the entire space in privacy.

The electric curtains slowly drew closed, raising the curtain on a grand performance.

A performance meant for Lin Chu alone.

Lin Chu watched her with a calm and composed air, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. He felt a thrill of excitement.

Heh.

’So she’s figured it out?’

Lin Chu wasn’t surprised by this.

His resolute stance had made it a take-it-or-leave-it, one-shot deal. Her choosing to return meant she had already made up her mind.

Of course, if she hadn’t come back, that would have been fine, too.

It made no difference to him.

"I was just thinking for a good while, and I’ve come to a realization. A woman using sex as a threshold to test a man is nothing more than genetic instinct."

"But you refuse to be tested in any way. Even your desire in that moment was so pure, completely unadulterated."

"Ruthless and cold, yet you transcend instinct. You’re powerful. You’re a true man."

She walked toward Lin Chu, her aura returning to how it was when she first arrived at Dongzi’s for dinner. That flair, that vigor... it held a wild, dark vitality. She was even more alluring.

For a moment, Lin Chu was taken aback by her stunning presence.

’She was saying this to explain why she came back, of course. Such a clever woman.’

’Men need to be understood by women, too.’

’And she understood at least a part of me.’

Then, Lin Chu watched as she began to remove her necklace, her earrings, and the various accessories on her hands, until...

Her pure black evening gown slid from her body like flowing water, pooling on the floor.

Walking barefoot to the tea table, she picked up the Precious Treasures of Tianlu Imperial Green Jadeite necklace and made an inviting gesture. "Didn’t you want to see the Imperial Green against Mutton Fat Jade? Help me put this on."

Lin Chu felt, in that moment, that she was completely unhinged.

But it made him intensely excited.

’Now this has style. Real style.’

’This... this is exactly my kind of thing.’

It was the feeling of meeting a worthy opponent, a true equal.

Conquering a soft little lamb is a completely different feeling from conquering a leopardess.

Without hesitation, Lin Chu rose. He walked around the tea table, took the necklace from her, and cast an appreciative glance. He moved behind her and fastened the Imperial Green necklace around her neck.

Then he took two steps back, admiring her as if she were a piece of art. His gaze was devoid of any lecherous thoughts.

"Truly beautiful."

"It’s exactly the image I had in my mind."

"Hold on. I’m taking a picture."

Lin Chu commented with a smile, pulling out his phone. He found the perfect angle and, CLICK, snapped a photo.

Her creamy white skin had the rosy blush of a baby’s, and the Imperial Green hung against her chest... The scene was romantic, aesthetic, and dreamlike. And all the more stimulating for it.

Yang Huixian felt her emotions surging like ocean waves, cresting and falling with abandon.

The reality before her was even more potent than the scene she had imagined.

What’s more, she felt a sense of comfort in the fact that Lin Chu hadn’t been the least bit handsy. He had acted like a perfect gentleman.

However...

His gentlemanly conduct didn’t last long.

He bent down, swept her up in his arms—a perfect princess carry—and headed for the stairs.

Her arms wrapped tightly around Lin Chu’s neck. Suddenly, she leaned in and bit his shoulder—hard. She broke the skin, drawing blood.

Lin Chu’s stride faltered for a moment, but he wasn’t angry. He just chuckled.

"If you pick a rose, you’re bound to be pricked by its thorns."

She drew in a sharp breath.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with wonder. A dazzling smile spread across her face, the corners of her lips turning up in a proud, triumphant curve.

"But of course." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Conquering a man requires drawing some blood, too. But I’m ready for that."

Lin Chu: *Tsk.*

’Badass.’

...

When the morning sun poured into the room like a flowing stream, Lin Chu opened his eyes to a rather amusing sight.

Yang Huixian was curled up in a corner against the wall, wrapped tightly in the blanket. She was clutching one pillow and had another tucked in her arms. It seemed as though she had gathered most of the bedding in her sleep like "strategic supplies," building her little sleeping area into a "fort."

’How interesting.’

Lin Chu shook his head and chuckled. He suddenly understood the kind of game, the constant struggle, she must have with her father.

’Lots of girls curl up when they sleep, I’ve seen that before,’ he thought. ’But I’ve rarely seen anyone curl up quite like this.’

As if hearing his movement, she opened her eyes, instantly awake. She turned, looked at Lin Chu, and a lazy, bright smile unconsciously spread across her face.

"Did I actually fall asleep in someone else’s bed?"

Lin Chu laughed. "I think you mean, you actually *slept* in someone else’s bed."

He rubbed the still-sore bite mark on his shoulder and sighed. "Also, you don’t have rabies, do you? Because if you do, I need to go get a shot."

"Actually, I do. Scared? If we were to die right now, it would be at the peak of our lives, wouldn’t it?"

she said with a carefree laugh.

Lin Chu: ...

"Dumbass."

"Clean up this room. That’s your job."

"You made the mess, you clean it up."

She stuck out her tongue and spread her arms. "Then you’re responsible for washing me clean. Same principle: you made the mess, you clean it up."

Lin Chu: ?

The corners of his mouth tilted up. ’In that instant, he actually felt a stir in his heart. A clever woman always knows the simplest way to tug at a man’s heartstrings.’

But Lin Chu took a deep breath, and instead of embracing her, he walked into the bathroom. Stepping into the shower, he let the SPLASH of water on his head forcibly wash away the feeling of two hearts beating as one.

’It’s always wonderful at the beginning.’

’But only at the beginning.’

「A moment later.」

She pushed open the bathroom door and came in.

"Why’d you run off so fast? What’s the matter? Afraid you’ll fall in love with me?"

she teased.

Through the hazy steam, Lin Chu glanced at her. ’Damn, what kind of mind-reading is that? She’s damn good. And she really is dominant. Last night, for instance, she was always trying to get on top.’

"Get over here!"

Lin Chu said, his voice a command.

...

A famous scholar once said that it is not rare to encounter love, nor is it rare to encounter sex. What is rare is to encounter understanding.

It truly is rare to find someone who just *gets* you.

But rare doesn’t mean long-lasting, nor does it mean trouble-free. On the contrary, perhaps the rarest things are the most troublesome.

The best way to make a flower bloom longer is to water it generously.

And so, Lin Chu didn’t leave the house all day.

He called the renovation company and told them to take the day off. Then he turned off his phone, ignoring the outside world. Today, he just wanted to indulge himself at home.

It was, in its own way... one of life’s peak experiences.

It wasn’t until dusk that the grand drama, which had played out intermittently since the night before, finally concluded. The electric curtains were drawn open once more, and the afterglow of sunset illuminated the living room.

The curtain fell on their grand drama. The battle between the two was over.

"You’re an absolute animal!"

Yang Huixian had trouble walking, her movements stiff.

Lin Chu burst out laughing. He glanced at the jar of long-brewing medicinal wine on the shelf and grinned. "You’re the one who chose me. Weren’t you looking for someone strong?"

...

...