Volume One, Chapter Ninety-Seven: She Was Flustered!

For a moment, she couldn’t tell which was more terrifying: that the young man had chased her all the way from Si City to the capital, or that she had slept with Lou Ye.

In that flash of a moment, Sang Wan made a swift and decisive choice.

“Lou Ye…”

Her voice trembled just enough for herself to notice as she spoke softly, “Did you drink last night?”

“A little. But…” There was a trace of laughter in Lou Ye’s voice. “Sister, I’m certain—I was sober last night.”

“Then let’s both be honest, shall we?” Unable to look back at Lou Ye’s face, Sang Wan spoke quietly, “Neither of us is married, we’re both adults, it’s normal to have physical needs.”

“I was the one who made the first move last night. But you didn’t refuse, so by default, it was a mutual game. Now that morning’s here, the game… is over.”

She could only hope there would never be a next time.

Just thinking about walking out that door, she felt herself slipping into endless anxiety.

Should she resign?

Should she move out, and if so, to where?

And most of all, how would she face Lou Ye in the future?

Sang Wan silently swore to herself: if she ever drank again, she was a pig!

Lou Ye’s voice sounded softly from behind her. “And what if… I don’t agree?”

“…”

Sang Wan truly didn’t know what to do. “Then… what do you want?”

No answer came from Lou Ye.

Instead, her phone lit up in her hand.

Sang Wan glanced down to see Lou Ye had sent her a picture.

She tapped it open.

The moment her eyes landed on it, her mind went completely blank.

On a dark blue bed, a stack of pink bills had slid from a pillow.

The scene was all too familiar.

“Sister…”

Heat pressed in close.

Lou Ye came up behind her, lowering his head to nip at her ear. “If I took this face abroad, the starting price would be at least a hundred thousand, don’t you think?”

“And you wanted to send me away with just five thousand? Isn’t that… a bit much?”

Boom.

Sang Wan’s already fragile heart shattered into pieces.

Not even the time she’d seen a hotel room number sent by a starlet to Lu Jinnian in the dead of night had she felt so flustered and exposed.

At this moment, Sang Wan felt struck by lightning.

Lou Ye’s gentle kiss landed on her neck.

One arm circled her waist, his fingers intertwining tightly with hers.

His other hand took her phone and shoes, tossing them aside.

Lou Ye’s kisses wandered, growing ever hotter.

A spring bubbled up in her chest, as if it could hardly wait to burst forth.

With the last shred of her reason, Sang Wan pushed Lou Ye away.

“It’s either we become bed partners, keep things strictly separate, and end it when either of us finds someone. Or, it ends here. I’ll hand in my resignation tomorrow.”

Still not daring to meet Lou Ye’s gaze, Sang Wan’s mind raced, weighing the pros and cons, offering two clear paths.

Lou Ye’s eyes darkened suddenly. “Bed… partners?”

Thinking he disliked the term, Sang Wan corrected herself, “Lovers, if you prefer!”

“Then why can’t we be a couple?”

???

Amused by Lou Ye’s childlike innocence, Sang Wan felt her tense nerves and body relax all at once.

She bent down to pick up her phone and slipped her shoes on.

Without hesitation, Sang Wan pulled open the door, only then daring to glance at Lou Ye. “Let me know when you’ve decided!”

Thump, thump!

Thump, thump, thump!

The elevator descended; her heart pounded like a drum.

Cold water splashed her face as Sang Wan stared at her own striking reflection in the mirror, still unable to believe it.

She had slept with Lou Ye!

Twice!

The doorbell chimed. Sang Wan turned, then quickly returned to the mirror to check her appearance.

Thankfully, though things had been wild, Lou Ye had shown some restraint, not leaving marks on her neck as he had the last time.

She opened the door and froze.

Lou Ye entered, pressing Sang Wan against the wall behind the door. “Sister, I’ve made up my mind… We—”

Ding-dong!

Ding-dong, ding-dong!

Before Lou Ye could finish, the doorbell rang again and again.

In an instant, Sang Wan felt as if her soul had flown right out the top of her head.

“Sister Wan… Sister Wan?” Xiao Bai’s voice called from outside.

If she opened the door, Lou Ye was in her room—if Xiao Bai saw, it would be disastrous.

If she didn’t, would Xiao Bai think she hadn’t come back last night, get worried, and alert the whole team?

Reaching back, she shoved Lou Ye into the bathroom, raked her fingers through her hair, and called out, “Coming, coming…”

She checked herself in the mirror, then opened the door.

Xiao Bai beamed, “Sister Wan, we’re going fishing and boating—are you coming?”

After today, this round of team building would finally be over.

Thinking of that, she remembered the department chat buzzing with people forming groups before dawn.

Her body ached, her heart was in knots, and she felt too embarrassed to see anyone.

Sang Wan shook her head, politely refusing, “You guys go ahead, I’ll pass.”

“All right! I’m off then… If you change your mind, text me!” Xiao Bai waved and dashed off.

Sang Wan let out a long breath, closed the door, and turned around.

The bathroom door slid open. Lou Ye’s gaze was plaintive.

He stepped forward, cornering Sang Wan against the back of the door.

His voice was thick with emotion. “Sister, am I really that shameful to be seen with?”

What was done was done.

Compared to what had already happened, this closeness hardly counted for anything.

Sang Wan tipped her head back, her lips brushing his chin. “Lou Ye, between us, you’re never the one who should feel ashamed. Does that make you feel any better?”

“Not at all.”

But she didn’t push him away in panic.

She didn’t even avoid the hand he kept at her waist.

That was progress enough.

“Then comfort me a little, will you?”

Lou Ye lowered his head, his words brushing her lips.

Had anyone told Sang Wan before this team-building trip that she would experience something so bizarre, the likes of which had never happened in all her twenty-eight years, she would never have believed it.

But now, looking at the man who used to call her “senior” so sweetly, who had grown from a shy junior into the reserved, cool President Lou—and now, in this moment, a man whose eyes brimmed with dangerous allure—

Sang Wan had to admit, she was thoroughly enchanted.

“Ah Ye…”

She met his gaze, feeling his eyes grow ever darker at the sound of his name.

Sang Wan gently brushed his lips with her fingers. “There can never be an ending for us. Even to have this much is already the greatest gift fate could grant me… I’m content. So be good, all right?”

“What does it mean to be good? The kind you can’t show in public?”

She had always thought that kissing was the beginning of desire.

But Lou Ye now realized this game of nearly, but not quite, kissing was the most potent catalyst of all.

Sang Wan’s lips grazed his, but slipped away as he chased after her.

Desire churned inside; Lou Ye could no longer be bothered to argue about why there could be no ending, or why she was so easily satisfied.

Life was long—he had all the time in the world to change her mind.

“Fine…”

He seized her lips, tasting her sweetness without restraint.

Lou Ye’s kisses wandered, his husky breath at her ear. “Then… if I’m good, will you be gentle with me, sister?”