Volume 1, Chapter 38: I Want To Do It

A cacophony of footsteps echoed in her ears. Before Ning Yu could retort to Li Shiyan, she grabbed his sleeve tightly. "Where do I hide?"

"Hide?" Li Shiyan laughed with casual indifference. "Why would you think I need you to hide?"

Right, of course. He didn't need to hide. Whether something went wrong or how disastrous it might be, it would never fall on his head. Who would dare utter a single word of criticism against him?

"No, aside from hiding, what other options are there?" Ning Yu countered.

"There aren't any." He leaned in closer. "How about we just say we were caught having an affair? What do you think?"

Ning Yu was choked with fury.

What do I think? What could I possibly think? Why doesn't he just choke her to death instead?

Ning Yu suppressed her anger. "Then I must trouble you, Fifth Master, to think of a solution for me."

The man said nothing; he merely stood there, looking very much like someone settling in to watch a performance.

Lin Fangfei’s high heels clicked rapidly toward them. The footsteps outside the main gate grew closer, as if she were about to burst in at any second.

Ning Yu looked up. Li Shiyan was watching her, his gaze deep, naked, and filled with insinuation. He looked like a hungry wolf that had found amusement in teasing its prey, waiting to see what kind of offering Ning Yu would throw out to satisfy him.

Ning Yu closed her eyes and gripped his wrist. "As long as I can get through this, everything is negotiable."

Li Shiyan raised an eyebrow.

From the doorway came Lin Fangfei’s tentative voice: "Uncle! Uncle, may I come in?"

Before he could answer, she was already pushing the door open.

With one swift motion, Li Shiyan shoved Ning Yu into his bedroom, killed the lights, and shut the door—all in one fluid sequence.

When Lin Fangfei entered, she saw Li Shiyan standing on the second floor, looking composed and unbothered. She froze immediately.

"Uncle, I thought you were asleep?"

Li Shiyan’s gaze was cold. "And how would I have seen this fine show if I were asleep? Are you planning to raid the house?"

A chill ran through Lin Fangfei. She had been certain there was something suspicious about that "bitch" Ning Yu, having clearly seen her head toward the North Garden. But under Li Shiyan’s icy stare, her anger and courage evaporated.

"Uncle, don't be angry... I just heard a servant say they saw a dark shadow running through the ancestral home. I was worried... worried that a thief had broken into your residence..."

"Then that is truly a burden on you. Shall I tell the Old Master tomorrow that you should take over as the head of the Lin family?" Li Shiyan sneered.

That single sentence left Lin Fangfei shivering. "Uncle, Uncle, that’s not what I meant. I’ll leave right now..."

Without daring to linger a moment longer, she hurried away with her servants in tow. Only after exiting the North Garden did Lin Fangfei manage to calm down. The servants from her own courtyard followed behind, not daring to speak.

"Impossible. Uncle definitely feels differently about Ning Yu. There must be some relationship between them." Unable to make sense of it, Lin Fangfei turned to question her servant. "Did you see clearly? Was there a dark shadow taking the shortcut to the North Garden?"

"Yes, Miss. I happened to be up in the middle of the night and caught a glimpse by accident," the maid replied honestly.

Lin Fangfei asked again, "Could you tell if it was a man or a woman? What was their build? Height, weight?"

"It was too late, and the person seemed to be wearing dark clothes. It was truly hard to tell. But they were tall and thin—maybe a bit taller than you, Miss?" the maid answered cautiously, terrified of exaggerating.

Wasn't Ning Yu just a bit taller than her?

Lin Fangfei pondered for a moment, then dialed Lin Haoyu’s number. She couldn't get to the bottom of this herself, and she lacked the status to investigate it properly. But if her eldest brother knew, things would be much easier—and at least she would have a legitimate excuse. Besides, Lin Haoyu slept in the same bed as Ning Yu; surely he would know if she wasn't there?

But the call went through to a mechanical voice: "The number you have dialed is powered off."

She tried several times, but the result was the same. Lin Fangfei stomped her foot in frustration and had to give up for the time being.

Lin Fangfei didn't know that Lin Haoyu was currently in the lap of luxury and had no intention of answering his phone.

In a room in the guest wing:

"Brother Haoyu... I really... I can't bear to leave you..." Ning Yunyun’s voice was thick with tears.

Lin Haoyu comforted her. "Little fool, why are you crying? No one ever decreed that just because I’m engaged to her, I can’t be with you. I need her as my fiancée, but I also need you, my little honey pot. Don't worry... I can't live without you, body and soul."

The phone rang again.

Lin Haoyu moved to answer it, but Ning Yunyun pouted and hung it up for him, tracing circles on his chest. "Brother Haoyu... you aren't allowed to answer. You said today belongs entirely to me..."

"Alright, alright, my heart, my treasure, you truly are an insatiable little demon!"

***

Ning Yu was hiding behind the door. When it was pushed open, she instinctively held her breath.

*Click.*

The lights flickered on.

As the light flooded in, she saw the man before her and finally relaxed, leaning against the wall with lingering fear.

"What a coward."

Li Shiyan glanced at her, laughing with malicious glee.

Ning Yu rolled her eyes at his back. "If it weren't for someone’s meddling, I wouldn't have to be skulking around like a thief!"

He turned to look at her. "They might not have gone far yet."

Ning Yu became instantly compliant. "Fifth Master is wise, Fifth Master is correct, Fifth Master is absolutely right in everything he does."

Li Shiyan: ...

Taking advantage of his rare moment of silence, Ning Yu pressed her luck. "I’ve fulfilled my promise to come to the North Garden, and I thank you for your help just now. It’s nearly midnight, so I’ll be going. I won't disturb your rest any further."

Li Shiyan’s gaze lingered on her. He had removed his suit jacket and loosened his tie; his pure black silk shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, revealing his pale, cold chest. He stared at her slowly, as if contemplating exactly how to swallow her whole.

"Ning Yu, isn't a verbal 'thank you' a bit insincere?"

Ning Yu took two steps back under his gaze. "Then what do you want?"

"Come here."

Ning Yu swallowed hard. Faced with the choice of being caught and beaten after trying to run or simply approaching him, she decisively chose the latter.

She walked up to him. "Tell me."

He curled his thin lips. "My sleeve garters."

They were too close—so close she could hear his breathing and the steady beat of his heart. Ning Yu didn't dare look up. She reached out and honestly unfastened the garters from his upper arms. Her fingertips brushed against the muscles of his arm, and she instinctively flinched.

They were burning hot.

She unfastened the other one, her breath growing ragged and nervous.

He had already set the rhythm. "The prayer beads."

Ning Yu lowered her eyes to the prayer beads on his wrist. The sandalwood beads were smooth and round, strung on a thick red and gold cord. Even just looking at them, they carried a quiet, sacred aura. Yet, worn on the wrist of this "evil deity," they looked strangely harmonious—like a shackle, or perhaps the final lock on Pandora’s box.

Ning Yu wanted to touch them, but she held back. "You don't need to take off the prayer beads... you're just sleeping."

A low, indifferent chuckle came from above her head.

"If you're willing to let me have my way with you while I'm still wearing them, I have no objections."