Lin Mei had been proud since childhood. Though gentle in temperament, she always had her own principles and bottom lines. This continued until she met Xing Zheng. Her so-called bottom lines were repeatedly shattered. She hated him for dragging her into this mire of indulgence and debauchery, and even more for her own inability to climb out.
As several emotions intertwined, her crying grew louder. Like a helpless child, she sobbed uncontrollably. It wasn't the first time Xing Zheng had seen her cry, but this was the most severe display of distress, a true wail. Her shoulders shook as she cried, and she still managed to hit him, "Go to hell, go to hell! Don't touch me, you perverted bastard..."
She wasn't good with insults, her vocabulary for anger limited to a few phrases. Crying and speaking, she didn't sound like she was arguing, but rather like a child complaining after being wronged. Xing Zheng wasn't angry, nor did he pull away. He held her, letting her vent her emotions.
Lin Mei struggled with him using her hands and feet. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her stomach, and she gagged, "Ugh, woo..."
Xing Zheng frowned, his eyes filling with concern. "Where are you not..." Before he could finish the word "comfortable," the woman in his arms threw up. She vomited everything onto him, ruining his expensive suit with a mess of puke.
Lin Mei hadn't expected to vomit so suddenly, let alone all over Xing Zheng's clothes. She remembered he was a germaphobe. She tried to pull away from him, but the man held her tighter, picking her up and carrying her directly to the bathroom.
Before Lin Mei could say anything, she vomited again. Everything she had eaten that morning was now gone. She had only experienced such post-drinking vomiting when she first started working; she had long since built up a tolerance over the past year or two.
The feeling after vomiting was unpleasant. The man beside her had already taken off his clothes, leaving him in only his underwear. His muscular physique was fully exposed, his defined V-lines and chiseled abs radiating power. However, Lin Mei had no mind to appreciate it. She hadn't forgotten that she had vomited on him. "I'll clean it up..."
"Don't move around. Go back to sleep!" The man picked her up, showered with her, and then carried her to the bedroom, where he began to blow-dry her hair.
Lin Mei rested her head on his lap, feeling his fingers weave through her thick, long hair. His fingertips brushed against her scalp, stroking it. Accompanied by the warm breeze, she drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
When she woke up, it was already evening. Lin Mei looked at the sunset outside the window and weakly climbed out of bed. The living room, which she had "ruined," was now clean, with no trace of anything amiss.
In the kitchen, Xing Zheng was preparing dinner. As soon as Lin Mei entered, she saw his back as he boiled noodles. She rubbed her eyes, unsure how to describe her current feelings. It was no wonder the old saying went, "A gentle knife cuts the deepest."
The man cooking the noodles turned off the heat. Seeing her approach, he asked about her condition, "Does your stomach still hurt?"
Lin Mei touched her stomach and shook her head, "I'm hungry."
"The noodles are ready, eat," Xing Zheng said, "Come get the chopsticks."
Lin Mei mumbled "Oh," went to get the chopsticks and a spoon, sat down, and began eating the noodles Xing Zheng had cooked. The taste was very bland, but she was starving, so she wasn't picky.
As she ate her noodles with her head bowed, the man opposite her said, "Don't go out drinking casually in the future."
Lin Mei replied, "It's necessary for my work."
Xing Zheng asked, "Is drinking with Xu Ying also necessary for your work?"
Naturally, it wasn't. But she felt she should have some freedom. Wouldn't he also drink with Jiang Chu Bi? "He's my friend."
Xing Zheng chuckled, "A friend who wants to lure you into bed? Since he's so tough, he must be prepared to confront me."
"What are you going to do again!" Lin Mei threw down her chopsticks, her temper flaring from an unknown source. "Besides threatening me, what else can you do?"
Xing Zheng's eyes darkened. "If you obediently listen to me, how would I have the chance to threaten you?"
In other words, it was because she wasn't "obedient enough" that he resorted to the "last resort" of threats? He really knew how to make excuses for himself!
"Why should I listen to you? What are you to me?!" She felt incredibly wronged in her heart. "You show affection with your fiancée, yet you demand I obey your every word. Do you even consider me a person? Have you thought about my feelings? I don't owe you anything, so why are you treating me like this?"
The words that had been pent up in her chest for days were finally spoken. She felt a sense of relief, but beneath it came emptiness and fear. This was the consequence of investing emotionally in someone, of constantly gaining and losing, of having one's emotions dictated by the other person.
She held back her tears. The man opposite her remained silent for a long time. Feeling awkward, she got up, wanting to escape. As she passed him, he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, causing her to fall onto his lap.
The man's hot breath brushed against her, stopping at her ear. "Are you jealous?"
His tone carried a hint of surprise, as if he had heard good news. "You mind Jiang Chu Bi a lot?"
"No, what right do I have to mind? It should be her who minds me." She forced a smile. Jiang Chu Bi was his legitimate fiancée. She was merely someone who couldn't see the light of day. If their relationship were exposed, public opinion would side with Jiang Chu Bi and condemn her. "Let's end this here. I'll move out immediately. Don't come looking for me again."
She was truly afraid. Jiang Chu Bi's appearance at the apartment today had completely shattered any unrealistic notions she might have had.
"What are you afraid of? Afraid Jiang Chu Bi will cause you trouble?" She trembled violently in his arms. No matter how tightly he held her, there was no relief. She looked like a startled little rabbit.
Xing Zheng stroked her hair. "She won't cause you trouble. As long as I'm here, no one can bully you."
"Is it because of Ming Zhe?" Lin Mei asked him weakly. "Because he liked me, so you..."
"And you?" He tightened his grip on her shoulders. "Do you still like him?"
Lin Mei remained silent. Her feelings for Xing Yan were less about liking and more about regret. The person she had admired innocently in her youth had suddenly left this world. Nostalgia was a natural human emotion. She knew he would never return.
"Eat," she said after a long silence. He had a pretty good idea of her feelings and didn't want to discuss things that would spoil their mood. He wanted to have a good time with her during this period.
"I don't like him anymore," Lin Mei said. "I don't like him anymore. Can you let me go now?"
His body stiffened. He couldn't believe the words she had just spoken. Then, he let out a laugh. He lowered his head and kissed her cheek. "Good girl."
Lin Mei asked, "So, can you let me go now?"
"No," he replied. "Stay with me, and I'll treat you well."
These words sounded like something a scumbag male lead would say to coax a woman in an eight o'clock drama. She felt no genuine care. "Treat me well? Do you mean for me to remain a tool for your sexual gratification, hidden from sight?"
She was acting very strangely today. As Xing Zheng pondered, he heard her ask again, "Are you going to marry Jiang Chu Bi?"