Chapter 1: Deliberate Indulgence
The open-air swimming pool at night shimmered, casting a dazzling array of lights and shadows into the room.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, two figures intertwined.
The man was leaning on the sofa, his face as handsome as if it were intricately carved. His demeanor was cool, except for his pitch-black eyes which were deep and intense, suppressing his emotions.
The voluptuous woman in a bikini was incessantly alluring him. Though her attempts were clumsy, they were effective.
Chi Xiao pinched her chin and pushed her away slightly, forcing her to look into his eyes. His voice was deep and husky, "Say your name."
With a hint of drunken annoyance, she answered, "Shen... Zhaixing..."
"I am Chi Xiao," he said, controlling her restless head, insisting consistently.
Sultry Shen Zhaixing, cocking her head, was single-mindedly bent on devouring the delectable 'treat' in front of her.
A little creature, oblivious to danger.
"What is my name?" he asked between clenched teeth, his voice restrained yet firm. Seeing the corner of her eyes cloud over with tears, he softened his tone, "If you get it right, I'll give it to you."
She couldn't answer and hummed irritably through her nose.
So he had to repeat it again.
"…Chi… Xiaoxiao…," Shen Zhaixing followed, looking at his lips. Her eyes shimmered like she was aggrieved as she obediently repeated.
No sooner had her words stopped than her world began to spin.
"Remember who I am."
His tone was domineering, his words were straightforward, and the woman beneath him shrank back, whimpering.
The roles were swapped, the control changed hands.
The night was deep.
By the time she woke up, it was midnight. The sound of running water from the bathroom startled Shen Zhaixing, who instantly sat up from her prone position.
The luxurious but unfamiliar room was filled with a muddled, chaotic aura.
She felt as though her entire body had been trampled by an army. Following this, various lascivious images flooded her mind like a tidal wave.
Shen Zhaixing pressed her palm against her temple, her head splitting with pain.
Awakening from a drunken stupor, she remembered what she had done.
She was in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the richest emirate in the UAE. She had taken a part-time job as a translator, accompanying her client here.
Having just graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, she had been admitted to the top art academy in the world - the Florence Academy of Fine Arts. She had come to the scorching Middle East in July to earn her tuition fees.
Yet, on her first night of arrival, she received screenshots of her boyfriend, Zhou Yutao's hookup chat history and intimate photos.
The sender was his college classmate and good friend who she regarded as mutual friend, the senior from the Academy of Fine Arts - He Yilu.
The object of Zhou Yutao's hookup and his sex partner was her.
Quite a dramatic turn of events indeed.
The story of a silent admirer who at last sees his dreams come true. Just as Shen Zhaixing is about to study abroad, a confession unfolds. The cause being Zhou Yutao's unwillingness to break up, causing He Yilu to wish for her to take the initiative and step away.
To hell with them both.
She replied with just five words: "Trash, it's all yours."
What followed was a bombardment of desperate calls and messages from Zhou Yutao, which she found disgusting and promptly blocked.
She'd known Zhou Yutao for four years. He was her senior at school, a young man who had been attentive and persistent ever since Shen Zhaixing started her freshman year.
He was a well-known prodigy at the school, with a wealthy businessman for a father, and a strong, successful mother who was a senior manager at a central enterprise. He himself was filled with talent and good looks.
Shen Zhaixing's parents died in a car accident seven years ago.
She had lived with an uncle for half a year during her freshman year, but she couldn't get used to it and began living on campus.
As such, she had not felt the care and consideration that people gave her for a very long time. So, by her junior year, she had given in to Zhou Yutao's relentless pursuit.
He was incredibly good to her, he spoiled and cared for her, he protected her fragile and sensitive self-esteem, and never let her feel the disparity between their material conditions.
He even got a job as a designer after graduation and became a nine-to-five worker.
The scene where he excitedly laid out their promising future was still vivid to her.
"From now on, I need to work hard and make money because I have to provide for my star."
"Taking care of my star is not easy. She may seem like a delicate flower, but she's so sophisticated... Okay, okay, you're not sophisticated, it's just that I want to spoil you."
"Star, will you marry me after graduation?"
At that time, she had already harbored the idea of studying abroad.
Later, when Zhou Yutao found out that she had received an offer from Fordham University, they had their first argument. He said that he had been waiting for two years, no other man could tolerate as he did.
Two years were already his limit; he would not be able to wait another two years no matter what.
So this was his reasoning for cheating?
Because He Yulu was willing to sleep with him but she herself refused?
Shen Zhexiong's swollen lips curled into a particularly scornful smile.
You could say it was self-abandonment or revenge, tonight, Shen Zhexiong decided to let loose deliberately.
While getting out of bed to find her clothes, her legs softened and she almost fell over, the throbbing pain in certain areas reminded her of the push-and-pull between resistance and pleasure she had experienced throughout the night.
That intense experience had made her sweat profusely, accelerating her alcohol metabolism.
In her mind, a face devoid of emotion but with burning eyes appeared.
He'd been determined for her to remember his name, forcing her to repeat over and over again - Chi Xiao.
He seemed to enjoy staring at her, not missing any of her slightest reactions or expressions, causing her to suffer enjoyably -
Shen Zhexiong felt a numbness in her thighs, she hastily picked up her scattered bikini and hollow-out beach cover-up from the floor and couch and hurriedly put them on, hurriedly escaping his luxury suite.
Moments later, after finishing his bath, Chi Xiao walked out of the bathroom to find an empty bed, pausing mid-step.
His eyes, heavy with satisfaction, narrowed slightly, and the corners of his lips curved into an amused and dangerous smirk.
Shen -
Pick -
Star.
Eat and run.
Alright.
Pretty bold.
