Chapter 9: Provocation

The scarlet hot cigarette butt was like a giant setting sun, the flowing flames searing his skin. His fair skin instantly turned into a pathological blood hole, the soft and rotten red seeming to bloom into a flower on his arm, even more gorgeous than the rose in Wen Lan Sheng’s hand. Surrounded by a sea of red, in his daze, he saw Fan Xia walking towards him.

She held a bouquet of flowers, the cold and abrupt ring on her ring finger left lonely on the ground.

Rong Xiu’s fingertips tightened, his breath suspended.

Fan Xia approached with the flowers, stuffing the large bouquet of roses into his chest. His nose was filled with an intense fragrance that made him dizzy.

“You’re… not going to accompany Wen Lan Sheng?” Rong Xiu asked, biting his tongue.

Fan Xia’s cool fingertips stopped on his thin lips. Rong Xiu’s heart trembled with excitement, his ear tips suppressing a flush.

She took his hand, her fair slender fingers intertwining with his, leaving no gap. Her low, hoarse voice clung to his ear, her warm breath carrying an indescribable ambiguity: “Not going. I’m here to accompany you.”

Rong Xiu felt a burning sensation spread from his chest to his face. The sudden, immense joy made his heart swell with a sour softness, yet he was also flustered, not knowing what to do, his limbs clumsy and stiff.

He allowed Fan Xia’s fingertips to lightly hook his tightly bound striped tie, loosening the meticulously tied necktie. He was forced to tilt his head back, his frameless glasses removed by her. His vision suddenly became a bit blurry. Under the misty light, his Fan Xia seemed to be wrapped in a layer of light.

In a daze, he felt a pair of warm hands gently touch the tear mole under his left eye. It was the warmth he had yearned for many years. Rong Xiu tremblingly held her hand, tilting his head to nuzzle slightly in her palm, as gentle as ocean waves.

The next second, Rong Xiu felt the warmth in his hand turn cold, and darkness fell before his eyes.

He abruptly opened his eyes, sitting up on the sofa. The cold and quiet furniture around him silently told him that everything just now was just a shameless spring dream he had.

Now he woke up, forced to wake from that lush spring sentiment, his body hot all over.

Rong Xiu felt his suit pocket, only an empty cigarette box remained. The ashtray on the coffee table was already full of ashes.

He took a deep breath, took off his frameless glasses and casually threw them on the coffee table, then quickly walked into the bathroom and took a cold shower.

The cold water column poured down on him, converging into a stream along his fair, taut muscle lines. The wet cold air permeated, even the water marks on the glass were cold and desolate, trying to dilute his body full of delusions. But he touched the tear mole under his left eye, his eyes still sinking into that illusory love.

After showering, Rong Xiu lay on the bed. The cold moonlight from outside shone in. He closed his narrow eyes, forcing himself to sleep.

Half asleep and half awake, Rong Xiu seemed to feel the same gentle hand as in the dream just now lightly touching his forehead. He opened his eyes hazily and saw Fan Xia’s familiar gentle eyes.

Having a spring dream again? Rong Xiu smiled self-mockingly. He actually even thought about another’s wife in his dreams.

Forget it, since it’s a dream, let’s indulge once. At least in this dream, it’s just the two of them, without Wen Lan Sheng.

He was no longer as helpless as before, boldly reaching out his hand to embrace Fan Xia’s neck. They fell together onto the soft bed, their ink-like long hair tangled between them. Rong Xiu tilted his head slightly, gently kissing her lips.

Before completely losing consciousness, Rong Xiu saw the Fan Xia in his dream widen her eyes.

When Rong Xiu woke up again, it was already sunset. The shocking molten gold-like setting sun was gradually sinking into the nearby sea.

He sat up, feeling a bit dizzy and his body somewhat sore. He instinctively touched his forehead, unexpectedly feeling a fever patch stuck there.

Rong Xiu was stunned, his eyes sweeping to the side, seeing the remaining packaging paper on the bedside table.

Could it be that he had a fever last night and the family doctor came?

Rong Xiu tore off the fever patch, gathered his robe, and walked downstairs. After just a few steps, he smelled a fragrant aroma of food. He had always preferred to live alone, disliking living with others. Even the maids who cleaned the villa came and went at fixed times, not lingering in the villa for too long. Therefore, there shouldn’t be any maids cooking for him at this time. Could it be Zhuang Nian?

Rong Xiu went downstairs, the aroma becoming stronger. In the open kitchen, the busy figure’s back was slender and straight. The slightly curly long hair was tied up with a hair tie, revealing a beautiful, long neck. An apron string passed through her waist, outlining her slim waist.

Rong Xiu’s lips trembled slightly, his eyes shaking, unable to believe that the slender figure in the kitchen was Fan Xia.

Until she turned around, smiling at him and saying, “CEO, are you feeling better?”

“Did you take care of me?” Rong Xiu asked tremblingly.

Fan Xia said, “Please don’t misunderstand, I didn’t change your clothes. Today, Zhuang Secretary and I saw that you hadn’t come to the company and weren’t answering your phone, so we came to your house together. We found you had a high fever, so we called your family doctor. We’ve both been watching over the villa all day. It’s just unfortunate that Zhuang Secretary had to go pick up his child from kindergarten just now, so only I was left, and I took over the yam and lotus root porridge that Zhuang Secretary had prepared halfway.”

Fan Xia thought Rong Xiu was concerned about a man and woman being alone together, which could lead to gossip if word got out, so she explained at length.

“Thank you,” Rong Xiu said, a faint smile emerging on his pale, sickly face.

She was worried about him, called a doctor for him, and even specially made porridge for him… How nice.

The pot emitted waves of fragrant ingredients, the thick porridge bubbling. The kitchen, which had been cold and quiet for years, finally had a touch of human warmth.

“No need to be so formal with me,” Fan Xia smiled, holding a bowl in one hand with two eggs cracked into it, and an egg beater in the other. With a slight movement of her wrist, the egg beater rotated quickly, instantly mixing the eggs.

The skilled movements surprised Rong Xiu.

In a matriarchal society, it was rare for women to cook for themselves. Even if they did, it was usually just things like cooking instant noodles or frozen dumplings. But women like Fan Xia, who clearly cooked regularly, were extremely rare.

Could it be that Wen Lan Sheng’s domesticity was just a facade? In reality, he didn’t cook at home, but instead let Fan Xia do the cooking?

Rong Xiu frowned deeply.

“What’s wrong? Are you still feeling unwell?” Fan Xia put down the bowl in her hand, her eyes slightly worried.

“It’s… nothing,” Rong Xiu shook his head.

***

Seducing a God, Do You Dare? 

This is also on my reread list!

The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.

But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.

Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.

I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.

The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.

As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.

This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.

Definitely worth a read, y’all!

Intro

As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.

But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…

Do you dare?

Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.

Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.

The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.

Link to read