Chapter 49.2

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Their drinks clinked together. Beer burned down her throat.

“Keep going.”

“You had Ji Yun tip you off, you rushed over pretending to be my girlfriend… You knew exactly what you were doing, didn’t you? You were acting the whole time, weren’t you?”

Chi Yin corrected her, “I was just going with the flow.”

Ha. So she really had mastered The Thirty-Six Stratagems then.

“Chi Yin, if you liked me, why didn’t you just say it? Why did you wait for me to confess first? I even bowed to you when I did it!”

Chi Yin opened her mouth as if to say something, then hesitated. “Well… you never asked.”

Qiao Ziman frowned. “So if I don’t ask, you just don’t say? What, are you mute?”

Chi Yin glanced at her, then looked away. “At the time, weren’t you straight? If I told you, I was afraid you’d get scared and run.”

Qiao Ziman let out a dry laugh. “Oh, please. You played me like a fool, and now you want me to believe there’s actually something you’re afraid of?”

“You weren’t a fool,” Chi Yin replied smoothly. “You were just too deep in it to see clearly.”

Qiao Ziman: “Wow… Thank you for the enlightenment.”

With an exasperated sigh, she grabbed two more beers, popped them open, and slid one across the table. There was only one last thing left to ask.

“You said I was amazing, that you wanted me to be your mentor. That was a lie too, wasn’t it?”

Chi Yin said nothing.

The silence was deafening.

Internally, Qiao Ziman let out a heartbroken wail.

God above…

I’ve been a fool.

A completely useless, gullible fool who let herself get played.

Chugging down the rest of her beer in bitter resignation, she slammed the empty bottle on the table, snatched up her notebook, and stormed toward the bedroom, her face dark as thunder.

“You’re sleeping on the couch tonight!”

Once inside, she slumped over her desk, flipping open her notebook. On an entire page, she furiously sketched flowers—then scribbled over them in black ink until nothing remained but a dark, chaotic mess.

Above the destruction, she scrawled in large characters: Chi Yin.

Only then did she feel somewhat appeased.

With her frustration vented, Qiao Ziman pushed back from the desk, standing up—only for the world to suddenly tilt. She swayed on her feet, then collapsed right back into her chair.

Damn it.

I really shouldn’t mix alcohol.

Her head throbbed, a telltale sign that the buzz had hit full force. Massaging her temples, she waited for the dizziness to pass before staggering her way into the bathroom. 

Half an hour later, she emerged wrapped in a bath towel, damp hair clinging to her shoulders. As she passed the doorway, she hesitated, debating whether to check on Chi Yin. After all, she had also drunk a lot.

What if she was passed out somewhere?

What if something happened to her?

The thought alone sent a shiver of panic through her.

Without hesitation, she yanked the door open—

—only to come face to face with Chi Yin, standing statue-still right outside.

Qiao Ziman’s buzz vanished instantly. With a sharp gasp, she stumbled backward, tripped over herself, and landed on the bed with an oomph—her towel slipping slightly, exposing a scandalous amount of skin. “You—what the hell?! Are you trying to haunt me?!”

Chi Yin’s gaze burned, dark and intense. Desire and danger flickered in her eyes like smoldering embers. Step by step, she advanced, towering over Qiao Ziman like a predator cornering its prey.

Qiao Ziman’s heart skipped, panic creeping in. “Who said you could come in here? Get out!”

Chi Yin’s lips curled into a deep, knowing smile.

“I came to soothe you,” she murmured, voice dripping with amusement. “Help you cool off.”

Qiao Ziman’s breath hitched. The alcohol buzz made her lightheaded, and for a split second, she felt herself getting swept up in the moment.

“How… how are you going to soothe me?” she asked, her voice unconsciously softer.

In the next instant, Chi Yin suddenly leaned down and bit her lip.

A sharp gasp escaped Qiao Ziman as the unexpected sting sent a jolt through her body. Then, before she could recover, Chi Yin’s tongue, warm and laced with the heavy scent of alcohol, slipped in—claiming her mouth without hesitation.

Qiao Ziman’s mind spun.

Heat, the weight of Chi Yin’s body pressing close, the overwhelming sensation of being devoured—it was too much. With a muffled noise, she pushed at Chi Yin, breaking free.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

Chi Yin’s lips curved into a dangerous smile.

“Spoiling you,” she said smoothly.

Qiao Ziman’s brows knitted together. This was how she planned to make amends? Shouldn’t she be learning from Qiao Ziman’s own method—apologizing sweetly, being soft, coaxing her with care?

Her expression darkened as she lifted a leg to kick Chi Yin away. “I’ll say it one more time—get out!”

But just as she swung her foot up, Chi Yin caught it—firmly, effortlessly.

Her grip was unreasonably strong.

No matter how hard Qiao Ziman struggled, she couldn’t break free.

That’s when the realization hit her. Something was off.

“You… Chi Yin, are you drunk?”

Chi Yin didn’t answer. Instead, she reached out—and in one smooth motion, pulled loose the sash around Qiao Ziman’s waist. The already-loose bathrobe slipped from her shoulders, sliding off completely.

Qiao Ziman’s breath caught. 

Her first instinct was to grab at the fabric, to cover herself, but Chi Yin moved faster—seizing both of her wrists, pinning them above her head, and securing them against the headboard.

Chi Yin’s gaze darkened as she leaned in, her voice low and intoxicating.

“I warned you earlier,” she murmured. “You really shouldn’t have challenged me to a drinking match.”

Qiao Ziman finally sensed the danger.

“Chi Yin, let me go! Right now!”

Too late.

A fierce, dominant kiss crashed down, swallowing her words before she could even finish them.

Rationality shattered.

Qiao Ziman’s dazed, misty eyes glared up at her. Through gritted teeth, she hissed, “Turn off the lights.”

Chi Yin, still intoxicated and brimming with mischief, leaned in and nipped at her earlobe.

“Aren’t you afraid of the dark?” she murmured.

Before Qiao Ziman could react, Chi Yin’s hands slid downward, parting her legs with an ease that sent heat rushing straight to her face.

Instantly, she wanted to dig a hole and disappear.

But within moments, her mind went blank. Her wrists and ankles were firmly restrained, leaving her completely at Chi Yin’s mercy. An unfamiliar thrill surged through her, making her entire body arch involuntarily, forced into compliance.

Outside, a heavy, sultry rain fell over the garden.

Inside, she was caught in her own storm—wave after wave of shuddering, uncontrollable pleasure, each one tearing through her soul.

Much later.

Qiao Ziman’s blurred vision slowly came into focus. Turning her head slightly, she spotted Chi Yin crouched in front of the safe, rummaging through something. Her lips parted, voice hoarse. “Can you untie me now?”

Chi Yin turned, her eyes glinting in the dim light—dark, sharp, and predatory. “No.”

Then, with an unmistakable smirk, she asked—

“Do you want to try something even more exciting?”

Qiao Ziman: “???”

Chi Yin shifted slightly, tilting her body just enough to reveal the contents of the safe.

The moment Qiao Ziman saw what was inside, her eyes widened in pure shock.

It was packed—filled to the brim with an array of… toys. An entire collection.

Her face turned scarlet, a mix of fury and mortification surging through her. “These… You had these prepared in advance?!”

Chi Yin nodded.

“All of this… was for me?”

Another nod.

Qiao Ziman felt her soul leave her body.

“You—you’re not planning to torture me, are you?!”

Unbelievable!

Chi Yin, just you wait!

This. Was. Not. Over.