Huang Xiaojue nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. "Mom, where did you hear such malicious gossip?"
"There’s no smoke without fire. It’s her relatives who are talking about her being with a wealthy man, not us. Just think about it. With Yan Xixi’s looks, it would be strange if no one liked her. Would she willingly stay poor? Besides, she needs money, so it’s normal for her to find a rich man. I heard she even worked at a nightclub some time ago..."
Huang Xiaojue slammed his chopsticks onto the table. "Mom, can you please stop spouting such nonsense? Where would Yan Xixi even get these relatives from? If she really had any, would they be in such dire straits? And if they really were her relatives, would they slander their own family ? Look at what Xixi eats, uses, and wears. If she were being kept by a rich man, could she live such a poor life? Can’t the people spreading these rumors use their brains a little? Relatives! When she needed them, they were nowhere to be found. But now, when it’s time to spread rumors, they’re all too eager to chime in. How shameless!"
Mother Huang glared. "Son, who do you think you’re talking to?"
Father Huang’s face darkened. "Xiaojue, apologize to your mother immediately."
Huang Xiaojue felt a stifling knot of frustration in his chest, caught and unmoving. He rose from his seat and declared, "I’m not eating," then slammed the door and left.
Mother Huang was about to chase after him when Father Huang stopped her.
That day was the coldest of the year, the wind slicing against faces like an ice blade. Her palms were ice-cold. Yan Xixi tucked her neck in and started running. After running past two blocks, she finally began to warm up. She slowed her pace and let out a puff of breath.
Behind her, a luxury car caught up, its window rolling down to reveal a smirking face. "Hey, little hustler, how many men did you scam today?"
Yan Xixi ignored him and kept running. After just a few steps, she suddenly heard the harsh screech of brakes. Startled, she saw the car had swerved to a stop sideways right in front of her, almost hitting her.
"HAHAHA, Xixi, my driving skills are pretty good, aren’t they?" Wan Donglin laughed aloud, swaggering out of the car.
She spat out the word, still shaken, then turned and continued to run. Soon, a tall, long-limbed figure blocked her path. A large hand shot out, grabbing her by the waist. "Xixi, you’re messing with me, aren’t you?"
He did loosen his grip but didn’t let go completely. His tone was intimate and teasing. "Little thing, why pretend to be so proper? You came to my house last time, and I was overjoyed. I thought I’d finally get to enjoy your charms when I got home that night, but then you left again. Aren’t you just toying with me? Little thing, you can’t play games . I won’t allow you to be so presumptuous..."
The feigned intimacy in his voice disgusted Yan Xixi so much she nearly gagged. She shoved him with all her might. "Let go of me! If you don’t, I’ll scream for help! Help!"
As she opened her mouth to scream, Wan Donglin leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against hers. For a moment, Yan Xixi felt like she was suffocating. She shoved him away with all her strength, overcome with uncontrollable rage, and swung her hand to slap him. Yet, midway, Wan Donglin caught her wrist. He gently caressed her hand for a moment, then forcibly pressed something into her palm. "Baby, see you," he said nonchalantly.
In the rearview mirror, he saw her face, flushed crimson with anger. Even from a car’s length away, he could still vividly recall the warmth of her skin, its smooth, delicate softness.