{"id":2971,"date":"2026-04-19T01:20:53","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T01:20:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/poisoned-draught-13\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T02:01:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T02:01:31","slug":"poisoned-draught-13","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/chapter\/poisoned-draught-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Poisoned Draught 13"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 13: Invasion “Can we go to a hotel?”

The wind has been strong these past few nights, rustling through fallen leaves with a whispering sound.

Han Rao tightened her coat, feeling as though those few steps away from Xie Yaochen carried the weight of surrendering an entire kingdom.

As if by some unseen force, it seemed to make up for the slap he owed her when they parted ways back then.

She didn’t have the heart to finish him off back then, but it’s not too late to make up for it now.

Han Rao lowered her gaze, examining her palm under the dim light.

When she later struck Xie Yaochen, she used all her strength, and now her entire right hand along with her forearm was numb, making her unable to feel any pain.

She gently rubbed her palms together, trying to relieve the tingling numbness that made her feel weak, only to find the slightest touch burned like fire, leaving a stinging sensation.

She thought to herself, next time she shouldn’t hit someone bare-handed, she ought to find some tools.

Han Rao stuffed her hands into her pockets. The sky was too dark, and she was a bit directionally challenged. After walking in one direction for several minutes, she still couldn’t tell if she was heading toward the main gate of the residential area.

Of course, she had no time to dwell on these thoughts now\u2014her mind was in a daze, yet filled with a vengeful satisfaction.

After passing about two buildings, Han Rao felt she was finally out of Xie Yaochen’s line of sight and remembered she should inform Zhao Ji. She pulled out her phone from her coat pocket and sent him a message.

Han Rao: [I just finished, I’ll take a taxi straight to the hotel to meet you.]

They had originally agreed to head straight to the hotel after finishing their respective tasks.

Han Rao always remembered that this was the real priority.

So when Xie Yaochen forcibly pulled her into his embrace earlier, she was genuinely repulsed.

She already had someone else, yet she was still being relentlessly pestered by her ex\u2014it felt as disgusting as swallowing a fly.

Moreover, Zhao Jichuan had already lost his temper with her over this matter last time. Although she managed to smooth things over with clever words and excuses about feeling unwell, it didn\u2019t mean there was no lingering resentment in his heart.

She knew that mature men often had broad minds\u2014broad enough to be all-encompassing in romantic relationships, avoiding discussions of the past and letting bygones be bygones.

But even that couldn\u2019t withstand Xie Yaochen constantly stirring up trouble in front of her.

Han Rao thought that, to Zhao Jichuan, she was probably more like a prized possession he had spent a fortune on\u2014something no one else could touch or lay a finger on.

Xie Yaochen’s way of thinking is truly peculiar. Back when they had just broken up, he had pestered her for a while, even going so far as to kneel and beg her not to leave. Han Rao ignored him, lost her temper with him twice, and over time, the matter simply faded away.

Yet, unexpectedly, his feelings were like wild grass\u2014spring winds would revive them. After catching a glimpse of her at Fan Peng’s birthday party last time, the idea of winning her back sprouted in his mind once again.

In modern terms, Han Rao was the white moonlight in his heart\u2014his first love. Merely seeing her standing there from afar was enough to make his heart race.

Even long after they had become adversaries, Xie Yaochen still openly admitted in a live stream, “You can call her wicked, but you can’t question her beauty.”

Of course, these were all things to be told later.

Han Rao tapped her fingers on her phone and opened the ride-hailing app to book a car.

However, Zhao Jichuan’s message popped up at just the right moment.

Zhao Jichuan: [I have something to take care of tonight. You go home first.]

The man turned off his phone after replying to the message, glanced at Xie Yaochen, who was still standing dazed at the building entrance, then slightly tilted his body toward Zhao Jiyue and said, “Let’s go, get out of the car.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiyue yawned, slowly stepped out of the car, and then stood leisurely below, waiting for her brother to unload all the gifts from the vehicle.

Zhao Jichuan’s attitude toward Zhao Jiyue and Han Rao was completely different. If Han Rao were to stand idly by now, arms crossed, waiting for him to do the work, he would undoubtedly tease her about whether she was there just to enjoy the benefits.

But his younger sister, who had been doted on by the whole family since childhood\u2014Zhao Jichuan couldn’t bear to make her do any work, so he carried everything with both hands.

“Brother, get me a couple.” Zhao Jiyue said proactively; she wasn’t really the delicate type.

Zhao Jichuan lifted his chin slightly. “Just hold onto that fragile thing properly, and don’t worry about the rest.”

Zhao Jiyue held the fragile antique porcelain vase, while Zhao Jichuan carried a pile of items in both hands, the two of them heading upstairs one after the other.

As they passed by Xie Yaochen, he turned his head away with great pride, pretending to look at the bushes nearby.

Zhao Jichuan didn’t speak, nor did he bother to investigate what kind of person Han Rao’s ex-boyfriend really was. On the other hand, Zhao Jiyue had a straightforward personality and rolled her eyes at him indiscriminately.

Zhao Jichuan couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. His sister, unaware of the situation, had already assigned him to Han Rao and taken her side.

Of course, he had no intention of explaining his relationship with Han Rao to Zhao Jiyue either.

After all, it’s not presentable and not worth mentioning.

The siblings went upstairs to deliver the items, exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhou Yun and his wife, then left.

Zhao Jiyue was exhausted from the long journey and just wanted to hurry home to rest, catch up on sleep, and adjust to the time difference.

Zhao Jichuan then sent Zhao Jiyue back home.

The little princess came home, and the house suddenly became lively.

Zhao Jichuan’s mother, Cen Ling, heard the commotion and immediately draped a shawl over her shoulders as she hurried downstairs. The woman appeared remarkably youthful and elegant, showing no signs of being a mother of three.

As soon as Cen Ling came downstairs, she asked with concern if they had eaten. Zhao Jichuan said he had no appetite and wasn’t hungry, while Zhao Jiyue mentioned she had eaten on the plane and was only thirsty now.

Cen Ling immediately sent someone to pour water for Zhao Jiyue.

Zhao Jiyue held her cup while telling Cen Ling about her visit to Zhou Yun’s house today, mentioning what Jiao’er had brought for Aunt Yun, and casually complaining about how exhausted she was.

Zhao Jichuan listened to Zhao Jiyue’s coquetry and smiled imperceptibly.

But as Zhao Jiyue continued speaking, she inevitably brought up the gossip scene she had witnessed that day.

She eagerly told Cen Ling about how she saw a beautiful sister today angrily slapping her scumbag ex-boyfriend, saying the guy was terrifyingly clingy and wouldn’t let the girl go, even begging her not to leave and attempting to force a kiss on her.

Zhao Jichuan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this\u2014Zhao Jiyue’s storytelling skills were truly unmatched.

If he hadn’t been in the car with her at that time, he would have believed it.

Suddenly, Zhao Jichuan frowned at the thought\u2014if Han Rao hadn’t forcefully pushed Xie Yaochen away tonight, would he have actually kissed her?

As a man, he understood the inherent male tendencies of pushing boundaries and shameless audacity, and guessed that Xie Yaochen would most likely act this way.

The man’s brow furrowed even deeper as Zhao Jiyue continued to chatter incessantly.

Zhao Jichuan listened for a while, feeling nothing but irritation. He told Cen Ling he was tired and went back to his room first.

It was getting late, and Zhao Jichuan, who rarely returned to the old family home, took a shower and wanted to rest early.

The man lay in bed, the curtains drawn tightly, not a sliver of light in the bedroom.

He closed his eyes, intending to sleep, but the image of Xie Yaochen forcefully pulling Han Rao into his arms suddenly flashed through his mind.

He remembered that Han Rao didn’t push him away immediately.

The man pondered for two seconds, fumbled for a cigarette on the nightstand, and lit it with a faint glow. He didn’t smoke it, just habitually watched the ember burn in the darkness

That glimmer of light.

He simply felt sleepless throughout the night.

After a long while, the man, accompanied by the moonlight, changed into fresh clothes and silently drove away from the old mansion.

The car sped swiftly down the empty boulevard, with neon lights flashing along the streets.

No one seems to know where his destination lies.

\u3000\u3000-

Han Rao probably never imagined that after stumbling through so many twists and turns that night, she would still end up sleeping with Zhao Jichuan.

Around half past eleven, Han Rao had just finished showering and plugged in the hairdryer to dry her hair when her phone, charging on the table, suddenly buzzed.

Han Rao wondered who could be calling so late at night as she set aside the hair dryer to pick up her phone.

She lowered her gaze and saw it was Zhao Jichuan’s call.

She had no idea what Zhao Jichuan was up to by calling her so late, so she simply chose to play dumb, letting the phone ring in her hand without answering.

At worst, if he asks her tomorrow, she can just say she went to bed early and had her phone on silent.

This also counts as a legitimate reason.

The phone rang for quite a while before hanging up, only to start ringing again the very next second.

After going back and forth like this three times, Han Rao seemed to see through the man’s relentless persistence and realized that if she didn’t answer this call, he probably wouldn’t let it go tonight.

Tomorrow, it will still be her who suffers.

Han Rao gritted her teeth and answered the call, “Zhao Jichuan, I was just taking a shower.”

Zhao Jichuan’s eyes darkened, finally hearing her voice. His gaze softened by three parts as he said directly, “Come downstairs to meet me.”

That night, he wasn’t sure what had gotten into him. Unable to sleep, he decided to take a drive\u2014only to find himself pulling into her neighborhood. It wasn’t until he parked that he realized he didn’t even know her exact address.

Han Rao frowned upon hearing this, standing frozen in place as she took an extra two seconds to process the meaning behind his words.

“Are you downstairs at my place?” She couldn’t help but confirm again, immediately pressing herself against the window to peer down.

It’s a pity that it was pitch black outside\u2014the streetlights in the neighborhood had already gone out at this hour.

The area downstairs in her neighborhood was quite chaotic, with no parking lot, so cars were haphazardly parked in front of the green belts.

It was late at night, the floor was high, and Han Rao was still a bit nearsighted\u2014she simply couldn’t make out where Zhao Jichuan had stopped.

Zhao Jichuan didn’t explain further, issuing another command, “Go downstairs.”

Han Rao felt her mouth go dry. She licked her lips, utterly baffled by Zhao Jichuan’s string of actions.

He had told her to go home and not come to the hotel to find him, implying that he was busy tonight and wouldn’t be doing it.

But why did he suddenly appear downstairs at her house?

Did you suddenly finish your work and feel like doing it again?

Then why didn’t he call her over, but instead came here himself? It couldn’t be because he pitied her for traveling back and forth, could it?

Han Rao couldn’t understand him, but subconsciously began to resist\u2014resist his presence in her home.

But it wasn’t fear of him\u5acc\u5f03ing her imperfections\u2014rather, she\u5acc\u5f03ed everyone, including him. She didn’t want any outsider intruding into her private space.

Han Rao tentatively said, “Don’t rush, wait for me a moment. I’ll dry my hair, then we can get a room at a nearby hotel. There’s a Home Inn close by\u2014I’ve stayed there before, and actually, the environment is quite decent.”

Zhao Jichuan couldn’t help but smile. He had merely mentioned going to her place, yet she’d been pressured into saying so much.

“No need, your place will do.” The man glanced at his wristwatch and said leisurely, “I haven’t eaten yet, make me something.”

Han Rao’s eyelids drooped heavily. It was so late, and she was about to go to bed, yet he wanted her to cook for him\u2014wasn’t that a bit too much!

“There’s a dumpling place nearby with really delicious pickled cabbage and pork filling\u2014I can take you there. Or, there’s also a noodle shop that’s pretty good; their stir-fried tomato and egg knife-cut noodles are especially tasty.” She desperately tried to steer the conversation away, practically wearing her reluctance to invite him home on her face.

Zhao Jichuan sat in the car with a clear and bright smile, saying, “Han Rao, don’t play dumb with me.”

“I only want to eat what you make.”

Han Rao lightly touched the spines of the cactus. With things having reached this point, she had no other choice. Her shoulders slumped like a deflated balloon as she said, “Then wait for me a moment.”

Han Rao lifted her hand to adjust her damp hair. Without changing clothes, she wore a black nightgown and flip-flops, threw on a coat, and went downstairs.

The moment Han Rao stepped downstairs, her eyes immediately landed on Zhao Jichuan’s car amidst the sea of vehicles\u2014there was no helping it, those million-dollar luxury cars stood out like a crane among chickens.

She thought, indeed, good things need contrast to shine.

That night at Zhou Yun’s residential complex, the parking lot was filled with luxury cars, making it impossible to tell which one was better.

Zhao Jichuan also spotted Han Rao at first glance\u2014her face bare of makeup, hair loose in the wind, arms crossed and shoulders hunched as she walked toward him.

Han Rao pulled open the passenger door and gave him a coquettish glance.

She really thought he was a spoiled brat\u2014seeing her but refusing to get out of the car, insisting she come down to invite him in.

Zhao Jichuan lowered his gaze and saw her bare feet. He couldn’t help but say, “Dressed like this, if you don’t get a stomachache, who will?”

Han Rao curled her toes; it wasn’t as if she wasn’t afraid he’d waited too long.

Han Rao pursed her lips and asked him, “Didn’t you eat dinner?”

“I haven’t eaten.” He grasped her hand, noticing it felt slightly cold. Lowering his gaze, he wondered if it was just his imagination, but her right hand seemed slightly swollen. “The flight was delayed, spent some time at the airport.”

Han Rao: “Then the wisest thing for you to do would be to find a restaurant to eat at, not come to me. My cooking skills are terrible\u2014what if you don’t like what I make?”

“It’ll be both hungry and tasteless by then, wouldn’t that be miserable?”

Zhao Jichuan traced the lines on her palm, “Whether it’s good or bad is subjective. Maybe I’ll actually like your disastrous cooking.”

Han Rao felt a tingling itch in her palm. She wanted to pull her hand back, but he grabbed her wrist. “What are you doing? Why does your hand look a bit swollen?”

Han Rao awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth and lied, “I slipped while taking a shower and caught myself with my hand.”

Zhao Jichuan looked at her lying without changing her expression, lifted her chin, and, looking at the little mouth full of lies, gently wiped the corner of her lips.

Han Rao had just applied lipstick after taking a shower when he smudged it.

She grasped his wrist tightly, the droplets from her hair falling onto his arm, making the bluish veins stand out even more clearly.

Zhao Jichuan suddenly recalled what Zhao Jiyue said\u2014that Xie Yaochen had almost forcibly kissed Han Rao.

Xie Yaochen didn\u2019t know whether he had this thought or not, but at this very moment, he really wanted to kiss her.

Zhao Jichuan thought so and acted accordingly.

He lifted her chin and forcefully pressed his lips against hers, then slowly released her. “A week without seeing each other, did you miss me?”

Han Rao clutched his clothes, half-serious, half-teasing, and said, “I do.”

Zhao Jichuan smiled without a word, quietly watching her. Suddenly, he found himself admiring her, thinking she would make an excellent actress.

Han Rao naturally wrapped her arms around his waist, licked her lips, and asked him, “Shall we?”

They better stop discussing such childish questions about whether they want to or not, and head straight to a nearby hotel to do what adults are supposed to do.

Zhao Jichuan deliberately misinterpreted her meaning, “Where? Hmm? Here?”

He leaned closer, his nose brushing against hers.

This was an extremely intimate and ambiguous gesture. Han Rao couldn’t bear it and kept retreating under his pressure.

She looked at him with big, watery eyes, her face full of hesitation, torn over whether to agree with him or not.

She thought that perhaps everyone has a wild side deep down. For example, her\u2014if it had been before, she would have thought his suggestion was crazy, but now, in the quiet of the night, desire grew wildly like branches, and she only felt her heart surge, feeling especially thrilled.

Zhao Jichuan raised his hand to hold her back, then nibbled on her lips again.

He smiled languidly and told her he was really hungry, and just wanted to eat the meal she had cooked with her own hands.

At this point in the conversation, Han Rao was momentarily at a loss; compared to this, she seemed like the lecher.

She gathered her clothes, having no other choice, and reluctantly agreed to bring him back home.

After getting out of the car, the two walked side by side to the building entrance.

Along the way, Han Rao kept giving him warnings, trying to dissuade him, “My home is small, shabby, and messy. If you can’t accept that, there\u2019s still a chance to back out.”

Zhao Jichuan didn\u2019t buy it and chuckled, \u201cThen let me see just how small, how bad, and how chaotic it really is.\u201d

H\u00e1n R\u00e1o, upon hearing this, resignedly took out the key and then opened the door.

She opened the door, and as she stepped out, the living room light was still on, spilling out directly.

She turned to the side, letting him come in first.

“I don’t have slippers at home, just come in like this. I’ll tidy up tomorrow.”

Zhao Jichuan looked around; her home was indeed very small, seemingly not even as spacious as one of the bedrooms in his hotel’s executive suite.

But fortunately, though small, the place was fully equipped; the home was very clean, and the items…

Everything was neatly arranged, nothing like the mess she had described.

The man looked up at the white carpet laid beside the single sofa, then deliberately bent down to take off his shoes and placed them by the door. He lifted his leg, stepping into her private space wearing only socks.

Han Rao just felt a sudden resolve in her heart, a feeling that was hard to describe or explain\u2014awkward, painful, yet unstoppable.

She bit her lip, and considering his refined demeanor, after closing the door, she took out a pair of disposable slippers for him.

In October, the northern city hadn\u2019t started heating yet; it was chilly in the mornings and evenings, and the floor was especially cold. Walking barefoot on it all night could easily cause illness.

Zhao Jichuan raised an eyebrow but didn\u2019t ask why she hadn\u2019t found him a place before he came in.

After changing his shoes, he asked if he could sit anywhere he wanted.

Han Rao nodded and said, \u201cYes, you can.\u201d

After settling Zhao Jichuan, Han Rao truly found herself at a loss. He said he wanted to eat, but she had no idea what to make.

She didn\u2019t know how to prepare delicacies, and there were no ingredients at home, so she could only make some simple everyday dishes, hoping his palate wouldn\u2019t be too picky.

Han Rao opened the fridge and turned to ask him, \u201cWhat do you want to eat?\u201d

Zhao Jichuan glanced at her hair, the damp strands clinging to her clothes, already soaking the hem. He didn\u2019t answer her question; instead, he said, \u201cYou should dry your hair first.\u201d

Han Rao was momentarily stunned, then quickly plugged in the hairdryer that was on the coffee table and turned it on again.

The hairdryer made a loud noise, humming and whirring.

Zhao Jichuan watched her stand in front of the mirror, methodically drying her hair in sections, smoothing it out, and then applying hair oil.

It felt quite magical.

She took great care of her hair, spending a long time on it, occasionally switching between cold and hot air to help set the style.

He, however, was very patient, watching her finish tidying up before unplugging the hairdryer and neatly coiling the cord.

The moment Han Rao looked up, their eyes met, and she suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. She scratched her head and asked him, “Have you decided what you want to eat?”

He said, “Anything is fine, you decide. I’m not picky.”

Han Rao couldn’t help but argue back, “What if I poisoned you a little, would you still eat it?”

Zhao Jichuan wasn’t insensitive to romance; most of the time, he was just too lazy to flirt. But his skills were exquisite\u2014he only needed to put in a little effort to make her laugh.

He said, “Sweet as honey.”

Han Rao: “…”

Her heart skipped two beats as she turned her body and reopened the fridge.

\u201cDo you want boiled noodles or egg fried rice?\u201d She saw there was leftover rice from lunch in the fridge.

\u201cEgg fried rice then. If it\u2019s boiled noodles, I only have dried noodles at home.\u201d

The implication was clear\u2014she didn\u2019t know how to make fresh noodles.

Zhao Jichuan suddenly leaned close to her, raising his hand to gently stroke her hair, feeling the fresh fragrance seep into his breath.

He said, “I’ll listen to you.”

“Alright.”

Han Rao pushed against his chest, avoiding him.

When Han Rao used to live alone, she felt the small house was just right\u2014cozy and comfortable, and she didn\u2019t have to clean a large area.

But when there was truly one more person in the house, she realized how small it really was; you could bump into each other with just a turn.

Han Rao closed the door as soon as she entered the kitchen, and Zhao Jichuan, left outside, suddenly felt a bit blocked.

He thought for a moment, gave up on pushing the door open, and asked through the door if he could just take a look.

Han Rao said okay.

Zhao Jichuan finally stepped into her bedroom.

The bedroom was also small, with a bed that looked about one and a half meters wide, covered with light blue sheets. Several stuffed toys were scattered haphazardly on the bed.

Her bedroom, or rather her home, had a cinematic vibe. The curtains were dark coffee-colored, an old-fashioned gramophone sat on the desk, and the walls were covered with postcards and movie posters.

Zhao Jichuan leaned closer to the wall and felt that she seemed to really like Hong Kong films. There were several iconic posters, including “In the Mood for Love,” “Comrades: Almost a Love Story,” “Infernal Affairs,” and “Young and Dangerous,” among others.

The postcards on the wall were in various styles, many of which he didn\u2019t even know which book they came from.

Zhao Jichuan suddenly felt that she had a kind of nostalgia that didn\u2019t belong to this era.

Like someone from the end of the last century.

In fact, Zhao Jichuan was a rather old-fashioned person who rarely engaged with artistic or literary works. The fact that he could recognize the things pasted on his wall was entirely thanks to the little knowledge he had accumulated in his youth.

He actually saw less of the new trends in today\u2019s entertainment industry.

On his bookshelf, there were usually professional books on economics and management, mostly in English. Each book was a thick stack, making it unappealing for outsiders to want to continue reading.

In other words, they are actually two extremes: one values reason, the other values emotion.

Later, Zhao Jichuan thought about it and figured this could be considered a kind of match\u2014complementary, in a way.

His gaze moved downward, noticing that her desk also had several completed Lego sets and a few puzzles. The puzzles were of her photos, timeless images framed neatly. The Lego creations resembled certain characters, with noses and eyes, but because they were made up of small building blocks stacked together, the overall look was quite abstract.

Later, Zhao Jichuan found time to watch her performance in the film “First Love’s Sea” and only then realized that the Lego and puzzles were part of her character in the movie.

He raised his hand to touch it, but fearing he might damage it, he withdrew his hand.

Soon, Zhao Jichuan heard the sound of the door opening. Han Rao placed the fried rice on the table and called him to eat.

Zhao Jichuan suddenly had a mischievous thought and wanted to tease her. He said calmly, “Han Rao, I just broke your LEGO.”

Han Rao’s eyelids twitched, her impatience clearly written all over her face, to the point that she even forgot to pretend.

She hurriedly came into the bedroom, pushed aside the man blocking her view, and found the Lego intact and placed there. She coquettishly glanced at him, “Mr. Zhao, do you have nothing better to do? Are you deliberately teasing me?”

Zhao Jichuan glanced at the flustered person and teased, “So precious, was it a gift from your ex-boyfriend?”

Han Rao tugged at the corner of her mouth and stared straight at him, unable to keep the anxiety from rising to her throat. “You found out?”

Zhao Jichuan ruffled her hair, forgiving like an elder, “Last time, just from a distance, I could tell your relationship was special.”

Han Rao’s heart sank back into her stomach; she was terrified. She had thought that Zhao Jichuan had caught her today.

She said, how could it be such a coincidence? He was going to the airport to pick up his sister tonight, and since they weren\u2019t on the same route, it was impossible for them to run into each other.

Han Rao dismissed the doubts in her heart, but still felt very strange, as if she were having an affair behind his back.

“It wasn’t him who gave it to me, and even if it were, I would never stoop so low as to keep it.” Han Rao chose to answer his first question.

She explained, “This was a gift from my younger brother.”

“You have a younger brother?” Zhao Jichuan was clearly somewhat surprised.

Han Rao shook her head, blaming herself for being too talkative. She didn\u2019t want to tell him about her family matters, nor did she want her family to have any connection with him.

“Come eat quickly, the egg fried rice will be cold and inedible.” Han Rao grabbed his hand and pulled him out of her bedroom.

Zhao Jichuan sat on her sofa, picking up the bowl of egg fried rice. The rice was colorful, looking very appetizing.

Han Rao was quite considerate, generously giving him an egg, two sausages, and even some chopped green onions for seasoning.

Zhao Jichuan took a bite and found it novel; it was the first time he had eaten such delicious fried rice with egg, with a slightly sour taste.

He asked her what she had put in.

Han Rao: “Add a bit of vinegar and light soy sauce, no need to add salt, use less oil, and saut\u00e9 the scallions in the pan.”

She revealed the crucial step.

“Did you research it yourself?”

Zhao Jichuan had actually already prepared himself for the fact that her cooking would be bad; after all, a delicate girl like her clearly didn\u2019t seem like someone who could cook.

She did manage to give him a surprise.

“Mm, just messing around.”

She actually concealed the fact that the egg fried rice with extra vinegar was Xu Lianqiu’s original creation; her cooking skills were learned from her mother.

“Aren’t you eating?”

“I’ve already eaten at the teacher’s house,” Han Rao replied.

Zhao Jichuan looked at her as if she were a robot, asking one question and receiving one answer, and simply stopped asking.

Whether it was the delicious appearance of the meal or simply that he was truly hungry, Zhao Jichuan hungrily finished every last bite.

While he was eating, Han Rao idly scrolled through her phone out of boredom.

Ultimately, she still felt a bit guilty today because of Xie Yaochen. So she had no choice but to shift her focus and casually look at other things.

It wasn’t until Zhao Jichuan put down his chopsticks that Han Rao finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he would probably leave after finishing his meal.

She looked at him eagerly, and as the clock struck twelve, she felt like resting; her biological clock was starting to act up again.

But Zhao Jichuan didn’t seem to have that intention.

He pulled out a tissue to wipe his hands, then raised his hand to loosen his tie.

Han Rao watched the movements of his hands, her right eyelid twitching uncontrollably, feeling a bad premonition!

Sure enough, the man leisurely pulled off his tie, then began unbuttoning his shirt\u2014first the cuffs, then the buttons down the front.

Han Rao swallowed hard, her own hands freezing in place.

She asked, “Aren’t you going home?”

“Han Rao, didn\u2019t we agree on Sunday?” He glanced at the time and said, “Look, we’ve wasted too much time; it’s already Monday.”

Zhao Jichuan had only undone the top two buttons of his shirt when he stood up and wrapped his arms around Han Rao\u2019s waist, pulling her onto his lap.

The sudden closeness between them made Han Rao\u2019s breath catch, and she asked daringly, “Can we go to a hotel and get a room?”

She didn\u2019t want to be at home.

Zhao Jichuan\u2019s hand covered her back, separated by a layer of smooth pajamas. He asked her, \u201cWhy?\u201d

Han Rao placed both hands on his chest, her hair brushing against his skin. She spoke sweetly, \u201cThe house is too small, it affects my performance. Can\u2019t I be somewhere else?\u201d

Zhao Jichuan suddenly touched her brow bone. \u201cIs there another reason? Tell me, and I\u2019ll consider it.\u201d

Han Rao pressed her lips together. \u201cI have a cleanliness obsession, is that okay?\u201d

She wasn’t disgusted by him; she just didn’t like anyone coming to her house.

She couldn’t just tell the truth\u2014what would he think then?

Zhao Jichuan was too lazy to respond to her blatant lie. He gently stroked her hair and suddenly changed the subject, “Did you enjoy celebrating your teacher’s birthday?”

Han Rao thought bitterly: Of course not.

But she couldn’t say that; if she said it, it would reveal the clue, and she wasn’t stupid.

“I’m quite happy. A few junior schoolmates came too. There are quite a lot of people, and it’s pretty lively.”

Zhao Jichuan also knew what she said. Just now, when he and Zhao Jiyue went upstairs to deliver something to Zhou Yun, Zhou Yun chatted a bit and mentioned that it was rare for so many people to come to her home.

“All junior schoolmates? No one you know?” he asked.

Han Rao’s nerves tightened once again, and she looked at Zhao Jichuan with a mix of anxiety and suspicion. The man’s expression remained unchanged, as if they were just having a casual chat. Yet his hand movements were far from innocent, slipping beneath the hem of her nightgown.

Han Rao felt as if she were strapped to the chopping block, her hands and feet bound, unable to move.

His actions were like peeling silk thread by thread, tormenting her as if she were being gnawed on by ants.

It had to be said, Zhao Jichuan was skilled at manipulating human nature and adept at using the boiling frog method to inflict deep psychological torment.

He knew Han Rao felt guilty, so even though he was already lying in bed tonight, he got up to find her again.

Of course, he knew she wouldn\u2019t dare cheat on him, but he was too curious about her past, too eager to completely possess her.

He didn’t like her lying to him and deliberately hiding things.

He knew his thoughts were dark and twisted, but he couldn’t help it.

Han Rao wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head in the hollow of his shoulder. With each breath, the scent of agarwood on the man enveloped her.

Seeing her silent, Zhao Jichuan lowered his head and, through a layer of silk fabric, gently kissed the bulge above her heart.

The fabric rubbing together scattered my thoughts.

Han Rao was so fragile she was defenseless; her posture had somehow changed to straddling him.

“Forget it, let’s not talk about today,” he said.

Han Rao tightened the hand hooked around his neck and grit her teeth, asking, “Zhao Jichuan, you’re actually still upset that I didn’t answer your question that day with Zhou Yi, aren’t you? You still want to know about the past, don’t you?”

The man chuckled quietly, deliberately dragging out the sound, “Hmm?”

Han Rao licked her dry lips and admitted, “He was indeed my boyfriend before.”

She bit his shoulder, evasively revealing a piece of the past, “We broke up because he cheated on me behind my back.”

In short, at that time, Xie Yaochen cheated on her.

Han Rao’s eyes were red-rimmed. “After I found out, I broke up. In these more than three years, we actually hardly saw each other.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jichuan suddenly felt a bit sorry for her. According to the timeline, it must have been shortly after she was blacklisted that Xie Yaochen betrayed her.

He gradually eased the strength in his hands, deciding to protect the last shred of her dignity and not expose the fact that he had caught her with Xie Yaochen today.

“What happened next?”

“Then it was the last time, the one you saw, when we met.” Han Rao still didn’t mention today after all.

She felt that her relationship with Zhao Jichuan was just a game; if he pressed her, she would be honest, but if he didn\u2019t know, she would never mention it.

Zhao Jichuan chuckled softly, cupping her small face, looking into her pupils, “It’s such a trivial matter, is it really necessary to hide it from me?”

Han Rao lowered her eyes, her eyelashes casting a fan-shaped shadow beneath them. “I just feel that he no longer deserves to be mentioned by me.”

Thinking about it now, it’s really no big deal, just a man after all, if lost, then lost.

But for Han Rao, who was physically and mentally tormented at the time, it was indeed a catastrophe.

Since the matter has already been brought up to this point, Han Rao really wants to ask Zhao Jichuan if, besides her, there is someone else.

But she was afraid of receiving a definite answer, so she chose to give up.

She knew that Zhao Jichuan was different from Xie Yaochen.

She and Xie Yaochen were in a normal romantic relationship; if betrayed, she could bring up breaking up.

But what exactly are she and Zhao Jichuan?

A contract relationship of keeping\/supporting? I’m afraid the word “betrayal” doesn’t even apply.

She was very clear about her own position and understood the principle of being paid to do a job, so she simply stopped pursuing anything further.

Being dazed and confused is better than receiving a heartbreaking answer and pretending not to care.

Zhao Jichuan wiped the corner of her eye with his rough fingertip and said patiently, “Alright, if you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t. No one is forcing you.”

Han Rao closed her eyes, feeling as if he had said all the kind words and played the good guy, even though he was the one who had just forced her.

She opened her eyes, a thin mist blurring her gaze. She gritted her teeth, her body still reacting, her blood boiling. Suddenly, she no longer wanted to struggle. Let it be at home, at home\u2014after all, she had long since allowed him to enter her private space.

“Zhao Jichuan, go ahead.”

She said with a mix of despair and immense delight, “Fuck\/damn me.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-2971","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2971"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2971\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3019,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2971\/revisions\/3019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=2971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}