Xu Yinian didn’t sense any danger. Her reaction was so slow that she was dazed for a moment before realizing she was already being held.
Her entire body went rigid, yet she was too submissive to move, afraid of actually sparking a fire—after all, Jiang Ke was still right outside.
A familiar cold fragrance filled her nose.
It had been so long since she smelled this scent on Shen Ruoshuang.
In her daze, she almost couldn’t tell who the true owner of that cold fragrance was anymore.
A simple bump had been enough to leave a red mark on her delicate skin. Against her pale, never-before-exposed back, it was a vivid, striking sight.
Her gaze drifted further down, lingering once more on those taut, overlapping corset ties—a sight that undoubtedly pushed her sensory limits.
Shen Yi had a penchant for seeing her companions in dresses, yet she was notoriously fastidious and cold. Every lover she’d ever had would scramble to find the most exquisite gowns just to catch her eye for a fleeting moment.
Never before had anyone been so innocently unaware, yet so thoroughly enchanting, her every move a needle-fine thread pulling at Shen Yi’s heartstrings.
However, now was clearly not the time to give in to such predatory instincts.
Her calloused fingertips lightly kneaded the bruised skin over the “butterfly bones” of Yinian’s shoulder blades. The touch was devoid of any overt eroticism; it was a simple, soothing gesture. There was no excessive caution, only a perfect understanding of exactly how much pressure and care the girl needed.
She was a mature, high-ranking superior. This was a form of pampering born from a vast gap in age and status—a meticulous, all-encompassing kind of spoiling.
Shen Yi moved with a familiarity as if she had done this a thousand times.
In reality, she had only ever coaxed this one girl.
The slight calluses and her naturally cool body temperature were somewhat firm, creating a strange, almost jarring contrast with the gentle rhythm of the massage. It didn’t hurt; in fact, it provided immense relief.
Yet, Xu Yinian couldn’t help but let out subconscious whimpers and soft hums. Like a fragile, pampered brat, her softness was almost too much to bear.
Is she really that afraid of pain? Just how delicate is she?
Shen Yi reined in the darkening desire swirling in her eyes, her voice turning a fraction huskier. “Acting spoiled won’t work.”
A-Acting spoiled?!
Xu Yinian’s face flushed a delicate red. This was pure slander. She wasn’t acting spoiled; it was simply that the touch of the woman’s fingers felt so… intense.
Finally, Shen Yi’s gaze swept over those shoulder blades again. Now that the pain had subsided, they looked even more radiant, though they now bore the subtle marks of her ministrations. She knew exactly what Xu Yinian was most worried about.
“I didn’t cause these red marks. You’ll have to explain them yourself later.”
“They’re… they’re red?”
Xu Yinian felt a wave of regret. What had happened with Jiang Ke was still fresh in her mind; the moment she stepped out, she would undoubtedly be subjected to suspicious questioning. Her traitorous body—not only was it prone to leaving marks so easily, but it also…
“Come here.”
Shen Yi walked toward the table in the inner room.
Xu Yinian lacked Jiang Ke’s sharp powers of observation. She followed along like a lost lamb, watched the woman sit in the only chair, and then stood there blankly, waiting for her sentence.
“You’ve been wearing those shoes for so long. Aren’t your feet tired?”
To match the evening gown, she was supposed to wear stilettos, but Xu Yinian had no idea how to walk in those. Instead, they had settled on a pair of pearlescent Mary Janes with ribbon ties. They accentuated the slenderness of her ankles and the snowy-white curve of her arches.
While they were much more stable than thin heels, it was still her first time wearing heels of such height. It was exhausting.
Shen Yi had noticed the moment Xu Yinian stood up with the Qin family earlier. She had intended to find her a seat then, but Lu Yuan had interrupted.
Thinking of Lu Yuan’s provocation, a flash of cold violence crossed Shen Yi’s eyes. After standing for so long, the girl must be exhausted.
“I-I’m fine…” Xu Yinian stammered, though she knew Shen Yi wanted her to sit.
Seeing no other chairs, she glanced toward the sofa on the other side of the room, preparing to head over.
“How many times do I have to teach you before you learn?” Shen Yi’s eyes were dark and deep. She let the words spill from her red lips with slow, deliberate precision.
Hearing that familiar phrase, Xu Yinian’s breath hitched, and she froze.
…It was what she had said back in the Lounge of the chemistry building at school, when she had demanded Yinian “get up here” herself.
Shen Yi wanted her to… sit on her lap?!
Helping her massage a bruise was one thing—it was justifiable. But with her daughter Shen Ruoshuang and Ji Yan waiting just outside, sitting in her lap felt… scandalous.
Besides, Shen Ruoshuang had just—
She remembered the figure who had stepped forward without hesitation, making her heart skip a beat. Even the cold indifference that followed couldn’t stop her heart from thawing for her.
“Who are you worried about?”
Shen Yi’s voice suddenly turned dangerous, revealing the predatory intent she had harbored from the start.
She really is my daughter. What a clever tactic.
Ruoshuang had easily left such a deep impression that Yinian was now hesitating and shrinking away even from this level of intimacy. How much effort—soft or hard—would it take to erase that mark?
“Xu Yinian.”
Shen Yi called her name again. Every syllable was savored, chewed over with a refined, scholarly sort of malice.
Xu Yinian could never handle it when Shen Yi called her by her full name; her heart rate instantly spiraled out of control. If “Niannian” was a display of dominant, mature affection, then this plain name—one used by countless others—sounded like an erotic prelude to an execution when it came from her lips.
“We haven’t settled our accounts yet,” Shen Yi said calmly. “You came to this banquet as someone else’s companion. You’ve hidden quite a few things your admirers have done to you. Shall we count them? Or would you rather discuss Shen Ruoshuang?”
The mention of Shen Ruoshuang was a rhythmic warning, a hammer striking against Yinian’s heart. The sheer force of Shen Yi’s presence loomed over her.
However, Shen Yi clearly had no intention of actually starting a fight. As Xu Yinian became more willing to be close to her, Shen Yi had found herself becoming increasingly indulgent. Moreover, the girl had just been terrified by Lu Yuan’s forced games. To have Shen Ruoshuang be the one to rush in and seize her entire attention…
Shen Yi needed to comfort her, not push her away.
The other admirers who had failed to protect her had no right to offer comfort. And Shen Ruoshuang was currently under her thumb.
