Originally, Yao Chen planned to tell Han Yanyan about everything during dinner. She was a girl who appeared strong on the outside but had a soft heart within. Otherwise, she wouldn’t let her parents walk all over her like this. After being treated as a mere commodity sold by her own parents, it was certain that she would feel sadness and sorrow, not to mention the deep despair.
He thought he would comfort her at the table and on the way, allowing her to gradually ease her emotions. Then he would take her to his place, and things could progress from there. This plan was good, but it was all thrown into chaos by Han Yanyan.
After she glanced over the signed contracts, loans, and guarantees, she had become eerily silent, not uttering a single word since. Her silence was unsettling.
The comforting words Yao Chen had prepared beforehand became useless. In the car, she sat across from him, staring blankly out the window at the nighttime scenery. Yao Chen felt a flicker of concern for her. If such strong emotions were bottled up inside, it might just suffocate someone.
Unable to hold back, he spoke up, "You know, once you really sever those blood ties, you'll realize it's not as painful as you might think..."
Han Yanyan turned her head, her dark eyes like two deep wells in the dimly lit car.
Before Yao Chen could react, she suddenly stood up, crossed over, and sat on his lap, directly sealing his lips with hers.
Caught off guard, Yao Chen froze for a moment. By the time he realized what was happening and finally wrapped his arms around her waist, she had already released him.
"Can you shut up now?" she asked.
She appeared utterly cool, but Yao Chen could feel the heat rushing through him.
"Sure," he replied with a smile.
He pressed down softly on the back of her head and captured her lips again.
The car came to a stop at a traffic light, and both the driver and the younger guy in the passenger seat felt the swaying of the vehicle. The spacious backseat of the luxury car was fully enclosed with an isolation partition, meaning they couldn't see or hear what was going on inside.
But the movement was obvious. The two of them exchanged a glance.
"Damn!" the younger guy exclaimed, "Are they at it?"
The driver chuckled softly.
As the light turned green, the driver released the brake and pressed on the gas. The younger guy said, "Slow down, take it easy."
So the car cruised leisurely along the slow lane. Fortunately, there were few cars on the road at night, so it didn't disturb anyone.
Inside the backseat, the air was humid and dim, with mist accumulating on the windows from the warmth generated by their bodies.
Han Yanyan had many memories in this car. Ding Yao liked to use physical intimacy as a way to ease the aftermath of the adrenaline that surged through their bodies.
Finding a suitable camping spot wasn't always easy. Often, the convoy would have to stop in the wild, and everyone would sleep in their cars.
In the cramped space, surrounded by moisture, the bumps and jolts of the vehicle would sometimes attract a few stray zombies pressing against the windows. Han Yanyan had often felt shattered, voicing to Ding Yao to strike down the encroaching undead. Ding Yao just chuckled, unfazed by it all.
It was a twisted amusement.
At that time, life was so dull. No television, no radio, no phones or computers to distract them. The little fun they found was fleeting, and every moment lived could mean a final curtain.
Han Yanyan had often thought about how she had come to love Ding Yao. Just look at Yao Chen; the tricks he used would easily win over an ordinary woman, making her fall deeply in love. But she felt no stirrings for Yao Chen at all.
She thought, it must be the surrounding circumstances.
The post-apocalyptic environment was far too unique. The pressure of death hovered above them daily, causing adrenaline to explode more frequently than hormones. Yet the absence of a future made one’s heart numb and hollow. A little warmth, a sense of reliance would become amplified infinitely.
In truth, she didn’t love Ding Yao as much as she thought. What troubled her most was that lingering feeling of breathlessness, an unresolved dissatisfaction.
As for Yao Chen, was he like Ding Yao? Was he?
Yao Chen always believed the term "fierce" was reserved for him in matters of love. He never expected that Han Yanyan would one day redefine that understanding.
Peeling away the facade of a fairy, she indeed revealed herself as a beastly enchantress, fierce and relentless, as if eager to drain every drop of his essence to elevate herself.
In that moment, she did reach a high. Just as she released her grip on his hair, she fiercely pressed down on his shoulder. The other hand, which had been holding tight around his neck, was desperately searching for a stable support, finally resting on the car ceiling.
Yao Chen glanced up at her, taking in the graceful curve of her neck stretched upwards. She moaned, an ambiguous sound that blurred the line between pleasure and pain. Yao Chen's breath grew ragged as he reached a synchronization with Han Yanyan for the first time.
Undoubtedly a match made in heaven.
But just at that peak moment of joy, Han Yanyan suddenly went limp, resting her weight against his shoulder. In the eerie stillness of the enclosed space, Yao Chen distinctly heard a name whispered softly.
She murmured in his ear, "Ding Yao."
...
Yao Chen: "..."
Damn!!!
That’s a man’s name, it’s definitely a man’s name!
As a man used to indulgence, Yao Chen didn’t care about sincerity or chastity. But this time, he absolutely could not tolerate it! In that instant, he felt like throttling Han Yanyan!
Yet... he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
The anger and jealousy coursing through Yao Chen burned hotter than his desire! Sitting in the car, he held the soft woman who had melted against him, panting for a while to regain composure. Once the moment had passed, he pushed himself up and pressed Han Yanyan onto the opposite seat.
The two bodies remained intertwined, and their movements flowed together seamlessly.
Yao Chen, filled with rage, couldn't bear to strike or scold this enchanting being; he could only channel that anger into desire, ready to consume her!
The car, which had been calm, shook violently again as they entered Yao Chen's villa district.
The driver expressed a piqued frustration.
The younger guy, ever zen, gestured to the driver, "Take a lap, just take a lap..."
The car meandered slowly through the villa area. The driver yawned, and the younger guy was starting to feel drowsy too. Just as the car rocked sharply one final time, it finally quieted down!
Thank heavens!
The driver parked at Yao Chen's gate, unsure of the situation inside, and didn't dare to open the door for Yao Chen as he usually would. After a while, the door finally swung open.
Yao Chen and Han Yanyan looked somewhat disheveled but had managed to put themselves back together. Yao Chen told the driver and the younger guy, "No need to come too early tomorrow, wait for my call." With that, he wrapped an arm around Han Yanyan—or rather, he ushered her toward the entrance.
In the courtyard lit by garden lights, both the driver and the younger guy could clearly see Han Yanyan's trembling legs.
Once those two had gone inside, they chuckled and drove away.
Han Yanyan felt damp and sticky under her clothes, her legs weak from exhaustion. She felt miserable. This body was far less capable than the ones she had in her previous worlds. She would need to work hard to train it up.
"Where's the bedroom? I need a shower." Upon entering, she said tiredly.
Yao Chen grunted, slammed the door, and pulled her against it.
"Ding Yao was your ex-boyfriend?" he asked, pressing against the door frame.
In the past, when mentioning Han Yanyan’s boyfriend, he would smile and refer to him as her "boyfriend." This time, however, he used "ex-boyfriend" with a deliberate emphasis on the word "ex."
Han Yanyan cast him a lingering glance. Yao Chen showed no reaction to the name "Ding Yao," even if he did share a past with that name; he bore no memories of Ding Yao from that previous life.
She coldly shot back, "I don't know what you're talking about. I need a shower." With that, she tried to push past him to head upstairs.
This woman really didn’t acknowledge anything! Yao Chen couldn’t help but feel amused at his own frustration.
He pushed her back against the door, spanning his arms to trap her in the confined space, staring at her for a moment before saying, "I'll let this slide for now, but if I hear that name again, I'll make him disappear from this world. Just so you know, in Qingshui Bay, the water ghosts looking to seek vengeance would have to queue up to find me."
His eyes glinted dangerously. He meant it. To him, a life didn't weigh much. His anger was immense, but he didn't want to lash out at Han Yanyan; he could only imagine making that man disappear.
Qingshui Bay...
Han Yanyan made a note of that. She cast her eyes down, softly saying, "Why bother caring so much about someone you'll never see again? Did it bother you when you took Emily and the others out?"
Indeed, it didn’t.
Yao Chen enjoyed teasing her with Ying Ying and the others, but even when Han Yanyan saw them leave with him for the night, she would merely offer a fleeting glance. Yao Chen used to find it amusing how she seemed so aloof, but now, remembering her nonchalant glances, he realized there hadn’t been a lot of emotion behind them.
He suddenly felt a twinge of discomfort.
Not even Emily, Ah May, and Ying Ying had argued about who got to go out with him more than once.
Han Yanyan relaxed her body against the door, her tone softer as she said, "Stop getting so flustered. My legs are shaking, let’s hurry up and clean up and get some sleep. Are you even human? You almost wore me out."
Though her seemingly complaining tone hid praise that would indeed flatter any man, Yao Chen found it pleasing to hear. Seeing her exhausted state melted his heart. He snorted lightly and bent down to scoop her up like a child.
Han Yanyan exclaimed in surprise, then chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Men who rise from humble beginnings often value material pleasures more than those born with golden spoons. Yao Chen's bathroom had a bathtub that was simply a testament to luxury.
Han Yanyan soaked until her limbs felt soft and boneless.
Yet Yao Chen wasn’t done with her. He liked the fierce and demanding side she showed while squeezing him, but letting others take advantage of her wasn't in his nature. When it came to women, he preferred complete conquest.
Han Yanyan felt like she was floating on clouds, every cell tingling as if electrified, every pore breathing in the air. Her body seemed to evaporate and solidify before finally crashing down through layers of mist and landing heavily on the soft bed.
Her toes curled and trembled, her mind drifting into oblivion. Instinctively, she clung to the man pressing down on her, feeling his sweat beneath her palm. The warmth of their bodies intertwined, making everything feel a bit too steamy—the shower had been pointless.
Yao Chen flipped her over, now cradling her against his chest. Her unfocused gaze made him feel satisfied.
As his hand found its way to the bedside table, he lit a cigarette, savoring it for a moment before gently stroking her back, asking, "Feeling a bit better?"
There wasn’t any grievance that couldn’t be soothed by a grand session, and if one wasn’t enough, there could always be another.
Han Yanyan gave a slight "hmm."
After quite some time, as Yao Chen finished his post-encounter smoke, Han Yanyan suddenly whispered, “Feels like I was dreaming…”
Yao Chen replied, “Hmm?”
“I just feel like my past life was someone else’s… like the whole world seems off, like it’s fake.” Han Yanyan spoke softly.
“Yao Chen…” She lifted her head to look at him, softly asking, “Have you ever felt trapped by this world?”
With her gaze fixed on him, she blinked away, afraid to miss even the slightest change in his expression.