Seducing Him - Chapter 19

Ci Yiyang’s routine was extremely regular. By now, it was very late, and she had long fallen asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow, so she didn’t hear the sound of the door opening.

The side of the bed sank slightly, and a damp, warm sensation—like exhaled mucus—coiled around her lips and neck, slowly, little by little, greedily consuming her from the inside out.

In her dream, abnormal pale fingers, like white bones exposed from decayed flesh, slid down her neck to her collarbone, then finally into her chest and lower abdomen…

Each shiver and sigh was as if a long-suppressed desire had finally found some relief, a fulfillment that was only skin-deep.

Ci Yiyang subconsciously lifted the sleep mask covering her eyes and abruptly sat up, gasping, blinking in confusion as she looked around.

A sliver of light shone through the curtains, signaling that it was already morning outside.

The sticky sensation had been nothing but a dream.

Ci Yiyang took her phone from under the pillow and checked the time—it was already seven o’clock, just the usual time she woke up.

She actually didn’t have class until the afternoon, so she could have slept a bit longer. But her biological alarm was unusually precise: no matter how late she slept or how tired she was, she always woke up on time.

Putting down her phone, Ci Yiyang pressed the button to automatically open the curtains.

Gradually, a view of a spired villa appeared. The tips of the towers were bathed in the bl00d-red glow of the rising sun, as beautiful and serene as a medieval oil painting.

The darkness in the room was dispelled by the light. Ci Yiyang sat up, touched her still-warm face, and recalled the dream from the night before, a shiver running over her body.

Last night, she had dreamed of being licked by something; the sticky sensation alone still made her scalp tingle.

Thankfully, it had only been a dream.

After calming her unnatural palpitations, she got out of bed to wash up. But as soon as her legs hung down over the edge, her movement froze.

With a puzzled look, she reached to touch her chest, suddenly remembering that she usually slept without a bra—but now, not only was her upper body bare, her lower area felt empty too.

Had she slept without underwear last night?

Ci Yiyang thought carefully. She remembered wearing some in Lu Jin’s bathroom, but now under the nightdress, the obvious emptiness made her doubt herself.

Only Lu Jin was around; he shouldn’t have taken her underwear while she slept, right?

“What am I thinking?” she muttered to herself, rubbing her head hard to push the strange thoughts out, then got off the bed.

She slipped on her slippers and went to the bathroom, picked out a new set of clothes from the cabinet, and began washing up.

Lu Jin hadn’t come downstairs yet.

After eating the breakfast Auntie had prepared, she remembered the hot water had been stopped last night and told Auntie about it.

“Oh!” Auntie seemed to remember something and smacked her forehead. “I forgot to tell you, Miss Ci—the rhinos in the garden fought and accidentally burst the water pipe. It won’t be fixed until this afternoon, so only the kitchen and the young master’s room have hot water for now.”

“Did Miss Ci not use hot water last night?” Auntie asked apologetically.

Ci Yiyang smiled and shook her head. “It’s fine. I just asked because I thought the bathroom was broken last night.”

Auntie explained, “It’s not broken. Since Miss Ci usually doesn’t come back, I forgot to tell you.”

Ci Yiyang’s doubts were dispelled. She glanced at the time—it was almost nine o’clock.

“Auntie, I’m going back to school now. If you see Lu Jin, please tell him for me.” She stood, pulled out her chair, and spoke kindly.

“All right.” Auntie saw her out.

Although her class was in the afternoon, Ci Yiyang left relatively early.

By the time she arrived at school, it was only half past ten, and Ming Ying, who had drunk last night, was still asleep.

Chen Yao’an had returned and was sitting on the balcony swing with headphones on, practicing French.

Hearing Ci Yiyang return, Chen Yao’an opened the balcony door. “Yiyang, come over here.”

Ci Yiyang hung up her bag and walked over. “What’s up?”

“Sit here,” Chen Yao’an patted the space next to her.

The swing couldn’t hold two adult women, so Ci Yiyang sat in a chair beside her.

Chen Yao’an asked, “Yiyang, how did your exam go? Was the topic difficult?”

“DALF?” Ci Yiyang asked.

She had been taking French as an elective and always approached things seriously. Last semester, she had registered for DALF.

Chen Yao’an nodded. “My father plans to send me to Spain after I graduate, so I’m cramming now.”

Ci Yiyang thought for a moment. “Wait, I think I haven’t deleted some of the materials I studied before.”

During the holidays, her mind had been entirely on Lu Jin, so she hadn’t deleted her study files.

Chen Yao’an gratefully pressed her hands together. “Great! Luckily, our dorm has a disciplined scholar. I finally felt the joy of being highlighted in class.”

Ci Yiyang smiled and organized the materials she had, sending them to her.

To get into Peking University, one either had money and connections or was an outstanding student. Chen Yao’an had both, while Ming Ying was admitted as an exceptional student.

After sending the files, Ci Yiyang said, “The additional documents are large; I emailed them to you.”

“Thanks, Yiyang.” Chen Yao’an hugged her excitedly.

As she rubbed against her, Chen Yao’an suddenly noticed a red mark behind her ear.

Thinking it was just lighting, she adjusted Ci Yiyang’s hair and looked again in the sunlight.

A hickey?

The pale skin bore a red mark, not large but subtle—only made after long sucking, hidden behind her hair even when tied up.

“What’s wrong?” Ci Yiyang turned, puzzled.

Chen Yao’an held her neck, examining it closely. “Yiyang, where were you last night? I remember you went to pick up Ming Ying, but you’re only back now. Where have you been?”

Ci Yiyang, anticipating the question, explained simply: “I had something to do, got back late.”

She didn’t say exactly where, but everyone in the dorm knew she had gone home.

Chen Yao’an asked uncertainly, “You really aren’t dating anyone?”

Ci Yiyang smiled helplessly. “No.”

Chen Yao’an wasn’t much for gossip and, seeing her protest, thought she had overreacted, so she didn’t pursue it.

In the afternoon, Ci Yiyang had a class. Before leaving, she glanced at Ming Ying’s course schedule on her bed and called her to wake up.

Ming Ying, seeing the time, jumped out of bed, muttering “It’s over, it’s over.”

“Isn’t there still an hour?” Ci Yiyang asked.

“No. I checked Lian Rong’s schedule yesterday, planning to sneak into his class to learn, but now I’ve already missed it.”

Chen Yao’an smirked from the side.

Ci Yiyang put her textbooks in her bag and headed to class.

Her afternoon class lasted about two hours. By the time it ended, it was already evening.

Her phone had been on silent during class, so she hadn’t noticed the calls from the journalism department senior.

When she returned the call, the senior’s tone was serious: “Ci Yiyang, come to the Journalism Lab. The head of the Love Heart Club just told us a group of kittens was found under the bridge again.”

“I’ll be there right away,” Ci Yiyang said.

After hanging up, she rushed to the lab.

Previously rescued kittens had been posted online by some students, causing quite a stir.

Since the Love Heart Club recruited many volunteers, no one had been throwing kittens under the bridge, and the school wanted them to shoot an interview.

The news hadn’t been sent out yet, but the incident had happened again. Most infuriatingly, the abuser had acted in defiance of the wind.

Due to the seriousness, those responsible gathered in the lab after class.

When Ci Yiyang arrived, the senior, Xiaoxiao, and a few others were discussing the incident. Professor Wang from the journalism department was also there.

Seeing her, Professor Wang said, “Ci, just in time. Don’t release the previous news article yet. Cover other things for now to suppress discussion. Once this case is clarified, then publish.”

“Got it,” Ci Yiyang nodded.

Professor Wang let everyone find a seat and continued explaining what to do next. About an hour later, it ended.

Professor Wang let everyone go home. Xiaoxiao and Ci Yiyang didn’t live in the same building, and Xiaoxiao had plans, so Ci Yiyang returned alone.

It was already late, and being called to the lab had taken an hour, so night had fully fallen.

The path back to the dorm was quiet, the streetlights bright. Ci Yiyang sensed someone behind her. Turning, she saw a familiar-looking boy with bandages on his head.

It was the boy from the bar.

Seeing that she noticed him, his eyes lit up, and he ran toward her.

Although Ci Yiyang didn’t know him, at this hour with no one around, his sudden, fanatical approach frightened her. She instinctively quickened her pace.

The boy reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Yiyang, it’s me, Wan Wei, your boyfriend…”

“Let go! I don’t even know you!” Ci Yiyang shrank back, startled.

The boy held her wrist tightly. Ci Yiyang used her bag to hit his head.

His wound, already injured, split open again; he gasped and held his head.

Ci Yiyang took the opportunity to pull free and ran.

The boy followed but stopped when reaching populated areas, eventually sitting unhappily on a nearby flowerbed.

Back in the dorm, Ci Yiyang looked pale.

She had been followed many times before and was always frightened in such situations.

Ming Ying and Chen Yao’an noticed and asked what happened.

Ci Yiyang briefly explained.

Ming Ying, outraged, said: “It’s those delusional people again. Don’t worry, this is school; nothing will happen. If he follows you again, tell the school. Don’t go alone for the next few days. Call me or Yao’an if you’re alone after class; we’ll come. It’s scary.”

Chen Yao’an comforted her as well.

Feeling slightly better, Ci Yiyang nodded. “It scared me because no one was around earlier, but now it’s fine. You two go on with your things.”

They returned to their beds.

Ci Yiyang finished washing up and sat on her bed. Suddenly, she remembered something, took her phone, sent a message to Lu Jin, and then lay down to wait.

The manor was quiet under the night, the climbing roses gleaming faintly in moonlight. In the studio on the third floor, lights were bright, and butterflies were pinned to thorned branches in glass cabinets.

A young man lay on the roses. With slightly hurried breaths, petals were crushed into juice on his cold, pale arms.

His phone vibrated lightly. He lifted his flushed face, eyelashes wet with faint tears, eyes landing on the already-ruined lace he held.

No need to look—he knew it was a message from his sister.

She had rarely messaged him recently, sometimes not all day. This was the first message since yesterday.

He stared at the phone for a long time. When no second message came, he blinked away his daze, stood, and walked toward the washroom next to the studio.

He hung the fabric on a rack, hand-washed it, and casually held the hook while checking the message, walking downstairs at a calm pace.

Ci Yiyang had sent the message five minutes ago.

[.：Lu Jin, I’m a little scared. Can you chat with me for a while?]

Reading his sister’s message, his long lashes drooped over the flushed lower eyelids. His hand sent a reply.

[lu：What happened, sister?]

[.：Nothing, I just encountered someone following me on the road today. I’m scared now.]

Ci Yiyang sent it, not waiting for him to reply, and followed up with a voice message.

When Lu Jin opened the voice message, his hand paused on the doorframe, light filtering through his black hair and casting shadows as he lowered his head. His expression became unfathomable.

“Lu Jin, can I call you? Stay with me while I sleep.”

Her voice under the covers was light, as if afraid of being overheard, especially the word sleep, carrying a subtle, teasing intimacy.

Stay with her while she slept.

From that single word, he understood much.

He sent a voice message back: Okay. Pushing open the unlocked door, he moved silently in the dark.

He sat on the pink-and-white bed, gently touching every item she had used.

While waiting for her reply, he leaned over, burying his face in the soft pillow, breathing in the faint fragrance lingering from her. The ear visible through his hair glowed faintly red in the slanting moonlight.

In the dorm, Ci Yiyang listened to his voice message, slightly startled.

She found it strange, very brief, just two words, impossible to discern the tone.

It was almost ten o’clock. She thought Lu Jin had already gone to sleep and was perhaps woken by her message, so she didn’t think much of it.

Suppressing the odd feeling in her chest, she called him with a voice message.

Ming Ying was still planning her outfit for tomorrow, Chen Yao’an listening to French, and no one noticed she was on a call.

The call connected quickly, but there was no sound on the other end—only the rustle of bedding and breathing.

“Lu Jin?” she asked softly.

“Hmm…”

She couldn’t tell if he had just woken, only hearing a faint, hoarse, sleepy hmm that made her chest tingle.