Substitute Girlfriend Contract (GL) - Chapter 11

It wouldn’t be fair to say Lu Mengxiao was completely useless just because she was full of flaws. At the very least, “acting on impulse” and “keeping her word” were two of her rare, pitifully few virtues.

So when Lu Mengxiao told Tian Qiurou to bring out her beloved “steed” for a walk, Tao Anyu knew she meant her car. But the moment she saw it, Tao Anyu thought “steed” was actually the more accurate term—because Lu Mengxiao was one of those pain-job fanatics who plastered their cars with art. She’d managed to turn a perfectly good sports car into… a horse.

“Look, my darling,” Lu Mengxiao said excitedly. “Behold—my prized steed, Raphael!”

“Raphael? Isn’t that a painter?” Tao Anyu blinked.

“Exactly. That makes mine a painter horse!”

Tao Anyu was speechless.

With a grand flourish, Lu Mengxiao declared, “Mount up, my consort!”

…

Off to the side, Tian Qiurou gave an embarrassed smile and said to Tao Anyu, “Miss Tao, please don’t mind her. President Lu’s always like this…”

But Lu Mengxiao cut in, “Xiao Rou, call her Consort Tao.” Then she turned to Tao Anyu, who was settling into the passenger seat. “Once you serve me well enough, I’ll promote you!”

Tian Qiurou chuckled and asked from the driver’s seat, “Where to, President Lu?”

“Azure Polar Ocean Park,” Lu Mengxiao replied.

Tian Qiurou nodded and started the car.

“So if I serve you well, I’ll become the Empress?” Tao Anyu asked.

“Nope. Imperial Noble Consort Tao,” Lu Mengxiao corrected, wagging a finger.

“And after that? Empress?”

“Nope. Imperial Noble Empress Tao.”

Excuse me, wasn’t “Imperial Noble Consort” a title from the Qing Dynasty? Was this woman bingeing too many palace dramas?

“And then Empress?” Tao Anyu tried again.

Lu Mengxiao actually wagged her finger a third time.

Oh, that’s it—time to deck her.

Tao Anyu grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Then what does it take for me to be Empress, huh? Look at me. Look at this face. Don’t you love this face? You tracked me down from miles away just to make me your stand-in girlfriend. If you love it so much, why on earth am I not an Empress?!”

Lu Mengxiao cupped her cheek, fingers gently tracing her skin.

Tao Anyu quieted, gazing at her. She gazed right back.

“Well? Say something,” Tao Anyu pouted.

Lu Mengxiao only smiled faintly, her pale gold eyes reflecting Tao Anyu’s face, as if she were the only person in her world.

“Why aren’t you talking…” Tao Anyu blinked nervously. She was used to Lu Mengxiao bouncing off the walls—seeing her suddenly so still and so intense was throwing her off.

Without a word, Lu Mengxiao pulled her in and kissed her. Tao Anyu froze for only a second before her mind caught up. This kiss… felt different from her usual ambushes. And for some reason, Tao Anyu suddenly wanted to know what it would be like to really kiss this insufferable sugar mommy.

With that thought, she closed her eyes, looped her arms around Lu Mengxiao’s waist, and kissed her back—parting her lips, letting her tongue find its way in, slowly answering her.

The kiss was like a lit fuse—once sparked, impossible to stop.

Lu Mengxiao’s brows knit, her breathing quickening. She tilted Tao Anyu’s chin up—

—just as Tian Qiurou slammed the brakes.

“Raphael” jerked forward, and Lu Mengxiao was unceremoniously tossed under the seat.

Tao Anyu blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing. “Hahahaha!”

Lu Mengxiao spat out a curse. “Water-barrel demon, you’re begging for it!”

Tao Anyu nodded through her laughter, then suddenly flipped over and pinned her down, grabbing her chin and kissing her hard. When she pulled back, she grinned at Lu Mengxiao’s startled expression. “Will Your Majesty promote your humble concubine now?”

Lu Mengxiao just stared.

Tao Anyu chuckled, winking playfully. “Come on, just one promotion.”

Lu Mengxiao slammed her fist into the car floor. How about you give me a baby first?!

“Consort Tao, help me up!” she barked.

“Ah! Promotion!” Tao Anyu cheered, pumping her fist before scrambling up to pull her to her feet. “Your Majesty, please rise.”

The moment Lu Mengxiao stood, she rounded on Tian Qiurou. “You don’t want your salary anymore, do you?!”

Tian Qiurou hunched over, covering her head. “President Lu, I didn’t mean to! We just arrived at the park, so I stopped. It’s you who—” She glanced at the two of them, biting back the obvious: it’s you who can’t keep it in, not me. Honestly, she was innocent here…

“Forget it! I’m not talking to you,” Lu Mengxiao snapped, yanking Tao Anyu out of the car. She leaned into the driver’s window. “Wait here. I’ll call you when we’re done.”

Call me? Oh great, not that stupid pager again. Can’t she just use a phone? Tian Qiurou was still grumbling inwardly when Lu Mengxiao added, “I’ll use the pager.”

Tian Qiurou almost coughed up bl00d but managed a smile. “Yes, Master.”

“Good girl.” Lu Mengxiao patted her head before walking off, arm slung around Tao Anyu’s shoulders. Then she glanced at her and asked, half-surprised, “You’re not jealous when I touch other women?”

Tao Anyu wanted to smack her. Just how narcissistic could one person be? Shouldn’t she see a psychiatrist for this?

“Then what if I touch other women? Will Your Majesty be jealous?” Tao Anyu shot back.

“I’ll cut your hand off,” Lu Mengxiao said without missing a beat.

Tao Anyu burst out laughing and flipped her the middle finger. “Not scared of you.”

Lu Mengxiao just snorted. I’m not lowering myself to your level. She swept a hand toward the entrance. “Buy tickets. Scan the QR code.”