Whoever Is Tempted First Is A Dog - Chapter 2
Chapter 2
“A Taoist… also plays sugar mommy?”
Shen Mengke’s knowledge about Chen Yanxing becoming a nun was purely accidental.
Chen Yanxing had a twin sister, Chen Xingxing, who was a singer in the entertainment industry. Shen Mengke happened to meet Chen Xingxing backstage at an event and heard someone call her ‘Third Miss.’
She had met Chen’s eldest daughter, Chen Yanxing, who was elegant and graceful, completely different from Chen Xingxing’s flamboyant personality. But she had no impression of the Chen family’s second daughter. Out of curiosity, Shen Mengke looked up the Chen family but found no information about the second Miss Chen in any records.
She only learned from her agent, Fan Shi, that the second Miss Chen had become a nun in her childhood and rarely returned to Jiangcheng.
Rumor had it that the Chen family had extremely strict family rules, valuing reputation above all else, and would absolutely not allow any Chen family member to mess around outside…
But looking at the person in front of her, Shen Mengke was truly astonished, her voice rising considerably. She looked at Chen Yanxing’s simple and elegant attire and the string of beads on her hand…
“Then… does this count as breaking a vow? Will I be in trouble?”
Chen Yanxing: “…”
“Not broken…” she said, then paused and added, “I didn’t become a nun; I just stayed at a Taoist temple for two years. You… might be in trouble.”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t what you just showed me count as trouble?”
Shen Mengke froze, then suddenly burst out laughing. She was worried the Chen family might cause her trouble. As for those Weibo posts…
“Little Taoist, let me tell you, those are daily occurrences for me. I’m on trending topics every other day; I’m used to it.”
Chen Yanxing looked at Shen Mengke, hummed in acknowledgment, her face devoid of any expression, seemingly just as unsurprised.
Shen Mengke had already gained no sense of accomplishment from her. She gave up on teasing this indifferent Taoist, sat on the bed, sending messages while saying, “Generally speaking, there must be paparazzi waiting outside the hotel to snap photos of me. If you go out now, you’ll also be photographed. I know your Chen family values reputation, so in a bit, I’ll go out first to draw the paparazzi away. When you leave, wear a mask and a hat, just in case any slip through.”
“I’ll have people handle it, and your photos won’t appear online. They’re mainly photographing me. I won’t disclose your identity, you can rest assured.”
As Shen Mengke spoke, she had already sent the current situation to her agent, Sister Fan, asking her to come pick her up. After arranging everything, she looked at the silent Chen Yanxing again, “Do you… have anything else you want to say?”
Chen Yanxing stared into her eyes for a while before speaking, “You know a lot.”
Although she was a member of the Chen family, her identity in their circle was discreet enough that many people didn’t even know the second Miss Chen was named Chen Yanxing, let alone her “becoming a nun.” And Shen Mengke, just by hearing her name, could instantly figure out her identity…
Shen Mengke was not simple.
Shen Mengke just chuckled, saying with a hint of pride, “Are you kidding? Sister’s been crawling and rolling in this entertainment industry for so many years; my information is definitely well-connected. Otherwise, how would I survive?”
“Speaking of which, second Miss Chen, if anything happens in the future, could you look out for me a bit? My relationship with your sister Chen Xingxing is very good!”
Chen Yanxing remained silent, but her eyes suddenly turned cold, “Chen Xingxing?”
“Yeah,” Shen Mengke said, looking up at Chen Yanxing, then added, “Aren’t you two twins? You don’t look very alike, do you?”
Chen Yanxing didn’t answer, only silently watched Shen Mengke.
With the keen intuition developed from years in the entertainment industry, Shen Mengke immediately sensed something was off.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Mengke asked. “I was just joking; you’re not angry, are you?”
“Joking?”
“Chen Xingxing is a big star, right? I’m just a nobody; how would I know her? I was just… thinking of getting closer to you.”
Chen Yanxing didn’t follow her words. After watching her for a moment, she said, “I think you’re good.”
Shen Mengke paused, then nodded, “I think so too.”
“Be with me; I can give you resources.”
At this, it was Shen Mengke’s turn to be silent. She scrutinized Chen Yanxing from head to toe, then suddenly chuckled, “A Taoist… also plays sugar mommy?”
“I’m not a Taoist,” Chen Yanxing paused, correcting her, “It’s a collaboration.”
Shen Mengke looked her over, then suddenly knelt up on the bed. She was completely naked, moving closer to Chen Yanxing. Chen Yanxing didn’t know where to look for a moment, so she fixed her gaze on Shen Mengke’s eyes.
Shen Mengke lifted her chin with one hand and said, “Although I have many rumors, I really don’t need a sugar daddy/mommy.”
“When I sleep with people, it’s about mutual consent and no responsibility. So you don’t need to do anything. When we walk out of this hotel today, we’ll pretend we don’t know each other.”
Shen Mengke said this so matter-of-factly that even Chen Yanxing was stunned for a moment before asking, “You’ve slept with many people?”
Shen Mengke: “…”
Was that the point?
“Depends on your definition of ‘many’,” Shen Mengke said. “It’s not important. What’s important is that once we leave this hotel, we’ll be strangers.”
Chen Yanxing kept staring at Shen Mengke. She spoke so earnestly, as if she were genuinely discussing a simple transaction of goods for money.
“I look good and have good skills?” Chen Yanxing suddenly asked.
Shen Mengke paused, then nodded.
Chen Yanxing finally smiled. Although the curve of that smile was very slight, given their close proximity, Shen Mengke could see it clearly.
“I’m quite satisfied with you too,” Chen Yanxing said. “Be my girlfriend.”
Shen Mengke: “???”
This development felt off. Shen Mengke, as if burned, immediately let go and tried to retreat, but Chen Yanxing suddenly wrapped her arm around her waist.
Naked skin met soft fabric. The orchid brooch on Chen Yanxing’s chest seemed to brand her skin, digging in painfully.
“No, wait,” Shen Mengke said, trying to push Chen Yanxing away, but Chen Yanxing’s strength was too great. She could only speak in that position, “You might be mistaken. I, Shen Mengke, only play with people, never get involved in feelings.”
“Second Miss Chen, the title ‘girlfriend’ is too heavy. Please find someone else.”
“No misunderstanding. I want to invite you to be my girlfriend,” Chen Yanxing said very calmly. For some reason, as soon as she spoke, Shen Mengke felt there was no emotion in her words, only rationality—rationality based on weighing pros and cons.
“I can draw up a contract for you, inviting you to be my girlfriend. You can ask for anything you want.”
Shen Mengke understood. This was still a sugar mommy arrangement. Just as she was about to refuse, she heard her say, “I won’t ask much of you, just to fend off any romantic advances towards me whenever I bring you to an event.”
Shen Mengke frowned and immediately looked up, “What do you mean?”
“It’s like employment,” she said. “I’m hiring you to be my girlfriend and maintain my reputation outside.”
“You also know the Chen family values reputation, but situations like last night will likely happen again. You can avoid it once, but not every time. Having a legitimate girlfriend can often serve as a shield.”
Shen Mengke chuckled, “Finding someone from the entertainment industry… and someone like me, who’s flooded with scandals, and that counts as valuing reputation?”
“What does the Chen family’s reputation have to do with me? Don’t you need to clear your name?” Chen Yanxing said indifferently.
Shen Mengke frowned, “First, I don’t need to clear my name. I haven’t done anything wrong at all!”
“Secondly…” Shen Mengke smiled, extending a finger to slide down from Chen Yanxing’s chin, slowly past her neck, and unbuttoned the first button of her shirt, “Employment is fine, but I don’t want money, and I don’t need resources.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
“Okay.”
Good-looking, skilled, and no worries about being threatened or extorted—as a bed partner, Chen Yanxing was undoubtedly qualified. And for Shen Mengke, this was simply a surefire win-win deal!
Chen Yanxing agreed extremely readily. Shen Mengke glanced at her, as if afraid she would change her mind, and immediately wanted to discuss the details of public behavior and such. Chen Yanxing, however, remained silent, took a blanket from the sofa, and draped it over Shen Mengke.
Shen Mengke paused, huddling in the blanket, kneeling on the bed, while contemplating various conditions, she said, “Remember to prepare the contract.”
Chen Yanxing watched her typing on her notes app and softly hummed in acknowledgment.
They quickly reached an agreement, a transaction that didn’t require money.
Shen Mengke’s payment to Chen Yanxing was to fend off all romantic advances for her in any situation, and Chen Yanxing’s payment to Shen Mengke was Chen Yanxing herself.
Just like that, the two quickly exchanged contact information. Shen Mengke looked at the default WeChat profile picture and the simple WeChat name that needed no notes: Chen Yanxing. She couldn’t help but ask, “How many people do you have on WeChat?”
“Just you.”
Shen Mengke, wrapped in the blanket, sat cross-legged on the bed and casually tapped into Chen Yanxing’s WeChat Moments. It was completely blank, not even a personalized signature.
Hearing this, she looked up at her, scoffing, “Then I am truly honored, Second Miss Chen.”
Saying this, Shen Mengke got directly off the bed, wrapped in the blanket, and went into the bathroom.
Shen Mengke was a little angry. Logically, their relationship indeed didn’t require any genuine feelings, but there was no need to use a throwaway account to brush her off.
Thinking this, Shen Mengke hung the blanket aside, put down her phone, and stood directly under the showerhead, turning on the mixer tap. A knot of frustration was in her chest, and her mind was a mess. She wasn’t gentle with her hands, and the next second, merciless cold water instantly poured down, chilling her from head to heart.
“Ah!—”
Shen Mengke shrieked and immediately turned off the mixer tap. Only then did she see that the mixer tap was indeed set to cold.
Shen Mengke was even more annoyed. How could this person specifically adjust it to cold water after showering? Was it intentional?!
She gritted her teeth, enduring the chill caused by water evaporation, and silently turned the knob, standing aside to adjust the water temperature.