"What do you think?" Cheng Yuan knew best how to manipulate people. He yanked off his tie, tied her hands together, raised them above her head, and leaned in to kiss her. "If you don't satisfy me, no one will have a good time."
He wanted to do it here...
Jiang Xiao didn't want to. She turned her head to avoid him. "Don't kiss me."
Cheng Yuan used his other hand to grab her chin, forcing her to face him. "Didn't you just say you liked it here?"
"I did not," Jiang Xiao denied.
"But you said so last time," Cheng Yuan kissed her neck. "Said it was great."
Jiang Xiao: "..."
Cheng Yuan was a madman, especially when enraged. It was as if he was possessed, completely ignoring Jiang Xiao's words and acting recklessly.
He bit Jiang Xiao's neck, tearing at it. "I'm telling you, Mrs. Cheng will always be you."
*
Jiang Xiao woke up at noon the next day. The room was unfamiliar. She went out barefoot and saw a maid. "Where is this?"
The maid was mute; she couldn't speak, only gestured. Jiang Xiao couldn't understand. She turned back to the bedroom to find her phone but couldn't. She went out again, searching room by room for Cheng Yuan, but didn't find him.
Cheng Yuan had left her here and gone, and she didn't even know where she was. This realization panicked her, but she quickly calmed down. Cheng Yuan just didn't want her to leave; he probably wouldn't do anything to her.
Feeling sticky all over, she went to the bathroom. She didn't open her eyes until the maid knocked. Seeing it was afternoon, she'd soaked in the bath for three hours.
Putting on a bathrobe, she walked out. On the coffee table were dishes, both main courses and desserts, all her favorites.
"Did Cheng Yuan prepare these?"
"Ah, ah, ah," the maid nodded.
"Where is he?"
The maid pointed at the door.
"Did he say when he'd be back?"
The maid shook her head.
"I'm not hungry, take it away," Jiang Xiao said, not wanting to eat.
The maid shook her head, pointed at the tray, and made sounds for a long time, as if begging her to eat.
Jiang Xiao's heart softened. She picked up the spoon and ate a little of everything, then went to the bathroom to freshen up and then to the walk-in closet.
The closet was full of clothes with tags still on. Jiang Xiao wasn't sure if these were bought for her or for other women. The thought that they might be for other women made her nauseous. She slammed the closet door shut and found the dress she'd worn yesterday. It was already torn by Cheng Yuan; she couldn't wear it.
The maid knocked and handed her a note. It was from Cheng Yuan: "The clothes are for you. Wear whatever you like."
Jiang Xiao crumpled the note and threw it in the trash. She went back to the closet and chose a Chanel suit—a cropped jacket with matching trousers in light yellow. The outfit made her skin look even fairer, and her wavy hair made her face look even more delicate and refined.
She stared at the mirror for a moment, then turned and went downstairs. The maid followed, blocked her, and waved her hands. Jiang Xiao understood—she couldn't leave. But she wasn't going to listen. She had legs; she could leave if she wanted.
"Don't stop me," she said.
The maid stood in front of the door, still waving.
Jiang Xiao: "If you don't move, I'll call the police."
The maid knelt, grabbed her pant leg, and clasped her hands together, still begging.
Jiang Xiao couldn't bring herself to be violent with a disabled person. She helped her up. "Cheng Yuan said I can't leave?"
The maid nodded.
"Where's your phone? Lend it to me."
The maid hesitated for a moment, then handed it over. Jiang Xiao took it and dialed a series of numbers without any hesitation.
It took a while for the call to connect. "Hello."
Jiang Xiao: "Cheng Yuan, if I die, would you be sad?"
Cheng Yuan's pen paused. His expression stiffened. "What are you going to do?"
"Worried?" Jiang Xiao laughed lightly. "Didn't you say you didn't care whether I lived or died?"
"I'll give you twenty minutes. If you're not here, prepare to collect my body."
Cheng Yuan stood up abruptly, grinding his teeth, "Jiang Xiao, don't do anything stupid."
"One..." Jiang Xiao said. "You have nineteen minutes left."
She heard the sound of a chair scraping and footsteps. "You say, how should I die? Jumping or slitting my wrists?"
"Slitting the wrists would hurt, right? I'm pretty afraid of pain."
Cheng Yuan: "If you die, I'll have you stuffed and put on display at home. Want to give it a try?"
Author's note:
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Explanation: I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I went for an IV. Going again today. Tomorrow I have to go to the city for errands; it'll take a whole day. I'll finish at 5:30 and get home at 7. After that, I still have to go for the IV. I'll try to update, but I'm not sure if I can.