Chapter 83

Kong Xiyan had been listless ever since she returned from the cemetery. She barely touched her lunch before retreating to her room for a nap. Yanyan, as if sensing her low spirits, had clung to her since she'd come home—nuzzling for kisses and cuddles, or weaving around her ankles.

When it was time to sleep, the cat scurried upstairs behind her. Yanyan sprawled across the big bed, staring at Kong Xiyan. The room was silent except for the occasional howl of the winter wind rattling the windows.

Yanyan's ears twitched, and she inched closer to Kong Xiyan.

"Mewow."

She licked Kong Xiyan's chin. Kong Xiyan buried her face in Yanyan's fluffy white belly, stroking her fur.

She took a deep breath, then surfaced with a smile.

The gloom was finally starting to lift.

Yanyan lay obediently on her back, belly exposed, her front paws resting beside Kong Xiyan's cheeks as if to say, "Come on, take another sniff!"

Kong Xiyan: ...

What an endearing cat.

She stretched out on the bed, scooped Yanyan onto her chest, and idly stroked her as she mulled things over.

Yanyan settled down contentedly, and before long, she was dozing, a soft purr rumbling from her throat and her tail flicking unconsciously.

The purr vibrated against Kong Xiyan's chest. She glanced down, seeing Yanyan curled up and fast asleep. A smile tugged at her lips. She shifted onto her side, and Yanyan slid onto the mattress. The cat's blue eyes snapped open, but when she saw Kong Xiyan still there, she drifted back to sleep.

Lulled by the steady purr, Kong Xiyan soon grew drowsy and dozed off as well.

Before long, a knock came at the door, but no one answered.

Wang Haining pushed the door open and saw Kong Xiyan curled up with Yanyan, both fast asleep. She pulled the covers over them and quietly slipped out.

Kong Xiyan slept through the entire afternoon. With nothing else to do, Wang Haining settled on the sofa in the living room and watched Breaking the Cocoon. Though the drama had been taken off the air, the episodes already released were still available.

The feed had reached the episode where Kong Xiyan leaps from the city wall.

Wang Haining noticed many netizens treating this as the series finale, even adding their own subtitles declaring the show over. She wasn't big on TV dramas, but since Xiyan was in it, she had the patience to watch one episode after another, even turning on the bullet comments.

She could clearly see the shift—from a barrage of insults aimed at Xiyan at the start, to a few fans expressing fondness.

Then more and more fans.

Until the comments were overwhelmingly confessing love for Kong Xiyan.

The latest two episodes were especially frenzied.

—Has my Yanyan appeared yet?

—Kong Xiyan is the face of stunning beauty!

—I could die in Kong Xiyan's eyes!

—Kong Xiyan is my wife! Nobody steal her!

—Did you ask us husband fans first?

—Don't forget us wife fans!

As Wang Haining watched the flood of confessions, something clicked. This morning, Xiyan had mentioned that the production halt was Chi Wanzhao's doing.

Could it mean...

That Breaking the Cocoon was just a springboard for Chi Wanzhao to bring Xiyan back into the entertainment industry?

Xiyan's scenes were already finished.

The barrage of confessions proved the springboard had served its purpose.

So that's why the production was halted?

Wang Haining clicked her tongue.

In the world of the rich—anything goes.

Just as she was marveling, she heard a sound at the door, and Chi Wanzhao walked in. Wang Haining put her phone aside and glanced over as Chi Wanzhao slipped off her shoes. She scanned the living room but didn't see Kong Xiyan.

"Where is she?" Chi Wanzhao asked, peeling off her trench coat to reveal a fitted lace blouse and a knee-length skirt underneath, accentuating her slender waist and long legs.

Wang Haining tilted her chin toward the stairs. "Sleeping."

Chi Wanzhao hummed in acknowledgment and headed upstairs.

Wang Haining almost brought up the cemetery visit but held her tongue as Chi Wanzhao's steps faded up the staircase.

Chi Wanzhao padded up to the second floor in her slippers.

The curtains in the room were drawn tight. Yanyan lifted her head at the sound of the door opening, and seeing it was Chi Wanzhao, she hopped off the bed with a meow. Chi Wanzhao gave her a pat and set her outside the door.

From the hallway, Yanyan let out a plaintive "Mewow..."

Chi Wanzhao closed the door, dimming the room further.

She walked softly to Kong Xiyan's bedside, finding her curled on her side with the blanket pulled up. Chi Wanzhao settled onto the spot Yanyan had vacated and turned to look at Kong Xiyan.

Familiar features.

Delicate face, fair forehead, a straight nose, slightly parted lips, breathing steadily—soft and fragrant.

Unable to resist, Chi Wanzhao gathered Kong Xiyan's tousled hair, tucking the stray strands behind her ear to reveal her face more clearly. Her hand, still lingering in the hair, drifted to stroke Kong Xiyan's cheek.

Slowly.

She couldn't get enough of that silky skin.

Kong Xiyan shifted uneasily, rolling onto her back. Her loose sleepwear gapped, revealing a swath of chest and a hint of shoulder. A few strands of hair caught around her neck, disappearing into her shirt.

Chi Wanzhao's bright eyes fixed on her slender neck. Though she hadn't dared to be too rough the night before, Kong Xiyan's skin was delicate, and faint red marks still lingered here and there.

In this light,

They looked especially enticing.

Chi Wanzhao leaned down and nipped lightly at the exposed curve of Kong Xiyan's shoulder. Kong Xiyan flinched at the sting, lifting a hand to press against Chi Wanzhao's forehead as she opened her eyes.

She'd slept too long.

And the more she slept, the sleepier she felt.

Still groggy, she blinked up at Chi Wanzhao before it sank in. Her voice was husky as she murmured, "You're off work."

"Mm."

Chi Wanzhao's voice was low and quiet. Kong Xiyan rubbed her eyes. Outside, the sky had darkened, and the room was pitch black without a lamp.

She tried to sit up, but Chi Wanzhao caught her around the waist and pulled her back down. When Kong Xiyan struggled, Chi Wanzhao hooked a leg over her, pinning her in place.

Chi Wanzhao smiled, a hint of satisfaction in her expression.

Kong Xiyan pushed at her. "Come on, get up. Haining's still downstairs."

Chi Wanzhao caught her wrist. "It's fine."

"Think of her as not here."

Kong Xiyan: ...

She was about to protest when she felt Chi Wanzhao's leg slip beneath the blanket, hitching up her sleep shirt.

The moment their bare skin touched, Kong Xiyan's face flushed inexplicably. She tried to scoot away, but Chi Wanzhao tugged her back.

"What are you doing? Stop squirming," Kong Xiyan whined, unable to help the plaintive note in her voice.

Chi Wanzhao's mood lifted at the sound. She leaned close to Kong Xiyan's ear, laughing softly. "I won't move. You move?"

Kong Xiyan: ...

Why could this woman be so shameless so naturally?

She huffed, about to snap back, but Chi Wanzhao didn't give her the chance. She sealed Kong Xiyan's lips with her own. A brief muffled whimper filled the room, followed by the rustle of clothes. Soon, a few garments slipped to the floor.

Kong Xiyan, dizzy from the kiss, didn't realize it until she found herself fully bare beneath Chi Wanzhao.

Last night, the alcohol and the thrill of her confession had made it hard to hold back, and they'd ended up in bed together. It hadn't bothered her then, but now, face to face again, skin against skin, Kong Xiyan bit her lip and whispered, "Chi... don't you think we're moving too fast?"

They'd skipped straight to this without even dating.

She'd never been in a relationship before, but she'd acted in plenty of TV dramas. She knew the usual course of romance.

This—was far too quick.

Chi Wanzhao was pressed close against her. At her words, she nibbled Kong Xiyan's earlobe. "Too fast? I think it's too slow."

The speed at which you fell for me was too slow.

Slow enough that I nearly couldn't wait and made a move early on.

Good thing.

She'd held back.

Chi Wanzhao was lying on top of Kong Xiyan, so when Kong Xiyan arched her leg, her knee pressed into Chi Wanzhao's flat stomach. Her tone was teasing. "But what about our relationship..."

"Our relationship?"

"Our relationship hasn't changed. You're Mrs. Chi. Now, in the future, forever."

Kong Xiyan's heart rippled hearing that, and she couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. She gave Chi Wanzhao a sidelong glance, feigning pride. "Is that so? Then how come I remember someone signing a contract with me?"

Chi Wanzhao looked down at her charmingly sulky expression and leaned in for a quick peck. "What does the contract say?"

Kong Xiyan thought for a moment. "Take care of Yanyan."

Chi Wanzhao pressed down harder. Kong Xiyan yelped and tried to push her away, but Chi Wanzhao caught her hands and placed them over her own chest. The softness made Kong Xiyan bite her lip. Chi Wanzhao leaned in, whispering against her ear, "That's right. Take care of Yanyan."

"You are my Yanyan."

"All you have to do is take care of yourself—that's fulfilling the contract."

Kong Xiyan froze for a second, Wang Haining's words flashing through her mind. She looked up, disbelief in her eyes. "Is Yanyan's name... about me?"

Chi Wanzhao propped herself on her wrists above Kong Xiyan, her dark, bright eyes sparkling with amusement. "Miss Kong, why don't you take a guess?"

"Right, I'll kiss your left cheek if you're right."

"And if you're wrong, your right cheek."

Kong Xiyan: ...

She started to speak.

Chi Wanzhao silenced her with a kiss, swallowing her words.

"Or you can surrender, and I'll kiss you here."

She brushed her tongue across Kong Xiyan's lips, sending a tingling sensation straight to her brain. Joy spilled from Kong Xiyan's heart, every soft sound she made swallowed by Chi Wanzhao.

The room was in disarray, the very air charged. Intermittent, breathless moans never escaped the door but echoed within, igniting a heat that was hard to control.

Downstairs.

Wang Haining and Yanyan sat at the dining table. Yanyan stared at the small mound of cat food and complained with a series of dissatisfied 'mewows,' her expression clearly displeased.

She shoved her dish toward Wang Haining, as if demanding more.

Wang Haining calmly pushed the dish back and said flatly, "Since they can't show restraint, you'll have to be the temperate one."

Yanyan: Mewow!!