Forced into a Contract Flash Marriage with the Ice-Cold Beauty - Chapter 21

Bai Qingrang opened the passenger door and immediately noticed the little surprise Lu Zhimo had prepared. Covering her mouth to stifle a laugh, she teased, “You’re so childish. Aren’t you afraid others might feel awkward riding in your car?”

Lu Zhimo nonchalantly closed the door, resting one hand on the steering wheel as she turned to gaze at the pink sticker on the dashboard. “‘Reserved for My Fairy Bai’ is that childish? I even added a cat-shaped pillow that all fairies would love, and this ” She opened the glove compartment, revealing an assortment of individually wrapped snacks. “You said you were hungry, so have some snacks. But don’t eat too much; save room for seafood.”

Feeling cherished as if held in the palm of someone’s hand, Bai Qingrang’s heart soared with joy. Hiding her delight, she deliberately prodded, “Aren’t you worried I’ll dirty your car while eating?”

Lu Zhimo easily dismissed her concern. “I don’t mind. I insist on spoiling my little fairy. In fact, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t make a mess otherwise, these snacks would’ve been bought for nothing.”

“To be honest, the first time I rode in your car, I thought the interior was as clean and minimalist as its owner. Now, its owner has been led astray by me and turned all flashy and colorful.” Bai Qingrang chuckled as she closed the door. The moment she turned around, Lu Zhimo pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pressing her against her chest. “Don’t you like it?”

“I do, just as I like its owner. Love me, love my dog,” Bai Qingrang replied with a smile, unwrapping a gummy candy and holding it between her lips, offering it to Lu Zhimo.

“That’s more like it,” Lu Zhimo chided playfully, taking the candy with her lips and leaving a fleeting kiss in its wake. She feared that if she weren’t careful, the restraint she’d been holding back would spill over in the car though part of her longed for an opportunity to indulge in such recklessness.

Bai Qingrang easily saw through the desire shimmering in her eyes and, cupping her cheeks, deliberately stirred the embers. “What naughty thoughts are you having?”

Lu Zhimo leaned her head into Bai Qingrang’s palm and closed her eyes, as if envisioning scenes of intimate abandon. “I’m thinking of running away with you to some deserted place and wildly doing all the things we love.”

How could Bai Qingrang not understand her intentions? She tapped Lu Zhimo’s forehead, her smile tinged with impatience. “You wicked Miss Lu, please sober up. At the very least, you should feed me first.”

“Alright~ Let’s go find food. Can’t let my Fairy Bai go hungry.”

.

Lu Zhimo deliberately drove for over forty minutes to a seafood restaurant near Xuancheng Harbor.

The restaurant was set on a pontoon boat, and upon entering, one was greeted by wall-to-wall glass tanks filled with a dazzling array of shrimp, crabs, and fish, all freshly caught that day.

Hand in hand, the two wandered around the tanks, admiring the selection as if visiting an aquatic theme park.

Lu Zhimo crouched down, carefully selecting blue swimmer crabs, and emphasized, “Order whatever you want. I’m going to fill you up.”

Bai Qingrang smiled and ran her fingers through Lu Zhimo’s long hair, enjoying the silky texture before twirling it playfully around her fingertips. “You choose. I’m not very good at telling what’s fresh.”

“I’m fine with anything. After all, the best flavor is Bai Qingrang blanched to perfection~”

“Lu Zhimo!”

After selecting their ingredients, Lu Zhimo reserved a private room with an ocean view. Once the door closed, she pulled two chairs facing the floor-to-ceiling window. “Even though it’s dark, we can pretend we’re watching the sea.”

Bai Qingrang sat beside her, using the reflective glass as a mirror. “It’s fine if we can’t see the sea. I can see Lu Zhimo.”

Lu Zhimo leaned forward, breathing onto the glass to fog up Bai Qingrang’s reflection. She drew a smiling face on it, then one for herself, and finally enclosed them both in a big heart.

Bai Qingrang was amused by her childish antics and couldn’t resist teasing, “They say women in love have zero IQ, but I think that’s unfair. Our Zhimo clearly has the intellect of a three-year-old.”

“Are you mocking me, Bai-three-year-old?”

“Don’t you think it’s amazing? We’ve known each other for so long, but it only took three days to fall in love.”

“Fate laid the groundwork for us for too long; it’s no surprise we fell in an instant.” Lu Zhimo played with Bai Qingrang’s fingers, then suddenly remembered something else. “By the way, I came clean to Nanchan about us, and she was furious.”

Bai Qingrang asked in surprise, “Why would she be angry? Shouldn’t she be happy for us?”

“She’s mad that I stole her premium client. That money-grubber, I basically cut off her cash flow.”

“Haha, that makes sense. I’d be mad too if I were her. Let’s invite her out for a meal sometime and tease her a little more.” Bai Qingrang began planning their “we’re a couple now” dinner.

Lu Zhimo hooked an arm around her shoulder, gave her a light kiss, and grinned with eyes curved like crescents. “You’re so devious cutting off her income and still tormenting her poor, perpetually single heart.”

The dim garage light couldn’t penetrate the tightly shut window in the corner, only casting shifting shadows on the glass.

The woman’s soft lips produced faint, trickling wet sounds, filling the car with an awkward, ambiguous atmosphere.

Ji Yan’s gaze was dazed and unfocused as she leaned against the seat, murmuring incoherently, “Mmm… Yuxi!” Her frantic breaths mingled with intermittent sighs, and her tense hips swayed involuntarily.

Her soul seemed detached from her body, a self-forgetting pallor spreading until it engulfed every nerve. After the tremors, she collapsed into a disheveled, intoxicating beauty.

Slumping weakly over the steering wheel, Ji Yan bit her fingertip, leaving deep teeth marks, as if still savoring the fleeting peak.

Li Chuchu wiped the lingering sweetness from her lips, reapplied her lipstick in the mirror, and complained expressionlessly, “It’s like this every time. No matter how many different women you’re with, your mind is always on Su Yuxi.”

Ji Yan laughed with her eyes closed, her shoulders shaking with self-mockery. “If I can’t have her, can’t I at least fantasize about her?”

“What did you do about that woman who caused trouble at the café last time?”

“Money solves everything. She’s been taken care of.” Ji Yan replied lazily, smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothes with deliberate slowness. “Let’s head back. I’ll call you when I want you again.”

Li Chuchu gathered her long hair into a loose ponytail, picked up her purse, and rubbed her fingers together, signaling for payment. “I don’t like monthly or yearly packages. Pay-per-service is much more reliable.”

Ji Yan opened the glove compartment, pulled out a stack of cash, and tossed it into her lap. “This should cover several sessions. Let me know if you need more.”

After counting the money, Li Chuchu swiftly pushed the car door open, not even bothering with polite small talk.

Hearing the door close, Ji Yan leaned back in her seat, trying to clear her mind. But the thought of Su Yuxi’s firm stance on breaking off their engagement made her brow furrow.

It had been days since she last saw her. On impulse, she took out her phone and began scrolling through her contacts.

“The number you have dialed is turned off.” Hearing the busy tone, Ji Yan was lost in thought. It seemed Su Yuxi’s aversion to her had reached the point of being blocked.

The more it was like this, the more unwilling she became. She dialed another number, wanting to get to the bottom of it.

“Hello, Secretary Xiao.”

“Director Ji, what can I do for you?”

“Is Yuxi very busy lately? Her phone is turned off, and I’m a bit worried.”

“Director Su. The government bidding project is coming up, and the whole company is on high alert. Director Su is naturally even busier.”

“Can I schedule a meeting with her tomorrow?”

“I’m afraid not. Director Su’s schedule is packed these days; she’s already stretched thin.”

“Alright, then I’ll try to arrange another time.” Ji Yan hung up the phone dejectedly, leaning back in her chair and massaging the bridge of her nose in distress.

After a moment of silence, she didn’t drive away. Compared to being alone, heading upstairs to seek the comfort of Li Chuchu seemed like a better way to endure the long night.

Su Yuxi’s coldness was the root of Ji Yan’s unrestrained indulgence.

She would often miss this aloof woman late at night, then lose control so much so that even comforting herself no longer had any calming effect.

It seemed tonight, she could only rely on Li Chuchu to soothe the endless emptiness and loneliness.

.

The first thing Li Chuchu did upon returning home was to brush and rinse her mouth incessantly.

Hearing the sound of the door closing in the living room, she quickly finished up and hurried out. Without a doubt, her patron was in the mood again.

Ji Yan leaned on the sofa, glancing around the room’s decor. When she saw Li Chuchu appear, she couldn’t help but mock herself, “Does it still carry my scent? Is it particularly disgusting?”

Li Chuchu didn’t bother answering such a meaningless question. Instead, she turned to the fridge, fetched a bottle of mineral water, and offered it. “This is all I have. Make do with it.”

Among all the women Ji Yan kept, there was a saying: “Women come and go, but Li Chuchu remains.” Her existence was special, both ironic and starkly real.

Ji Yan unscrewed the cap of the mineral water and handed it back to her. “I’m not thirsty. You’re the one who needs it.”

“If you’re staying over, go take a shower first.” Li Chuchu didn’t take the water, simply informed her, and sat down on the sofa to play on her phone.

Ji Yan frowned, set the water down, and walked over to her. She grabbed Li Chuchu’s chin harshly, showing no tenderness. “Have I not told you? No one but Su Yuxi is allowed to treat me coldly.”

Li Chuchu resisted inwardly but knew she was no match for Ji Yan. She softened her tone. “I’m sorry.”

“I let you live in a multi-million dollar mansion, wear luxury brands, and dine in high-end restaurants not to put up with your attitude. Remember what you are and what your place is.” Every word Ji Yan spoke was a brand of humiliation seared into the bone.

Li Chuchu swallowed her pride, ultimately yielding to the reality of trading dignity for money. Her eyes showed nothing but submission. “I know what I am. I won’t dare do it again.”

“I know what you want. Don’t dream foolishly. Only Su Yuxi can become my wife. You and all those other flings are nothing more than talking sex toys.” Ji Yan had no idea just how deeply rotten her behavior had become.

The corners of Li Chuchu’s eyes reddened with unshed tears. She sniffled and let out a desolate sigh. “I’m really sorry for making you angry.”

“Such a buzzkill.” Ji Yan turned to leave but felt someone tug at the hem of her clothes from behind. “Don’t go.”

Licking her lower lip, she found herself susceptible to such displays of vulnerability. Turning back, she saw Li Chuchu with a reddened nose and reached out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. “Don’t look so pitiful. Every minute and second you spend with me comes with premium compensation. I’m far better than those pot-bellied, thick-armed men. You should learn to be content.”

Ji Yan was skilled at manipulation, and with just a few words, she could make Li Chuchu acutely aware of her dependence. “I’ll do my best,” Li Chuchu murmured.

“Do? How?”

Li Chuchu knelt on the floor, lowering her posture as she played the part of a pleading weakling. “I’ll listen to you, President Ji. I’ll strive to meet your needs and even let you do as you please.”

Ji Yan reached out to pat Li Chuchu’s head soothingly, then abruptly yanked her hair, bending down to admire the fear in her eyes. A wicked smile curled at the corners of her lips as she commanded, “Be good. After your bath, put on the lingerie I gave you. It’ll look absolutely stunning on you.”