Forcibly Taken by My Student’s Mother - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Tao Zhi Yao Yao, I Knew It Was You All Along…

The moment their lips were about to touch, Tao Yao instinctively turned her head away—a purely physical reaction that preceded her brain’s conscious command.

In the end, Lu Xuelan’s lips only brushed against her feverish cheek. The warm breath traveled along, finally landing softly on her tensed neck.

That patch of skin instantly broke out in a dense layer of tremors.

Tao Yao’s heart hammered against her ribcage, the thumping echoing in her eardrums. She could even feel Lu Xuelan’s soft lips briefly pressed against the spot where her carotid artery pulsed, separated only by the thin fabric of her pajamas.

They stayed there for about two seconds.

Then, Lu Xuelan slowly straightened her body.

She didn’t pull away; instead, she maintained her position, tilting her head slightly to draw close to Tao Yao’s burning earlobe.

“Teacher Tao.”

The voice was pressed extremely low, every word carrying a tiny hook that scratched deep into her ear canal.

“Why did you hide?”

Tao Yao’s entire body was rigid, and she even held her breath. She could feel Lu Xuelan’s warm breath brushing over her sensitive ear as she spoke, triggering even more minute shivers.

“Don’t you like it?”

This question was asked even more softly, more slowly, carrying a patience that was almost seductive.

Tao Yao’s face exploded into a deep red that spread all the way down her neck. She wanted to push her away, but her body felt nailed to the spot, her arms too heavy to lift.

Worse, she realized she was trapped in the tiny space between the headboard and Lu Xuelan’s body, held in a position that was nearly an embrace.

Lu Xuelan’s hand was propped on the mattress beside her. The sleeve of the bathrobe had slipped down, revealing a stretch of fair, slender forearm.

“Pre—President Lu…”

Tao Yao finally found her voice, but it was painfully dry and heavily nasal. “Don’t… don’t joke around.”

She tried to shrink back, but behind her was the hard headboard; there was no room to retreat.

“I… I…”

She wanted to say “Please respect yourself,” or “I’m straight.”

But the words reached her lips only to get stuck.

If she rejected her, would Lu Xuelan turn shame into anger? Would she tear off the mask right then and there? And then what? Fire her? Take back the advanced salary?

The embarrassment of her reality left her with very little backbone.

Ultimately, under Lu Xuelan’s calm yet oppressive gaze, Tao Yao lowered her eyelids and avoided her eyes. In a voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum, she struggled to force out a few words:

“President Lu… don’t do this.”

She paused and licked her dry lips. The residual minty sweetness in her mouth had turned somewhat bitter.

“…This isn’t very good.”

As the words fell, the room lapsed into an eerie silence.

There was only the faint sound of the wind outside and the uneven, intertwined breathing of the two women.

Tao Yao didn’t dare look up, but she could feel Lu Xuelan’s gaze resting on her face like something physical, patrolling every inch of her subtle emotional shifts.

She was waiting.

Waiting for Lu Xuelan’s reaction.

Would it be anger? Would she use force? Or… would she give up?

However, Lu Xuelan only let out a very soft laugh.

The laugh was so faint it was almost inaudible, yet it made Tao Yao’s heart leap even higher.

“Not very good?”

Lu Xuelan repeated those words, her tone unreadable. Instead of pulling away, she drew even closer. Her hand on the mattress moved slightly, ending up less than an inch away from Tao Yao’s hand resting at her side.

“What exactly isn’t good?”

she asked with a guiding patience, as if they were truly discussing a difficult problem.

“Because I am your employer? Or because…” she paused, her gaze landing on Tao Yao’s tensely pursed lips.

“…You think it’s too fast?”

Tao Yao’s breath hitched.

Lu Xuelan didn’t give her a chance to answer.

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze meeting Tao Yao’s panicked, dodging eyes once more. The churning darkness within them seemed to have settled slightly, replaced by focus and sincerity.

“Teacher Tao.”

She called her name again, this time with something else in her voice—a sense of forcibly suppressed restraint. “From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were the person I wanted.”

Tao Yao snapped her head up, crashing into those deep eyes. Inside them was only an almost stubborn focus and… a complex emotion she couldn’t decipher.

“That day in the lobby downstairs, you came in pushing your bike. Your hair was a bit messy from the wind, and there was sweat on your face.” Lu Xuelan’s voice was slow, like she was recalling a treasured painting. “Your eyes were so bright, possessing a kind of… reckless vitality.”

“I thought then, I really like this girl…” She shook her head slightly and didn’t continue, but a very faint smile flashed in her eyes.

Tao Yao was stunned.

“Teacher Tao, you don’t need to carry a psychological burden.”

Lu Xuelan seemed to see her wavering and struggle. Her voice grew even softer, carrying a coaxing comfort.

“If you feel it’s too fast, we can take it slow. I will pursue you properly, in a way you can accept.”

The tips of her fingers lightly touched the back of Tao Yao’s hand, which was gripping the edge of the quilt.

It was just a fleeting touch, yet it made Tao Yao shudder.

“Give me a chance, okay?”

Lu Xuelan looked at her, her gaze focused with a near-devout intensity.

Tao Yao’s mind was a complete mess.

Her logic was screaming: This is a sugar-coated bullet! This is a honey trap! She’s lying to you! She’s just a sanctimonious old vixen!

But her body betrayed her will. Under Lu Xuelan’s focused gaze and whispers, she actually—shamefully—felt her heart accelerate and her cheeks burn. For a split second, she even wanted to nod.

No!

She bit the tip of her tongue hard, the sharp pain snapping her back to clarity.

“President Lu…” she began with difficulty, her voice still trembling. “I… my head is very dizzy right now, I feel very unwell… Can we… talk about this another day?”

This was the most tactful stalling tactic she could think of.

However, Lu Xuelan clearly didn’t plan on letting her go that easily.

“Dizzy?”

She raised an eyebrow slightly, her gaze sweeping over Tao Yao’s still-flushed face. Suddenly, the corners of her mouth curved up. “It doesn’t matter. We can talk about something else to distract you.”

Her hand had reached up to Tao Yao’s shoulder at some point. Through the thin pajama fabric, she could feel the warm body temperature.

Tao Yao was rigid. She wanted to hide, but she didn’t dare make any large movements.

“Teacher Tao.”

Lu Xuelan leaned in even closer, almost pressing against her ear, and asked in a low whisper: “I have a very good body.”

Tao Yao: “…?”

She blinked blankly, unable to keep up with this leap in logic. Lu Xuelan let out a low laugh, the vibration of her chest faintly transmitting through their touching bodies.

“Do you want to… try it out?”

The suggestive meaning in these words was so strong it was practically naked.

Tao Yao’s brain went “buzz,” as if something had exploded. Her cheeks instantly became hot enough to fry an egg, and even her earlobes were deep red.

Try it? Try what? How to try?!

This old vixen had finally exposed her true nature. Those words about “love at first sight” and “pursuing seriously” were all lies. This was her real goal!

A massive wave of shame, anger, and panic swept over her. At the same time, that unfamiliar restlessness deep in her body—triggered by days of dreams and the current ambiguous atmosphere—faintly reared its head.

She couldn’t stay here any longer.

If she stayed, she was afraid she really wouldn’t be able to hold back, or… she would be swallowed whole by Lu Xuelan.

In a flash, Tao Yao slammed her eyes shut, furrowed her brow tightly, and let out a weak groan.

“Ugh… my head hurts so much…”

Her voice was as thin as a thread, carrying deep agony.

“So dizzy… I feel so sick…”

After speaking, her body went limp. Her head slumped to the side “just right,” and she leaned helplessly against Lu Xuelan’s shoulder.

She had completely “fainted.”

The air instantly froze in awkwardness.

Tao Yao kept her eyes shut tight. She could feel herself leaning against Lu Xuelan’s shoulder, her nose filled with the woman’s crisp, light fragrance. She could even feel Lu Xuelan’s body stiffen for a moment.

Then, there was a silence that lasted over ten seconds.

Tao Yao’s heart was beating so fast it felt like it would burst out of her chest. She fought to control her breathing, making it seem even and weak, pretending she was truly unconscious.

Lu Xuelan’s gaze was fixed on her face.

The look was physical—scrutinizing, searching, and even… just as Tao Yao was about to break, a very soft sigh came from above her head.

Then, she felt Lu Xuelan move.

One arm circled behind her back, while the other slid under the hollow of her knees. With a bit of strength, she gently laid Tao Yao flat on the bed from her leaning position.

Only then did Tao Yao relax a bit.

Lu Xuelan pulled the blanket over her and tucked in the edges. Her cool fingertips occasionally brushed against her cheek and neck, triggering minute shivers.

Tao Yao kept her eyes shut tight, pretending to be completely oblivious.

Then, she heard the slight sound of Lu Xuelan standing up and footsteps walking toward the door.

The door was opened, and Lu Xuelan’s voice came through, speaking to whoever was waiting outside. She had returned to her usual clear and calm demeanor, though her voice was slightly lower than usual:

“Dr. Chen, sorry to trouble you to come up again. Teacher Tao seems to be feeling unwell again.”

Tao Yao: “…” You’re actually calling the doctor?

She cried out in bitterness internally, but she could only continue playing dead.

Soon, steady footsteps approached again. It was Dr. Chen.

“President Lu.”

“She said she was dizzy just now, and then she suddenly fainted.” Lu Xuelan’s voice carried a perfectly measured amount of worry. “Please check her again. Is her fever recurring?”

“Alright.”

Dr. Chen walked to the bedside. Tao Yao could feel him leaning over. His cold fingers touched her wrist pulse, and then he used a stethoscope to listen to her heart and lungs.

She held her breath, trying to keep her heartbeat and pulse appearing steady.

“Her temperature is normal. The pulse is a bit fast, but within a reasonable range.” After finishing the check, Dr. Chen spoke with a hint of confusion. “It might be that her body is still weak, combined with a temporary dizziness from sitting up too quickly. Just let her rest well and don’t let her be stimulated again.”

“Stimulated?” Lu Xuelan repeated the word.

Tao Yao’s heart leaped again.

“Yes. The patient needs quiet rest and must remain emotionally stable,” Dr. Chen urged. “Her bodily functions haven’t fully recovered after the fever, so she shouldn’t have large emotional fluctuations.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

“It’s my duty. Call me anytime if something happens.”

Dr. Chen’s footsteps faded away, and the door was once again gently closed.

Inside the room, only the two of them remained.

Tao Yao could feel Lu Xuelan’s gaze falling on her face once more. This time, the look didn’t carry that burning aggression from before; instead, it became calm, even… somewhat meaningful.

She didn’t move an inch, not even daring to let her eyelashes flutter.

After a long time.

A very light, low laugh rang out in the silence.

It carried a kind of insight that saw through everything.

Then, Tao Yao felt Lu Xuelan lean in again, her warm breath brushing over her forehead. A very light, very quick kiss landed on the space between her eyebrows like a feather.

It was a fleeting touch.

“Sleep.”

Lu Xuelan’s voice was low and soft, carrying a bit of meaningful seduction: “We have… a long time ahead of us.”

With that, the footsteps sounded again, this time truly heading for the door. The door was opened and then gently clicked shut.

The room fell into complete silence.

Tao Yao maintained her “fainted” state for nearly another minute before she dared to carefully open a slit of an eye.

Confirming the room was truly empty, she let out a long, total sigh of relief, her whole body sagging into the bed.

Her back was already soaked with cold sweat.

She raised her hand and touched the space between her eyebrows. A bit of that cool, soft sensation seemed to linger there.

Her heart was still beating very fast. Lu Xuelan’s final kiss and that phrase “a long time ahead of us” swirled in her mind like a curse.

Irritated, she covered her head with the quilt and stared wide-eyed in the darkness.

Pretending to faint seemed like it… could only solve the immediate emergency.

Lu Xuelan clearly didn’t fully believe it, but she hadn’t exposed her either. That “all-knowing” attitude made her even more terrified.

What exactly did this old vixen want?

Did she really plan to… pursue her slowly?

The thought made Tao Yao feel uneasy all over, yet in a hidden corner deep in her heart, an alien ripple—one she wasn’t even willing to admit to herself—faintly stirred.

After tossing and turning for most of the night, her high mental tension and physical exhaustion finally overrode her chaotic thoughts. Drowsiness hit again, this time surging and heavy.

Tao Yao’s consciousness gradually sank into darkness.

The dream came again, unbidden.

But this dream was clearly evolving—it had actually developed into an “if” timeline of the day.

Lu Xuelan was standing by the bed, wearing that silk bathrobe, her belt loosely tied, hair draped down. She leaned in slightly, her fingertips gently lifting Tao Yao’s chin.

“Teacher Tao.”

Her voice was raspy, carrying the hazy quality unique to dreams. “Can you let me… taste your candy?”

In the dream, Tao Yao actually didn’t dodge.

She looked at Lu Xuelan’s stunningly beautiful face close at hand, looking at the dark fire burning in her eyes. As if bewitched, she very slowly… nodded her head.

Then, Lu Xuelan kissed her.

The moment their lips touched, Tao Yao shivered slightly in the dream.

That sensation… was softer and warmer than imagined. It carried the cool sweetness of mint and Lu Xuelan’s unique cold fragrance.

The kiss was light and slow, carrying a sense of testing. Her tongue lightly traced the shape of her lips, and then, tentatively, pried open her teeth.

In the dream, Tao Yao closed her eyes.

A jolt of electricity-like shivering ran through her entire body.

Lu Xuelan’s kiss gradually deepened, becoming intense and lingering. One hand cupped her face while the other, at some point, reached under the hem of her pajama top. Her palm was scalding, pressing against the firm skin of her waist.

“Mmm…”

Tao Yao let out a tiny whimper in the dream, unable to tell if it was resistance or compliance. Lu Xuelan pulled back just a bit, her lips still touching Tao Yao’s, their breaths melding.

“Do you want to…” Her voice was incredibly raspy, carrying an alluring whisper, “…try something more stimulating?”

In the dream, Tao Yao widened her eyes and looked at her.

Lu Xuelan smiled—a demonic and bewitching smile. With a gentle push, she pinned Tao Yao down onto the soft bedding.

The collar of the bathrobe fell open, revealing a patch of snow-white skin and an exquisite collarbone. She leaned down, and the kisses traveled all the way from the lips to the neck, to the collarbone, to the…

Tao Yao tensed her body in the dream. In the midst of her dazed infatuation, Lu Xuelan suddenly drew close to her ear, pouring her hot, damp breath into the ear canal.

Her voice was low and carried a laugh, holding a kind of insight that saw through everything, every word perfectly clear:

“Tao Zhi Yao Yao.”

Tao Yao’s whole body shuddered violently.

“I knew all along…”

Lu Xuelan’s lips were pressed against her ear as she slowly breathed out the final words: “…it was you.”

“Ah—!!!”

Tao Yao bolted upright in bed, dripping with cold sweat.

The room was dark. She gasped for air and raised her hands to cover her face. Her palms touched a scalding heat—she couldn’t tell if it was residual fever or the shameful heat brought on by the dream.

That dream… was too real.

The real sensation, the real shivering, and finally… those words.

“Tao Zhi Yao Yao, I knew it was you all along.”

If…

What if Lu Xuelan really did know all along?

Known that “Tao Zhi Yao Yao” was her, known that all those “romance tips” were a deliberate attempt to tease her, known that she was hiding behind the screen, watching her follow the guidance step-by-step to flirt with her own self…

With Lu Xuelan’s personality, what would she do?

Fire her? Take back the money? Or… get revenge in an even more terrifying way?

Tao Yao shuddered, a chill racing from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

She felt more and more that her previous “fishing” and “revenge” tricks seemed so laughable and… suicidal under a gaze that might have already seen through everything.

“It’s over… what do I do?”

She muttered to herself, her face full of despair:

“Aghhh!!! This time… I’m really finished.”