Translated by newbienoona
Edited by anks
Trigger warning : rape scene
As soon as he hangs up, Jiao Daihu returns to his seat next to the bar. Nangong Zifei has been drinking, and his expression is ugly and scary. An Chuxia left for the US to find Han Qilu. He told her he's letting her go, but he never did; it's hard to let her go in his heart. He's been using alcohol to numb his nerves and to help mend his heart.
This certainly would've been a good time for a woman to stop Nangong Zifei from drinking so much. But Jiao Daihu isn't a woman; he's a man claiming to be superman! As his best friend, his loyalty lies with Nangong Zifei. He won't persuade his friend. All he can do is sympathize and get drunk with his boss!
Daihu didn't drink as much as Nangong Zifei, but his tolerance isn't as high as Zifei's. He's reaching his limit.
Zifei nurses a glass of whiskey, and eventually, his eyelids grow heavy, and he's unable to hear anything. Finally, he can't feel the pain.
Jiao Daihu is buzzed, but he's still cognizant. He calls one of his men to prepare the car. He helps Zifei walk to the car, swaying. Once the bartender sees them, he comes over to help Daihu carry Nangong Zifei.
***
Mage doesn't know how long she's been sitting by the door. Confused, she suddenly hears the sound of the big iron gate open, and the sound of a car approaching. She runs bare feet to meet the car. The cobblestone hurts the soles of her feet, but she doesn't want to go back to retrieve her shoes.
Jiao Daihu secures the car in the parking garage. Despite buzzing hard, his subconscious reminds him to bring Nangong Zifei back to his room.
"What's wrong with him? How much did he drink?" Mage meets up with them, but is unable to help. She follows them back to the room.
Jiao Daihu takes a few steps back after undressing Nangong Zifei. Then, he passes out. Mage steps out of the room to call one of the men to take Daihu back to his room.
In the quiet room, Mage continues to make Zifei comfortable by taking off his shoes and dragging him on to the pillows. When all is said and done, she was sweating. She hates the sticky feeling, so she heads to the shower before returning to Nangong Zifei's room.
She thinks about how much he has drunk today. She knows he'll be hurting once he wakes up. She takes it upon herself to tell the cook to prepare hangover soup for the morning.
But then, Zifei is wary of strangers, and the only outsider welcome is the chef he brought back with him from the United States. Mage doesn't speak English, and she doesn't know how to communicate with him. Embarrassed to wake him up this late, she decides to cook the soup herself.
Since she’s never prepared the soup before, she takes out her mobile phone that Zifei bought for her and searches online. She knows he's generous, but her feelings for him have long been more than just being "grateful".
She is more than aware she is not worthy to stand next to him since he's given his heart to the girl named "An Chuxia".
She hates the fact that she has to live up to this… person, and that's not good!
The more she deliberates, the more upset she gets. She stirs the pot faster and faster until the soup splashes against her skin, immediately turning that patch of skin red. She rushes to the faucet and lets the cool water run down her arm to minimize the pain.
She pushes aside the jealousy that distracted her. She finishes the soup and scoops it into a bowl. Carefully, she carries the soup up to his room.
With both pillows on the ground, she realizes he might be uncomfortable.
She sets the bowl aside so she can pick up the pillows. Sitting by him, she pulls him up. "Boss, drink some soup so you won't have a hangover in the morning. Come on."
He doesn't seem to understand what she's saying. Mage can only use her strength to lean him against the headboard. She can feed him in this position. If she just leaves, all he'll do is go back to sleep.
Desperate, she suddenly thinks of an idea… However, it's a bit shameful.
Her skin flushing, she sips the soup in her mouth and bends over Nangong Zifei's half-seated body. She presses her lips against his, so he can drink the soup in increments.
The soup is sweet and sour. He doesn't resist, actively swallowing the broth. She takes a second sip. His hand quickly shoots for her wrist, and the bowl in her hand slips and falls to the ground.
The bowl is hard enough that it doesn't shatter, but the pueraria flowers and the bitter ginseng litter the floor. Zifei has been drunk many times that these ingredients are a mainstay in the kitchen.
Dried pueraria flowers"Boss… ." The way she utters the word is vague. He lifts himself up despite his drunken stupor. He kisses her deeply before he duels with her lilac tongue.
Mage has never experienced anything like this, and she doesn't know how to react. She just lays down as Nangong kisses her. His breathing becomes erratic, and she feels his hands roaming all over her.
Shock courses through her veins, and she wants to push him away, but his strength overpowers hers. She is caged. All she can think about is how to de-escalate the situation. She starts screaming and shouting, "Boss… what are you doing?"
His mind is still hazy, and all he wants is release. The sweet lips against him aligns with his needs.
Feeling uncomfortable, he shifts his position and pulls her underneath him. His lips trail kisses where she hasn't been touched. His hand rips away her nightdress. The silk outfit tears once he yanks.
She didn't bother wearing underwear after her shower. She sobs uncontrollably when Zifei covers her skin with his hands.
He leans over, branding her with a trail of hot kisses.
Mage stops struggling. After all, this is the man she's fallen in love with. He has given her food and means to sustain her, and an education. How can she refuse him?
He pulls his trousers down, eager to find release regardless of the fact whether she's ready or not.
Mage sucks in her breath. "It's painful… You're hurting me… ."
Nangong Zifei calms down. He squints, but he doesn't see Mage. He brings his face close to hers and smiles.
Despite the pain and his crushing weight on her, his smile is enough to melt her heart.
"Zifei… ," she cries out.
His pounding doesn't stop, but becomes much gentler. He presses his lips against hers before leaning over to her ear. "An Chuxia, you're mine… ."
The smile on her face freezes, and the pain in her lower body and chest seem to radiate in torrents. The person she loves is using her body, but yells out another girl's name.
She can accept the fact he doesn't love her, but she can't accept that she's being treated as a substitute!
"I'm not An Chuxia, no!" She cries out and pushes Zifei away from her.
But he is so drunk he doesn't care. He pins her arms down and pounds against her faster and faster as he yells out An Chuxia's name, repeatedly. The way he says her name is soft and gentle.
"Let me go!" Tears start falling down her face.
Her feet are cold despite the room being warm. Pain courses through the lower part of her body; all she wants to do is escape. But she is so exhausted, desperate, and cold, she doesn't have any strength left to leave.
With her remaining energy, she smiles at Nangong Zifei and spits out, "An Chuxia, I hate you."
She can never hate him, but out of desperation, out of pain, she can hate An Chuxia.
Why did she have to exist? If she didn't, this man who is pressed against her won't call her by another girl's name!
Her sight is getting blurry. The pain is finally subsiding. She finally closes her eyes as she passes out.
Tonight was supposed to be different, not like the ones where the night sets and the sun rises.
But it doesn’t.
Nangong Zifei wakes up with a hangover. Turning his head to the side, he opens his eyes to see a sleeping face.
Immediately, he sits up, sucking his breath. This isn’t a dream. The scene before him remains the same.
His movement wakes her up from sleep but his gaze remains heavy on her. She returns his gaze and stares deeply into his eyes.