Chapter 27: Shivering, So Scared

"Hmph? I was afraid of bringing up bad memories from your past."

"But now you've just added more bad memories to the list."

Hearing Yao Yao's honest confession, Yu Ao Tian narrowed his eyes coldly. He really wanted to strangle this brutally honest little thing. "Oh? I've added more bad memories, have I? Well then, sorry. I'll make sure you forget them soon."

As he spoke, he grabbed both her wrists with one hand.

Yao Yao's heart skipped a beat. "Boss Yu, what are you—"

The next moment, her feet left the ground. Yu Ao Tian lifted her by her wrists, slowly suspending her over the edge of a mountain cliff.

"Ah!" A bottomless drop stretched beneath her feet. If he lost his grip, she'd be crushed to pieces. "Boss Yu, please! Let me go, I'm begging you!"

"Shhh, baby, don't move. If you wiggle too much and I accidentally drop you…"

"Okay, I—I won't move. I swear." Yao Yao froze in place, but her body still trembled uncontrollably from fear.

"Mmm, baby, you're still shaking."

"I'm scared! Of course I'm shaking!" Yao Yao shouted in protest.

Yu Ao Tian frowned theatrically. "Oh? Talking back now? What should I do... I think I'm losing my grip…"

"No!" She felt his hand loosen slightly, and her body dipped downward. "Ah!" But she only dropped a few inches before he caught her again.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Her heart pounded as if it would leap out of her chest. Her face turned deathly pale. Staring at Yu Ao Tian's wicked smile, she shouted in fury, "What do you want from me?! I only mistook you for a male escort two years ago! And now, two years later, you've taken my first kiss. Isn't that enough?! What will it take for you to leave me alone?!"

"Your first kiss?" So in the past two years, no one else had managed to taste this sweet fruit?

She had planned to give her first kiss to Feng Chen Yi on her 18th birthday. But then he cheated on her out of the blue, and her first kiss had remained untouched… until now.

"You want me to let you go?"

She nodded frantically.

"Alright then." With a devilish smile, Yu Ao Tian slowly pulled her back from the edge. "Close your eyes. Stick out your tongue. And don't open your eyes until I tell you to."

"W-Why?" Was he going to cut off her tongue? No! She instinctively covered her mouth, panic in her eyes.

"You said you wanted me to let you go, didn't you? Then do as I say."

Seeing his serious expression, she took a deep breath and steeled herself. Fine. If this mafia boss would leave her alone, she'd do anything. She shut her eyes tightly and hesitantly stuck out her tongue.

Suddenly, she felt something…

It was a strange sensation—soft, warm, tingly.

Like a snake, smooth and gentle, prying open her lips…

Wait, what is this?

Yao Yao suddenly sensed something was wrong and snapped her eyes open—

Only to find Yu Ao Tian's impossibly handsome face inches from hers. The intoxicating scent of his cologne invaded her senses, overwhelming her.

She noticed his long, curled lashes. So beautiful…

No! This wasn't right! She was being kissed by force—why on earth was she admiring his looks?

But still…

This was clearly the second time Yu Ao Tian had kissed her. Unlike the panic of the first time, now she felt herself drawn into the sensation. Was it because her eyes were closed?

His commanding kiss brought a soft blush to her pale cheeks.

No, she had to stop this. If it continued, it would be dangerous. "Mmm!" She pushed against his chest with both hands.

He slowly opened his eyes and pulled away. "Didn't I say not to open your eyes without my permission? Now I have to punish you." He spoke slowly, teasingly. Then, with a mocking smile, added, "Also… your kissing technique still sucks."

"How can you say that? It was you who—" Yu Ao Tian was a devil. An inhuman devil! Fearing she'd make him angrier, she swallowed her anger.

"But since no other man has tasted you, I've decided to let it slide." He reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and stuffed a few hundred yuan into her hand.

Yao Yao stared at the money and immediately flared up. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you treating me like—?!" She threw the money to the ground in disgust.

"Heh. Baby, if a kiss is all it takes to earn money, then you're making money way too easily."

Watching his back as he walked to the car, she clenched her fists tightly. Bastard! Scumbag! You bully people and then mock them? You're not even human! One day, when I have the power, I'll make you clean toilets every single day! Ugh, you monster!

Just as Yu Ao Tian was about to start the car, he turned to glance at her.

Instantly, the angry expression on Yao Yao's face morphed into a sweet, obedient smile. "Hehe, Boss Yu, do you… have any other instructions?"

"That money… was for your cab ride home."

Thump. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat. She hadn't expected this feared mafia boss to actually…

Her eyes flicked cunningly. "Boss Yu, does that mean… our debts are settled?"

"Heh." He chuckled, but his expression quickly turned cold. "Keep dreaming. When you manage to kiss me with feeling, then we'll call it even." With that, he started the car and drove off.

As he disappeared down the road, Yao Yao finally let out all her frustration. "Jerk! Bastard! Devil! Monster!" But as she recalled his last words, she deflated like a punctured balloon. "'Kiss with feeling'? What does that even mean? If he says there's feeling, then there is. If he says there's not, then there isn't. What am I supposed to do?!"

The next morning, Yao Yao stood lifelessly in the elevator, drained of energy. She glanced at the time—it was almost time for the PR girls to start arriving. Even though she had gotten used to seeing Yu Ao Tian enter and exit the elevator, this was the first time she truly understood who he was. "Ugh… what should I do if he gets in the elevator later? Should I greet him like one of his underlings? So annoying."

Ding. Right at 10 a.m., the elevator doors opened. Yu Ao Tian stepped in with his usual unreadable expression.

"Morning, Princess Taiping," Long Qi chimed in behind him.

Hearing the nickname, Yao Yao pretended not to hear it. If she reacted, things might get even worse.

Then came Long Ye. She lowered her head even more. If Long Qi told him she called him a "perverted manager" yesterday, she might not survive the consequences.