Chapter 13: Su Yanyan Makes Her Move

Yanyan was clearly trying to catch Lin Mo’s attention. He looked away and met her challenging gaze. “Are you deliberately provoking me?”

“What do you think?” She leaned closer.

“You could get yourself into trouble.”

“I’m not afraid.” Seeing she had made her point, she sat back and laughed. “Look at you. Did I scare you? I was teasing.”

She lifted her chin to sip her wine, exposing her pale neck. The sight made Lin Mo increasingly restless. She certainly knew how to tempt him, he thought. Wasn’t she afraid things might go too far?

“Come on, eat before it gets cold.” She served him some braised fish. “Try my cooking. Other men don’t get this chance, you know. You’re lucky.”

“I’m honored.”

He tasted it. It was delicious, and the fish looked and smelled wonderful. But after swallowing, he noticed something else: beneath the aroma was a scent similar to the one on Yanyan.

Was she serious about this? He hadn’t known she could be so daring. Part of him thought he had nothing to lose if a beautiful woman pursued him, but he checked himself. If they acted on impulse, the consequences might harm Yanyan for life.

“How is it?” She watched him expectantly, unaware he had noticed anything unusual.

“Very good. I didn’t know you could cook like this.”

“Of course I can! If I weren’t thanking you for saving me yesterday, you wouldn’t get the chance.” She beamed at his praise.

He ate a few more bites and realized she had added something to almost every dish. His awakened Divine Emperor bloodline made its effect on him weak, but Yanyan was growing flushed, perhaps from the wine as well.

“We haven’t seen each other in years, and you won’t even have one drink. It’s no fun drinking alone.” She poured more wine into his glass, stood, and offered it to him. Her red face suggested she was already tipsy.

“You’ve had too much. Slow down.” He stood and reached for the glass, but she drank it herself in one swallow.

“You…” He hadn’t known she could be so reckless with alcohol. When she reached for the bottle again, he took it away.

“I can hold my liquor. I can still drink.” She tried to snatch it back, tripped over her own feet, and fell forward.

“Careful.” He caught her. She clung to him, still reaching for the bottle. “I can drink more…”

“You’ve had enough.” He pushed it farther away and supported her toward the bedroom. “I’ll help you lie down.”

“No, I can still drink!” she protested, though she had little strength left and was almost hanging from him.

Her fragrance unsettled him. He bit his tongue, forcing himself to stay calm. If he took advantage of her now, how could he ever face her afterward?

In the bedroom, she leaned against him, drunk. “I’m not drunk. I can drink more… Lin Mo, you can’t even drink as much as a woman. I wonder if you’re even capable.”

He clenched his teeth. Her words irritated him, but he kept telling himself he mustn’t take advantage of her. Even as he wrestled with the temptation, reason won out. He helped her onto the bed and pulled the covers over her.

“Get some rest.” She clearly couldn’t hold her liquor; why had she forced so much down?

As he turned to leave, she caught his wrist.

“What is it?”

Before he could react, she pulled him close and kissed him. Already struggling to keep his composure, he felt his restraint slipping. She had made the move, he thought; could he still back away?

“Su Yanyan, you started this!”

…