Chapter 1

I stood frozen in place.

It was as if someone had pressed pause on my brain.

Xu Qing… actually agreed?!

He struggled to push himself up from the ground.

Sweat and blood mingled as they slid down his cheeks.

Those eyes, once so beautiful they made me feel inferior, now seemed veiled in ashes.

His voice was hoarse as he casually grabbed a towel from the railing nearby, wiping the blood from his face and body.

“I’ll go rinse off in the back and change my clothes.”

When he came out, his hair was dripping wet.

The blood was washed away, revealing his naturally handsome yet exhausted features.

His tone was flat. “Let’s go.”

As if agreeing to be a stand-in was the most ordinary thing in the world.

No!

Why does this feel like I’ve been played?

Bracing myself, I mustered what I thought was my most arrogant air, turned, and walked off: “Follow me.”

And so,

For some reason, I brought Xu Qing back to the villa where I lived.

“What do you want to drink?”

I tried to break the suffocating silence.

“No need.”

His long gaze fell on me.

“What do you want me to do? Who’s the first love? Since I’m a stand-in, there should be someone I’m supposed to imitate.”

I walked up to him, raising my hand to touch his face.

He trembled slightly, but didn’t pull away.

“In such a hurry? Then call me ‘baby’ first, let me hear it.”

Xu Qing’s eyes darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and his voice was low. “Baby.”

“Hey!”

I was delighted!

The little imp in my heart spread its wings and flew around.

Xu Qing, you’re finally getting a taste of this!

It feels great to have money!

His lips were thin.

My heart skipped a beat. I leaned in, brushed against them, and even licked his lower lip.

Xu Qing’s whole body went rigid, his fists seemed to clench.

The muscles in his arms were taut as stone.

But he didn’t push me away.

His stiff reaction gave me a twisted sense of pleasure.

See? Even someone as homophobic as him is at my mercy now!

I tilted my head and smiled, making things up: “That’s not good enough. My first love kissed me deep and lingering every time.”

“It felt so good, my legs would go weak.”

His body tensed even more.

Something flickered in his eyes, so fleeting I couldn’t catch it.

I put on a look of surprise, mocking him: “Don’t know how? Still got your first kiss, huh… no wonder…”

Before I could finish,

Xu Qing suddenly grabbed the back of my head and kissed me hard.

His other hand locked around my waist, pulling me tightly against him.

His tongue slipped between my lips.

I was instantly stunned, my mind blank from lack of oxygen.

All my senses were drowned by his breath, his strength, the undeniable invasion of his lips and tongue.

Just as I thought I was about to suffocate, he let me go.

He stared at me, licking away the moisture with a half-smile: “Baby, satisfied now?”

I staggered back, lips swollen and numb.

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from my chest.

A huge panic and inexplicable shudder swept over me.

I didn’t even dare look him in the eye. I turned and almost fled in a panic.

Leaning against the cold door,

I gasped for breath, my fingers trembling as they brushed my stinging lips.

How could it… end up like this?