The sound of water in the tub and Lin Wei's stifled gasps intertwined into a sticky melody.
From the bathroom of an old apartment in London's West End, it pierced through layers of brick walls and the driving snow.
It traveled clearly and unmistakably into the underground bar called "The Black Cat and the Nightingale," just a block away.
Hera sat in the deepest corner of the bar, where the flickering candlelight failed to illuminate her face shrouded in shadow.
Only the ring set with a massive ruby would occasionally catch a faint glint of light.
Between her fingers, she held a slender crystal goblet, the crimson liquid swirling as she gave it a slight tilt.
It gave off a rich, heavy fragrance of dark berries.
Every tiny ripple, every surge of pleasure that momentarily loosened the magical shackles within Jerry, was captured.
Even the fanatical, twisted waves of desire in Lin Wei's heart were as clear to Hera as a precise musical score.
She took a tiny sip of the wine, a hard-to-read emotion flashing in her deep eyes.
She could sense the "innocent and pure" act Jerry was currently performing.
Every "Sister, please stop" he uttered with a tearful tone felt incredibly real, yet at its core, it lured Lin Wei to be even more depraved.
And his size—which in Lin Wei's eyes was nothing short of a "monster"—pushed the contrast of the scene to the absolute limit.
"If I'd known... I should have made him collect a hundred pairs of panties from the start."
Hera muttered under her breath, her voice carrying a hint of disdain.
She seemed to be complaining that the game was too easy and the process wasn't exciting enough.
Just then, a lithe shadow fell across Hera's table.
Hera didn't look up; her peripheral vision had already caught the figure of the newcomer.
It was a young girl wearing a well-tailored long dress of deep blue velvet.
Her dark green eyes were like clear springs in a forest, pure and tranquil.
She had fair skin and chestnut hair that flowed down smoothly.
However, the steady aura she radiated and the weariness between her brows that didn't match her age revealed she was far from simple.
She was the President of the American Wizarding Association, Aurora Sterling.
Hera finally lifted her eyelids, and as her gaze fell on Aurora, a trace of undisguised mockery surfaced.
"What? That old man Dumbledore didn't come to talk to me himself?"
"Instead, he sent a little girl like you?"
Aurora ignored Hera's biting words.
She walked straight to the bar and spoke to the bartender in a voice as clear as a silver bell.
"A drink, please."
The bartender was a burly, expressionless man. He looked at Aurora, then at her overly young face.
After a moment of silence, what he served wasn't liquor, but a glass of warm milk with a thick, delicate layer of foam on top.
A faint aroma of wine wafted from the milk—it was clearly a milk-based drink soaked with wine.
The bar obviously knew her "special" requirements.
The corner of Aurora's mouth twitched imperceptibly, and she rolled her eyes, but her good breeding kept her from snapping.
She picked up the glass and took a small sip, the foam leaving a white mustache on her lip.
It created a bizarre contrast with her transcendent, ancient aura.
Aurora turned around to face Hera again, her eyes calm and her tone perfectly level.
"Dumbledore didn't find you."
Aurora paused, every word carrying an undeniable weight that contrasted with her delicate appearance.
"I found you."
The corner of Hera's mouth slowly curled into a playful, cat-and-mouse smile.
The smile rippled across her shadowed face, making her entire being radiate a dangerous yet charming aura.
Hera didn't show the slightest surprise or unease at having her tracks discovered.
Instead, she looked like she was seeing an old acquaintance she hadn't met in a long time but who had left a deep impression.
"So that's how it is!"
Hera's voice was soft and lazy, every syllable flowing like wine-soaked velvet through the dim air of the bar.
"I almost forgot that you always had the bad habit of flitting between worlds like a tireless, overly curious little butterfly."
There was a condescending familiarity in her words, as if they weren't facing off in a mortal bar in London.
As if they were still in the magnificent, power-drenched halls of Olympus.
Aurora's expression didn't change at all; she simply watched her with deep, bottomless dark green eyes.
She wasn't angry at Hera's flippancy, nor was she delighted at being recognized.
Hera gently swirled her wine, the crimson liquid leaving "tears" against the glass.
Her thoughts drifted back uncontrollably to the distant past—time was always a blur for a deity like her.
She remembered clearly that day when Aurora Sterling had stepped onto her "Golden Terrace" at the heart of the world cluster.
She had appeared just as she did now, in the form of a young girl, serving as the "Envoy" sent by the wizarding world.
In that place built of divine power and bathed in eternal daylight, they were surrounded by countless curious, scrutinizing, and even hostile gods.
Some were as massive as mountains, others so beautiful they made the stars pale in comparison.
And this "mortal" from another world had stood calmly among them.
She had held a cup of divine nectar given by Hera's own hand—a substance that would make a mortal's body explode from a single drop.
Yet she had sipped it as composedly as if it were mere milk.
She possessed a unique temperament, a stillness so ancient that even many young gods could not compare.
She was neither humble nor arrogant, her etiquette was perfect, yet at her core, she held a detachment that was completely out of place with the pantheon.
Hera had found her fascinating back then—a contradiction who clearly had a mortal shell but a soul that seemed to carry the history of an entire world.
But after Hera gained a deep understanding of what a "wizard" truly was, she realized it was the power of knowledge.
And wizards, as the vessels of knowledge... could turn everything into a deconstructible equation!
"Tell me, my dear little tourist."
Hera pulled her thoughts back to the present. She leaned forward, elbows on the table.
Her deep eyes scrutinized Aurora with interest.
"Do you still remember the taste of the mead I served you?"
"Or has the bland milk of this world made you forget the true flavor of divinity?"
Aurora finally reacted, placing her half-finished milk on the bar.
The white stain on her upper lip made her look, for a split second, truly innocent.
"The taste is fine," she replied calmly, appearing not to hear the sarcasm in Hera's voice.
"At least it's much purer than certain meads mixed with too much desire and conspiracy."
The smile on Hera's face widened as she let out a delighted chuckle.
"Still as sharp-tongued as ever."
Hera sat up straight, drained the last of her red wine, and set the glass down heavily on the table with a sharp clack.
"Then, let's get down to business, Miss 'President' from the Americas."
Hera's eyes sharpened instantly. Her previous lazy playfulness vanished.
It was replaced by the cold majesty of a god scrutinizing a mortal.
"Since you were the one who found me, and not that old bee hiding in the castle playing with his students..."
"Tell me, then. What do you want?"
Hera's voice echoed in the dim corner. She turned her empty glass upside down on the table with a crisp click.
The ruby ring flashed under the candlelight like a watchful eye.
She leaned back into the soft leather sofa, legs crossed, one hand tapping rhythmically on the worn wood of the armrest.
Aurora didn't answer immediately.
She just stood there silently, her eyes appearing like bottomless pits in the dim light.
Her right hand still gripped the warm milk, while her left hung at her side, fingers curling slightly as if she were restraining herself.
"Your husband," Aurora finally spoke, her voice terrifyingly level.
Every word sounded as if it were being squeezed out from beneath a layer of ice.
"He killed my most prized student."
As she spoke, she stared directly at Hera, without blinking or showing any excess emotion.
But the hand holding the glass showed an unnatural whiteness around the knuckles.
Hera's expression froze for a moment.
In her shadowed face, the corner of her eye twitched, and her lips thinned into a line.
The air seemed to freeze, and even the blues music from the distant jukebox turned harsh.
"Heh!"
Aurora suddenly let out a cold laugh. It was short and sharp, like a knife scraping glass.
She slammed her milk glass onto the bar. The white liquid splashed over the rim, leaving a wet mark on the dark wood.
Hera's expression shifted.
Her brows furrowed tight, her smile vanished, and a complex, nameless emotion took over.
There was disgust, fatigue, and a trace of almost imperceptible speechlessness.
"You mean... those 'Infiltrators'?"
Hera spoke slowly, her voice carrying a deliberate contempt, as if using it to mask her internal turmoil.
She sat up straight, hands folded over her knees. The gesture looked elegant and poised, but it radiated a sense of defense.
Aurora didn't deny it.
She merely tilted her head, a bizarre smile appearing on her youthful face.
Her eyes curved into crescents, looking innocent, yet the sight was spine-chilling.
"Their skills were lacking!" Aurora chirped, her voice as light as if she were discussing the weather.
"The Agmaris Warband—the most elite Animagi masters under my command."
"Each one of them could transform into any creature in an instant, even mimicking divine power signatures."
Aurora paused, sticking her tongue out to lick the remaining milk from her lip.
The gesture was childishly casual, yet it made her next words feel even colder.
"And the result? During the exploration mission, the entire unit was wiped out."
"Not even their bodies were recovered."
"That world was not among the corresponding worlds you previously submitted to us. It was an independent, unexplored world."
"I thought there was some legendary figure in that world, until I visited the scene myself and found... this."
Aurora's smile remained, but there was no warmth in her eyes—only a bottomless darkness.
Bzzzt—
A bolt of blue lightning flashed within her pupils.
"However!"
Aurora's tone shifted suddenly. She picked up her milk again and took a small sip.
"I have no intention of blaming you, the 'virtuous wife'."
"After all, how can one expect a woman who can't even control the color of her own husband's hat to keep him in check?"
The words were like a needle, precisely stabbing Hera's most sensitive nerve—a jab at her husband's constant infidelity.
Hera's face turned deathly pale with rage.
She stood up abruptly. The moment she clenched her fist, the ruby ring erupted with a blinding red light.
The temperature in the entire bar plummeted.
The bartender behind the counter shivered and instinctively took a step back.
But Aurora didn't move an inch.
She just stood there, looking up at Hera, who was a head taller than her, with that same innocent smile.
The two women faced off, the air thick with the tension of a drawn bowstring.
Suddenly, Aurora's gaze drifted toward the window.
Her pupils contracted slightly, and a strange light flashed in her dark green eyes.
Her mental power acted like an invisible thread, piercing through layers of brick and snow.
It settled precisely on a specific window in the apartment building nearby.
She "saw" it.
The sound of water, the heavy breathing, and the primal, naked sound of flesh meeting flesh.
It all entered her perception with perfect clarity.
What interested her more was the divine energy signature covering the entire West End like a dense spiderweb.
That was Hera's power. She was monitoring every single move of that boy in real-time.
"Interesting," Aurora murmured under her breath, her voice so low it was almost inaudible.
She pulled her gaze back and looked at Hera once more.
The smile on her youthful face became even more meaningful.
"I thought," Hera finally spoke, her voice returning to a calm that was far more dangerous than her previous anger.
"That the American Wizarding Association wouldn't get involved in this."
She sat back down, but this time, her posture wasn't lazy. She was coiled like a spring, ready to strike.
Her gaze locked onto Aurora like a lioness marking its prey.
"It is the American Magic Association!"
Aurora corrected her almost immediately, her voice rising to a sharp, girlish pitch.
She pursed her lips and frowned, looking both cute and ridiculous in her stubbornness.
"The Association. Not a 'Ministry'."
"We are nothing like those old fossils in Europe. We have an advanced organizational structure, democratic decision-making, and—"
"Enough," Hera interrupted, waving a hand as if shooing a noisy fly.
"Whatever you call it, it's all the same. You wizards love to play word games, as if a change in title changes the essence."
Aurora's cheeks puffed out slightly, like an annoyed hamster.
But she quickly composed herself, took a deep breath, and returned to her expressionless mask.
"True. In the end, it is all the same," Aurora said slowly.
She walked to Hera's table and sat in the chair opposite her.
Folding her hands on the table, she leaned forward, her green eyes boring into Hera's.
"Our interests and goals are the same. Even if our philosophies differ on the small things."
She paused, her gaze drifting back toward the window with a pointed look.
"For example, the way we treat ordinary people."
"You like to treat them as toys, as entertainment, as pawns to be moved at will."
"We... at least give them a bit of dignity."
"But that!" Aurora's voice suddenly turned cold and firm. "Has nothing to do with taking down your Divine Court anymore."
She held up her right hand, extending two slender fingers and waving them slightly in the air.
"The False Olympic Pantheon world cluster has only two choices."
She spoke one word at a time, each falling like a heavy hammer on Hera's heart.
"Either become a vassal, or face total annihilation. There is no other choice."
The music in the bar stopped.
The jukebox gave a harsh crunch and fell silent.
The only sounds left were the breathing of the two women and the occasional roar of a car engine from the snowy street outside.
Hera remained silent for a long time.
She looked down at her ruby ring.
The gem shimmered with an eerie red light in the dimness, like a drop of solidified blood.
Then, she suddenly laughed.
"Then let the world of Olympus vanish."
Hera shrugged, the gesture carrying a childish nonchalance that was a massive contrast to her status as Queen of the Gods.
"I'd much rather be a Dueling Professor anyway!"
Hera reached for the empty glass on the table, examined it against the candlelight for a moment, and set it down gently.
"Rather than a parent who is eternally chasing a cheating husband, cleaning up messes, and being responsible for a bunch of idiot deities."
Having said this, Hera relaxed completely, as if a heavy set of chains had been lifted from her.
Aurora watched her with a complex look.
"Are you serious?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of disbelief.
"I've never been more serious," Hera replied, a genuine smile curling her lips.
"Do you know, little butterfly? The most painful part of being a Queen isn't the power struggles or the deception. It's that... you can never escape."
"You are trapped in that position, trapped in that marriage, trapped in those stupid rules and traditions."
She stood up and walked to the window. Through the glass fogged with condensation, she looked at the snowy street.
"And now, you've given me an opportunity. A chance for total liberation."
Aurora stood up as well and moved to her side. The two women stood by the window—one tall and elegant, the other petite and delicate—both radiating an equally powerful aura.
"That boy!" Aurora spoke suddenly, jerking her chin toward Jerry's direction. "What are you teaching him?"
Hera turned her head, a playful glint in her eye.
"I'm teaching him how to survive in the mortal world."
"Without magic, without divine power. Relying only on his skin and a clever brain."
"By tricking women out of their panties?" Aurora raised an eyebrow.
"By understanding desire," Hera corrected.
"Desire is the most powerful force in this world, stronger than any magic. You wizards always try to bind it with rules and suppress it with morality, but that only makes it more twisted and dangerous."
She paused, looking back out at the snow.
"I'm simply teaching him how to face it, how to use it, and then... how to enjoy it!"
"Is that so? Then how about a bet?"
The bathroom door creaked open, and steam billowed out, carrying a rich scent of body wash and heat.
Jerry was naked, with an oversized white towel wrapped loosely around his waist. His hair was damp and clung to his forehead, with a few strands hanging over his eyelashes. Water droplets snaked down his pale skin, sliding across his firm chest before disappearing beneath the towel.
His cheeks were flushed, looking like someone recovering from a fever or waking from a vivid dream. His lips were slightly parted, and there seemed to be a trace of sweetness remaining on them.
He braced a hand against the doorframe, pretending to look out at the living room with a dazed expression.
Lin Wei hadn't fully recovered from her soul-searing pleasure yet; she was still in the bathroom, her limbs weak as she rinsed her body.
The wet, squelching sounds of the shower and Lin Wei's occasional, muffled nasal groans told the story of everything that had just occurred.
Suddenly, a series of urgent knocks shattered the quiet, erotic atmosphere of the apartment.
"Weiwei! Open up! I'm freezing to death out here!"
A clear female voice, half-coaxing and half-complaining, came from outside. The frantic knocking grew louder, nearly shaking the wooden door off its hinges.
Jerry's feigned dazed look sharpened slightly.
He looked toward the door, which seemed ready to splinter under the vibration.
It was a purely mortal aura—weak, docile, and carrying the chill of the outside. It held no magical threat whatsoever.
Jerry's innocent face now showed only the confusion and vulnerability of someone whose peace had been disturbed.
The apartment door creaked open from the inside. Lin Wei appeared, still damp. Water dripped from the ends of her hair. She was only wearing a loose lace camisole nightgown that barely reached the tops of her thighs. Fine beads of sweat glistened on her neck and collarbones, giving off a scent of post-bath freshness mixed with the musk of spent desire.
A short-haired girl stood outside, her black bangs messy over her full forehead. She was wearing a heavy brown wool coat, her arms hugged tightly across her chest as she shivered violently.
Her cheeks and nose were red from the cold, and her teeth chattered. Seeing Lin Wei open the door, her small, pale face immediately filled with grievance.
"Weiwei! You finally opened the door! I'm practically an ice cube!"
"This weather is insane! This much snow is going to be the death of me!"
The girl complained as she squeezed inside impatiently, her body trembling from the chill.
She tossed her heavy coat onto the sofa. Beneath it, she wore a beige cashmere sweater and high-waisted jeans. The style was conservative and plain, making her look like a typical high-achieving student you'd find in a university library.
Her eyes were clear and her features gentle—the classic "good girl" image.
The short hair emphasized the grace of her neck, giving the impression of someone quiet and obedient who would never do anything out of line.
The girl blew out a puff of white air and rubbed her hands before looking up at Lin Wei with a pleading look.
"Weiwei, the snow is so bad today. I don't want to go back tonight. Can I stay over? Please, please! Your room has heating and a tub; I'd be in heaven..."
As she spoke, she jokingly nudged Lin Wei's waist, like a stray cat seeking shelter.
Lin Wei stumbled slightly from the push, her body leaning to the side.
Before she could regain her balance, the girl's gaze traveled over her shoulder and froze on the living room behind her—or rather, on Jerry, who had just stepped out of the bathroom wrapped only in a towel.
A bizarre silence instantly swallowed the apartment.
The rhythmic ticking of the radiator, the howling of the wind outside, and even the heavy breathing of Lin Wei's friend became clearly audible.
The girl's eyes went wide. Her cheeks, once red from the cold, turned deathly pale from shock.
Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.
Her slender finger hung frozen in mid-air, trembling as she pointed toward Jerry.
Jerry looked uncomfortable being stared at so directly.
He instinctively tightened his grip on the towel at his waist, covering his impressive "assets" a bit more securely.
On his youthful face, a layer of shyness and awkwardness was added to his initial confusion.
His amber eyes, shimmering like gems, blinked twice with a trace of dazed innocence, looking moist as if from the steam.
"Ah... that..."
Lin Wei snapped back to reality and hurriedly grabbed her friend's arm, trying to pull her attention away from Jerry.
But her damp nightgown clung to her body, and a soft strap slid down her shoulder as she moved, revealing her sweat-drenched skin. The scent she gave off—fresh from the bath but mixed with a primal, wild body musk and the heavy scent of a man—was intensely sexual and revealed the chaos of the situation.
"Xiao Rou, what are you doing here? You didn't call first."
Lin Wei gave a forced laugh, her arm holding her friend tight as she tried to use her own body to shield Jerry.
The short-haired girl, Xiao Rou, didn't seem to hear her. Her gaze was glued to Jerry—from his wet hair to his lean yet defined chest muscles, down to the lower half wrapped in the towel... every inch of skin was like a magnet pinning her sight.
"Who... who is he?"
Xiao Rou's voice was dry, as if someone were choking her. It carried an unbelievable tremble, and her lips had turned pale.
Her eyes, usually as gentle as a doe's, were now dilated with shock and inquiry.
Despite her attempt to stay composed, the flash of fanaticism in her eyes betrayed her true emotions.
Lin Wei, realizing she couldn't hide him, let out a cough. In a low, slightly helpless tone, she explained: "His name is Jerry. I... I met him on the street. The snow was too heavy, the coffee shops were closed, and he lost his wallet. I just let him take shelter here for a bit... he'll be gone tomorrow when the snow lets up."
She spoke too quickly, her guilty tone completely exposing that the situation was "not so simple."
Jerry chose that moment to give Xiao Rou a pure and charming smile. It was clean and untainted, a smile that could melt the coldest heart.
"Hello, I'm Jerry."
His voice was soft and carried the clarity of youth, yet possessed an inherent noble quality. "Sorry for disturbing you. I hope you can forgive me."
Xiao Rou looked back almost mechanically. Jerry's amber eyes, carrying a faint hint of pink, seemed to pierce through all deception and reach the deepest part of her heart. She felt her disguise being shattered in an instant.
Silently, she clenched her hands—curled from cold and excitement—into fists, her nails digging into her palms. The numbing stir awakened deep in her body and the shame of being seen through made her feel a wave of dizziness.
"You..."
Xiao Rou's lips moved, but she couldn't form a complete syllable.
Her gaze fell once again on the crotch area concealed beneath Jerry's bath towel.
Despite the fabric blocking her view, the clearly visible, majestic outline—and the way the lower edge of the towel had tensed with his body's movement when he pushed the door open—was deeply engraved in her mind.
That thick, suffocating size on a boy who looked so young... the sheer visual impact left her brain almost completely blank.
"Xiao Rou?"
Lin Wei, seeing her frozen and motionless, shook her gently with concern, trying to distract her. "Didn't you want to come in and warm up?
Come in quickly, it's cold outside."
Xiao Rou snapped back to her senses, taking a deep, forceful breath as if to suppress all her chaotic emotions.
She mechanically withdrew her gaze and looked back at Lin Wei.
"Ah... oh, right."
Her voice was still somewhat dry, even carrying an unusual raspiness. "The snow... the snow is really heavy.
I... can I come in first?
I'm freezing." As she spoke, she squeezed out a forced smile, though it appeared stiff and unnatural on her pale face.
She bypassed Lin Wei, but instead of heading toward the living room, she stumbled slightly and rushed into the bathroom in a panic. The lingering hot steam inside seemed to slightly soothe her racing heart.
Faintly, the sounds of deep breathing and cold water being splashed against her face could be heard from within the bathroom.
Jerry watched Xiao Rou's retreating back as she practically fled, and his amber eyes flashed once more with an elusive, all-knowing slyness. Jerry silently pursed his lips like a little fox that had spotted its prey, before returning to his innocent and slightly confused expression.
Lin Wei let out a helpless sigh and closed the apartment door.
She looked at Jerry, her eyes full of apology. "Sorry about that, Jerry. My friend is a bit... introverted.
Don't mind her."
"It's okay, Sister."
Jerry shook his head obediently, looking as if he truly didn't care, looking so innocent it was almost heartbreaking. He tightened the bath towel around his waist and then unconsciously shifted his hips.
The fabric beneath the towel tensed and bulged accordingly. That proud, majestic outline shimmered beneath the white cloth, filled with a suffocating sense of pressure, yet wrapped in an ultimate contrast of "purity."
Lin Wei's gaze settled on the bulge beneath Jerry's towel, and her eyes darkened significantly.
That vague shape was like a silent magnet, powerfully drawing her sight. Lin Wei felt a familiar heat rising in her lower abdomen again, and her entire body felt a bit weak.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart's fluttering, but a sentence she would normally never say slipped out of her mouth: "Jerry, you must be hungry, right?
Sister will cook for you. How about hotpot?"
"Hotpot?"
Jerry's amber eyes lit up instantly, filled with childlike curiosity and anticipation. "What's that?"
"Something very delicious that will warm you right up."
Lin Wei looked at his innocent appearance, and her heart softened; most of the previous awkwardness dissipated.
Lin Wei didn't usually cook; her kitchen was mostly filled with delivery menus and instant food.
But tonight, she broke her own rules and pulled out her long-buried cookware, starting to bustle about clumsily.
She took pre-prepped pork ribs and various vegetables from the fridge, then fished out her grandmother's exclusive fish soup base from the depths of the freezer. It was a small fish that had been meticulously deboned and simmered into a milky-white, thick broth.
She had prepared it specifically to treat herself during the New Year since she wasn't going home.
Now, the things she had spent so much effort preparing became the feast to entertain Jerry.
Soon, the kitchen was filled with the sound of running water, the crackling of the pan, and the aroma of the pork ribs after being blanched.
Lin Wei's busy figure was vaguely visible through the steam, her nightgown clinging to her body and outlining her graceful curves.
Not long after, the bathroom door creaked open.
Xiao Rou walked out with her short hair still damp.
Water droplets still clung to her face, and a sense of freshness after washing away her restlessness lingered around her eyes, though they were now slightly red and swollen, as if she had just been crying.
She was wearing one of Lin Wei's oversized white T-shirts and a pair of athletic shorts. The shirt was far too big, hanging loosely on her and making her look even more petite and helpless.
"Weiwei, what are you doing?"
Xiao Rou's voice was a bit hoarse, but it had returned to normal.
She glanced at Lin Wei working in the kitchen and then quickly let her gaze sweep over Jerry, who was still wrapped in a towel on the sofa, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"Cooking hotpot!" Lin Wei poked her head out and shouted with a smile. "Come over quickly and help me clear the table!"
"Hotpot?"
A flash of surprise crossed Xiao Rou's face. she had never seen Lin Wei this industrious before.
But she didn't think too much of it and obediently walked to the dining table, beginning to clear away the magazines and random snacks.
Soon, a small circular induction cooker in the center of the table was turned on. The milky-white fish soup base bubbled in the pot, emitting a rich, fresh fragrance.
Pork ribs, beef rolls, tofu, and various fresh vegetables and mushrooms were neatly arranged around it, colorful and very inviting.
The three of them sat around the table.
Lin Wei sat to Jerry's left, while Xiao Rou sat properly to his right.
"Here, Jerry, try this. These are the pork ribs I love most!"
Lin Wei was all smiles as she skillfully used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of tender, simmered rib. She blew on it gently before placing it in the small bowl in front of Jerry.
Jerry picked up his chopsticks clumsily, attempting to grab the rib.
Jerry certainly knew how to use chopsticks, but here, he pretended it was his first time.
His long, slender fingers appeared awkward between the sticks, and several times the rib slipped through the gap.
Xiao Rou watched his cute struggle and couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
The laugh was very light, carrying the specific shyness and gentleness of a "good girl."
Xiao Rou reached out and gently covered Jerry's hand with her own. In English that was slightly more fluent than Lin Wei's, she said: "Let me teach you, Jerry.
Hold the chopsticks like this, the thumb-crotch should..."
Xiao Rou's fingers gently rubbed the back of Jerry's hand, her fingertips inadvertently sliding over his delicate skin, feeling the warmth radiating from his palm.
Jerry's body, which had been a bit tensed from learning to use the chopsticks, stiffened slightly at her gentle touch.
He looked up, his amber eyes looking at Xiao Rou with pure and slightly confused wonder, as if asking her: Sister, what's wrong? Red clouds immediately flew to Xiao Rou's cheeks. She hurriedly withdrew her hand and turned her gaze toward the hotpot in a panic. "Ah... just like that. It's very simple."
She spoke as she picked up a piece of tofu, put it in her own bowl, and lowered her head to chew slowly, as if the tofu held some great secret.
The three of them gathered around the boiling hotpot.
The room was filled with warmth, while goose-feather snow continued to fall outside.
The aroma of the ribs, the sweetness of the fish soup, and the crispness of the vegetables blended into a taste of home, making the cold winter night feel exceptionally cozy.
However, beneath this heartwarming scene, an indescribable undercurrent was hidden.
Jerry sat between the two of them, his keen perception picking up the different "temperatures" coming from both sides.
Lin Wei's passion was like fire—direct and blazing.
But Xiao Rou's passion was like an undercurrent, hidden beneath the surface, not showing itself but possessing a power that pierced the heart.
He felt something touch his calf, seemingly absentmindedly.
The touch was very light and soft, like a feather, yet also like a bolt of electricity. Every light graze sent a layer of fine goosebumps across his skin.
It was a small, soft foot, rubbing gently against the skin of his inner thigh through his towel and her own loose trouser leg.
The touch varied in pressure, sometimes flicking upward, sometimes pressing down.
Xiao Rou's toes could even sensitively feel the massive size beneath Jerry's towel.
She didn't touch it directly; she just circled around the sensitive area at the root of his thigh, as if measuring it, or perhaps as a silent provocation.
Jerry inconspicuously glanced at Xiao Rou beside him.
She was looking down, obediently scooping soup from the pot with a spoon and sipping it in small mouthfuls. Her focused appearance made it seem as though nothing in the world concerned her.
But her tensed knees and slightly reddened earlobes betrayed her true emotions. Xiao Rou's toes were now rubbing unhesitatingly and gently against Jerry's root.
A flash of slyness crossed Jerry's eyes once more.
Jerry knew very well that deep inside this girl who looked the most "obedient" lived a beast even crazier than Lin Wei.
Jerry knew that if he moved just a little, he could feel her reaction, but he didn't.
He just stayed silent, enjoying the vague teasing.
Lin Wei picked up a slice of fatty beef and had just placed it in Jerry's bowl when she noticed he was zoning out, staring blankly at the hotpot.
"What's wrong, Jerry? Is it not good?"
Lin Wei asked with concern.
Jerry snapped back to reality and gave her a pure smile. "It's delicious, Sister.
It's just... the hotpot is so hot, my legs feel a bit warm."
He shifted his thighs slightly inward, almost imperceptibly.
Jerry could clearly feel that Xiao Rou's toes, which had been rubbing the root of his cock, followed the movement and pressed closer. She even went a step further, boldly moving to the edge of the towel and gently touching his massive tip.
"Hot?" Lin Wei frowned, reaching out to feel Jerry's forehead. "You're not getting sick, are you?
The pot is on the table; how could your legs be hot?"
As she spoke, she looked at Xiao Rou suspiciously. Xiao Rou was obediently eating with her head down, showing no sign of anything being out of the ordinary.
Xiao Rou was startled by Lin Wei's gaze and hurriedly withdrew her foot, pretending to nonchalantly pick up a piece of cabbage and put it in her mouth.
Xiao Rou's cheeks were now so red they looked ready to bleed, and her heart felt like it would leap out of her throat. Her fingertips were dug deep into her palms from the tension.
Jerry stole a glance at Xiao Rou and noticed that on her seemingly calm face, the corners of her eyes were slightly reddened.
He knew that was a mix of excitement and shyness.
Jerry shifted his thighs outward again, almost imperceptibly—it was a silent invitation.
Almost at the same moment, Xiao Rou's small foot silently pressed against his inner thigh once more. This time, the touch became even bolder and more direct.
Her instep could even clearly feel the shape of his meat-root and the surging, restless throb within.
Lin Wei's eyes initially only held a trace of suspicion.
She knew Xiao Rou too well.
This best friend she had grown up with since they were in diapers looked like a gentle rabbit on the surface, but her bones hid a wolf that knew best how to wait for its moment.
She said the most obedient things but did the boldest ones, only she never let anyone catch her in the act.
Lin Wei's gaze slid down from Jerry's pure, innocent face—flushed from the steam—past his well-defined collarbones and chest, and finally landed beneath the table.
"Oops!" Lin Wei let out a fake exclamation as her chopsticks "accidentally" slipped and fell to the floor.
She took the opportunity to bend down and pick them up, her body sinking into the shadows beneath the table.
In that instant, the sight under the table made her breath hitch.
Xiao Rou's small foot, clad in a white cotton sock, was rubbing wantonly against the root of Jerry's thigh.
The thin bath towel offered no barrier to the touch; she could even see the towel being propped up into a breathtaking arc by the engorged monster within.
And Xiao Rou's toes were like a dragonfly skimming the water, tracing circles over and over at the very peak and most sensitive spot of that arc.
Jerry's leg muscles were tensed, his toes curling unconsciously. His look of endurance was clearly an effort to suppress something.
Lin Wei's heart gave a violent thud. An emotion mixed with the annoyance of being betrayed, the excitement of discovering a secret, and a strong competitive spirit surged up instantly.
Well played, Xiao Rou. You actually dare to sneak a bite right in front of me? Lin Wei straightened up, her face already having returned to its nonchalant smile, as if she had seen nothing at all.
She set the fallen chopsticks aside and took a fresh, clean pair. While rinsing them with hot water, she asked in an extremely natural, conversational tone:
"By the way, Xiao Rou, is Auntie's flight booked?
My mom just messaged me saying she's already boarded."
This sudden topic change made Xiao Rou freeze for a moment, but she reacted quickly.
When an outsider was present—especially one like Jerry, who looked like he understood no Chinese—they habitually used code or changed topics to exclude him. it was almost an instinct.
She had no idea that her little movements had been fully seen.
"Yeah, it's booked. She's on the same flight as your mom. They arrive at Heathrow Terminal 5 tomorrow morning at nine. Still flying British Airways."
Xiao Rou answered while lowering her head to fish out a springy shrimp ball from the pot and put it in her mouth.
Her movements were elegant and demure, her face wearing an obedient smile, as if she were truly discussing her mother's itinerary seriously.
However, at the same moment she spoke, Lin Wei silently kicked off her plush slippers beneath the table.
Her long, exquisite bare feet curled their toes against the warm carpet.
Then, like a slippery snake, they silently probed toward Jerry's other leg.
Jerry's body stiffened abruptly.
He felt a sensation completely different from Xiao Rou's gentle, socked probing coming from his left calf.
It was a patch of smooth, warm, and slightly moist skin—Lin Wei's sole.
Her toes nimbly hooked around his ankle and then, with an unquestionable force, slid slowly upward along the muscle lines of his calf.
Lin Wei's feet were beautiful, her toes rounded and painted with bright red nail polish, looking like blooming poppies in the dim light under the table. Her instep rubbed gently against Jerry's thigh.
Finally, it stopped beside that same giant object covered by the towel, which was now hard and burning hot.
Unlike Xiao Rou, Lin Wei didn't touch it directly but used her toes to rhythmically flick and stroke the side of the monster.
Every touch made the giant throb violently and uncontrollably.
"I knew it. Our moms definitely wouldn't tell us and would sneakily book their tickets together.
God, they were like Siamese twins back home, and they still won't give it a rest now that they're in the UK."
Lin Wei's tone carried the affectionate complaint of a daughter toward her mother.
As she spoke, she picked up a piece of soft, simmered winter melon, blew on it, and held it to Jerry's lips. "Try this, Jerry. Careful, it's hot."
Jerry opened his mouth and obediently ate the melon Lin Wei fed him.
The scalding melon slid down his throat. The burning warmth intertwined with the near-exploding numbness of his lower half, forming an indescribable, almost self-torturing pleasure.
Xiao Rou naturally felt the pressure from her "competitor."
Her foot under the table paused for a second, and then her movements became even bolder.
No longer satisfied with rubbing through the towel, she used her toes to nimbly hook a corner of it, attempting to flip the annoying fabric away so her foot could directly contact the source of that heat.
"Yeah, that's why I ran over to your place tonight!"
Xiao Rou echoed, her voice carrying an imperceptible tremor of excitement. "The snow is so heavy, and we have to head to the airport first thing tomorrow anyway.
Your place is close to school, so we can just take the tube directly from here in the morning. It's much more convenient."
Her words were logical and perfectly explained her late-night visit.
Lin Wei's apartment was near the KCL main campus with convenient transport; it was indeed much more convenient for getting to Heathrow than her own remote residence.
Their mothers had been best friends back home, living in the same compound since childhood. It was perfectly normal for them to travel to the UK together to see their daughters.
Only, none of them expected that this pure "bestie night" would become such a turbulent undercurrent because of a blonde boy who had accidentally intruded.
Beneath the table, a war without gunpowder was proceeding silently.
Xiao Rou's toes finally got their wish, hooking open the edge of the towel. Her moist, warm toe tip touched the tip of Jerry's monster directly for the first time.
"Mmph..." Jerry couldn't help it anymore, letting out a suppressed groan from his throat.
He straightened his back abruptly, and the chopsticks in his hand fell onto the table with a clack.
"What's wrong, Jerry?" Lin Wei and Xiao Rou asked almost in unison, both wearing "just right" concern on their faces.
"Nothing... it's just... a bit spicy..."
Jerry's face turned red, and he made up a random excuse. He felt like he was going crazy. That soul-searing touch sent all the blood in his body to his lower half, and that thing felt like it was about to burst.
Lin Wei looked at his cute, almost tearful appearance, and the smile on her face deepened.
Her foot showed no weakness either, sliding into the gap in the towel from the other side. She used her smooth instep to gently wrap around the root of the giant, even using her toes to lightly tease the two full orbs beneath.
Now, Jerry's proud monster was sandwiched from head to tail by two equally soft, equally teasing small feet.
The hotpot continued to bubble with steam, the rising mist blurring the faces of the three young people.
Their conversation continued to revolve around tomorrow's airport pickup, London's weather, and the gifts their mothers liked. Everything sounded so normal, so heartwarming.
The steam from the hotpot condensed into a blurred mist on the window. As night fell, the wind and snow outside didn't let up but became even more intense.
After finishing the hotpot and tidying up, Lin Wei and Xiao Rou had a brief argument over who would sleep where.
Ultimately, considering Jerry was a boy and seemed a bit "delicate," they let him sleep on the sofa near the radiator in the living room, while they returned to the bedroom which had no heating.
In the living room, Lin Wei turned off the wall lamps, leaving only the faint streetlights from outside and the occasional flicker of dark red from the fireplace, making the space shadowy and exceptionally quiet.
The sofa was soft and warm, covered with a thick cashmere blanket that gave off a comforting homey scent.
Jerry lay on the sofa wrapped in the blanket, feeling the warmth radiating from the radiator, but his heart was not entirely at peace.
He could even imagine the atmosphere in Lin Wei and Xiao Rou's room at this moment; beneath that surface-level sisterhood was a hidden competitive drive for him.
The night deepened.
No sound could be heard from the room.
Jerry pretended to have fallen into a deep sleep, his breathing becoming steady and long.
Though his amber eyes were closed, he could perceive every subtle change around him in the darkness.
Jerry could "hear" extremely light footsteps on the floor—the kind of cautious movement belonging only to one person, like a cat in the night, every step carrying a probe and a disguise.
The footsteps stopped by the sofa.
A faint scent, carrying the fragrance of body wash, brushed past Jerry's nose.
The scent was mixed with the unique girlish fragrance of Xiao Rou, and that kind of deliberately suppressed, restless craving.
Jerry didn't move, only feeling a warm breath starting from his ankle and slowly spreading upward.
It was Xiao Rou.
She hadn't turned on the light, coming completely in the dark.
Jerry pretended to sleep even deeper, even letting out a few faint snores.
Xiao Rou knelt gently in front of Jerry.
She didn't touch him directly at first. Instead, she extended her slender fingers and carefully pulled back the cashmere blanket covering him. A small gap was opened, and a chill of night air snuck in, making Jerry give a slight shiver.
Then, those hands slowly fumbled along his thighs, finally stopping at the edge of the bath towel.
In the darkness, she gently flipped open the towel at Jerry's waist.
Hiss... Xiao Rou let out an extremely light intake of breath, carrying an unbelievable gasp of amazement, the sound suppressed deathly deep in her throat, almost inaudible.
Jerry felt a burst of cold air hit him, followed by a trembling hand, carrying an unsuppressable fanaticism and desire, gently gripping Jerry's meat-root, which was slightly relaxed from sleep yet still majestic.
"God... so, so big... westerners really are different..." Xiao Rou's voice was lowered to the absolute limit, like a whisper, carrying an unbelievable shock and a kind of worship awed by extreme majesty. Xiao Rou's palm was small, barely able to fully grip the giant object. Her warm skin touched it through the soft fabric, and a bolt of numbing electricity instantly spread from Xiao Rou's fingertips throughout Jerry's entire body.
Under the gentle caress of Xiao Rou's hand, the monster began to engorge and expand at a visible rate, becoming hard as iron.
Its tip had become burning hot, emitting a rich and tempting masculine aura, seemingly radiating an invisible light in the pitch-black living room.
Xiao Rou's fingers began to stroke along every inch of the monster's contour. She could feel the fine blood vessels on its surface, the incredible length and thick size. Xiao Rou's wrist trembled slightly from being propped up by it, as if she might lose strength at any moment.
"This is... so perverse... it's much bigger than the ones in those movies..."
Xiao Rou's voice became even lower, carrying an unspeakable raspiness, every word squeezed from the depths of her soul.
Then, Xiao Rou's warm mouth carefully opened and accurately took Jerry's scalding and thick tip inside.
A strong surge of stimulation instantly swept through Jerry's brain. Xiao Rou's lips were soft and warm, her tongue nimbly licking the glans. Every gentle suck was like a small bomb exploding deep within his consciousness.
Jerry's body tensed abruptly, every muscle trembling from this sudden, intense pleasure.
Xiao Rou's movements were careful, carrying a trace of suppressed fanaticism. Her tongue nimbly traced circles around the glans and then licked gently upward along the shaft.
Her mouth was warm and moist, every inch wrapping around the giant, bringing her unparalleled sensory stimulation.
"Ah... mmh... so... so hard..."
Xiao Rou continuously emitted suppressed low pants and satisfied nasal hums, each carrying a deep tremor, as if enduring ultimate pleasure. Her palm still gripped the root tightly, feeling its pulse as it continued to engorge and expand. Xiao Rou's eyes opened slightly in the darkness, the pupils flashing with desire and conquest. Her body trembled slightly, cheeks tensed, and fine beads of sweat slid down her side-face, along her neck, and into the depths of her collarbones hidden by her T-shirt.
Xiao Rou's movements became more and more skilled, more and more bold.
"Mmh... mmh... Jerry... how did you grow so... so big... didn't they say westerners were soft?
Why is it so hard, not soft at all..." Her voice was hoarse and dazed, her words full of amazement for this monster, carrying a primitive praise untainted by any modification.
How was this the usually obedient and introverted "good girl"?
Jerry's body trembled gently on the sofa. the bath towel had long been tossed aside, and his hips shifted slightly with every movement from Xiao Rou.
"This is... so amazing... I guess I'm finally eating some foreign meat!"
Xiao Rou's body continued to move downward, attempting to swallow him with her mouth.
Her waist arched slightly with the downward pressure of her head, her whole body prostrate between Jerry's legs, filled with pious submission and extreme enjoyment.
A rich scent of male hormones permeated the air, mixed with sweetness, making it exceptionally tempting.
Those low, desire-filled praises, mixed with the light sound of Xiao Rou swallowing, were exceptionally clear in the pitch-black living room.
Gulp— Gulp— Gulp— She didn't notice at all that a figure was slowly crawling toward her from behind.