"I swear on my life. If I ever wrong you again, or go against your wishes, may heaven punish me — may I never be loved, never earn money for the rest of my life."
She raised her hand and made the vow devoutly.
Chu Yuan said, "I believe you."
Ye Jiuting froze. He believed her that easily!
Chu Yuan bent down and helped her up.
"Xiao Jiu, trust between people is hard to build. Once broken, it can never be fully restored. From now on, we trust each other. If you do not betray me, I will never betray you. Do you agree?"
His words were gentle to the bone, like spring breeze and drizzle.
But instead of feeling relieved, Ye Jiuting felt an indescribable pressure.
"Yes. I will always keep my promise."
Chu Yuan pulled her sharply into his arms, his strong arm locking around her slender waist, not letting her struggle.
He lowered his head and kissed the corner of her mouth.
Her lips were soft, carrying a rich orchid fragrance — pure, clean, fragrant, and sweet.
"Xiao Jiu, you're trembling."
Ye Jiuting thought her heart was just racing too fast, but her whole body was shaking. She took a deep breath to calm herself and smiled at Chu Yuan. "I'm fine now."
Chu Yuan held her in his arms and patted her back gently. "Don't be afraid of me. I like you very much now, and I won't let anyone hurt you."
His voice was soft, yet it weighed on her heart like a thousand pounds.
This "like" felt like a shackle, dense and inescapable.
It made her guilty for lying to him, anxious for planning to leave secretly.
"Thank you, sir."
"I don't accept verbal thanks. Later, you can tell me a fairy tale and stay with me until I fall asleep — that's more sincere."
"Alright, Mr. Chu."
Chu Yuan patted her waist and ordered, "Wait for me in the room."
Ye Jiuting stood up and entered the master bedroom. She didn't go far; she stood by the door listening.
She heard very low voices talking outside, but couldn't make out a single word.
Afraid the room was bugged and Chu Yuan would catch her eavesdropping, she could only kneel by the bed and wait for him to return.
A few minutes later, Chu Yuan came back. He sat on the bed and looked down at her.
"Still the story of Snow White?"
"Yes."
It was the only fairy tale from her childhood.
The nanny only knew this one story, and after the nanny died, no one ever told her fairy tales again.
"Alright."
Chu Yuan lay on the bed and closed his eyes.
Ye Jiuting began to tell the story…
"Snow White lived happily ever after with the seven dwarves…"
When she heard Chu Yuan's breathing deepen, she stopped — and he opened his eyes and smiled at her.
Ye Jiuting continued… stopped — and he woke up again.
In the end, her mouth was dry and sore.
When the first ray of sunlight over the high seas slipped through the curtains onto the thick wool carpet, the long night finally ended.
Ye Jiuting finally understood.
Telling fairy tales all night was Chu Yuan's punishment for her mistake.
Even his punishment was gentle, yet it left a deep mark on her.
Chu Yuan woke up and rubbed her head.
"You behaved very well. I truly feel your love for me. Now go change your clothes. I'll take you out for a walk."
Ye Jiuting stood up. She had knelt for too long, and her blood wasn't circulating properly.
She stood up suddenly, her legs numb and unsteady, and fell straight down.
Chu Yuan reached out, caught her in his arms, lifted her, and placed her on the bed.
"Xiao Jiu, your stamina is terrible. You need training."
Ye Jiuting was too uncomfortable to move. When she heard that, she froze completely.
What kind of training was he talking about?
She was already scared.
Chu Yuan squatted in front of her, took her small foot, and naturally massaged her calf.
"Don't resist. Give your body to me. Trust me. Accept me. Become mine."
Under his gentle gaze, Ye Jiuting nodded.
Chu Yuan lowered his head in satisfaction and kissed the top of her foot.
His lips were cool and soft.
Ye Jiuting only felt the place he had kissed turn icy cold.
"Mr. Chu, I'll go prepare breakfast. Would you like Western or Chinese food?"
"Either is fine."
In reality, that meant: eat whatever you can make.
Ye Jiuting went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and saw eggs inside.
She took them out, washed them, and put them in the pot to boil.
She really did know how to boil eggs — cold water, boil for six minutes, just runny yolk.
Then she took out bread slices and put them in the toaster.
Milk was ready-made.
Compared to fancy Chinese food, anyone with a brain could make Western breakfast.
In just over ten minutes, she neatly arranged breakfast on the dining table.
Chu Yuan came out and sat down. "Why is there only one serving?"
"I don't have much of an appetite… Can I skip breakfast?"
The main thing was, she hadn't slept all night, felt terrible, and just wanted to sleep.
Making another serving was tiring; skipping it saved time and energy.
Chu Yuan didn't comment. He peeled the egg himself and held it to Ye Jiuting's lips. "Eat."
Ye Jiuting took a bite. The boiled egg was plain, but it tasted good.
He ate the remaining half.
He handed her the milk. "Drink it."
Ye Jiuting drank the milk. Her stomach was full, but her exhaustion grew worse.
She didn't dare to yawn in front of Chu Yuan. The result of holding back was tears filling her eyes.
"Are you on a hunger strike with me?"
Chu Yuan crossed his legs elegantly and stared at her pale, sleepless face.
"No." Ye Jiuting lowered her head. "I just don't want to eat."
"You seem to have forgotten. From the moment you signed the agreement, your body belongs to me. Without my permission, you may not harm yourself, nor indulge yourself. Skipping meals damages your body. Is this a protest against me?"
His tone was slow, casual, as if talking about the weather.
But Ye Jiuting smelled danger. She secretly watched his expression — there was still a faint smile on his lips.
After being punished with storytelling all night, she dared not take his smile as forgiveness.
She quickly bowed ninety degrees. "I'm sorry, Mr. Chu. It won't happen again."
"Saying sorry to me again, Xiao Jiu. I'm tired of hearing it."
He tapped his own lips. "I'll let you kiss my lips as a sincere apology."
Ye Jiuting looked at his perfectly shaped lips — clean pale pink, as if never kissed before.
The tight curve was sexy, with an oppressive air that no one could violate.
His sharp features, top-tier looks — every part was perfect.
To be honest, if Ye Jiuting were to date, she would never choose a man like this.
All things too perfect come with deadly poison.
Ye Jiuting had always known: only demons used beautiful appearances to lure prey into their traps.
Kind angels were often ugly, for they didn't need pretty skin to gain benefits.
Ye Jiuting bent down slowly, pressed a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth, and jumped back like lightning.
Her hands folded in front of her, standing obediently.
It was the most perfunctory kiss imaginable, yet Chu Yuan seemed satisfied.
He began to eat his breakfast slowly.
Ye Jiuting peeled the egg for him thoughtfully. She was a perfectionist, and used to holding a scalpel — her hands were steady, and the egg came out smooth and flawless.
"Mr. Chu, please."
"Feed me." Chu Yuan ordered.
Ye Jiuting picked up a knife and fork, cut the egg in half, poked half with a fork, and held it to his lips.
"Feed me with your mouth." Chu Yuan gave the order clearly.