Chapter 44: The Dreamer

Lequan’s knock came at just the right moment—Liang Jinshang had her teeth sunk into Shang Yucheng’s shoulder. It distracted her from the pain and halted Shang Yucheng’s beastly behavior. Had Lequan not interrupted, she couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t have bitten off a chunk of flesh. There was blood already.

“Liang Jinshang? Liang Jinshang! Are you asleep?” Lequan raised her voice. “Don’t tell me you passed out from the pain?!”

Liang Jinshang released her bite and was about to reply, but Shang Yucheng clamped his hand over her mouth.

“If you don’t answer, I’ll have someone unlock the door! …Did you really pass out?” Lequan threatened.

Liang Jinshang glared at Shang Yucheng, her eyes full of challenge—did he want someone to witness this gladiatorial scene?

Shang Yucheng let go of her, lying back with impatience. “Send her away!”

Liang Jinshang went to open the door a crack.

“You finally opened up! I thought something happened to you!” Lequan pushed at the door, ready to enter, but realized Liang Jinshang wasn’t letting her in. “Hm?”

Liang Jinshang said, “I’m not used to sharing a bed with anyone. Go back and rest.”

Lequan was about to protest when her gaze froze on Liang Jinshang’s lips.

Liang Jinshang’s heart tightened, unsure what Lequan had noticed. But Shang Yucheng had been so disgusted last night that he hadn’t even kissed her; her lips shouldn’t show any swelling.

“There’s blood on your teeth… My god, it must hurt so much,” Lequan said with concern. “Let this be a lesson—now you know how harsh your body reacts. Next time, don’t take birth control pills. Remember that!”

Liang Jinshang felt both moved and faintly annoyed. Shang Yucheng surely heard every word!

Lequan handed her a bag. “Here, it’s from our private bath suite—should be all your stuff. I didn’t touch the water.”

“…Oh.” Liang Jinshang took it, her annoyance growing.

“What’s wrong? You look unhappy. Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?”

Liang Jinshang insisted she didn’t need company and sent Lequan away.

Of course she wasn’t happy. Why should Shang Yucheng get to enjoy his “first and second half,” while she had to stumble through misunderstandings and only managed to redeem herself by accident?

She spent the whole night refusing to explain, but Lequan had spelled everything out, leaving her exposed.

When Liang Jinshang returned to the room, Shang Yucheng lay unmoving on his side, an arm draped over his eyes, revealing only his sharply defined lower face.

Liang Jinshang glanced downward—the situation hadn’t changed. But she knew Shang Yucheng probably wouldn’t continue.

Neither of them had slept the previous night; for all his wealth and good looks, he surely wouldn’t torture himself more than a farm mule.

Liang Jinshang took another painkiller, settled on her side of the bed, and didn’t want to move at all.

But Shang Yucheng moved, picking up her medication to examine it lazily. “How often do you take these?”

She should wait at least four hours, but Liang Jinshang wasn’t concerned with details. She just wanted relief and sleep.

But Shang Yucheng pressed on, “Why does your stomach hurt?”

“Playing dumb,” Liang Jinshang retorted, eyes closed. “Why didn’t you keep going? Feeling guilty? Remorseful?”

She wanted to sound harsher, but exhaustion made it impossible to muster any sharpness; her voice was soft.

Shang Yucheng reached out, pulling Liang Jinshang close, his hands exploring her until she realized what he was doing.

He was removing her swimsuit.

“Hey, you—!”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable to sleep in that?”

After helping her out of the garment, his hands behaved, but he said, “No guilt, no regrets. Even knowing how much pain you’d be in, I’d still make you take the medicine.”

Liang Jinshang knew he meant it. This man was ruthless enough to hurt others rather than give her another chance to hurt him.

…

Liang Jinshang woke at eight, Shang Yucheng still asleep beside her.

She’d been out cold the night before, oblivious to Shang Yucheng staying. But now, the trouble was that he couldn't leave.

She woke because Shang Yiming came to call her for breakfast—he was outside her door.

Liang Jinshang got up to open the door, planning to take the breakfast and send him off. Shang Yiming brought a large bowl of soup.

“It’s very hot, don’t switch hands. I’ll bring it in for you.”

Luckily, the room was big enough—the bed was shielded by a partition, so unless you approached, you couldn’t see who was on it.

She knew Shang Yucheng wouldn’t show himself now. In public, being linked to her was beneath him; he couldn’t afford the loss of face.

Shang Yiming set the steaming container on the table and, fiddling with his ear, remarked, “Wow, this new room is so much better than the standard one I’m in. …Can I have a look around?”

Liang Jinshang saw through his little tricks, his attempt to get in, and rejected him bluntly, “No, a girl’s room isn’t really open for tours.”

Shang Yiming didn’t press, taking the chance to look her over.

Liang Jinshang was sleep-deprived, her face slightly puffy, making her appear even younger; her bare skin was luminous, offsetting her weary demeanor.

She was a feast for the eyes, tempting anyone.

Liang Jinshang was unsettled by his gaze. “Aren’t you leaving?”

“You look much better today. Yesterday, your face was so pale it was scary… By the way, I didn’t mean to leave you waiting yesterday. Lequan seems not to like me much—I can’t afford to offend her.” Shang Yiming tried to start a conversation, but Liang Jinshang didn’t respond. “…So, did you find out why your stomach hurts?”

“Thanks for your concern, just a minor issue. It’s better now.”

Her intent to send him away was unmistakable.

Shang Yiming knew it wasn’t the time to press his luck, and was about to leave when his eyes caught a small silver packet on the floor.

Any man would recognize it instantly, without needing a closer look.

Shang Yiming’s expression changed abruptly, his gaze toward Liang Jinshang shifted.

Anyone would be shocked and disappointed to find that in the room of someone they were pursuing—especially someone who usually seemed so pure and untouched by the world.

And after all the pain she was in last night, it hadn’t stopped her…

Shang Yiming turned and left, unable to control the force with which he slammed the door—“Bang!”—echoing loudly.

Liang Jinshang went to wash up; Shang Yucheng followed, leaning against the glass door and sneering, “That kid probably thought you were still a virgin.”

“He’s probably fantasized about how he’d be your first.”

Liang Jinshang threw her disposable face towel at him.

Looking in the mirror, her chest rose and fell.

Shang Yiming’s accusatory look before leaving had wounded her, however slightly.

If not for the man before her and his rotten fiancée, she could have been the person Shang Yiming imagined—self-respecting, strong, striving, surrounded by a handful of close friends.