Chapter 25 – Arrival
Hua Mian lowered her lashes, hiding the desire in her eyes. Shadows fell beneath them like two tiny fans.
Yu Jin held her with one hand and cupped the back of her head with the other, not allowing her to escape.
Her head tilted back slightly, exposing the pale, slender line of her neck.
“Th-that’s… enough…”
Her voice trembled. Her lashes were damp, and her cheeks were flushed with a seductive rosy tint.
“How could Madam tell such a lie?”
Yu Jin released her head only to lift her chin again, prompting a startled whimper from her. She nearly jolted upright, desperately trying to escape those long, elegant fingers.
“Don’t…”
“So sweet.”
Yu Jin brought his wet fingertips to his lips right in front of her.
“You—!”
“Does Madam want to taste it herself?” Yu Jin’s enunciation was crisp, slow, matching his movements—dripping with temptation.
Hua Mian bit her lip unconsciously. Her gaze lifted, hazy and alluring without her noticing.
“Hm?”
She shivered violently and turned her head away. “No!”
“Why dislike yourself?” Yu Jin chuckled softly.
“I dislike you!” she shot back, stubborn as always, trying to cover his mouth with her hand.
But he caught her quick—gently biting her fingertip.
“You—how can you be like this!”
“Mm, this is exactly how I am.” Yu Jin raised a brow, a hint of rogueishness slipping through.
His usually graceful, ink-painting features suddenly came alive with that hint of mischief. Only one phrase filled her mind: a living, breathing beauty.
She knew she was losing control and refused to accept it. Her eyes shifted.
Then she tipped her head back and kissed the small red mole at his Adam’s apple—right on target.
“Mm…” Yu Jin’s pupils tightened, then he lifted his chin slightly.
She couldn’t tell whether it was indulgence or restraint.
Seeing how strong his reaction was, she mischievously bit down.
His breath instantly became uneven. She was just about to look up at him when a large hand caught the back of her head and held her in place.
Hua Mian sucked lightly again.
Sure enough, the body beneath her fingers trembled.
“You like it that much?” Her voice was muffled, but her excitement couldn’t be hidden.
Yu Jin didn’t answer.
Instead, a cold tear suddenly fell on her eyelid.
She froze.
Was… he crying?
“Why is Madam like this?” Yu Jin lowered his voice, imitating the soft, drawn-out tone she had used earlier—half-spoiled, half-needy.
“I’m just like this!” she replied vaguely, then hooked her lips in a smile.
She didn’t even realize it—her earlier frustration at losing the upper hand had completely melted away.
Yu Jin laughed under his breath. New and unfamiliar emotions surged inside him, sweeter than sugar.
Later, he would learn this feeling had a name—happiness.
Night deepened, yet the room filled with soft moans and a man’s low, husky coaxing…
A rose-scented spring night, endless and intoxicating.
—
When Hua Mian woke, she found herself resting on Yu Jin’s arm.
“Drink some water.”
She murmured in response and drank the whole glass from his hand before she felt alive again.
“More?”
“No.” Her eyes drifted to the scratch marks across his collarbone, and guilt flickered through her.
“What’s wrong, Madam?” Yu Jin’s voice returned to its usual gentle warmth.
“I… scratched you.”
Yu Jin caught her hand and kissed her pale, delicate fingertips. “Then could Madam care for me a bit more?”
…
The next few days, Hua Mian didn’t even step outside. She spent all her time tangled up with Yu Jin.
She discovered that no matter what they started doing, Yu Jin always managed to lead things toward that.
And she always ended up going along.
Because Yu Jin was completely different from Shen Xueji or Yan An.
Shen Xueji was dominant.
Yan An was the opposite—so soft he simply let her do whatever she wished.
But Yu Jin… Yu Jin was pure devotion.
He spared no effort—none at all—to please her.
…
Hua Mian’s head tilted back, cheeks flushed, her seductive eyes glazed with the emptiness that followed intense pleasure. Her lips were parted, her soft breaths quick and shallow.
The air was thick with the scent of roses, like an entire garden blooming indoors.
Her red dress shifted faintly, sending waves of ambiguity through the room.
“Stop… we’re about to get off the starship…” Her voice trembled beyond control.
Yu Jin reluctantly stopped. His wet, beautiful eyes fixed on her, deliberately letting a hint of pitiful grievance show.
As if she were the heartless one.
The thought made her lower her gaze with a tiny laugh.
“What’s Madam thinking? Smiling like that?” Yu Jin cupped her small face seriously.
“Nothing.”
She pulled his hands away, got out of bed, and turned her back as she chose from the clothes he had neatly prepared for her.
So she didn’t see the possessiveness burning in his gaze.
Who had she thought of?
Did that person make her feel this good? This happy?
Better than him?
Yu Jin lowered his head, agitation burning in his chest. He silently vowed to do even better next time.
Such was the pride of a perfectionist.
Hua Mian chose a thick purple long dress made of some heavy, elegant material, paired with a short black velvet jacket and a hat decorated with black silk roses.
Yu Jin stepped forward to help her pin up her hair, revealing her jade-white ears and that charming, delicate face.
“How do I look?” she asked, watching him through the mirror.
“Beautiful.” He leaned to her ear, answering softly before kissing her glistening earlobe.
She shivered and retreated instinctively—straight into his arms. His hand caught her waist.
“Starship T683 has arrived at Ilika Starport. Passengers, please gather your belongings and disembark in an orderly manner…”
The gentle synthetic voice echoed through every corridor—clear without being loud.
“Let’s go.” Hua Mian looked excited.
Yu Jin couldn’t help thinking he had probably kept her in bed too long—she was excited just to get off the ship.
Hua Mian noticed his mood was off, but she wasn’t in the mood to coax him right now, so she pretended not to see.
Yu Jin tightened his grip on the luggage strap.
She had seen it—yet chose to ignore it.
Her patience with him was truly pitifully small.
As soon as Hua Mian stepped off the starship, she saw a vast expanse of yellow. It reminded her of the barren loess plateau—nothing green in sight.
“Madam?”
“Why is it so… desolate?” she asked carefully.
Yu Jin held her hand and guided her down the steps.
“Because Ilika’s mineral resources were almost completely exhausted. All special plants and beasts dependent on those minerals went extinct.”
“So irresponsible toward future generations?”
“Gold blinds the heart.”
Yu Jin’s expression didn’t change. He had seen too many cases like this, yet each barren world still brought him regret.
To him, every extinct species—plant or beast—was a loss to science.
“Hello, sir! Would you like a guide?”
