Beg me.

“Come, have a seat. Let’s have a proper talk.” He Mian’s expression was calm and composed.

Su Yun didn’t move, staring at He Mian. He Mian wasn’t in any hurry; he waited quietly, as if waiting for his prey to step into the net.

She looked at the man before her, her heart beating faster with fear and unease. There was a wildness to him that instinctively made her afraid; he was a man she could neither control nor see through. She shouldn’t have provoked him.

It felt like an eternity before Su Yun finally lifted her foot and slowly walked toward He Mian. The few steps seemed to stretch out like a slow-motion scene.

Just as she was about to sit down, He Mian pulled her over, and Su Yun landed on his lap. Even through their clothes, she could feel his warmth.

“You…” Su Yun was helpless. She couldn’t hit him or scold him; all she could do was endure.

“Miss Su, you majored in French translation, right? There’s an event tomorrow. Be my interpreter.” His tone brooked no argument.

“No,” Su Yun refused immediately. She was scheduled to do on-site interpreting tomorrow.

He Mian frowned slightly, then smiled. “It seems you don’t have the right to say no.”

“I already have work tomorrow. It’s been arranged for a long time; I can’t just cancel last minute.” Su Yun spoke softly, her voice tender and urgent.

“That’s your problem,” He Mian showed no sympathy.

“I really can’t. It’s a prior commitment, could you be reasonable?” Su Yun was desperate, though it seemed a bit ridiculous to reason with a man who didn’t believe in reason.

He Mian pondered for a moment. “It’s not impossible. Beg me properly.”

Su Yun took a deep breath. “Please…”

He Mian pressed his fingers to Su Yun’s lips, stopping her, “Words are cheap. Isn’t sincere action more convincing?”

His fingers were cool; Su Yun instantly understood what he meant by “beg.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips slowly approaching his. The moment they touched, He Mian seized the initiative, pressing Su Yun down on the sofa and kissing her.

At the conference venue, Su Yun and Li Ruocheng entered the interpreter’s booth to check the equipment.

Su Yun yawned.

“Su Yun, did you not sleep well last night? You have pretty dark circles,” Li Ruocheng asked, concerned, though Su Yun seemed otherwise in good spirits.

Su Yun smiled faintly, saying she’d stayed up late reviewing materials.

Li Ruocheng told her not to be nervous, to relax.

Su Yun replied with a bitter smile. She’d spent half the night begging He Mian, which nearly made her late this morning. She’d rushed home to change clothes and hadn’t had time to put on makeup.

As the conference began, the two shifted into work mode.

Half an hour later, Su Yun took over the interpreting. She was meticulous, serious, and focused.

Li Ruocheng glanced sideways at Su Yun. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, the wisps around her ears soft, her speech clear and fluent. She was most captivating when she worked, and he could never get enough of watching her.

After work, Li Ruocheng escorted her home, telling her to rest well since there was another event tomorrow. Su Yun assured him she knew, told him to rest too, and said goodbye.

As soon as she walked in, Emma came over to chat. “Su, I saw Anthony bring you home. He’s still standing outside. Do you want to invite him in?”

Anthony was Li Ruocheng’s foreign name.

“No need. He’ll leave soon enough,” Su Yun replied, collapsing onto the sofa, exhausted.

“Poor Anthony!” Emma sighed, then sat beside Su Yun, bubbling with excitement. “I went to the art exhibition today. Oh my god, the artist He Mian is so handsome. It’s the first time I’ve seen such a gorgeous Eastern man.”

“I took some photos, want to see?” Emma held her phone up to Su Yun.

Su Yun glanced at it indifferently and nodded perfunctorily.

Emma didn’t mind, continuing to admire the pictures herself.

Su Yun watched Emma’s face, full of worship and infatuation, thinking: Don’t be fooled by him. He’s a wolf, the kind that devours without leaving a trace.

But Su Yun couldn’t share her story with Emma. Even if she did, with Emma’s idol filter, she’d probably just envy her.

To Emma, it was a romantic, even regal encounter.

Besides, since the eighth century BC, the West had celebrated nude statues and paintings; such art was nothing out of the ordinary there, rather it was seen as a masterpiece.

But Su Yun was an unabashedly Eastern woman. She couldn’t appreciate such refined art, and just thinking about the painting stashed away made her head ache.