Chapter 182: Eat the Belt or Eat the Dumplings

Zhao Yicheng suddenly raised his hand.

Xu Yinsheng thought he was about to get violent and shut her eyes in terror.

But after a long moment, nothing happened.

Xu Yinsheng cautiously opened her eyes.

She saw Zhao Yicheng’s hand frozen midair, as if he had no intention of actually slapping her.

Cold, detached, calm.

Don’t get angry, don’t get angry.

Anger solves nothing.

Zhao Yicheng withdrew his hand.

He wasn’t exactly a good person, but he would never cross the line into domestic violence.

He took several deep breaths.

Cold, icy air flowed slowly down his throat into his chest, gradually soothing his mood.

He had long regarded Xu Yinsheng as his own, like an owner would never casually damage his possessions.

He unfastened the watch from his wrist and tossed it toward Xu Yinsheng.

The Pocket Watch, disguised as a control panel, reverted in midair into a small puddle of liquid metal, instantly shooting into Xu Yinsheng’s body.

Her body lurched backward, then immediately recovered.

Just as she was about to check herself for some unknown anomaly, a surge of Unknown Mysterious Power erupted from her limbs and bones, instantly taking over her body.

“Ding! Takeover Program initiated.”

“Take her to the car and keep her there. She’s not allowed out without my permission.”

“Yes.”

Xu Yinsheng spoke involuntarily, then, hand in hand with Secretary Xu Yinsheng, obediently and mechanically walked toward the car.

As she left the little grove, she caught a glimpse of Zhao Yicheng’s expression out of the corner of her eye, and a sudden wave of fear inexplicably rose in her heart.

That look was utterly terrifying to her—gentle yet cruel, idealistic yet indifferent.

It was as if she was no longer a “person,” but had become someone’s “property.”

***

Night, Winter Solstice.

An Inner Ring Villa in the new district of Tianlin City.

The living room was warmed by the heater, the Air Conditioner humming softly.

At the dining table sat a man in casual clothes, looking completely at ease, his hands working dough as he wrapped dumplings with some sort of green filling.

By his side sat two girls with identical appearances and temperaments—only subtle details distinguished them.

One had a silver dot on her smooth forehead but her eyes were lifeless, the other sat upright, her beautiful eyes betraying fear and unease.

Time ticked by.

Zhao Yicheng finished making the dumplings, then carried them into the kitchen.

After seven or eight minutes, he returned with a steaming plate of hot dumplings.

Setting the plate down on the table, Zhao Yicheng swiftly pulled out his gleaming belt from his waist and, with a crisp “pa!” smacked it down in front of Xu Yinsheng!

“Choose for yourself.”

As soon as the words fell, Xu Yinsheng suddenly sensed that mysterious force controlling her body had vanished.

She looked up at him, then glanced at the belt and the dumplings on either side of her.

Zhao Yicheng’s meaning was clear.

Would she prefer stir-fried meat with the belt, or the dark-cuisine dumplings?

Her gaze bounced back and forth between the two.

Xu Yinsheng hesitated, but remembering that last meal of stir-fried belt with meat, she gritted her teeth, picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a dumpling, and stuffed it into her mouth.

“I choose the dumplings.”

The green filling exploded in her mouth at once—the bitterness of bitter melon and the gritty texture of broccoli filled every corner, making her want to spit it out immediately.

A large hand seized her jaw, forcing her mouth open. His long index finger shoved the bitter melon and broccoli dumpling in, stuffing it in by sheer force.

Xu Yinsheng almost gagged reflexively, but those eyes—those eyes forced her to choke back the discomfort, turning her face aside ever so slightly to escape his gaze.

“Xu Yinsheng, don’t you like playing? Don’t you love deceiving people? Isn’t messing around your favorite thing?! I gave you trust, gave you freedom, gave you everything material! Yet again and again, you trample on it, mock it.”

“My trust means nothing to you, does it?!”

“Last time it was Jin Xin Nuo, this time it’s Jiang Shimo, who’s next? Passerby A? Cannon Fodder B? Thug C? Or Bandit D?”

“I love you so much. In your world, besides me, who else can love you? Those unfit parents of yours? Those arrogant, troublesome so-called friends? Or your ex-girlfriends drooling over your family’s wealth?”

Zhao Yicheng’s voice was utterly cold—perhaps, utterly cruel—peeling open Xu Yinsheng’s heart layer by layer, ripping open her old wounds, exposing them nakedly to the sun once more.

“I won’t do anything truly outrageous to you, but don’t get spoiled by my favor.”

One after another, steaming dumplings were mercilessly stuffed into the girl’s mouth.

His iron grip pinched her throat, forcing her mouth open, his finger jamming the still-uncooked dumpling straight inside.

There was no trace of tenderness in his eyes.

After all, it’s just a Magic-powered Pleasure Doll—it can’t break.

“Mm…”

A muffled whimper escaped her throat.

Xu Yinsheng swallowed helplessly, but it was pointless.

When Zhao Yicheng picked up the last dumpling, he bit off half himself, then, under her resisting gaze, leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, passing the chewed dumpling into her mouth.

Xu Yinsheng’s eyes flew wide in shock and fear, but she didn’t dare resist.

The kiss ended.

Zhao Yicheng let go, finally allowing Xu Yinsheng to breathe.

Her cheeks were flushed, breath coming fast, her face rosy and adorable.

Zhao Yicheng’s gaze lingered on those cherry-red lips, tearful eyes, and flushed cheeks. He couldn’t help but smile.

Heh, heh, heh.

As expected of a Magic-powered Pleasure Doll—even punishment with a hint of torment could turn her on.

Truly, Xu Yinsheng was just asking for it—rotten to the core!

He shouldn’t have gone soft at the start, shouldn’t have let her out.

It would’ve been best to keep her locked in the cat cage all along—just give her the bare minimum, and she’d behave, acting like the “good cat” he liked!

Thinking this, Zhao Yicheng reached for the bundle of belts on the table, his gaze falling on the girl whose eyes were now rimmed red, itching to act.

As long as he locked her up for a month—no, even just a few days—kept her hungry for a few days, kept her confined, she would come to realize how good she had it, and how rare her current life was……

As long as…

Zhao Yicheng let out a low laugh.

The inexplicable laughter made Xu Yinsheng look up, meeting the man’s somewhat crazed eyes.

Zhao Yicheng, too, looked straight into the eyes of the one he loved.

So charming, pure, harmless; disgust, fear, terror… but not a trace of love.

No love?

No love.

No love!

The madman suddenly snapped awake!

He slapped himself hard!

No, no, no!

Can’t—do—that!

The bottom line can be lowered, but the red line must never be crossed!!

Xu Yinsheng was not his vassal, not his plaything, not his personal property.

She was someone with her own independent mind, her own preferences and faults—a complete, ordinary human being!