Chapter 28: Photography

The abandoned amusement park in the West Suburb had a lake, frozen solid from the cold after the fire left the place deserted.

Yan Dong’s sudden inspiration for the shoot was this very snowy scene over the lake.

“Set the tripod on the ice, two meters east of the broken tree,” he said, standing in the snow with his head down, adjusting the camera settings.

Noticing my hesitation in the face of the biting wind sweeping over the lake, he added offhandedly, “Relax, the ice is thick enough to hold ten of you.”

Melted snow had already seeped into my snow boots, and the cuffs of my suit pants were crusted with stubborn ice chips that wouldn’t shake off.

Yet, in these conditions, only Master Yan could still order me onto the ice.

My hand gripping the tripod was trembling slightly from the cold, but I forced myself to clench my teeth and snipe back at him, “Young Master, if you put as much effort into physics at cram school, Uncle Yan wouldn’t have to cough his way through the financial report.”

With that, I drove the tripod into the snow with a hard thrust. The metal pole struck the ground with a dull thud.

Suddenly, the scent of pine closed in.

Yan Dong’s warm fingertips brushed casually behind my ear, pinching the cold crystal petal on my Jasmine Hair Tie.

“So the servant girl knows how to talk back now?”

I tried to flick his hand away, but he caught my wrist instead.

The shadow of the camera strap hung between us.

“You’d better be careful. This lens alone is worth a tenth of your debt.”

I could only glare at him, helpless, while Yan Dong’s smirk deepened.

“Now stand next to that broken tree.”

Gripping the hem of my cotton jacket, now flecked with snow, I forced out a voice colder than the ice.

“Young Master, I’m not your model.”

“This is the employer’s order. Do I need to repeat it?”

I didn’t respond.

With a cold face, I walked straight to the withered tree, stood facing Yan Dong, arms crossed over my chest, cheeks turned away, and teeth biting so hard on my pale lips they nearly drew blood.

“Lin, don’t you know to look at the lens when taking photos? Where’s that smile you had just now when talking to that uncle?”

He ground a dead branch under his snow boot.

“Aren’t you best at playing the good girl in front of others?”

Staring coldly at the zipper on his down jacket bobbing with his breath, I forced my lips up into a mechanical 15-degree smile.

This was the smile I’d practiced countless times, reflected in the coffee shop’s window before coming to the Yan family, gentle enough, but never too flattering.

Perfect for dealing with people like him.

“You look like you’re bidding farewell to a corpse.”

He snorted, tugging off his scarf to reveal a flushed neck.

The camera’s display reflected my stiff, trembling figure.

“Tone down that disgust in your eyes, or someone might think I’m abusing you.”

This guy was insufferable on a normal day.

Now, deliberately taking it out on me, he really made me want to punch him.

“Heh, Master Yan, you’re really something. Using debt as a chain to drag me into these petty, childish games…”

I sneered, ripping the head tie from my ponytail and tossing it into the snow at my feet.

The red hairband caught the sudden constriction in his pupils.

“Does humiliating me make up for the emptiness left by Uncle Yan’s disapproval?”

The scent of pine mixed with his rage swept over me.

My lower back slammed into the withered tree, sending snow tumbling from the branches.

Yan Dong gripped my right wrist, blocking my defense, while his other hand, as he pressed me toward the snow, instinctively shielded the back of my head.

After pinning me down, Yan Dong’s knee drove hard into the snow at my waist.

My right wrist was held to my chest in his iron grip, his left hand buried deep in the snow.

“Lin Yunxia, I told you..”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he tightened his hold. I could even hear my joints creaking against the snow.

“If you dare throw away the head tie, I’ll toss you into the city moat to feed the fish.”

I tried to knee him in the stomach, but his thigh pinned me down.

Snow worked its way into my collar, sending a chill down my spine.

“That’s too bad. The city moat’s frozen over today.”

I jerked my left arm in resistance, but Yan Dong anticipated it, twisting my entire arm and pinning it to my chest.

“Frozen or not, I can still throw you in.”

He freed his right hand to grip my chin, his thumb scraping hard over my cold lips.

“Lin Yunxia, you look much better all bristling like this than with that fake, obedient smile. At least you look alive.”

I slowed my breathing, staring calmly at the familiar face just inches away.

My reply was a cold, defiant laugh.

“Young Master’s sharp tongue hasn’t changed in ten years.”

“I never tried to be likable. But you, doesn’t pretending to be submissive tire you out?”

His grip on my wrist tightened, but his expression didn’t change, only darkened with a shadow I couldn’t read.

“I can’t stand that resigned look on your face.”

“And you? Think slacking off at home every day will break your chains?”

“What do you know?!”

His arm tensed, veins bulging, and the storm in his eyes was colder than the lake.

But when our gazes met, he suddenly froze.

“Xia…”

He murmured, and the pressure in his hands eased for some reason.

I seized the chance to raise my head and bit down hard on the base of his thumb.

The taste of blood spread instantly.

As he jerked back in pain, I drove my knee toward his groin.

“Lin Yunxia, are you playing dirty?!!”

Yan Dong’s face went pale, his grip loosening.

I was about to press my advantage when footsteps crunched nearby.

Two security guards rounded the corner, frowning as they took in the sight of us tangled in the snow.

“What are you two doing?!”

Sensing trouble, Yan Dong quickly whispered in my ear, low enough for only me to hear, “If you don’t want to see my dad cough up blood to bail us out at the station, cooperate.”

Since I didn’t object, he released me and got to his feet, brushing snow from his clothes.

“It’s nothing, just messing around with my wife. Right, honey?”

Taking his outstretched arm, I stood up and dusted the snow from myself, but instead of answering immediately, I bent to pick up the head tie from the snowbank.

“Miss, is what he said true?”

I glanced at Yan Dong.

As much as I wanted to let him rot in a cell for a few days, for Uncle Yan’s sake, I nodded.

“Mm, my husband and I just had a fight.”

“Miss, are you sure he’s not threatening you? Don’t be afraid, we’re here.”

As I tied my hair, I noticed the ice stuck to the hem of his down jacket and replied in my usual calm tone, “If you don’t believe me, Security Guard, do you want me to recite all my husband’s personal details?”

The security guard’s suspicious gaze swept over my somewhat disheveled face.

Just as he was about to ask more, Yan Dong suddenly shrugged off his down jacket and tossed it into my arms.

“Put it on. I’ll worry if you catch a cold.”

He turned to the two guards with a cold, indifferent smile.

“Are you done questioning us? If you’re finished, please don’t interfere with our marital communication.”

…