Chapter 6: Mangosteen

"Sheng Yuan-ge, you… you…" After the stuttering, she had no idea how to continue.

Ask what? Why did you pull me?

Why did you block my way?

Hug… me for what?

Perhaps unhappy that she was still spacing out at a time like this, the man's large hand suddenly slid against her waist. The movement came out of nowhere, so abrupt that Yu Qiao jumped.

A startled "Ah—" slipped out before she could stop it.

Her voice had always been unusual. The senior voice actors liked to say it was dripping with sex appeal.

She hadn't even been trying to pitch it high, yet the sound that came out was indescribably alluring.

Especially those short, breathless little gasps—or rather, startled cries—the kind that no one could withstand.

Sheng Yuan was no exception.

He was bewitched. Calling it head over heels wouldn't be an exaggeration. Otherwise, last night he never would have…

But it turned out hearing it on a recording was nothing like hearing it live…

More teasing. More seductive.

Even though she'd only let out that one little hum…

Yu Qiao had never had a boyfriend. Her eldest brother watched her like a hawk, and her sister was even worse.

But the truth was, she understood everything.

After all, she'd recorded so many CEO-falls-in-love novels, and lately she'd even been recording an NP one.

So her face went up in flames…

So what if she'd recorded explicit content?

She still had zero real-world experience, and she was scared: "Sheng Yuan-ge, you—you haven't been drugged with some kind of… crazy aphrodisiac, have you?"

Crazy aphrodisiac?

Sheng Yuan's brow furrowed slightly. But clever as he was, he got it in a second.

There hadn't been any…

But looking at her flushed little face, at a reaction that was scared but not disgusted…

He decided there could be.

"So hot…!!"

He said it out of nowhere, then started tugging at his tie like he had no idea what he was doing.

His rough fingertips hooked the knot, knuckles flexing as he pulled it loose, inch by inch. Lazy, unhurried—and deliberately, unmistakably tempting. Not even trying to hide it.

Within moments his collar hung wide open, exposing most of that cold-white line of his neck, and a throat and Adam's apple that were frankly obscene…

Lying on top of him, Yu Qiao swallowed hard.

Food and sex—basic human nature!!!

She couldn't be blamed. Who could hold up against someone like him?

But he was acting way too off.

If even 0.000001% of his reason was left, there was no way he'd be like this.

Had he actually been drugged?

You couldn't really guard against that kind of thing, but still—what absolute idiot would pull such a stunt?

Were they not afraid that once Sheng Yuan came to his senses, he'd raze them to the ground?

Yu Qiao's cheeks burned, but she dutifully fished out her phone. She'd just started dialing 120 when a large hand snatched it away and flung it somewhere far off…

"Hey—why'd you throw my phone? You've been drugged! Shouldn't I call you an ambulance?"

"No! You think I have no pride?"

Uh… well…

Yu Qiao tried to reason with a drunk: "Isn't your body more important than your pride? And besides, you keep… assaulting me!"

She couldn't get the rest out.

Her already flushed face turned redder still, and the blush was spreading downward.

She didn't notice. He couldn't miss it.

The man's misty gaze slipped out of his control, following that faint red, inch by inch, downward…

Yu Qiao might be dense about this sort of thing, but even she sensed something was off.

The way he was looking at her…

That wasn't how you looked at an ordinary secretary. Or a little sister.

Her face burned hotter. She struggled to get off him, but the moment she put any distance between them, the hand on her waist tightened again.

As she was pulled back down—

She felt a certain… feature of his grow even more obvious…

[Oh no! What brand of crazy aphrodisiac is this! That strong?!]

Shame was overwhelming her, but what worried her more was his condition: "Sheng Yuan-ge, let me go first. Even if we skip the hospital, we have to think of something else, right?"

In those novels she used to record, what did the male lead usually do after getting drugged?

Pin the female lead against the wall. Seven rounds in one night!

Ah—no! No! No!

That was absolutely not the way.

She shook her head hard, banishing all those mosaic-blurred images: "Let me help you to the bathroom! Take a cold shower first? I don't know if it'll help, but—"

"It won't."

"How do you know it won't? At least try!"

"I've tried…"

Yu Qiao opened her mouth. Nothing came out. A helpless, hollow feeling—and then, inexplicably, her heart ached for him.

How many times had he been drugged over the years, to say something like that so calmly?

Her head was still spinning with that thought when—

The man's large hand pressed her waist again, dissatisfied: "Xiao Qiao…"

"Hm?"

"Say my name!"

She didn't quite get what he meant, but obediently called out: "Sheng Yuan-ge."

"I'm not your brother!"

"I know! But can't you call someone 'ge' even if he's not your real brother? Haven't we always done that?"

His tone was domineering, brooking no argument: "Then change it. From now on, don't call me 'ge.'"

Then what am I supposed to call you?

Yu Qiao hesitated, her voice small: "Sheng… Yuan?"

That was it. That was the feeling.

He'd only been called by his name, yet something in him surged, the beast in his chest straining at the leash. He pressed her: "Again."

"Sheng Yuan."

"Again…"

"Sheng—mmph, mm—???" The instant his mouth covered hers, Yu Qiao's mind went blank.

By the time awareness trickled back and she slowly registered what was happening, her big beautiful eyes flew wide open.

What was he doing?

Kissing… kissing her?

With tongue?

Ahhhhh!!!