13: Song Lingyun

Inside the suite at the Hilton Hotel, the lights were intentionally dimmed, creating a cozy atmosphere.

Song Lingyun stood by the bed, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. Although she had mentally prepared herself before deciding to come,

now that the moment had arrived, her heart rate accelerated uncontrollably, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on her palms.

In contrast, Chen Li appeared much more composed. After all, he already had experience with Liu Yu and was no longer a green boy with no worldly knowledge.

More importantly, in his mind, this was a clear transaction—he had paid the corresponding price,

and he had provided the promised return. It was a fair exchange, natural and proper, so he naturally felt no psychological burden.

“Do you want to take a shower first?” Chen Li broke the silence.

“Um... yes.” Song Lingyun's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, almost inaudible. She kept her head down and walked quickly into the bathroom.

A long while later, the bathroom door opened again, and Song Lingyun walked out wrapped in a snow-white bath towel, with damp droplets still clinging to the tips of her hair.

Song Lingyun didn't dare look up at Chen Li at all; her face was burning hot, and her heart was racing.

Like a startled little animal, she practically scrambled onto the bed using both hands and feet, then yanked the quilt over herself.

She wrapped herself tightly from head to toe, shrinking into the corner of the bed, leaving only the tips of her reddened ears exposed. She was so shy she even held her breath.

Chen Li stood by the bed, looking at the small lump under the quilt and the section of her fair neck exposed as she bowed her head.

Only a single dim bedside lamp was on in the room, its soft light outlining the slender silhouette hidden beneath the covers.

The fresh scent from her recent bath still lingered faintly in the air, mixed with a clean, warm fragrance that belonged to her.

Chen Li suddenly felt his throat go a bit dry. The restrained thoughts in his mind were stirred into action by her incredibly bashful Appearance.

Any concerns or plans to take things slowly were thrown to the back of his mind at this moment.

He walked to the bedside and sat down on the edge of the quilt.

Song Lingyun, inside the quilt, clearly felt the mattress sink. Her body immediately tensed even further, and even her slight tremors could be felt through the fabric.

Chen Li didn't say a word; he simply reached out and gently, bit by bit, began to pull down the quilt that wrapped her tightly.

Song Lingyun struggled a little, but her strength was so small it was negligible.

The quilt gradually slid down, first revealing the top of her dark, damp hair, then her smooth forehead,

followed by those eyes tightly shut due to nervousness and shyness, her long eyelashes fluttering like the wings of a startled butterfly.

Finally, her entire delicate face, glowing with a charming blush, was fully exposed under the dim yellow light.

Song Lingyun was still wrapped in that bath towel, but it had loosened somewhat, and the lines of her collarbone and a patch of delicate skin were faintly visible at the towel's edge.

She finally opened her eyes. Those beautiful eyes were glistening with moisture, filled with panic and helplessness as she looked directly into Chen Li's eyes.

Chen Li lay down on his side, his arm carefully sliding behind her neck as he pulled her entire being into his embrace.

Song Lingyun's body instantly became as stiff as a piece of wood, and her breathing stopped.

The room was extremely quiet, with only the bedside lamp casting a small circle of warm light.

Fine, suppressed gasps began to intertwine lowly, sometimes light and sometimes heavy, making it impossible to tell whose was whose.

No words were needed; all the unspoken emotions and surging palpitations... (One hundred thousand words omitted here; fellow Daoists, please read and cherish).

...The next morning, Chen Li slowly woke from his sleep. Looking down, he saw Song Lingyun nestled quietly in his arms.

In the morning light, her face without makeup appeared even more exquisite. Her skin was fair and delicate, and even without any cosmetics, she was still heart-stoppingly beautiful.

She was indeed the most beautiful girl Chen Li had seen so far; even Liu Yu couldn't compare.

Recalling last night, from her initial awkward passivity to her later gradual entry into the mood, Song Lingyun's transformation made Chen Li truly realize the privileges that money brought.

Those beautiful things that were out of reach for ordinary people, things they could only dream of, he could now easily possess.

At that moment, Song Lingyun's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she also woke up.

She opened her eyes dizzily and saw Chen Li right in front of her. She froze for a moment before the memories of last night flooded back—she had already given herself to this man named Chen Li.

Thinking of the scenes from last night, her face instantly flushed red, and she unconsciously shrank back into the quilt.

“Awake?” Chen Li asked softly.

“Um...” she replied in a small voice, her tone still carrying the laziness of someone who had just woken up.

Chen Li habitually used the system to check her information:

【Song Lingyun】

【Affection Level: +3】

【Figure: 89】

【Appearance: 90】

【number of times kun: 3】

【number of kunners: 1】

He hadn't bound Song Lingyun last night, so this Affection Level was merely a reference point for Chen Li and had no practical effect.

“How much did you get from the shop last night?” Chen Li suddenly asked.

“Fifty thousand. How much did you pay?” she asked back curiously.

“One hundred thousand.”

“One... one hundred thousand?” Song Lingyun's eyes widened in surprise. She had thought it was only a few tens of thousands; she hadn't expected them to be so greedy.

“That's right, one hundred thousand. Why did you decide to come out and do this?”

“I... I want to live a good life, a superior life.” Song Lingyun answered very honestly.

In her view, this was a transaction in itself. Since both parties knew the score, being evasive would just be hypocritical and foolish.

Since everything was out in the open, there was no need to hide it. Stating her demands and desires decently wasn't shameful, and those elaborate psychological games were completely unnecessary.

This blunt answer actually satisfied Chen Li. He didn't like beating around the bush; this kind of personality and directness suited his tastes perfectly.

Chen Li pondered for a moment, considering what price he should offer to make her stay with him contentedly.

“I can let you live the life you want. Name a price. How much do you need?”

“Really?” She hadn't expected Chen Li to be so direct and asked for confirmation in disbelief.

“Of course.”

“Then... is forty thousand okay?”

“How about this: every time we meet to ‘do business,’ I'll give you sixty thousand.”

“But there's a condition: you can't have anyone else. If you violate that, our relationship ends right there.”

“Six... sixty thousand?” Song Lingyun's heart trembled at the number, and two patches of blush quickly appeared on her cheeks.

“When you say ‘do business’... do you mean every time is like last night... like that?” By the end, her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

She had originally meant forty thousand a month to be on call—except for those special days, of course—so this offer far exceeded her expectations.

“Yes.”

“I promise you, I will never look for anyone else. I'll only be with you.”

She quickly guaranteed, then asked tentatively, “Chen Li, if I may ask, do you have a girlfriend?”

“I do.”

“Then if I miss you, or if I want to earn some money, how should I contact you?”

“Message me on WeChat anytime. If I'm free, I'll come see you.”

“Mhm, mhm.” She nodded obediently and huddled closer into his arms, her arms unconsciously hugging him tighter.

Looking at the girl in his arms, he once again felt the power of money. If it weren't for the system, a girl like this would never have been his turn.

He leaned close to her ear with a wicked smile: “How does it feel? Shall we... go again?”

“Brother Li, how about next time? It still hurts a little...” Song Lingyun was incredibly shy.

“Fine, then let's get up.”

As Chen Li spoke, he was the first to get up and start getting dressed.

Song Lingyun watched him dress, feeling both lucky and apprehensive—this generous man was going to completely change the trajectory of her life... The Shopping Mall had just opened for the morning, and the flow of people was light.

Since neither of them had classes in the morning, Chen Li took her to the mall to buy some things, considering it a form of compensation for her first time.

Song Lingyun gently leaned on Chen Li's arm, feeling the occasional glances from passersby—glances filled with envy and scrutiny.

In the past, she might have felt uncomfortable, but today, instead of dodging them, she actually enjoyed those gazes.

In a high-end boutique, Chen Li let her pick whatever she wanted.

She tried on a new handbag, spun around in front of the mirror, and turned back to ask for his opinion.

Chen Li nodded slightly: “If you like it, buy it.”

At that moment, Song Lingyun's heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of happiness.

She suddenly felt that having a man to rely on was truly wonderful.

She didn't have to worry about next month's living expenses anymore, and she didn't have to envy her roommates' designer bags.

If only she had met him sooner.

This thought made her pause for a moment. She had originally thought this was just a transaction, but now...