Chapter 100: This Is an Utter Insult!

And Mai Xijun—she was the first. The first woman bold enough to dare, to act so recklessly before him, utterly fearless of his presence. Not even Xie Yunting had ever behaved so.

Mai Xijun looked at Shen Yanlie, a touch of apprehension flickering across her face. Her playful smile had almost frozen.

But—who was it that said the modern woman must be able to hold court in the drawing room, cook in the kitchen, write code, detect anomalies, vanquish trojans, scale walls, drive good cars, buy new homes, outwit mistresses, and fend off scoundrels?

Though she admitted she couldn’t afford a good car, nor buy a new house, when it came to fighting ruffians, she felt that since fate had tossed her into this situation, she ought to strive to draw closer to the ideal of the new era’s woman.

And so, Shen Yanlie would become her benchmark for becoming a female ruffian. If she could conquer him, she could conquer the world.

"Um..." Mai Xijun faltered, finding herself unable to sustain the bravado. Had she waited just a second longer, Shen Yanlie would have spoken first. She missed that moment. When masters duel, the process matters most.

"Come, I’ll play your game," Shen Yanlie said, suddenly wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her sharply into his embrace. She tumbled into him, utterly defenseless, her lips immediately sealed by his.

"Mmm... Shen Yanlie, you... let mmm..." The tingling sensation from his tongue teasing at the corner of her lips swept through her mouth and surged straight to her abdomen, a warm current flooding her senses. Her hands, which had been lightly resting on his chest, unconsciously slid around his neck.

He traced the curve of her lips with exquisite gentleness, then began to claim her with abandon.

Shen Yanlie lifted Mai Xijun in his arms and carried her from the balcony into the room. In that brief distance, she gulped in air, only to be tossed unceremoniously onto the king-sized bed the moment they reached its edge.

The soft, pure white sheets enveloped half her body, leaving her slightly dizzy—one misstep, and the line between heaven and hell blurred.

Shen Yanlie leaned over her. She wore his shirt, and with a few deft moves, he undid the row of buttons down her front. Fresh from the bath, she wore nothing beneath. Her fullness was laid bare before him.

He buried his face against her neck, licking gently at first, then biting. Her blossoming breasts were kneaded in his hands, the twin cherries glistening, as if awaiting someone to pluck them.

With a slight squeeze, he drew a hint of pain from her, but it mingled with a delicious shiver, leaving her floating, almost transcendent. His rough breath moved to her ear, laughter unrestrained. "I love how you respond."

"You... get off me," Mai Xijun managed, regaining her composure and summoning all her strength, though she couldn't push him away. Her protesting voice sounded so sultry, as if it were lovers’ banter.

"Playing your game—how could I leave?" Shen Yanlie kept his rakish air, flushing her cheeks with crimson, her eyes shining with the flames of desire.

The hard length pressed against her through the thin panties, and it seemed that with a single thrust, he could join with her in the most primal pleasure.

"I don’t want to play anymore. I surrender," Mai Xijun clamped her legs together, but Shen Yanlie remained wedged between them, his hardness against her softness. The room’s temperature soared, intimacy reaching its peak.

Yet despite her stubbornness, the weight behind her words spoke of surrender, not defeat. Her passionate manner made it clear she'd just thoroughly enjoyed his kisses and caresses...

"When it starts, you don’t get to end it," Shen Yanlie smiled, placing both palms on her knees. With a gentle push, he parted her legs, his hand gliding along her inner thigh, pressing and kneading until Mai Xijun couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.

His callused hand roved over her softness, tracing her curves. The other hand wandered, exploring her most private places. His long fingers slid inside her, stirring her inner walls, awakening every cell in her body.

The electric sensation left her legs powerless, her toes curling in pleasure, her body instinctively arching to meet him.

"Uh..." Mai Xijun murmured, her voice trembling as the sound of wetness echoed from their union, soaking the pristine sheets.

He finally surged within her, her body tensed to the summit, collapsing weakly onto the bed. That ultimate sensation, the pleasure in her body—so wonderful, so exquisite...

Only when she felt danger creeping closer did she realize just what she’d been doing...

That man—he’d used his fingers... My god.

Mai Xijun’s temper flared without warning. She opened her eyes wide, their depths still glistening with lingering passion. She threw her hand up with all her strength, pushing the man above her away.

Damn it. How humiliating. Even though he made her feel so good, he actually used his fingers. Fingers! Thinking back on her own reaction, she felt utterly mortified.

Heavy-handed indeed...

Shen Yanlie was caught off guard, pushed aside onto the bed. This woman—she obviously liked it. She liked his kisses, his touch, his... well, everything he did.

"I made you feel so good. Now it’s your turn," Shen Yanlie grabbed her ankle, refusing to let her go. Mai Xijun kicked at him a few times, each attempt failing.

He half-closed his eyes, lying back on the bed, one arm behind his head, as if waiting.

"What are you up to?" Mai Xijun feigned ignorance. It couldn’t possibly be anything good. With a glance, she scanned his abdomen and lower body. Damn, he was already standing at attention, yet so calm.

"I’m up to you..." Shen Yanlie suddenly sat up, moving faster than Mai Xijun could react. He looped an arm around her neck, pulling her back down onto the bed, pressing himself over her.

He could have waited, let her take her time. But her choice of words triggered him—when a man hears his beloved utter that word in bed... "Up to"...

"For heaven’s sake, you’re swearing at me," Mai Xijun blurted out, realizing more and more that with Shen Yanlie, she could never remain calm. Every time she got close to him, things became dramatic.

Her exquisite features were marked by furrowed brows, her hands gripping Shen Yanlie’s wrists in refusal, clearly denying him further touch.

Shen Yanlie suddenly laughed. "I’m not swearing at you. You know, a man in bed has a passionate possessiveness. And... when a man speaks roughly in bed, don’t you think it’s bold and delightfully direct?"

Direct, my ass. Bold, my ass. Damn him.

"Chauvinist pig," Mai Xijun didn’t shout, but dropped the phrase with plain conviction.

His restraint was impressive, holding himself back when his obvious arousal pressed hotly against her most intimate place. Her face flushed with embarrassment, but at this point, escape was no longer possible.

Three black lines appeared on Shen Yanlie’s face. "You’re a rabbit pig." Clearly, he didn’t know what ‘chauvinist pig’ meant. Despite his broad knowledge, those words suited him well—after all, men are all chauvinist pigs.

He looked at Mai Xijun, her body still aflame with desire, her eyes clouded with passion. He lowered his head and kissed her crimson lips.

He lingered greedily at her neck, inhaling deeply at her collarbone. Mai Xijun whimpered softly, her voice tender and seductive, tinged with shyness and allure.

Shen Yanlie propped himself up, his slender fingers threading through her dark hair, his gentle palm caressing her brows again and again. He grasped her chin, locking her gaze onto his, his eyes full of tenderness as he searched the depths of hers.

The restless heat between them circulated slowly, and in their eyes, only each other existed. Quietly, with no hesitation.

"Call me Yanlie," Shen Yanlie said softly, his voice gentle yet rich, so pleasing it threatened to undo her.

Mai Xijun parted her lips tentatively, only to bite them in shy hesitation, unable to utter the name. Her coyness stirred Shen Yanlie’s blood instantly. This push-and-pull, so inviting and resistant, he knew wasn’t deliberate. It was unintentional, yet always able to kindle his deepest desire.

He wanted her.

And he would have her.

"I can’t say it..." Mai Xijun whispered, mortified. After several tries, she failed.

Shen Yanlie smiled, without a trace of anger. "Be good. Try calling me, just once."