Wan Tong saw the masseur off before circling around and learning that Li Shen had gone to the training ground.
As soon as she stepped inside, she heard the dull sounds of hand-to-hand combat. A group of young men stood around, their eyes fixed on the fighters in the center with excitement.
She saw Li Shen locking a man’s arms behind his back with an iron grip before ruthlessly kicking him to the ground, showing no mercy.
The man, pinned to the ground by Li Shen’s knee, caught sight of Wan Tong and, as if spotting his savior, cried out, “Sister, save me!”
His shout drew the attention of everyone around them.
This estate housed all kinds of people, but none as seemingly fragile as this girl.
And yet, she was the only one who could handle Li Shen.
From a distance, Li Shen spotted Wan Tong. Releasing the man on the ground, he walked toward her.
His short hair was damp with sweat, his tank top already soaked through. The defined muscles on his arms and shoulders pulsed with raw strength, glistening with sweat that, under the sunlight, gave his skin a warm, golden sheen.
Wan Tong took a step forward to meet him, but just then, a tall and shapely woman suddenly stepped in her way, handing Li Shen a white towel in a sweet voice, “Brother Shen, wipe off your sweat.”
The woman was taller than Wan Tong by half a head. A mixed-race beauty with a larger frame, she had been rescued by Li Shen and had since been living in the estate, attracting many admirers.
But Wan Tong had forgotten her name.
Now, with the woman stepping forward to offer the towel, Wan Tong could feel the subtle glances cast in her direction, as if everyone was waiting to see a show unfold.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Li Shen took the towel, and to everyone’s surprise, he casually tossed it onto the coach who had just managed to stand up. “He needs it more.”
“Brother Shen, you’re humiliating me! I can still fight three hundred more rounds!”
Li Shen shot him a glance, and the man immediately backed down, hurriedly wiping his face with the towel while mumbling, “Thanks, Nasha…”
As if he hadn’t been the one boasting just moments ago.
Laughter erupted around them, but Nasha’s expression stiffened. She turned and glared at Wan Tong, as if she had suffered some great insult, before biting her lip and walking away.
Wan Tong, caught in the crossfire, made a mental note of this woman, one of Li Shen’s rare admirers…
“All done?” Li Shen stopped in front of Wan Tong, sweat still dripping from his sharply defined jaw. He casually wiped it away, his dry lips pressing together.
The sheer masculine presence made Wan Tong’s cheeks warm. She glanced around and teased, “Were you bullying the younger ones?”
She had overheard the boys gossiping earlier, that Li Shen had taken down every fighter here. Savage.
“Not at all,” Li Shen shamelessly twisted the truth. “They were just bored and wanted to fight.”
The poor coach clenched the towel and spat out dust. “???”
What kind of blatant fabrication was this…
Wan Tong glanced at the coach flexing his biceps and silently weeping in the background. Amused, she noticed how much Li Shen was sweating and took off her silk scarf, which she had been using for sun protection, handing it to him. “Here.”
But instead of using it to wipe his sweat, Li Shen merely brought the scarf to his nose, taking in its scent.
“Whoa…” A low murmur of excitement rippled through the onlookers.
Wan Tong : “…”
It was supposed to be a simple gesture, but with all these people watching and hyping it up, it felt way too intimate. She quickly grabbed Li Shen and led him away.
Li Shen cast a glance back, silencing the onlookers with a single look before striding after her.
Her small hand grasped his wrist, soft and dry, not minding the sweat on his skin in the slightest.
Li Shen looked at their contrasting hands—one dark, one fair; one big, one small—and suddenly felt a little self-conscious, his sharp brows knitting together slightly.
The sun was blazing. After only a short walk, Wan Tong could feel the heat on her head.
Li Shen quickened his pace and positioned his tall frame beside her, shading her with his silhouette.
With Wan Tong leading the way, they returned to Li Shen’s room.
“Brother Li Shen, go take a shower first. I’ll wait here. Let’s go shopping later, okay?” She had been too tense in this world and needed to relax a little.
Li Shen nodded, grabbed some clothes, and headed into the bathroom.
As soon as the sound of running water filled the room, Nasha seized the opportunity to step in, fixing Wan Tong with a defensive glare. “Don’t think just because Brother Shen spoils you now, you can do whatever you want. You’re just a stand-in!”
Wan Tong : “???”
Is this world running on the ‘substitute love interest’ trope? Why wasn’t she informed?
Seeing her remain silent, Nasha stepped closer, her tone aggressive. “With that tiny body of yours, Brother Shen would never like you.”
She even puffed out her chest for emphasis. Due to her larger frame, she was, indeed, more… well-endowed than Wan Tong.
But Wan Tong didn’t think her figure was bad!
She was just… short.
She wasn’t in the mood to argue with a childish girl, so she casually replied, “Then wait for him to come out and ask him yourself.”
“Don’t be smug! I’m the one he truly likes. We’ve lived together for four years! He saved my life!”
“…Oh.” Wan Tong’s gaze drifted slightly. Should she start with seafood or fruit at the night market?
“Cen Wantong! Are you even listening to me?!”
Nasha’s furious shout finally brought Wan Tong’s attention back.
Wan Tong sighed and glanced toward the bathroom. “Your Brother Shen is about to come out. Do you still want to continue talking?”
Nasha felt a breath stuck in her chest, unable to go up or down. She raised her hand, ready to teach someone a lesson.
Wan Tong dodged, her little face turning cold. “You still want to hit me?”
Nasha met her icy gaze and suddenly felt uneasy. She glanced toward the bathroom before quickly fleeing, leaving only a single sentence behind: “Just you wait.”
Wan Tong watched her retreating figure and responded, “I’ll tell on you.”
Nasha’s escape became even more panicked.
Within minutes, Li Shen stepped out, the fresh scent of shower gel spreading through the air.
Wan Tong didn’t mention what had just happened with Nasha. Instead, like a little puppy, she leaned in and sniffed him. “Brother Li Shen smells so nice.”
Li Shen ran his fingers through his damp hair and lowered his gaze to the girl standing so close. Her slightly pursed, rosy lips made him feel like he needed another round of cold water.
His gaze burned with heat, Wan Tong couldn’t possibly miss it. She immediately backed up toward the window, mumbling, “Hurry up and…”
Whether from the heat or something else, her delicate doll-like face was tinged with a rosy blush, as soft and tempting as a freshly ripened peach.
Wan Tong had no idea how enticing she looked to others. She only knew that at this moment, Li Shen felt dangerous, so dangerous that he might grab her at any second and, in his deep voice, ask if she wanted to ‘play with guns.’
With his level of shamelessness, he would totally do it!
Damon’s injuries healed quickly thanks to the system.
Li Shen didn’t truly imprison him, only assigned people to keep watch. After that day, neither Li Shen nor Cen Wantong appeared before him again.
Damon took the time to readjust his plans.
Just before Wan Tong and Li Shen were about to head out, a subordinate approached. “Damon wants to see Wan Tong.”
At the mention of the troublesome Raider, Wan Tong’s mood sank to rock bottom. With a sullen face, she followed Li Shen to Damon’s residence.
Damon looked thinner, his lips pale. Without his glasses, the charm in his gentle eyes became more apparent.
As Wan Tong entered, he stood up and walked toward her.
“You wanted to see me?” Wan Tong tried her best to appear calm.
“Tongtong is still mad at me?” Damon immediately put on an act. In the blink of an eye, his eyes reddened, filled with boundless warmth and remorse.
Wan Tong remembered her brother’s eyes—they were always filled with indulgent laughter. So when she met Damon’s gaze, she froze for a moment.
Even though she knew very well that he was only using her brother’s body to deceive her.
For the next half hour, Damon told her everything about the past ten years.
He had been hunted down, got into a car accident, and fell into the sea. When he was rescued, he had already lost his memory and was disfigured. He had recovered his memories bit by bit over the years. A few years ago, after fully regaining them, he began investigating the Cen family and shifted all his hatred onto Li Shen.
When Li Shen established the WT organization, Damon infiltrated it, even taking over one of his branches.
To remove the scars on his face, he underwent plastic surgery. A year ago, he approached Li Shen under the identity of Damon to seek revenge.
Damon also explained that he had wanted to kill Wan Tong because he believed she was a fake created by Li Shen.
After finishing, he trembled as he took Wan Tong’s hands in his.
Wan Tong looked up at the tears in his eyes, but she still withdrew her hands and quickly ran out.
Damon watched her fleeing figure, his expression still gentle.
But inwardly, he found it strange. He had gone to such lengths, why was she still so heartless? Shouldn’t she have thrown herself into his arms by now, completing this heartfelt reunion scene?
After Wan Tong left, Li Shen stepped inside.
“Where’s Tongtong?” Damon glanced at the guards by the door and then asked coldly, “Are you still going to keep me locked up like a prisoner?”
“I have reason to believe you still intend to harm her. Isn’t it only natural for me to be cautious?” Li Shen’s deep gaze was unreadable.
“If anyone should be cautious, it’s me against you. You like Tongtong, don’t you?”
Damon smirked coldly, as if he had seen right through him.
But Li Shen remained as indifferent as ever, as if wearing a mask of eternal composure. Only his dark eyes revealed a flicker of emotion. “And if I do?”
“I won’t allow it,” Damon said firmly. “Have you forgotten? You destroyed the Cen family. Tongtong has already died once because of you. The fact that we siblings can reunite at all is nothing short of a miracle.”
As he spoke, he observed Li Shen’s expression, but he couldn’t read anything. Since the favorability rating was reduced, Li Shen had become wary of him.
But he was certain that when facing Cen Wantong, Li Shen was definitely feeling uncomfortable. What right did Li Shen have to claim her?
“I allow it.”
A crisp voice came from the doorway.
Wan Tong had somehow returned.
Both men turned to her in surprise. She strode up to Li Shen and pulled him away. Her bold and determined posture resembled an oblivious little lamb leading a sleeping wolf straight into her own den.
A bit foolish, but undeniably adorable.
Demeng watched them leave, biting his lip so hard that he tasted blood.
Wan Tong dragged Li Shen a short distance before realizing she could no longer move him.
She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. “What’s wrong?”
After all the trouble with Damon, the sky had already begun to darken. The mood for a night market stroll had faded, and her voice carried a hint of listlessness.
Li Shen wrapped his fingers around her slender wrist, pulling her in front of him. A shadowy glint flickered in his dark eyes. “Tongtong, explain what you just said.”
“Explain what…” Wan Tong’s voice weakened. She had only spoken on impulse to stand up for him.
Li Shen was the type to be straightforward, but whenever it came to her, his rationality urged him to be more restrained.
But now… To hell with restraint!
He clenched his jaw, bent down, and threw her over his shoulder, carrying her straight back to his room.
The room was quiet, perfect for a conversation. No one could escape.
Especially now, as Li Shen pressed her shoulders down onto the bed, his striking face inches from hers. His deep, bottomless gaze bore into her, radiating a domineering intensity that left her no room to retreat.
“Brother Li Shen, what’s wrong?” Wan Tong propped herself up on her hands, leaning back slightly.
Could they not, just for once, skip the whole discussion about relationships?
Once Damon was dealt with and everything settled, she would have all the time in the world to talk things through with him.
“Do you know what this is?” Li Shen suddenly hooked a finger under her collar, revealing a glimpse of her delicate, alluring collarbone—where a small, oval-shaped red mark stood out.
“Mosquitoes love biting me…” Wan Tong muttered blankly. In T Country, she constantly woke up with new mosquito bites, which faded after a few days.
But the way he asked made her feel… odd.
Hearing her response, Li Shen’s lips curved into an unreadable smile. His gaze darkened further, the possessiveness in his eyes pooling into an ink-like abyss.
He pressed her down against the bed and whispered by her ear, “Wrong, Tongtong. The one who loves biting you… is me.”
His rough fingertips traced lightly over the fabric covering her back. “Here, here, and here…”
Each time his fingers moved, Wan Tong shivered slightly, trembling under his touch.
She suddenly recalled the two masseuses’ shy and knowing looks that afternoon.
And as Li Shen’s deep, husky voice echoed in her ears, an image formed in her mind—of him, watching over her as she slept, stealing kisses like a hopelessly infatuated fool…
His voice grew raspier, until it finally disappeared altogether. His hand stopped at the small of her back.
With his strong arms wrapped securely around her, he buried his face against her neck, as if awaiting some inevitable judgment.
For now, in these last fleeting moments, he only wanted to greedily savor her sweetness.
Every night, haunted by nightmares and illusions, she was his only cure.
At first, he could still restrain himself. But little by little, desire had overtaken reason. Like a lowly thief, he coveted her—not just her body, but everything about her.