Chapter 4 — Contract of Possession

If I were a truly obedient and sensible person, I would surely have cuddled up to him, acting all sweet and spoiled, while quietly maintaining our arrangement just as it was in the beginning. But ever since I realized that he had been toying with me all along, I transformed into a well-behaved yet fiercely cunning creature. Seeing him finally lower his guard and compromise, I decided to push my luck even further, flashing an innocent, carefree smile: “It is completely fine, my dear husband. Break up with one, and finding another will instantly chase all the sorrow away!”

Before I even had the chance to scout for a brand-new boyfriend, all the men who used to pursue me suddenly vanished into thin air. Even the two colleagues who had previously chased after me with fiery determination now went out of their way to give me a wide berth whenever our paths crossed. In just a short span of time, the atmosphere around me felt utterly vacuumed, leaving me with not a single eligible bachelor in sight. Among all the ordinary and qualified men in my vicinity, only Phong Ye remained. And he took full advantage of that, showing up at my apartment three or four days a week. Dressed impeccably in crisp dress shirts and tailored trousers, he would sit at my desk and fiddle with his laptop. A living, breathing temptation. He knew all too well that I adored him most when he was covered up from head to toe, leaving not an inch of skin exposed, yet driving me utterly wild with a restless itch. After enduring more than a week without managing to secure a new boyfriend, I finally surrendered to Phong Ye. That very night, I strode right up to him, gripped his silk tie firmly, and lifted my chin: “Phong Ye, this is all your doing, isn’t it? What is your game?” A strong hand pressed against the small of my back, applying just enough pressure to close the remaining distance between us.

“Isn’t my intention already abundantly clear?”

Phong Ye’s gaze was piercingly sharp, and before I knew it, his hand had slid from my waist up to the back of my head, gently urging me downward. Our lips met, leaving not a single gap between us. The moment I felt myself sinking into the intoxicating depths of his kiss, I placed both hands against his cheeks and shoved him away with all my might. His lips remained wet and glistening, his thick eyelashes fluttering slightly as he revealed a pair of eyes filled with lingering confusion. I crossed my arms tightly over my chest: “You dislike having a bedmate with a boyfriend, so let us just tear up the contract and find someone who suits your tastes better. As for what I did, it was entirely within the rules; you have no right to interfere.” Just as I was about to launch into a full debate, Phong Ye slowly spoke up: “What I am doing has nothing to do with the rules.” I stared straight into his eyes: “Then what does it concern? Could it possibly concern… me?” His gaze was far too transparent, causing my voice to taper off into a whisper.

“Mmhmm.”

That single, effortless syllable left me utterly speechless. Because of me? Inside my mind, a nerve of pure excitement snapped awake. It seemed I finally understood what he was implying… But who did he take me for? I was still fiercely guarding my persona as an innocent, obedient person! If Phong Ye was not going to spell it out explicitly, I would simply pretend to be completely clueless! Therefore, I tilted my head and flashed a bright, pristine smile: “Well, if my dear husband is unsatisfied with me, then let us just cancel the contract right here~” The corners of Phong Ye’s mouth pulled downward, his dark eyes turning unfathomably deep.

“Do you… truly wish to break up with me that badly?”

Truth be told, I did not. Aside from my lingering physical attachment to his body, perhaps there were a few other tangled emotions involved as well. But if we broke up, I would no longer be forced into such a passive position. Enjoying him was one thing, but I wanted him to appear the very second I demanded it, rather than having to dutifully show up whenever he felt like it. Perched upon Phong Ye’s lap, staring directly into his deadpan, serious face, I gave a solemn nod. “That is right.”

Phong Ye acted with a terrifying efficiency. By that very evening, any and all binding paperwork between the two of us had completely ceased to exist. True to the final clause we had originally agreed upon: [Article 11: Upon the termination of the contract, all contact shall cease.] I continued to go to work as usual, still riding my little electric scooter and meticulously maintaining my facade as a gentle, well-behaved citizen. When the weekend arrived, I finally had a stretch of uninterrupted time free from the nuisance of pursuing men. I stayed up the entire night, drinking a fair amount of alcohol, fully intending to sleep straight through until the afternoon. Perhaps due to the heavy intoxication, even my dreams turned unimaginably bizarre. I dreamed of a monstrous creature stomping through the city and crushing an entire apartment complex to the ground. Just as the monster lifted its massive foot to step directly on me, I bolted awake in a cold sweat—only to find myself staring into a handsome face that had absolutely no business being inside my bedroom. Phong Ye. Huh? Why on earth was he in my house? Wait a minute… this was not even my house!

“Does anything hurt? Are you feeling unwell?”

Phong Ye leaned down, his warm hand gently brushing against my cheek. Within those eyes that were perpetually frosty, there flickered a rare trace of genuine anxiety and care. In a daze, I shook my head.

“Were you frightened by the nightmare, then?”

His voice was deeper than usual, the cadence remarkably soft. In truth, I had not been scared by the dream at all; rather, I was utterly horrified by the reality unfolding right before my eyes. I nodded honestly. While Phong Ye turned away to fetch something, I glanced down at my phone and quickly pulled up the local news. …It turned out not to have been a dream at all; the building really had collapsed! It was the exact building standing right next to my residential complex. I vaguely remembered a household unlawfully adding an extra floor to their unit last year… Phong Ye turned back around, catching a glimpse of my illuminated phone screen.

“I have already had your belongings moved over here. That neighborhood is no longer safe; from now on, you will live here.”

I snapped my head up, finally finding my voice: “Mr. Phong, what about the final clause of the contract…” Phong Ye bent down, effortlessly lifting me up into his arms as his low, magnetic voice rumbled right beside my ear: “The contract has already ended, so that clause is no longer valid.” What a shameless sophistry! I immediately began twisting and turning like a hooked fish, struggling wildly in his grasp.

“Stop squirming. Your stomach has been growling for a while now—do you really have the energy to throw tantrums?”

The sudden sensation of hunger rushed to the forefront, stealing away all my attention. Very well then, food was far more important than arguing. I decided I would fill my stomach first before debating with him any further. But before I even had the chance to utter a single word, Phong Ye continued: “Upstairs, we will watch a movie while you enjoy a private massage service.” My focus was hijacked once again. Over the next three days, even when Phong Ye was not around, I completely immersed myself in sheer luxury. Eating exquisite food, drinking fine beverages, and playing to my heart’s content—everything was so flawlessly comfortable that I genuinely lost all desire to ever return to the office. …Wait a moment, did something feel fundamentally wrong here? Living under Phong Ye’s roof and indulging in every imaginable comfort, our relationship felt even more intimately entangled than it had during the actual contract?!

My balding supervisor heard the news about the collapsed building and generously granted me an extended, fully paid leave. I strongly suspected Phong Ye’s influence was secretly at work behind the scenes. Regardless, I was currently taking temporary refuge in this luxurious mansion. On the day Phong Ye finally returned, I was in the middle of tearing my room apart in search of a specific item.

“What are you looking for?”

His deep male voice suddenly echoed from directly behind me. Squatting on the floor, I looked up at him, not bothering to hide my intentions: “Looking for my toys. You were the one who packed and moved my things, so where are they?” Phong Ye was dressed in a pristine, immaculate suit, every single crease neatly ironed, radiating an aura of absolute, ascetic restraint. That had been my very first impression of him. But right now, his gaze lowered, and he suddenly bent down to wrap his arms around me.

“I certainly do not mind lending you my own body to use.”

Wow. I—a genuinely well-behaved person—was truly astounded. This man, even when no contractual obligations bound us together anymore, was still willing to offer himself up so voluntarily? Yet the way he phrased it deeply displeased me. I looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes, acting just as obediently as before: “That hardly seems appropriate… After all, toys actually listen to my commands, whereas a person is entirely uncontrollable…”

“If you want them to be, they can be.”

Phong Ye’s dark gaze locked onto me, and with a single fluid motion, he hoisted me straight off the ground. This… how on earth was this appropriate at all?! I was someone who both obsessed over his physical form and possessed a supreme talent for escalating demands…
Step one: The bathroom.
Step two: The battlefield.

“Mr. Phong, am I allowed to bite right here?”

I pressed my hands firmly against his collarbone. Phong Ye’s eyes, deep and cold like a frozen lake, rippled with emotion: “Could it be that you have never bitten me before?” I immediately proved my point without hesitation.

“Mr. Phong, is this… permitted?”

“Permitted.”

“Phong…”

“Mmhmm.”

By the time things gradually began to wind down, I reached out to trace the sharp, defined lines of his jaw, making a completely outrageous request: “Mr. Phong, would it be alright if I slapped you across the face once?” It was utterly embarrassing to admit, but the slap I had given him in the car last time had left an indelible mark on my heart. There were even times I dreamed of him frowning with fierce sternness, yet willingly enduring my slaps over and over again. Only, I had never imagined there would truly be a second time. But right now presented the most opportune moment. If he refused, the worst that could happen was being kicked out by him. And if he actually accepted… then I would hit the jackpot! To boost my chances of success, I proactively crawled up onto his chest, putting on the most pitiful, aggrieved expression I could muster. Unsurprisingly, Phong Ye was utterly shaken by this completely unexpected demand.