Xiaowan performed six songs in a row on stage, elevating the party's atmosphere to its peak. Amid the cheers of the crowd, she took a bow and nimbly jumped off the stage barefoot.
The other three band members followed her down. Paine, rubbing his stomach, declared, "I'm starving. I need some good food!"
Maggie nodded eagerly. "Me too, me too!"
Xiaowan grabbed Maggie's hand and led her toward the buffet table. "All the good stuff is over here. Come with me!"
The four of them gathered by the table, eating and laughing together. Xiaowan, radiant as always, naturally drew attention. Even though most people knew she was Chen Xin's girlfriend—and the party was thrown for her—some men couldn't help but approach, trying to strike up a conversation.
Unfortunately for them, before they could get close, they were met with a cold glare from Leng Qing, who was smoking nearby. Xiaowan remained oblivious to the situation, happily chatting away with Maggie. Meanwhile, Chen Xin, who initially intended to join them, got caught up entertaining a few friends. Just as he was about to excuse himself, a few girls in bikinis seized the chance to approach him, trying to flirt.
Chen Xin, however, politely turned them all down. But as soon as he dismissed one, another took her place, leaving him slightly overwhelmed. Just as he was about to break free and find Xiaowan, she appeared on her own.
At that moment, one of the rejected girls, still unwilling to give up, reached out to put her hand on Chen Xin's shoulder. Xiaowan raised an eyebrow and swiftly grabbed the girl's wrist, twisting it until the girl cried out in pain. "Touch my man again, and I'll burst those saline bags in your fake chest!"
Chen Xin's friends, recalling Xiaowan's legendary outburst at Ye Chen's birthday party, instinctively shrank back. The other women, intimidated by Xiaowan's commanding presence and the clear loyalty of the men around her, quickly backed off.
Still unsatisfied, Xiaowan beckoned to Chen Xin with a finger. "Little darling, come here."
Chen Xin hurried over, saying, "Baby, I swear I didn't let them touch me."
"I know." Xiaowan smirked and pointed to his shirt. "Take it off."
Chen Xin froze for a moment, then realized what she meant. With a resigned yet indulgent smile, he removed his shirt, revealing a fresh tattoo on his chest.
Xiaowan stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pointed to the tattoo for everyone to see. "See this? I've marked this man as mine. From now on, he's only for me. Anyone who dares make a move on him will have to deal with me, Lin Xiaowan!"
She then turned to Chen Xin, blinking her eyes innocently. "Am I right, little darling?"
Chen Xin smiled helplessly and nodded. "Right, right. Whatever my wife says is right."
Satisfied, Xiaowan happily gave him a big kiss. Chen Xin pulled her into his arms and sat down with her. His friends couldn't resist teasing. "Chen Xin, you're already henpecked, and you're not even married yet?"
Chen Xin laughed. "With such a great wife, who cares about being henpecked? You lot are just jealous."
"Exactly!" Xiaowan chimed in, munching on some food. After a while, she suddenly stopped mid-bite.
"What's wrong? Not hungry anymore?" Chen Xin poked her cheek.
Xiaowan looked puzzled. "I don't know. It feels like something's missing…"
"Missing? All your friends are here, aren't they? Or is there something you wanted to eat that Aili didn't prepare? I'll ask her for you."
"No, that's not it." Xiaowan rubbed her chin in thought. Her eyes landed on Ye Chen, who was passed out on a couch nearby, and suddenly lit up. Clapping her hands, she exclaimed, "Ah! I know what's missing. I haven't bullied Ye Chen today!"
Chen Xin burst out laughing. "You! Forget it. He's drunk and asleep. Let him be."
"No way! That makes it even more fun." Xiaowan's eyes sparkled mischievously. She wriggled out of Chen Xin's arms. "I'll go grab something!"
Chen Xin sighed and watched her hop into the house like an energetic rabbit. His friends, meanwhile, cast sympathetic glances at the sleeping Ye Chen but made no move to wake him—none of them wanted to be Xiaowan's substitute target.
Before long, Xiaowan returned with a few items in hand. Maggie and Paine curiously leaned over. "Xiaowan, why are you holding a green hat?"
Xiaowan stuck out her tongue playfully. "You'll see soon enough."
She crept over to Ye Chen, snapping her fingers in front of his face to ensure he was sound asleep. Satisfied, she boldly began her prank. First, she placed the green hat on his head. Then, she took out a green lipstick she had bought for Halloween last year and started writing on his bare chest.
Paine tilted his head, confused. "Xiaowan, why are you writing 'five her'? What does that mean?"
Xiaowan giggled mischievously as she wrote, saying, "This is an inside joke from back home. It's too complicated to explain—just laugh along!"
"Oh, alright then! Hahaha, that's hilarious!" Paine clutched his stomach, laughing exaggeratedly to play along.
But Xiaowan wasn't done. After finishing the English phrase, she added a line in Chinese beneath it: "Of course, we should forgive her". Then she took out her phone, snapped a picture of Ye Chen wearing the green hat, edited it slightly, and uploaded it to Instagram with the caption: "Congratulations to Mr. Ye Chen for being crowned king of the green hat realm!"
It didn't take long for her post to receive over 2,000 likes, with all the comments filled with "Hahahaha!"
Chen Xin refreshed his feed and immediately saw the photo. With a helpless sigh, he pulled Xiaowan back into his arms and said, "Alright, that's enough. If you keep this up, how's he supposed to face people after this?"
He reached out to remove the hat from Ye Chen's head, but Xiaowan stopped him, pouting. "No! Don't help him! If you do, I won't sleep with you tonight!"
After weighing his options, Chen Xin decisively abandoned his buddy and chose to stick with Xiaowan. Hugging her, he said, "Alright, alright. Is there anything else you'd like to eat? I'll get it for you."
Xiaowan looped her arms around his neck, kissed him on the cheek, and said, "That's more like it."
Nearby, Paine stared at Ye Chen, still confused about the joke. Unable to figure it out, he walked over to Leng Qing, who was smoking under a tree, and asked, "Hey, man, what's so funny about Xiaowan's post?"
Leng Qing, naturally aloof and not one for idle chatter, simply smiled faintly without answering. Paine didn't press further and instead asked for a cigarette, joining him under the tree.
After a moment, Paine broke the silence. "You know, Leng Qing, I used to think you and Xiaowan would make a good pair. But her boyfriend now… he's something else. Are you really not going to give up on her?"
Leng Qing's eyes remained fixed on Xiaowan, who was splashing in the pool with Chen Xin. His voice was firm. "I'll never give up. In this world, the only person truly worthy of her is me."
After swimming a few laps, Xiaowan climbed onto the newly installed diving platform. She looked down at Chen Xin, who was floating below, and called, "Little darling, I'm going to jump!"
"Alright," Chen Xin replied gently.
Xiaowan let out a playful shout toward the sky before leaping into the water. Chen Xin, who was close by, immediately swam over and scooped her up. Xiaowan wrapped her legs around his waist underwater, her large eyes shimmering as she gazed at him. "Little darling, no matter how many times I jump, will you always catch me?"
"Of course, silly girl," Chen Xin said, leaning in to kiss her. Xiaowan tugged on his hair, pulling him underwater, where they shared a passionate kiss.
After a while, Chen Xin carried her back to the surface. Xiaowan coughed a little and said breathlessly, "What a shame! We should've taken a picture of us kissing underwater. Let's do it again!"
"Enough," Chen Xin chuckled. "You're already out of breath. Next time." He carried her out of the pool, draped a towel over her shoulders, and had a servant bring a coat to keep her warm.
Exhausted from playing, Xiaowan dozed off in his arms, basking in the sunlight.
She slept until dusk. Most of the guests had left, except for Leng Qing, who sipped red wine nearby, and Ye Chen, who remained in the same position, sound asleep on a lounge chair.
Rubbing her eyes, Xiaowan woke up and climbed out of Chen Xin's arms. He nuzzled her forehead affectionately and asked, "Awake? Are you hungry?"
"No, not hungry." Xiaowan's soft, sleepy voice was incredibly sweet, making Chen Xin lean in to kiss her. But before long, he winced and let out a groan.
"What's wrong?" Xiaowan asked, concerned.
"Nothing," Chen Xin said, tapping his back. "Just sat in the same position too long. My back's a little stiff."
Realizing he'd stayed motionless all afternoon to let her rest, Xiaowan felt touched. Hugging him tightly, she said, "Let me give you a massage."
"Alright."
The two snuggled sweetly as the evening lights in the garden turned on. The illumination finally woke Ye Chen, who groggily stretched and sat up. As he reached for his face, he noticed something atop his head. Taking it off, he saw the green hat and exploded.
"What the hell! Who put a green hat on me?!"
Xiaowan burst out laughing and teased, "That's not the only thing I added. Check Instagram—I've made you a star!"
Suspicious, Ye Chen opened his phone and found the viral post. His friends had already shared it countless times. Furious, he wiped the lipstick writing off his chest, stood up, and stormed toward Xiaowan.
"Lin Xiaowan! This is your doing, isn't it?!"
Xiaowan leaped out of Chen Xin's arms, dodging Ye Chen's pursuit as she laughed. "What's the matter? I crowned you king—you should be thanking me!"
"Thank you, my ass!" Ye Chen roared. "Stop running! I swear, if I don't teach you a lesson today, I'm not Ye Chen!"
Xiaowan turned back with a sly grin. Tilting her head, she taunted, "Oh? What color lesson are you going to give me? Your signature color… green?"
Even Chen Xin couldn't hold back his laughter at that.
"You—! Stop running! STOP!"
The two started chasing each other around the pool. Xiao Wan wasn't wearing shoes and couldn't match Ye Chen's speed as a man. After only a few laps, he caught up with her. Realizing how close his hand was, she turned back and screamed, trying to dodge him. Unfortunately, she slipped and fell straight into the pool.
"Careful!" Ye Chen instinctively grabbed her hand, but it wasn't enough to stop her fall, and both of them ended up splashing into the water together.
Ye Chen quickly pulled Xiao Wan to the surface. She screamed and tried to push him away, but he suddenly shouted, "Don't move!"
Startled by his yell, Xiao Wan froze and looked at him in confusion. Then she felt an itch on her back and frowned, asking, "Hey! Why are your hands on my back?"
Blushing, Ye Chen muttered, "Your swimsuit strap came undone! If I let go, you'll flash everyone! Hurry up and fix it yourself!"
"Oh," Xiao Wan responded, reaching behind her to fasten the loose bikini hook. Once she was done, Ye Chen immediately let go and swam toward the shore.
As he climbed out of the pool, Xiao Wan splashed water at him and teased, "Not mad at me anymore, Green Hat King?"
Ye Chen glared at her with a mix of irritation and embarrassment, then turned to Chen Xin and said, "I'm using your shower."
"Go ahead," Chen Xin replied with a nod. He walked to the poolside and asked Xiao Wan, "Had enough fun? Want to grab dinner?"
"Sure!" Xiao Wan replied. Resting on the pool's edge, she let her legs float and sway gently in the water. Chen Xin brushed her wet hair away from her face, whispering, "You look just like a mermaid."
She reached out her hand and said, "Then hurry up and pull me ashore, Prince Charming."
Chen Xin smiled and carried her out of the water. "Let's take my mermaid for a bath and then have dinner, okay?"
Xiao Wan's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Can we bathe together?"
"Sure," Chen Xin said, planting a kiss on her cheek.
Xiao Wan gleefully kicked her legs and exclaimed, "Yay! A bath with my Chen Xin!"
Not far away, Leng Qing finished his glass of wine, got up, and told Ellie, "Let Xiao Wan know I'm leaving."
"Got it, Mr. Leng," Ellie replied.
Leng Qing mounted his Harley and disappeared into the night. However, he didn't notice three tall figures lurking in the shadows outside the villa.
Among them, An Jun leaned lazily against a tree, a cigarette between his lips. After taking a deep drag, he looked at the villa with a sneer. "Never thought that little seductress could rope in Chen Xin, the top son of the Chen family. Tsk, I was just planning to snatch her for a few days of fun. Things just got tricky."
The two new bodyguards behind him hesitated before advising, "Boss, the Chen family isn't to be trifled with. Maybe we should drop this?"
An Jun turned and shot them a cold glance. The men immediately lowered their heads. Raising his chin arrogantly, An Jun said, "You think I care? If I back down now, where's my dignity? I'll have her, no matter what. I can't wait to see the look on Leng Qing's face when I ruin her."
Chen Xin carried Xiao Wan to the master bathroom, where he filled the tub with warm water. When he tried to carry her in, she sat on the sink counter and said, "You go first. I want to watch you undress."
"Alright," he agreed. As he slid his pants down to his calves, he looked up to find Xiao Wan holding her phone, aiming it at him.
Stopping mid-action, he asked helplessly, "What are you up to now, you naughty girl?"
"Nothing much. Keep going." Xiao Wan bit her lip, her gaze fixed on his lower abdomen. "Just one more piece left. Hurry up and take it off."
"You're recording me, aren't you?" he asked with a sigh.
Shrugging, she replied with mock seriousness, "You've got such a great body. I'm recording this now so you can look back on it when you're older and see how handsome you were."
"Fine," Chen Xin said.
He reached over and pressed a button on the wall. Hot water sprayed down from the overhead shower, shrouding the room in steam. As the water cascaded over him, he removed his last piece of clothing. Running his hands over his toned chest, he gave Xiao Wan a sultry, playful look.
Unable to resist, Xiao Wan abandoned her phone and leaped at him, shouting, "Chen Xin, you're seducing me!"
Chen Xin caught her, pressing her against the tiled wall. Hoisting her by the waist so her legs wrapped around him, he whispered in her ear, "I am. Do you like it?"
"Yes…" Xiao Wan admitted breathlessly, leaning in to kiss his chest.
But Chen Xin tilted her chin up and kissed her deeply, hands roaming over her soft, silk-like skin.
In a nearby guest bathroom, Ye Chen stood under a cold shower, one arm braced against the wall, his forehead resting on it. The icy water did little to calm his turbulent emotions.
The fleeting contact with Xiao Wan's bare back in the pool earlier had ignited something he couldn't suppress. Even now, with freezing water cascading down his muscular frame, her face kept intruding on his thoughts, making it impossible for him to relax.
With a bitter laugh, Ye Chen reached down and took matters into his own hands.
Later, as Ye Chen left the bathroom, he passed by the master bedroom and heard faint sounds of water and Xiao Wan's soft laughter. His hands clenched into fists.
On his way out, he noticed a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace lying on the table. Xiao Wan loved this piece and wore it often.
Picking it up, he held it in his palm, its faint fragrance stirring something deep inside him. After a long moment, he wrapped it around his wrist, turned, and walked out the door.