Testing the Waters on the Way Home and a Sweet "Punishment"

In the second half of the private auction, the much-mythologized "finale collectible" was finally unveiled: a fragment of a manuscript purportedly by Da Vinci, containing designs for an ancient mechanism.

The room buzzed with excitement as bids rang out one after another. Yan Qingyue seemed to give it serious consideration as well, but ultimately didn't bid.

Lin Chen had also focused his Golden Eye on it. The information it returned was: "Very old, with some distinctive design concepts.

Authenticity uncertain, value subject to enormous fluctuations." The risk was obviously immense, so naturally he wouldn't touch it.

In the end, a Middle Eastern collector bought the manuscript for an astronomical price.

Lin Chen gained nothing else from the entire private auction.

But he wasn't disappointed, because the potential value of the inconspicuous iron box at the bottom of his suitcase might far exceed the combined value of everything displayed that night.

On the flight home, the atmosphere was a little strange.

Because of the earlier "attack" and Yan Qingyue's sudden gesture of straightening his collar, Lin Chen was somewhat stiff and didn't dare let his imagination run wild as he had on the way there. He spent most of the flight pretending to watch the sea of clouds outside the window.

Yan Qingyue remained perfectly composed, occasionally leafing through the documents she had brought or closing her eyes to rest.

But she could clearly hear the tangled mess of thoughts in the head of the guy beside her, wrestling with "the chip," "protection," and "does she care about me?" The corners of her lips curved almost imperceptibly.

After this trip to Macau, she found that her "interest" in Lin Chen had deepened another degree.

It was no longer just curiosity about his secrets and abilities. There seemed to be... something else, too.

Especially when she saw him in danger, the anger and worry she couldn't control in that instant, and the instinctive gesture of intimacy afterward...

They made her realize that some things seemed to be straying from the course she had set for them.

Still, that didn't stop her from continuing to enjoy the game.

She had already planned her next move.

The plane landed smoothly in the familiar city. The driver had long since been waiting outside.

They took Lin Chen back to his apartment first.

As he got out, Yan Qingyue lowered the car window and gave him a matter-of-fact instruction:

"I'll handle what happened today"—the attack. "Watch out for your own safety over the next few days. Take tomorrow off and get some proper rest."

Flattered and surprised, Lin Chen nodded quickly.

"Thank you, President Yan! You get some rest too!"

Only after watching the Rolls-Royce drive away did Lin Chen let out a long breath, feeling as though he had just fought a grueling battle.

But when he touched his collar, where the sensation of her touch seemed to linger, he felt a little strange again.

The next day, Lin Chen enjoyed a rare chance to sleep in. The first thing he did after getting up was carefully take out the iron box and study the dark blue chip again.

He tried all sorts of things, taking photos with his phone and connecting it to a computer... But the chip seemed completely isolated, giving no response at all, just like a peculiar stone.

How am I supposed to use this? Can't the system give me a hint?

He was troubled, but he didn't dare casually ask someone to appraise it, afraid it would bring him trouble.

Just as he was worrying over the chip, his phone rang.

It was Little Moon.

Lin Chen's eyes lit up, and his mood brightened instantly.

Chatting with Little Moon was much more relaxing. He didn't have to walk on eggshells.

"Chenxing~ Are you back on the mainland? Was Macau fun? [/cute]"

Using Little Yue's account, Yan Qingyue sent the seemingly casual greeting.

"I just got back not long ago [/sheepish grin]. Macau was all right, I guess. I was mostly there to accompany my boss on business, so I didn't get much chance to have fun."

As Lin Chen replied, he instinctively kept the attack and the chip to himself, not wanting her to worry.

"Oh? Just business? [/thinking]"

Yan Qingyue deliberately drew out her words. "How come I heard... that someone seemed to have picked up something incredible in Macau? [/snicker]"

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat!

How does she know?! Did President Yan tell her?

No, that's not right. How could President Yan possibly know Little Moon?!

Or... was it a coincidence? Or was she talking about something else?

He forced himself to stay calm, trying to bluff his way through.

"Huh? What incredible thing? I'd have loved to pick up a pretty girl and bring her back, but no such luck [/pout]."

Yan Qingyue chuckled aloud as she read his reply.

He still wanted to fool her?

"Hmph~ You're not being honest! [/hmph]"

She sent an indignant emoji. "I've already heard all about it~ Someone turned a misfortune into a blessing~ Come on, what treasure did you pick up? Let me feast my eyes too~ [/curious]"

Cold sweat began to break out on Lin Chen's back.

Turned a misfortune into a blessing? Wasn't that exactly what had happened to him?!

How was Little Moon so well informed?!

Had she planted a surveillance device on him?

I can't tell her! I absolutely can't!

The chip is too bizarre. The fewer people who know about it, the better! Besides, the system mission requires me to complete it independently!

He stubbornly refused to admit it.

"There really wasn't anything, my Little Moon! You're the greatest treasure I've ever picked up! [/heart] Everything else is just passing clouds!"

Seeing him play the dead duck whose beak stayed stubbornly shut, Yan Qingyue wasn't angry. Instead, she found it even more amusing.

It seemed she had to add a little something extra.

She decided to carry out the "sweet punishment" she had thought up the night before.

"All right, all right, if you don't believe me, never mind~ [/aggrieved]"

She first pretended to be disappointed, then changed tack, her tone turning coy and suggestive. "But... if you're not honest with me, you have to accept your punishment~ [/shy]"

Looking at the word "punishment" and the shy emoji, Lin Chen was suddenly filled with an ominous premonition, along with... a little inexplicable anticipation?

P-punishment? What punishment?

He swallowed, his hands trembling a little as he typed.

"Wh-what punishment? [/sweating]"

Yan Qingyue didn't reply with any more text.

A few seconds later, a photo popped straight into the chat!

Lin Chen opened it, and his head went boom, blood rushing straight to the top of it!

The photo appeared to have been taken in a dressing room, under soft lighting.

This time, Yan Qingyue (Little Moon) kept her face entirely out of the frame, with only her chin, the graceful neck beneath it, and her collarbones clearly visible!

She wore nothing but an incredibly sexy, alluring black lace camisole nightdress. Its straps hung on her snow-white shoulders, threatening to slip off, while full, enticing curves appeared and disappeared beneath the lace trim. Her skin glowed softly in the light...

Her fingertip rested lightly against her red lips, and through the screen, her gaze seemed to meet his with a hint of provocation, a hint of seduction, and a tender affection!

There was only one line of text with it: "Still dare to be dishonest? [/seduce]"

It was bolder than any photo she had sent before!

More direct! More deadly!

"Pfft—"

Lin Chen felt his nose grow hot and nearly had another gushing nosebleed!

He scrambled to pull out a tissue and cover his nose, but his eyes remained glued to his phone screen, his breathing as heavy as if he had just sprinted a thousand meters!

This is killing me! It's really killing me! Little Moon, where did you learn all this?!

Who could withstand this?! This is a nuclear-bomb-level punishment!

I won't dare again, I won't! Never again! Great Auntie, I was wrong!

His fingers trembled as he replied, almost in tears:

"I was wrong, I was wrong! Little Moon! Your Majesty the Queen! I'll never dare hide anything from you again! [/kneeling] [/kneeling]"

"Please spare me! If this goes on, my health bar will be empty! Someone really could die from this! [/spitting blood] [/spitting blood]"

Reading his instantly cowed replies and seeing the exaggerated emojis, Yan Qingyue finally couldn't hold back. Clutching her phone, she shook with laughter on the bed.

She could imagine how red-faced and flustered he must look right now, not knowing what to do with himself.

The effect was outstanding!

Perfectly satisfied, she put away her phone and decided to let him off for now.

Mm, punishment delivered, mood improved.

Lin Chen, meanwhile, once again found himself in a sweet yet painful torment.

He looked at the photo, unable to bear deleting it, yet feeling like a pervert for keeping it. In the end, he sneakily put it in a hidden album, then rushed into the bathroom and took another cold shower.

What a sin...

Leaning against the cold tiled wall, he thought in grief and indignation:

Little Moon and President Yan, those two women, were truly his destined banes!

One tormented him in real life, and the other teased him online... How was he supposed to go on living like this?!

But deep in his heart, there was also a trace of indescribable secret delight and anticipation.

This experience of ice and fire was torment, but it was also... a little addictive?

And he had already begun to instinctively look forward to what the next "punishment" would be like.