Baby

A bad woman's kink

At a bustling intersection, a black sedan sped past. Instead of pulling into the hotel's underground garage like other cars, it slipped beneath the hotel's outer wall, out of the cameras' view.

The woman in the passenger seat wore a black baseball cap and a mask. A fitted white T-shirt and gray high-waisted jeans made her simple outfit look fresh and youthful.

Sitting in the car tightened her jeans, tracing the round curve of her hips.

The man beside her felt his mouth go dry. He couldn't help resting a hand on her knee. "Yueyue, I..."

He wanted to tell her it had been so long since they'd met, and he missed her.

Ever since Jiang Yue had married that woman and gotten their marriage certificate, she had found excuse after excuse not to see him. Even whether she answered his messages or calls depended on her mood.

Marriage hadn't been part of their original plan at all. But that woman was conservative; she wouldn't get pregnant without a marriage certificate.

They had finally made it this far. Once the four Snake Eggs had formed, they could end the plan and be together openly.

But at some point, Jiang Yue's ambitions had grown. She wanted fame, wanted to be a star, though she knew only the barest basics of any talent. If she became famous, would she really stay with him...?

When his hand settled on her knee, weariness and impatience rose in Jiang Yue's eyes behind her sunglasses. She swatted it away. "How many times have I told you? Stop touching me. He Zhiwen is lactating, and her sense of smell is sensitive. If she smells another snake on me, how am I supposed to explain it?"

She wouldn't even look at the man beside her. She took a bottle of unidentified liquid from her bag and poured some onto a handkerchief.

The man's heart lurched. He immediately thought of the female star he'd lured to the hotel. "Yueyue, what are you..."

Jiang Yue cut him off. "Can you stop fussing like an old woman? I'm not killing anyone. I told you, I'm just scaring Mi Ning. Nothing's going to happen. With so little nerve, how are you ever going to get anywhere?"

The woman before him was only in her early twenties, and her face hadn't changed much since she was seventeen or eighteen. Yet a face he knew so well now felt strange.

Jiang Yue hadn't been like this before. She'd had a mischievous streak, but she'd never hurt anyone. Now she'd told him over the phone to smash the baby snakes without Spirit Snake genes to death, and had him lure a star from her company out to teach her a lesson—all because the woman had said a couple of things that upset her.

Since Jiang Yue had gone to university and entered the influencer scene, she'd grown increasingly vain and competitive. No amount of money was ever enough. She was nothing like she'd been in high school.

Even so, the man still loved her hopelessly and willingly helped her do anything she wanted.

Jiang Yue finished preparing the chemical and put it back in her bag. Then she got out and headed straight for the hotel, keeping her cap pulled low the whole way.

She had deliberately chosen a hotel in a building with plenty of businesses. If the staff asked her to register with ID, she could pretend she was visiting a shop on another floor and slip in without showing any.

After finding Mi Ning's room, Jiang Yue knocked. The instant the door opened, she shoved her way inside and shut it behind her.

Caught off guard, Mi Ning fell to the floor. When she saw who it was, humiliation and anger surged through her. Before she could curse, a handkerchief clamped over her nose and mouth, and she struggled wildly in fright.

Jiang Yue grabbed Mi Ning's hair, pinned the back of her head, and pressed the handkerchief down hard.

In less than thirty seconds, Mi Ning had lost all strength, though her mind remained clear. She lay limp on the floor, terrified. "What do you want?"

Jiang Yue dragged her onto the bed and opened her phone's camera. "Not much. I'm here to tell you two things. First, I'm taking your performance piece. Second, speak to me politely from now on. I don't like being yelled at."

She stripped off Mi Ning's clothes, bra included, taking photos as she sneered. "Why are you dressed so provocatively, Mi Ning? Was this for Mr. Luo? Too bad he didn't get to see it. I'll share these with him when I get the chance."

So Mi Ning had mocked her for using connections in the practice room because she was angry she had none of her own.

Humiliated, Mi Ning lay helpless on the bed and could only let Jiang Yue do as she pleased. She'd never imagined one remark would bring this down on her.

"Oh, and if you want to expose me, go ahead. Then the whole world can see your tantalizing photos. Victim or not, you'll be painted as a slut trying to seduce a company executive. Mr. Luo is married, you know. I don't need to explain what the internet can do to someone, do I? If you don't mind being blacklisted, be my guest."

Jiang Yue dared to do this because she was certain Mi Ning wouldn't give up the career she'd fought so hard for. Besides, the company was preparing to promote her heavily. At a time like this, she wouldn't dare let a scandal break.

Once she'd taken the photos, Jiang Yue held the phone up for Mi Ning to admire her handiwork. "How's my photography? Did I capture that 'please enjoy me, Master' look?"

Mi Ning's face went white. She wanted to snatch the phone away, but she didn't even have the strength to move a finger.

Finished, Jiang Yue gathered her things to leave. Then she noticed the cold hatred in Mi Ning's eyes, along with contempt and mockery. Mi Ning looked down on her as if she were some stray cat or dog.

It struck a nerve. Jiang Yue returned to the bed, dragged Mi Ning onto the floor, and planted a Black-and-White Plaid Velvet heel on her face, grinding the sole in warning. "Look at me like that again, and I'll ruin your face. Got it?"

Mi Ning's face drained of color. She bit her lip and trembled, not daring to look at Jiang Yue again.

Jiang Yue gave a smug snort and finally left the hotel.

Back in the car, the man drove her home. Afraid someone might see them, he stopped at the roadside well before they reached her place.

As Jiang Yue started undoing her seat belt, he asked with a trace of hope, "Yueyue, can I have a hug?"

His voice was almost pleading.

Jiang Yue got out without looking back. She never spared him a glance.

As the elevator rose, Jiang Yue tucked her cap, mask, and sunglasses into her bag one by one.

When she returned to the room, He Zhiwen was folding clothes. Seated on the sofa, she took garments from a small mountain of them, folding each piece and carefully sorting them into outfits.

She put dance-friendly clothes together, casual clothes together, and clothes for promotional videos in another pile. Sorting them alone was exhausting work.

He Zhiwen had more patience than most. Even doing something so tedious, she wore a gentle smile.

At the sight of Jiang Yue, her expression softened further. "Yueyue, I asked around about your coworkers. Lan Qianqian has been in the industry a long time. She gets along with everyone, has a mild temperament, and is easy to work with. Miss Mi Ning has quite a following overseas and is developing her career back home now. She may have a bit of a temper, so you might have some friction. Try not to deal with her outside work."

She had spent time and effort asking friends and former classmates in entertainment for information. But she didn't know anyone particularly well connected in the industry, so she could only piece together scraps and online gossip to get a rough sense of things.

It might not be much use, but doing it gave her the satisfaction of being involved in Jiang Yue's work.

Jiang Yue sat on the sofa and drained a glass of ice water. Usually, the two of them couldn't keep their hands off each other, but tonight was different. She'd been sitting there a while without a word.

Sensing something was wrong, He Zhiwen set down the clothes in her hands. "What's wrong? Did something happen at work?"

Jiang Yue had some dance training and could play Western Musical Instruments. She had been popular at school, but compared with Mi Ning, who had come from a girl group, those skills amounted to nothing.

Thinking Jiang Yue had suffered a setback, He Zhiwen encouraged her. "It's okay. Whatever happens, this show is just a stepping stone for your career. You're so young. You'll have plenty of chances. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

He Zhiwen was gentle, sunny, and cheerful. Being with her made every day feel warm.

But none of those lovely qualities could warm Jiang Yue, who was selfish and cold to the bone.

Jiang Yue stared at He Zhiwen and suddenly asked, "What about Xing Yue?"

He Zhiwen had looked into which coworkers would be easy to get along with, yet she'd left Xing Yue out.

He Zhiwen paused, then turned away and resumed folding. "Um... Xing Yue has a good temper. She's friendly and studied vocal music. She's nice, but she's quite a bit older than you. You probably won't have much to talk about as friends. Just treat her like any other coworker."

Jiang Yue watched He Zhiwen's back, her gaze icy and edged with anger, as if the woman before her had already betrayed her.

She didn't lash out. She said lightly, "My wife."

Those two words instantly changed He Zhiwen's expression. She had clearly remembered something. Nervously clenching her hands, she asked, "Y-you know?"

Her seven-year relationship with her ex-girlfriend was no secret. But she hadn't told Jiang Yue she'd met with her ex. Nothing inappropriate had happened, yet she'd hidden it, and that left her feeling guilty.

That guilt sent her into a panic. She wanted to explain, but didn't know where to start.

Jiang Yue wrapped her arms around He Zhiwen from behind and drew her back against her chest. "Honey, that's all in the past. Don't be afraid I'll get angry. I'm not that petty. Teacher Xing is just like you said—a good woman who works hard. I can learn a lot from her. Why would I be unhappy?"

She was so magnanimous that she even agreed with He Zhiwen's praise of Xing Yue.

But He Zhiwen's unease didn't fade. It deepened. Something felt wrong.

When she looked up at Jiang Yue's face, though, the younger woman gave her the same tender smile as always. He Zhiwen had seen that expression for two years. No matter what happened, Jiang Yue seemed to treat her with the same boundless affection.

Before, she'd thought it sweet. Now, it felt strange.

"You're really not angry?" she asked, her limbs slowly turning cold.

Jiang Yue didn't answer. She bent to kiss her, resting a hand over He Zhiwen's chest as her breathing grew rough. "Are your breasts swollen with milk today? Those little ones won't be born for another two months. Want me to help? Mm... I want to take care of my wife."

He Zhiwen's senses soon pulled her attention elsewhere as Jiang Yue carried her to the bed.

He Zhiwen hadn't wanted children so soon. Part of her had even resisted the idea. But Jiang Yue had told her she wanted to be a mother, that she loved little snakes, wanted to marry her, and wanted to spend the rest of her life with her...

As a professional, Tan Xiang'e was confident in her skills. She applied anesthetic over a large area of Xing Yue's legs and prepared to set to work with her scalpel.

A machine stood in the room. Its screen displayed clear markings and patches of Snake Scales, though unfortunately the image was black-and-white, so their colors were impossible to make out.

With the gauze removed, Xing Yue's legs were covered in marked lines. Judging by the setup, she thought Tan Xiang'e could carve flowers into them.

"I'm about to start. Have you called Miss Bu? Without a Snake Tongue to lick your wounds, it'll hurt a lot when the anesthetic wears off. You won't be able to walk." The pain relief afterward was crucial. She had to tease out the growing nerves one cut at a time; without the healing touch of a Snake Tongue, the wounds wouldn't close.

Xing Yue wouldn't be able to walk normally.

"She'll come later. It won't hold us up," Xing Yue assured Tan Xiang'e.

What Tan Xiang'e didn't know was that company rules allowed Xing Yue only one assistant, and she'd given that spot to Tan Xiang'e. Bu Yao couldn't get in now. At first, Xing Yue had thought the rules wouldn't apply to Bu Yao, forgetting that Bu Yao was at odds with her family. Unless Madam Bu relented, no one could bend the rules.

Just ten minutes earlier, Xing Yue had still been coaxing her over the phone.

"Don't cry, and don't go to your mother. I can manage it myself." Xing Yue had a Snake Tongue too; she could heal her own wounds.

It would just take a lot more effort.

Bu Yao sulked, her voice thick with tears, like a delicate flower battered by rain. "No. I want to come to you! He Zhiwen lives next door. What if you two rekindle your old flame?"

"She lives with her wife. How would I have the chance?" Xing Yue couldn't help laughing.

Bu Yao cried even harder. "Oh, so you're saying if He Zhiwen didn't live with her wife, you'd have a chance?"

"That's not what I meant... All right, all right, I was wrong. I shouldn't have said that. Everything I said was wrong. Give me another chance, my lady."

It took a lot of coaxing to calm her down. In the end, Bu Yao demanded a video call so she could watch Xing Yue lick her own wounds.

"You really want to watch?" Xing Yue asked. Picturing it, she teased, "My lady, how naughty. You want to watch me lick myself? Where did you pick up a bad woman's kink like that? Unlike you, I only think about it. I never say it out loud."

That woman had learned some bad habits.

Only after a little more teasing did Bu Yao feel better. Otherwise, who knew how long she would have cried?

Tan Xiang'e began cutting. Thanks to the heavy dose of anesthetic, Xing Yue felt only mild pain during the procedure. It still hurt, but it wasn't nearly as sharp as she'd imagined.

She had expected blood to come pouring out, but it wasn't like that. Tan Xiang'e cut only a little way into the skin, following the marked lines to etch the curves of the Snake Scales. Thin threads of blood seeped out, but the sight wasn't too gruesome.

By the time Tan Xiang'e finished the minor procedure, her back was soaked with sweat. It hadn't been especially difficult, but it demanded patience, precision, and rigorous technique.

"Thank you for your hard work, Doctor Tan. Go get some rest." Xing Yue sent her away.

Xing Yue's face was frighteningly pale. Her legs were covered in herbs to stop the bleeding, and she had to leave them on for half an hour before she could use her Snake Tongue. But the anesthetic wouldn't last that long. Her lips had already lost all color from the pain, and she barely dared to breathe. The slightest movement tugged at wounds all over her legs, sending cold sweat pouring down her skin.

Xing Yue didn't dare move now, let alone tend to her own wounds.

Sweat ran into her eyes. Trembling with pain, she called Bu Yao. "Baby, maybe you should go back and plead with Mom after all."