Addicted

"Tianyi Villa?"

Li Ming stared at the screen, lost in thought.

He knew exactly why Tan Chengcheng was reaching out, but he had already decided not to help, so he had no intention of meeting her.

His finger hovered over the screen for a long time, yet he still didn’t reply to her message.

She had suffered quite a blow today—it was better to let her calm down first. Maybe in a few days, she’d come to accept reality.

Li Ming set his phone aside and closed his eyes, intending to sleep.

But the scenes from earlier kept flashing through his mind.

This unprecedented thrill wasn’t just a first for Li Ming—it was also Wang Xin’s first time!

When she turned back to look at him with those bewitching, half-lidded eyes, Li Ming felt as if his soul had been sucked into a vortex by her seductive gaze.

Tan Qingqing, asleep beside him and liable to wake at any moment; the prisoners resting just a wall away; and the unlocked cell door—

Every single detail was electrifying his nerves!

To fully savor this unparalleled passion, he had even deliberately deactivated his 200-meter detection radius warning field.

This intoxicating, pulse-pounding excitement was like a drug, eroding his rationality and leaving him utterly addicted.

He knew… he was hooked…

Li Ming didn’t remember how he fell asleep, but he dreamed again.

In the dream, a group of tiger-headed humanoid monsters sat around a dining table, ravenously fighting over the meager scraps of food. This time, however, he wasn’t among them.

Instead, he sat high above at another table, surrounded by an extravagant feast, free to pick and choose as he pleased. Yet after some deliberation, he only took a few small bites.

Once the tiger-headed monsters finished devouring their meager meal, they all turned their hungry, predatory gazes toward him…

The next morning…

Li Ming jolted awake.

Wiping his forehead, he realized his undershirt was drenched in cold sweat.

He exhaled deeply and checked the time on his phone.

It was already 9 a.m.!

His stomach growled fiercely—he was starving. Li Ming quickly got up, washed his face, and took a shower.

After straightening his clothes in front of the mirror, he nodded approvingly at his own dashing, debonair reflection.

Only then did he head out.

He went straight to the cafeteria, but it was completely empty—no one in sight. Clearly, he was too late; everyone had already eaten, and the place had been cleaned up.

Li Ming ducked into the kitchen, hoping to scrounge up something to curb his hunger.

Last night, he’d barely touched the food while drinking with Lin Xi, and after expending so much energy, whatever little he’d eaten had long been burned off.

Glancing around, he noted the usual prison fare: potatoes, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, eggs—rotated in endless variations, no different from his college cafeteria. Cheap and healthy.

Li Ming had some basic cooking skills, but his specialty was fried rice. With practiced ease, he heated the pan, poured in oil, and scrambled the eggs. Then he scooped two bowls of leftover rice into the pan. Soon, a plate of fried rice—lacking in both presentation and aroma—was ready.

Carrying the plate out of the kitchen, he suddenly noticed a stunningly beautiful woman standing in the cafeteria, watching him with an amused smile.

"Xia Hong! What a coincidence! Haven’t eaten either? Want to try my fried rice? Freshly made, still hot!" Li Ming set the plate on the table and gestured invitingly.

Xia Hong looked at the so-called fried rice and couldn’t hold back her laughter.

"You made this?" she asked, grinning.

"Yep! What do you think? Not bad, right?" Li Ming admired his creation. Sure, it was a bit rough—too much oil, slightly burnt eggs, and the rice was a tad overcooked and hard—but overall, not terrible.

"Hahaha! Do you even know how to cook? This fried rice… Did you fall asleep while making it?" Xia Hong clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she had to lean on the table for support.

"Hey, I think it’s decent! The presentation might not be great, but try it—the taste is good!" Unfazed by her reaction, Li Ming picked up the plate, ready to feed her a bite.

Xia Hong immediately waved her hands in refusal.

"No, no, no! I’m not eating that! I’d rather not risk food poisoning. Just sit tight—let me show you how it’s done."

As she spoke, she gathered her long hair into a loose bun, rolling up her sleeves as she headed toward the kitchen.

Li Ming’s eyes lit up. He quickly followed, casually dumping his much-praised fried rice into the trash on the way.

"Xia Hong, you can cook? With those delicate hands, I’d never guess you had this skill!" he marveled.

"It’s nothing. Cooking’s a breeze compared to handling a scalpel. You don’t need to help—just wait outside," Xia Hong said, washing her hands and shooing him away.

"Let me at least assist. Can’t have you doing all the work!" Li Ming snatched the scallions from her and turned on the faucet to rinse them.

Water cascaded over the scallion leaves, and before he knew it, the floor was soaked.

Xia Hong watched his clumsy efforts, shaking her head in amusement as she took the scallions back.

"Just go! You’re making more work for me!"

Li Ming scratched his head sheepishly. He’d managed just fine on his own earlier—why was he so inept now?

"Alright, I’ll leave you to it! Call if you need anything!" He shook the water off his hands and turned to go.

Xia Hong nodded emphatically.

"Yes, yes, yes! Go! You leaving is the biggest help you could—AHH!!"

Before she could finish, her stiletto heel slipped on the wet tile—made even slicker by Li Ming’s earlier spill.

Dressed in a form-fitting black dress with a white coat over it, Xia Hong couldn’t move freely. With no time to react, she flailed helplessly, reaching for something to steady herself.

But there was nothing to grab—just empty air as she toppled backward…

Just as she braced for impact, a pair of strong hands shot under her waist and hips, lifting her effortlessly into the air!

Xia Hong felt her whole body jolt, her brain rattling slightly from the sudden motion, before those burning hands held her aloft with ease. And that wasn’t all—

Those powerful arms even gave her a little bounce, as if she weighed no more than a feather. The sheer masculine energy was overwhelming.

"Xia Hong… you’re so light~…"