Pink Cut Black

Chen Zhi arrived outside the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Renmin University.

Before the winter break, to make it easier to date Li Zhiyi and to have a secret base where he could enjoy some peace and quiet, he had directly rented out the top-floor presidential suite for a whole year.

Chen Zhi arrived at his rented presidential suite, casually hung his down jacket on the coat rack in the entryway, and then sat on the living room sofa, ready to call Li Zhiyi over.

He took out his phone and tapped on Li Zhiyi's profile picture.

[I've arrived at your school.]

As soon as the message was sent, she instantly replied with a shocked cat meme.

Immediately after, a text popped up: [Where are you? I was just at the East Gate picking up a package, but I didn't see you.]

Chen Zhi typed on the screen: [I'm at the place where I gave you a massage last time.]

After sending this message, the other end of WeChat suddenly went quiet.

It took a full half-minute before she finally replied.

[Oh, oh... I'll come over right away then.]

He didn't even have to guess to know that the girl's face must be completely flushed right now.

While waiting, Chen Zhi felt bored just sitting there. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a pack of Chunghwa cigarettes that was still more than half full.

He had conveniently swiped it from a table while attending a family banquet during the Chinese New Year.

Actually, since his rebirth, he rarely smoked. But now that his career had achieved some minor success and his harem was relatively stable, it was time to indulge a little.

Chen Zhi took out a cigarette, held it in his mouth, and lit his lighter with a click.

He took a deep drag, and the white smoke slowly dispersed into the air.

He crossed his legs and looked at the bustling street scene outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

After all, he was now the behind-the-scenes boss of a multi-billion dollar company. Smoking a Chunghwa in this presidential suite while acting deep was, in its own way, an unpretentious form of relaxation.

It only took about five minutes.

A beep came from the electronic lock outside the door.

Li Zhiyi had obviously run all the way here. She was wearing a long white down jacket. Her small face was flushed red from the cold wind outside, and her chest heaved slightly as she panted heavily.

As soon as she entered, Li Zhiyi saw Chen Zhi leaning against the sofa, blowing clouds of smoke.

Her clear eyes instantly widened, and she froze in place.

Li Zhiyi closed the door and dawdled over to the sofa. Her small hands were wrung together, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, and her pink lips moved as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself.

Chen Zhi, holding his cigarette, raised an eyebrow. Why are you just standing there like a fool? Come here.

Li Zhiyi shuffled forward another half step. She held it in for a long time before finally gathering the courage to speak in a small voice.

Chen Zhi... could you, could you please not smoke?

Chen Zhi deliberately put on a stern face and said fiercely, Adult matters are none of a kid's business.

Li Zhiyi was intimidated by his slightly harsh tone and let out a weak Oh.

But a few seconds later, feeling she couldn't just compromise like this, she softly advised Chen Zhi again, But... smoking is bad for your health.

Looking at her acting like a bullied little wife, Chen Zhi's mischievous side flared up again.

What, you have a problem with it? Chen Zhi flicked his cigarette ash. You're standing here inhaling my leftover secondhand smoke, and I haven't even asked you to split the cost of the cigarette with me, yet here you are lecturing me.

He pointed to the cigarette box on the coffee table.

Remember to send me the cigarette money on WeChat later.

Li Zhiyi was dumbfounded on the spot.

She stood there blankly, her clear pupils filled with massive confusion.

She was even seriously calculating how many puffs of smoke she had just inhaled and how much money would be appropriate to transfer to Chen Zhi.

Oh...

Li Zhiyi replied pitifully, completely afraid to speak anymore.

She stood obediently by the coffee table, her eyes looking a bit red, the very picture of a pitiable little punching bag.

Seeing her looking so easy to bully, Chen Zhi couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.

Alright, I'm just teasing you. Did you really take it seriously?

Chen Zhi stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray, stood up, and casually ruffled her fluffy head.

Li Zhiyi looked up blankly. What are you going to do?

Seeing Chen Zhi turn and walk toward the bathroom, Li Zhiyi immediately followed behind him like a little tail.

I'm going to brush my teeth.

Why are you brushing your teeth so early?

Chen Zhi stopped in his tracks, turned his head, and looked her up and down. Nonsense, otherwise when we make out later and I smell like smoke, you'll be disgusted with me.

Make... make out?

Li Zhiyi's small face instantly turned beet red.

What... what nonsense are you saying...

Li Zhiyi covered her burning cheeks with both hands, acting like a frightened quail right there in the hallway.

Chen Zhi walked into the bathroom, looking at his young, handsome face in the mirror. While brushing his teeth, he teased her with a muffled voice, What, you don't want to? If you don't want to, then forget it. There are plenty of people lining up outside waiting to do it anyway.

I didn't... didn't say I didn't want to...

A weak retort came from outside the bathroom door.

Chen Zhi finished washing up, wiped the foam from the corners of his mouth, and walked out.

He walked up to Li Zhiyi, looked at the shy girl, and his tone suddenly became earnest.

Zhiyi.

Look, I just got off the high-speed rail. As soon as I arrived in the capital, I didn't even have time to take my luggage back to my dorm. I immediately caught a cab and rushed over to see you.

Chen Zhi lied without blushing or skipping a beat, automatically editing out the part where he was just keeping Pei Ningxue company in the CBD.

Hearing this, Li Zhiyi couldn't suppress the emotion swelling in her heart.

In her heart, Chen Zhi worked so hard every day starting his business. The fact that he came to see her the moment he returned to the capital, without even taking a sip of water, meant the world to her.

Chen Zhi... you're so good to me.

Of course I am, Chen Zhi pushed his luck. Since I've worked so hard, how do you plan to reward me?

Reward?

Li Zhiyi tilted her head and began to think seriously.

She was a poor student. All her savings had gone into buying Chen Zhi that top-of-the-line iPhone for the New Year.

Right now, aside from the money Chen Zhi had forcefully transferred to her last time, she couldn't offer any decent material reward at all.

Besides, Chen Zhi didn't seem to lack money anymore.

As for a physical reward... last time in this suite, she had already gathered her courage and helped him with that.

How else could she reward him?

Her brows furrowed slightly as if she were making an extremely important decision.

After a long while, she finally looked up at Chen Zhi, her tone very solemn.

Then... then today, I'll let you massage me for an extra ten minutes?

Hearing this, Chen Zhi was overjoyed.

This was fantastic news!

Before the winter break, under the guise of the Old Chen Family's ancestral secret massage technique, he had taken advantage of Li Zhiyi on the suite's bed quite a bit.

That soft, pillowy sensation was something he still couldn't forget.

You said it yourself, no taking it back. Afraid she would change her mind, Chen Zhi immediately pulled her into his arms. Come, let your hubby check if you've been eating properly at home during the winter break, or if you've starved yourself thin.

After taking off the down jacket and the turtleneck sweater, Li Zhiyi was only wearing a thin, form-fitting base layer underneath, revealing her perfect curves completely.

Blushing, Li Zhiyi didn't struggle. She leaned submissively into his embrace, allowing those large hands to measure her waist.

Over the next half hour or so.

Under the guise of checking if she had secretly eaten too much and gained weight at home during the winter break, Chen Zhi gave Li Zhiyi a comprehensive, all-encompassing ancestral massage.

Although Chen Zhi's occasionally excessive techniques left her body feeling soft and weak, occasionally eliciting a soft, unbearable moan, she genuinely felt in her heart that this was a reward for him.

To make it easier for Chen Zhi to massage her, she even took the initiative to adjust her posture, being so well-behaved that it was endearing.

Chen Zhi's technique was extremely professional, moving all the way down from her shoulders under the beautiful name of clearing the meridians. Massaged until her whole body went limp, Li Zhiyi could only bury her head in his chest, her breathing growing increasingly rapid.

The ten extra minutes of overtime passed in a flash.

Completely satisfied, Chen Zhi was just about to proceed to the next step—the kissing phase.

Wait a minute.

A sudden flash of realization crossed Chen Zhi's mind.

Something didn't seem right.

Did Li Zhiyi just say that she was rewarding me with ten extra minutes of giving her a massage?

Chen Zhi stopped his movements and looked at the panting Li Zhiyi in his arms.

I put in all the physical effort, painstakingly massaging her until my fingers were sore.

Why did this end up being her reward to me?

From start to finish, wasn't I the one serving her?!

How did it turn into her rewarding me in the end?!

Chen Zhi gasped in realization.

He looked at Li Zhiyi's innocent, beautiful face and recalled every little detail of their interactions over the past few months.

Could this girl actually be secretly manipulative under that innocent facade?

On the surface, she looked like a timid, naive sweet girl, a pushover who let others mold her as they pleased.

But in reality, with just a few words, she had completely outsmarted him—a battle-tested master of time management—and even managed to score a free full-body spa treatment out of him?!

Zhiyi, Chen Zhi narrowed his eyes, his tone becoming rather intriguing.

Hmm? What's wrong? Li Zhiyi blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering.

Did you just say that this massage was your reward to me?

Li Zhiyi nodded as a matter of course, her tone exceptionally sincere. Yeah. Didn't you say last time that massaging me is your favorite thing to do? Doing something you like for an extra ten minutes—isn't that a reward for you?

Well played, Li Zhiyi. Coming to his senses, Chen Zhi flipped over and pinned her against the back of the sofa, threatening her fiercely. You've learned how to play me, haven't you? Treating me like your free masseur?

Pinned beneath him, Li Zhiyi wasn't afraid at all; instead, her eyes curved into a smile.

I didn't, she said in a soft voice, laced with a hint of slyness. You agreed to it yourself.

Fine. Since you dare to scheme against your boss, today I have to show you what a capitalist's severe beating looks like.

Chen Zhi lowered his head, ready to fiercely reclaim his dominance.