My Manor

"Hehe, maybe you think I'm pretending. You've been with the company for quite a while now, and you must have heard the rumors about me." When Ai Xiaoxi remained silent, Feng Yunchen chuckled softly to herself, then turned to face her.

"Now that we are bound to sleep in the same bed, let me tell you something: there's a man behind me, but I am the mistress of that man. In the past, he would visit me sometimes, but in recent years, aside from sending me money every month, he hasn't come to see me. Maybe you'll think it's better to be with someone like Jiang Hai than to be a lover of such a man. Being his lover is much better than this!" As she spoke, Feng Yunchen glanced at Ai Xiaoxi, seemingly indifferent to whether she was listening or not. It was as if she just needed someone to talk to.

Without waiting for Ai Xiaoxi to respond, Feng Yunchen continued, "Yes, being Jiang Hai's lover is indeed better, but you have to consider that many people are attracted to him, and many others might hold the same thoughts. I could get more from Jiang Hai, but... what if one day he tires of me, or I want to leave him? I'm afraid I won't be able to escape him; I'm afraid my heart is already tied to him. So, if possible, maybe this situation is better..."

Everyone has a story, especially someone like Feng Yunchen. Her story must be extraordinary.

In Jiang Hai's mind, she should have been a good student. Why did she end up walking this road, one that never seemed to belong to her? Jiang Hai never asked, and she never shared.

But the path she walked was her own. Her sense of crisis prevented her from relying on anyone, even if she deeply liked someone, like Jiang Hai. She simply wanted to maintain the kind of relationship they had—perhaps this was best for everyone.

"Sister Chen, isn't this... tiring?" Ai Xiaoxi hesitated, looking at Feng Yunchen with concern.

"Silly girl, it's all a matter of habit. By the way, have you graduated from college?" Perhaps it was Ai Xiaoxi's worried expression that touched something deep within Feng Yunchen. She, who was usually guarded, now asked a question.

"Not yet, but I've applied for an internship." Ai Xiaoxi was only 22 years old. By normal standards, she should still be a junior, as internships are typically for seniors. She must have her reasons for starting early.

"By the way, do you have a boyfriend?" Feng Yunchen asked with curiosity.

"I have one, but I'm not sure if he really counts as my boyfriend. We haven't... you know, but it's just a nominal thing in college," Ai Xiaoxi replied shyly, her face flushing as she mumbled.

"Since you have a boyfriend, how could he let you come here to make money?" Feng Yunchen looked at her, slightly speechless.

"Since you've chosen this path, let me make something clear to you: this road is not easy. If you don't have a backer, it's going to be hard. From the way that lecherous manager treats you, it seems you don't have one. It's very difficult to survive in this industry without a backer. You have good conditions, but you can't just jump straight into auto shows and catwalks. SG is your best chance, but there are too many people there, and it's hard to stand out. Beyond SG, you'll only get opportunities in smaller exhibition halls. The owners of those are hard to deal with. At dinners, they might force you to drink, even throw money at you. Have you never thought about this? If possible, it's really better not to stay in this industry for too long."

Ai Xiaoxi bit her lip as she listened, knowing all too well the dangers of this world.

But she had her own struggles. Who said the industry didn't make money quickly? In fact, that was the most realistic thing about it.

"Okay, every family has its own problems. I won't say more, but just be careful, alright? Let's sleep. We have a photo shoot tomorrow," Feng Yunchen said, seeing Ai Xiaoxi lost in thought. She patted her arm, grabbed her quilt, and slowly fell asleep.

Ai Xiaoxi sighed deeply as she looked at Feng Yunchen's sleeping face. Though she seemed cold on the outside, her heart was warm. She really wished that this kind-hearted woman could receive the happiness she deserved.

Glancing at her phone, Ai Xiaoxi saw the name she had blocked, and gently bit her lip.

The truth was, her family didn't want her to enter this industry, given its questionable reputation. It was much like working in certain places in the east—no matter how innocent, people would assume the worst. And in this line of work, how many chances were there for nothing to happen? Her boyfriend, in particular, opposed it the most.

But this world wasn't one where love alone could satisfy one's hunger. She needed money. Ai Xiaoxi's family was in a rural area of China, struggling with one misfortune after another.

Her father, once a construction worker, broke his leg on the job. Though he received compensation, he was fired and spent all the money on treating his injury. Then, her mother was diagnosed with a tumor. Thankfully, it wasn't cancer, but surgery drained the rest of the family's savings.

This year, her younger brother, still in high school, was diagnosed with leukemia. The surgery needed would cost 200,000 yuan, plus another 100,000 for recovery.

Her family borrowed money from anyone they could, even resorting to usury, just to pay for the surgery. But now, debt was consuming them, and Ai Xiaoxi had no choice but to find a way to earn money.

If she waited another year to graduate and find a job, where would she find a job that paid that much? Even if she found one, could she earn hundreds of thousands of yuan a year? The usurers were merciless.

There was no other choice. Selling herself was the only option left. But she couldn't bring herself to work at places like KTV, where the trade was obvious. She still had a small glimmer of hope for this cruel world.

A classmate introduced her to modeling, and despite having no professional training, her looks—tall, with a curvy body—earned her a spot. A classical photoshoot garnered some attention, but the pay was meager—only a few thousand yuan. It was more than what she earned working, but still far from enough.

"Maybe in the end, I'll have no choice but to take that step. I don't even know what I'm worth." As she looked at Feng Yunchen's peaceful sleeping face, Ai Xiaoxi muttered to herself before setting her phone down and falling asleep.

What she didn't notice was that Feng Yunchen, who Ai Xiaoxi thought was asleep, opened her eyes shortly after.

She quietly sat up, put on a coat, and slipped out of the room.

Once outside, Feng Yunchen didn't go far. She made her way straight to Jiang Hai's room.

She knocked softly on the door. When it opened, Jiang Hai looked surprised to see her.

"Why aren't you asleep?" he asked, glancing at his watch. It was already 10 p.m., and although it wasn't bedtime, he knew they were both exhausted from the day's work.

"What? You haven't seen me in a while and don't miss me?" Feng Yunchen grinned, stepping past Jiang Hai and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Uh... heh..." Jiang Hai, noticing the seductive glint in her eyes, knew exactly why she was there. However, he was always the more reserved one in such matters.

"Silly, put your hand here," Feng Yunchen teased, guiding his hand to her waist. Her body pressed against his as she whispered in his ear, "The other hand, place it wherever you like."

At that moment, Jiang Hai didn't hesitate. He grinned and slid his hand down to her waist, giving her a playful tap on the rear.

In the meantime, he gestured to Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai, signaling them to leave the room. Though they didn't care much for humans, they obeyed, slipping out through the crack in the door.

After they left, Jiang Hai wasted no time. He scooped Feng Yunchen into his arms and threw her onto the bed, their passionate kiss sealing the moment.

Neither of them noticed that the door had been left slightly ajar, and the faint sounds of their actions echoed in the quiet of the villa. But with the villa's excellent soundproofing, they didn't think anyone would hear.

For Jiang Hai and Feng Yunchen, it was a long-awaited reunion—one that they had been holding back from for far too long.