The laboratory.
"You're crazy! Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
The tall young man suddenly grabbed the girl's wrist, dragging her away from the data panel.
"Let go of me!"
The girl shook him off in disgust, rubbing her reddened wrist with a cold sneer playing on her lips.
"What, now you want to play the savior?"
"I'm warning you, if you keep interfering like this, you're going to face the consequences!"
The man lowered his voice, forcing every word out through gritted teeth.
"Face the consequences?" The girl took a step closer.
"Let me tell you, don't pretend to be a saint in front of me. There's no one else here. When the surveillance failed that day, who personally deleted the intrusion logs from the server? When she had those pseudo-physiological reactions of infatuation and the data overflowed, who helped me cover it all up?"
The girl leaned in close to the man's ear, her voice as light as a viper slithering through the grass.
"Don't forget, we're already in the same boat. If this boat capsizes, neither of us makes it to shore alive!"
The man was instantly left speechless, staring blankly at the flashing red warning lights in the distance.
By hiding everything, did he actually save her, or did he personally push her into the abyss?
Bella slapped her hand over Ye Jinzhi's face, spreading her fingers and shoving him away without the slightest bit of tenderness.
"Stay away from me! If you want to talk, just talk. Don't keep leaning in to play the victim."
Ye Jinzhi was forced backward by her brute strength. The carefully cultivated romantic atmosphere was instantly shattered by Bella's shove.
He naturally released the hand that had been clasping her fingers, leaned back against the sofa, turned his face, and nuzzled against her soft palm just before she could pull away.
"With strength like that, Master, how come I didn't see you use it when we were catching geese?"
"With a male servant like you around, why would the master need to do it herself?"
Seeing that he still hadn't given up and was even edging closer to her again, Bella rolled her eyes as a mischievous idea bubbled up in her mind.
"Alright then, Servant Ye."
She tilted her head. "Since you want to serve me so thoroughly, follow me upstairs."
With that, Bella stood up without looking back, her slippers smacking the floor as she headed straight for the third floor.
As for why she didn't take the elevator, to be honest, she hadn't found it yet.
Ye Jinzhi didn't follow immediately. He sat in his place, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the armrest of the sofa.
After pondering for a moment, he finally stood up and followed her.
Listening to the footsteps trailing neither too far nor too close behind her, Bella held onto the stair railing, the corners of her mouth curving up wildly.
Just thinking about what she was going to do next made her want to snicker.
Ye Jinzhi, oh Ye Jinzhi, seeing how enthusiastically you were acting just now, let's see what I do to you later.
Bella pushed open the door to the bedroom she had slept in last night and stepped aside, motioning for him to enter.
Ye Jinzhi stood at the doorway, his Adam's apple bobbing unconsciously, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Bella, bringing me here... aren't we moving a bit too fast?"
"Just go in first."
Bella didn't answer his question. She raised her chin slightly, her tone calm.
After she entered, she pulled the door shut behind her with a crisp click.
She pointed to a nearby armchair, keeping it brief: "You, sit down first."
Ye Jinzhi raised an eyebrow but obediently went over and sat down.
He crossed his long legs, clasped his hands together, and rested his elbows lightly on the armrests, his gaze following Bella's every move without missing an inch.
Next, Bella walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and pulled firmly with both arms. With a swish, the once-bright bedroom instantly darkened by several shades.
Having done that, Bella turned around and walked straight toward the walk-in closet.
Sitting in the chair, Ye Jinzhi's usually calm brain couldn't help but let his imagination run wild: closing the door, drawing the curtains, going to the closet.
His Adam's apple bobbed again.
Could she really have been provoked by his tears just now, planning to consummate their relationship right here and now?
Inside the walk-in closet.
Bella stood in front of rows of tie racks. The ties came in a wide variety of styles and materials, arranged in colors from dark to light.
Silk, twill, polka dot, knit, half-Windsor knots.
"This one is nice."
Bella hooked a long, burgundy silk tie with her fingertips.
She wrapped the tie around her hand twice, feeling the cool, smooth texture of the silk, and then hid it behind her back.
Just as she was about to leave, she noticed some pink ties tucked away in a corner.
Bella raised an eyebrow, grabbed two of them, and swaggered back into the bedroom.
Ye Jinzhi was still sitting properly in the chair, his gaze intensifying with every inch she drew closer.
"Master," he said, his voice low and husky, carrying a trace of tension he hadn't even noticed himself. "What do you want me to do?"
Bella stopped just a few inches from his knees, looking down at him from above.
She deliberately stayed silent, merely leaning in slowly until their breaths intertwined.
Ye Jinzhi's breathing grew noticeably heavier. His eyes rested on her face, which was now so close, and lingered there for a long time.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Bella pressed her long, pale index finger gently against the center of his lips.
"Shh."
With an unquestionable force, she completely pushed his words back down his throat.
"Don't speak yet."
She lowered her voice. "Servant Ye, before we feast, let's play a game first. The loser."
Bella deliberately drew out the last word, not spelling out the punishment, and gave him a radiant smile.
"Come on, close your eyes first."
Unexpectedly, the man didn't hesitate for even a second. His long eyelashes fluttered, and he truly obediently closed his eyes.
Seeing him so cooperative, the smile on Bella's lips grew even wider.
She brought the burgundy silk tie out from behind her back, pressing the silky fabric against his eyelids.
Stepping behind him, her fingertips slipped through his slightly messy hair as she deftly tied a slipknot at the back of his head.
"There."
Bella leaned into his ear, her voice brushing lightly against it. "Now... without my permission... you are not allowed to make a sound."
Following that, she pulled out the two pink ties. Without any hesitation, Bella wrapped them around his wrists, tying his hands to the armrests on either side of the chair.
Feeling the distinct sensation of being bound at the wrists in the darkness, he murmured, "Bella." His Adam's apple bobbed.
"Hmm?"
Bella stood up straight and tapped her index finger lightly against his lips, her tone brisk and cheerful.
"Have you already forgotten what your master just said so quickly?"
With that, she sped up the tying process.
Seeing the two eye-catching pink ties wrapped in loops around his cool, pale wrists, she couldn't help but let out a snicker.
Afterward, she remained silent, lightening her footsteps as she circled the chair twice.
The surroundings suddenly fell quiet, leaving only the sound of their breathing gently rising and falling in the air.
"Alright, the game begins now."
