Life countdown begins, ice queen bursts into security room

The hotel's car was parked in the VIP access area outside the studio.

Shen Nian and Zhou Yutong were already sitting in the back seat.

Shen Nian held the trophy, leaned against the window, and gazed at the street scene outside.

The neon lights streaked across her face, one after another, like a spotlight that hadn't been turned off properly on a stage.

Zhou Yutong was sending messages rapidly in the group chat on her phone, reporting the battle situation to Li Cheng.

Zhou Yutong: Brother Cheng, Sister Nian won the championship!!

Li Cheng: I know! It's trending at number one! I was so excited at home that I spilled beer all over my pants! I'm using a hairdryer to dry my crotch right now!

Zhou Yutong chuckled and typed rapidly.

Zhou Yutong: Cheng-ge, take it easy, I have to pick you up from the airport tomorrow.

Li Cheng: I absolutely have to go to the airport to greet our champions! I'll go even if I'm wearing diapers!

The car door opened, and Jiang Fan climbed into the passenger seat.

"Let's go," he said to the driver.

The car started and merged into the traffic of Changsha late at night.

The back seat was quiet for a while.

After sending the message, Zhou Yutong put away her phone, looked at Jiang Fan's back of the head, then at Shen Nian, and felt that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, so she decided to keep quiet.

Two minutes later, she finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked in a low voice, "Brother Fan, what does Tang Yingxue want with you?"

"Let's talk about work," Jiang Fan replied briefly.

"Oh." Zhou Yutong nodded, knowing better than to say anything more.

The car fell silent again, with only the sound of tires crunching over the asphalt.

Shen Nian remained silent until the car turned into the hotel's underground parking garage and came to a stop.

Zhou Yutong pressed the floor button, and the elevator went up.

Upon reaching their floor, Zhou Yutong jumped out first: "Sister Nian, I'm going to put my things down! I'll come chat with you in ten minutes!"

Shen Nian walked to her room door and glanced back at Jiang Fan.

"What did Tang Yingxue tell you?"

"She wants me to write a song for her."

Shen Nian stared at him for three seconds.

The motion-sensor lights in the corridor shone on her face, obscuring the emotions in her eyes.

"She is very beautiful."

That's a completely nonsensical statement.

Jiang Fan took two steps to catch up and walked to her side: "You look even better tonight."

Shen Nian swiped the door open and stood in the doorway.

"Come in and sit for a while?" Her voice was very soft.

Aren't you tired?

"I'm not tired." Shen Nian turned to the side, making room for him to leave. "It's the night of the championship, you have to stay with me for a while, right?"

The door closed behind me, and the corridor returned to silence.

Only Zhou Yutong peeked half her head out from the end of the corridor, saw that the door was closed, pouted, and turned to retreat back into her room.

-

Shen Nian placed the trophy on the bedside table.

She walked to the bedside and sat down, her white dress spreading out over the edge of the bed.

She patted the spot next to her.

Jiang Fan walked over and sat down next to her.

Shen Nian turned her head to look at him and reached out to unzip the back of her dress.

"Help me out."

Jiang Fan raised his hand, his fingertips touching her warm back, and the zipper slid down her spine inch by inch.

The white dress slipped off her shoulders, revealing a light champagne-colored silk halter top underneath.

Shen Nian stared at him for two seconds, then reached out and untied the shoulder straps of her mourning dress.

The light fell on her skin, giving it a delicate, porcelain-white sheen.

Jiang Fan reached out and put his arm around her waist.

Shen Nian leaned against his shoulder, her breathing a little erratic.

"Jiang Fan".

"Um."

"Do you...do this with many women?"

"What?"

"...That's it." Shen Nian drew circles on his chest with her finger. "Compliment them on their looks, chat with them, and then..."

Jiang Fan looked down at her.

Are you jealous?

Shen Nian raised her chin and touched his Adam's apple with her lips.

"No. I'm happy as long as you don't abandon me."

She paused, her voice lowering slightly, "I know I'm not good enough yet, but I'll try my best to catch up with you."

Jiang Fan didn't reply, but instead stroked her earlobe with his fingers.

Shen Nian tilted her head and rubbed it against his palm.

"Don't overthink it," Jiang Fan's voice came from above.

He didn't say anything else.

His hand slid from her earlobe to her chin, lifted slightly, and he lowered his head to kiss her.

This is much more effective than comforting words.

Shen Nian loosened her grip on the front of his shirt and instead wrapped her arms around his neck.

Jiang Fan then pressed her down onto the soft bed.

The kisses landed on her collarbone, her shoulder, and then moved down her body.

Shen Nian's body trembled slightly, her hands gripping the bedsheets tightly.

The sundress was ripped off and thrown on the ground.

Shen Nian bit her lip, propped her elbows on the pillow, and tried to back away.

Jiang Fan pressed down on her hip and pulled her back.

The bed made a dull thud.

Shen Nian gripped his shoulder with one hand and stuffed the corner of the pillow into her mouth with the other to muffle the sound that was about to spill out.

Jiang Fan's pace quickened.

The next second, Shen Nian tensed up, tilted her head back, and dug her fingers deep into Jiang Fan's back.

The sound coming out of his mouth was impossible to suppress.

-

The championship trophy on the bedside table shifted two centimeters due to the vibration and almost rolled off the edge of the table.

Shen Nian reached out to help, but Jiang Fan grabbed her waist and flipped her over.

"No—not there—"

It's too late.

She buried her face in the pillow, her shoulder blades rising and falling with her breath.

The only sounds in the room were the muffled thuds of skin hitting skin and increasingly rapid breathing.

-

It's 11:30 at night.

The system panel flickered briefly at the edge of Jiang Fan's retina.

[Deep Compatibility x2, Lifespan +2000]

Current lifespan: 40100 points

[Remaining lifespan: 125 days]

The SS-level compatibility is indeed twice as high as before.

Jiang Fan turned off the control panel and sat up in bed.

Shen Nian was already asleep, breathing heavily, with one hand still resting on his waist.

He looked down at her for two seconds.

A slight smile remained on his lips as he slept soundly.

Jiang Fan gently moved her hand away, got out of bed, picked up his clothes from the floor, and put them on.

He pulled the black room key from the inside pocket of his coat and held it between his fingers.

He opened the door and went outside.

-

The InterContinental Hotel is right next door.

The night breeze blew in through the window at the end of the corridor, carrying the damp chill of September Star City.

Jiang Fan walked at a moderate pace.

The Presidential Suite is located on the 37th floor of the InterContinental Hotel.

The black room card was affixed to the sensor area, and the door opened silently.

The room was dark, with only a small nightlight on the bedside table, casting a dim yellow glow over the bed.

The cedarwood scent lingers faintly in the air.

Tang Yingxue lay on the bed, facing the window, breathing evenly.

The silk pajamas clung to her curves, gleaming with a dark sheen in the dim light.

Jiang Fan walked to the bedside, leaned down, placed one hand on her shoulder, and whispered a kiss behind her ear.

Tang Yingxue's breath suddenly stopped.

She rolled over, opened her eyes, her pupils contracted sharply, and her body tensed instantly.

"it's me."

Tang Yingxue stared at him, her chest heaving twice before she slowly loosened her grip on the corner of the blanket.

Her chest was still heaving rapidly, and the skin at her collar slid up and down with her breathing.

She took a breath, her voice a little hoarse: "What time is it?"

"It's five past twelve."

Tang Yingxue sat up, her long hair slipping down her shoulders, with a few strands clinging to the side of her cheek.

She didn't rush to fix her hair; she just left it loose and looked up at him.

I thought you weren't coming.

Jiang Fan didn't reply.

He raised his hand, his fingertips touching the edge of her nightgown's shoulder strap, and pulled it out an inch.

The silk fabric slid down her shoulders and bunched up in the crook of her elbows.

Tang Yingxue raised her hand and gathered her five fingers around her collar.

"Aren't we going to discuss the terms first?"

Her tone remained aloof.

Jiang Fan looked at her hand.

"It depends on your performance."

Tang Yingxue bit her lower lip.

She was used to taking the initiative at the negotiating table and to others fawning over her.

But in front of Jiang Fan, all the assets and status she was so proud of lost their weight.

His eyes held no fanaticism, no flattery, only a calm scrutiny.

Tang Yingxue loosened one of her fingers.

The silk pajamas lost their support and slid down her body, bunching up around her waist.

She tilted her head back slightly, her long neck forming a graceful arc.

"I want a hit song that can win a Golden Melody Award." Her voice regained its usual coolness, but the last syllable trembled slightly.

Jiang Fan leaned down, his nose almost touching hers.

"That depends on you—"

His hand landed on her waist, and the moment his fingertips touched her skin, Tang Yingxue's abdominal muscles contracted.

"What can you give me?"