"Ouch..."
Ye Xian jolted awake.
Her body felt as if it were being torn apart. The pain forced her into tears.
However, the person on top of her showed no sympathy. All he gave back was more intense pain.
"Who are you? Let go of me! Help! Auntie, cousin..."
With all her strength, Ye Xian screamed for help, but all that responded was the whisper of the wind.
In the darkness, she couldn't make out the man's face. All she could detect was his bestial breathing. The iron wall of his chest trapped her.
Just like that, Ye Xian lost consciousness once again.
This sleep seemed to last for a long, long time. So long, it felt like a century had passed...
...
Four years later.
In the alley behind Jinrui Building, a popular internet food store called Pin Xian Residence emerged.
Its success was not only due to its limited edition and incredibly delicious lunchboxes, but also because of its aloof and mysterious female owner.
Throughout all seasons, she wore a SpongeBob mask that only revealed a pair of soulful eyes, sparking unlimited imaginations among netizens.
With just her pair of alluring eyes, people wondered, how beautiful must her other features be, to match the appeal of her eyes?
Driven by curiosity and the intrigue revolving around the beautiful boss, it led to her business hitting the hot topic list twice within a year of opening. This was truly an achievement, one with no precedent and likely, no following.
One evening, just as Ye Mian was closing her stall, she noticed a little boy in a white top and plaid shorts panting his way towards her.
The sight of no more packed meals left him looking sadly at Ye Mian.
Seeing that no adult seemed to be accompanying him, she approached and asked, "Little guy, are you hungry? Where are your parents?"
"My dad is working overtime, and I got too hungry, so I sneaked out to find something to eat," the boy said, pointing to the Jinxrui Building up ahead and rubbing his tummy pitifully.
"Auntie, your cooking is delicious, I only love the food you make, can you cook for me now?" he asked.
Ye Mian was overwhelmed by his pitch-black eyes and adorable appearance. Unable to resist, she quickly led him inside.
"I'll make you some food right now, little one. Could you give me your dad's phone number when you're a bit rested? So I can ask him to come and pick you up."
The little boy didn't react to Ye Mian's question, instead, he lifted his chubby hands and touched Ye Mian's SpongeBob SquarePants mask.
Ye Mian let out a soft chuckle, "Do you like this one?"
He nodded his head.
"I happen to have a smaller version of this mask here, would you like me to give it to you?"
His eyes lit up immediately, and he threw himself excitedly into her arms, "Is it also a SpongeBob SquarePants one?"
"Yes." Ye Mian opened the drawer, taking out a brand new small SpongeBob SquarePants mask.
The boy quickly unwrapped it and put it on, his eyes disappearing into a happy smile, "Now, I'm just like you."
Ye Mian held him close, her heart mysteriously warming, only to stab like a needle afterwards.
Would her child also be able to act spoilt in her arms like this if she hadn't had the accident all those years ago?
"Squeak!"
The sound of an abrupt brake interrupted Ye Mian's thoughts.
Then, a group of black-clad bodyguards stormed in.
"Who are you guys?"
Ye Mian instinctively protected the little boy in her arms, gripping her cell phone tightly, ready to call the police.
The next second, the temperature inside Pin Xian's Residence dropped sharply.
A tall man, dressed in a silver-grey suit, possessing noble aloofness and an extraordinary demeanor, walked in.
His sharply defined face was covered in frost, his cold, ruthless black eyes looking towards Ye Mian — more specifically, at the little boy.
Judging by his face, which resembled the boy's yet was handsomer and sharper, he must be the child's father.