You are all bad women! Don't come over!

"You would have tried to run away by all means if you knew in advance, wouldn't you?" Catherine sat down on the cushion next to Shen Mochen.

"..."

Shen Mochen was silent. Damn, you're good at reading people!

In fact, that was why Catherine had dragged him upstairs; if they had talked any more, who knew what Shen Mochen might have done to try to escape.

"When gods fight, spare the mortals!" Shen Mochen wailed.

"Actually, I didn't know he would be back today until after I had taken a bath. I didn't mean for it to be like this," Catherine said softly, hugging her knees. "Do me a favor."

Shen Mochen sighed, "I have a bad feeling about this, but go ahead, what do you need?"

Catherine asked, "What kind of person do you think my father is?"

"Tall, burly, and handsome..."

"I want to hear the truth. I don't like him either, so you won't offend me with your candid thoughts."

Shen Mochen thought for a moment: "To be honest... I don't really like him."

"Why?"

"...Arrogant."

Shen Mochen recalled those constantly downward glances.

"Do you want to teach him a lesson?"

Catherine smiled; she seemed quite satisfied with Shen Mochen's assessment.

"What are you talking about?"

"Go out there, claim your rights over me as my boyfriend. He may seem calm on the surface, but he's actually about to explode with anger!"

"No no no no no!" Shen Mochen shook his head like a rattle drum, repeatedly refusing.

"This is my third wish," Catherine said indifferently.

"Your wishes have to be within my capabilities!"

What good does it do me to go out and offend the Earl? He's already warned me. If I mess with you again, I might really get knocked out and thrown into the river tonight!

Catherine countered, "Can't you do it?"

Shen Mochen retorted, "Of course, I can't! I'm a coward, you know that. The trouble with me is whenever I see a wealthy, influential boss or some high official, I just can't help but get weak in the knees. I'm afraid I'd go out there and end up begging for your father's mercy!"

Catherine gave him a sidelong glance: "If you don't do it, we can't break up."

"Then let's not break up!"

Shen Mochen would rather do anything than confront the Earl. Besides, the whole affair really had nothing to do with him. His involvement with Catherine was nothing more than an unfulfilled "human connection"; what right did he have to meddle in the household affairs of a noble family?

Not just for his own sake, but also for Yin Caiyu's. She was about to retire. How would it affect their future life together if she found out he had brought such trouble upon them?

Catherine was silent for a while. Her faint demeanor suggested that Shen Mochen's attitude was expected and that his refusal didn't evoke any reaction from her.

"Then let's wait here until he goes back. We've done enough for today," Catherine said.

Shen Mochen hesitated for a moment, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"If your father had arrived a little later, then we would have..."

Catherine's mouth curved into a smile: "Then he would have seen an even more interesting scene, and he probably would have exploded on the spot. What a pity!"

Shen Mochen was taken aback, "Are you serious?"

"What's the problem?"

"There are problems everywhere, okay? Do you love me?"

"I probably don't."

"Right, so why would you naturally want to do that with me? Just to piss off your dad?"

Catherine stretched lazily, "That's part of the reason. It seems like it would be fun."

Shen Mochen was stunned, "...Fun?"

"In fact, I'm also quite interested in that kind of thing. If it's with you for the first time, I wouldn't be very averse to it."

Shen Mochen was shocked, What are you talking about? Because you're interested, because you want to?

"Is it only for love that people do that sort of thing? So when you were excited just now, it was because you love me?"

"Ah no..."

"Only men have desires, do women not have them?"

"Well, that's true but..."

Shen Mochen was at a loss for words. The reasoning was sound... Yin Huailian was just a juice squeezer. If it weren't for her factory's 996 schedule and her daily fortune reports, Shen Mochen might have been squeezed even drier.

"Of course, mainly I want to see their shocked and furious expressions." Catherine leaned back, lying on the carpet, and said with a light laugh, "The heir of the Alexandrov Family dating a common foreigner. A devout believer of the Tianzheng Church has slept with a man before marriage. Just wait until I announce this at my birthday banquet... It sounds so interesting just thinking about it. If it spreads back home, maybe even the Emperor will decree the stripping of my Alexandrov surname."

"Are the consequences of premarital sex that severe?"

"Actually, not that severe. Keeping it quiet is a minor issue. It becomes a major issue when it gets exposed and everyone knows about it. You didn't really think everyone in Romany adheres to their faith, did you? That's just a beautiful lie that everyone knows but won't admit to."

Shen Mochen was silent for a moment, "But escalating it to that point won't do you any good either."

Catherine smiled, "Seeing their embarrassed, disgraceful faces would be the greatest benefit to me."

"I really think there's no need to go that far..." Shen Mochen had not finished speaking when he felt he shouldn't be butting in and quickly covered his mouth, changing the subject, "Right, the Kirikorov Family and the Vorotensky family you mentioned earlier, are they the ones you're supposed to marry? And what's with the Lake Moon Tower's coming of age ceremony? Isn't the coming of age for girls in Romany at 16?"

"Since you're not planning to devote yourself to me, what's the use of asking so much?"

Catherine sat up, her azure eyes calmly gazing at Shen Mochen, like a mirror-like lake devoid of ripples.

Shen Mochen couldn't help remembering how Catherine trembled when she hugged him from behind. Was it fear? Or tension, anger, dissatisfaction?

"...Eh, that's terrible. I forgot to take my phone from downstairs. Looks like I'm going to be sitting here for a long time!" Shen Mochen avoided her eyes, looking at the ceiling roof.

"I can go down and get it for you," said Catherine.

"You... are you sure?" Shen Mochen asked.

She did not reply and stood up to leave the room. Shen Mochen lay on the carpet and slowly closed his eyes. He felt an inexplicable guilt, even though he had been tricked by Catherine today.

Before long, Catherine returned. Shen Mochen heard the door open and the familiar footsteps, but he didn't open his eyes and continued to rest on the ground.

Suddenly, he felt a cool foot lightly step on his crotch. Shen Mochen jerked his eyes open and saw Catherine looming over him.

"What are you doing..." Shen Mochen didn't dare to move, thinking she was angry and wanted revenge.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience I caused you, this is my way of apologizing." Catherine's foot gently rubbed a few times, "I heard from Caiyu that you really enjoy this."

"Don't listen to her nonsense, I don't like it!" Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Catherine looked down and smiled, "It seems your body is more honest than your mouth."

Shen Mochen's face flushed with embarrassment and shame. Caiyu, why do you have to spill everything!

"You don't need to come next month. I will clarify things for you." Catherine removed her foot.