Chapter 106: Birthday Gift—A Plea for Your Compassion

Not locking the door while bathing was a clear invitation; there was no need to hesitate or overthink whether to go in or not.

Yet, just as Zhang Long silently eased open a sliver of the bathroom door, a delicate face, half-smiling and half-mocking, appeared in the gap, giving him quite a scare.

...

“Hiss, take it easy.”

Inside the bathroom, Zhang Long, wearing only a pair of boxers, lay draped over the edge of the tub, gritting his teeth as his back was being scrubbed.

It hadn’t taken long to clear the dining table, and naturally Luo Man couldn’t have bathed that quickly. She’d thought they might soak together, but in the end, she had only just started running the hot water.

Her clothes weren’t off—her excitement had been for nothing.

“It’s your birthday today,” Luo Man remarked as she scrubbed Zhang Long’s back, tutting as she spoke. “Look at the size and state of these dirt balls—you haven’t showered for at least a week, have you? What a slob.”

“Nonsense, just two days,” Zhang Long retorted, naturally protesting her accusation. “I bathe every two or three days. It’s just too cold in winter to bother with a soak. Of course, if you came by every day, I’d be up for a soak every day too—or something else, if you catch my drift. How about it?”

“As if!” Luo Man scoffed, scrubbing him even harder. “If it weren’t your birthday today, I wouldn’t have come. Not only do you get to take advantage of me, but here I am cooking and scrubbing your back as well. There’s not another man in the world who’d get this kind of service. Feeling pretty pleased with yourself, aren’t you, Mr. Long?”

“Hiss, easy!” Zhang Long winced again. Though Luo Man’s soft, delicate hands felt quite good on his back, her sporadic pinching and rough handling, with her lack of skill, made the experience less than comfortable.

Back-scrubbing, after all, is only enjoyable if the technique is right; even if a beauty does it, poor technique ruins the pleasure.

“Why don’t you join me in the bath?” Zhang Long smacked his lips. “Once you’re soaking, I can help scrub your back too. You can’t reach it yourself, can you? We’ll both be squeaky clean.”

“Hmph, don’t even think about it.” Luo Man rolled her eyes, slapped his shoulder with a resounding smack, and said, “Done!”

“You can handle the rest yourself.”

...

Luo Man didn’t leave. While Zhang Long finished up his bath, she washed his dirty clothes—tossing the big items into the machine and hand-washing the small ones.

After Zhang Long was done, Luo Man promptly shooed him out of the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

“No peeking,” she called out as she closed the door with a click. Zhang Long shrugged, exhaling softly. Fine, he wouldn’t look. He went to the bedroom to make the bed, tidying up for what was to come.

Since Luo Man had brought a change of clothes, she clearly wasn’t planning to run off. Otherwise, why go to all this trouble?

He wasn’t sure how the class monitor had made up her mind, but that didn’t matter. He’d let things take their course.

The sound of running water filled the bathroom. Luo Man didn’t soak in the tub; instead, she let the steaming water cascade over her, flowing along every curve of her flawless figure—a sight both alluring and arresting, though, regrettably, hidden from any onlooker.

---

At this moment, Luo Man’s emotions flowed as turbulently as the water streaming down her body.

Was she hesitant? Of course. Deciding to stay the night meant a flurry of nerves and uncertainty. She admitted that, at first, she hadn’t taken Zhang Long seriously—she hadn’t liked or loved him, at least not in her heart.

But everything changed that Saturday two weeks ago, after ten-thirty, when Zhang Long didn’t come home.

A sense of stifled frustration had filled her chest. Since that day, fleeting memories of time spent with Zhang Long would surface in her mind—trips to amusement parks, their first kiss, and the many kisses that followed. Each was etched into her memory.

There’s a reason women attach great importance to their first time. Affection grows with time; perhaps, little by little, as they interacted and kissed, Zhang Long had found his way into her heart.

He was handsome, to say nothing of the several million he had to his name—a definite plus. An orphan without any complicated ties.

All things considered, an excellent match!

...

“Damn, it’s just not working.”

In the study, after making the bed in the master bedroom, Zhang Long couldn’t resist opening his computer. His nearby trades had already hit their profit targets. Wang Jing from Silver Exchange had sent new trading advice—but it was hard to predict.

The spot silver trend was the same. Whether he traded with one company or several, the strategy applied; the result was anticipated, so he could accept it, though it was a bit of a pity.

Greed is human nature. Zhang Long admitted that even if he made six profitable trades a day, he’d never be satisfied.

“Screw it, one more gamble.”

He hesitated for a moment, watching the silver price hover at 6,300. It could go up or down. All three of his accounts had made winning trades today, even if one gained only ten points, which still counted as profit. It was almost too perfect; if he lost this time, so be it.

A loss was just a loss—he could win it back later.

So Zhang Long operated all three accounts, opening roughly half-sized short positions. After a previous drop of 100 points and a 50-point rebound, he had taken profits.

The overall trend was bearish anyway. Even if non-farm payroll data had been positive, it had been digested by now.

Follow the trend, and accept the losses if they come.

“Hmm? Finished your shower?”

Locking the screen and leaving the study, Zhang Long noticed the bathroom door was now open. Perking up, he strode toward the bedroom. “The light’s off?”

“Wait—don’t turn on the light.”

As Zhang Long reached to flick the switch, Luo Man’s shy voice called out from the darkness.

No lights? What if he tripped? Zhang Long clicked his tongue inwardly but decided to respect Luo Man’s wishes. Guided by instinct, he approached the bedside and gently lifted the comforter. He knew without looking that Luo Man was already under the covers. Sure enough—hiss!

The moment he touched her, it felt like an electric shock.

“Happy birthday.”

Luo Man suddenly pulled Zhang Long into the bed, her voice tender and bashful. “Tonight, I am your true birthday present. Young master, please… be gentle.”

---

In the darkness, lightning flashed and thunder roared. It was as if a curtain had been ripped open across the sky, and a fiery dragon burst through layers of clouded peaks, plunging toward an unknown valley’s dense forest.

The ordeal of transformation—shedding the old, embracing rebirth—was both breathtaking and exhausting.

A sudden cry echoed across the skies.

Suddenly, the falling red dragon seemed to discover something, summoning its last strength to adjust its posture before plunging into the shadowy depths of a secluded pool, without a moment’s hesitation.

The clash of spiritual spring and thunderfire made the water boil and steam, while the red dragon, tightly encased by the pool, exhaled softly.

It absorbed the spring’s essence, healing its wounds.

And so, time passed. The night slipped away in silence; dawn arrived in an instant. Zhang Long woke, dazed and lost in thought.

The dream from last night had felt so real. Fortunately, he had succeeded in transforming into a true dragon and survived the heavenly ordeal.

His years of arduous cultivation had not been in vain.

“Hm? Where is she?”

After a moment, Zhang Long came to himself, yawned, and turned to find the bed empty. Neither the living room, kitchen, nor bathroom showed any sign of Luo Man. He scratched his head.

“She’s gone to work. Don’t miss me.”

On the living room coffee table, he saw Luo Man’s note, her elegant handwriting softening his heart.

Don’t miss you? How could he not?

He knew Luo Man’s job at the bank was strict with its management. She had taken time off yesterday afternoon to come by, and he’d hoped to spend a little more time together in the morning, perhaps exchanging a little more affection and skill—last night, in the darkness, he hadn’t seen anything clearly.

A bit of a regret; it would have to wait for next time.

“Maybe she should change jobs,” Zhang Long mused. No matter how good a bank job was, it still meant following orders and currying favor. Better to help Luo Man open a shop or start some other business; she was his woman now, after all—he couldn’t let her be shortchanged.

She might not ask, but he could offer.

It was like buying her dinner every day—no problem. But if she ever borrowed money, even a single dollar would have to be repaid.

If nothing else, they could talk about it on Saturday.

With his mind made up, Zhang Long stopped brooding and planning. It was Wednesday—never mind spot silver, it was time to sell Tianan Technology stock and buy into the next hot stock.

A six-day rally was about to begin!

“Hmm? He sold?”

As soon as Zhang Long finished handling the trades in his agent account at Hongze, Qian Caiying became aware—she saw the full sell-off of Tianan Technology and couldn’t help but mutter.

Tianan’s stock was doing so well. He sold? Should she follow his lead or not? She was at a loss.