The second the lock clicked open, I launched myself straight into the arms of the man walking through the door.

“Hug me! Look, don’t I look like a soft, adorable little cotton ball?”

However, answering my passionate clinginess was a sudden, eerie, and deathly silence…

While I was wondering why Dinh was being so “willing” today, not shoving me away like he usually did, a low, sly chuckle suddenly rumbled from above my head.

“Damn, Dinh, does your house offer full-service cuddles now?”

I gasped, letting go and looking up. Holy shit, I hugged the wrong person!

Pho Dinh was standing right next to us. His eyes were devoid of any emotion as he looked at me. The embarrassment was so thick you could cut it with a knife; I stood frozen in place.

It was freezing outside, but banking on the expensive underfloor heating in the house, I had confidently worn a pink and black crop top that exposed my soft waist (which I was desperately sucking in) paired with a plaid mini skirt that didn’t even reach my knees. Even the low space buns I’d meticulously styled for an hour now felt like two lumpy heads of broccoli.

The guy I had accidentally hugged gave me a slow up-and-down look, then smirked.

“Dinh, do you two usually play this wild at home?”

Right as the guy’s eyes were about to linger on places they definitely shouldn’t, Dinh took a step forward, completely blocking his view, and draped his massive winter coat over my shoulders. Without hesitation, he scooped me up into his arms and walked straight into the bedroom.

“Could this skirt of yours be any shorter?”

He dropped me onto the sofa, glaring at the hem of my skirt with a gaze cold enough to freeze a river.

I let out a tiny “oh,” my brain still short-circuiting. Looking up at him with eyes brimming with pure innocence, I asked, “Uncle Dinh, do you mean… it should be shorter?”

To really sell my clueless act, I playfully tugged the hem up an inch. “Is this more to your liking?”

Instantly, his large hand clamped down on my wrist, stopping me dead. He stared me down, his voice dropping to a dangerously low timber.

“Are you intentionally trying to piss me off?”

After a few seconds of an intense staring contest, I finally scraped together some liquid courage from thin air. Face blushing like a boiled lobster, ears burning hot, I bit my lip and boldly asked:

“Do you mean… I’m intentionally seducing you? Pho Dinh, let me ask you honestly… have I managed to seduce you yet?”

The man’s eyes darkened instantly.

“What did you just call me?”

Before my spark of joy could even spread, a blast of cold air hit my collarbone. His hand slowly pushed the heavy coat aside… Just before the final layer of pale blue fabric underneath was exposed to the world, I panicked and blurted out:

“Uncle Dinh! Uncle Dinh!”

Only then did he stop, letting out a heavy, helpless sigh.

“Little girl, my morals aren’t as high as you think they are. If you dare tease me again, even if I have to turn into a beast to do it, I will teach you a proper lesson. Do you hear me?”

Tossing down that incredibly ambiguous warning, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room. With my sharp eyes, I noticed that as he walked away, his usually straight spine was slightly hunched.

Before the bedroom door clicked shut entirely, his buddy was still standing in the living room. The guy stared intently at Dinh’s retreating back, then slowly lowered his gaze to a very “sensitive” region below… Immediately, his jaw dropped so hard it practically hit the floor.

“Fuck! Pho Dinh! Damn it, you really are an animal!”

Dinh didn’t even bother acknowledging him, quietly slamming the door shut.

When I recounted the whole ordeal to Diep, she practically screamed through the phone. Her voice vibrated with excitement through every single voice note:

“Oh my god! He definitely likes you! Would his body have such a massive ‘chemical reaction’ if he didn’t?! Older men are just obsessed with keeping up appearances! Confess to him! It’s a guaranteed success!”

I clenched my fists, completely sold by her baseless logic. I nodded seriously, making up my mind.

To buff up my courage, I rummaged through the mini-fridge in the corner of my room and pulled out a tiny bottle of Baileys Irish Cream I’d bought a while ago. Gulp, gulp. I chugged several large mouthfuls, planning to use the booze to cause some chaos. But it seemed… I severely overestimated my alcohol tolerance.

When I pushed the door open and stepped out, the world immediately started spinning. I had originally planned to wait until Dinh’s friends left before making my move, but the liquid courage was working way faster than my brain. And somehow, two more guys had shown up in the living room.

Dinh and his three friends were lounging on the sofa, talking about life and business. I stumbled over, my feet tripping over each other.

“Whoa, Dinh, your girl is absolutely hammered!”

Hearing that, I turned to the guy who spoke and slurred, emphasizing every single word:

“I’m not a kid. I’m turning twenty in three months, for your information.”

The guy didn’t care about my rebuttal in the slightest; instead, he just laughed harder.

I walked straight up to Pho Dinh and stopped. Our eyes locked for a split second, and then, to the absolute shock of everyone in the room, I climbed right up and straddled his lap.

Dinh instinctively reached out to grab my waist, afraid I’d tumble backward onto the floor. His voice was deep, laced with absolute helplessness:

“You’re drunk? What kind of mess are you trying to make now?”

I shook my head, wrapping both arms tightly around his neck, pulling my face so close to his that our noses almost brushed. Behind me, the whispers and gasps of his friends started blowing up:

“Holy shit… what kind of spicy soap opera is this?”

“Wait, is Dinh raising a ward, or is he raising… his future wife?”

Dinh’s face instantly hardened.

I pressed my lips together, my entire body radiating the sickly-sweet scent of Baileys. Fueled by the alcohol, my voice came out so soft and whiny that it even gave me goosebumps:

“I like you, Pho Dinh.”

The room went so dead silent you could hear a mosquito buzz. Pho Dinh slowly released the hand that had been gripping my waist. He lowered his eyes, his face completely devoid of emotion, and softly dropped the words…