Chapter 1: Obedient Submission

I am Jiang Shuyu, the notorious pampered princess of Beijing’s high society. That title wasn’t self-proclaimed; it was a collective label bestowed upon me by the people around me, all of whom had suffered under my reign.

The summer after my senior year, a massive crack split my gilded life wide open. My father brought home a woman named Meng Yu—a secretary from his company—along with her son, who was a year older than me: Xie Lin.

“Shuyu, this is Auntie Meng, and this is your older brother, Xie Lin.”

My father held the woman’s hand, his voice so nauseatingly gentle it gave me goosebumps. My mother hadn’t been gone that long, and here she was, waltzing right through our front door.

I offered a cold, mocking sneer. “I’m not in the habit of memorizing the names of bargain-bin clearance items.”

Ignoring my father’s sharp reprimand, I turned my gaze toward the buy-one-get-one-free extra. Xie Lin had a strikingly handsome face, but he was infuriatingly tall—tall enough that I had to tilt my head up just to look at him. And if there was one thing I hated, it was looking up at anyone.

The moment he carried his suitcase inside, the very first thing I did was plant a hard kick straight into it. “Where did this stray dog crawl out from? You think you’re worthy of being called my brother? Get out of my way!”

He didn’t say a word, only quietly set his suitcase upright again. That meek, enduring look didn’t appease my anger—it only made my skin crawl with irritation.

After moving in, Xie Lin became my sole target. I ran him ragged, bossing him around like an unpaid maid. Oddly enough, he never complained once, remaining as docile as a loyal hound.

One evening, I hid in my room, clutching an old letter from my late mother and sobbing. Hearing Xie Lin knock on the door to call me down for dinner, I hurled my plush toy at the door in annoyance. He opened it, caught the stuffed animal, and walked in to place it gently at the head of my bed.

I tilted my chin up, raising my foot—painted in a vibrant, glossy red—and rested it squarely on his knee, issuing a haughty command:

“Put my slippers on.”

I wanted to drive him crazy. I wanted him to snap, to fight back, to give me an excuse to kick both him and his mother out into the street. But Xie Lin merely lowered his head, the tips of his ears turning a suspicious shade of red. He gently cupped my ankle, carefully slipping the slipper onto my foot. The heat of his palm was so warm against my skin that it sparked an unfamiliar flutter in my chest. To cover my sudden fluster, I gave him another light kick.

“Now get out of my sight! And remember—from now on, you walk behind me.”

I genuinely thought I had tamed him. That was until the night I came home dead drunk, escorted to the door by a guy from my class. The moment I stepped over the threshold, Xie Lin—the man who had always been so submissive—transformed into a complete stranger. He yanked me violently into his chest.

“You bastard! You’re hurting me, let go!”

Before I could even struggle, he hoisted me up and threw me onto the bed. Under my horrified gaze, Xie Lin unbuckled his leather belt and bound my wrists tightly to the headboard. Leaning down until his breath burned against my ear, his voice was deceptively soft, laced with a dangerous edge:

“My princess… since when does a stray dog ever know how to obey?”

It wasn’t until much later that I realized the underwear I thought I’d lost hadn’t magically sprouted legs and walked away. They had simply been dragged back to the nest by a perverted stray dog.

…

At the dinner table, Meng Yu kept dropping food onto my plate. Every piece she touched, I calmly picked up with my chopsticks and tossed aside.

“Shuyu, don’t waste food,” my father scolded, his brow furrowed. “Your brother Xie Lin made all of these himself.”

I paused mid-stir, lazily picking at my rice. He made this?

My father, Jiang Zhengan, nodded proudly, as if he’d just unearthed a rare treasure. “Xiao Lin isn’t just a great cook; he’s an exceptional student too. He was accepted into Peking University this year. Since you’re starting your senior year, he can tutor you.”

I shot a glance at Xie Lin. The way he kept his head bowed so obediently instantly sparked a malicious idea in my mind. I flashed a sweet smile, stood up, and strolled over to his side. Right in front of the whole family, I dumped the entire contents of my rice bowl straight into his, topping it off with a picked-clean chicken bone right in the center.

“A reward for you,” I whispered near his ear, my voice low. “Eat up. You’ll need the strength to serve… oh, I mean, tutor me.”

I patted his head twice, petting him like a little dog. Xie Lin froze, then quietly replied, “…Thank you.”

His voice was as faint as a breeze. Leaving my father’s enraged shouts behind us, I slipped away and headed straight upstairs.

After dinner, Xie Lin knocked on my door. “Princess, I’m here for the tutoring session.”

He stood properly outside the frame, not daring to step inside uninvited. That restrained demeanor satisfied me immensely. It seemed phase one of my “stray dog training” was a resounding success.

Inside the room, a faint scent of citrus laundry detergent wafted off him—surprisingly clean and fresh. Skipping the pleasantries, I kicked my legs up onto his lap, the heel of my foot intentionally nudging his firm calf. “Hey. Massage my feet.”

Xie Lin swallowed visibly, his voice slightly raspy. “Princess… we still need to study.”

“You’ve got two hands—one for the pen, one for me. Can’t multitask? Then get out.”

He fell silent, then obediently placed his hands on my leg. His pressure was just right, but the heat radiating from his thighs was searing, making me feel oddly restless.

I had to admit, Xie Lin was a natural teacher. For the next month, I dumped every chore I was too lazy to do onto him: picking up packages, cooking, carrying my bags, pouring my drinks… He was like a pre-programmed robot. Whenever I barked an order, he would simply offer a gentle, “Okay.”

Late one night, I finished showering only to realize I’d forgotten to bring clothes into the bathroom. I called out for Xie Lin multiple times without an answer. Annoyed, I wrapped a bath towel securely around myself and marched out to track him down.

Even though our house had plenty of proper bedrooms, I had adamantly objected to his presence, forcing Xie Lin to move into a converted storage room. On day one, I had laid down the law: Your door stays unlocked. I come and go as I please.

I shoved his door open without bothering to knock. But the very next second, I froze dead in my tracks.

Xie Lin was sitting at his desk. His open laptop displayed a few blurry photos of a girl. And his long, fair-skinned hand was… working up and down his lap. Even though I’d never seen it in person, I knew instantly what he was doing.

“…Princess?”

Xie Lin turned his head, a flash of panic crossing his eyes. He hastily slammed the laptop shut, frantically adjusting his clothes. Watching his flustered state, I let out a cold, mocking laugh.

“A stray dog really is just a stray dog. Always in heat.”

Xie Lin’s eyes flushed red at my insult, looking thoroughly pitiful. But then I caught where his gaze had landed—it was resting squarely on my collarbone and shoulders. Only for a fraction of a second, before he hurriedly looked away.

A draft from the air conditioner blew past, sending a sudden chill down my spine. I looked down, only then realizing: I was wearing nothing but a single bath towel.

And that towel… seemed to be slipping loose.