Chapter 6
"Lu the Beauty, I'm going to need you to come with me to the bathroom!"
When she first heard Redhead's words, Lu Yao froze and stared in disbelief, as if her ears had deceived her. "What did you just say!?"
"I said, I want you to walk me to the bathroom." Leaning up with one good arm, Redhead stood from the bed. He was grinning shamelessly as he pointed first at his bandaged arm, then down toward his pants. "Look I can't use my arm, so how could I manage to take my pants off by myself? You're here to take care of me, aren't you? This is part of it."
"I'm not going. You're not paralyzed you can go by yourself!" Lu Yao's face sank cold as stone. There was no way she'd agree to something so degrading.
But Redhead, closing in now, leered straight into her face. "Lu the Beauty, are you forgetting? Our agreement the one we signed just days ago. If you don't follow through, that means breaching the contract. You know I'd have every right to sue your husband again."
"You… shameless!" She had never dealt with such a vile man. Rage surged up, her breath trembling as she snapped, "The agreement also says you can't force me to do anything excessive. If you do, it's void!"
"…So big…" He licked his lips, his eyes locked brazenly on the heaving swell of her chest as her breathing grew heavier. He swallowed visibly, voice husky. Then, feigning earnestness, he said, "What's excessive about this? Haven't you ever seen a caregiver? Patients who can't wash themselves, who can't toilet themselves, helpers take them every day. I can't use this arm. Walking me to the toilet is perfectly normal. And showering I can't wash properly either. After I relieve myself, you'll need to wipe me clean."
"Don't even think about it! I will never do something like that!" At his crude explanation, Lu Yao's face burned crimson with fury and humiliation. She spun on her heel to leave.
"Fine, go ahead. Leave. But then our agreement's finished and once it's void, I'll see you in court." Unruffled, Redhead puffed his cigarette, his gaze locked on the sway of her hips as she neared the door. His lips curled in relish.
Inside his mind, he counted silently. Three… two… one…
Just as "one" ended, Lu Yao stopped motionless. Her hand trembled on the doorframe. Drawing in two deep breaths, gathering whatever composure she could, she finally turned back, eyes brimming with smouldering rage and shame. Grinding her teeth, she said hoarsely, "Don't make this harder on me. Ask anything else I'll help. But not this. I can't."
She knew the paper agreement had no real legal standing. She had considered simply calling his bluff and walking away. But fear weighed on her. What if he hounded her even after his discharge? What if he spread stories? She would be ruined, powerless. That fear forced her to stay.
"…Oh?" He stroked his chin as if pondering. Hearing the faint wavering in his tone, Lu Yao brightened with fragile hope, quickly forcing a smile. "As long as it's not that, anything else, we can talk it through."
But his smirk only sharpened. "I don't feel like compromising." His voice dripped cruelty. "Your husband pounded me bloody. Why should I show leniency to you? Why should I care about your dignity? You want to know the real reason I insisted you come take care of me instead of some caretaker? It was revenge. I'm doing this to grind you both into the dirt. Either accept, or leave."
"You…" Her heart trembled. Just moments ago she had clung to faint hope. Now despair closed in like ice. A stinging wetness welled behind her eyes, tears she bit back with all her strength. Under his mocking smirk, she stood there stiff, lips pressed white between her teeth. Seconds dragged like hours. Finally defeated she gasped, "...Fine. I'll do it."
"Now that's better." His voice oozed satisfaction. "Come on, it's just helping me to the toilet, wiping my body a bit. Normal caretaker work. Not like I asked for anything indecent. No need for drama."
At that, he went striding smugly toward the bathroom door. Inside, he turned and shouted, "Well, hurry up! I'm about to piss myself!"
"Why didn't my husband just kill you yesterday?" Lu Yao muttered through clenched teeth, stamping her heel in helpless rage. With no choice, she forced herself after him.
"What are you standing there for? Pull down my pants." From where he stood before the toilet, he barked orders.
Grinding her teeth, Lu Yao stared at his back, every inch of her body prickling with humiliation. Still, she shuffled forward. Eyes squeezed shut, lips pressed tight, she pinched the hem of his hospital pants between two trembling fingers and yanked downward.
She spun quickly to turn away but before she could escape, his hand snapped out, seizing her wrist. "Hey, hey! You pulled them halfway and left me pissing in my pants!"
Her gaze flickered unwillingly down and in an instant her entire face went crimson.
There, stiff, jutting high, was his erection thick, dark, throbbing. His pants had slipped only on one side, so the fabric cinched and angled it upright like a spear, pointing skyward.
"God…" She spun her head aside in shame, heart hammering. Unable to stop herself, she snatched the fabric on the other side and yanked it down too, hurriedly freeing him so he could at least point toward the bowl. But his length still jutted upward, obscene.
"Hei hei hei… maybe you should hold it down for me. Otherwise I'll never hit the bowl properly." His voice was mercilessly mocking as he laughed at her flaming cheeks.
"Shameless bastard!" She tore her hand free and bolted from the bathroom, heart racing.
Outside, she pressed a hand to her chest, gasping for breath, cheeks glowing scarlet. Her ears filled with the sound of water striking porcelain inside the unmistakable rush of his release. The sound made her stomach churn with shame.
"Alright, Lu the Beauty, come back. Pull my pants up."
Her whole body trembled. Still, her steps carried her back inside. Swallowing her fury, she bent behind him, seized the loose fabric, and dragged his pants back onto his hips.
"Ahhh, that's better. Tonight you'll give me a hot towel rub-down too. Haven't bathed in days I stink." Back in bed, cigarette back between his lips, he puffed happily and gave her the next command.
Her chest twisted, but she had expected this. Carrying a basin of scalding water from the sink, she cursed silently beneath her breath: perhaps she could burn him a little, make him suffer.
"Take off your clothes, then." She averted her face, setting the steaming basin down.
Feigning helplessness, he gestured at his bandaged arm. "If I could take them off myself, why would I need you?"
"You…" She glared furiously but didn't walk away. Seething, she bent near, pushed his shirt up, and wrung the towel dripping hot water. She pressed it hard to his chest.
"Ahh !" His skin flushed, his lips hissed but then curved into a perverse smile. "Mmm… good, really good."
Annoyance flashed over her, but she kept scrubbing, rubbing harder.
As he lay back, savoring it, he leered openly at the tilt of her neckline. "Wow… nice. So pale, so full… incredible view."
Heat slammed into her cheeks. She jerked upright, yanking her collar higher, glaring at him. "Enough!"
But he only flipped over casually. "What about my back?" forcing her hand again.
Gritting her teeth, she wrung the towel tighter and scalded his skin in brusque strokes.
"Upper body's good. Now… do my lower half." The sly grin never left his face.
Her pulse pounded in her ears. She knew this was his true aim. And yet, deep inside, she had told herself: if he ever truly crossed the line, she could use it as cause to void the agreement once and for all. Maybe this was her chance.
Taking a sharp breath, she steeled herself. Kneeling, she seized his trouser cuffs and yanked downward.
At once, his thick erection sprang into view again barely veiled by crimson underwear, the tip already straining free, glistening at the waistband.
"Haaahh…" Her breath stumbled. He shifted deliberately, his free hand brushing over the swollen head, smirk curling his lips. All the while, his eyes locked hungrily on her frozen, scarlet face as she clutched the towel.
Slowly, deliberately, he chuckled. "Go on, Beauty. Wipe me down."