C12 Be My Dog!

Every ounce of Yang Aoxue's pride was crushed under the weight of Chiang Le's few, pointed words.

The man before her could strip her of everything with a mere thought, leaving her existence worse than death.

Yang Aoxue was seized by an unprecedented wave of fear and regret.

The Crown Prince's methods were beyond comprehension, his approach too untamed!

How could an invincible, exalted Crown Prince muster the ferocity to shoulder cement on a construction site for an entire month?

Reflecting on the Crown Prince's willingness to endure hardships that would break an ordinary person, Yang Aoxue's reverence for him deepened even further.

Someone who could be so merciless to themselves would surely be even more unforgiving to others.

She had been mistaken.

So very mistaken!

Regret flooded Yang Aoxue's heart.

How could she possibly atone for her error? What could she do to soothe the Crown Prince's wrathful storm?

Yang Aoxue was at a loss.

The Crown Prince before her was as formidable as a tiger in a dream; she stood no chance against such an enigmatic figure.

Yang Aoxue's pleas were futile as she sought the Crown Prince's forgiveness, but she was acutely aware that the likelihood of swaying him was nearly nonexistent.

"Please, have mercy on me."

Chiang Le's eyebrows lifted slightly. "I could spare you."

Like a drowning woman clutching at a lifeline, Yang Aoxue looked up, her face alight with hope.

"However, there is always a price to be paid," Chiang Le said with a smile, looming over Yang Aoxue like a malevolent spirit.

"I will work tirelessly for you, like an ox or a horse, to earn money," Yang Aoxue asserted with confidence in her business acumen. "Just give me two years, and I will double the profits of Phoenix Real Estate!"

"I'm not interested in such things," Chiang Le dismissed, shaking his head. "To me, they're mere numbers. They bring me no joy. So no, I don't need you to toil for me."

"Then what am I to do?"

"Be a loyal lapdog. In the end, you'll have everything you desire."

Confusion flickered in Yang Aoxue's eyes. "Crown Prince, I don't understand what you're asking of me."

"Do you really think you're in a position to negotiate? The only thing you have to offer is yourself."

Yang Aoxue was sharp as ice, and the moment she heard those words, clarity struck.

What was the Crown Prince implying? Was he suggesting she offer up her body?

Lips caught between her teeth, Yang Aoxue wrestled with the decision for only a moment before making the tough call.

The Crown Prince was right; if the Economic Investigation Bureau got involved, her financial indiscretions would come to light, leading to her inevitable imprisonment. Upon release, her prospects would be dim. And if the Crown Prince persisted in his haunting presence, using even the slightest manipulation, she would be driven to desperation—to sell her body for survival.

To be a plaything for many, or to be the Crown Prince's sole canary?

The choice was clear.

"Very well, Crown Prince. My body is all I have left to offer you. If you wish, it's yours at any time," Yang Aoxue declared, brushing away a tear. "Rest assured, my body is untouched, never known by any man. Whenever you desire, I am ready—anytime, anywhere."

Chiang Le was stunned by the resolve of the woman before him.

Indeed, Yang Aoxue's ability to carve out her place in the corporate world and ascend to the youngest CEO made sense.

She truly had grounds for her pride.

Yet even the proudest and most dignified of women now knelt before Chiang Le, begging for mercy. The sense of triumph this brought him was immeasurable.

Did you ever consider, when you ruthlessly cornered me, that a day like this might come?

Chiang Le's fleeting compassion vanished, and he resolved to shatter Yang Aoxue's last vestige of pride. "Alright then, since you've put it that way, show me."

Yang Aoxue gave Chiang Le a piercing look, clenched her teeth, and rose shakily to her feet. With trembling hands, she began to undo the buttons of her garment.

For the first time, her exquisite beauty was laid bare before a man.

Unreserved.

Chiang Le's pupils narrowed, but he quickly regained his composure from the startling allure before him. Hardening his heart, he delivered a sharp slap across Yang Aoxue's face.

A pale cheek now bore the imprint of five fingers.

Flung to the ground by the force of the slap, Yang Aoxue's tears fell once more, as the sting of humiliation and physical pain overwhelmed her.

"Your indifference nearly cost a young, innocent life." Chiang Le's gaze turned stormy as he remembered the desperation and frenzy he felt on that rooftop. "This slap is for the me who almost jumped. After this, we're even."

The weight in Chiang Le's heart lifted with the slap, and his mind became clear.

Yang Aoxue had gotten her just desserts, paying dearly for her arrogance and detachment.

"All this effort, just for me? You're quite the strategist," Yang Aoxue said, half-prostrate on the ground.

Chiang Le chuckled. How naïve she was, thinking her time lugging cement was just a taste of life... She had no idea those days of sweat, scorn, and bitterness were his reality.

"To win you over? Why would I bother with such an ordeal?" Chiang Le's smile was laced with irony. "Besides, do you even measure up to be my woman?"

Do you measure up?

Those words cut deep, shattering the last vestiges of Yang Aoxue's vanity.

Despite kneeling, enduring humiliation, and laying her pride aside, a stubborn arrogance lingered in her, rooted in her confidence in her looks.

For years, Yang Aoxue's admirers had been numerous, including some of the elite.

She'd always held her head high, never sparing them a glance.

She longed for a man who could conquer her, body and soul. Sadly, she had never met such a man.

Until now.

As Yang Aoxue knelt, a twisted sense of being overpowered took hold within her, a perverse pleasure.

This sensation had a name: Stockholm syndrome, a masochistic psyche.

"I may not be fit to be your woman, but I'm willing to be your loyal dog," Yang Aoxue declared.

"Really? Well then, let the life of devotion begin!" Chiang Le's smile was full of amusement.

A haze of confusion clouded Yang Aoxue's eyes as she looked up at Chiang Le, her gaze drifting downward. In a fleeting moment, her eyes betrayed a struggle, swiftly replaced by a look of resolute determination.

She subtly licked her lips.

Yang Aoxue knelt there, inching forward on the ground until she was before Chiang Le.

Lifting her gaze, the imprint of a swollen palm was faintly visible on her face, yet there was no trace of pain or discomfort in Yang Aoxue's eyes—only pure adoration and admiration.

Still kneeling, she gently extended her hand toward Chiang Le's belt.

*Click*

The belt emitted a sharp snap.

Chiang Le, exuding authority, reclined in his opulent swivel chair and closed his eyes.

In that moment, a poem flashed through Chiang Le's mind: The utmost gentleness is in that bowing head... as if... a lotus flower shivers in the cool breeze...