Possessive Madman Coaxes Him With a Hand on His Waist! The Cold-Hearted Host Starts to Feel Something - Chapter 22

Li Cheng’s brows were so furrowed they nearly twisted together.

The search results beneath the bar read: mice, birds, meat, organs…

Her expression shifted through a spectrum of emotions—blue, red, and a kind of stunned disbelief.

She wouldn’t eat those things!

Li Cheng cast Yan Jin a disdainful look and snapped, “I’m not eating that!”

Yan Jin cleared his throat lightly, eyes sliding off to the side.

“Mm. Got it.” He awkwardly retrieved his phone, clearly feeling guilty.

Li Cheng ignored him, picked up her bowl, and sat down at the dining table.

Since this villa only housed Yan Jin, the dining table wasn’t large—just a simple ten-seater wooden table.

It didn’t quite match the sleek, modern, minimalist kitchen décor, but it felt unexpectedly warm.

On the table sat a vase of fresh flowers and a translucent glass bowl with half a serving of vegetable salad—clearly meant for one person.

Watching Yan Jin still busy in the kitchen, Li Cheng hesitated. It felt impolite to eat alone, so she decided to wait for him.

About ten minutes later, Yan Jin brought all the dishes out.

In addition to the earlier stew, there were stir-fried beef with celery, spicy pork ribs, and lettuce hearts in oyster sauce.

Li Cheng looked genuinely surprised. “You managed to cook all this in that short a time?”

And every dish looked delicious.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I just made whatever came to mind,” Yan Jin said in a calm, steady voice.

Seeing Li Cheng hadn’t moved her chopsticks, he sat down. “Were you waiting for me?”

“I was waiting for the food,” Li Cheng huffed, then picked up her chopsticks and tasted a bite of the lettuce hearts.

Delicious.

Then she grabbed a rib from the spicy stir-fry and took a bite.

“Oh no.” Li Cheng’s tone turned distressed.

Yan Jin’s brows furrowed, his heart tightening. “Is it bad?”

Li Cheng looked him dead in the eye. “Wang Qi said I can’t eat two bowls of rice.”

But this food was too good—how was she supposed to stop?

Yan Jin chuckled softly. “So… you’re complimenting me, then?”

His eyes rippled with quiet amusement, warm and teasing.

As a fox, Li Cheng was especially skilled at reading people’s emotions.

She could feel clearly that Yan Jin had feelings for her.

Because the way he looked at her—his gaze was like starlight over a vast sea, direct and unhidden.

Not even trying to conceal it.

Li Cheng curved her lips slightly. “So, are you happy now?”

Yan Jin tilted his head. “You should confirm whether that was a compliment first—then I’ll know whether to be happy or not.”

He met her eyes openly, without shyness.

“It was a compliment,” Li Cheng replied.

“Then I’m happy.”

Li Cheng narrowed her eyes slightly. He really was into her.

I can see that too, Fox Master, Ah Keng’s voice echoed in her mind. Check if his Heart-Sealing Spell has sprouted any tails yet.

Li Cheng stiffened at the reminder. Just from how Yan Jin was acting…

At least one tail must’ve appeared.

My fox instincts say two tails, she thought.

I say three, Ah Keng countered.

What are we betting?

If I win, you kiss Yan Jin. If I lose, I’ll go dormant for a month.

Li Cheng: …You’re getting bold, huh?

You bet.

Li Cheng stopped arguing with him and instead picked up a rib, dropping it into Yan Jin’s bowl.

“So are you even happier now?”

Yan Jin’s lips lifted slightly as he set down his chopsticks and pushed up his glasses.

“What do you think my mood is right now?”

Li Cheng tilted her head. “No idea.”

Yan Jin chuckled softly. He could sense that she was deliberately testing him—
and it was unbearably cute.

As the laughter faded, Li Cheng took out her phone and handed it to him.

On the screen was her studio’s official post denying their relationship rumors.

Yan Jin glanced at it calmly. “I already know.”

“That’s the studio’s statement—it has nothing to do with me,” Li Cheng said earnestly. She had taken the money, after all, so she still wanted to act professionally.

“Do you really think your agency would dare post that without my permission?”

Li Cheng frowned. “So you knew ahead of time?”

“Denying the relationship benefits your career. My family’s been pushing for that too. Now, it’s a win-win situation.”

Li Cheng frowned deeper. “Did you delete your post?”

“No,” Yan Jin replied, dropping a piece of beef into her bowl. “Deleting it wouldn’t change much now.”

Li Cheng made a small sound of acknowledgment after a long pause.

“Then… can I still stay at your place?” She hadn’t handled Yan Xun yet—she wasn’t planning to move out.

“You can.” Yan Jin answered immediately.

Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he looked up. “Do you… maybe…”

“Maybe like Yan Xun?”

Li Cheng: “…”

She swallowed hard. What should I say? Why’s he suddenly asking that? He has Yan Xun’s memories, so he knows about my entire shameless, borderline-harassment pursuit of him… what if he thinks I’m a pervert?

Fox Host, Ah Keng chimed in dryly, you really were a pervert when you chased Yan Xun.

Li Cheng: “…”

She rubbed at her brow.

Yeah… she had been a little too handsy back then.

Still, denying it completely now would sound suspicious.

Li Cheng licked her lips. “I… I guess I do like him…”

Yan Jin’s expression darkened immediately. He set his chopsticks down. He still looked like a gentleman, but his aura had turned stormy.

His face was practically black with anger.

Li Cheng glanced sideways. He’s not…

He’s jealous, Ah Keng whispered gleefully. Yan Jin’s jealous.

Of himself.

Li Cheng: Why do I keep finding myself in these ridiculous situations?

One thing was certain now—Yan Jin definitely liked her.

To confirm it for sure, she stood up.

“I’m done eating.”

She walked over to stand beside him.

“There’s something dirty on your shirt—let me get it for you.”

As she spoke, Li Cheng leaned in and tugged open his collar slightly.

Her eyes darted to the Heart-Sealing Spell at his nape.

The blood-red mark shimmered faintly, emitting a soft, spiritual glow.

It had sprouted tails.

It was open.

No—

It had nine tails.

Red as blood. Blinding.

Ahhh! Fox Host! Nine tails! Nine tails! How is that even possible?! Ah Keng’s voice cracked with disbelief.

Li Cheng’s hands trembled as she stared.

A fire fox’s Heart-Sealing Spell could vary—three tails, four tails, sometimes five or six.

But nine tails…

That only appeared for the one person bound to the fire fox’s soul across lifetimes.

The one and only.

When she’d planted the spell on Yan Xun, it had just been to gauge her progress in winning him over.

She’d never imagined it could actually bloom into nine tails.

But now—

Yan Jin’s Heart-Sealing Spell had.

It was already nine-tailed… from the very start.

Fox Host, Ah Keng’s voice trembled, only one person in all the fire fox lineage can awaken the nine tails. Yan Jin is your destined partner—your soul’s eternal bond!

Yan Jin lifted his gaze, frowning slightly. “What are you doing?”

Li Cheng pulled her hand away and met his eyes directly.

She stared for a long time.

Could her destined bond really be a mortal?

Across lifetimes, tied together by fate…

It was him.

Yan Jin.

Li Cheng gazed down at him, her eyes like the starry night sky—glittering with disbelief and wonder.

Was Yan Jin’s affection for her truly fate itself?

Not mere curiosity.
Not infatuation with her looks.

But the kind of love one would die for.

Had she finally found it?

“What’s wrong?” Yan Jin asked softly, sensing something off in her silence.

Li Cheng’s answer was completely out of left field.

“Can I… touch your face?”