Ficorpio
Chapter 1
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First Edition
1
I called out Sean’s name just as Leo was reaching his climax.
Hearing that name, Leo’s frantic movements came to an abrupt halt. Breathing heavily, he flipped me over and thrust into me with renewed vigor, as if trying to drive that hated name from my mind.
It wasn’t that I had any deep feelings for Sean. It was just that Leo looked so much like him—the perfectly shaped face, the sharp jawline, the tall, straight nose, and those sparkling eyes beneath dark lashes…
Even their names were similar.
The only difference was their mouths. Leo’s lips were naturally red, even without being kissed.
The next afternoon, Leo took a sip of his milk tea and asked me with feigned nonchalance:
“Sean… who is that?”
My phone kept buzzing nonstop. Without thinking, I replied:
“An old man—”
I caught myself mid-sentence, realizing it didn’t sound quite right, and quickly corrected myself:
“…friend.”
Leo let out a low “hmm” and continued sipping his bubble tea, head bowed.
I scratched the little puppy’s chin and playfully ruffled his fur. “What? Are you jealous?”
He licked the milk tea from his lower lip and looked up at me with wide, dewy eyes. “No…”
I gave a satisfied nod.
He was so well-behaved and never gave me any trouble.
“I have a book signing this afternoon and a celebration dinner tonight. Don’t wait up for me. Make yourself something to eat, and don’t go hungry.”
I grabbed my bag and gave Leo a kiss on his rosy lips.
Mmm, sweet.
“If you don’t feel like cooking, just order takeout. Let me know if you run low on cash.”
As for my relationship with Leo, it began about a year ago.
Back then, I had some health issues—a stomach perforation that landed me in the hospital for several days. The doctor warned me to stop my reckless ways.
Chapter 2
I valued my life, so I temporarily stepped away from the glitzy, indulgent world and lived a rather simple, disciplined life for a long time.
That’s when Leo showed up.
A white apron tied around his narrow waist accentuated his fine figure. His hands, with their distinct knuckles, skillfully piped flowers onto a cake base. Scattered sunlight streamed down, making Leo glow behind the transparent shop window and instantly striking a chord in my heart.
Moreover, his eyes and eyebrows bore an eighty percent resemblance to Sean’s.
At the time, I had just broken up with two clingy “puppies” and was going through a frustrating dry spell. The moment I saw Leo, my heart started racing.
“Hey handsome, would you like to join my roster?”
Seductive poses, flirtatious words, sending flowers, declarations of love, chauffeuring in luxury cars—this routine had never failed me before.
But clearly, Leo was an exception.
I went to the bakery every day for a month, making sure I was noticed in every way possible, but I still couldn’t win over the little puppy.
Because in his eyes, there was only cake.
My competitive drive kicked in.
Well, well, you’ve piqued my interest.
I doubled down on my efforts. First, I played hard to get, ignoring the little puppy for two days. Then, on a windy, moonless night, I cornered Leo while he was cleaning the shop alone, right at the entrance of the bakery.
For this scene, I pretended to be drunk—and pulled it off convincingly. I shamelessly went for Leo’s lips—also convincingly. And when I hooked my arm around his neck and slurred out my address, it was the height of realism. The only thing I didn’t expect was the bright red stain on my pants once we got home—just as real.
By the time Leo laid me on the bed, his ears were flushed crimson.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, still wanting to tease him a little, but a sudden sharp pain in my stomach forced me to drift off to sleep.
I thought Leo would leave in disgust, abandoning my pigsty of a home. But when I opened my eyes the next morning, the entire place had been transformed.
It was clean, tidy, and spotless. A fragrant pot of porridge simmered on the stove, as if a fairy had paid a visit.
Upon closer inspection, the busy figure in the kitchen wasn’t a fairy but the adorable Leo.
When he brought me the congee, I was still in a daze. Then I noticed the several lipstick marks on his white T-shirt—
Exactly seven of them.
Probably from last night.
My thick skin hadn’t quite kicked in yet, so I awkwardly said, “Sorry about that—I was pretty drunk last night. Ahem, what happened yesterday… it was all just a misunderstanding.”
Hearing this, the little puppy’s slightly cheerful expression dimmed, tinged with a hint of melancholy.
Just a misunderstanding?
Chapter 3
He seemed displeased, muttering softly, “Hmm.”
With that single word, the spacious room fell silent.
Coincidentally, I had a slight ache in my lower abdomen and wasn’t in the mood to flirt with him. So I buried my face in my bowl of congee, quietly thinking about how to win over the little puppy.
Before I could finish my thought, Leo—the “kitchen wizard”—spoke up first. “What you said that day… does it still stand?”
Startled by his words, I felt both flattered and surprised. I quickly set down my spoon and looked up at him.
Ah, that expression…
Could it be that the fish has taken the bait?
Seeing my confusion, Leo added in a hushed voice, “I mean… about us being together.”
If my earlier failure to understand the puppy’s displeasure could be chalked up to not being fully awake, failing to grasp his meaning now would be unworthy of my title as the Sea Queen.
So he had developed feelings for me and had been leading me on all this time.
Who would have thought that little puppy could be so deep and reserved?
My interest piqued, I leaned forward and grabbed Leo by the collar. “Of course it counts. The kind that lasts a lifetime—no take-backs.”
Leo took a deep breath, his gaze shifting away. It took him a long moment to steady himself before he looked at me earnestly and said, “Then I’ll take it seriously. You can’t… lie to me.”
I pulled him down by his collar and planted a firm kiss as my answer.
Fine, I won’t lie to you. But then again, how can what happens between a man and a woman be called deception?
That is love itself.
2
A message from Leo popped up on my phone.
Woof Woof: “I made some porridge. Will you be back tonight?”
I tapped my finger lightly, sending a brief reply.
“I’ll be back very late.”
Woof Woof: “Alright, I’ll head home first then.”
Me: “Okay. Be careful on your way.”
Whenever I didn’t go home, Leo would head back to his own place instead of wandering around.
At the celebration dinner, Chloe handed me a glass of champagne.