The bright morning sun of Gangcheng cast long shadows across the wet market, where the smell of fresh fish and damp earth mingled with the chatter of vendors. Yao Yu stood still for a moment, disoriented by the sudden shift in his surroundings. One moment he had been in his cramped apartment, and the next, the world had reshaped itself around him. He knew this place—the streets, the accents, the very air matched the novel *I Really Didn't Want to Be Reborn*. And he knew his mission: to dismantle the life of Chen Hansheng, the original scumbag protagonist, by conquering every mature woman in his orbit.
He moved through the crowd, his tall frame and handsome face drawing glances from a few housewives. But his attention fixed on a woman ahead of him. She stood at a vegetable stall, her back to him, and even from this distance, her figure commanded attention. She wore a simple floral dress that hugged her curves—hips wide and round, waist narrow, shoulders straight. Her hair was pinned up in a neat bun, revealing a graceful neck. When she turned to pick through a pile of greens, Yao Yu caught sight of her profile: smooth skin, high cheekbones, a mouth that seemed perpetually poised for a smile. This was no ordinary middle-aged woman. This was a woman who had taken care of herself.
He stepped closer, pretending to examine a heap of bok choy, and heard her speak to the vendor. "Two jin of these, please. And are the water spinach fresh today?" Her voice was warm, cultured, with a slight huskiness that hinted at sophistication. The vendor grinned. "Mrs. Liang, everything I have is fresh. Your son came by yesterday, didn't he? Such a successful young man, that Chen Hansheng."
Yao Yu’s heart thumped. *Liang Meijuan.* Chen Hansheng’s mother. The target had found him.
He followed her at a distance as she moved from stall to stall, her basket filling with produce, meat, and spices. She paused to haggle over a cut of pork, her laugh light and easy, drawing the admiration of the butcher. Yao Yu watched the sway of her hips, the way her dress pulled tight across her rear when she leaned forward. He imagined the warmth of that body, the softness of those curves, and felt a familiar stir in his groin.
The wet market floor was slick with water and scraps. As Liang Meijuan turned to leave a fruit stall, her foot landed on a discarded watermelon rind. Her arms flailed, the basket tipping, and she let out a sharp gasp. Yao Yu moved without thinking—or rather, he moved with perfect calculation. He caught her around the waist, pulling her against his chest, his hand pressing into the soft swell of her breast. His other hand slid down, steadying her by the hip, his fingers grazing the curve of her buttock.
"I'm so sorry," he breathed, his voice low and concerned, even as his thumb traced a slow circle on the side of her breast. "Are you alright?"
Liang Meijuan's face flushed with shock and something else. She felt the solid wall of his chest, the strength in his arms, and below that, something large and unmistakable pressing against her lower back. Her breath hitched. "I… I'm fine. Thank you." She tried to step away, but his hold didn't loosen. Instead, he guided her to a quieter corner behind a stack of crates, his hand still on her hip.
"Your dress is wet," he said, his eyes dark with concern. "Let me help you." He brushed a bit of moisture from her shoulder, his touch lingering. Liang Meijuan looked up at him—young, handsome, his face so close she could see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes. Her heart beat faster. She had not been touched like this in years. Her husband, Chen Zhaojun, had long lost interest, their nights a routine of quick, unsatisfying fumbles. This man’s hands felt like fire.
"You're too kind," she managed, but her voice was breathless. Without meaning to, she shifted her hips, and the bulge in his pants pressed more firmly against her. She felt its length, its thickness, and a wave of heat washed through her.
Yao Yu leaned in, his lips brushing her ear. "A beautiful woman like you shouldn't be alone in a market like this." His hand slid from her hip to her waist, pulling her closer. Liang Meijuan let out a shaky moan. She knew this was wrong—she was married, he was young enough to be her son. But the thought only made the excitement sharper. She turned in his arms, pressing her chest against his, and brought her lips to his.
The kiss was hungry, desperate. Their mouths clashed, tongues tangling as Yao Yu’s hands roamed her body—kneading her breasts through the dress, then slipping down to grip her buttocks, squeezing hard. Liang Meijuan gasped into his mouth and arched into him. She could feel his erection, enormous and straining against his pants, and she wanted it. Her hands fumbled at his belt, but he caught her wrists.
"Not here," he whispered, his voice rough. "But I need you." He guided her thigh between his legs, pressing himself against the soft flesh through both layers of clothing. Liang Meijuan understood. She wrapped her leg around his, moving in a slow rhythm, rubbing her thigh along the length of him. He groaned and bit her lower lip, his hands still full of her rear. The friction was maddening. She could feel him throbbing, and her own body responded, a damp heat pooling between her legs.
They moved together in the shadow of the crates, the noise of the market a distant hum. Liang Meijuan’s breath came in ragged gasps. She had never felt so alive, so wanted. Her thigh worked faster, wetness seeping through her dress as she imagined what he would feel like inside her. Then Yao Yu stiffened, a low growl escaping his throat, and she felt a hot pulse against her leg, the cloth dampening. A moment later, her own climax rippled through her, a sharp, sweet release that left her trembling in his arms.
They stood there for a long moment, catching their breath. Yao Yu pulled back, his eyes soft and vulnerable. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I don't even know your name. I just… I haven't been with anyone in so long. I came to this city alone, no job, no home. I'm just lost."
Liang Meijuan looked at him—this beautiful, strong young man who had given her more pleasure in five minutes than her husband had in years. A maternal instinct stirred in her, mingled with raw desire. She reached up and cupped his cheek. "I'm Liang Meijuan. And you don't have to be alone anymore." She smiled, a slow, knowing smile. "I have a spare room. I could take you in as my godson. No one would think twice."
Yao Yu’s eyes shone with gratitude. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose."
"You're not imposing," she said, taking his hand. "You're saving me."
They walked out of the alley, her basket forgotten, her hand still clasped in his. Neither noticed the shadow that detached itself from a nearby pillar. Lü Yuqing, forty-one years old, mother of Xiao Rongyu, had been shopping for fish when she saw everything—the fall, the groping, the kiss, the frenzy against the crates. She stood frozen now, her heart pounding. Liang Meijuan, that prim housewife, with a young stud? And he was so… magnificent. A hot jealousy coiled in Lü Yuqing’s stomach, followed by a terrible, thrilling thought: *If Liang Meijuan can have that, why can’t I?* She watched them disappear into the crowd, her lips parting, her own thighs pressing together. The game had only just begun.