Chapter Seventy-Three: Flirtation Beneath the Table

Once the proper matters had been discussed, it was time to eat—a universal custom, regardless of country or ethnicity. Some nations might call it a banquet or a reception, but in truth, it all came down to food and drink. Perhaps this habit was a vestige from times of scarcity, or perhaps it was simply what we now call food culture. In any case, a family feast was an excellent way for a host to show respect to guests and to strengthen relationships.

Liu Yunfei sat in the seat of honor, which was at the highest position on the left side of the long table. Normally, unless space was tight, the host would not sit at the head of the table, as that could seem too imposing and make the guests feel slighted.

Beside Liu Yunfei sat Yu Qing, followed by Ram. Opposite Liu Yunfei was Salina, with Betia next to her, and then Henry further down. This was the standard seating arrangement, clearly marking everyone’s identity and status. Originally, Liu Yunfei had wanted Shadi to join them, but in the strict traditions of Arab etiquette, a butler could not sit at the master’s table. Shadi politely declined.

Once everyone was seated, Liu Yunfei raised his glass and offered a few formal words, expressing gratitude to Betia and Henry for honoring them with their presence. The dinner began. Liu Yunfei had grown less averse to Arab cuisine than he once was, perhaps because the castle’s Arab chefs, knowing his tastes, no longer made the grilled meats so greasy.

Maybe it was because the kitchen had been told there would be Swedish guests tonight, but the roast lamb leg was particularly crisp and delicious. Liu Yunfei couldn't help having a few extra pieces. Suddenly, he felt a movement at his calf, then his knee. He winced slightly—who was playing tricks, kicking him under the table? He kept his composure, savoring the lamb, and discretely slid his left hand under the table. The offending foot was already resting atop his thigh, and he could easily catch the mischievous little foot.

Such a seductive foot, clad in strappy high heels. Liu Yunfei couldn’t help but admire the designers—so little material, yet so expensive. He caressed the foot, and its owner quickly withdrew. Given the circumstances, Liu Yunfei let go—Salina wasn’t so shameless as to persist in this setting.

He was sure it was Salina’s foot, since she was the only one seated opposite him; for anyone else, it would have been too far to reach. Besides, these days Yu Qing and Ram guarded Salina so closely it was like they were protecting a treasure; the two hardly had a chance to exchange a word with her. Salina must have finally lost patience.

As he was thinking this, the foot returned. The little minx was getting addicted to teasing him. Liu Yunfei again slid his left hand down, while his right hand, to divert attention, speared a large grilled shrimp and placed it on Yu Qing’s plate. He found Salina’s foot—she had slipped off her high heels and wasn’t wearing any stockings. She was probably wearing a skirt. Liu Yunfei played with her foot, marveling at its soft, delicate skin, the short, round toes, the firm but not bony arch, and even the heel was remarkably soft. He could even trace up a little way along her calf. She was truly a rare beauty.

The more he played, the more excited he became. Above the table, everyone was making polite conversation; beneath it, a secret, sensual game was unfolding. The tension and excitement made Liu Yunfei’s desire all the more intense, and he couldn’t help but become aroused. Emboldened, he shifted his seat forward, pressing his chest to the table, so that his lower body was completely hidden by the tablecloth, allowing Salina’s soft, bewitching foot to press directly against his burning desire. Salina must have immediately sensed the difference, but she didn’t pull away. Liu Yunfei tapped the top of her foot twice, and she seemed to understand, beginning to rub gently, though somewhat clumsily, with her foot. Given their seated position, his pants bunched up, muting the sensation.

Liu Yunfei glanced around casually; no one seemed to notice. He thought to himself: Aren’t you all supposed to be watching closely? Then I’ll just relax—who knows if I’ll get another chance like this? With a bold resolve, he quietly unzipped his trousers and guided the little foot inside, pulling the fabric tight with his hand to keep things discreet, tightly wrapping Salina’s foot in the fly of his trousers.

Now it was truly exhilarating—she was becoming more practiced, massaging back and forth. Liu Yunfei was nearly moaning with pleasure, glancing up to see Salina still pretending to eat with perfect composure. She noticed the flush on his face and shot him a sultry look, which he returned with a gaze full of longing.

He signaled subtly under the table, suggesting she could press harder. Whether she understood or not, suddenly he felt another movement on his right leg. Was this girl now using both feet? Could she still sit steadily like that? Liu Yunfei reached down and, to his shock, realized something was wrong.

Why wrong? The shoe was different. This was a pair of low-heeled, edge-trimmed leather shoes—not high heels. This was Salina’s foot. The one massaging him so intimately—could it actually be Betia’s? Of course! She was the one who liked those strappy shoes, and her legs were long enough to reach.

Liu Yunfei’s mind raced, just as Salina’s foot unmistakably pressed against Betia’s leg. Betia felt it too. Their eyes met in mutual panic, and their secret was instantly exposed. Both legs withdrew at lightning speed. Salina managed to retrieve hers easily, but Betia forgot that Liu Yunfei had just wrapped the fabric of his fly around her foot. As she yanked her leg back, she did so with such speed and force—caught in a clandestine act, discovered, she was anxious to escape.

Suddenly, there was a sharp “r-i-i-i-p” from under the table, loud enough for everyone to hear. Liu Yunfei felt a cold draft on his thigh. All the innocent diners, forks halfway to their mouths, froze as if the video had been paused. Every pair of eyes turned toward Liu Yunfei, who could only grin sheepishly, his face blazing red.

Ram, ever quick-witted, was the first to react. She lifted the tablecloth and poked her little head underneath. Everyone else followed suit, lifting the tablecloth to peer at Liu Yunfei. At that moment, he deeply regretted that he’d spent over a thousand euros on these trousers—they should have been sturdier, not even as good as coarse domestic cloth. But in truth, the pants were not to blame; had they been that tough, with Betia’s force, either Liu Yunfei or Betia would have ended up sprawled under the table, which would have been even more humiliating.

Helplessly, Liu Yunfei backed away from the table. One leg of his trousers had split wide open along the seam, exposing his hairy thigh and cartoon-print underwear for all to see. Thankfully, the shock had caused things to shrink considerably. Muttering incoherently, not even knowing what he was saying, he clutched the torn fabric to cover himself and bolted upstairs, trailed by a chorus of uproarious laughter.

But Yu Qing was left truly puzzled—why had Liu Yunfei managed to rip his pants in the middle of dinner?