Wen Quhua let out a soft hum, completely absorbed in the sensation under her hands. Firm and warm. The distinct lines of his abdominal muscles were clearly defined. Her fingertips poked and pressed, then drifted upward on their own. Just as she was about to touch a certain point, her wandering hand was caught through the thin layer of clothing.
She opened her eyes in confusion and looked up in displeasure.
What met her gaze was his restrained expression, veins bulging clearly on his forehead and neck, and even on the back of the hand that was holding her wrist; the veins stood out prominently.
It was intimidating, and also very… compelling. That kind of masculine tension made one want to see him lose control.
He took a deep breath, trying to restrain himself.
But Wen Quhua lifted her other free hand and naturally placed it on his lips.
Yang Qin: …
Her fingertip mischievously slipped past his lips, touching his firm teeth.
The next moment, she felt a light bite. Just as she sensed danger and tried to withdraw, her fingertip was licked thoroughly.
It was wrapped, drawn in, and teased, his tongue circling around it.
Her whole body shivered, as if something deep inside her had been stirred.
His eyes were faintly red, as if the effort of holding back was almost painful.
The way he looked at her carried both a trace of intensity and a faint, inexplicable grievance.
She always knew how to provoke him. And afterward, she would never take responsibility, even saying things that hurt him.
Sure enough, after he released her hand, she seemed unsatisfied. She lifted herself slightly and offered her lips.
She had experienced intimacy before and knew how good a kiss could feel. So she stared eagerly at his lips, even parting her own slightly.
But a shadow passed through the flames in his eyes. He suddenly let out a cold laugh. “I won’t kiss you.”
Wen Quhua tilted her head, confused.
“Wen Quhua, don’t even think about it.”
“Whoever kisses you is a dog.” He pinched her lips with two fingers, forcing her to lean back. If he really kissed her, he could not guarantee he would still be able to stop himself.
When she sobered up the next day, he would not be able to bear her regret and disgust.
Yet she rarely accepted not getting what she wanted. When he refused, she looked at him with teary eyes, as if he were some kind of terrible person.
Yang Qin’s head hurt, his heart hurt, and everything else hurt as well.
Driven to the brink by her persistence, he tried to press her down under the thin blanket to make her sleep, but she kicked it away, revealing her slender, fair legs beneath her skirt.
“Hot,” she muttered irritably, not giving him a kind look.
He paused, then said in a slightly exasperated tone, “Fine.”
If she did not want to cover up, then so be it. He would be the one suffering anyway.
Because she was drunk and he was half-drunk, he let his gaze linger on her more boldly. The faint glimpse of soft pink beneath her skirt made his mind heat up.
He suddenly bent one knee by the bed, half kneeling, his gaze deep as he stared at her flushed cheeks.
“Wen Quhua, if you keep acting like this, I won’t let you find someone else.”
It was not that he had never thought about giving up, nor that he had not considered stepping back since she did not like him.
When he saw that man who matched her so well at the airport in Beijing, it did not feel good. But he had self-awareness. Clearly, he was not yet qualified to be placed on the same scale for her to choose.
But after what happened with He Youdao, after her shop was smashed, he had instinctively brought her into his own space.
He had kept his distance for so many days, yet tonight everything was undone.
Struggling to regain his reason, he spoke slowly and seriously while she was still not fully conscious:
“Besides the old station project, I want to take on the new commercial complex project that Langcheng is planning. There’s good money in it. I can give you the best life.”
“As for family background, I can’t change that. I was born this way. Before meeting you, I never felt inferior.”
“In the future, I’ll work hard.” He made a quiet resolve. Usually not a man of many words, he spoke more openly under the influence of alcohol. “I’ve studied a lot of newspapers. The country is encouraging economic development. Not just Langcheng, but all major cities need talent in different fields.”
“Maybe I can’t compare to the elite intellectuals around you, but doing business can also create a path. I won’t make you feel embarrassed.”
“Can you give me a chance?”
He asked almost pleadingly, leaning closer. She lay on the pillow with her eyes half-closed.
It was unclear whether she had already fallen asleep.
Yang Qin sighed softly. The pain of restraint had eased somewhat. He stood up, intending to leave.
But a pair of hands grabbed his fingers.
He turned back and saw her open her eyes, hazy and moist.
“If you kiss me, I’ll consider it.”
She still remembered that he had refused to kiss her earlier.
Seeing her stubborn expression, Yang Qin completely gave in.
He did not want to hold back anymore.
He lowered his head, held her chin, and asked one last time, “You really want me to kiss you?”
She stared at his lips without looking away.
She really wanted it.
Tonight, she wanted to kiss him.
The next moment, her body was lifted. His hands wrapped around her waist, lifting her horizontally, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.
Yang Qin carried her straight to the window.
If he kissed her on the bed, he did not trust his self-control. So he let her sit on the window ledge, her back against the frame.
Before she could react, his scorching kiss came down.
From the very beginning, it was intense, almost fierce, as if all the restraint and longing had been poured into it.
He chased her lips, not allowing her to escape.
Their breaths mingled. Under the moonlight, everything seemed vivid and overflowing, their shadows overlapping on the wall outside.
“Mmm…” She could not quite take it, her tongue aching slightly. She pushed him, remembering his earlier words. “Who’s the dog?”
He continued kissing her as he answered, “I am.”
“Are you satisfied?” His gaze was intensely focused on her.
She was… somewhat satisfied. The corner of Wen Quhua’s lips lifted slightly.
Looking at her obvious sense of victory, Yang Qin could not help but laugh inwardly. Did she realize that he had not lost anything, but had actually gained a great deal?
He leaned in again, but she slapped his face lightly. “No more kissing.”
She had had her fill and no longer cared about him.
The fire he had just managed to suppress flared up again, leaving him restless.
He thought to himself that if she kept tormenting him like this, he might need to see a doctor.
If he could not kiss her lips, then he moved closer to her neck, brushing lightly against her skin. In the moonlight, the intimacy became tangible.
He occasionally nipped her earlobe or kissed behind her ear, reluctant to stop.
He asked, “The night before last, you were hiding here watching me, weren’t you?”
“No, you’re imagining things.” She shifted in his arms, her legs going numb.
He chuckled softly. “I saw you.”
The streetlights had still been on. The curtains had moved slightly, and there had been a faint shadow.
Caught out, Wen Quhua grew embarrassed and bit his cheek.
She used quite a bit of force. When she pulled away, there was a clear mark left behind.
He did not feel pain. Instead, he kept smiling.
“Baby, if you leave a mark on my face, what should I say when people ask tomorrow?”
Hearing the word “baby,” Wen Quhua felt an immediate sense of discomfort. She had only bitten him because his face was closest. She had not thought about anything else.
“Say whatever you want. Just don’t mention me,” she said domineeringly.
It was unclear whether she had sobered up or not. Yang Qin felt that even when she was fierce, she was still soft and endearing, sitting in his arms with her slender legs wrapped around him.
If only he could hold her like this forever.
He just did not know if she would turn cold again when she woke up tomorrow.
He was reluctant to let her go so soon, as if this was a fleeting dream he had stolen.
Lowering his head, he coaxed softly, “Can I kiss you again?”
Once he had tasted it, he could not get enough.
“I said no.” She started struggling, pushing him, trying to jump down from his arms.
But he held her firmly. “I already let you go several times tonight. You were the one who didn’t want that.”
“If not your lips, then let me kiss somewhere else.”
?
The next moment, Wen Quhua stared at him in shock.
He stepped back slightly, letting her hold onto the curtain for support as she sat. Then he bent one knee and gently lifted her foot.
Her whole body trembled.
What was he doing?
How could he…
“You’re shameless!”
Yang Qin lowered his eyes, which were filled with deep, restrained emotion.
As he continued, he replied in a low voice, “Mm, I am.”
“Just understand… I’m twenty-six and inexperienced.”
Before meeting her, he had never had much imagination about women. He had always handled things on his own and moved on.
After meeting her, he realized that he had been so stirred by her that he acted like an inexperienced young man every day, constantly thinking about such things.
He could not act freely in other areas for now, but when it came to her feet, he could allow himself to be a little less restrained. At least she could not see the desire in his eyes, so he would not frighten her. Even so, he still did not dare let her notice what was happening beneath his trousers.
Wen Quhua was simply startled. At the same time, she felt that, after all, it was her foot… even though he had just wiped it clean with a towel, it was still… unpleasant. His hand kept holding her, rubbing back and forth. She felt that even the top of her foot had turned red.
Wen Quhua pulled hard, and this time she finally managed to pull free. But immediately afterward, her body lost balance from the force. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and caught her, holding her tightly.
At that moment, the part he had been concealing was pressed clearly against her.
Wen Quhua’s face flushed red. She was not ignorant. “You’re shameless! Have you no decency at all?”
As he carried her back, his expression did not change. “Yes, I’m shameless.”
He placed her on the bed and asked gently, “Can you sleep properly now?”
Wen Quhua quickly closed her eyes, afraid he might lose control.
Seeing that she had finally settled down, Yang Qin let out a long breath. He covered her with a thin blanket and closed the door.
Only after lying down on the sofa did that trembling sense of pleasure spread from deep within him, rising straight to his chest. Yang Qin covered his face, his eyes showing both embarrassment and a trace of amusement.
In front of her, he had acted like an inexperienced young man, asking her for a kiss, almost without any dignity or restraint.
And yet, when he touched the clear bite mark on his face, he actually felt satisfied.
If she were willing to give him a chance, she could bite anywhere she liked.
Inside the room, Wen Quhua, carefree as ever, had already fallen into a deep sleep.
The next day, she did not wake up until the sun was high in the sky. When she woke, she felt a numbness in her lips and tongue, and one of her feet felt sore.
The events of last night rushed back into her mind all at once…
Was he crazy?
No… she was the one who had gone crazy.
Wen Quhua let out a muffled scream and covered her mouth. After drinking, she had actually behaved like that, even clinging to him and asking for kisses.
Her expression turned as if the sky were about to collapse. What on earth had she been doing?
Why was her drunken self so bold?
It took nearly an hour of mental preparation before Wen Quhua, her face flushed red, finally accepted reality and got up.
When she went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, seeing her radiant, flushed appearance, along with the faint red mark near her neck and ear, she nearly lost composure again.
Fortunately, at this time, Yang Qin would not be at home. He usually worked very late at the construction site. She had enough time to think about what she should do.
After everything that had happened, she could not possibly face him as if nothing had changed.
But if things continued naturally, that man would definitely take advantage step by step. Sooner or later, she would be completely swept up by him.
“Sigh.” Wen Quhua let out a long sigh.
As she brushed her teeth, feeling a slight soreness in her gums, she angrily muttered a couple of insults at him.
Yet she did not notice that in her tone, there was annoyance, regret, and embarrassment, but no longer fear.
She was no longer as guarded against Yang Qin as she had been when she first learned of his existence in her “mission.”
After putting down her toothbrush, Wen Quhua washed her face again. The most urgent matter now was figuring out when she could move back to the dessert shop.
If she continued staying here, something would definitely happen.
Aside from the fact that she knew he would take the wrong path in the future, he was handsome, a good kisser, had a well-built body, and treated her well. It was hard for her not to fall for him.
Falling in love foolishly would be a problem. She reminded herself again and again that she had not come to Langcheng to fall in love.
After getting ready, she decided to go out to clear her mind. She simply could not face that bedroom or the window ledge right now.
However, before leaving, she happened to glance at the small coffee table and saw a glass of milk and a boiled egg.
Wen Quhua: …
This man had started being attentive again.
So last night’s kiss had satisfied him, had it?
Scoundrel.
But Wen Quhua had guessed one thing wrong. Yang Qin had indeed gone to the construction site, but at noon, he still found time to go to the department store.
Shen Yan was working. When she suddenly saw Yang Qin appear in front of her, she froze for a moment, then was filled with delight.
“Yang Qin, you came to see me?”
He nodded faintly, signaling for her to come out.
Under the teasing of her colleagues and her own embarrassment, Shen Yan walked out. Yang Qin turned and stood by the wall of the department store. When she approached, his expression was cold as he went straight to the point.
“Don’t talk nonsense in front of her again.”
Even now, he still felt a lingering fear. If he had not managed to reach her by phone and find her at the hotel, he might not have been able to bring her back.
With just that one sentence, Shen Yan’s face turned pale.
He had not come to see her. He had come to warn her because of that woman from Hong Kong.
Shen Yan’s expression shifted repeatedly, unwillingness gathering in her eyes. She bit her lip and said, as if trying to regain some dignity,
“Yang Qin, do you really think you can keep someone like her?”
“Do you know that when she comes to the department store, she can casually buy a watch worth one or two thousand? Everything she wears, uses, and carries belongs to a level people like us can’t even touch.”
Shen Yan felt that Yang Qin simply could not see things clearly. Liking someone alone was useless.
What was wrong with being practical and suitable? She, Shen Yan, was not lacking either.
Besides, it was obvious he was the one chasing after her. Did he have no pride at all?
She wanted to say all of this, but as her words fell, Yang Qin’s previously calm expression suddenly darkened. He looked at her with a cold, piercing gaze.
Shen Yan suddenly fell silent, startled by his expression. Then she noticed the faint mark on his cheek after he turned his face—clearly a bite mark.
Her eyes widened. She could not believe that a grown man would allow a woman to leave such a mark on his face.
And who had left that mark did not need much thought. There was only one person.
A chill suddenly spread through Shen Yan. She felt both foolish and overestimating herself.
Yang Qin had no interest in what she was thinking. He only narrowed his eyes coldly and said sharply, “I’ll warn you one last time. Stay out of our business.”
Shen Yan slowly clenched her hands, watching his departing figure. After a long while, she finally managed to regain her composure and returned to work.
But even though she tried to act normal, her colleagues still noticed the change in her expression and began whispering among themselves.
Feeling humiliated and stifled, Shen Yan simply went to ask her supervisor for leave. She was in no mood to continue working.
After leaving the department store, Yang Qin returned to the construction site.
Yang Tian had just come back from the dessert shop with two or three workers, carrying tools. When he saw Yang Qin, he said, “Brother, Boss Wen’s place is almost finished.”
For some reason, Yang Tian felt that the moment he said this, his brother’s expression darkened slightly. Then, with his sharp eyes, he noticed the neat row of bite marks on Yang Qin’s face. They were not heavy, but clearly visible.
“B-Brother, you…” Yang Tian stammered in shock.
Yang Qin raised his hand and touched his face, smiling casually. “It’s nothing. It’ll fade in a couple of days.”
That was not the point! The point was who had bitten him!
But even thinking with his toes, Yang Tian could guess who Yang Qin would allow to leave such a mark on his face.
He looked at his brother with a complicated expression. They had grown up together in the same village. Yang Qin had lost his parents early and was raised by his grandmother, maturing earlier than others.
Because he had gone out to work at a young age, Yang Qin had long developed a hardened demeanor. His sharp features made him look like someone not to be provoked.
Over the years, while others around them fantasized about love and showed off their partners, Yang Tian had never seen Yang Qin show any curiosity about women, as if he had no such desires.
Now he understood.
It was not that he did not have them. He had simply not met the right person.
And once he did, he could not hold back anymore. He was even more intense than others in love.
Seeing Yang Tian lost in thought, Yang Qin frowned and patted his shoulder. “About her place, if she asks, tell her to wait another two days.”
Huh?
Yang Tian looked at him with a complicated expression. See? He had gone quite mad.
Just to keep Boss Wen staying at his place, he had even started lying.
“Alright, Brother. I’ll help you.”
“What are you thinking?” Yang Qin kicked him lightly, then took out a cigarette and lit it. “The glass has arrived. I’ll go pick it up this afternoon and install it tonight. Also, the security door. Her back door won’t hold up against a kick.”
Yang Tian clicked his tongue. His brother really knew what he was doing.
After finishing work in the afternoon, Yang Tian planned to go into town to buy some daily necessities like soap. But he did not expect to run into Boss Wen.
When she saw him, she immediately walked over with a smile. “Yang Tian, are you done for the day? Is my shop finished?”
Yang Tian: …
He forced an awkward smile and scratched his head. “Just a bit left to finish.”
“What’s left?” Wen Quhua asked, a little anxious. She was thinking that if needed, she could pay extra and have them work overtime to finish it sooner.
Yang Tian could only bite the bullet and say, “The glass for the second floor just arrived this afternoon. Brother went over to install it.”
“I see.”
Wen Quhua nodded. After parting with Yang Tian, she thought about it and decided to go check the progress herself.