“What are you doing standing there, darling?”
His gaze drifted downward, settling on her bare jade-like feet.
His deep eyes shimmered with an obscure darkness.
“Why aren’t you wearing shoes or socks again?”
As he spoke, he moved to rise from the water to carry her.
Yu Qing, on the verge of witnessing a stunning scene of a handsome man emerging from his bath, panicked and shouted at him, “Don’t come over! I’m getting in the water now!”
With that, she hurried toward the edge of the pool.
“Watch your step—”
“Ah—”
As Yu Qing reached the edge, her feet slipped, and she tumbled into the pool.
Xie Qing Ci watched the scene unfold, his eyes widening in horror as he desperately reached out to catch her.
“Splash—”
Yu Qing fell into the water and landed squarely in Xie Qing Ci’s embrace.
Relieved, she was about to cling to him and act coquettishly.
But the man, his face dark, lifted her by the waist and placed her on a slightly higher rock in the pool, seating her at eye level with him.
“Yu Qing, do you have any idea how dangerous that was just now?”
He rarely addressed her by her full name like this, his tone stern and intimidating.
Indeed, ever since their meeting at the hospital, Xie Qing Ci had deliberately tempered his usual aloofness and severity around her.
She had almost begun to believe he was naturally this gentle.
But this was Xie Qing Ci’s true nature—reserved, noble, restrained, and distant.
Knowing she was in the wrong, Yu Qing pressed her lips together and lowered her head in silence.
In the past, whenever she looked like this, Xie Qing Ci would immediately hold her and comfort her.
But today, the man gripped her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze.
Xie Qing Ci was determined to teach her a lesson, though it took immense willpower to suppress the urge to pull her into his arms.
“I know I was wrong—please don’t be angry—”
The man’s expression remained cold and rigid.
Tsk, why is he so hard to appease?
She simply tilted her head up and kissed his thin lips.
“I was wrong!”
Mwah~
“I won’t dare do it again!”
Mwah~
“Don’t be mad anymore, okay?”
Mwah~
She kissed him after each coaxing phrase.
Her tone was intimate and sweetly soft.
Xie Qing Ci’s carefully constructed lecture was completely disrupted by her proactive kisses.
Yu Qing noticed the man’s attitude softening slightly.
Feeling a bit shy, she leaned close to his ear and added in a delicate, tender voice, “…”
That single sentence utterly shattered Xie Qing Ci’s last shreds of rationality.
His grip became almost uncontrollable—one arm holding her tightly, the other clasping her cheek as he kissed her fiercely.
…
Realizing he couldn’t stay angry at his delicate darling, Xie Qing Ci channeled all his frustration into the kiss, kissing her with urgent intensity…
Only when both were nearly breathless in the steam-filled hot spring did Xie Qing Ci finally release her.
He lowered his head, resting his forehead against hers, and asked hoarsely, “Darling, was what you said earlier true?”
The young woman’s face was flushed pink, her breathing still uneven, her eyes misty as she gave a slight nod.
Xie Qing Ci’s throat moved, his dark eyes fixed intently on her.
Yu Qing grew shy under his gaze and pushed lightly against his chest.
( ω )
“Don’t look at me like that—”
Xie Qing Ci’s entire body tensed, his muscles rigid. Without a word, he lifted Yu Qing and prepared to leave the water.
Yu Qing had been wearing a nightgown when she came out, and now it was completely soaked, clinging tightly to her body and revealing her lovely curves.
Once inside the bedroom, Xie Qing Ci swiftly stripped off her drenched clothes.
After wrapping her in a clean towel to dry her off, he used the same towel to quickly dry himself before tossing it aside.
Yu Qing was frightened by his silent, stern expression.
She asked timidly, “Are… are you still angry?”
Xie Qing Ci didn’t answer with words, but showed her his response through action.
……
……
Each night grew more outrageous than the last.
This was Yu Qing’s final thought before losing consciousness.
……
……
Her words had truly provoked Xie Qing Ci.
Even after she fainted, he showed no intention of letting her off.
……
……
By the time he carried her to the guest bedroom after cleaning up, the sky was already beginning to lighten.
The master bedroom bed was temporarily unusable.
Xie Qing Ci simply carried her to the guest room to rest.
……
Yu Qing slept straight through until afternoon.
When she opened her eyes, she still felt somewhat disoriented.
Xie Qing Ci happened to return from a meeting to check on her.
Seeing the young girl’s confused, wide-eyed expression, he found it utterly adorable.
He walked over, bent down, and kissed her lips.
Whether it was her imagination or not,
Yu Qing felt like she could still taste that strange flavor from yesterday in his mouth…
Her face instantly flushed red.
She turned her head away to avoid his kiss.
Xie Qing Ci chuckled softly: “My sweetheart tastes delicious.”
!!!!
He had said the exact same words just two days ago,
but with a completely different meaning.
**
Yu Qing was unhappy.
She insisted on going home.
Xie Qing Ci tried to coax her for a long time without success.
Finally, he had no choice but to drive her back to the city.
Since Yu Qing refused to go to the Xie family’s old residence, Xie Qing Ci could only take her back to Yujiang Garden.
As soon as the car parked, Yu Qing unbuckled her seatbelt and tried to get out.
But Xie Qing Ci locked the doors first.
Unable to open the car door, Yu Qing grew frustrated.
“You—”
Without another word, Xie Qing Ci lifted her onto his lap, making her sit facing him.
“Let me down, I want to go home.”
“I told you before, sweetheart.”
“What?”
“I promised you I wouldn’t let you go to bed upset.”
“So I need to comfort you first.”
“Is that okay?”
Yu Qing wasn’t actually angry to begin with. Faced with such an emotionally stable and tender man like Xie Qing Ci, she simply couldn’t resist.
“I’m not angry—”
Her tone had already softened considerably.
“If it’s because I went too far last night, I sincerely apologize. If you didn’t like it, I won’t do it again.”
How could he talk about such things so seriously!?
Yu Qing glared at him with her deer-like eyes, puffing her cheeks in anger.
Too furious to form words.
Seeing his little darling getting worked up again, Xie Qing Ci was momentarily confused.
?
Had he misunderstood?
Misinterpreted her meaning?
His sharp mind raced rapidly.
For a moment, neither spoke.
After a long pause, Xie Qing Ci hesitantly asked: “Then… does sweetheart like it?”
Yu Qing: “???”
If sweetheart doesn’t like it, I won’t do it again.
Then does sweetheart like it?
Just listen to what he’s saying?!
Yu Qing couldn’t take it anymore, raising her small hand to cover his mouth.
“Stop talking about this! I want to go home. Open the door.”
Afraid of truly angering her, Xie Qing Ci reached over and unlocked the doors.
Yu Qing scrambled out of the car as if fleeing, while Xie Qing Ci followed leisurely behind.
They entered the elevator together.
Xie Qing Ci accompanied Yu Qing all the way to her doorstep.
“Bang—”
The young girl gave him no chance to speak, quickly slipping inside and locking the door the moment it opened.
Xie Qing Ci looked at the slammed door before him, somewhat amused.
For so many years, this was the first time someone had dared to slam the door in his face.
His eyes held a trace of helplessness, but even more so, tenderness.
After staring at the door for a while, he turned around, opened the one opposite, and went inside.