“Buy only what’s urgently needed. As for household items… we can take our time.”
Qin Qing had just started browsing when the man imposed this restriction.
She looked up in surprise. No household purchases?
Could it be that he still intended to send her away?
“Brother, I’m not leaving…” she pouted.
“Who said anything about you leaving?” Zhou Yansheng chuckled. “I’m planning to apply for an apartment unit from my workplace. It should be approved soon.”
“Before, when I was alone, any place to store my things was fine. Where I lived didn’t matter,” he sighed. “Who would have thought a young lady like you would come along.”
“We can buy things after we move to the new place. There’s no hurry.”
As he finished speaking, he saw the girl’s pout transform into a delighted smile.
…
“Brother, can we buy this bedsheet?”
“Brother, can we buy this set of teacups?”
“Brother…”
From the first floor to the fourth floor, Qin Qing wanted to buy everything she saw, calling out “Brother” incessantly.
She completely failed to notice the man’s increasingly darkening expression.
Finally, Zhou Yansheng overestimated his own tolerance. When the girl called him “Brother” yet again, he spoke up:
“Qin Qing, change how you address me.”
He watched her smile freeze instantly and reluctantly explained, “Given our current relationship, it’s not appropriate.”
He thought the girl would cry, his hand tightly clutching the handkerchief in his pocket.
Unexpectedly—
“Alright, Zhou Yansheng.” The girl even managed to maintain her smile, then spoke sweetly, “Zhou Yansheng, I want this desk lamp!”
She shoved her wallet into the man’s hands. “Help me pay.”
With that, she quickly ran off toward the clothing counter.
Qin Qing! Don’t you dare cry!
Qin Qing sniffled, randomly grabbed a piece of clothing, and hid inside the fitting room.
She crouched down, biting her lip.
Between him and her, memories associated with that form of address had never been pleasant.
When she was twelve, she was brought to the Zhou household.
Uncle Zhou told him to take care of her like a younger sister.
When she was eighteen, she timidly called out to him, saying, I like you.
He said, from now on, you mustn’t say such things.
From then on, she never called him that again.
Starting at nineteen, [“Zhou Yansheng, you have no right to control me! I’ll like whoever I want, it’s none of your business!”]
[“Taking care of you is my responsibility!”]
[“Then will you control who I sleep with?”]
His gaze toward her was icy.
At twenty-two, she slept with him. Amidst the pain, she cried out his name.
[“In this situation, can you still bring yourself to say those two words…”]
Memories flashed through her mind one after another.
Qin Qing cried uncontrollably.
So, he had always cared about it…
Qin Qing didn’t allow her emotions to overwhelm her for too long.
It wasn’t as if she had just met him.
She couldn’t let herself get carried away just because his attitude had softened slightly.
Qin Qing, you can do it!
Take it slow. If he doesn’t want to be called that, then don’t call him that.
She encouraged herself, wiped her tears, and opened the fitting room door.
“Comrade,” a female sales assistant approached her. “Your husband said he’ll wait for you in the car.”
“He said he’s my husband?” Qin Qing was quick to catch the key point.
The sales assistant nodded. “Yes, isn’t he your husband?”
“Yes, yes, he is! Thank you.” Qin Qing couldn’t hide her smile at all.
So that’s how it is!
She abandoned the clothes she hadn’t even tried on and hurriedly ran downstairs.
…
Downstairs at the department store, Zhou Yansheng leaned against the car, smoking a cigarette.
Qin Qing watched from afar.
Truly the man she had set her heart on.
So handsome.
Her infatuated gaze inadvertently met the man’s eyes.
Qin Qing had no time to retract.
Instead, she grinned foolishly at him.
Watching the man’s bewildered expression, Qin Qing felt a secret delight.
In the next moment, she dashed toward him like a little cannonball.
Without a second thought.
Zhou Yansheng was still puzzling over the girl’s silly smile when the little figure suddenly threw herself at him.
Captain Zhou had no time to think. He hastily tossed away the half-smoked cigarette and barely managed to catch his little wife as she flung herself into his arms.
“Slow down,” he steadied her.
“Mmm” Panting from her hurried run, the girl buried her head in his chest, shaking it slightly and nuzzling deeper, unwilling to pull away.
The jeep was already eye-catching enough, and now the two of them were embracing.
Passersby cast curious, probing glances their way.
Zhou Yansheng felt somewhat awkward.
He simply turned with the girl, positioning himself with his back to the road and tucking her between the jeep and himself.
Qin Qing caught her breath and slowly looked up. From her limited vantage point, she could only see the man’s sharply defined jawline and the tips of his ears, flushed red under the winter sun.
Was he… shy?
Qin Qing withdrew her gaze, only to catch sight of his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.
Without a moment’s thought.
Acting faster than her brain could process, she stuck out her tongue and licked it.
Time froze in that instant.
Bang!
The man holding her stiffened from his fingertips to his spine, completely petrified.
Qin Qing tensed up from head to toe.
Oh my god! What had she done?!
In the next moment, she covered her face, ducked under his arm, pulled open the car door, and scrambled inside.
But that wasn’t enough!
Qin Qing simply took off her overcoat and draped it over her head.
Playing ostrich!
Outside the car, Zhou Yansheng instinctively raised his hand, fingertips brushing against his throat, which still seemed to carry a trace of moisture.
Then, as if shocked, he jerked his hand back.
The little girl was crazy, and now he was going mad too!
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of the icy winter air, but nothing could suppress the fire she had ignited in his chest.
Damn it, did she even know what she was doing?!
He exhaled a heavy breath.
Forget it.
If she had known, she wouldn’t have acted like that back then…
Zhou Yansheng clenched his fists, opened the car door, and got in.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the girl hiding under the coat.
A helpless smile tugged at his lips.
He turned the key, and the engine roared to life.
The jeep drove off much faster than it had arrived.
Qin Qing never imagined she could be so carefree as to fall asleep in such a situation.
Yes, she slept all the way back to the family compound.
And slept… quite comfortably.
At least, if Zhou Yansheng hadn’t pulled the coat off her, she would still be dreaming!
Groggily, her senses returned.
Before she could gather her thoughts, she spotted… Zhao Xiaolin standing in the yard.
Oh no! What was she doing here?!
All drowsiness vanished instantly.
“Put your coat on and get out,” Zhou Yansheng handed her the overcoat, then turned to unload things from the back seat. “Go open the door for me.”
“Ah, okay.”
Qin Qing numbly followed his instructions.
She had just taken out the key and unlocked the door when she heard Zhao Xiaolin’s voice behind her, “Um… Captain Zhou, about yesterday… I’m sorry.”
Qin Qing turned around just in time to see the man, laden with bags, blocked by Zhao Xiaolin.
She raised an eyebrow, opened the door, and went inside.
That dog of a man—yesterday he had been so harsh with her. She wasn’t going to bother with him now.
The family compound was never short of people eager to watch a spectacle.
Before long, she could hear the commotion outside.
“Captain Zhou, Xiaolin truly knows she was wrong. Please forgive her and withdraw the investigation request,” someone spoke up on Zhao Xiaolin’s behalf.
“That’s right! She’s already taken the initiative to come apologize in person, so don’t make things difficult for her!”
“Exactly! Even if you don’t consider her, think of her father—after all, she’s Chief Zhao’s daughter.”
Qin Qing listened, itching to open the door and argue with these people.
Just then, she heard Zhou Yansheng’s voice.
“The person you should apologize to isn’t me.”