Alcohol is intoxicating, and beauty is alluring.
The two were close at hand, their warm breaths intertwining. The temperature in the air seemed to rise a few degrees, shrouded in an ambiguous hue.
Zhou Jinyue lowered his gaze, his burning eyes fixed on her rosy, glistening lips. A restrained desire surged in the depths of his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as a low chuckle escaped. “Just these few?”
The overhead lights flickered on one after another, a beam of purple light perfectly illuminating his face, adding a touch of bewitching allure to his strikingly handsome features.
Qiao Ling curled the corners of her lips, her slender, soft arms resting on the back of his neck. Her delicate fingertips traced gentle circles over the prominent vertebrae, creating ripples of sensation.
The lazy male voice echoing throughout the space rose with a breathy, intoxicating tone.
Then, a soft, languid melody followed:
—but can you handle me honey
Qiao Ling tilted her head slightly, her soft lips brushing against his ear. “Did you hear that line clearly, brother?”
Without waiting for his reply, she moved her lips downward, shifting the topic.
Her voice was light, the tail end teasingly seductive. “There are many ways to kiss, it mainly depends on… which one brother prefers.”
The young man’s eyes darkened with a turbulent intensity. He leaned his head back slightly, the veins on his neck tensing.
“Lingling.” His clear, magnetic voice grew huskier.
Qiao Ling hummed in response, leisurely leaning back. She lifted the corners of her eyes, teasing him knowingly. “Why is brother’s voice so hoarse?”
As soon as she finished speaking, a shadow fell over her. Her small face was suddenly cupped by the young man’s cool palms, forcing her to look up and meet his scorching gaze.
Zhou Jinyue leaned closer, gently brushing against the tip of her upturned nose before lowering his head and lightly pecking her soft lips, like a dragonfly skimming the water.
An extremely restrained gesture, yet carrying an undeniable sense of aggression.
Qiao Ling half-opened her glistening, translucent eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck.
The air gradually grew warmer, the intimate atmosphere tinged with a hint of moisture.
Meanwhile.
Outside the booth.
Qi Fei, carrying drinks and fruit, walked cheerfully toward the last booth with a beaming smile. Her steps were quick, and she soon reached the front.
However.
Just as she was about to step into that small space, the scene inside suddenly caught her eye.
Almost instantly, she reflexively took a step back, wide-eyed as she recalled the image imprinted in her mind. Blinking, she thought she must be hallucinating and cautiously glanced inside again.
The next second, an uncontrollable thought popped into her head!
Wow!
These two… really know how to kiss!
…
Wait, no! Wrong focus!
Qi Fei shook her head, silently retreating. She felt so shocked she wanted to scream!
She had always thought the two of them were just childhood friends with a simple brother-sister relationship! Who would have thought! She truly never expected that there was actually something between them!
Wow! So intense, so intense!
Seeing the couple she had secretly been shipping become real, Qi Fei was too excited to contain herself. Without realizing it, she began skipping as she walked.
“The boss lady seems to be in a good mood today?” a regular customer teased. “Did something good happen at home? Share it with us so we can be happy too.”
Qi Fei smoothed her wavy hair, her eyes crinkling into crescents as she looked at the customer who spoke. She flashed him a bright smile.Under the expectant gaze of the guests, she raised her voice and cheerfully uttered four words, “I’m not telling you~”
Entering behind the bar, Qi Fei set down the tray in her hand and hurried over to the computer to replay the recently finished 1v1 video.
Hehehe, the ambiguous song perfectly set the mood~
…
As the song gradually faded into its final notes, the two slowly parted inside the booth.
The girl’s beautiful eyes and brows were tinged with an intoxicating blush, her gaze hazy, her lips moist like strawberries oozing juice.
Between breaths.
Her lips were once again captured by the young man, until the thin air between them was completely consumed, and only then did they separate.
Amidst the intertwining, fervent breaths.
Zhou Jinyue licked his lips, his thumb gently stroking the corner of her mouth. He tilted his head and whispered by her ear, “The peach juice is sweet, but Lingling… is even sweeter.”
“Is that so?” Qiao Ling released her hold on his neck, resting her arms on the armrests. Her cool, spirited demeanor carried a bewitching allure, her voice soft and unaware, tinged with a hint of playfulness. “I wanted to compliment you too… your kissing skills are quite good.”
Hearing this.
Zhou Jinyue chuckled softly, his low, magnetic tone utterly captivating.
“Next time we have the chance, let’s continue.” Qiao Ling pushed him aside, wiped the moisture from the corner of her mouth, picked up the vibrating phone on the table, hung up on Yu Wanli’s call, and instead sent her a message.
Zhou Jinyue watched her, savoring the lingering taste, and chuckled lightly. “Last time in bed, Lingling said the same thing.”
“Hmm?” Qiao Ling, replying to the message, caught on and glanced up at him. “Isn’t that perfect? We can settle it together next time.”
With that, she put down her phone and gave him a light kick.
“I should get going. Have fun, brother.”
Zhou Jinyue raised an eyebrow, grabbing her wrist. “Together.”
He paused.
Then added, “I didn’t drive. Take me back on the way.”
Qiao Ling smiled at his words, subtly glancing at his pants pocket but not calling him out. “Alright then, let’s go.”
The two walked out of the booth one after the other, stepping into the main hall. Unsurprisingly, they instantly became the center of attention.
The lingering allure in Qiao Ling’s eyes and brows had yet to fade. Her delicate face was strikingly pure, with faint pink hues gracing the elegant lines of her fair collarbone. She wore a pale green chiffon dress that reached her ankles, and as she walked, her slightly wavy hair, draped over her chest, swept back, the sway of her skirt exceptionally alluring.
Cool yet enticing, like the moon in the sky, surrounded by scattered stars, beautiful and unattainable.
Zhou Jinyue walked beside her, half a step behind, hands in his pockets. The lines of his arm muscles were smooth, firm yet not exaggerated. The stray hairs at his forehead were slightly tousled, his finely sculpted features astonishingly perfect. Though he possessed willow-leaf eyes that seemed to hold affection in every glance, his deep brows and gaze were cold and detached.
His unusually crimson, thin lips stood out starkly against his pale, almost sickly complexion, the upward curve of his mouth exuding a wicked charm.
Walking together, the two of them each radiated an imposing aura, yet they didn’t clash, instead forming an oddly harmonious pair.
Everyone watched, mesmerized, when suddenly a teasing voice rang out, “Hey, why are you two out so soon! Not staying a bit longer?”
Qi Fei leaned against the bar, arms crossed, looking at the two with a meaningful smile on her face.
Qiao Ling turned to her, curling her lips into a smile. “No, there’s still something I need to do.”
“Alright then, remember to come play often when you have time.” Qi Fei sighed regretfully, waving at her with reluctance.She wondered if the next time they met, she would see the two of them holding hands.
After leaving LD, Qiao Ling continued walking straight into the depths of the alley.
Zhou Jinyue deliberately fell half a step behind, his gaze never leaving her for a moment. In this direction, in this alley, he naturally knew where they were headed.
Thinking of the Yu family’s affairs, he frowned slightly and asked gently, “Lingling, how is Aunt Luo doing?”
“Not well.”
“At most, she has two months left.”
As she spoke, she stopped in front of a pure black door. She then retrieved a key that had been hidden under a blue brick for a long time, unlocked the door, and pushed open the dust-covered entrance.
Zhou Jinyue gently grasped her wrist, pulling her slightly and drawing her behind him. “I’ll give you Yu Gaohan’s evidence of crimes over the years tomorrow. As for Xing Hui, wait another week.”
“It seems that even during the years you were abroad, Brother, you didn’t miss a single detail in Shengjing.” Qiao Ling glanced at him, shook off his hand, and stepped into the courtyard. “I thought you were truly cut off from the world these past few years.”
Her tone was as flat as ever, betraying no emotion.
Zhou Jinyue chuckled silently and explained, “I had someone investigate before I went abroad.”
“Hah…” Qiao Ling let out an ambiguous laugh, neither expressing belief nor disbelief. She turned on the courtyard light and walked into the main house without looking back.
This old courtyard house was not large. Having been uninhabited for years, a layer of weeds had grown in the yard. The doors and windows were old-fashioned wood, some parts already beginning to mold.
Qiao Ling entered the main house, turned on the light, and scanned the room.
The furnishings in the room were just as she remembered. On the square table sat an empty bowl and chopsticks, along with a transparent container holding takeout that was no longer recognizable. It seemed to silently recount the urgency with which the owner had left.
She remembered.
That evening, she and Wanli were about to eat when they received news of Aunt Luo’s accident.
Pushing aside the memories flooding her mind, Qiao Ling tucked the strands of hair beside her face behind her ear and walked into the bedroom.
Kneeling beside the wardrobe in the bedroom, she skillfully lifted a flat wooden board and retrieved a sandalwood box the size of a shoebox from underneath.
The box had no lock and opened directly.
Qiao Ling’s slender fingers rested on the box, hesitating for a moment before she lifted the lid.
Inside were three white envelopes, three bank cards, and a thick stack of property deeds.
Two of the envelopes bore her and Wanli’s names, while the third had nothing written on it.
Qiao Ling picked up the unmarked envelope, tore open the seal, and took out the thin sheet of paper inside.
The handwriting on the paper was delicate yet firm, with only a few brief sentences—
[Wanwan, Lingling,
By the time you read this letter, I may already be gone. The property deeds in the box and the money in the bank cards are the last things I can leave for you.
Remember, always remember to live well!]
There was no signature, but several creases marred the paper.
…Traces of tears.
Qiao Ling pursed her lips, her fingertips brushing over the marks. After a moment of silence, she folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope.
Looking at the contents of the box, she sighed almost imperceptibly, closed the lid, and stood up with the box in hand.
Turning around, she saw Zhou Jinyue standing at the doorway, gazing deeply at her.
“Don’t you know how frightening that is?” Qiao Ling shot him a cold glance, walked past him with the box in hand.Zhou Jinyue followed her and, as she reached for the takeout box on the table, he took it into his own hands first.
“It’s dirty. Don’t touch it.”
Qiao Ling glanced at the dust on his fingertips. “Let’s go.”
.
Leaving the courtyard house, the two retraced their steps.
In the car.
Qiao Ling sat in the passenger seat, a sandalwood box resting on her lap, gazing absently at the scenery flashing past outside the window.
The contents of the box had stirred her emotions.
She was a child Grandpa Qiao had picked up. From the moment she understood things, she knew clearly that no one in the Qiao Family liked her except Grandpa Qiao. But it didn’t matter; she didn’t care, after all, she wasn’t truly a member of the Qiao Family of Shengjing.
Yet she had grown up here. Because Grandpa Qiao took her everywhere, she had gained this circle of friends around her.
Qiao Ling was aware her temperament wasn’t likable. As a child, she was mischievous and loved to fight, often causing trouble. He Ping and Lu Yinhua secretly cursed her every day. Each time they did, she would play a prank on them in return.
During one banquet, her little trick happened to be seen by Luo Chunya. It was the first time she had met Luo Chunya.
She thought Luo Chunya would be like He Ping and the others, looking at her with disdain and disgust, then saying, “Stay away from our Wanli from now on. It’s all because of you that our Wanli has been led astray.”
Unexpectedly.
Luo Chunya had smiled warmly, ruffling her hair, and said gently, “You’re Lingling, right? You really are a clever, pretty, and delightful little girl. No wonder Wanwan was so eager to introduce me to you.”
“Auntie regrets so much not having met you earlier.”
After that, from then on, she became a frequent guest at the Yu family.
Sometimes, Aunt Luo would tease her, asking her to call her “Mom.”
Outsiders would say Aunt Luo should adopt her as a goddaughter. Whenever someone said that, Aunt Luo would proudly tell them, “Adopt what goddaughter! Lingling is my daughter!”
Despite having no blood relation, Aunt Luo treated her as her own daughter. Aunt Luo always said she had suffered a lot in the Qiao Family, so whatever Wanli had, she had too, and even things Wanli didn’t have, she had as well.
But she never imagined that even the contents of this box, Aunt Luo had prepared a set for her.
“Ding—”
The sudden ring of her phone pulled Qiao Ling back from her thoughts.
Suppressing the emotions in her heart, she lifted her hand and looked at the string of numbers on the screen, pressing the reject call button without a flicker of expression.
Beside her.
Zhou Jinyue glanced at her, noticing the layer of gloom shrouding her brow, a flicker of darkness passing through his eyes. “Lingling.”
Qiao Ling looked at him. “Speak.”
“What do you plan to do after returning from the Special Training Camp?” Zhou Jinyue took a box of cigarettes from the storage compartment, flipped open the lid, pulled one out, and held it between his lips.
Lighting the cigarette, seeing the girl showed no intention of answering, he narrowed his eyes, his long fingers tightening on the steering wheel until they turned white.
A long time later.
As the car entered Ziyuan, Qiao Ling finally spoke coldly and lazily, “Nothing. Going home.”
Then she added, “Stop the car.”
Zhou Jinyue stepped on the brake. In the car, a faint, almost imperceptible creaking sound suddenly echoed.
Qiao Ling unbuckled her seatbelt, subtly glancing at his whitened knuckles and the veins bulging on the back of his hand gripping the steering wheel.
Clearly, he was holding back.Qiao Ling raised an eyebrow, leaned in, pressed her soft palm against the back of his hand, and kissed his lips. Her lazy voice carried a hint of nonchalance, “Thank you, brother, for handling Yu Gaohan’s matter. When we have time later, we’ll continue.”
— Provided by the great author Boluonian, The Wild Rose’s Tempting Kiss: The Sickly Tyrant Clings to Me Addictively