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Psst! We're moving!
Her feet kept stepping on his, bare and without pain, soft as if treading on his heart, stirring him with every movement.
Jiang Chuan held her waist firmly, one hand controlling the back of her head. He tilted his head slightly, changing the angle of his attack, gently biting and sucking her lips, losing himself in the moment, unable to pull away.
Qin Tang reached for his arm, feeling something sticky. She realized it was his blood.
Her fingertips trembled, and she forgot to resist.
In an instant, even her last breath was taken from her.
She was softly pinned between the wall and him.
Just as she thought she would suffocate, he finally released her.
Jiang Chuan looked down at her, his dark eyes heavy, his voice low and raspy. “Don’t know how to catch your breath?”
Qin Tang’s face was flushed red, her eyes shimmering with moisture as she gasped for fresh air.
Jiang Chuan held her chin, tilting her face up. Qin Tang looked at him.
Their eyes met.
It wasn’t that she didn’t know how—it was that she didn’t want to cooperate.
Jiang Chuan bit his lip, staring at her for a moment. Qin Tang grew frustrated under his gaze and raised her hand to slap him.
Jiang Chuan caught her wrist. “Thinking of hitting me?”
Qin Tang bit her lip, glaring at him angrily. “You really went too far this time.”
He pressed her hand against his waist. “Too late. I already gave you a chance last time.”
Qin Tang took a moment to process his words, suddenly recalling that night at the hospital. After he had kissed her, she hadn’t followed through with the slap she had intended to give him. Later, he had said something cryptic, but she had been too preoccupied to dwell on its meaning.
Now, she fully understood.
She bit her lip, remaining silent.
Jiang Chuan lowered his head, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s too late to hit me now.”
He knew they came from different worlds and had once hesitated, even restrained himself. If she had truly gone through with the slap back then, he would have let go of the idea entirely.
But now...
It was too late to turn back.
Jiang Chuan crouched in front of her, grabbing her slender ankle and lifting her right foot.
Her foot was pale, slim, and elegant, with light-colored nail polish and perfectly rounded toes.
Qin Tang instinctively tried to pull her foot back, but he held it firmly with his large hand, completely enveloping her foot. Her face instantly flushed red with embarrassment. “Don’t... it’s dirty...”
He acted as if he hadn’t heard her, lowering his gaze to her delicate foot. His rough fingers brushed over the sole, stroking it gently. “Don’t move. I’m checking for injuries.”
No man had ever held her foot like this before. Qin Tang felt both shy and ticklish, her soft, rounded toes curling inward.
Jiang Chuan chuckled softly, finding no wounds, and released her foot.
He picked up her bag from the ground and handed it to her.
“Let’s go.”
As he approached her, Qin Tang immediately put her hands out in front of her. “I’ll walk myself.”
Jiang Chuan glanced at her smooth instep, saying nothing, and simply scooped her up into his arms. Qin Tang struggled, kicking her legs in frustration and glaring at him. “I said I’ll walk myself!”
“Don’t be difficult.” He tightened his grip.
“...” She fell silent instantly.
He carried her for a stretch of the way when Qin Tang suddenly asked, “Jiang Chuan, who exactly are you?”
Zhao Qianhe, Cao Sheng, Cao Yan...
What ties did he have with these people? Last time in Yulin, and now in Beijing—it seemed like trouble could find him at any moment.
He appeared to harbor many secrets, and Qin Tang couldn’t see through him.
Jiang Chuan paused mid-step, looking down at her. “Do you think I’m a bad person?”
Qin Tang shook her head. “You’re not.”
He wasn’t.
He was the head of the volunteer organization; many children in the mountains had benefited from his help. He had reported Zhao Qianhe for using charitable funds to launder black money.
Though he sometimes treated her poorly, his core integrity was undeniable.
Jiang Chuan smiled faintly. “Then that’s all that matters.”
“Are you a police officer?”
He stopped walking. “No.”
“An undercover agent?”
“No.”
“...”
He didn’t want to elaborate, and Qin Tang didn’t press further.
When they returned to where they had started, her high heels were still there. She said, “Put me down. I’ll put my shoes on and walk.”
Jiang Chuan set her down, and Qin Tang slipped her shoes back on. Turning to look at him, she noticed the blood from his arm had smeared onto her, leaving them both disheveled. She pointed to his wound. “Shouldn’t we go to the hospital first?”
Jiang Chuan shrugged indifferently. “I’ll change clothes first, then take you home.”
“What about your arm?”
“I’ll deal with it after I drop you off.”
“We should handle it first,” she insisted. “It’s hot outside, and it could get infected.”
Jiang Chuan smiled at her, pulling her closer. “Just listen to me.”
---
The inn wasn’t far from where they were. Jiang Chuan led her there, returning to his room.
Qin Tang stood at the doorway. The room had only a small window, no air conditioning, just a fan placed on a cabinet. The bathroom was tiny, and everything looked very basic. She asked, “You live here?”
It was the hottest time of year in Beijing, and the lack of ventilation made the room stuffy.
Jiang Chuan grunted in acknowledgment, rummaging through his belongings. He pulled a black pair of boxers from a makeshift clothesline strung across the corner and turned the fan on, directing it toward her. “Sit for a few minutes.”
Qin Tang nodded.
Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Sitting on the bed, Qin Tang glanced at the corner where two T-shirts and several pairs of boxers hung—all dark-colored. The front pouches of the underwear were quite... prominent.
From the neighboring room came the sounds of playful laughter, which quickly turned into something else.
Qin Tang knew what those sounds were and grew increasingly uncomfortable, her ears turning red.
Just as she was about to get up and leave, Jiang Chuan emerged, fresh and clean, casually drying his hair. The cut on his arm had been cleaned, leaving behind a dark wound without any visible blood.
Qin Tang bit her lip. “Are you done?”
Without the sound of running water, Jiang Chuan also heard the noises from next door. He tossed the towel aside and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Are you really that uneasy being alone with me in a room?”
Qin Tang: “No.”
Jiang Chuan walked over to her, pinching her ear lightly and chuckling.
Qin Tang froze, her ear growing hot where he had touched it. She quickly moved toward the door. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
With that, she hastily opened the door and left.
Jiang Chuan didn’t stop her, glancing back with a faint smile curving his lips.
---
Jiang Chuan escorted Qin Tang to the entrance of her apartment building.
Qin Tang stood in front of him, looking up. “Jiang Chuan.”
“Mm.”
“I don’t want to date you.”
His jaw tightened, and he narrowed his eyes slightly. “Why?”
He could sense that she wasn’t entirely indifferent to him.
Why? Qin Tang lowered her head, staring at her toes, and murmured softly, “No reason. I just don’t want to.”
Jiang Chuan stared at her intently. “Is it because I’ve been in trouble lately?”
She didn’t respond.
Jiang Chuan pressed further. “Or is it because you don’t trust me?”
She raised her head, feeling cornered, and finally admitted, “Yes, I don’t want to get involved in trouble.”
Jiang Chuan’s dark eyes grew heavy. After a long pause, he reached out to pat her head and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything.”
Qin Tang gazed at his determined expression, feeling momentarily dazed.
Jiang Chuan didn’t push her further. Leaning down, he gently kissed her forehead.
She didn’t dodge.
“I’m leaving.” Jiang Chuan released her. “Call me if anything happens.”
Qin Tang watched him stride away, then slowly turned back toward her apartment.
As soon as she got home, her phone rang.
It was Zhou Qi calling.
“Big Sister An’an, you didn’t come to see me today.”
“I’m sorry…” Qin Tang explained. “I had something to take care of today. I’ll come tomorrow when I have time.”
“Alright.” Zhou Qi sounded a little disappointed. “I’m so bored in the hospital. They came to visit me a few times at first, but now they hardly ever do. You were the only one who visited me every day, and even you didn’t come today.”
Qin Tang smiled faintly. “I promise I’ll come tomorrow, okay?”
After finally calming Zhou Qi down, Qin Tang went to the bathroom to shower. As she lathered soap into foam in her palm, she stared at the Galsang flower tattoo on the back of her hand.
She had gotten the tattoo when she was 18, with Chen Jingsheng taking her to the tattoo shop.
Chen Jingsheng loved extreme sports and was a race car driver who participated in various competitions every year. He was the one who taught her how to ride motorcycles.
The scar on her hand was from a motorcycle accident. After it healed, an ugly mark was left behind. At the time, she was young, vain, and delicate, crying endlessly because she thought the scar was hideous.
Chen Jingsheng took her to a tattoo shop, and she chose the Galsang flower design.
The pain of getting a tattoo was worse than she had imagined.
But seeing the scar covered up made her feel like the pain was worth it.
Chen Jingsheng…
He had died on the racetrack.
---
Qin Tang looked at herself in the mirror, her hands gently working up a lather as they moved over her shoulders.
The woman in the mirror was alluring, beautiful.
But somehow, she felt unfamiliar.
Qin Tang quickly averted her gaze and rinsed herself off thoroughly.
She threw the dress stained with Jiang Chuan’s blood into the trash bin.
---
Jiang Chuan went to the hospital to find Cao Sheng and get his wound treated. It was only a minor injury, but with the heat, it could easily become infected if not properly taken care of.
After his wound was treated, he waited for Cao Sheng downstairs.
Cao Sheng approached, handing him a new set of car keys. “I’ve switched to another car.”
Jiang Chuan took the keys. “What’s the situation?”
“This incident caused quite a stir. Some passersby had already called the police before we arrived, but luckily I got there in time to intervene.” Cao Sheng’s expression darkened. “They’re really bold.”
Jiang Chuan remained noncommittal. “What’s next?”
His main concern was whether Qin Tang would be dragged into this mess.
Cao Sheng: “After this incident, they should lie low for a while, at least until after the auction is over. They won’t dare make any reckless moves.”
“Mm.” Jiang Chuan lit a cigarette. “What’s the maximum bid I can place at the auction?”
“One million yuan.”
“Can’t we increase that?”
Cao Sheng looked at him. “What are you planning to do?”
Jiang Chuan: “I want to bid on that piece of jade.”
“What if someone drives the price up recklessly?” Cao Sheng frowned. “It’s not possible.”
The amount was too large. They couldn’t make that decision on their own, and higher-ups might not approve it either.
Jiang Chuan took a drag of his cigarette. “Think of something else. I’m leaving for now.”
---
In the following days, Qin Tang continued her work at the charitable foundation. The charity auction was just half a month away, but many tasks were still incomplete, making her anxious.
That day, as usual, she worked late into the night. Jiang Chuan stood outside for a moment, then walked in.
Zhou Tong called out, “Sister Qin Tang, someone’s here to see you!”
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