WHCTIL - 33

It was Jiang Chuan’s first time putting earrings on a woman, and he wasn’t very skilled at it. She kept shrinking back, refusing to cooperate, and after several failed attempts, he still hadn’t managed to get the earring in. 

Qin Tang felt an unbearable itch as her ears turned completely red. Unable to help herself, she repeated, “What are you doing...” 

Her voice was soft, like a kitten’s mewl. Jiang Chuan’s spine tingled, his suppressed desires stirring restlessly within him. He growled low, commanding, “Don’t move.” 

Qin Tang: “...” 

Her body tensed, frozen in place, but her breathing grew faster. 

With great patience, Jiang Chuan finally managed to insert the small earring. As it pierced her earlobe, Qin Tang felt a strange sensation ripple through her body. She instinctively reached up to touch it and immediately looked up at him in surprise. 

Jiang Chuan examined her flushed ear, his fingers pinching her burning earlobe. In a hoarse voice, he murmured, “Done.” 

“Where did you find it?” she asked, fingering the earring. When she had lost it earlier, she had tried searching for it, and even the hotel staff had helped, but to no avail. She hadn’t expected him to have found it. 

“At the stairwell on the third floor of the hotel.” 

She let out a small “Oh,” lowering her hand and pushing his body away. 

Jiang Chuan caught her wrist, pressing himself against her once more. Lowering his head, he sought her lips. 

He kissed her lips, then her cheeks, her ears, and finally, he took her earring between his teeth. Her entire body shuddered as if electrified, and she bit her lip hard to suppress any sound. 

Jiang Chuan’s hand slid down from her waist, his large palm covering her round buttocks, gripping firmly. 

Sensitive, she tiptoed to evade him. 

Their bodies pressed tightly together, and he could feel the erratic rise and fall of her chest. 

He captured her earlobe again, his tongue flicking lightly. 

At the same time, his hand squeezed her buttocks firmly. 

“Ahh—” she let out a soft moan, trembling all over. 

Her hands clenched his shirt, crumpling it. “You shouldn’t...” 

Jiang Chuan froze, his blood rushing downward, pooling in a certain area. “Shouldn’t what?” 

“Don’t push your luck!” 

Jiang Chuan took a deep breath, pulling back slightly. His gaze swept over her. 

Qin Tang’s face was flushed red, and she turned her head toward the door. 

His eyes dropped, noticing her curled toes. 

His breath hitched. 

He licked his lips and stepped back. 

Finally, Qin Tang looked up at him. Her eyes were wet and clear. Jiang Chuan gazed at her and said, “Won’t you invite me in for a seat?” His voice was already hoarse beyond recognition. 

Knowing full well the danger ahead, she still nodded slightly. “Mm.” 

Her apartment was spacious, decorated in a modern and stylish manner that perfectly suited her taste. 

Jiang Chuan sat on the sofa, catching sight of a few motorcycle models displayed in the cabinet. His dark eyes narrowed as he stood up and walked over to the cabinet, staring at the models. Their sleek designs were cool and intricate, with even the smallest details clearly visible. 

After staring for a while, he turned his head to look at Qin Tang standing by the kitchen doorway. 

Qin Tang carried two glasses of water over, handing one to him. 

Jiang Chuan accepted it, asking indifferently, “Do you like motorcycles?” 

Her fingers tightened around the glass. “Not particularly.” 

Jiang Chuan lowered his head, watching her silently. 

Qin Tang finished her glass of water and glanced at his untouched one. “Aren’t you thirsty?” 

“...Thirsty? I’m dying of thirst!” 

Jiang Chuan tipped his head back, gulping it down in one go. He handed her the empty glass. “Another one, please.” 

Qin Tang took the glass and went to the kitchen to refill it. 

Jiang Chuan watched her retreating figure. Everyone had secrets—some they could let go of, others buried deep within, like a thorn. Pulling it out would hurt, but leaving it there would cause pain to someone else. 

Or perhaps both would suffer together. 

Jiang Chuan didn’t know what Chen Jingsheng meant to Qin Tang—was he her first love? A thrilling romance? Or something deeper? 

Often, the dead were harder to forget than the living. 

Regardless of Chen Jingsheng’s feelings when he entered that deadly race, whether he had considered the consequences or thought about how she would feel... 

He was gone. 

But in Qin Tang’s heart, he remained a special presence. 

“She had a very intense romance.” 

“A romance like that—once in a lifetime is enough.” 

Qin Tang walked over with the glass of water, and Jiang Chuan stared at her intently. 

Qin Tang: “What’s wrong?” 

She handed him the glass of water. 

Jiang Chuan drank it all and casually placed the empty glass on the cabinet. Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms, his hand pressing against the back of her head. In a low voice, he murmured, “Not enough.” 

Confused, she asked, “Not enough of what?” 

He didn’t answer. 

Qin Tang thought for a moment, then wriggled free from his grasp, taking the glass. “Then I’ll go pour you another one.” 

She turned toward the kitchen, her dress dragging along the floor as she walked barefoot, light and graceful. 

But each step seemed to weigh heavily on his heart. 

Her dress trailed behind her like waterlogged fabric, growing heavier with every step. 

--- 

After finishing his water, Jiang Chuan showed no intention of leaving. Qin Tang glanced at the clock—it was already past midnight. 

She said, “You should go home.” 

“Hmm?” His hand rested on her shoulder. “You have plenty of rooms here. Let me stay the night.” 

Qin Tang thought for a moment and replied, “Alright, I’ll let you stay for the night.” 

Her house was regularly cleaned by someone, and though the guest room was rarely used, everything inside was fully prepared for visitors. She touched the bedsheet—it was clean, thankfully. 

She placed towels and toiletries in the bathroom and looked at Jiang Chuan leaning against the door. “I’m going back to my room. You can take care of yourself.”

“Take care of yourself?”

Jiang Chuan chuckled softly.

Qin Tang ignored him and turned to leave. 

The next moment, a hand pressed down on her shoulder from behind, forcefully twisting her around. Before she could react, she was pulled back into his arms. 

Jiang Chuan leaned casually against the wall, his posture unchanged, one arm loosely wrapped around her. 

Qin Tang’s heartbeat faltered. After a few seconds, she tilted her head up to look at him. “Don’t...” 

“Don’t push my luck,” he finished her sentence for her. “I know.” 

Qin Tang lowered her head. 

Jiang Chuan gently smoothed her loose hair, his fingers brushing lightly over the corner of her lips, trailing across her cheek, and finally reaching her pale earlobe, which he pinched gently. 

Her ear quickly turned red. 

Jiang Chuan inhaled softly, then leaned down to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. 

Qin Tang remained still, obediently unmoving. 

Jiang Chuan lowered his head further, his lips brushing against her ear as he murmured a low warning: “Lock your door tonight. There’s a wolf outside.” 

Qin Tang: “...”

She had indeed let a wolf into her home. 

---

After Qin Tang returned to the master bedroom, she didn’t come out again, firmly locking the door behind her. 

Jiang Chuan finished his shower, only tying a towel around his waist—there was no one to see him anyway. 

He walked out onto the balcony and lit a cigarette. 

This apartment was in an excellent location with a stunning view. He rested his hands on the railing, gazing down at the bustling city below. 

It had been years since he’d stayed in such a vibrant, noisy city. Over the past few years in Xi’an, aside from work, running transport and operations, he mostly stayed at the volunteer station. He would visit the mountainous areas once or twice a month, staying for two or three days to deliver supplies before returning. 

No missions, no nightlife, no women. 

To others, his life might seem dull and monotonous. 

Flipping through his phone, Jiang Chuan noticed two missed calls. He had silenced his phone during the auction earlier and hadn’t noticed them. 

Judging by the time of the calls, they had come in while he was kissing Qin Tang. 

He called Cao Sheng back. 

Cao Sheng answered almost immediately: “Why did it take you so long to return my call?” 

“I was busy,” Jiang Chuan replied, extinguishing his cigarette. “Jiang Kun should be leaving in the next few days, right?” 

“What about you? Are you staying here or going back?” 

“I’m going back.” 

“Alright. I’ll continue monitoring the situation here. You go back and contact Cao Yan—I’ve already spoken to him. He’ll reach out to you.” 

Jiang Chuan suddenly let out a soft laugh. “Captain Cao, I’m no longer under your command. Aren’t you worried that the others might resent being ordered around to cooperate with me?” 

Cao Sheng suppressed his frustration and sighed. “Cao Yan is my younger brother, and a few others have worked with you before. They know your character and abilities well—it’s their choice to cooperate with you.” He paused for a moment. “Jiang Chuan, once this case is closed, you’ll have done your part. I’ll request permission from higher-ups to reinstate your police credentials.” 

Jiang Chuan was silent for a few seconds before replying with self-deprecating humor: “You never even asked if I wanted them back.” 

“You don’t want to return?” Cao Sheng was surprised. He had assumed Jiang Chuan’s enthusiasm stemmed from his desire to regain his status as a police officer. 

Jiang Chuan chuckled but didn’t respond. 

Cao Sheng couldn’t decipher his thoughts and added, “You don’t need to worry about Zhao Qianhe anymore. The anti-drug squad has already set their sights on him.” 

“I understand.” 

“Jiang Chuan,” Cao Sheng said gravely, “take care of yourself.” 

He was no longer a member of the police force—if anything happened to him, he wouldn’t be considered a martyr. 

Jiang Chuan pressed his lips tightly together, staring at the door to the master bedroom. “I know.” 

After hanging up, he prepared to return to his room to sleep. 

Passing by the living room cabinet, he glanced once more at the motorcycle models. Suddenly, a faint sound caught his attention. Jiang Chuan turned his head— 

Qin Tang had cracked the door open slightly. Her clean, fair face peeked out at him. Their eyes met, and the door quickly shut again, only to reopen half a second later. 

She looked at him and softly said, “Good night.” 

Jiang Chuan narrowed his eyes dangerously. 

Qin Tang immediately closed the door and locked it. 

Leaning against the door, she held her breath, listening for any movement outside. Hearing the soft click of a closing door, she finally exhaled in relief. 

Returning to her bed, she patted her cheeks lightly. 

She hoped all the decisions she had made today were the right ones. 

---

Jiang Chuan lay on the bed, wide awake. 

Restless, he thought about He Cong’an’s words, the motorcycle models, and finally, the kiss they had shared earlier. Her soft, kitten-like moans echoed in his mind, along with her moist, clear eyes and pink ears. She was just in the next room, and every detail about her stirred his blood uncontrollably. 

The restraint he had maintained throughout the night crumbled completely. His body throbbed painfully, unable to find relief. 

He clenched his teeth, his fists tightening. 

This wasn’t something he hadn’t done before, but knowing she was just on the other side of the wall made it feel unsatisfying somehow. 

Tossing and turning several times, the urge only grew stronger instead of subsiding. 

After a few minutes, he lay flat on his back, legs spread apart, and finally gave in, his hand moving downward. 

If he didn’t take care of it, there was no way he’d be able to sleep tonight. 

When it was over, veins bulged on his temples, and he let out a muffled groan. 

After a while, his breathing gradually steadied. Jiang Chuan sat up, frowning deeply as he grabbed a cigarette from the table, lighting it and taking a deep drag. The tension in his chest slowly dissipated with the smoke. 

Chen Jingsheng, huh? 

He refused to believe that he, Jiang Chuan, couldn’t measure up to a dead man. 

Sooner or later, her heart and body would belong entirely to him. 

Only then would it be enough.