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Psst! We're moving!
It had been three days since Qin Tang received the document, but Jiang Chuan still hadn’t heard from her. He began to wonder what she was thinking. Did she want to completely sever ties?
Jiang Chuan didn’t want to be distracted at this time, so he didn’t call her either.
Those people hadn’t found what they were looking for in his room, and the volunteer station had been unusually calm for a while. This calm felt like the eerie quiet before a storm.
Lusha hadn’t been staying at the volunteer station much these days, sometimes not returning at night. But she was an adult, free to come and go as she pleased, so her absence wasn’t strange. She would inform A Qi, who would then relay the message to Jiang Chuan.
Jiang Chuan said, “No need to tell me.”
There were already people keeping an eye on her.
Lusha had been sent by her company. There was a private auction in Xi’an on September 8th, and as an auctioneer, she had been busy preparing for it.
In the evening, when Jiang Chuan returned from the transport company, he saw Cao Yan standing in the courtyard, eating noodles from a large bowl.
Cao Yan tapped his chopsticks against the porcelain bowl. “Mind if I crash for dinner?”
Jiang Chuan walked over. “Crash for one meal, or several?”
Cao Yan chuckled. “I’ll be staying here for a while. This place is remote and quiet—even if thieves break in at night, no one would notice.”
“Suit yourself.”
With that, Jiang Chuan left to eat in the dining room.
---
The next afternoon, Lusha returned.
Jiang Chuan happened to be there during the day, which was rare. She paused for a moment before walking up to him.
Jiang Chuan looked at her, a faint smile on his face. “Are you really treating this place like your own home? Not staying in a fancy hotel but coming here instead—you must be bored.”
Lusha chuckled softly. “Is that not allowed?”
She glanced at the new man at the volunteer station and asked, “A friend of yours?”
Jiang Chuan didn’t respond.
Cao Yan walked over and smiled at her. “Cao Yan. Just here to experience life.”
Lusha studied him for a few seconds before smiling faintly. “I see. I’m Lusha.”
Jiang Chuan leaned against the sturdy trunk of the old tree, pulling out a cigarette. Cao Yan asked, “Miss Lu, what do you do for work? Are you also here to experience life?”
Lusha replied, “Auctioneer.”
She glanced at Jiang Chuan and added, “For men.”
Cao Yan raised an eyebrow, pretending to understand.
After Lusha went upstairs, Jiang Chuan shot him a glance. “You sure put on a good act.”
Cao Yan laughed. “Of course. In our line of work, the Oscars owe us a trophy.”
Not long after, Lu Sha came downstairs in a different outfit—a striking red V-neck dress that exuded charm.
Jiang Chuan glanced at her and thought of Qin Tang, who also liked to wear red. But unlike Lu Sha, Qin Tang had a cold and aloof demeanor, giving off an air of unapproachability.
Cao Yan pretended to go out for cigarettes and walked out with Lu Sha. “Dressed so beautifully, going on a date?”
Lu Sha smiled. “It’s work-related.”
Cao Yan chuckled and chatted with her for a bit before stopping at a small convenience store around the corner.
Half a minute later, he glanced ahead and saw Lu Sha getting into a Mercedes-Benz.
---
Qin Tang landed at 5:30 PM. She didn’t call Jiang Chuan but took a taxi directly to the volunteer station.
The roads were congested, and by the time she arrived at the station, it was almost 8:00 PM.
She asked the driver to stop outside the gate and dragged her suitcase inside, her camera hanging from her neck. Halfway through, she spotted two tall figures standing in the courtyard smoking.
Qin Tang paused for a moment, then took another step forward. The sound of her suitcase wheels rolling over the ground caught the men’s attention.
Jiang Chuan, cigarette in hand and about to bring it to his lips, froze. His dark eyes locked onto the woman who had suddenly appeared, his jaw tightening.
Under his intense gaze, Qin Tang’s steps faltered slightly.
During this time, she hadn’t called him once, and she had rejected all his calls. She had used this tactic to force him to give her an explanation.
In the end, she won.
Lü An also froze for a moment before quickly recovering. “Qin Tang? I thought you weren’t coming.”
Qin Tang said calmly, “Who said I wasn’t coming?”
Lü An pointed at Jiang Chuan. “He did.”
Qin Tang looked at Jiang Chuan. Jiang Chuan’s expression returned to normal as he frowned at her, cigarette still in his mouth.
Xiao Cheng and A Qi, seeing her, were equally surprised and quickly gathered around. Xiao Cheng said happily, “Sister Qin Tang, you’re here! I thought you weren’t coming.”
A Qi added, “Yes, Brother Jiang said you weren’t coming.”
Bai smiled. “We all thought you weren’t coming.”
Qin Tang turned back and silently glanced at Jiang Chuan.
Aunt Gui stood at the entrance to the living room, smiling warmly. “Tang Tang, have you eaten yet?”
Qin Tang replied, “Not yet.”
Aunt Gui said, “There’s no more food left, but I can make you a bowl of noodles. Would that be okay?”
Qin Tang nodded. “Thank you, Aunt Gui.”
Aunt Gui insisted it was no trouble and quickly went into the kitchen to prepare.
Xiao Cheng scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed. “Sister Qin Tang, someone is already staying in your room...”
Qin Tang didn’t ask who. She knew people came and went at the station, and rooms weren’t fixed. She said, “It’s fine. There are other rooms, right? I’ll stay in another one.”
Xiao Cheng sighed in relief. A Qi quickly offered, “Then Bai and I will go tidy up for you. You can rest upstairs after eating.”
The two carried her suitcase upstairs.
Jiang Chuan smoked faster than usual, stubbed out his cigarette, and crushed it underfoot. He walked over to her. “Come with me.”
Qin Tang pursed her lips and followed behind him.
Cao Yan happened to walk through the gate just in time to see a slender, fair-skinned girl in a beige jumpsuit following Jiang Chuan upstairs. He stared at her back and asked, “Who’s that girl?”
Lü An’s gaze lingered on the stairwell. He chuckled. “Qin Tang.”
Cao Yan frowned. Wasn’t she supposed to be in Beijing? Why had she come here?
On the second-floor corridor, Qin Tang called out to him. “Jiang Chuan.”
Jiang Chuan didn’t turn around. His towering figure cast a long shadow on the ground. He stopped at the door, turned to look at her, twisted the doorknob, and opened the door. His voice was low and restrained. “Come in.”
Qin Tang wasn’t sure if he was angry or suppressing something else.
She hesitated for a few seconds at the doorway.
She had never been inside his room before. Occasionally, when she passed by, his door would be half-open, revealing part of a large bed with dark sheets.
The next moment, Jiang Chuan reached out and pulled her inside.
Qin Tang’s heart raced instantly. Before she could react, she was pressed against the door. He leaned down, looking at her, slowly closing the distance until his face was almost touching hers. His handsome features loomed close, his tobacco-scented breath washing over her face.
Her heart hung suspended in mid-air, expecting him to kiss her—like before, a strong and domineering kiss.
Instinctively, she tensed her body, her legs pressing tightly against the door.
Her breathing quickened, and her ears turned red.
After a few seconds, the kiss still hadn’t come.
She bit her lip and looked up at him.
He was staring at her too.
Without thinking, she tilted her face up and moved her lips toward his. However, Jiang Chuan turned his head slightly, and her lips brushed lightly against the corner of his mouth.
Qin Tang froze, her face flushing red. She frowned and stared at him. Jiang Chuan gripped her delicate chin. “Didn’t I tell you not to come? Why are you so disobedient?”
Qin Tang bit her lip. “I just came to take a look. I’ll leave in a few days.”
“To look at what?” He leaned down again.
After such a long time apart, it would be a lie to say he didn’t miss her. He missed her desperately.
“At you,” she said, tilting her face up.
“Because of that badge?”
“Mm.”
She nodded without hesitation. Jiang Chuan took a deep breath, feeling like he didn’t fully understand her thought process. He had thought that by giving her peace of mind, she would stay put and wait for him to handle everything before returning to her.
There was still a long road ahead, and he needed to plan carefully.
Qin Tang gently rubbed her leg against his. “I won’t stay long. I’ll leave after taking a look at you.”
Jiang Chuan smirked and teased, “And how exactly do you plan to look?”
Qin Tang reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the lips. This was the first time she had initiated a kiss.
Jiang Chuan narrowed his eyes. Their gazes met, unfocused.
The next moment, she took control, biting his lip and kissing him deeply. His tongue invaded forcefully, his large hand gripping the back of her head and pulling her closer. His other hand roamed over her slender waist, constantly moving.
Qin Tang was wearing a jumpsuit today—strapless, V-neck, with a cinched waist and a delicate collarbone chain that accentuated her refined clavicle and the full curves of her chest. Jiang Chuan’s hands roamed along her lower back, searching for a zipper, but after feeling around for a long time, he couldn’t find it.
Growing impatient, he kissed her ear, then her neck. His rough palm slid down the neckline, cupping her soft, round breast. It filled his hand completely—soft and smooth—and he couldn’t control himself. Biting her earlobe, he squeezed firmly, applying real force.
Qin Tang let out a soft gasp. “It hurts…”
Jiang Chuan paused, easing up on the pressure.
The shoulder straps were quickly pushed down, loosely hanging on her arms, caught at her waist. Jiang Chuan lifted her horizontally and took a few quick strides to the bed. Qin Tang was tossed onto it, and in the next moment, his heavy body pressed down on hers.
Qin Tang curled beneath him, already half-naked.
Biting her shoulder, he growled lowly, “How do you take this thing off?”
Qin Tang shivered slightly, biting her lip without answering.
Jiang Chuan applied more force, and she thought she heard the fabric tear. Panicking, she pressed her hands against his, urgently pleading, “Don’t rip it…”
Jiang Chuan propped himself up and looked down at her. “Take it off yourself.”
Qin Tang’s face flushed red as she pulled the blanket over herself, protesting softly, “I haven’t eaten yet.”
Moreover, someone had seen her go upstairs with him earlier.
If her clothes were damaged now, what would others say?
---
Downstairs.
Aunt Gui called out, “The noodles are ready.”
No one responded. Lü An glanced upstairs and said to Aunt Gui, “Just leave them for now.”
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