WHCTIL - 44

Recalling her tearful pleading last night, Jiang Chuan tightened his lips and licked his front teeth, feeling his kidneys heat up. After a while, he slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his voice deepened: “It was quite lewd.”

Cao Yan kicked him, “Tell me, how did you meet her when you were young?”

“She went with her parents to do charity work and visited my hometown.”

He explained it in two sentences.

“Tsk.” Cao Yan found it curious, “Your connection runs deep. But just because of that kiss when you were young?”

“Mm, she holds grudges.”

“Tsk.”

Jiang Chuan looked up. Qin Tang had already put away her phone, lit a cigarette, and let her right hand hang on the railing. The Gesang flower swayed gently with the spark.

He knew that Qin Tang didn’t have a smoking habit. Sometimes she would light a cigarette but wouldn’t take more than a few puffs, letting it burn out on its own. 

Jiang Chuan counted—she had already taken four puffs in the time it took to smoke half a cigarette. 

After finishing his last puff, Jiang Chuan threw the cigarette butt to the ground, crushed it, and looked at Cao Yan: “Today, you accompanied Qin Tang to the exhibition center. How did it go?” 

Cao Yan frowned and lowered his voice: “There’s definitely something fishy between Lu Sha and Jiang Kun. But every auction follows the normal procedures, so it’s hard to find any evidence. Lu Sha is quite influential in this industry, and most men give her face.” 

“Are you planning to control her?” 

“Yes, but not now.” 

Jiang Chuan: “For the next few days, wherever Qin Tang goes, follow her.” 

Cao Yan raised an eyebrow: “You’re treating me like a bodyguard now?” 

“More or less,” Jiang Chuan said. “Zhao Qianhe is back and might cause trouble for me.” 

Cao Yan understood. Jiang Chuan was going to deal with Zhao Qianhe, and currently, Zhao Qianhe was more dangerous than Jiang Kun. 

Jiang Chuan glanced upstairs, stood up, and walked toward the staircase. 

By the time he reached the second floor, Qin Tang had already returned to her room. 

He hadn’t been back to his room all day. The large bed was still messy, and the memories of last night lingered vividly. The bloodstain had dried. He gently pulled off the bedsheet, stuffed it into a basin, and headed to the bathroom. 

The bathroom at Yi Station was converted from a small room. A section was partitioned off as a shower area, while the rest was used for washing hands and clothes by the volunteers who came to Yi Station. Jiang Chuan turned on the faucet, poured in some detergent, and began scrubbing the bedsheet. 

Lu Sha’s purpose in coming here was to test him, and he couldn’t just kick her out. 

He naturally understood why Qin Tang was upset. Lu Sha had been staying here for nearly a month, so it was understandable that Qin Tang would get suspicious. 

A few soft footsteps echoed outside. He turned his head to look. 

Qin Tang walked in, holding a basin and some clothes, intending to take a shower. When she saw Jiang Chuan, she immediately froze and turned to leave. 

Jiang Chuan dropped the bedsheet, took two large strides, grabbed her hand, steadied the basin with one hand, and pulled her close. He leaned down and asked, “Why are you running away?” 

Qin Tang stopped and turned to look at him: “What do you want?” 

Jiang Chuan looked down at her, his eyes dark, and smirked: “You’re so jealous, yet you didn’t even give me a chance to explain.” 

Qin Tang fell silent for a few seconds, recalling how Lu Sha had followed him back to Yi Station from Beijing. They were neighbors, living side by side for nearly a month! She saw him every day. He clearly knew Lu Sha’s intentions toward him, yet he still let her stay here. 

At this thought, another wave of sadness washed over her. 

She tried to push him with her shoulder, but he was tall and sturdy, unmoving. 

Jiang Chuan tightened his lips, set the basin aside, hoisted her over his shoulder, and carried her into the bathroom. 

Qin Tang was stunned. Realizing what was happening, she started pounding his back with her hands and kicking her legs in resistance: “Bastard! Put me down!” 

She wasn’t some object, and this wasn’t the first time he’d slung her over his shoulder. 

She didn’t dare shout loudly, her voice suppressed, a mix of coquettishness and anger. 

Jiang Chuan closed the bathroom door and pinned her against it: “Stop struggling.” 

Qin Tang’s chest heaved with anger as she glared at him: “When did I ever struggle? It’s clearly your fault.” 

Jiang Chuan: “…” 

After a few seconds, he conceded: “Alright, it’s my fault.” 

Qin Tang pressed on, jabbing her finger into his hard chest: “How dare you deny it—did Lu Sha not knock on your door at night?” 

Jiang Chuan: “…” 

It had happened. 

“Did you let her in?” Her voice was low. 

“No,” Jiang Chuan leaned down, his stubble brushing against her neck as he kissed her earlobe. “Only you have been in my room.” 

Qin Tang immediately shivered from the ticklish sensation, remembering what happened last night. Her ears turned red, and she was about to say something. 

Suddenly, Jiang Chuan covered her lips with his hand. His thin lips moved slightly. 

He whispered, “Shh.” 

Outside the door, footsteps grew closer. 

Lu Sha stood outside the washbasin, her expression cold. She approached the bathroom door and softly called out: “Qin Tang, is that you inside?” 

Qin Tang tensed up. Two-thirds of her face was covered by his hand, leaving only her bright, wet eyes glaring angrily at the man in front of her. Jiang Chuan smirked, his smile devilishly mischievous. 

She opened her mouth and bit his palm, but his calloused hand didn’t feel a thing. 

Jiang Chuan gently released her. Qin Tang took a deep breath and replied: “Yes, I’m about to take a shower.” 

Lu Sha narrowed her eyes and glanced at the pink basin on the washbasin. Inside were bottles of body wash and shampoo, their packaging delicate. She had used this brand before but later switched because she found the scent too girlish. 

“Your basin is still outside.” 

Qin Tang: “… I forgot.” 

After saying that, she glared at Jiang Chuan again and stomped hard on his foot. 

Jiang Chuan was wearing slippers, and her stomp actually hurt a little. He lightly furrowed his brow. 

“I’ll bring it to you. Open the door?” 

Qin Tang hated Jiang Chuan with a passion. Through gritted teeth, she politely declined: “No need. Just leave it outside.” 

Lu Sha fell silent for a few seconds, her narrowed eyes fixed on the bathroom door. She placed the basin outside and said, “Alright.” 

The sound of her footsteps gradually faded away. 

Qin Tang immediately pushed him away: “Get out.” 

Jiang Chuan listened carefully to the sounds outside, leaned down to kiss her once, and then left, handing her the basin as he went. 

Qin Tang practically snatched it from him and slammed the door shut with a “bang.” 

… 

Jiang Chuan returned to the washbasin and continued scrubbing the bedsheet. 

Qin Tang stayed in the shower for a long time before coming out. Water droplets clung to the tips of her hair, and her whole demeanor had softened somewhat. Jiang Chuan pulled her close, leaned down to her ear, and whispered huskily: “Come to my room tonight?” 

Qin Tang: “No way!” 

He wasn’t upset, his voice dropping even lower: “Then leave the door open for me.” 

Qin Tang pushed him away and quickly walked off. 

That night, Qin Tang made sure all the doors and windows were securely closed. With her hair still half-dry, she curled up under the thin blanket. 

Her mind remained half-alert. 

She waited for a long time, but there was no sound. 

Last night had been exhausting, and lying in bed now, she gradually felt drowsy. She buried her head deeper into the pillow, pulled up the blanket, and drifted off to sleep.

...

When Jiang Chuan went out, he encountered Lu Sha standing in the corridor.

Lu Sha glanced at him lightly, a cigarette held between her fingers. She tapped it gently and asked, “Going out?”

Jiang Chuan: “Mm.”

“Looking for Qin Tang?”

Jiang Chuan slowly turned to look at her, “There’s no need to report this to you.”

Lu Sha bit her lip, irritably bringing the cigarette to her mouth, and sneered, “In the bathroom tonight, that was you, right?”

Jiang Chuan didn’t deny it this time, “Mm.”

Lu Sha fell silent for a moment, mist forming in her eyes, “Brother Jiang, is there really no chance for us anymore?”

Jiang Chuan found it somewhat amusing and looked at her, “I’m still the same Jiang Chuan, with no money or power. You once thought being with me was beneath you, and now it’s even less likely you’d consider me. The man you’re with now should be able to give you what you want. I can’t. Don’t waste your time on me.”

After saying this, he turned and walked away.

...

Jiang Chuan knew Qin Tang wouldn’t leave the door open for him, so he circled around to the back wall, staring at the window with the light on.

The night was tranquil, the wind gentle.

Xiaobai lived downstairs, and the lights in his room had long been turned off.

Jiang Chuan glanced at the windowsill on the first floor, walked over, reached out to grab the windowsill, and nimbly climbed up. With a slight jump of his tall frame, he reached the edge of the second-floor window and quickly climbed up, attempting to push open the glass window.

A few seconds later, he realized Qin Tang had even locked the window.

Jiang Chuan stood outside the window, his face dark, staring at Qin Tang curled up like a little shrimp on the bed. The girl revealed half of her fair face, not moving at all, seemingly asleep.

After some thought, Jiang Chuan took out his phone and dialed her number.

Qin Tang wasn’t deeply asleep; she woke up as soon as the phone rang.

Just as she reached for her phone, she heard a “knock, knock, knock” sound from the window. Startled, thinking it was a thief, she looked up and saw a familiar figure standing outside the window, slightly bent over. She recognized his face.

Qin Tang was frightened and hurriedly got out of bed, running to the window. Jiang Chuan crouched down and whispered, “Open the window.”

Qin Tang: “...”

She opened the window, and Jiang Chuan immediately jumped in.

Qin Tang slapped his chest, both anxious and angry, “Do you want to die? Luckily, this is only the second floor.”

Jiang Chuan casually brushed the dust off his hands and chuckled softly, “It’s fine. I’ve climbed from the twelfth floor before.”

During his undercover days, he was hiding in Zhao Qianhe’s house when Jiang Kun suddenly brought people over. They were already suspicious of him, and with nowhere to hide, he climbed down the water pipe from the twelfth-floor windowsill and concealed himself under the ninth-floor awning without any safety measures.

Qin Tang glanced downstairs; fortunately, the height wasn’t too high.

She closed the window properly and didn’t give him a good look.

Jiang Chuan pulled her into his arms and ruffled her hair, “Didn’t dry your hair?”

Qin Tang’s anger had mostly dissipated by now. She shook her head, “No.”

“Lu Sha is related to the case. She came forward on her own. This is a lead; I can’t just send her away.”

Jiang Chuan pressed her against his chest and suddenly explained in a low voice.

Qin Tang lay quietly on his chest. He patted her head, “Still mad?”

“Yes.”

“What are you mad about?”

“Why did you let her stay in my old room? If I hadn’t come, would you have never told me?”

Jiang Chuan chuckled, “No, after the case is over, I’ll explain everything to you.”

He recalled that accident, slowly sobered his expression, and his voice deepened, “There are a few more things I need to explain to you and give you an account of.”

Qin Tang lifted her head from his embrace, her eyes slightly bright, “What things?”

Jiang Chuan didn’t speak but pinched her chin, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. Qin Tang reached out to hook her arms around his neck, tilting her face up, close enough to touch.

Jiang Chuan lowered his head, kissed her lips, and with a slight force of his arm, lifted her by the hips, kissing her as he moved toward the bed. Soon, Qin Tang was pinned down on the bed.

“Tired?”

He touched her face and asked hoarsely.