Chapter 13. Sharing a Bath

After Lin Xingzi saw Ji Qiuchi that day, two glasses of wine made her head spin. The next morning, when she sobered up and remembered what she’d sent Jiang Yan on WeChat, she was filled with regret.

Ji Qiuchi was the one who liked mangoes. Lin Xingzi had deliberately tested him, but Jiang Yan had brought back strawberry mille-feuille.

It must have been... a coincidence, right?

Although he was excellent at investigation and counter-investigation, he wasn’t very good at understanding a woman’s subtle thoughts.

Lin Xingzi subconsciously avoided the man’s gaze. She held onto hope, feeling that a coincidence was more likely. If he knew it was her alternate account, he wouldn’t play this cat-and-mouse game with her.

Lin Xudong didn’t like desserts. Jiang Yan accompanied him, drinking tea. Jiang Yan had just been transferred back, and he still had some procedures to complete before reporting to the city’s anti-drug unit next Monday.

“Does it taste the same as before?”

“I haven’t eaten it in so long I’ve forgotten,” Lin Xingzi was worried about the artist undergoing surgery at the hospital, and the half-eaten cake now felt incredibly ‘hot’ in her hand. She was somewhat distracted. “These strawberries are so sour.”

Jiang Yan turned his head. “Let me taste.”

Lin Xingzi scooped up a piece of strawberry with her spoon and fed it to him. He tasted it and agreed it was a bit sour.

The young couple was newly married and had just reunited after a short separation. Li Qing, seeing this, was naturally happy as a parent. She didn’t keep them long and, after sitting for a while, sent them back.

Lin Xingzi hadn’t bought a house and had been living in Li Yao’s empty property, which was close to her company, making her commute convenient.

She didn’t speak in the car, and once they entered the house, she went directly to take a bath.

She was used to living alone and didn’t have a habit of locking the door. Jiang Yan put away his suitcase and entered the bathroom.

Lin Xingzi didn’t even open her eyes, but upon hearing the man unbuckle his belt, her toes, hidden in the foam, subtly curled up.

“I’m not finished yet.”

A fresh, pleasant scent permeated the air. She leaned against the bathtub, her skin glowing alluringly in the light. A few strands of long hair floated on the rich foam, vaguely outlining the curves of her chest, gently rising and falling with her breathing. Her collarbone, neck, rosy lips... Jiang Yan could even see her wet eyelashes clumped into tiny brushes.

“Let’s wash together,” he lowered his gaze and stepped into the tub.

Because of the extra person, water overflowed from the edge of the bathtub.

Lin Xingzi clearly hadn’t expected him to do this. She sharply opened her eyes, grabbing the tub to stand up, but Jiang Yan reached out and she tumbled into his arms.

She choked on some water, her eyes red. Jiang Yan, afraid of hurting her with too much force, simply supported her, turned her around, and sat her on his lap. One hand held her wrist to keep her from moving, while the other stroked her back. “Don’t be angry. Not telling you beforehand was meant to be a surprise.”

“I thought you’d be the one opening the door,” he sighed.

Lin Xingzi was unable to move. She bit his shoulder. “Who knows if you wanted to see me or just wanted to sleep with me.”

The slight pain and their intimate friction caused Jiang Yan to react. Two months had passed since she last visited him. As she struggled, his hardened erection silently nestled into the space between her legs, pressing against that small entrance.

“Both,” his voice was low, with a laugh.

The man’s warm breath fell on her neck, hovering around her ear, both tickling and not. The large hand patting her back slid down her spine to her waist. Lin Xingzi weakly softened, even her curses sounding unconvincing.

“You’re lying, with your sweet talk and fake sincerity.”

Why didn’t he come back to see her? Busy as he was, there were always one or two weekends he could rest, and it wasn’t that troublesome to come back.

Why didn’t he call? How much money could one phone call waste?

Why did he still keep Ji Qiuchi’s things? They were just sitting on his room’s table; he didn’t even hide them when she visited.