HYAT - 46

Ji Qinghe’s gaze followed hers downward, and he laughed softly: “Then give it a try?”

His voice was naturally low, with the unique deep tone of a mature man. Now, it was husky, sounding like it came from deep within his chest, mixed with a muffled chuckle that was nothing short of flirtatious.

Shen Qianzhan’s heart fluttered. She glanced through the screen at the bustling kitchen, and a strange sense of excitement and thrill, like a secret rendezvous, rose in her.

Her fingertips gently moved to his lower back, and through the single layer of fabric, her cool fingertips brushed against the lines of his waist. “Are you serious?” she asked.

As she spoke, her fingertips moved slightly, slipping into the waistband of his pants, and she playfully scratched his V-line as a threat.

In Shen Qianzhan’s script, Ji Qinghe should have known better and apologized by now. Then she would have a triumphant victory, waving her flag and everyone would be happy.

However, reality is always unexpected and forces one to reflect.

After silently staring at Shen Qianzhan for a few seconds, Ji Qinghe smiled faintly: “When have I not been serious with you, hmm?” He lowered his head slightly to meet her gaze: “How about you try putting it in?”

The end of his last sentence rose in a playful, almost mocking tone. There was no gentleness in his demeanor; he was all aggression.

Shen Qianzhan’s tastes were unique. She never seemed to favor him when he was a dignified and aloof gentleman. Yet, she was completely captivated when he was being so improper.

Her heart trembled. For a moment, she couldn’t figure out if this scumbag was provoking her or genuinely encouraging her to try... But she couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild after Ji Qinghe’s highly suggestive words. The scene that followed was rich and thrilling, filled with explicit, blurred details.

When it came to wordplay, Shen Qianzhan’s self-awareness was spot on. She was neither as quick-witted as Ji Qinghe nor did she have his unflappable ability to endure a storm.

Though unwilling to retreat in defeat once again, Ji Qinghe’s psychological tactics were too formidable. Shen Qianzhan didn’t dare to truly disregard the time and place. Just as she was about to find a way to gracefully back down, the kitchen’s sliding door opened to the side, and Meng Wangzhou walked out, chewing on a cucumber.

The sound of his footsteps on the wooden floor was crisp, growing closer.

Shen Qianzhan’s expression changed slightly. Just as she was about to pull her hand back, Ji Qinghe was faster, firmly pressing her hand, which was on his hip, in place: “What are you hiding for?”

He kept his voice extremely low, a hint of a smile in his tone.

Shen Qianzhan watched the smile in his eyes go from subtle to deep, a burst of fireworks. She gritted her teeth and warned: “That’s enough.”

However, in this passive situation, Shen Qianzhan’s deterrent power against Ji Qinghe was less than an ant’s. He was unfazed and even reminded her with some interest: “Listen, he’s coming this way.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Wangzhou’s cucumber-chewing stopped, and he muttered: “Where did those two go?”

Shen Qianzhan’s gaze instinctively went past Ji Qinghe and behind him.

Behind the screen, Meng Wangzhou’s silhouette slowly became clear. His shadow looked left and right, as if searching for them.

She reflexively held her breath, trying to pull her hand out of Ji Qinghe’s grasp. But clearly, there was a huge disparity in their strength. Her feeble attempts weren’t even a struggle; she was virtually helpless.

Shen Qianzhan took a sharp breath and pinched him.

She pinched him hard, and caught off guard, Ji Qinghe hissed softly, lowering his eyes to look at her. His gaze was deep and dark, like a bonfire in hell, full of danger.

The silhouette behind the screen moved.

Meng Wangzhou seemed to have heard something and suddenly turned to look.

Through the screen, Meng Wangzhou’s features were a bit blurry, but it was still possible to see him suspiciously glance in their direction. He hesitated for a moment, but then his curiosity got the better of him. Chewing on his cucumber, he walked directly toward the screen.

Shen Qianzhan didn’t even dare to breathe now. She looked up and glared at Ji Qinghe, silently mouthing: “He’s coming!”

Ji Qinghe was unconcerned. He didn’t even glance at the screen, and instead, took his time to appreciate her flustered and embarrassed state—it was a rare sight to see that expression on this woman’s face.

Most of the time, Shen Qianzhan was calm and collected, with the demeanor of a high-status woman to whom nothing mattered.

Perhaps her early experiences were too painful. After returning from rock bottom to the peak of success, she was always able to remain calm and composed when faced with problems. Even if a sudden downpour occurred, she could walk through it as if she were on a catwalk, unfazed.

To see her like this, trapped in his arms, her eyes moist and full of charming light, was a rare sight, something he had only seen last year.

Ji Qinghe’s heart stirred.

The tingling sensation that had been building since she started teasing him exploded in an instant. The feeling traveled from his groin all the way to his chest. He looked at Shen Qianzhan, his eyes darkening as if on fire. The heat burned from his heart to his throat, and a suppressed tremor broke free.

His Adam’s apple bobbed. As Meng Wangzhou’s footsteps got closer, he turned his face slightly and whispered: “One kiss, and I’ll let you go.” His tone was suppressed, like a scorched wildflower, a deep struggle breaking free from his body.

Shen Qianzhan didn’t notice Ji Qinghe’s change.

Her eyes were fixed on the oblivious Meng Wangzhou, who was determined to discover the truth. She watched his silhouette on the screen slowly become clearer. His footsteps were like keys on a piano, growing deeper and more pronounced. Her heart was beating like a drum, each beat more urgent than the last.

Thump, thump-thump.

One step.

Two steps.

Shen Qianzhan closed her eyes slightly and braced herself. Just as she was about to sacrifice her body for a moment of world peace, a “thump” sound came, and the footsteps stopped outside the screen.

Her body stiffened as well, and she nervously looked behind the screen.

Her overly active mind kept picturing Meng Wangzhou taking one last step and accidentally stumbling upon her and Ji Qinghe in an intimate moment. His expression would go from surprise to shock, and he would finally scream, making Old Master Ji and Ms. Meng aware of everything. Her carefully crafted perfect image would be shattered, leaving nothing behind.

Afterward, not only would she be unable to set foot in the Time Hall again, but she wouldn’t even have the face to see any of the people involved.

Meng Wangzhou’s sixth sense, an inherent instinct, had warned him. His last step hung in the air, and as he was debating whether to put it down, Ms. Meng’s voice from the kitchen rang out like a bell in a raging sea: “Wangzhou.”

Meng Wangzhou quickly answered, turning to leave: “Coming!”

The moment he turned around, the tension that had been hanging over Shen Qianzhan’s head was released. Before she could even show a triumphant smile, Ji Qinghe let go of her wrist. Instead, he cradled the back of her neck and calmly lowered his head to kiss her.

She instinctively resisted, but before she could struggle, Ji Qinghe, as if he had read her next move, completely closed the gap and pinned her against the counter. He raised a hand, slightly tilting her chin up, leaving Shen Qianzhan with nowhere to hide.

His dominance was undeniable in that kiss.

After a brief moment of daze, Shen Qianzhan finally realized her situation.

In her field of vision, his eyes were closed and slightly lowered, and the contours of his eyebrows and eyes were blurred. But his lips, which were kissing hers, were unusually soft.

As she found herself unable to resist, a shiver, a feeling she was all too familiar with, came from deep within her—it was her body’s surrender to him. In that instant, it was like countless nights of reliving the past. The empty bottle deep in her heart was being filled bit by bit. She blinked helplessly.

From the deepest part of her heart, a voice went against her will, letting out a soft sigh of contentment.

As she struggled and got lost in thought, he raised his hand and gently covered her eyes. His voice was low and hushed: “Close your eyes. Be a good girl.”