Chapter 46: Good Morning, Boyfriend
This was their first kiss. Before this, though they had long cherished each other, they had never crossed any boundaries.
Jiang Qi had always treated Zhi Qi as if she were sacred—only indulging in fantasies of tearing this “deity” down from her altar, dragging her beneath him to kiss her. Her lips, her feet… every part of her had stirred impulsive desires in Jiang Qi during his fervent adolescent years.
Yet it wasn’t until today that fantasy became reality.
He claimed it was a kiss, but it felt more like a devouring. Like a starving wolf cub from the mountains, ravenous for three days and nights, his ambition burned so fiercely he nearly tore the “little prey” in his grasp apart to consume her whole.
Zhi Qi’s lips ached from his biting; her tongue seemed dragged out and swallowed. The boy’s scorching hands pinned her wrists and waist relentlessly. Dazed, she responded instinctively—her mind foggy, her thoughts scattered.
So this is what kissing feels like.
She had always loved the crisp scent of pine that clung to Jiang Qi, like the sharp winter air at its coldest.
Now, it lingered on her too.
But their first kiss had gone too far.
By the end, Jiang Qi nearly lost control—his lips trailing down to her delicate chin, the tender curve of her neck, leaving red marks like scattered plum blossoms against snow.
Zhi Qi didn’t stop him. Only when his intensity bordered on painful did she let out a soft, muffled whimper, a sound so fragile it seemed to hold a pool of water.
That tiny voice snapped Jiang Qi back from the brink of total collapse. Just a little more…
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to pull away, steadying his breath against the throbbing in his head—and elsewhere. When he finally lifted his face from her neck, his eyes were still dark with lingering hunger, though clearer now.
“Sorry,” he rasped, brushing a gentle kiss over her swollen lips. “I went too far.”
“I-It’s fine.”
Her face burned hotter as she pushed him away and sat up. She hadn’t expected him to be so… unrestrained. But it wasn’t unpleasant.
Still lost in thought, her eyes glazed with lingering haze, she suddenly found herself swept into a princess carry.
“Wha—?” She instinctively looped her arms around his neck. “What are you doing?”
“It’s late.” His voice was rough, still thick with the heat of their kiss. He carried her toward the bedroom. “Time for bed. I’ll take you back to campus tomorrow.”
Staying alone with her any longer would test his limits.
After tucking her in, Jiang Qi shut the door firmly behind him—leaving Zhi Qi blinking at the ceiling before she finally laughed into the darkness.
Morning After.
At 7:30 AM, her internal clock woke her. Still dressed in Jiang Qi’s pajamas, she shuffled out to find him in the kitchen, his lean frame haloed by steam from a clay pot.
Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his back and mumbled into his shirt: “Good morning, boyfriend.”
His chest vibrated with silent laughter.
By year’s end, their relationship was settled.
Spring would come soon—a season of renewal.
Winter break began in late January. Unlike her classmates hauling luggage, Zhi Qi packed light, planning to visit Jiang Qi at the sanatorium first.
He’d been there 35 days now. A month since they’d officially become a couple.
Whenever free, she’d visit her “boyfriend.” Perhaps the peaceful environment or their closeness had helped—his mental state had improved markedly.
Last week, the doctor confirmed it: One more month, and he could leave.
But before she could share the news, finals swallowed her time.
Now, finally free, she headed to see him—only to freeze at the sight of her brother Zhi Yu’s white Audi A8 idling at the campus gates.
She ducked instinctively, but he was already striding toward her, yanking her hood like scruffing a kitten. “See my car and still try to run?”
“I said not to pick me up!” She squirmed. “I have plans!”
Zhi Yu’s door slam made her flinch. “Plans?” His glare could frost glass. “Like shackin’ up with Jiang Qi?”
Her silence was answer enough.
“Drop the act.” He tossed her suitcase in the trunk and shoved her into the backseat. “You’re staying home. No more visits.”
“That’s not fair! He’d never hurt me!”
“Maybe.” The engine roared to life. “But Mom, Dad, and I? We forbid it.”
“You can’t imprison me!”
“Then get out now.” His knuckles whitened on the wheel. “If you dare.”
……
Chastened, she seethed silently the whole ride. By the time they arrived, the winter wind had reddened her eyes and nose—a picture of pitiable distress.
Zhi Yu sighed, thumbing her cheek roughly. “Quit crying. I’ll give you money.”
Their childhood peace offering failed this time.
“I don’t want it.” She sniffled. “I’m telling Mom you bullied me.”
……
He nearly cursed aloud.
And of course, their parents took her side immediately.
“Zhi Yu!” Their father’s voice boomed. “Must you torment your sister?”
Before he could defend himself, Zhi Qi piled on: “Dad, ban him from bossing me around!”
Her mother chuckled. “Our little girl’s grown up, hm? Doesn’t need her big brother’s rules?”
“Exactly.”
Zhi Yu rolled his eyes. “Ask her why she’s so desperate to shake me off.”
The room chilled.
“Qiqi,” her father began carefully, “are you… seeing Jiang Qi again?”
She met their stares head-on. “He’s not a criminal.”
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