Chapter 50: The Next Second, Jiang Qi Wrapped His Arms Around Her…

Jiang Qi had booked an early morning flight to Qinghai, arriving around nine o’clock.

However, the location Zhi Qi sent wasn’t in the city but far out in the remote plains of the suburbs. After arranging transportation and enduring a long, exhausting journey, Jiang Qi finally reached their base in the afternoon.

Today was the last day for Zhi Qi’s study group on the grasslands. With no need to observe Tibetan antelopes, everyone was busy packing up to leave.

Zhi Qi had already informed the group leader that she would be staying in Qinghai for two extra days, so she left one tent behind, along with her luggage inside. When she got the message that Jiang Qi had arrived, the girl hurried out to meet him.

After nearly half a month apart, the sight of Jiang Qi’s tall, lean figure in the distance made Zhi Qi break into a smile. She rushed over and said to the staff guarding the entrance of the grassland base, “Please let him in. He’s my friend.”

Since all the students from Lan University had registered as interns, the staff were familiar with them and didn’t ask too many questions before letting Jiang Qi in.

Once past the barrier of the gate, the young man immediately wrapped his long, sturdy arms around the girl’s slender waist. Wearing a mask, he lowered his head and gently nuzzled her soft cheek through the thin fabric.

Zhi Qi noticed that Jiang Qi’s eyes showed no trace of exhaustion from the long journey. Instead, they sparkled brilliantly, like precious gemstones.

But being affectionate in front of so many people… was a little embarrassing.

Zhi Qi’s ears turned red as she lightly pushed him away. “What are you doing?”

They were still standing at the entrance, surrounded by staff members.

Jiang Qi didn’t answer, just kept staring at her with burning intensity.

The staff nearby, however, were unfazed by the scene, merely smiling indulgently. Young love—those uncontrollable impulses and emotions were natural and understandable.

But Zhi Qi was shy and easily flustered. She quickly grabbed Jiang Qi’s hand and pulled him away. Yet barely a few steps later, once they were out of sight, Jiang Qi pinned her against a wall—

“Jiang—mmph!” Before she could speak, Jiang Qi sealed her lips with a kiss, swallowing all her words.

Since they had officially become a couple, kisses like this were normal. Perhaps all couples suffered from some form of “physical touch starvation.” During their free time, Jiang Qi often held Zhi Qi on his lap, kissing her for what felt like ages. Sometimes, her lips would even swell.

But Jiang Qi had always been gentle and patient, even during long kisses, as if slowly simmering her in warm water.

This time, however, he seemed impatient—like a reckless teenager again, hungrily biting at her soft lower lip, wild and unrestrained.

Worse still, Jiang Qi liked keeping his eyes open while kissing. His amber eyes, filled with blatant possessiveness, made Zhi Qi’s heart race uncontrollably. She instinctively tried to struggle, but his grip on her waist and arms was unyielding.

There was something inherently untamed about Jiang Qi. Even after his recovery, that aura—rooted deep in his bones—remained unchanged.

He was never the type to be a bright, sunny boy. Instead, he was sharp, brooding, and indifferent. But when that same intensity bled into intimacy, it made Zhi Qi feel like a helpless lamb caught in the claws of a wolf.

A complete, uninhibited possession.

Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst. All she could do was tilt her head back and respond obediently, her slender neck arching beautifully, fragile and exposed.

After what felt like an eternity, Jiang Qi finally released her.

“Jiang Qi.” Zhi Qi gasped for air, her face flushed from near-suffocation. As cold air rushed into her lungs, she shot him a reproachful look. “Y-you almost smothered me.”

Her lips were red, standing out starkly against her snow-white skin.

Jiang Qi’s eyes darkened as he looked at her, his voice low and quiet.

“Sorry.”

“I missed you too much.”

…

Was this what happened when boys fell in love? Did they all turn into smooth-talking sweethearts?

And yet, Jiang Qi said it while staring straight at her, his gaze deadly serious, instantly melting away Zhi Qi’s annoyance. She swallowed hard.

“Alright, fine.” She chuckled helplessly and shook her head. “I can’t do anything with you.”

With that, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed the sharp line of his jaw—like coaxing a child—before carefully readjusting his mask.

Jiang Qi’s face was too striking, too dangerously captivating. It was better to keep it hidden at all times.

But even with just his eyes visible, a single glance from him was enough to steal souls.

When Zhi Qi brought Jiang Qi back to the campsite, the other students had already finished packing and were preparing to leave.

Wu Ying, who had teased Zhi Qi the night before, couldn’t resist getting a look at her supposedly “restrained” boyfriend and bounded over with a grin.

“Qiqi.” Wu Ying looped her arm through Zhi Qi’s. “So this is your boyfriend?”

She turned her bright eyes toward Jiang Qi but stiffened slightly under his cold, indifferent gaze, feeling an inexplicable chill.

“Yeah.” Zhi Qi was always nervous when people stared at Jiang Qi. Even with his mask on, his eyes, stature, and overall presence were too distinctive—Jiang Qi had only left the entertainment industry less than four months ago, and his scandal had been huge. He was still easily recognizable.

Thinking fast, Zhi Qi steered Wu Ying away, pointing toward the bus. “Ying Ying, did you load your luggage yet?”

“Shit, I almost forgot!” Wu Ying’s attention instantly shifted. “Right, right, I gotta go. You—”

She paused, then smirked meaningfully. “Have fun.”

Wu Ying, the unapologetically shameless girl, emphasized the word “fun” with a suggestive tone.

The implication was obvious to anyone with half a brain.

Zhi Qi, flustered and worried Jiang Qi might catch on, quickly ushered Wu Ying away, escorting her all the way to the bus.

When she returned, she rubbed her temples in exasperation. Wu Ying’s bluntness was truly too much to handle.

Once the teachers and students from Lan University had all left, the vast grassland base was left with only their lone tent—a tiny shelter in the boundless wilderness. Though it felt somewhat isolated, sitting side by side, the two of them created a dreamlike sense of mutual reliance.

Fortunately, the March weather in Qinghai was mild. Even sleeping in sleeping bags inside the tent didn’t feel too cold.

With no villages or towns nearby, their dinner options were limited to the instant food they had brought.

“Jiang Qi, did you bring your medicine?” Zhi Qi asked between bites of crackers. “Remember to take it after eating.”

Hospital treatment was just one phase. Even after discharge, he still needed to take his prescribed medication to regulate his emotions.

Jiang Qi knew Zhi Qi was strict about this, so he nodded obediently. “I did.”

After their humble dinner of instant noodles, he took his pills under her watchful gaze.

Night fell early in Qinghai. By six or seven, the sky was already half-dark, and by nine, it was completely black.

The tent’s roof was transparent, allowing them to lie inside and gaze up at the starry sky.

—Just as Zhi Qi had said, the stars here were different from those in Linlan. Unpolluted by city lights and traffic, they were brighter and more numerous.

The night air was still chilly. After sitting outside the tent against a large rock for a while, Zhi Qi felt goosebumps rise on her skin. She wrinkled her nose and sneezed involuntarily.

The next second, Jiang Qi wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Though lean, his tall frame and broad shoulders were enough to envelop her completely.

Unlike most boys, who radiated warmth, Jiang Qi’s body always carried a cool, minty freshness. When he hugged her, Zhi Qi shivered slightly.

“Why are your hands so cold?” She frowned instinctively, taking his long fingers in her soft palms and rubbing them to warm him up.

“It’s getting chilly.” She mumbled, “Let’s go inside.”

For miles around, there was only the two of them and their lone tent.

Lying in their sleeping bags at night, with only the starlight above as their lamp, the silence was profound—broken only by their mingled breaths and the faint chirping of crickets outside.

The quieter it was, the more that faint chirping grated on her nerves.

At first, she had been cold, but as she lay there unable to sleep, a restless heat began to spread through her body.

Unsure if Jiang Qi was asleep, Zhi Qi bit her lip, not daring to make a sound.

Then, unbidden, Wu Ying’s wild words from last night flashed through her mind—

“You two are moving too slow.”

“It’s an incredible experience.”

“When two people are deeply in love, of course they can’t resist it.”

Etc., etc.

Ahhh! Damn it, why was she thinking about this in the middle of the night?!

Zhi Qi desperately tried to banish those wicked thoughts, but her body grew so stiff she felt like a piece of dried wood. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and cautiously turned over—

Only for Jiang Qi to seize her wrist in the darkness.

“Jiang Qi?” Startled, her voice hitched. “Y-you’re still awake?”

“No.” His voice was low, his breath carrying the faint scent of pine as it drew closer. “Your breathing’s too fast. Are you hot?”

In this absolute silence, every tiny sound was amplified.

Jiang Qi could hear Zhi Qi’s rapid, uneven breaths right beside him.

“I—I guess I am?” Afraid he might discover her indecent thoughts, she instinctively tried to pull her wrist free, babbling, “Aren’t you?”

In the dark, she couldn’t see his expression, but his voice was rough. “I am too.”

The next moment, she felt his long, cool fingers brush against her burning earlobe.

She sucked in a sharp breath, freezing in place.

“Qiqi.” Jiang Qi’s breath grew closer until, as if he had night vision, his teeth found the corner of her lips in the darkness.

Dizzy, Zhi Qi heard him murmur against her mouth, “Since we can’t sleep… wanna talk?”

Talk? What was there to talk about at a time like this?

Zhi Qi thought dazedly—but her body responded honestly.

Her compliance snapped the last thread of restraint in Jiang Qi’s mind.

Maybe it was the setting—the two of them alone in the dark, with no one around for miles—that made emotions override reason.

Kissing her soft lips, listening to her sweet, muffled whimpers, Jiang Qi’s eyes darkened. His fingers moved like a pianist’s, treating her body as his instrument.

Zhi Qi’s oversized shirt made his wandering hands all too easy.

During intimacy, a boy’s hands were always the most restless, unable to resist touching and exploring.

Jiang Qi had been “well-behaved” for nearly three months. Now, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

As his hands roamed beneath her shirt, Zhi Qi bit her lip, her ears burning pink with embarrassment.

Yet mingled with the shyness was an indescribable thrill, surging through every cell in her body.

Lost in the haze, even her delicate toes curled involuntarily.

“J-Jiang Qi…” The sudden intensity frightened her, her voice trembling. “I-I’m scared.”

But her soft, pleading voice only fueled his desire.

Jiang Qi’s eyes darkened further, his innate wildness unleashed by the intoxicating moment.

His grip tightened unconsciously.

Previous

Next