Chapter 74 "You think I'm with you..."

When I returned after dinner, the banquet was nearing its end. The hotel entrance was brightly lit, and people were gradually leaving the lobby, creating a lively scene of people dispersing.

Parking attendants directed traffic at the front, and the flow of vehicles moved forward slowly and orderly.

Inside the car, in the back seat, Jiang Nuanyu rested her head on Liang Qi's shoulder, looking through the windshield at the people dressed in evening gowns under the lamplight. The men were in suits and ties, and the women were in elegant dresses, saying goodbye in twos and threes.

She was supposed to be one of them, but she ran away before the banquet.

Thinking of this, Jiang Nuanyu tilted her head back, her gaze following Liang Qi's chin upwards. He was staring blankly ahead, a beam of light shining into his eyes, illuminating them with a clear glow.

Jiang Nuanyu gazed at him, her thoughts drifting unconsciously. He always managed to stir her heart without her even realizing it, making her feel a flutter in her heart for no apparent reason.

She pouted at him and secretly kissed him from afar. Liang Qi glanced down at her, and she immediately composed herself, replacing the kiss with a smile.

She had drunk some wine during the meal, but was far from drunk. However, her eyes were now unfocused, revealing a unique tenderness and intimacy.

Liang Qi looked at her for a few seconds, then asked knowingly, "What are you doing?"

Jiang Nuanyu glanced at the driver, guessing that he definitely couldn't understand Chinese, so she said what was on her mind directly, "I want to kiss you."

Liang Qi smiled, seemingly satisfied with her answer, and turned his head to kiss her forehead.

Although it was just a fleeting kiss, Jiang Nuanyu was still delighted. After all, they were outside, and the guests for tonight's event were all on the other side of the car window.

Suddenly remembering something, she looked up at him and asked, "You weren't planning on attending the banquet in the first place? Or is it because..." She was too embarrassed to admit that it was because she was throwing a tantrum.

Liang Qi understood her hesitation, but instead of teasing her, he explained seriously, "This foundation is only part of the cooperation. Lan Xin will take over later, and I don't need to be involved too much."

Jiang Nuanyu said "Oh—" and nodded. A small sense of curiosity arose in her heart when Song Lanxin was mentioned.

Song Lanxin and the Jing family clearly had a close relationship. She originally thought they were related by blood, but then she heard Song Lanxin call Jing Ru "aunt," and she was completely confused.

Liang Qi glanced at her and asked, "Something to say?"

Jiang Nuanyu shook her head: "No."

Curiosity aside, she had no right to investigate the Jing family's affairs, nor did she intend to ask Liang Qi such questions, as if he were checking her household registration.

She didn't say anything, and Liang Qi didn't press her for details.

The car stopped at the entrance, and Jiang Nuanyu got out from the outer side. As she closed the door and turned around, she noticed a small group of people looking in her direction, obviously because they recognized Liang Qi.

Jiang Nuanyu stood still. Inside the car, she could still be affectionate with Liang Qi, but when faced with those probing gazes, she suddenly felt like a backstage actor exposed to the spotlight, flustered and at a loss.

She looked at Liang Qi through the car roof, and Liang Qi turned his head and glanced at the crowd before saying to her, "Come here."

Jiang Nuanyu hesitated, then took a step, walked around the back of the car, and stopped, deliberately standing a little further away than usual. Liang Qi looked at her for a moment, thinking that she probably wouldn't dare to hold his hand, so he turned halfway around and slightly bent his arm.

Jiang Nuanyu hesitated for a few seconds, then walked over, took his arm, and walked with him into the hotel.

Once inside the lobby, she couldn't help but ask him, "Won't this affect you?"

Liang Qi asked, "What impact will it have?"

Jiang Nuanyu glanced back and said, "Everyone at the door recognizes you. In this private setting, if I'm holding your hand... people will start to overthink it."

Liang Qi frowned slightly and asked, "What does 'overthinking' mean?"

Jiang Nuanyu said, "Everyone thinks you're single, otherwise why would they say you and Julie..." She stopped talking as soon as Julie was mentioned.

Liang Qi slowly asked, "What happened between me and Julie?"

Jiang Nuanyu was angry at herself for her slip of the tongue and annoyed by his indifferent attitude, so she kept her mouth shut and didn't say anything.

After a long pause, Liang Qi suddenly said, "Do you think I'm having an affair with you?"

Jiang Nuanyu's face flushed with embarrassment at his words, and she gently nudged him while holding his hand.

"Why did you push me? Did you think I was right?" Liang Qi looked down at her. "Is that what you're thinking?"

“Yes!” Jiang Nuanyu was very unconvinced and deliberately followed up on his words, “You and I don’t know anyone in Paris, except for Peng Ze, who is your assistant. Every time you come to Paris, besides business, you eat and sleep with me. Sometimes there is no business at all, which is just like having an affair.”

Her "what's the use" attitude, turning good things into bad things, stung Liang Qi so much that he couldn't say a word.

Not content with that, she continued, "Gossip is human nature. When people see a woman with you, they'll definitely investigate who she is. What if they find out she's just an editor with no background and a social class far below yours? Compared to someone like Julie, what if people say you have bad taste? I'm just thinking of you and offering this friendly reminder."

She spoke with great conviction, and Liang Qi remained silent for a moment before saying, "So, deep down you're actually quite happy to have an affair with me?"

"I..." Jiang Nuanyu was speechless and stunned, not even realizing which sentence had given him leverage.

“I suddenly remembered something,” Liang Qi said. “Last month in Lisbon, you had some colleagues with you, and you actually avoided seeing me for two days. Was that also for my sake?”

Jiang Nuanyu looked utterly innocent: "That, that's because Zhu Er... I..." When Zhu Er was mentioned, she suddenly found herself unable to explain herself.

She initially did not want her colleagues to know about her private relationship with Liang Qi, which is why she lied to Zhu Er. But that was because at the time she herself was not clear about what her relationship with Liang Qi was.

But to say that her later concealment was for her own sake, she truly felt wronged.

As they spoke, the two turned into the elevator lobby. While waiting for the elevator, Liang Qi glanced down at her and said, "Mind letting others know about our relationship?"

"No!" Jiang Nuanyu sensed the seriousness in his question and, fearing he might have misunderstood, raised her voice in a hurry.

She lowered her head and muttered softly, "I was afraid you weren't sure yet..."

Liang Qi suddenly didn't know what to say, so he raised his hand and touched her face, sighed silently, and took her hand that was holding his in his palm.

Jiang Nuanyu gently squeezed his hand back, still wondering if this was Liang Qi's confirmation to her, when the elevator arrived.

Once inside, Liang Qi only pressed one number. Jiang Nuanyu glanced at the panel; the floor number that was lit up wasn't the one where her room was located.

The situation was clear enough. Her ears burned, and she lowered her eyelashes without saying a word.

As the elevator began its ascent, Liang Qi asked, "Is there anything you need to take?"

Jiang Nuanyu paused, then said in a voice so soft that only she could hear it, "Tomorrow... I might need to change my clothes."

In reality, besides a change of clothes, there were also skincare products, cosmetics, and a whole bunch of other odds and ends. But she was afraid Liang Qi would think she didn't want to sleep with him, so she only mentioned the simplest item.

Finally, she arrived at Liang Qi's room with a whole suitcase.

The longing from not seeing each other for many days, perhaps fueled by the little tiff that night, made Jiang Nuanyu desperately need to release those emotions.

Liang Qi had just taken off his coat and was about to hang it up when she wrapped her arms around his waist from the side, burrowed her head under his arm, and tilted her head back to kiss his chin. Liang Qi looked down at her, and she took the opportunity to stand on tiptoe and kiss his lips.

Liang Qi was only stunned for a moment before she kissed him. He tossed his coat into the closet. He wrapped his arms around her waist and began to kiss her back.

In the dressing room, clothes were taken off one by one, and the exposed skin emitted heat.

Jiang Nuanyu, who had started the flirting, found an opening, turned her head away, and pressed down on his teasing hand: "Liang Qi—"

Liang Qi was aroused by her. He pressed his forehead against hers for a few seconds, pursed his lips, and asked in a hoarse voice, "What's wrong?"

Jiang Nuanyu whispered, "I haven't showered since I arrived in Milan. Can I take a shower first?"

Liang Qi, panting, gave her a deep look and said, "Okay."

Jiang Nuanyu was wondering why he agreed to her so readily when, in the next second, he picked her up and carried her to the bathroom.

In the center of the shower room, the huge showerhead on the ceiling turned on, and steam instantly began to rise.

He turned her around. In the humid, steamy air, she leaned against the cool brick wall, water flowing over her body. His strong, broad, seemingly hot body pressed against her back, and she shivered slightly from the temperature difference.

He wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her small frame and lifting her face. She turned her head, tilting her neck back against his chest, welcoming his kiss.

Skin to skin, the fervent sweat quickly washed away by the water. The sound of the water shut out all other sounds, and the world seemed to consist only of their heartbeats, so close together, as they unabashedly expressed their insatiable love.

Her back pressed against the hard brick wall, and the thin skin on her shoulder blades chafed until it ached. She held onto his shoulder and nudged him, saying, "It hurts so much..."

Liang Qi stopped, released her legs from his grasp, and let her wrap her arms around his waist. He leaned closer and kissed her dripping nose, soothingly saying in a slightly breathless voice, "I'm not feeling well, take a break."

"No..." Her black hair was wet, and she touched his face, which was also covered with water droplets, and explained a little embarrassedly, "It's because my back hurts."

He then lifted her off the wall and held her tightly in his arms. Startled by the sudden loss of support behind her, Jiang Nuanyu instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

She lunged forward, her soft yet firm chest colliding with his. He chuckled, then said, "Afraid of falling?"

She looked at the ground in the distance behind him and nodded on his shoulder: "Mm."

The smile remained on his lips, and after a few seconds he said, "No, it won't happen."

He placed his hand on her back, pressing her firmly against his chest. She felt happy and safe, turning her head to kiss his neck. In the end, she didn't even have the strength to hold him anymore. He washed her clean on the spot, wrapped her in a towel, and carried her to the bed.

While Liang Qi was getting ready in the bathroom, Jiang Nuanyu lazily curled up in the blankets, feeling tired yet content.

She opened and closed her eyes intermittently. At the other end of the large bed, a floor-to-ceiling window connected to a wide glass balcony, offering an unobstructed view of Milan's nightscape, like a unfolding Milky Way.

The glass door to the balcony wasn't fully closed, and the night breeze blew in through the gaps, brushing against the skin outside the blanket, feeling a little cool.

Jiang Nuanyu turned over, and the bath towel on her body came undone. The sound of water dripping in the bathroom had stopped at some point. When Liang Qi came out wearing a bathrobe and opened the door, she was hurriedly pulling the bath towel in front of her.

Despite their bodies having been intimately connected many times, she would still display an almost innocent shyness at unexpected moments. Little did he know that, compared to direct teasing, her half-concealed gestures were what truly ignited the deepest desire for conquest within a man's heart.

Her cheeks and shoulders were still flushed. Liang Qi stared at her intently for a long time, and just as he was about to say something, his phone rang.

Jiang Nuanyu looked in the direction the sound came from; it wasn't her phone ringing.

Liang Qi glanced at her again, then turned to answer the phone.

He picked up his phone, glanced at the caller ID on the screen, answered it, and put it to his ear: "Hello?"

Jiang Nuanyu was getting out of bed to change into her bathrobe when she heard the sound. She slowed down and listened intently.

Liang Qi spoke in English. She listened for a few sentences, and the conversation seemed to be about tomorrow's event. Although it was official business, his tone was calm, relaxed, and natural, not at all like he was handing over important matters to his staff.

She suddenly felt a tightness in her chest again.

Despite lacking concrete evidence, her intuition told her that it was most likely Julie on the other end of the phone.

She gritted her teeth, suddenly not wanting to hear anymore or confirm anything, put on her slippers, wrapped herself tightly in a bath towel, and went to the bathroom.

She changed into a bathrobe, washed her face carefully, and removed the remaining makeup. When she came out, Liang Qi had already hung up the phone and was standing on this side of the glass, looking at the night outside.

Hearing her movement, Liang Qi turned around, casually tossed his phone onto the sofa, and was about to come over.

Jiang Nuanyu immediately pretended not to notice him at all and walked straight to the outer porch.

When she returned with her suitcase, Liang Qi was still standing where they had just passed each other.

Their eyes met, and Liang Qi raised an eyebrow at her, tilting his head slightly in confusion. Jiang Nuanyu quickly looked away, walked straight to the sofa, and began unpacking her suitcase.

Liang Qi licked his back teeth, slowly walked over, sat down on the sofa next to her, pursed his lips, and watched her rummage through the things with a playful look in his eyes.

Jiang Nuanyu didn't look at him, but she could still sense his calm and composed aura.

It felt like a small flame was burning in her chest, making her incredibly irritable, but he just wouldn't fan the flames or extinguish them for her.

She imitated him, acting as if he didn't exist for a while.

She angrily put her makeup bag on the coffee table, found the clothes she was going to wear tomorrow, picked them up, and went outside.

The walk-in closet was a mess, with their clothes scattered haphazardly everywhere. Remembering their intense intimacy not long ago, Jiang Nuanyu's face flushed again.

She picked up the clothes from the floor one by one, hanging her own clothes and Liang Qi's shirt and jacket side by side. She glanced at them with her hands on her hips, and felt a sweet satisfaction. But when she turned her head and saw the dark blue tie in another compartment, her anger flared up again.

She returned to the inner room with a cold expression. Liang Qi was leaning lazily against the sofa, his expression relaxed, but his eyes were fixed on her intently.

Jiang Nuanyu was inexplicably intimidated by his expression at that moment. She cleared her throat guiltily, but when she thought about how he hadn't comforted her even though she was clearly in such a bad mood, she felt more confident. She straightened her shoulders and walked over as if nothing had happened.

She reached the sofa, and Liang Qi gestured with his chin towards her black dress in the suitcase, asking, "Were you planning to attend the banquet?"

Jiang Nuanyu gave a mumbled "hmm," sat down to the side, and opened her makeup bag.

She found the essence, squeezed a few drops into her palm, rubbed her hands together, and gently pressed it onto her face.

Liang Qi didn't ask her why she didn't go later; he knew the reason perfectly well. Jiang Nuanyu knew this too, but she still hoped he would bring it up himself.

But she probably forgot what kind of person Liang Qi was.

He didn't speak for a moment, his gaze slowly following her movements. After watching for a while, he suddenly said, "How about I order a bottle of champagne now to make up for it?"

Jiang Nuanyu paused in her movements and turned to look at him. Meeting the faint smile in his eyes, she opened her mouth, but remained silent for a moment.

Was her focus on the dinner? The champagne? Of course not. But her ability to steer clear of the important issues is truly remarkable!

She was furious, her face hardening, and she raised an eyebrow, saying, "Fine."

She had only said it casually, intending to shut him up, but to her surprise, Liang Qi nodded and actually got up to get the phone and dialed room service.

Jiang Nuanyu glared angrily at his back, feeling the veins in her neck throbbing violently.

She took several deep breaths to calm herself down and continued applying skincare products to her face.

When she came to her senses, she realized that instead of applying face cream, he had made her apply serum twice.

Her inner monologue: ! !