Chapter 75 Men's Liking for Women...

The doorbell rang quickly, and Liang Qi went to open the door.

A waiter pushed in a small wine cart and handed over a white gift bag: "Sir, this is a gift from a Ms. Jing who asked the front desk to give to you."

Liang Qi took the bag, but didn't open it. He casually placed it on the coffee table as he passed by.

The waiter pushed the wine cart to a small table near the balcony, set out the wine glasses, desserts, and fruit platters, poured champagne for the two of them, and bowed slightly, saying, "Have a pleasant evening."

While she was waiting, Jiang Nuanyu went to the balcony to get some fresh air. Liang Qi's attention was on her, and after a couple of seconds he nodded to her and said "thank you" in Italian.

He looked at the other side of the glass, where Jiang Nuanyu was wrapped in a thin silk robe, gazing into the distance with her arms crossed, her hair falling over her shoulders and being gently lifted by the wind.

It was mid-November, and the Milan night air was chilly. Liang Qi walked over to her, pulled her close, and embraced her. She turned and nestled against him obediently.

She was still angry, but one thing at a time, she didn't reject getting close to him.

She was already feeling a chill, so Liang Qi rubbed her back with his palms and asked, "Are you cold?"

Jiang Nuanyu shook her head and said she wasn't cold, but she still snuggled closer into his arms, absorbing his warmth. Her eyes turned to the other side of the French windows, where she could vaguely see the wine truck by the small table.

She tilted her head back and nudged his chest with her chin, looking a little fierce: "You have to drink with me."

Liang Qi was very agreeable at this moment: "Okay."

The two sat facing each other at a small round table. The lights on the balcony and in the room were on, but this small area was dark, hidden in a soft, dim light.

The fruit platter was neatly arranged with sliced ​​strawberries, white peaches, figs, and pears, while another small dish held whole blueberries and raspberries, garnished with a few mint leaves. On the dessert shelf next to it, various small and exquisite pastries were on display.

Jiang Nuanyu took a sip of champagne and forked a small piece of white peach into her mouth. The fruity sweetness perfectly balanced the slightly sour aftertaste of the wine, and she couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh.

Liang Qi only took a sip with her, then put down his glass and stared intently at her. She remained quiet, focused on eating her fruit, seemingly having no intention of bringing up the previous incident again.

But her silence doesn't mean she doesn't care. She's a proud person, and she wouldn't even openly express her jealousy towards Yu Miao, who's completely unrelated to her, let alone Zhu Li.

It wasn't good to let her sulk all the time, so after a while, Liang Qi refilled her glass and casually asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

“Hmm…” Jiang Nuanyu thought for a moment and then carefully listed the items one by one. “There shouldn’t be anything important this morning. If I get up early, I’ll go to the sign-in area early to try my luck and see if I can catch someone I’m interested in chatting with for a bit.”

"During the formal auction, I'll be collecting materials and taking notes. Afterwards, I'll be doing a few interviews with Eric." She forked a blueberry and popped it into her mouth, adding, "Oh, Eric is the guy who stood next to me today and was in charge of asking questions."

Liang Qi nodded without saying anything.

Jiang Nuanyu hadn't thought much of it at first, but when Eric was mentioned, all the unpleasantness from the interview that night came flooding back.

She asked casually, "Will you be doing similar interviews tomorrow?"

Liang Qi said, "Probably not."

Jiang Nuanyu nodded: "Oh."

The thought of not having to face the scene she didn't want to see the next day made her feel much better, and she lightly ate another blueberry.

Liang Qi suddenly said, "The unveiling ceremony for the first item to be auctioned tomorrow will be conducted by me and Zhu Li."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nuanyu's eyebrows twitched, and she paused halfway to pick up the next blueberry with her fork. Unsure how to react, she remained silent, head bowed.

Liang Qi helped her pick out the mint leaves from the blueberry dish and said, "The artist of that piece just signed a cooperation agreement with the resort and is also represented by Julie's gallery. This line of work aligns perfectly with the resort's current positioning, and we'll take advantage of this auction to increase its exposure."

Jiang Nuanyu realized he was trying to explain, and her heart softened a little, but she still minded. After a long while, she stammered, "Why are you telling me this?"

Liang Qi knew she was still sulking, so he didn't answer her. He leaned back in his chair and tried to reason with her, saying, "As long as Tianqi and Conti's cooperation continues, these kinds of things will definitely happen again."

Hearing his almost ultimatum-like statement, Jiang Nuanyu's mind went blank. She looked up at him and asked, "So? What do you mean?" She tried to maintain a relatively calm tone, but couldn't control her words, and said sarcastically, "You mean... you two will always be 'in sync'?"

Liang Qi remained silent, his gaze deep and unwavering as he stared at her for several seconds without uttering a word. She stubbornly met his gaze, but was no match for his composure. After a moment, she gave in first, her lips pressed tightly together as she looked away.

The air suddenly became tense. After a brief silence, Liang Qi's expression relaxed a little, but he still didn't try to coax her. He said directly, "Juli and I have a business partnership. The partnership is a binding of interests between the groups. I will not deliberately avoid it because of personal feelings."

Jiang Nuanyu felt a pang in her heart, and a wave of sourness welled up in her nose. He clearly wouldn't back down, and her pride wouldn't allow her to give in at this moment.

She gave him a cold look and asked casually, "Personal feelings? Me? Are you telling me you won't avoid her because of me?"

Liang Qi nodded very slightly and said expressionlessly, "Yes."

Jiang Nuanyu frowned, unable to hold on any longer, and tears began to well up in her eyes as she stared at him.

Liang Qi was also quite unhappy that things had to be discussed to this extent, but making her cry was not his purpose in bringing this up.

He patiently softened his tone and said, "The cooperative relationship will not change; that's only one aspect. But apart from that, nothing else will change."

Jiang Nuanyu was so upset that she couldn't reason with him. The more she realized that her attitude was unreasonable, the more she wanted to use it to break his rationality and provoke him.

She pressed on, "What else won't change? You won't like her? Or can you make her dislike you?"

She finally spoke, a fleeting sob in her voice: "Julie... I can tell, she likes you."

Liang Qi's eyes turned slightly cold. He had almost exhausted his patience and had no intention of explaining further, so he didn't say anything more.

Jiang Nuanyu insisted, "It's not the kind of liking that comes from tacit cooperation between business partners, nor the kind of liking that comes from rational appreciation between friends." She shook her head and said softly, "It's the kind of liking a woman has for a man."

Liang Qi closed his eyes briefly and asked, "So?"

Jiang Nuanyu was taken aback by his reaction: "...You know she likes you?"

Liang Qi didn't speak; he did know. He wasn't a slow-witted person. But as he said, he wouldn't let his personal relationship with Jiang Nuanyu overshadow the group's interests. He had even less obligation to do so with others.

Liang Qi's tacit agreement suddenly made Jiang Nuanyu uneasy, and a thought flashed through her mind. She subconsciously asked, "Liang Qi, have you and Zhu Li...?" Her eyes were fixed on him.

Liang Qi calmly met her gaze, not intending to react in advance according to preconceived notions, but waiting for her to finish speaking.

Unable to discern from his expression whether he truly hadn't guessed her question, Jiang Nuanyu had no choice but to ask directly, "Were you ever together?"

Liang Qi looked at her and suddenly narrowed his eyes. Jiang Nuanyu's heart clenched, realizing that he was angry because of her words, and she didn't dare to say another word.

After a few seconds, Liang Qi glanced elsewhere and asked her, "Which one?"

Seeing that he had responded, Jiang Nuanyu then explained her earlier question: "What I meant was, before you and I met again in Paris, I wasn't doubting you—"

Liang Qi looked away again, and Jiang Nuanyu automatically fell silent, unable to finish what she wanted to say.

Liang Qi placed one hand on the table, loosely clenching his fist, and slowly rubbed his fingers together. He asked the same question again: "Which one?"

Jiang Nuanyu pursed her lips, too humiliated to utter a word because of his silent accusation.

Liang Qi quickly pressed further: "What about the kind of thing you did with me before?"

Jiang Nuanyu was stunned upon hearing this.

Liang Qi's face turned completely cold. He said, "Using work as an excuse to have sex, then after finishing business, if the feeling comes, you sleep together, right?"

His words were blunt and his tone was calm, but his expression was devoid of warmth. Jiang Nuanyu was completely taken aback by his words, and her eyes were filled with hurt disbelief as she looked at him.

Liang Qi didn't seem to intend to let her off the hook, continuing without any mercy: "You think that was the reason I had a relationship with you in the first place?" He suddenly nodded and said, "Oh, and add that you liked me, right?"

Jiang Nuanyu felt alternating chills and fever; every word he spoke felt like a solid slap across her face. She was rendered speechless, overwhelmed with embarrassment and resentment, and tears streamed down her face.

Liang Qi looked at her, his fist on the table suddenly clenching. Realizing he had spoken too harshly, he frowned irritably and lowered his gaze.

He pulled a chair next to her, smeared a line under each of her eyes with the back of his hand, patted his leg, and said, "Come here."

Jiang Nuanyu pouted, turned her face to the other side, and remained still.

Liang Qi took her hand, squeezed it in his palm, and lowered his voice even further as he pulled her closer: "Come here."

Jiang Nuanyu remained motionless.

Liang Qi looked at her for a second or two, then suddenly reached out and put his arm around her waist, pulling her between his legs.

Jiang Nuanyu immediately reacted like a bristling leopard, grabbing his hand around her waist and trying to get up. Liang Qi tightened his arm around her waist, grabbed her two slender wrists with one hand, and at the same time pulled his legs together to clamp her calves, preventing her from moving.

He pressed her back against his chest, his chin resting on her temple, and asked, "Why are you running?"

Jiang Nuanyu knew she couldn't struggle against him, so she let go of her strength, took a couple of breaths, and tried to say something, but she was too aggrieved to speak. Looking down at her body, which was crookedly bound by him, she suddenly closed her eyes and began to sob loudly.

Liang Qi loosened his grip and used his hand to wipe her tears. She didn't resist, letting him wipe her face, chin, and neck, but she cried even harder.

She was lost in her emotions, so excited that her body began to heat up. He adjusted her to a more comfortable position, touched her face, and pulled her close to his body, saying, "I didn't say anything good just now, just listen to it casually, don't take it seriously."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Nuanyu's lips twitched, and two more lines of hot tears welled up in her eyes.

Liang Qi swallowed hard, at a loss for what to do when faced with the unstoppable tears that had been brought out by his bullying.

He lowered his face and touched her burning cheek, saying, "You mean that if any woman around me likes me, I'll sleep with her? Is that how you see me?"

Jiang Nuanyu didn't reply immediately, but slowly opened her eyes to look at him. She said, "And what do you think you are, saying that? Hmm?"

Jiang Nuanyu sobbed intermittently, "I just think Zhu Li is really great, and she likes you, so you can be with me... then..."

Liang Qi said, "You think Julie is better than you?"

Jiang Nuanyu gave a wronged "Mmm."

“I don’t think so,” Liang Qi said. “I don’t think either of you is better; we haven’t even compared you two.”

Jiang Nuanyu gradually stopped crying, looking at him with teary eyes, her face still half-covered, and she didn't say a word.

He raised an eyebrow slightly: "Don't believe me?"

It took her a while to say, "It's not that I don't believe it."

He raised his eyebrows even higher: "It's not that you don't believe me?"

"If you insist on choosing, I'll only accept your taste," Liang Qi said. "Understand?"

Jiang Nuanyu's chest heaved, and her restless heart suddenly calmed down, landing steadily on the ground.

She remained silent for a while, going through all the things about Julie in her mind, and realized with a start that it had all been her own mind playing tricks on her.

Liang Qi's relationship with Zhu Li never went beyond that of a friendly partner. As for Zhu Li, even if we assume he liked Liang Qi, while Zhu Li did test the waters, he never actually did anything out of line.

Both Liang Qi and Zhu Li are respectable, but she, due to her lack of self-confidence, angered Liang Qi with suspicion and jealousy, which also hurt herself.

Put yourself in her shoes; if Liang Qi suspected her of having an unusual relationship with a colleague, she would be furious.

She looked up at him: "Liang Qi."

Liang Qi was looking outside, deep in thought. He looked down at her and asked, "What do you want to say?"

Jiang Nuanyu said, "My speculation about you wasn't because I didn't trust you, so please don't be angry with me. I just..."

Liang Qi shook his head and said, "I'm more concerned that you, or others around me, don't believe in yourself because of me than that you don't believe in me. That's not what I want to see. Nor is it what I understand as the meaning of two people being together."

He looked at her, and even in the dim light, his earnest and straightforward gaze clearly penetrated her heart.

She nodded in response, "Mm."

She pondered his words, confirming that he was indeed Liang Qi, the man with a complete self. Surprisingly, instead of feeling helpless and heartbroken because he didn't need her, she felt more at ease and secure.

She nestled in his arms, her eyes still fixed on him, and suddenly asked, "Liang Qi, I didn't put any pressure on you, did I?"

Liang Qi chuckled: "What kind of pressure do you think you're putting on me?"

“I think I agree with your understanding of the meaning of two people being together,” Jiang Nuanyu said slowly. “Although I was very sad when I heard you say that you wouldn’t avoid Zhu Li for my sake, I understand now that it’s because for you, business interests and personal feelings are not the same thing and don’t affect each other, right?”

Liang Qi's eyes were gentle, and his heart seemed to soften with her soft tone. She always kept her softness wrapped in a tough shell, protecting herself without truly hurting others.

He grasped the back of her neck and rubbed it, then nodded to her.

Jiang Nuanyu smiled and said, "So I'm not asking you to put me first, before your career, or before anything else. No. I hope you can always make your own choices first, regardless of whether that choice is me or not. Liang Qi, I like that about you."

Liang Qi nodded and said, "I understand."

“But…” she lowered her eyelids, hesitated for a moment, and then said, “When it comes to personal feelings, it would be even better if your choice were always me.”

Liang Qi chuckled softly, looked at her for a moment, then reached out and pulled her head up, kissing her hairline.

During her movements, her nightgown had become slightly disheveled, and now the collar was half-open, revealing skin that reflected a delicate, jade-like light. Liang Qi looked down and noticed, then pulled the collar back up for her.

Jiang Nuanyu then realized that her clothes had been disheveled. She shrugged, awkwardly pulled her arms together, and tried to sit up.

Liang Qi took her small fist and pulled her closer, resting his chin on her shoulder and against her neck.

His breath tickled her skin, and she tilted her head away, laughing, "What are you doing?"

Liang Qi said, "I'll hug you for a while."

Her heart skipped a beat, and she leaned her head back, softly replying, "Okay~"

In the midst of their silent tenderness, the small, vintage-style flip clock on the coffee table clicked softly. It was midnight.

Jiang Nuanyu turned her head in the direction of the sound, only to notice a white paper bag that had appeared on the other side of the coffee table at some point.

She stared at it for a moment, then asked curiously, "What is that?"

Liang Qi turned his head and glanced at her, then asked, "Want to see?"

Jiang Nuanyu nodded and asked again, "Is that okay?"

Liang Qi didn't answer, but instead carried her to the sofa and sat her down. He let her nestle on his lap, showing no intention of letting her go.

He placed the paper bag on her lap, gesturing for her to see for herself.

Jiang Nuanyu took out a square box from the bag. It was a black leather box tied with a silver-gray ribbon, and it was very exquisite.

She held the box in her hands, hesitated for a moment, and then, feeling it wasn't right for her to open it, handed it to Liang Qi and said, "You open it."

Liang Qi didn't refuse and put his arm around her as they unwrapped the gift box.

He removed the lid, revealing a card on top. He glanced at it and casually put it into the paper bag.

Inside the box was a valuable watch. Jiang Nuanyu recognized the brand and became even more curious about who had given it to her.

She peered into the paper bag, trying to see what was on the card, but instead caught a glimpse of the words "Happy Birthday".

She opened her eyes wide, took out the card and looked closely, and found that it was a birthday card written by Jingru to Liang Qi.

She paused for a moment, then looked up and exclaimed in surprise, "It's your birthday today?!"

“No,” Liang Qi said.

Jiang Nuanyu blinked, then, remembering that it was past midnight, shook her head and corrected, "No, what about yesterday? Was yesterday your birthday?"

"No, not exactly." Seeing her confusion, Liang Qi added, "It happened a week ago."

Jiang Nuanyu was stunned.

One week ago...

Although she was busy those days, she kept in touch with Liang Qi almost every day, but she missed his birthday.

Her eyebrows furrowed instantly, and she tugged at his bathrobe with a mixture of annoyance, self-reproach, and reproach, sobbing, "You didn't even tell me..."

Liang Qi put the gift box aside, looked at her quietly, and suddenly smiled, raising his hand to pinch the corner of her unhappy mouth.

Jiang Nuanyu pouted, thinking that she hadn't mentioned it to Liang Qi on her birthday either, and felt a little better and less bothered by it.

She leaned closer, supporting his shoulders, and lightly kissed one of his lips, saying softly, "Happy birthday, Liang Qi."

Liang Qi seemed quite pleased with this belated birthday "gift." He looked down at her, his eyes flickering slightly: "Thank you."

Jiang Nuanyu pecked his other lip, smiling playfully and mysteriously, "Mr. Liang, happy 32nd birthday."

She smiled, her eyebrows curving, seemingly quite pleased with herself for already knowing his age—she had secretly deduced it from the timestamps when Shi Youning gave her those photos of Liang Qi.

Liang Qi chuckled softly, not asking how she knew his age. He narrowed his eyes, slightly raised his chin, and asked her, "How old are you?"

Jiang Nuanyu pursed her lips, speechless, and said, "Isn't it a bit late for you to ask this now?"

“That’s true.” Liang Qi nodded in agreement, “But it’s not important.”

Jiang Nuanyu was puzzled by his nonchalant attitude and immediately became confused: "Why isn't it important?"

Liang Qi leaned back on the sofa, one hand brazenly kneading her waist through the thin fabric, and said, "You're not still a minor, are you?"

Jiang Nuanyu: "..."

Her face inexplicably flushed. His words, coupled with his somewhat restless movements on her body, made her feel that something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

He's always so unpredictable, both suddenly and subtly. She then thought of the phrase "refined scoundrel."

Looking at her expression, Liang Qi squeezed her waist and deliberately asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Jiang Nuanyu immediately composed herself and shook her head: "No." Then she asked, "Then guess how old I am?" She straightened her back as she spoke.

Liang Qi looked at her, thought for a moment, and then raised an eyebrow to give his answer: "Twenty-seven?"

He gave her a specific and accurate number, and Jiang Nuanyu relaxed her straight back, pouted, and said, "You already knew that, didn't you?"

Liang Qi shook his head and smiled helplessly.

Jiang Nuanyu turned halfway around on his lap, like a persistent little animal, and continued to ask, "So how did you guess?"

Liang Qi raised his wrist and placed it on her shoulder, slowly tucking her hair behind her ear with his fingers, and said, "Appearance... it's really hard to tell."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nuanyu couldn't help but smile, feeling secretly pleased. After all, who wouldn't want to be free of the signs of aging?

She grew increasingly eager for his answer and asked, "Then...?"

Liang Qi said, "Work ability, years of experience, graduation time, it's just an estimate."

Is it really that simple? Jiang Nuanyu was stunned.

She secretly admired Liang Qi's keen ability to judge people, and she even wondered if it was a kind of heredity—Jing Ru was the same, able to tell at a glance that she was in the media industry.

Liang Qi's reply contained no flattering words, but his observations and calculations made her truly feel seen and recognized.

Her heart softened, but she retorted defiantly, "Then can't I be a genius with extraordinary talent and abilities, easily leaving my peers behind? Graduating from university at twenty, getting promoted after a year of work, and establishing myself in the industry within two years!"

“It’s not impossible,” Liang Qi replied quickly, then added, “but I think you’re just right.”

Jiang Nuanyu blinked: "What do you mean?"

Liang Qi looked at her and said, "What I mean is, I like you the way you are now."

Caught off guard by the word "like," Jiang Nuanyu was stunned. Her heart skipped a beat, and she stammered, "You...you actually...liked someone like me..." She suddenly felt embarrassed and tried to save face, "Oh, you said back then that you liked me."

Liang Qi shook his head very slightly and said, "That's not entirely true."

Jiang Nuanyu: ? ?

What does he mean? Does he not like her anymore?

Liang Qi pulled her closer to his waist, his gaze and fingertips simultaneously tracing a path along her hairline and between her eyebrows.

“Jiang Nuanyu,” he said, “have I never told you that I like you?”

Jiang Nuanyu's breathing became light, and her mind suddenly went blank.

These were the words she had always wanted to hear him say, the words she had longed for time and time again, the words she had fantasized about countless times in those nameless dreams late at night. But when she actually heard them, her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Tears quickly filled her eyes, blurring her vision. She didn't even dare to move, blink, or breathe deeply, for fear of disturbing the moment.

Two large tears rolled down her cheeks, but she seemed oblivious, gazing at him silently. Liang Qi, perhaps moved by her tears, moved his lips, but remained silent for a few seconds.

After a few breaths, he said, "I like you." He nodded to himself, as if confirming with himself, "If we use your definition, then my feelings for you are the rational appreciation between friends, or the likes between business partners, the likes of sharing common interests and hobbies, ... and also the likes a man has for a woman."

Jiang Nuanyu's breath trembled, her heart seemed to explode into iris-shaped fireworks with his "I like you." She felt pain, but even more pleasure.

His chest rose and fell slowly, his eyes filled with suppressed meaning. He said, "Jiang Nuanyu, I like you. Because I like you, I've come to like you."

Jiang Nuanyu choked on her words, and all the walls of her self-control crumbled. She threw herself on him, tightly hugging his neck, and in the blink of an eye, tears streamed down her face like broken beads, rolling into his collar.

The past grievances, anxieties, and struggles, along with the present happiness, relief, and attachment, were all washed away and swept away by these emotions. She said, "I like you too..."

Her voice was trembling with uncontrollable sobs.

She had said she would never say she liked him again. But now that the moment had come, she was incredibly grateful that she could still say it.

"Liang Qi... I like you too." She buried her face in his shoulder, her voice choked with emotion as she spoke each word clearly, "I like you so much, so very much, I like you so much... and I'll like you more and more..."

Liang Qi put one arm around her and gently stroked her back and hair with the other.

He leaned back on the sofa, listening to her confession and her sobs, a dull ache in his heart. Only now did he feel a pang of regret, regret for saying those words so late.

He was always very certain of his feelings; he didn't need words to prove the definition of his emotions, or to satisfy his need to project feelings by saying "I like you." But he forgot that she might need it. She needed his words of liking.

He turned his head and gently kissed her neck. A fine layer of sweat appeared on the back of her neck. He brushed her hair aside, wiped it with his palm, and then breathed on it to dry it for her.

Jiang Nuanyu's emotions had calmed down a bit, but the breeze from his breath sent shivers down her spine. She twisted her body in resistance, saying, "No..."

She turned her back to the side away from him, wiped away her tears, and said, "You did it on purpose."

Liang Qi paused for a moment, then realized what she meant.

When she was intimate with him, she would never let him kiss the back of her neck, especially from behind. That was her taboo.

At that moment, he touched it and said, "What if I said it wasn't intentional?"

"...Then it's not."

Liang Qi laughed, then lifted her up from his shoulders.

He cupped her face in his hands, tilting his head back to look at her intently. He slightly raised his chin, his hands gently drawing her face closer until he could touch her lips.

Her salty tears spread between their lips, which he gently sucked up and licked away little by little.

It was an extremely light and soft kiss, the softest and longest kiss Jiang Nuanyu had ever felt Liang Qi give her. It was devoid of desire, slow and gentle, not suffocating her, yet it permeated every corner of her heart.

They didn't even close their eyes completely. She kissed him, using her mouth, the most delicate touch between her lips and tongue, and her eyes, feeling each other and confirming their love.

Another tear silently fell onto Liang Qi's chin. Jiang Nuanyu pulled away slightly, wiped it away with her fingertips, and then stroked his face and bones along his jawline. She gently touched the protrusion on his nasal bone, her heart trembling slightly.

This is the person she loves.

It was her lover who finally expressed his love in a way that she could respond to.

Liang Qi wiped away the tear stains on her face one by one, from her cheeks to under her eyes and then to the corners of her eyes, wiping away each tear as it fell. Finally, she stopped crying.

She was crying so hard that her eyes were filled with tears, her eyelashes were clumped together, and her eyes, the tip of her nose, and even her eyebrows were red.

He looked at her and said, "Crying three times in one night, huh?"

“Then you coaxed me three times,” she said.

“That’s right,” Liang Qi replied casually, then added, “I didn’t realize you cried so much before; it’s like you never run out of tears.”

Jiang Nuanyu replied to him, saying, "I didn't realize before that you were so good at coaxing people."

Liang Qi said, "Oh, I thought you meant I was good at bullying people."

Jiang Nuanyu smiled, and hearing the implication in his words that it was his fault, she whispered, "It wasn't you who bullied me."

Liang Qi was surprised, and after a while said, "That's you bullying yourself?"

Jiang Nuanyu thought for a moment and nodded: "I guess so."

Liang Qi suddenly didn't know what to say, and after a moment, he rubbed her face.

She sat curled up on his lap, facing him, her legs bent, her hands clutching the belt of his bathrobe, tying and untying it intermittently.

She was leaning her entire weight on him. After a while, she looked up and asked, "Am I heavy?"

Liang Qi didn't answer, only looked at her quietly. His gaze remained as intensely focused as ever, making Jiang Nuanyu's face burn, and her eyes began to unconsciously dart away.

Liang Qi's thumb landed on her lips, tracing their shape bit by bit.

Jiang Nuanyu subconsciously pursed her lips, but he gently pushed them away and tugged at them. She cautiously looked up at him, and he, who had been looking at her mouth, suddenly raised his eyes and met her gaze precisely when she glanced over.

The dim, warm light reflected in his eyes, and she knew all too well what lay hidden within them, that deep color of his gaze.

Her body tensed up involuntarily.

Liang Qi propped himself up, his hand sliding down to the back of her neck, and with a slight pull, he lowered his head and covered her lips with his.

This kiss was completely different from the previous one; it was distinctly aggressive. Jiang Nuanyu shrank her neck, her whole body going limp in an instant, her fingers clutching his bathrobe helplessly.

Her clothes came undone again, and a chill swept across her body, but it was made up for by the warmth of his palm.

She was so embarrassed she couldn't lift her eyes: "It's already so late..."

Even so, she didn't even try to pull her clothes together; she just grabbed the fabric around his waist and wouldn't let go.

"Hmm." Liang Qi slowly untied her hands, then his belt, and looked at her, saying, "Is there anything else you want to say?"

He tossed his bathrobe onto the sofa beside him, took off hers, and said, "If you say you don't want to, then we won't."

she:"……"

When he pressed himself against her again, she was shivered by the heat of his body.

But she genuinely enjoyed verbally challenging him, muttering under her breath, "Why are you so sexually unsatisfied..."

Liang Qi smiled slightly, not immediately refuting her. His hand traced the curves of her body downwards, and she suddenly trembled.

He brought his already damp fingers to her eyes, turning them over and over to examine them, before speaking in a measured tone: "'Unsatisfied,' huh?"

Jiang Nuanyu felt her blood rush to her head, her face turned to one side, and she dared not talk back again.

There was nothing around to wipe his hands, so Liang Qi gently patted her face with the back of his fingers, then went to the coffee table to grab a tissue and wiped his hands clean.

When he returned, he grabbed a bath towel and placed it under her, saying, "I'm worried you might be in trouble later—"

Jiang Nuanyu quickly covered his mouth with her hand to stop him: "Don't say it..."

Liang Qi smelled a faint, familiar scent from her fingertips; it seemed to be some kind of skincare product she used—very light and pleasant.

He pulled away slightly, then lowered his head and bit her finger.

"Ugh..." She was startled and withdrew her hand, but while he freed his mouth, she wasn't so lucky.

Liang Qi leaned down and kissed her, his hands gripping her waist, pressing her firmly beneath him. His palms were hot, burning her skin, and his equally hot breath filled the air around her.

She tilted her head back, and a soft moan escaped her throat: "Ha..." with a slight tremor of discomfort.

Liang Qi's muscles tensed, but his voice was soft and distant: "Do you like it this way?"

Realizing she had just lost control, Jiang Nuanyu regained some composure, biting her lip as if trying to control herself from making any more noise.

"Not going to say anything?" Liang Qi said, seeing her expression, "Then I'll take that as a yes."

He repeated;

She also said, "Ha..."

She buried her head in the blanket; she was so embarrassed…

During the time they had been together, Liang Qi had thoroughly figured out her sensitive spots. But even though he knew she couldn't take it, he deliberately pushed her to the brink step by step, without letting her escape, his patience bordering on cruelty.

He seemed to particularly enjoy the way she was moaning and groaning beneath him.

But she was helpless about it and could only endure the shame while hopelessly hoping that he would take pity on her and give her a quick death.

Fortunately, such times are not uncommon.

For example, right now.

She gripped his arm tightly, her voice trembling as if she were about to cry: "Liang Qi..."

Liang Qi leaned down and kissed the back of her ear, causing her whole body to tremble.

She knew he wasn't going to stop yet, and a new round of unbearable torment was about to begin for her.

She accepted and enjoyed everything he brought her, and suddenly thought—

She had always been happy because she liked him, but now she had an even greater reason to be happy.

Because he liked her too.