Chapter 244 Let me show you how much I miss you!
Fu Jinxing looked down at her smiling face, which bore the marks of time yet remained bright, his gaze behind his glasses deepening slightly.
He raised his hand and gently pinched her cheek with his fingertips, the gesture intimate and natural. Then he leaned close to her ear, his low voice tinged with an ambiguity and danger that only the two of them could understand: "I've been thinking about you. Tonight... I'll show you just how much I've missed you."
Josie's cheeks flushed red instantly, as if they were dyed by the sunset.
She reached out and pinched his lean waist lightly, then whispered reproachfully, "Professor Fu! It's broad daylight, why are you being so indecent?"
Fu Jinxing precisely grasped her "violent" hand, enveloping it in his warm palm. He gently rubbed the back of her hand with his fingertips, his tone sounding serious, but the content was quite the opposite: "If I run away for this long again next time and there's little news... I don't mind letting you see more of my 'unserious' side."
The whispers and intimate interactions between the two, oblivious to others, naturally exuded a tacit understanding and closeness that was difficult for outsiders to penetrate.
However, Fu Jinxing quickly noticed a very strong gaze fixed on him and Qiao Xi.
That gaze... carried a scrutinizing quality, even a hint of displeasure.
He looked up, following his instincts, and his gaze met that of a man not far away.
The man was tall and handsome, with a calm demeanor that carried an undeniable sharpness. He was quietly watching them, especially at the hand that was linked with Josie's arm, his gaze complex and unreadable.
Fu Jinxing's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
This man... he had never seen him before.
Moreover, that look made him feel uncomfortable.
"And who is this?" Fu Jinxing withdrew his gaze, looked down and asked Qiao Xi. His tone was still gentle, but it lacked the intimacy of before and had a hint of scrutiny from the person in charge of the base.
Josie then realized that Mu Yanzhou had also returned.
She released her grip on Fu Jinxing's hand and introduced him, "This is Mu Yanzhou, the leader of the Hope Base. We met him on the road, and he helped us a lot. He came to Chuncheng this time to discuss a long-term cooperation with us on catalysts."
Then, she turned to Mu Yanzhou and introduced him: "Chief Mu, this is Professor Fu Jinxing, our base's chief scientist, the catalyst developer, and also the person in charge of the base."
Mu Yanzhou stood there, taking in the glaring scene he had just witnessed. His heart was already overflowing with jealousy, a bitter and painful mix of emotions churning within him.
He watched as Josie smiled so naturally and intimately at that man, and watched their oblivious interaction, and felt a tightness in his chest.
But he was, after all, a leader, and reason quickly suppressed the displeasure caused by his personal feelings.
He took a deep breath, suppressed all his emotions, strode forward, and extended his hand to Fu Jinxing:
“Professor Fu, I have long admired your name. I am Mu Yanzhou from the Hope Base. Your catalyst has an extraordinary effect. I have come here today hoping to establish a long-term and stable cooperative relationship with the Spring City Base for mutual benefit.”
His tone was calm and powerful, and his gaze was honest, completely behaving like a business leader, as if the man with the gloomy eyes just now was just an illusion.
Fu Jinxing looked at his outstretched hand, then glanced at the impeccable smile on his face, his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses flickering slightly.
He then reached out and shook hands with Mu Yanzhou.
"Chief Mu, welcome to the Spring City Base." Fu Jinxing's voice was gentle yet distant, carrying the calmness unique to scholars. "We can discuss the cooperation in detail later. You must be tired from your journey; let me have someone arrange for you to rest first."
The two hands separated as soon as they touched.
The two men's eyes met briefly in the air, and they both saw a subtle scrutiny and... faint hostility in each other's seemingly calm eyes.
It was as if invisible lightning flashed silently in the air.
But they were quickly drawn back to their attention by johns' yawning.
After more than two months of continuous travel and stress, she felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion when she stepped into this safe space that belonged to her.
She was both hungry and tired, and all she wanted to do was bury herself in hot water, have a big meal, and then sleep soundly for the rest of her life.
Fu Jinxing still needed to arrange accommodations for Mu Yanzhou and his group, as well as the resettlement of the newly arrived survivors. He ruffled Qiao Xi's hair and said gently, "Go back and wash up and rest first. I'll come find you after I'm done."
With Fu Jinxing taking over, Qiao Xi was happy to relax, smiled and agreed, then walked briskly back to her room.
Inside the bathroom, hot water flowed freely, creating a misty white steam that blurred the mirror and softened the light.
Josie stood under the showerhead, the warm water washing over her body, cleansing away the dust and fatigue of her journey.
She sighed comfortably, closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and let the water flow over her long hair, applying fragrant foam and gently massaging her scalp with her fingertips.
Just as she was immersed in this relaxation and comfort, her body suddenly stiffened slightly.
An unusually clear sensation came from behind her; a pair of hands, with familiar warmth and strength, silently caressed her waist.
The sensation was real and burning hot, not an illusion of flowing water.
Josie suddenly opened her eyes, her heart skipping a beat.
The bathroom was empty except for her; only the sound of running water and the rising steam filled the air.
But she could clearly feel that those hands were moving slowly across her delicate skin at the waist with an undeniable sense of possession, carrying a kind of subtle provocation.
"Uh..." she hummed softly, unable to control herself.
The feeling of being spied on and touched, yet unable to see anyone, carries a strange sense of stimulation and shame.
She understood almost instantly.
"Brother Jinxing..." Her voice was watery, trembling slightly, and tinged with a helpless smile, "You... how could you..."
Who else could it be but Fu Jinxing, who possesses the ability to become invisible?
No one answered her.
But the unseen hand gave a more direct response.
They became bolder, with a punitive force, yet at just the right moment the force softened, as if venting the longing and resentment of the two months of separation.
Josie instinctively bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the sound that was about to escape her throat.
She tilted her head back, her beautiful lines taut, her face flushed with a blush that was hard to tell whether from heat or passion, her eyes gradually becoming hazy, revealing a captivating expression of being immersed in pleasure.
Water droplets slid down her cheeks, neck, and collarbone...
Just as she was about to immerse herself in this secret pleasure, a clear knocking sounded abruptly.
Knock knock knock!
"Miss Qiao, your meal has been delivered." A respectful voice came from outside the door.
The sound instantly jolted Josie out of her daze.
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