Chapter 52 Indulging Your Arrogance "Peach? No way."
Xie Qingci wasn't asleep; she was simply lying there, not wanting to move. Her head was spinning, and she felt a sense of being somewhere between illusion and reality.
She knew that she was prone to rambling incoherently whenever she spoke, that she was indeed somewhat drunk, and that she was quite certain she would regret it to death when she woke up the next morning. She knew everything, but she just couldn't control herself.
So she decided to ignore it and deal with it tomorrow.
Liang Jingzhuo propped himself up, about to reach for the floor lamp, when he turned his head and met a pair of gently blinking eyes.
He paused, then asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"
He didn't know how much she had drunk that night and was worried that she would feel unwell when the alcohol took effect.
Having just drunk some hangover soup, Xie Qingci felt less unwell. She shook her head. "No, I'm just not sleepy."
The last time she drank alcohol was when she graduated from high school. She had dinner with her classmates and drank two glasses of fruit beer. Her condition was similar to what it is now.
She initially thought she had a mild alcohol allergy, wondering how she could feel this way after just two drinks. However, after a hospital check-up, she discovered that it wasn't an allergy, but simply a low alcohol tolerance.
Over the years, she would occasionally drink some red wine with the old lady and Ms. Zhou, and get slightly tipsy, but she had never done it like this before. She thought she had improved her alcohol tolerance, so when Ke Meng and Duan Siyu poured her wine today, she boldly agreed to drink a second glass.
Unlike most drunk people who fall asleep immediately, she was wide awake and even a bit talkative. She had actually been very restrained, worried that Liang Jingzhuo would find her strange. With her remaining clear-headedness, she repeatedly told herself to shut up and not to say too much.
Hearing that she wasn't sleepy, Liang Jingzhuo withdrew his hand from turning off the light, lay down, turned his head to look at the person lying on the other pillow, and coaxed her as if negotiating, "Then let me hug you?"
Xie Qingci tilted her head, blinked at him for a few seconds, and thought the suggestion was feasible. She got up and moved into his open embrace, still lying down, but now her position changed from the pillow to his chest.
One ear, through the thin fabric of his pajamas, pressed against his chest, heard the powerful heartbeat lurking beneath.
"Liang Jingzhuo".
"Um."
Your heart is beating so fast.
The person next to him leaned over him, and Liang Jingzhuo tightened his arms around her, responding with a soft "Mmm."
"Liang Jingzhuo," she called him again.
He patiently replied, "Mm."
Do you think I talk too much?
"Won't."
She said almost as much to him today as they've said together in all the time they've been together, and he wasn't annoyed at all; in fact, he found it quite remarkable.
The person resting her head on his chest fell silent. Just when he thought she was asleep, she suddenly raised her head.
In the dim light, she looked at him, her eyes bright, "Do you hate the smell of alcohol on me?"
He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and replied, "I don't dislike it."
"Then kiss me to prove it."
"..."
Without a second thought, Liang Jingzhuo was already quite certain that she would regret it once she sobered up, but he was enjoying this moment of tenderness and affection.
He complied with her request, stroked her cheek, and kissed her.
He gave her two light pecks, then deepened the kiss by capturing her lips in his mouth. His kiss was gentle, and she responded with equal tenderness.
The faint smell of alcohol mingled with the fresh scent of her freshly washed face, and the air was scalding hot, as was the temperature of her breath.
The calmed-down passion surged back, and the tense restlessness returned, but Liang Jingzhuo had no intention of letting his personal desires run rampant under these circumstances.
She was not thinking clearly, which made him feel like he was taking advantage of her vulnerability.
He gently turned away from her slightly panting breath, held the back of her neck, kissed her forehead, and softly coaxed her, "Go to sleep, you'll have a headache when you wake up tomorrow."
The tone of his voice changed when he spoke; it became deep and magnetic.
Although Xie Qingci was a little drunk, she could still clearly feel the changes in the body that was holding her. She looked at him, paused for two seconds, and suddenly asked, "Can you take care of it yourself?"
This is actually a very common question, and there's nothing to hide. As Ke Meng said before, it's like whether men watch porn or not; the answer is undoubtedly yes.
But she felt it didn't quite fit his persona.
I'm really bold today; I actually had the nerve to ask that question out loud.
Liang Jingzhuo paused slightly, his lips remaining straight, and remained silent for a long time.
Xie Qingci suddenly felt that this question was indeed very private, and it was a bit impolite to ask it like that, so she lowered her head and prepared to lie down again, saying, "Pretend I didn't ask."
As soon as he finished speaking, a deep, slow reply came from above: "Very few."
Her movements suddenly stopped. The word "rarely" was quite clever; it implied something, but not many. She looked up again, looking very curious. "Last time was?"
She remembered learning about a term called the refractory period in a physiology class. In practice, she found that this period doesn't seem to last forever; at least, it seems to be rare between them.
Liang Jingzhuo fell silent again, looking into her eyes as if he were also a little uncomfortable. He looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly involuntarily, before finally speaking after a long while, "Last week."
Xie Qingci paused blankly for a moment, then suddenly remembered something.
They had a video call last week. She was already getting ready for bed, but the frequency of their calls every three days seemed to have become a rule between them, so she answered the call anyway.
As soon as the call connected, he paused for a moment, then looked away and asked, "Are you planning to go to sleep?"
At first, she didn't notice his deliberate avoidance and discomfort, and simply replied, "Mm."
It wasn't until her gaze swept over the small box above her that she suddenly noticed something unusual: the neckline of her pajamas was rather large, and since she was lying down, everything below the neckline was completely visible, all the way down to her waist.
After realizing what had happened, she quickly covered her chest and sat up, blushing and avoiding eye contact to change the subject.
The call didn't last long; the atmosphere was just too strange. She made an excuse that she needed to sleep, and he didn't say anything more before hanging up.
"You..." Now, suddenly recalling and matching this memory, Xie Qingci's face flushed again. "You're such a scoundrel!"
Liang Jingzhuo's expression was one of utter innocence. "You're the one who asked me that."
It was indeed she who started the conversation, and Xie Qingci was speechless.
In fact, Liang Jingzhuo had never thought about this before. Even when he saw more intimate scenes in the film, he only watched them from the perspective of artistic appreciation. He felt that it was low-class and vulgar to have desires because of this.
As human beings, we must have the ability to restrain our desires; we are not animals that can be triggered by a mere glance.
But he underestimated the power of their long separation. After hanging up the phone that day, he went to take a shower and turned the water temperature to the lowest setting, but it still didn't solve the tricky situation.
He had originally planned to ignore it, take a shower, change into his pajamas, and go straight to sleep; once he fell asleep, it wouldn't matter.
However, his usually stable and excellent sleep quality completely failed that day. He lay in bed with his eyes closed for an unknown amount of time, trying to fill his mind with the content of the next day's work, hoping to fall asleep as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, it was of no use.
In the densely packed, brain-like space where program code is running at high speed, a glimpse of a bright white, round shape occasionally flashes by unintentionally.
Finally, when the forbidden image resurfaced in his mind, he opened his eyes, clenched his fists resignedly, got out of bed, and went into the bathroom again.
"Besides, I was thinking of you, not someone else, so it can't be considered being a hooligan." He looked at the person in front of him whose face was already flushed red and explained seriously and earnestly.
Xie Qingci felt the heat on her face spreading throughout her body. "Didn't you have this before?"
She didn't believe it.
"No." The answer was very firm. "I've only ever thought about you."
Xie Qingci reached out and covered the honest and straightforward mouth in front of her, feeling like she was about to evaporate. She decided to end the topic, "You're not allowed to speak."
Curiosity killed the cat, why did she ask that question?
Liang Jingzhuo's mouth was covered, preventing him from speaking. He could only express his dissatisfaction with his eyes, as if to say, "You asked the question yourself, and now you're angry and not letting me speak."
Xie Qingci let go and lay down again. A long time passed, so long that he once again thought the person on top of him was asleep.
She suddenly called his name again: "Liang Jingzhuo".
This time, his voice was clearer, no longer soft and limp, as if he had something very serious to say to him.
Liang Jingzhuo suppressed the restlessness surging within him, focused on his conversation with her, and replied with a soft "Mm".
The person in front of her paused for a long time before speaking again, "If one day the relationship between our two families deteriorates, we will definitely have to separate. Can we separate amicably? I won't argue, and I don't want things to get ugly. We didn't sign a prenuptial agreement, but I won't take anything except my own things. Don't speak to me coldly, and don't look at me with such dislike."
Liang Jingzhuo suddenly paused, looking down at the person lying on his chest. Her eyes were downcast, and he couldn't see her expression, but he could feel the damp warmth on her clothes.
This unexpected blow felt like a punch to the heart, leaving me stunned and bewildered.
He reached out and lifted her chin, his gaze suddenly meeting a pair of misty, tearful eyes. The instant she looked at him, a tear rolled down her cheek, its warm, glistening drop landing on the back of his hand, as if scalding his heart.
My heart felt like it had been squeezed, a mix of sourness and bitterness.
He looked at her, his expression solemn. "Why do you say that?"
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and tears continued to fall. "Actually, what those reporters said that day wasn't wrong. If our families weren't connected by interests, we wouldn't be together. We... are not a good match."
From the very beginning, that's what she believed, and that's what she told herself: to enter into a marriage that would benefit both families, and she didn't reject him. She wanted to live peacefully together, whether for a year or ten, it didn't matter to her, but…
Liang Jingzhuo watched as the person in front of him shed even more tears. He softened his tone and suddenly understood something. "So, this is why you've always kept a polite and restrained distance from me?"
He thought she was just slow to warm up, but now he realizes that might be more than that.
Her reddened eyes, brimming with tears that were about to spill, looked up at him and nodded honestly, "Yes and no."
"I really only intended to spend this time with you, without knowing what tomorrow would bring. When it really came time to part, I was willing to leave without anything, just pack my things and walk away. But..."
The tears that had been building up fell again, hitting his chest and his heart, and Liang Jingzhuo's brows furrowed.
He then realized that she had married him with the intention of eventually separating from him.
My heart felt infinitely swollen, with a slightly astringent and blocked feeling.
He didn't interrupt her, and waited for her to finish speaking.
Xie Qingci looked at the face in front of her that was unfamiliar and aloof when they first met, but was now so familiar that it was etched into her mind. "But I think I've started to like you a little."
The surroundings were quiet, and her voice clearly reached his ears. Liang Jingzhuo was stunned for a moment, and the wrinkles between his brows slowly smoothed out.
But the person on top of me cried even harder, tears still streaming down their face. "So, you don't need to give me any gifts, and I don't want anything. Just promise me that no matter what the final outcome is, we can part ways peacefully."
Her changing state of mind at different times is the reason she found herself in such a difficult situation.
She struggled for a long time before deciding to face her feelings, but she couldn't bear to see him look at her with eyes even colder than when they first met, when they had to separate one day.
Today, Ms. Zhou asked her what she thought about it. After thinking for a long time, she told her: "I think I might like him a little, Mommy."
Ms. Zhou seemed pleased with the answer, sending a laughing emoji and saying: "Then let's get along well, understand each other, and move forward hand in hand."
She couldn't figure out what else they could do together besides family, and that was all she could offer him.
After saying these words, Xie Qingci felt a little better. She had originally thought that she would never tell him these things on the day they parted, as it was her own secret.
My brain is all muddled today, so I might as well just say some muddled things.
She finally stopped crying and tried to lie down in her spot. "I think I was rambling. I should just go to sleep."
Liang Jingzhuo didn't let her go, but pulled her back into his arms. "You didn't even listen to my answer, so how could you come to such a conclusion?"
Xie Qingci's eyes were still red, and her eyelids were swollen from crying. She stared at him intently.
He raised his hand and used his thumb to wipe away the traces of tears from the corner of her eyes. "I've said we should get along well, and I've also said our marriage is not a game. I've never thought about separating."
He had told her about it after they registered their marriage on Hong Kong Island that day, but that blockhead of hers simply didn't remember.
"Why are you crying?" He looked intently into her eyes. "I'll say it again, this isn't just a marriage arranged by family; it's my own choice to marry you. I've never thought about separating. Or is there someone else you'd rather be with?"
When she cried like that, he almost thought she was being forced to marry him.
In those few short minutes, he had already thought of several possibilities and solutions.
"Even if that's the case, I won't let you go." This was the decision he made after much internal struggle. "You agreed to marry me, and I'm only committed to this outcome. I'll do everything in my power to make you fall in love with me."
If he finds someone he likes more, he will steal her heart, using any means necessary and at any cost.
Xie Qingci was stunned for a moment, "What...?"
When did she say that? Are you so good at making things up?
"Is it hard to fall in love with me? Or is liking me something you're ashamed to admit?" He asked with a confident and resolute expression.
Xie Qingci's cheeks flushed slightly. She gave in to his gaze and rolled over to get off him. "I want to sleep."
Her attempt to leave was stopped again. She frowned, her voice half-angry and half-reproachful, and called his name: "Liang Jingzhuo!"
Liang Jingzhuo met her gaze firmly. "You didn't answer me."
She avoided eye contact and answered in a low voice, "No."
Feelings have no reason, nor do they need one. If you're moved, you're moved; there's nothing to hide.
"Are you still sleepy?" he asked.
Xie Qingci turned her gaze back, "What?"
His gaze was direct and frank as he looked at her. "If we're not sleepy, we can do something else."
"?" She looked bewildered. "What?"
He kissed her as soon as he finished speaking, saying, "Let me prove that I like you too."
? ?
Is this how it's proven?
Before she could think it through, a kiss broke through the barrier of her lips and teeth, capturing her lips and tongue.
Not only her breathing was failing, but her heartbeat was also losing control. She leaned back slightly, her hands climbing onto his shoulders until her back was completely on the bed, at which point their positions were reversed.
Liang Jingzhuo is not thinking about whether she will regret it after she sobers up, nor is he considering whether he is taking advantage of her vulnerability.
Seton's chest burned with desire at her words of affection; he wanted nothing more than to kiss her and possess her, unable to spare a thought for anything else.
The person beneath him got into the mood quite quickly tonight, perhaps because of the alcohol, and was also more proactive, ready without any guidance from him.
They're incredibly well-behaved.
The neckline of her pajamas was askew, revealing one of her beautiful collarbones. She looked at him with hazy, dreamy eyes, and he noticed the small brown mole on her neck that he had observed when they first met.
He lowered his head and kissed her, then followed the slender lines of her neck, kissing her chin and lips, continuing to kiss her.
Xie Qingci felt even more dizzy, and her hand, which was on her waist, rubbed her skin through her pajamas again and again.
She was only wearing pajamas, and as she placed her hands on his chest and wrapped them around his neck, her hand also slipped under the hem of his pajamas.
...
Her lips were being kissed, and she couldn't speak. She could only use her hands to hold onto the back of his hand to indicate that she couldn't. Liang Jingzhuo understood what she meant and withdrew his hand.
The indoor underfloor heating was set too high, and they were both sweating. It was excessively hot. Liang Jingzhuo ended the long kiss, pecked her lips twice, straightened up, and took off his pajamas.
The equipment here is the same as what I bought last time I came to Jingzhao; it's peach-scented.
The sweet scent of peaches filled the air, mingling with her delicate fragrance and a hint of alcohol.
She looked at him, somewhat bewildered and taken aback.
He leaned down and kissed her, whispering a promise in her ear.
...
They've been apart for so long that they're all a bit sensitive.
Midway through, he chuckled softly in her ear, "A peach? Yao Yao."
It perfectly matches the scent of the equipment they're using today.
Xie Qingci was speechless, only feeling as if she had gotten a little drunk again.
...
Finally, Liang Jingzhuo noticed something unusual about the person in front of him; her temperature was still scalding hot, just like the temperature inside her mouth when he kissed her before.
He initially thought it was because she had been drinking, but now that he realized something was wrong, he frowned and asked her, "Xie Qingci, do you have a fever?"
Xie Qingci's mind went even more muddled. She was drenched in sweat, and almost clenched her teeth, forcing herself to speak: "You're not allowed... to speak..."
His voice still carried a low, husky sexiness, as if he were lost in lust, and she assumed he had learned some puns or suggestive phrases again.
Liang Jingzhuo brushed aside her sweaty hair, touched her forehead, and then withdrew.
A moment later, a real "gun" in another sense was inserted into her cochlea, accompanied by two high-temperature alarms, and the verdict was delivered: "You have a fever."
The number on the digital display soared to 38.9, which was no longer a low-grade fever.
Xie Qingci didn't have the strength to open her eyes, and vaguely uttered a "hmm..."
She couldn't tell if she was drunk, had a fever, or was simply too weak from the recent sexual encounter.
Liang Jingzhuo got off the bed, removed her belongings, took out a tissue to tidy her up, then turned around and picked up her clothes to put them on. Afterwards, he helped the limp person on the bed up and dressed her, taking very thorough measures to keep her warm inside and out.
After dressing the person, he picked them up and said, "Let's go to the hospital."
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