Chapter 39: Uneasy
That rough kiss was like a sudden tropical storm, carrying with it Zhao Chen's unique cool aura and a strength that was almost panic-stricken, instantly dispelling all of Yu Ling's questions and churning doubts.
His lips were scorching hot, initially plundering and blocking her with a sense of punishment, eager to block any questions she might ask. But soon, the strong force softened like ice melting the moment it touched her soft lips, turning into a torrent of sucking and a lingering rubbing.
His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, locking her firmly in his embrace, and his other hand was inserted into her hair, holding the back of her neck in place, not allowing her to retreat even a little.
Yu Ling was so dizzy from his kiss that her body stiffened and her mind went blank. All her doubts, anger, and uneasiness were turned upside down by this surging kiss, which was filled with strong emotions and a hint of despair.
She was forced to endure it, her nostrils filled with his clean, burning scent, her ears filled with the pounding of her own heartbeat and his suppressed breathing. The shock of that cold "galactic whisper," the strangeness of that international call, the sting of the name "Qianqian"... everything, in this kiss, became blurred and distant.
It was unknown how long it took before Zhao Chen, panting, stepped back a little, his forehead against hers, and their noses touched.
His breathing was still rapid, and his amber eyes were bottomless, churning with intense emotions—a lingering anxiety, a deep sense of possession, and a hint of relief and fear after surviving a disaster. He stared into her eyes, his voice hoarse and unquestionable:
"Lingling, look at me." He held her face in his hands, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. "Don't let your imagination run wild. No matter what happened in the past, no matter who was on the other end of the phone, it has nothing to do with you, and it has nothing to do with the present."
He paused, his eyes so focused that they seemed to suck her in. "My present and future only belong to you. You only need to remember this. Nothing else matters."
His words were like a hot brand, carrying an unquestionable force and an almost paranoid commitment, trying to forcibly cover up the seeds of doubt that had just sprouted in her heart.
Yu Ling was forced to look into his eyes. The emotion in them was too intense, too real, and it flustered her. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat was too dry to speak. Finally, under his burning gaze and forceful declaration, she could only close her eyes wearily, with a touch of self-resignation, and nodded slightly.
Zhao Chen seemed to have received some kind of pardon, and his tense body finally relaxed. He once again held her tightly in his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, and let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief.
The only sound in the living room was the mingled breaths of their two companions. The storm triggered by the phone call seemed to be temporarily suppressed by the kiss. But the muddied waters of Yu Ling's heart could never regain their former clarity and calm. The seeds of doubt, once planted, had quietly taken root.
A few days later, Yu Ling's department's team building arrived as scheduled. The destination was the famous "Yunding Hot Spring Resort" in the neighboring city.
On Friday afternoon, the bus departed the bustling city and wound its way up the winding mountain road. Outside the window, a breathtaking view of lush green mountains shone, the air fresh and fragrant with the aroma of vegetation. My colleagues chatted excitedly, the atmosphere relaxed and lively.
Yu Ling sat by the window, watching the scenery pass by, feeling a bit mixed up. Before they left, Zhao Chen acted like a parent sending his child on a spring outing, giving him detailed instructions.
Bring a coat as it's cold in the mountains, don't soak in the hot springs for too long, pay attention to safety, and keep your phone open at all times... He even "conveniently" stuffed a small box of individually packaged high-end ginseng slices, which are said to relieve fatigue, and a small bottle of imported mosquito repellent spray into her backpack.
"Call me immediately if anything happens, no matter how late it is." He emphasized it one last time as he sent her to the car, the concern and reluctance in his eyes so strong that they could not be dissolved.
This meticulous care warmed Yu Ling's heart, alleviating some of her pre-departure anxiety. However, the shadow cast by that cold phone call and that kiss still echoed softly in her heart like a background sound.
It was already evening when the car arrived at the resort. The setting sun cast a warm golden hue over the rolling green hills. Built into the hillside, the resort's design is imbued with Eastern Zen sensibility. Pavilions and towers are nestled among the lush greenery. With white walls and black tiles, and gurgling water, the environment is tranquil and elegant, truly worthy of its five-star reputation.
Yu Ling and Su Qing, who was on good terms with her from the same department, were assigned to the same room. The room was spacious and bright, with a Japanese tatami-style floor. Just outside the sliding door was a small, private outdoor hot spring pool, steaming with steam. Facing the mist-shrouded mountains in the distance, the view was breathtaking.
"Wow! Lingling, this room is amazing!" Su Qing put down her luggage and ran excitedly to the terrace. "It even has a private hot spring! The company invested a lot of money this time!" She turned to Ling and winked. "Shall we take a bath together tonight?"
"Okay." Yu Ling responded with a smile. She was also infected by the beautiful scenery and temporarily put aside the troubles in her heart.
Dinner was a sumptuous buffet. The atmosphere was even more lively with colleagues gathered together. Yu Ling had a good appetite and chatted and laughed with several female colleagues. During the meal, she pulled out her phone to take a photo of Zhangshan Villa at night to send to Zhao Chen to let him know she was safe, but the signal bar flickered weakly, indicating no service!
"Huh? No signal?" She fiddled with her phone in confusion.
"It's normal!" Su Qing, who was sitting next to him, came over to take a look. "This villa is built in a valley, so the signal is inherently weak. I noticed it as soon as I entered the room. Only near the window or on the terrace can I occasionally get one or two bars of signal. Most places have no signal.
It's so laggy that it's hard to watch a video, let alone make a phone call. "Look at mine, it's the same." She showed Yu Ling her phone screen, and sure enough, it was also out of service.
"Is that so..." Yu Ling put down her phone, a little disappointed. She had to give up on the idea of sending a message to Zhao Chen. She looked around and saw that most of her colleagues were also complaining about the signal problem, apparently a common problem at the villa. The slight disappointment she felt at not being able to contact him was quickly dispelled by the lively atmosphere of the dinner.
After dinner, it was free time. Most of the colleagues chose to experience the resort's large public hot spring area, which boasted various therapeutic pools and a lively water park. Yu Ling and Su Qing opted to retreat to their rooms to enjoy the more private outdoor hot springs.
The mountain air at night was slightly cool, carrying the crispness of grass and trees. Steam rose from the small open-air hot spring, a few fresh flower petals floating on the surface. Yu Ling and Su Qing soaked in the warm water, their fatigue washed away, and they sighed in comfort. They chatted idly, their conversation gradually shifting from work gossip to daily life.
"Lingling, to be honest, I envy you so much." Su Qing leaned against the edge of the pool, looking at the vague outlines of the mountains in the distance, her tone full of sincere emotion.
"What do you envy me for?" Yu Ling was puzzled.
"I envy you for having such a good husband!" Su Qing turned her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her. "Look at your husband, so handsome, so considerate, and he cooks such delicious food! Last time I was waiting for you downstairs, we all saw him. His temperament, wow! The key is how good he is to you! He practically holds you in the palm of his hand! We all say privately that Zhao Chen is the ceiling of 'other people's husbands'!"
Yu Ling felt a little embarrassed by her praise, her cheeks slightly red from the hot springs: "How can it be so exaggerated..."
"Of course not!" Su Qing counted on her fingers. "He picks you up and drops you off every day, rain or shine! He takes care of you all night when you're sick! He'll get you anything you casually mention! Last time, that grand prize at the mall, my goodness! A dress worth over a million! Lingling, your luck is simply incredible! This must be a blessing from saving the galaxy in your past life, right?"
Su Qing's unintentional words, like a fine needle, accurately pierced the corner of Yu Ling's heart that she had deliberately avoided. The special prize was incredibly lucky... Zhao Chen...
The heat of the hot spring seemed to lose its warmth instantly. Yu Ling's smile faded, and the suppressed suspicion in her heart surged again. She looked at Su Qing's genuinely envious eyes, opened her mouth, and ultimately managed only a forced smile, mumbling, "Well... he's quite good."
Su Qing didn't notice her strangeness and was still sighing to herself: "Alas, why can't I meet someone like this? Lingling, you must cherish her! Oh, right," she suddenly remembered something and lowered her voice with a little gossip excitement:
"What does your husband do for a living? Looking at his aura, he doesn't seem like an ordinary office worker. Last time, when he was driving that car, even though it looked ordinary, I felt..."
"He's just an engineer from an ordinary technology company." Yu Ling interrupted her almost reflexively, her voice a little hurried, with a kind of panic and concealment that she herself was not even aware of.
"He pays more attention to the quality of life and is good at managing his life." She tried to make her tone sound natural, but the four words "good at managing his life" seemed so pale and powerless to describe a man who casually gave away a million-dollar "special prize".
Su Qing said "Oh", but her eyes showed obvious disbelief, but seeing that Yu Ling didn't seem to want to talk in depth, she tactfully changed the subject.
Yu Ling was somewhat distracted during the rest of her bathing time. Su Qing's words were like a pebble dropped into the lake, completely disrupting the calm she had worked so hard to maintain.
Zhao Chen's kindness, his mystery, his "ordinariness"... these contradictions collided fiercely in her mind. That cold phone call, that name "Qianqian" that made her heart clench, and now this damned signal that was cut off from the outside world... everything was intertwined, forming an invisible web that made her feel inexplicably suffocated and uneasy.
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