Chapter 97 Come here, kiss me
Qu He naturally saw the mark as well, and glared at him, "How am I supposed to face anyone tonight like this?"
She tried pulling her collar up a bit, and thankfully it was enough to cover her up.
Zhuang Bieyan frowned upon hearing her words, "Tonight? Who are you going to see?"
"Brother Shi'an".
"What?"
"Hey... what are you doing!"
The collar that I had painstakingly straightened was pulled open again by him, revealing the marks once more.
Zhuang Bieyan gave her a resentful look, pulled up her collar, and said sourly, "What does Zhou Shi'an want with you? Is he still not giving up?"
Qu He punched him lightly, annoyed. "Don't be so conspiratorial. Teacher Qi Mo is involved too."
Around noon, Zhou Shi'an messaged her, saying that Teacher Qi had just landed in England yesterday and wanted to meet her.
Qu He had a vague premonition, but she dared not think about it.
If you don't have expectations, you won't be disappointed.
"When will it end tonight? I'll come pick you up."
"Okay, I'll send you a message later."
Zhuang Bieyan played with her fingers, then suddenly thought of something, his words becoming even more sarcastic: "Ahe, Zhou Shi'an is only a few months older than you? And you call him brother?"
Qu He disagreed, "That's what I've called you since I was little."
He suddenly leaned in and touched the tip of her nose: "What about me? I don't think I've ever heard you call me Ayan."
"Could you call my name?"
Qu He tilted her head, "No."
He took her hand, kissed it, and coaxed her softly, "Ahe, call me that, please."
The knocking at the door went on several times. Qu He, annoyed by his persistent knocking and afraid of disturbing his meeting, could only call out softly, "Ayan."
Zhuang Bieyan laughed instantly, then pressed his advantage, "Anything else?"
what else?
Qu He looked into his smiling eyes, and the word "you" flashed through her mind. "You..."
Zhuang Bieyan shook her hand, coaxing her, "Ayan, what? Say the last two words."
Qu He couldn't utter the last two words at all, and shook her head: "No."
Zhuang Bieyan persisted, teasing, "Does Ahe not know her name? Or is she unable to?"
Qu He remained silent.
"Then it seems I'll have to teach you myself tonight."
Qu He knew what he was up to as soon as she heard it, and glared at him, but Zhuang Bieyan interpreted it as a shy and coquettish rebuke.
......
A gentle night breeze was blowing.
Qu He came out of Wangjiang Pavilion, her steps a little unsteady, and she almost bumped into a pillar at the entrance.
Fortunately, Zhou Shi'an was there to help her up.
He looked helpless: "You shouldn't have drunk so much just now."
Qu He raised her head, her voice rising: "Brother Shi An, I'm so happy! You know what? I've finally made up for the regret I had back then!"
Qu He had expected there would be many people having dinner that night, but when she arrived at the private room, she found that there were only the three of them.
And just as she had guessed, Teacher Qi Mo gave her another chance.
This time, she was one step closer to her dream, so she drank a few more glasses of wine during dinner.
Qu He looked at Zhou Shi'an with utmost sincerity, "Brother Shi'an, thank you, thank you so much."
Zhou Shi'an supported her, and was also affected by her emotions, his face lighting up with a smile.
"Actually, the person you should thank the most is yourself who never gave up on what you love. During the past few years when I was studying with my teacher in the UK, I often heard him talk about a very talented student, and later I found out that person was you."
He took a step closer, the darkness making his eyes appear even deeper. "This time, you took the initiative to resolve your teacher's inner conflict, so you don't need to thank anyone. You deserve it."
Zhou Shi'an's heart stirred, and just like when they were children, he touched the top of her head, "Junior Sister."
Qu He smiled brightly, "Thank you, senior brother."
She didn't know if she was drunk or if her emotions were too overwhelming, but she really wanted to see Zhuang Bieyan, to throw herself into his arms, and tell him the good news.
She wanted to share her happiness with him immediately! To share it with him.
The two were both lost in their own emotions and didn't notice a flash of light appearing behind the bushes not far away, which disappeared in an instant.
The night breeze blew, ruffling Qu He's hair.
Zhou Shi'an looked at her flowing black hair and subconsciously slowly raised his hand.
But before her fingers could even touch him, she saw the figure behind Qu He.
Zhuang Bieyan stood not far away.
Almost simultaneously, Qu He seemed to sense something as well, and suddenly turned around.
The next second, her smile became even brighter, and she ran off without hesitation. The strands of hair that flew up were fleeting in Zhou Shi'an's palm, leaving only a slight itch, yet it seemed to have seeped into his heart.
Zhuang Bieyan took a few steps forward, opened his arms and caught the person who rushed towards him steadily, his tone indulgent but worried: "Running so fast, be careful not to fall."
"I knew you would catch me." Qu He looked up at him in his arms.
Zhuang Bieyan fixed her hair and smiled indulgently.
Zhou Shi'an stepped forward and looked at the soft and delicate Qu He in his arms, who was completely different from how she had been in front of him just now.
Zhuang Bieyan was helping Qu He straighten her clothes when, whether intentionally or unintentionally, he gently tugged at her collar, causing it to slip down slightly.
The red mark was exposed to Zhou Shi'an's eyes, and it was particularly conspicuous under the streetlights.
It deeply stung his eyes.
He felt a pang of sadness.
Zhou Shi'an took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and said calmly, "Mr. Zhuang, Xiao He drank a bit too much tonight."
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Bieyan immediately checked her eyes. After confirming that there was only intoxication and no tears in her eyes, he breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems he took hangover medication beforehand.
He looked at Zhou Shi'an, polite but distant: "Thank you."
Seeing Zhou Shi'an's stiff face, Zhuang Bieyan calmly helped Qu He adjust her collar and softly asked, "Are you going home?"
Qu He nodded as she nestled in his arms.
Zhuang Bieyan hugged her tighter and nodded to Zhou Shi'an: "Then let's go home first."
Watching the two embrace and leave, Zhou Shi'an felt a surge of resentment and impulse, and blurted out his call to them.
"Mr. Zhuang!"
Zhuang Bieyan stopped in his tracks, but did not turn around.
"Mr. Zhuang, my teacher has decided to formally accept Qu He as his apprentice."
He walked forward step by step, as if emphasizing something.
“She will be going to England with us soon. Mr. Zhuang, pottery is Qu He’s dream. Please set her free and let her pursue what she loves.”
Zhuang Bieyan turned his head, his eyes as cold as an icy pool, "Set her free?"
Zhou Shi'an met his cold gaze and insisted, "The identity of Mrs. Zhuang will only restrict her. She is free! She should pursue what she loves, and Qu He has already personally agreed to go to England with us."
Zhuang Bieyan's jawline tightened, and his aura turned cold. "Mr. Zhou, I think you've misunderstood. I unconditionally support Ahe in pursuing her dreams wherever she wants. She has always been free in my eyes. We are husband and wife, and it's none of your business, Mr. Zhou."
After saying that, he didn't give Zhou Shi'an any chance and left with Qu He in his arms.
The Maybach was parked downstairs at Wanhua Garden.
Zhuang Bieyan picked her up and carried her into the elevator.
After entering the room, he gently placed her on the sofa, loosened his tie, and with an eager possessiveness, lifted her chin and leaned down to kiss her.
Numerous kisses landed on her lips and neck.
A hint of red flashed in Zhuang Bieyan's eyes. He found the faded red mark from that afternoon again and kissed and bit that skin.
Retaliatory.
It left a deeper mark, one that carried connotations of punishment and symbolism.
Qu He's eyes welled up with tears, and she didn't know what to do with her hands, so she grabbed his arm.
His breath brushed past her ear, making her feel hot all over, and Qu He shrank back.
But Zhuang Bieyan wouldn't let her hide, his voice low and hoarse: "Ahe, call my name."
“Ayan…”
Zhuang Bieyan continued kissing her, pressing for a deeper promise, "Say it, you want me."
Qu He's mind was blank, and she looked completely bewildered.
Zhuang Bieyan continued, patiently coaxing her, as if pleading, "Ahe, you want mine."
He repeated it over and over again, and finally heard the words he wanted from Qu He.
"I want you."
Zhuang Bieyan smiled with satisfaction, scooped her up, and had her straddle his lap so that the two faced each other.
He cradled the back of her neck, their foreheads touching, and pleaded, "Ahe, kiss me."
He couldn't deny that, because of Zhou Shi'an's words, he experienced for the first time what it meant to be anxious about gains and losses.
Ah He is free; he cannot bind her.
This was the only way he could confirm that she was still there.
"Ahe, kiss me, please." He pleaded again, with a hint of vulnerability that was barely perceptible.
This time, Qu He seemed to sense his inner panic and quickly fulfilled his request. She lowered her head, cupped his chin, and kissed him firmly.
The night seemed exceptionally long. Qu He didn't know when it ended, only that Zhuang Bieyan kept talking to her for a long time, and when it ended, he held her very tightly.
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