Chapter 68 So what will you call me? I'll call you wife, it's only natural. ...
Her ear cartilage was slightly damp, and a slight itch caressed it. Her body reacted before her brain did, and Wen Qi quickly supported her waist, afraid that she would fall.
As night approached, two round spotlights on the east side replaced the sunlight, casting a soft, misty glow that enveloped Zhu Qingzhi's hair, making even the slight smugness in the corner of her eye clearly visible.
Wen Qi's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he felt the warmth of her body through the thin fabric of her clothes, a warmth more invasive than the lingering, slightly damp itch on his earlobe.
He asked in a hoarse voice, "What?"
Light and shadow flowed in the very close breaths, and the air seemed to become viscous.
"Hey, do you have any Weibo side accounts or anything like that?"
Her voice carried an obvious teasing tone. Instead of backing away, she leaned on his arm that was supporting her waist and entrusted her weight to him with even more confidence.
Upon hearing this, Wen Qi immediately understood what she meant; it seemed she had finally discovered his involvement as a fan site mascot.
He steadied himself, put his left arm around her waist to stop her from running away, and gently brushed his nose against hers: "It's only natural for me to call you my wife."
Her voice was tender, yet tinged with a sense of entitlement. Zhu Qingzhi responded with an "Oh," her gaze darting around without looking at him.
Wen Qi followed her gaze, eventually grabbing the back of her neck and meeting her smiling eyes: "And what about me? What will you call me?"
"President Wen, Brother Wen Qi, Wen Qi, you." Zhu Qingzhi deliberately dragged out the words, tapping his chest lightly with her finger after each address, as if counting some interesting options.
As the last "you" faded, her fingers landed precisely on his heart, and through the fabric of his shirt, she could clearly feel his strong and slightly rapid heartbeat.
She raised her eyes, a sly glint in them: "Choose one, Brother Wen."
Wen Qi caught her mischievous hand and held it in his palm. Her fingertips were slightly cool, a stark contrast to his burning body temperature. As their breaths mingled, he whispered, "Call me husband."
Under the lamplight, the persistence and tenderness in his eyes were clearly visible; it was an expectation that could not be ignored.
Zhu Qingzhi's little rebellious and playful thoughts intensified, and she didn't want him to get his way so easily. She smiled at him, pursed her lips tightly, and refused to respond.
Wen Qi watched her with great patience, but the arm around her waist tightened silently, compressing the already small distance between them to almost nothing.
A night breeze blew by, and Zhu Qingzhi's long hair intertwined with his scent. Tiny glints of light flickered in her cunning eyes. Wen Qi's gaze fell on her lips, and he repeated in a low and firm voice, "Call me husband."
Zhu Qingzhi turned her head slightly to avoid his hot breath, and gave a soft "humph" in a breathy voice, full of coquettishness: "Dream on."
These three words were light and airy, yet they tickled her heart like a feather, more irritating than the itch on her earlobe just now. He tightened his grip around her waist slightly, almost lifting her off the ground a little, forcing her to press closer to him and lean completely against him.
"Dream on?" Wen Qi repeated her words, a dangerous smirk in his deep voice. His nose brushed against her cheek again, with an undeniable intimacy. "She is quite beautiful."
Zhu Qingzhi was amused by his words, and her cheeks were tickled by his touch. She couldn't help but try to dodge, but he held her firmly in his arms.
She raised her hand and pressed it against his chest, clearly feeling the strong heartbeat beneath his chest, each beat striking her palm as if striking her heart.
She stopped laughing and tried to change the subject: "The birthday banquet is about to begin!"
Wen Qi didn't take the bait. He lowered his head, his forehead gently touching hers, his voice even lower, with a seductive magnetism: "Please, please."
The light and shadow flowed ambiguously, illuminating the surging emotions in each other's eyes. He waited patiently, with an almost gentle yet forceful approach, for her to give a response.
Zhu Qingzhi looked at her reflection in his eyes, and at his slightly pursed lips that showed anticipation. Finally, her stubborn resistance crumbled.
She took a deep breath, as if she had made a great decision, and quickly whispered, "Husband."
"I didn't hear you clearly." Wen Qi's eyes widened with laughter, and he took advantage of the situation by turning his head to the side, his lips almost touching her earlobe, his hot breath spraying onto her sensitive skin. "Say it again, Chaochao?"
Zhu Qingzhi blushed and raised her hand to punch him, but he laughed and grabbed her wrist, then placed a kiss on her fingertips.
"You're being a scoundrel!" she glared at him, then turned and tried to run away.
Wen Qi put his arm around her and led her inside, saying, "Please say it again, okay? I'm begging you."
"No." This time, Zhu Qingzhi refused decisively. "How can you beg like that? You beg several times a minute, it's worthless!"
He half-embraced her and half-carried her into the shadows of the porch, where the light was cut off by the pillars, casting a soft, interplay of light and shadow on the two of them.
"Then how should I ask?" Wen Qi stopped, his arms still firmly around her waist. He looked down at her, his eyes focused, as if he were truly seeking advice. "Write an application report? Or do I need to show my sincerity?"
He drew out the last few words, carrying a clear implication, his gaze slowly sliding from her eyes to her lips, then lifting again, the smile in his eyes mixed with lingering anticipation.
"Damn it!" Zhu Qingzhi hurriedly covered her lips; she didn't want her lipstick to smudge again. Her eyes were wet with tears, and she protested through her fingers in a muffled voice, "Sincerity is shown through actions, not through lewd behavior!"
Seeing her tense expression, Wen Qi's smile deepened, and he readily nodded, "Did I say I was going to act like a hooligan?"
Zhu Qingzhi: "..."
The way she said it made it sound like she had misunderstood.
But Wen Qi's hand around her waist showed no sign of loosening. Instead, he used his free hand to gently grasp her wrist, which was covering her mouth, and pulled it down with a gentle yet unyielding force.
Hmm? She didn't misunderstand?
Zhu Qingzhi instinctively resisted, but the difference in strength was too great. He slowly pulled her hand down, and her heart pounded like a drum, thinking that he was going to use the same trick again.
However, Wen Qi did not make any further moves. He simply placed her palm against his left chest while still holding her wrist.
Through the thin fabric of the shirt, Zhu Qingzhi's palm was instantly captivated by the strong, even somewhat rapid, heartbeat. The rhythm was fast and heavy, clearly transmitted, making her wrist feel slightly numb.
"Can you feel it?" Wen Qi's voice lowered, losing its earlier teasing tone and gaining an undisguised seriousness and hoarseness.
The vibration beneath her palm was so real and intense, like the most direct words of love, silently conveying his longing and nervousness. Zhu Qingzhi felt her heartbeat almost keeping up with his rhythm.
Suddenly, a series of chaotic footsteps and arguing sounds came from her ear, getting closer and closer. Zhu Qingzhi immediately recognized who they were and almost instantly leaned out of Wen Qi's arms.
The next second, Gu Qiao and Ji Cen appeared at the corner of the corridor, pulling and tugging at each other, while Zhu Qingzhi, as if programmed by an AI, quickly raised her hand and said "Hi".
"Hi!" Ji Cen responded first, frantically winking, "The birthday banquet is about to start, Brother Wen..."
Gu Qiao shook off Ji Cen's hand, interrupting his attempt to salvage the situation: "Not at all! Not at all!" Then she glared at Zhu Qingzhi, annoyed, "This doesn't count!"
“No, that doesn’t count!” Zhu Qingzhi replied quickly.
Unexpectedly, Wen Qi slowly spoke up: "Why doesn't it count?"
Huh? You don't even understand the situation, what are you meddling in?
Zhu Qingzhi stepped on his foot, preparing to step forward and comfort her young mistress.
Wen Qi grabbed her hand tightly: "Only the person who loves you the most will come to pick you up."
The blush that had just faded from Zhu Qingzhi's face returned, this time not from embarrassment, but from anxiety.
God knows how hard Gu Qiao is to appease! She doesn't want to stay up all night again tonight.
Before Gu Qiao could explode again, she abruptly pulled her hand back, rushed forward, grabbed Gu Qiao's arm, and said quickly and urgently, with a strong sense of ingratiation, "His words don't count! What you say goes!"
As she spoke, she frantically gestured to Wen Qi with her eyes, "Shut up!"
Wen Qi received her almost fiery glare, raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything more. He simply leaned against the pillar with his arms crossed, looking completely indifferent and relaxed.
Just when Zhu Qingzhi thought the storm was about to escalate, Gu Qiao suddenly deflated, her puffed-up cheeks slowly deflated, she glared at Wen Qi, and tugged at Zhu Qingzhi's arm, muttering, "Forget it."
Huh? Why is it just going to end like this? Zhu Qingzhi was stunned, not yet realizing what was going on with this sudden calm.
Gu Qiao leaned close to her ear, her voice low but clear, carrying a hint of gritted teeth and resignation: "He loves you the most, that's the best." She paused, then added, as if in a final act of defiance, "If he doesn't love you, I'll kill him!"
The awkward blessing, coupled with her slightly reddened eyes and softened tone, made Zhu Qingzhi's eyes sting a little. She took her arm tightly and her voice softened: "Okay, okay, in my heart, you will always be the most important person, and no one can replace you."
"That's more like it..." Gu Qiao sniffed and leaned her face against Zhu Qingzhi's shoulder, which temporarily calmed her down.
But she couldn't help turning back and making a fierce throat-slitting gesture at Wen Qi, who was still leaning against the pillar, saying in a teasing tone, "Zhaochao, the person who loves you the most will never make things difficult for you."
Upon seeing this, Wen Qi was not angry at all; instead, a knowing yet helpless smile appeared in his eyes.
He straightened up, put his hands in his trouser pockets, and regained his usual composure, but his gaze remained fixed on Zhu Qingzhi, with lingering warmth and indulgence.
"Miss Gu, please be magnanimous and return my wife to me."
Gu Qiao and Ji Cen exchanged a glance, both seeing a big question mark in each other's eyes.
Is that Wen Qi standing in front of her? Is it really Wen Qi? How can he be even more cunning than her?
She remained silent for a long time, but Wen Qi clicked his tongue lightly, seemingly questioning the value of Gu Qiao's statement about her favorite person.
She swallowed hard, feeling utterly helpless. If she didn't return Zhu Qingzhi, wouldn't she be contradicting herself?
The atmosphere was tense when a "ding" suddenly broke the silence. Ji Cen finally recovered from the shock of "Wen Qi is a dead green tea b*tch." He blinked and looked at the message that popped up on his phone.
"Xiao Tang is here today too."
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Author's note: Kiyoshi [laughing and crying]: I'm really impressed.
Wen Qi [Kiss]: Kiss
Gu Qiao [helplessly]: [question mark]
Ji Cen [cracked]: What did I see?
Ah Mei [kiss]: [kiss][kiss][kiss][kiss][kiss]
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