Chapter Sixty-Seven
The hotel’s soundproofing was far from ideal, especially in the corridors. Even late at night, people came and went, and one might unexpectedly encounter someone opening a door like a ghost emerging from the shadows.
Shen Qianzhan worried about being seen with Ji Qinghe knocking on her door in the middle of the night and feared that prying ears might add another chapter to her romantic history. So, upon learning it was Ji Qinghe outside, she casually threw on a coat and went to open the door.
Her attire was not entirely proper. At first, she only cracked the door open a sliver to peek outside.
Seeing Ji Qinghe standing alone in the corridor, she realized he was the only one there and grew bolder, opening the door halfway.
Above him hung a wall lamp suspended from the ceiling, casting his figure half in light and half in shadow. His expression was inscrutable.
Before she could speak, Ji Qinghe’s gaze drifted downward, lingering on her long legs, fully exposed beneath her nightgown.
Shen Qianzhan followed his line of sight, but before she could utter a word, he averted his gaze. "I saw light under your door and guessed you weren’t asleep yet."
His glance was fleeting, devoid of any discernible emotion, though his brows were slightly furrowed. Even this brief moment did not escape Shen Qianzhan’s notice.
The more he acted this way, the more composed she became.
He was the one knocking on her door in the dead of night—was she not allowed to answer in her sleepwear?
She parted her lips to speak, but her eyes fell on the incense stick in his hand, pausing briefly. "What’s this?"
"Gilded Pagoda."
Ji Qinghe handed her the incense stick and its holder. "I thought you might have trouble sleeping tonight."
The pagoda-shaped incense holder he held was exquisitely crafted and small in size, designed as a nine-tiered gilded pagoda. At its top was a perfectly sized circular hole for inserting incense. The body of the pagoda was adorned with carved dragons and phoenixes, dusted with gold powder, clearly a piece of considerable value.
In her line of work, Shen Qianzhan often interacted with influential investors, many of whom dabbled in incense, jade, antiques, and rare collectibles. Over time, she had developed a discerning eye for such items.
The gilded pagoda in Ji Qinghe’s hand might seem unremarkable at first glance, but its understated, refined gilding indicated it was far from an ordinary incense holder.
She opened her mouth to speak.
Just then, faint laughter and chatter drifted from somewhere down the hallway. Worried someone might step out and witness the scene, she took two steps back and gestured for him to come inside.
Once Ji Qinghe entered, she closed the door and first took the gilded pagoda from his fingers. "An incense holder? Gold-plated?"
Seeing her look as though she might bite it to test the material, a faint smile flickered across Ji Qinghe’s brow. He handed her the wooden box containing the incense sticks as well. "Made of pure gold." After a moment’s thought, he added, "I have a collection room in Xi’an. Since we’re heading there, I can take you to see it. Ji Lin picked this gilded pagoda. I originally wanted a portable incense holder, and he chose this one for its compact size."
The information in his words was substantial.
Shen Qianzhan needed a moment to process it before she understood what he was trying to convey.
First, he was wealthy—he had a collection room in Xi’an.
Second, the gilded pagoda was nothing special—just an incense holder.
Third, Ji Lin had chosen the pagoda-shaped holder; he hadn’t been aware of it.
If anyone else had said such things in front of her, Shen Qianzhan would have assumed they were subtly showing off their wealth. But with Ji Qinghe, it was different—this man flaunted his riches openly, without needing to pick the right moment.
"It’s too precious," Shen Qianzhan said after admiring it, handing the gilded pagoda incense holder back to him. "The thought of the incense burning down and scorching it makes me uneasy."Ji Qinghe lowered his gaze, glanced at her, and said, "Compared to you being able to sleep peacefully, it's nothing worth mentioning."
He took the gilded pagoda incense holder, stepped inside, and searched for an ashtray.
The ashtray contained unemptied cigarette ash. He turned his head and glanced at Shen Qianzhan.
The corners of his eyes drooped slightly, and though it was just a casual glance, Shen Qianzhan distinctly sensed the interrogation and reproach in his gaze. She cleared her throat lightly and explained, "During the meeting tonight, Shao Chouxi and Su Zan each smoked a cigarette for over half an hour."
Shen Qianzhan had long grown accustomed to the men around her smoking in groups. Seeing his brows slightly furrowed as if he couldn't stand the smell of smoke, she belatedly caught a whiff of the lingering scent of cigarette ash. "I have another ashtray in my room."
Seeing her about to return to her room, Ji Qinghe looked down at her bare feet, took her hand, and stopped her. "Go put on your slippers. I'll get it."
With that, he stood up and walked into the bedroom.
Shen Qianzhan followed him with quick, small steps. Seeing him find the ashtray placed on the windowsill and set the gilded pagoda incense holder inside, she leaned against the wall, half-jokingly and half-seriously teasing, "Mr. Ji is really familiar with my room."
Ji Qinghe ignored her remark. He took a stick of incense from the wooden box, lit it with a lighter until it smoked, and inserted it into the incense holder.
"I'm not just familiar with your room," he said without looking at Shen Qianzhan, scanning the surroundings as he placed the ashtray in a well-ventilated spot. "I'm familiar with you too."
Once everything was settled, Ji Qinghe set the lighter aside and reminded her, "One stick of incense lasts about half an hour. The scent isn't strong—it's calming and repels mosquitoes. If you find it stuffy or irritating, just extinguish the incense and open the window for ventilation."
Shen Qianzhan remained leaning against the wall, unmoving.
Woken by a midnight fright, she felt physically drained, as if her bones had been pulled out, leaving her languid and lacking energy. Only her mind remained active, connecting his earlier words with his later ones. In a soft, weary tone, she asked, "Worried that I drank coffee this afternoon and might have trouble sleeping tonight?"
Without waiting for his answer, Shen Qianzhan answered for him and then jumped to another question. "When did you prepare the incense and the pagoda holder?"
The smoke from the incense gradually condensed into a wisp, dispersing into the air.
Ji Qinghe confirmed that the scent wasn't too pungent, left the wooden box behind, and walked back to stand before her.
Her expression was lazy, the hair at her temples disheveled, her earlobes slightly red, and faint marks from the pillow were visible from her chin to the side of her face. He lowered his head and looked at her carefully. "Did I wake you?"
Then he denied it himself. "That shouldn't be the case."
"Your room was still dark before Fu Xi returned to his."
Shen Qianzhan noticed that his words weren't as cryptic as usual, where he often left three parts unsaid for every one spoken. Her sharp eyes caught the slight redness on his neck, and on impulse, she leaned close to his lips to take a sniff.
As she expected, the lingering scent of alcohol clung to him, masking his usual cool fragrance with a slightly stronger aroma.
She was somewhat surprised. "You drank?"
"A little," he replied, his mind clear—he hadn't drunk much.
With her suspicion confirmed, Shen Qianzhan was even more astonished. "You drank?"
The same words, but in a different context.
Ji Qinghe saw her eyes wide with shock and found her expression even more endearing than her earlier lazy, charming demeanor. He chuckled softly. "Is it strange?"
Strange, indeed!
He had never broken his rule at social gatherings, yet tonight, without any warning, he had taken a sudden interest in drinking. Wasn't that strange enough?"Did Teacher Fu's dullness anger you, making you drown your sorrows in drink?"
"Or was Teacher Fu so naturally gifted that he accidentally surpassed his master, and you got overly excited?"
These reasons were utterly absurd, not even convincing to Shen Qianzhan herself. She stood on tiptoe, cupped Ji Qinghe's face in her hands, and studied him closely, trying to see something in his eyes.
Yet, beyond the deep, dark depths, she only saw her own reflection.
"Making a fuss over nothing." Ji Qinghe lifted her slightly, lowering his head until their noses touched. "I was testing Fu Xi to see if he could restore the wristwatch to its original state within the allotted time."
"This student isn't easy to teach—not only is he unconvinced, but he also made a bet with me."
He leaned in as if to kiss her.
Shen Qianzhan knew that Fu Xi went to Ji Qinghe's room every night after work for extra tutoring, cramming at the last minute.
It was good that the actor was willing to put in the effort. Shen Qianzhan was aware of this and happy to see it.
She just hadn't expected Fu Xi and Ji Qinghe, both over thirty and seemingly mature and steady, to resort to betting during their private lessons.
She curved her lips. "What was the bet?"
"He wanted to bet my most beloved person." Ji Qinghe paused, his thumb stroking her temple as he murmured, "I thought about it—you're my most beloved, and I couldn't risk that."
He kissed her, a brief taste that left him wanting more.
"So I changed the bet. If he could finish within the time limit, I'd do something I hate the most."
"So you drank?" Shen Qianzhan asked.
Ji Qinghe didn't answer, only kissed her again, savoring her lips, reluctant to pull away.
Shen Qianzhan's heart fluttered, her already soft body growing even more pliant.
She tilted her head up to meet him, her words muffled and unclear as their lips and tongues tangled. "After drinking, you felt resentful and came to tell me, hoping to soften my heart?"
Ji Qinghe didn't catch it, releasing her lips to lightly brush her nose, signaling her to repeat herself.
"I asked if you drank and felt resentful, then came to tell me to soften my heart?"
He chuckled softly, replying, "You asked first."
He was laughing a lot tonight, his low laughter utterly captivating. Shen Qianzhan felt her thoughts wander, wrapping her arms around him, her fingertips lightly tapping his back. "Don't deny it."
Clearly, he was full of cunning, always scheming against her.
"If you say so, I won't argue." He turned his head, his lips landing on her earlobe before moving to behind her ear.
She carried a faint scent, not from any perfume, without top or base notes—just uniquely hers, refreshing and intoxicating, more enchanting than any fragrance he knew.
Shen Qianzhan squirmed from the tickle of his breath, hitting him twice. Seeing he still didn't know when to stop, she took the initiative, standing on tiptoe to whisper in his ear.
With his height advantage, Shen Qianzhan didn't gain much.
Instead, Ji Qinghe held her tightly in his arms, exploring her from head to toe.
Shen Qianzhan grew increasingly annoyed, whispering several times for him to stop.
When he kissed down from her collarbone to her chest, she lightly tugged his hair and called his name. "Ji Qinghe."
He hummed in response, his voice low and husky, as if from deep in his throat. "I know my limits."
What limits! Limits!
Shen Qianzhan bit her lip and let out a soft moan, unsure whether it was from pleasure or restraint.Ji Qinghe remembered she was still on her period and did not overstep. Holding her until his breathing steadied, his gaze fell on her bare feet resting on the carpet. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "Can I stay here tonight?"
Shen Qianzhan shook her head.
The next moment, he lifted her by the hips, parting her legs to wrap around his waist, and carried her into the bathroom in a few strides.
Shen Qianzhan was startled, a gasp catching in her throat before she suppressed it. "What are you doing?"
Ji Qinghe did not answer.
His steps were heavy and steady as he carried Shen Qianzhan all the way to the vanity counter before setting her down. Then, he turned on the faucet, adjusted the water temperature, and with wet fingers cradling the soles of her feet, carefully immersed them into the basin filled with water.
One of Shen Qianzhan’s arms was still draped over his shoulder. She lowered her gaze, staring unblinkingly at his profile.
With one hand holding her ankle and the other gently massaging the sole of her foot, he focused as if handling a work of art. Indeed, to Ji Qinghe, Shen Qianzhan was a priceless and rare treasure.
Her feet, like the rest of her, were slender and delicate.
Her toes were rounded, her toenails finely shaped, and the skin from her ankles to the tops of her feet was fair and luminous, like fine mutton-fat jade—translucent and warm to the touch.
He washed her feet meticulously, only looking up when he sensed her unwavering gaze, meeting her eyes in the mirror.
At that moment, Shen Qianzhan was struck by a nearly provocative thought.
She lifted her foot from the water and pressed the damp, dripping sole against his sleeve.
As the warm water soaked into the fabric, she raised her eyes, scrutinizing his expression without missing a detail.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Ji Qinghe’s lips. He gently tapped the tip of her nose with his finger, letting her use his shirt as a towel for her feet.
Shen Qianzhan reminded him, "It’s wet now."
He leaned in to kiss her forehead, his laughter low and unbothered. "Whoever made it wet is responsible."
"Fair enough."
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