Chapter Seventy-Two
Ji Lin's footsteps approached from afar, light and brisk.
Within a few breaths, the "tap-tap-tap" sound drew near.
Shen Qianzhan felt her scalp tighten, biting her lower lip hard, not daring to make a sound.
Outside the hidden room, the oblivious Ji Lin was about to push the door open: "Uncle, are you in there? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Separated only by a hidden door, Ji Lin's voice was soft and childlike, like jade pendants falling to the ground, clear and melodious.
Shen Qianzhan was truly terrified. Her hands, clasped behind Ji Qinghe's neck, lightly tapped him twice, her eyes signaling: Hurry up and think of something!
In her nervousness, she lost control of her strength, her nails scratching the back of his neck, leaving several burning trails of pain.
Outside the door, Ji Lin seemed convinced that Ji Qinghe was inside the hidden room, persistently knocking and unwilling to leave: "Uncle! Uncle!"
Ji Qinghe winced in pain, his grip loosening slightly as he pressed her against the door.
The hidden door trembled faintly, the movement causing Ji Lin's knocking outside to pause momentarily. Shen Qianzhan tightened below, waves of pleasure surging from deep within her body like a floodgate bursting open, suddenly lifting her high before dropping her heavily.
She felt like a kite with its string cut, soaring against the wind to its peak in an instant.
After a brief moment of tingling numbness, she went limp, lying motionless on his shoulder, not daring to move.
Ji Qinghe was momentarily stunned before letting out a low chuckle.
His laughter was soft, as if shrouded in mist, clear yet slightly hoarse.
Shen Qianzhan was both furious and flustered, overwhelmed with embarrassment.
Her heart raced as if she had just run eight hundred meters, blood surging wildly, only to be abruptly struck by his laughter. After a brief pause, it nearly leaped out of her chest.
Ji Qinghe wrapped an arm around her, supporting her.
Seeing Shen Qianzhan bury her face in the crook of his neck like an ostrich, he happily stroked the back of her neck to comfort her: "I won't laugh at you. Don't suffocate yourself."
Shen Qianzhan mumbled but didn't move.
This was utterly mortifying.
Outside the door, Ji Lin faintly heard voices and frowned unhappily: "Uncle, I'm going to get angry."
This time, Ji Qinghe finally responded: "Wait for me in the living room."
His voice still carried a hint of hoarseness, slightly low and authoritative.
The little carrot outside fell silent for a few seconds before reluctantly replying, "Oh."
Shen Qianzhan heard him linger outside for a moment, as if picking up a book, before quickly leaving with the same "tap-tap-tap" footsteps as when he arrived.
After the soft sound of the door closing, Ji Lin's voice came from beyond two doors, childish and earnest: "I'm out now, Uncle. Hurry up, don't keep me waiting."
Ji Qinghe didn't respond.
He lowered his head, kissing her from her hair down to her earlobe, mumbling as if seeking praise: "I sent him away."
Shen Qianzhan had just broken into a sweat, her neck sticky and uncomfortable beneath her cascading hair.
He held her with one arm, pressing her deeper against the door, freeing his other hand to gently lift her chin. He lowered his head, deepening the kiss.
This kiss carried a soothing quality, tender and gentle.
At first, Shen Qianzhan was preoccupied with urging him to finish quickly, turning her head several times to avoid him, only to be relentlessly claimed each time. Gradually, she became intoxicated, half-resisting and half-yielding as he stirred the waves once more.
Though Ji Lin had left, the psychological shadow remained, and she still didn't dare make a sound.
A few times, she let out soft moans but quickly bit her lip, lightly pushing him to urge: "Hurry up."
"Can't hurry," he replied, his voice strained as if struggling himself, lifting her with increasing intensity, like a sail.
The hidden room was enclosed, the air stagnant.The overlapping parts of their bodies, warmed by the mingling heat, gradually grew damp with sweat.
Shen Qianzhan felt like a fish out of water, nearly drained of all strength.
After several rounds of back-and-forth struggle, she could no longer hold back her voice, and fragmented whimpers escaped her lips. Her arms, wrapped around Ji Qinghe’s neck, slipped several times, leaving her on the verge of suffocation.
In their previous encounters, perhaps because it was hard-won, he had always taken his time, teasing her in various ways. Each time, when things reached a critical point, he would deliberately hold back, tormenting her.
He wanted to hear her beg, to hear her say she wanted it.
If she didn’t beg or speak, he would bully her endlessly, lifting her high, stirring her to the peak of excitement, only to give her nothing in the end, driving her mad.
Shen Qianzhan had always thought that kind of torment was the limit. Unexpectedly, tonight he used no tricks or techniques, only straightforward, forceful movements, yet he tore her apart piece by piece.
She climbed to the peak and plunged into the abyss several times, teetering on the edge, until he finally rescued her from the sea of desire, lifting her high before gradually bringing her down.
Shen Qianzhan nestled in Ji Qinghe’s arms, silent for a long time.
After a while, Ji Qinghe tilted his head to kiss her temple and ear. “I’ll carry you back. You should take a bath and change your clothes first.”
“Ji Lin must have been too eager to see you, which is why he came over so abruptly.”
Shen Qianzhan was utterly exhausted, unable to lift even a finger.
Hearing this, she only nodded slightly in agreement.
—
Ji Qinghe first took Shen Qianzhan back to her room, then returned to his own shortly after to take a bath and change his clothes.
Worried that Ji Lin might have been waiting too long, he only towel-dried his hair halfway before leisurely heading downstairs to entertain the uninvited guest who had shown up unexpectedly that evening.
Ji Lin had long grown bored from waiting.
The picture book he had taken from Ji Qinghe’s study remained open on the second page even after he had flipped through it for a while.
He listened intently to the sounds upstairs while glancing around restlessly. Just as he was scratching his head in impatience, he finally heard the sound of Ji Qinghe descending the stairs.
Ji Lin perked up immediately, straightened his posture, and pretended to be engrossed in the book.
Only when Ji Qinghe stepped off the final stair did he turn to look, his eyes curved into a sweet, honey-like smile. “Uncle, are you done with your business?”
Ji Qinghe’s lips twitched slightly as he placed his palm on Ji Lin’s head and ruffled his hair. “Who brought you here?”
Ji Lin’s fine, dark hair was tousled into a messy, endearingly foolish look. He tugged at his own head and mumbled, “Dad brought me. He dropped me off at the door, watched me come in, and then left.”
Ji Qinghe went to the kitchen and fetched two cans of Wangzai milk. He opened one, inserted a straw, and handed it to Ji Lin. The other can he held in his hand, turning it over and over.
Ji Lin obediently took it, sipping the milk with small, smacking sounds. “Uncle, where’s my aunt?”
Ji Qinghe didn’t answer. Instead, he pinched Ji Lin’s soft little chin and rubbed it gently. “Are you going home tonight?”
“Yes,” Ji Lin replied, setting the straw aside and explaining eagerly. “Mom’s car broke down on the road, and Dad went to help. He’ll come pick me up soon.” After speaking, he lifted his wrist and checked the time with a serious expression. “You’ve already delayed our meeting for a long time.”
Ji Qinghe lightly tapped the tip of Ji Lin’s nose with his finger. “I haven’t even scolded you, and you’re already complaining.”
Ji Lin tilted his head back to dodge, but his eyes suddenly lit up as he caught sight of Shen Qianzhan standing at the top of the second-floor staircase.
Following his gaze, Ji Qinghe saw Shen Qianzhan, now tidied up, holding the stair railing as she made her way down.She changed into a dark blue velvet gown, the collar perfectly concealing the glimpse of skin below her collarbone. Below the traditional buttons, the waistline of the dress elegantly accentuated her slender waist, making it appear as if it could be held in one hand.
The dress reached her knees, revealing a pair of straight, slender calves. The hem was adorned with sparkling diamonds, dotting the fabric like stars. As she moved, the entire gown shimmered with flowing light, as if stars were swirling across it, illuminating the entire room.
Ji Lin was mesmerized.
He suddenly felt that comparing his future aunt to a spider spirit from the Cave of Silken Webs was entirely inappropriate.
He racked his little brain, and as Shen Qianzhan walked up to him, he finally found the perfect title—Her Majesty, the Queen of the Kingdom of Women.
Ji Lin had previously spoken out of turn and was scolded by Ji Qinghe.
This time, he was much more cautious. Smiling, he watched Shen Qianzhan approach, looked up, and called out, "Auntie Shen."
The address was so unusual that not only Shen Qianzhan but even Ji Qinghe was taken aback.
He inserted a straw into the opened can of Wangzai milk and handed it to Shen Qianzhan. After she accepted it, he turned to Ji Lin and asked, "Auntie Shen?"
Ji Lin nodded. "My dad said calling her 'Auntie' isn’t polite—girls get shy." He spoke earnestly, "Calling her 'Auntie' isn’t good either. Mom says girls don’t like being called 'Auntie'; they prefer 'Miss.' But since Auntie Shen will be my aunt in the future, and 'Miss' and 'Uncle' are a generation apart, I had to compromise and call her 'Auntie Shen.'"
Shen Qianzhan was surprised by how articulate Ji Lin was for his age. She smiled and said, "I’d be happy if you called me 'Auntie.'"
Ji Lin grinned and winked at Ji Qinghe, sweetly switching to "Auntie."
Without bringing up anything else, he meticulously inquired about whether Shen Qianzhan was tired from her journey and expressed how much he had been looking forward to her visit.
Shen Qianzhan had initially worried the atmosphere might turn awkward, but before she knew it, Ji Lin had already snuggled up beside her, chattering away about his school adventures. Amused, she said, "Auntie brought you some LEGO. Would you like to go upstairs and play for a while?"
Ji Lin’s eyes lit up, but then he remembered he was about to leave. The spark in his eyes dimmed, and he pouted, shaking his head. "My dad is coming to pick me up soon."
Not wanting to disappoint him, Shen Qianzhan asked him to wait a moment, lifted the hem of her dress, and went back to her room to fetch the LEGO.
When she returned downstairs with the LEGO, there was another unfamiliar young man in the living room. The man, with his back to Shen Qianzhan, held Ji Lin in his arms and was speaking softly with Ji Qinghe.
Hearing the movement, both Ji Qinghe and the young man turned to look.
At this first meeting, Shen Qianzhan’s suspicions were immediately confirmed. The man holding Ji Lin was likely Ji Suimu, the person Ji Qinghe had mentioned—Ji Lin’s father.
Ji Suimu’s gaze lingered on her face for only a moment before he politely nodded in acknowledgment.
As she approached, Ji Qinghe introduced them. "This is my older brother, Ji Suimu, Ji Lin’s father." Turning his gaze to Shen Qianzhan, he tilted his head slightly and said, "Shen Qianzhan, my future girlfriend."
Ji Suimu knew a little about Ji Qinghe and Shen Qianzhan’s relationship. He smiled politely and said, "Ji Lin was impolite before and offended you. When you come to our home tomorrow, I’ll have him apologize properly."Shen Qianzhan was slightly taken aback. She glanced at Ji Lin, who was held in Ji Suimu’s arms and winked playfully at her, then smiled and said, “It wasn’t offensive at all. Though Ji Lin is young, he’s very sensible.” She handed over the Lego in her hand, her tone gentle. “Tonight, we had a wonderful conversation and felt like we should have met sooner.”
Ji Suimu took it for Ji Lin, bouncing the child slightly in his arms. Ji Lin immediately understood and said, “Thank you, Auntie.”
With a smile, Ji Suimu nodded slightly and added, “Ji Lin has school tomorrow, so I’ll take him home now.”
—
Only after Ji Suimu left did the smile gradually fade from Shen Qianzhan’s face.
Running into Ji Qinghe’s brother tonight had been entirely unexpected. Though she had handled herself gracefully, she had still felt a bit tense, not as effortlessly composed as she usually was during social dinners.
The moment her expression faltered, Ji Qinghe noticed.
“Tired?”
Shen Qianzhan first shook her head, then nodded. Finally, she simply wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and asked for a hug.
Ji Qinghe had long sensed she was barely holding on, and her seeking comfort was exactly what he wanted. He pulled her into his embrace and explained, “Ji Lin goes to school nearby. When his parents are busy, Auntie Xie helps with pickups and drop-offs, so he knows the passcode to my place.”
“But now that you’re here, I can’t let him come and go so freely anymore.”
Shen Qianzhan looked up and met his gaze.
She had intended to retort, “What does that have to do with me?” but the words caught in her throat. She realized she couldn’t blurt it out as casually as she used to.
Earlier, in front of Ji Suimu, Ji Qinghe had introduced her as his “future girlfriend.” The phrase was neither too distant nor too intimate, ambiguous in a way that didn’t seem fitting for a composed and restrained man like him.
Friends were friends, and girlfriends were girlfriends. Even with just one extra word, the nature of the relationship was entirely different.
Yet, their own relationship didn’t quite fit into either category.
Calling them friends felt too shallow, given the depth of their connection.
Calling her his girlfriend wasn’t accurate either, as she had never agreed to it.
The term “casual fling” was too crude, unfit for polite conversation.
It was either a step short or a step too far.
So, when Shen Qianzhan first heard those words, she was genuinely surprised.
Ji Qinghe and Ji Suimu seemed to have an exceptionally close relationship—both family and friends. Whether intentional or not, his words had made his stance clear: he was serious about Shen Qianzhan, serious enough to introduce her to his family even before their relationship was defined, open and direct.
He didn’t hesitate to let Ji Suimu know he was pursuing Shen Qianzhan.
And it was precisely that phrase—“Shen Qianzhan, my future girlfriend”—that made her realize:
It didn’t matter whether she was a producer or a business partner.
It didn’t matter whether she was a fleeting romance.
Despite her many roles and identities, in his eyes, she was simply someone he loved, nothing more.
It had nothing to do with pride or a sense of achievement.
In that moment, Shen Qianzhan truly heard the sound of her world collapsing within her heart.
She knew—she had fallen for him.
Hopelessly so.
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