Chapter 48

Chapter 48

"Practical combat? Do we need to watch this?" Ye Zhiqiu chuckled and reached for the remote control, but Qin Jianhe grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers.

"Not watching," he said, lowering his head to kiss the tip of Ye Zhiqiu's nose. "I just want to look at you."

He wanted to be more focused on Ye Zhiqiu and didn't want anything to distract him.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

Qin Jianhe was truly something—clearly inexperienced, yet he seemed adept at saying sweet nothings.

Even though these sweet words sounded cliché, when spoken in his slightly hoarse baritone, they became exceptionally endearing.

Even someone as aloof as Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but feel a flutter in his heart.

The two of them lingered on the sofa for quite some time before Ye Zhiqiu got up to take a shower.

"Together?" This time it was Qin Jianhe who asked.

He looked down at him, his eyes dark and deep, somehow making Ye Zhiqiu feel an indescribable pressure.

"Aren't you going to the guest room?" The fingers hidden in the sleeves of his hoodie curled involuntarily as Ye Zhiqiu asked.

Clearly nervous, but the tone of his question sounded teasing.

"Hmm." Qin Jianhe gazed at him steadily, his eyes dark. "Not going."

Seeing him so direct, Ye Zhiqiu relaxed instead.

He smiled, then suddenly remembered something. "But I forgot to bring a change of clothes today."

"I've prepared them for you." Hearing this, Qin Jianhe took his wrist and led him towards the walk-in closet.

This was the first time Ye Zhiqiu had entered Qin Jianhe's walk-in closet.

As the lights came on, he couldn't help widening his eyes.

The closet was spacious, with glass wardrobes on all four walls, spotlessly clean.

Various formal suits, ties, cufflinks, watches, belts, and shoes were neatly arranged, occupying most of the space.

The rest were mostly casual and sportswear.

Ye Zhiqiu immediately noticed several pairs of limited-edition sneakers casually placed in the shoe cabinet, and his eyes lit up.

"Do you like them?" Qin Jianhe quickly picked up on his mood.

Even if he liked them, Ye Zhiqiu smiled; they were all Qin Jianhe's size.

Moreover, most of these pairs were from a while ago, probably collected during Qin Jianhe's school days.

Being limited editions, only a few lucky people had the chance to get them when they were released.

Let alone now.

"No." He shook his head, full of envy. "Most of these are high-end custom-made, right?"

It wasn't the high-end nature that made him envious, but the fact that many were designed by top industry experts, each with its unique style and characteristics, which Ye Zhiqiu could recognize at a glance.

"Hmm," Qin Jianhe understood what he meant. "Thanks to the kindness of those teachers."

"Then why do you still keep your clothes from when you were a teenager?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

"My mother kept them." Hearing this, Qin Jianhe's lips curled slightly. "She said the year I grew to 180 cm, I grew the fastest, so there are fewer clothes in that size."

He paused. "Those were all handmade by her, so she kept them as mementos."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu was slightly taken aback.

Recalling that the few pieces of intimate clothing he had worn back home were still at the Ye residence, he stopped in his tracks.

It would have been fine otherwise.

Even if those clothes were beautiful and made of high-quality materials, they were already old and unusable for Qin Jianhe.

But knowing that Nie Fengjun had made them herself, their significance changed almost instantly.

The word "mother" may seem simple, but it is more sacred than anything else in this world.

Even Tao Ruoqing...

Ye Zhiqiu could hate her and despise her, but he couldn't deny that she was a good mother.

For Ye Zheng and Ye Zhixia, she could give everything.

Compared to Ye Hongxian, that cheap old man, she was much better.

"Then, I'll return those few pieces of clothing to you later." He said, "They're already washed, but I forgot to bring them out."

Qin Jianhe actually didn't place much importance on these things.

His relationship with Nie Fengjun had always been good, and these material possessions were merely icing on the cake. Without them, there was no regret.

But considering Ye Zhiqiu had lost his mother since childhood and might be more sensitive about this aspect, he simply nodded without saying anything.

As they spoke, the two approached a double-door glass wardrobe.

Inside, various silk and linen pajamas, simple undergarments, and several sets of underwear were neatly folded.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

"Is this too much?" he laughed.

In fact, Qin Jianhe had prepared far more than just these items.

Including various clothes, wristwatches, accessories, luggage, and shoes...

However, after several close encounters with Ye Zhiqiu, he changed his mind.

He ordered everything to be reduced, leaving only the most basic daily necessities for him.

Ye Zhiqiu seemed self-assured and carefree, but in reality, he lacked a sense of security deep down.

He needed others to treat and respect him equally, rather than placing him in a position of being taken care of.

Qin Jianhe didn't know, nor could he determine, what Ye Zhiqiu would be like before or after, but at least now, he was willing to meet his psychological needs.

"I wasn't sure what materials or styles you prefer," Qin Jianhe looked at him, smiling faintly. "So I made a little bit of everything."

"I'm not that picky," Ye Zhiqiu said. But since Qin Jianhe had already done it, he bent down and picked out a set to hold in his arms.

"You can also think of it differently," Qin Jianhe looked down at him, then softly added, "I hope you'll come here more often, so I prepared all these."

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Damn!

Qin Jianhe was really good at sweet talk.

If he kept talking like this, Ye Zhiqiu was genuinely worried he might not be able to resist one day.

"Bathing time…" he pulled Qin Jianhe, "The sooner we start, the sooner we finish. We have things to do tomorrow."

The way he said it…

Qin Jianhe couldn't help but chuckle softly.

It sounded less like those intimate, blush-inducing activities and more like going to play some ball or having a meal.

*

When two people bathe together, it's never peaceful.

This time, Ye Zhiqiu didn't have dark circles under his eyes, and Qin Jianhe had learned new tricks. They were relentless, moving from the bathtub to outside.

In the end, Ye Zhiqiu was pressed against the wall, dizzy from kisses.

The bathroom was filled with steam. He felt suspended, unable to touch the ground or the sky, only able to lift his long neck to watch the steam condense into droplets on the ceiling.

Those droplets seemed to fall into his eyes, wetting his cheeks with a single blink.

Pleasure, stimulation, and madness grew wildly in his veins like weeds in the wind.

Ye Zhiqiu couldn't take it anymore and bit Qin Jianhe hard on the shoulder.

"Who's the dog here?" Qin Jianhe asked, his voice hoarse with moisture, making Ye Zhiqiu unconsciously tighten his bite.

After coming out of the bathroom, Ye Zhiqiu felt like his soul was almost gone.

He lay on the bed, covered by a thin blanket, while Qin Jianhe sat beside him, holding a hair dryer to dry his hair.

Once his hair was dry, Qin Jianhe gently rubbed his head, smiling teasingly. "Who's the dog? Hmm? Ye Zhiqiu?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Last time, he cursed someone as a dog multiple times, and today he ended up biting someone until they bled.

"It's all your fault for being so wild," he argued weakly. "If I didn't give you a bite, I might not even make it out alive."

The things he bought were meant for Qin Jianhe to experience, but in the end, he used them all on himself.

Qin Jianhe was a wolf.

Usually calm and rational, but once in bed, he turned into a mad dog.

Thinking about it, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but glare at him again.

His eyes were naturally beautiful, and now, with a watery sheen and a hint of red at the corners, they were even more pitiful.

Qin Jianhe lay down beside him, leaning over to kiss his eyes.

His lips were soft and warm, gently sucking at the corner of Ye Zhiqiu's eye, making his eyelashes tremble.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" he asked. "Why are you in such a hurry to finish?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

He wanted to finish early and rest, but it was already late.

"Going to the company," he said sullenly.

"Not considering taking a break?" Qin Jianhe asked.

"Mm." Ye Zhiqiu responded softly, then after a while, he mumbled, "What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

Actually, it was an early flight, but Qin Jianhe didn't say.

"Not decided yet," he said.

Ye Zhiqiu's eyelashes started to flutter, and he raised his hand to yawn slightly.

Qin Jianhe pulled him into his arms and let him rest his head in the crook of his neck.

"Qin Jianhe," Ye Zhiqiu murmured just before falling asleep, "don't learn those little tricks anymore."

A soft laugh echoed in his ear, and Ye Zhiqiu felt a warm hand gently rub his back in comfort.

His nerves inexplicably relaxed.

Plunged into darkness, Ye Zhiqiu sank into a deep sleep.

When he woke up again, sunlight was streaming through the gaps in the curtains.

"Wake up?" The man beside him, who was looking at a tablet, immediately noticed his movement and smiled down at him.

Qin Jianhe had already gotten up and was dressed in a suit, looking as elegant and dignified as always. Every move he made seemed refined and graceful,

leaving Ye Zhiqiu wondering if the fierce and wild man from last night was really the same person standing before him now.

Seeing him quietly watching him, Qin Jianhe bent down and smoothed his messy hair away from his forehead.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, gazing into Ye Zhiqiu's eyes for a moment before leaning down to kiss his smooth forehead, "Am I good-looking?"

It wasn't an illusion.

Ye Zhiqiu finally confirmed it.

"What time is it?" he asked, noticing how hoarse his voice sounded.

Instinctively, he pursed his lips.

Qin Jianhe looked at him with a bright smile in his eyes.

It was different from his usual light-hearted smile, somehow reminding Ye Zhiqiu of the ray of sunlight filtering through the curtains.

"It's 9:30," Qin Jianhe said, "I made some chicken soup. Do you want to eat first or go back to sleep?"

Just waking up, Ye Zhiqiu was still a bit dazed.

After a while, he finally came to his senses.

"Aren't we going to Hong Kong?" he asked, "When are you leaving?"

"No rush," Qin Jianhe said, "We have plenty of time."

Last night, after Ye Zhiqiu fell asleep, he had notified Zhou Tongxin to change the schedule.

He rescheduled the early morning flight to the afternoon.

When Ye Zhiqiu teased him last night, he couldn't help himself.

He did get a bit crazy.

He thought Ye Zhiqiu might sleep until noon, but he woke up so early.

"Do you want to get up?" Qin Jianhe subconsciously touched his jet-black, soft hair.

"What do you want?" Ye Zhiqiu asked warily, "Are you thinking about doing it again?"

Hearing this, a smile spread across Qin Jianhe's dark eyes.

"Can we?" he asked.

Ye Zhiqiu turned his head slightly, then couldn't help laughing, "Go to hell."

"I'll get your clothes for you." Seeing Ye Zhiqiu perk up, Qin Jianhe's lips curved upwards.

While getting dressed, Ye Zhiqiu went to the living room to find his phone.

Yesterday, they had messed around in the living room, and he hadn't even brought his phone into the bedroom.

The screen showed several unread messages and missed calls. Unlocking it, he unexpectedly saw a call from Ye Hongxian.

He didn't respond, instead checking his work emails and messages first, then browsing the chat records between Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun in their small group.

By the time he put down his phone, the food was already on the table, steaming hot.

The chicken soup was fragrant, and the meat was cooked perfectly, tender and not tough.

There were also two refreshing side dishes.

Ye Zhiqiu was truly hungry and drank two bowls of soup before putting down his bowl.

The words he didn't say last time came out as a sigh, "Qin Jianhe, you can actually cook."

"Mm," Qin Jianhe said, clearing the table, "I can do more. I'll cook for you later."

"Are you setting up another date?" Ye Zhiqiu laughed.

"Mm," Qin Jianhe said, "Is that okay?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Ye Zhiqiu was momentarily speechless, wondering why he kept digging himself into these situations today.

Seeing his exasperated expression, Qin Jianhe smiled warmly.

With everything done, and having eaten, Ye Zhiqiu listened to the sound of running water as Qin Jianhe washed the dishes in the kitchen. He got up to pack his things.

He still had a lot of work to do.

If we move quickly, it should be finished by noon tomorrow.

Then, he would still have half a day to rest tomorrow.

"Qin Jianhe," Ye Zhiqiu said, holding his backpack and leaning against the kitchen door. "I'm heading back now."

The last bowl had just been wiped clean and put into the sterilizer, and Qin Jianhe carefully dried his hands, lowering his gaze.

"I'll go with you," he said. "I also need to go to the company to handle some matters."

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

"Oh," he responded slowly, standing in place for a moment.

He thought Qin Jianhe was going in to get his suitcase, but when he came out, he only had a tie hooked between his fingers.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

"Aren't you going to ask me to help you tie it again?" Ye Zhiqiu asked warily.

"Could you?" Qin Jianhe smiled slightly at the question.

Ye Zhiqiu stepped forward, taking the tie. "You still owe me from last time."

"It's fine," Qin Jianhe said calmly. "Debts don't weigh me down."

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu's cold expression, he chuckled softly and ruffled his hair. "I'll bring you a gift."

"Alright," Ye Zhiqiu's expression softened a bit. "But where’s your luggage?"

"No need," Qin Jianhe said. "The hotel we're collaborating with always has a suite reserved, so everything is there, Ye Zhiqiu..."

At the end, he suddenly called Ye Zhiqiu's name.

Ye Zhiqiu's gaze was still fixed on the sexy movement of Qin Jianhe's throat.

Hearing his name, he was momentarily stunned.

After tying the tie, Ye Zhiqiu took a step back and looked up at him.

"Let's record your fingerprint," Qin Jianhe said, looking at him.

Though he didn’t say more, Ye Zhiqiu knew he was telling him that from now on, he could come over whenever he wanted.

Qin Jianhe was always clever, never saying too much, always leaving room for retreat.

But instinctively, Ye Zhiqiu felt some resistance.

This was Qin Jianhe's home.

No one should casually open their home to others, especially someone like Qin Jianhe.

This home looked clean and spotless...

But who knew if there were any secrets related to the Qin family or Q.L hidden in the corners?

Moreover, he would only come here because of his own needs, or perhaps because Qin Jianhe needed something.

In essence, they were just two people who had suffered severe emotional or life traumas, huddling together for warmth in the cold winter night through the most direct means possible.

If Qin Jianhe wasn't here, what would be the point of coming? Who else would he huddle with?

And if Qin Jianhe was here, why did he need to record his fingerprint?

Ultimately, this home belonged only to Qin Jianhe and had nothing to do with Ye Zhiqiu.

"No need," Ye Zhiqiu said. "Just record my fingerprint in the security system so I can enter your neighborhood."

There was a brief silence in the air. After a while, Qin Jianhe raised his hand and smoothed the stray hair under Ye Zhiqiu's cap.

"As you wish," he said.

On Saturday morning, the roads in the central business district were unusually clear, and Qin Jianhe drove to the company quickly.

With fewer people around on weekends, Ye Zhiqiu got off at the underground garage of Q.L, and then they took different elevators—one for employees and one exclusive—up to the office.

Ye Zhiqiu worked all morning but remained seated the entire time.

His legs still felt uncomfortable from being held up by the ankles for too long last night.

As noon approached, his phone vibrated a few times.

Ye Zhiqiu didn't look at it, focusing instead on cutting fabric with scissors.

Only after finishing the entire set did he put down the scissors and raise his eyes.

There were several unread messages on the screen, but Ye Zhiqiu immediately noticed the sender named "QIN."

He unlocked his phone, opened the chat app, and clicked into Qin Jianhe's conversation.

"QIN: I’m heading to the airport. When you’re done, go back and rest early. Call me anytime, no matter what happens."

After reading the message, Ye Zhiqiu sat quietly for a while.

The midday sun shone through the window lattice, casting dappled light on Ye Zhiqiu's cheek.

The contrast of light and shadow made his face look stunningly beautiful yet astonishingly cold.

It was somewhat like dappled light and shadow, quite changeable and unpredictable.