Chapter 058: Time and Time Again

Chapter 058: Time and Time Again

The night was deep, and the lights sparkled.

Ji Pushu returned to the Qin family home, while Jiang Hanwei took a car back to the Ji family.

The lights were still on at the Qin residence. When she entered, a servant came up and asked, "Miss Ji, would you like a midnight snack? I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare it."

"Yes," Ji Pushu said, as she was still a bit hungry. She hadn't eaten much at the banquet. "Something simple—plain noodles will do."

"Very well, I'll go tell the kitchen now."

·

Ji Pushu didn't see Qin Ce in the main hall and felt a little uneasy, though she wasn't sure why.

She went upstairs to check and found him taking a bath in the bathroom, humming a tune. She breathed a sigh of relief—if he was humming, his mood must be good.

Ji Pushu returned to her room to change out of her evening gown, remove her makeup, and slipped into a simple tank top and shorts. She put on her slippers and headed to Qin Ce's room.

By then, Qin Ce had already come out, drying his hair with a towel. He wasn't surprised to see her and simply asked, "Did you not have fun at the banquet?"

Normally, when she went to such events, she wouldn't be back until around ten o'clock. It was only about nine now—much earlier than usual.

"No fun at all without Brother Ce with me," Ji Pushu said, taking the towel from him and began drying his hair.

Qin Ce had just come out of the bath, his hair messy with a few strands falling over his forehead, making him look several years younger.

They used the same brand of body wash, so he carried the familiar scent she knew.

"Is that so? I thought you'd be having a great time with your friends and might not even come home tonight," Qin Ce said unhurriedly as he tied his bathrobe sash, though his collar was left open, revealing part of his chest.

The word "friends" sounded loaded, as if hinting at something.

Her survival instinct kicked in, and Ji Pushu quickly said, "No way! Without Brother Ce by my side, I'm not happy at all, and I can't sleep, either."

"Is that so?" Qin Ce didn't harp on it. "You didn't eat anything at the banquet, did you? Are you hungry?"

"A little hungry, yeah, but I already told the kitchen to make a snack. There's a portion for you, too." Seeing that his hair was no longer dripping, Ji Pushu put the towel away.

Qin Ce didn't like using a hairdryer. Even in winter, he’d just towel-dry and let it air-dry.

Ji Pushu pushed him toward the elevator to go downstairs.

"Mr. Qin, Miss Ji, your noodles are ready. Eat them while they're hot," the chef said as he brought the midnight snack to the table.

This was a live-in chef who was on call whenever the hosts needed him, even late at night. Normally they hardly ever ate late—only on nights when they came back from banquets. Otherwise, there was no need for the chef to stay.

"Alright, Chef Fang, you can go. Everyone else, you're dismissed too—go rest," Ji Pushu said with a nod, not wanting them to hover.

Soon, only the two of them remained in the dining room.

The big house felt warm, not lonely, with just the two of them. A warm atmosphere hung between them.

"Brother Ce, I bought a pair of gold-thread jade bracelets at the auction tonight, and a vase for you," Ji Pushu chatted about her purchases. "I think I spent... like tens of millions? I can't quite remember. Brother Ce, did I spend too much?"

She wasn't embarrassed—she just wanted to see how Qin Ce would react.

"Was the banquet so boring that you only bought this much?" Qin Ce seemed surprised. Given Ji Pushu's shopping prowess, she usually walked in and, seeing anything she liked, would say, "Wrap it all up for me."

In the past two years, whenever she dragged him out shopping, his two main tasks were carrying her bags and handing over his card to pay.

Seeing his reaction, Ji Pushu was in a good mood, her lips curling up. "Yeah, it was really boring. I even saw someone I didn't want to see, which totally ruined my mood."

"Who?" Qin Ce raised an eyebrow.

He had finished his portion. Seeing that Ji Pushu had eaten only a little and left quite a bit, he naturally helped himself to some of the side dishes he liked.

"Qin Jie," Ji Pushu said. Since she had made her choice, she didn't mind speaking ill of him behind his back. As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance at Qin Ce's reaction. "He's so annoying. He kept talking bad about you in front of me, belittling you, and even told me to dump you and be his lover. Can you believe how despicable that is? With a face like his, he's really a toad lusting after a swan—wishful thinking, huh!"

In truth, Qin Jie wasn't ugly. Qin's father certainly knew how to pick beautiful women—he wasn't blind.

But the problem was his inner character, or lack thereof. He partied too hard and had a sleazy, vulgar demeanor that was hard to ignore.

"Tell me, you two have the same father, but how can you be so different?" Ji Pushu couldn't understand. She didn't notice that Qin Ce's eyes had darkened as he looked down.

"No matter how ugly he is, he's still the heir of the Qin family now. Plenty of people will flock to him. Aren't you tempted?" Qin Ce put down his chopsticks and looked at Ji Pushu.

The question was a bit blunt.

Although Ji Pushu had approached him with ulterior motives, neither of them had ever brought it up. She had pretended that Qin Ce didn't know. Now that it was laid out in the open, she felt a bit guilty.

"Ahem, so what? It's not like I'm desperate for money. I don't need to hurt myself," Ji Pushu said, falling back on her usual tactic. She cupped her face and looked at Qin Ce with adoring eyes. "Besides, with a brain like Qin Jie's, being the heir is useless. He can't even compare to a single hair on Brother Ce's head."

"But Brother Ce thinking that way about me makes me angry. Hmph!" She crossed her arms, pouted, and turned away. "Brother Ce knows I only like you, and I like you the most, but you still doubt me. I'm so sad, boohoo~"

She wiped at the corners of her eyes, where there were no tears, making her act of being heartbroken all the more theatrical, even turning the tables on him.

Qin Ce looked at her deeply. He didn't say he believed her, but he didn't press the issue either. He simply said calmly, "Come here."

"Brother Ce, what's wrong?" Ji Pushu peeked with one eye, feeling a bit uneasy.

"I suddenly want to hold you. What, not allowed?" Qin Ce's directness tonight was frightening, making Ji Pushu feel shy, as if he had become a different person.

"Allowed..." She thought it over and didn't see the harm. She got up and walked over to Qin Ce, who grabbed her arm and pulled her onto his lap.

Ji Pushu had thought it would be a simple hug, but this sudden move caught her off guard. "Brother Ce?"

"Don't move. Sit still," Qin Ce said, patting her waist as he steered the wheelchair toward the second floor.

When he entered his room and locked the door with a click, Ji Pushu's heart raced.

"Brother Ce, I haven't taken off my makeup yet. You should rest well. I'll go back to my room," she said, trusting her instincts. She stood up to leave.

But she was pulled back, her back pressed against a broad chest. She was pinned against the door, Qin Ce's breath warm against her cheek—intimate and dangerous.

Ji Pushu's eyes widened as she looked down. Where was the wheelchair? Qin Ce was standing, moving freely, both legs perfectly fine!

"Brother Ce, your legs..." She was even more confused, realizing he had been faking it all along.

Suddenly, she was lifted into the air and tossed onto the bed. Qin Ce untied his bathrobe, walked over, and leaned down, trapping her beneath him.

He grabbed her hands, his deep eyes fixed on her. "It's obvious, isn't it? I'm fine. Are you disappointed?"

"No... Brother Ce being fine is a good thing. Why would I be disappointed?" Ji Pushu's words were completely sincere.

But Qin Ce's reaction seemed off. She asked softly, "Brother Ce... what's wrong?"

In Ji Pushu's impression, Qin Ce had always been steady, self-controlled, aloof yet with the commanding presence of a superior—a true old-fashioned gentleman.

But now he was dangerous, wild even, shattering the image Ji Pushu had of him.

"Ji Pushu."

Qin Ce pressed down, his knee parting her legs and wrapping them around his waist. His other hand slid to her side, slipping under the hem of her tank top, deftly peeling off her clothes. "Did you ever truly love me—only because I'm Qin Ce, and nothing else?"

The question caught her off guard. Ji Pushu felt a flicker of guilt. Of course she had pursued him for his status, ability, and looks; without those three, he wouldn't even catch her eye.

In her mind, she had to snag the strongest man in the circle, not someone inferior to her—she wasn't there for charity.

"I do love you, always have, from the bottom of my heart, Brother Ce. I swear," she said, knowing she couldn't speak the truth now.

She raised three fingers, blinking hard, trying to make her words sound sincere.

Qin Ce chuckled. "Little liar."

Never mind—no matter how genuine her feelings were, she wouldn't be able to leave him for the rest of her life. She might seem to have choices, but the choice was always his to make.

He lowered his head, capturing her red lips in a fervent kiss, then trailed down her pale neck. His hands were busy too, stirring her until she went limp, like a puddle, her gaze hazy, drowning in the passion.

"Brother Ce... Brother Ce..." Ji Pushu had never experienced anything like this. Last night was just a taste, easily controlled.

"Hold on tight." Qin Ce lifted her by the waist, but she was too tense, and he felt the tightness, struggling to move. Sweat beaded on his forehead. "Loosen up. What's there to be nervous about? Weren't you the one in charge yesterday? You read all those naughty books and watch those little videos every day—didn't you learn anything?"

Ji Pushu blushed. "That's different." This topic kept coming back to haunt her.

"Tell me, in those books, what's your favorite position? How did the characters moan?"

Qin Ce distracted her, and as she relaxed, he pressed forward in one smooth motion. He buried his face in the hollow of her shoulder, savoring the tender embrace, content. They held each other still, joined together, the sense of possession and presence overwhelming.

"Brother Ce, it hurts..." Ji Pushu felt discomfort, clutching him tightly. Her voice, though complaining, was seductive and longing.

Unlike when she took the lead, now Qin Ce was in control, fully united without any space between them, like a sword meeting its sheath.

Qin Ce wasn't reckless or selfish. He didn't move, watching her reaction, waiting for her to adjust. "Over ten seconds have passed. Better?"

"...You're counting the seconds?"

The pain faded, and as her body grew used to him, a hint of craving emerged. She whispered, "Much better..."

"Good. Tell me if it's uncomfortable." When it was his turn to set the pace, Qin Ce wouldn't be as gentle as her. "Tonight, all the time is mine."

Ji Pushu felt like a small boat on a stormy sea, rising and falling with the fierce waves.

She wanted to cry, scared. Was Brother Ce the male lead from that naughty book she read? How could he never get tired?

"Brother Ce, aren't you afraid of... overdoing it? The medical texts say men need moderation; too much drains the body. After thirty, you won't work anymore."

In the middle of the night, Ji Pushu was exhausted and ready to sleep, but Qin Ce was still going, his face flushed with passion.

They had already been in the bathroom, where he cleaned her up and removed her makeup—needless to say. So reserved on the surface, yet such a hidden wild side.

He must have secretly read the books and watched the videos she did—so many tricks!

"Don't worry, I can still satisfy you as much as you want." Qin Ce chuckled softly, kissed her lips gently. "My good Shushu, one last time."

"You've said that several times now." Men are such liars.

But Ji Pushu had to admit, she was completely hooked by that tender "Shushu" in that moment of intimacy.

"Really, I'm not lying. If I am, I'm a dog."

Qin Ce didn't need this one night; there were decades more to come.

But tonight he was in a dark mood, and he wanted to indulge himself in her, so he let himself indulge just this once.

Ji Pushu believed him, obediently playing along with his antics.

But then—

"Brother Ce, you lied to me!"

Ji Pushu couldn't take it anymore. She kicked him, bumping her head on the headboard, then he pulled her back.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. Can't stop now."

"You're a dog!"

"Woof."