His Sunday Substitute - Chapter 29

Su Yinuo’s heart was pounding wildly. She lowered her head and glanced at the smooth silk nightgown she was wearing, feeling that kissing him dressed like this was far too dangerous. Yet, she was too embarrassed to say, Let me change first, nor did she want to reject the person eagerly waiting at her door.

“Then… then,” she stammered, nervously tugging at the hem of her gown, “just a kiss, nothing more!”

“Understood.”

Before she could finish, the man before her surged forward, hooking an arm around her waist and pulling her into his embrace. In one fluid motion, he spun her around, shutting the door behind them and pressing her against it.

He bent down, brushing aside her long hair to find her lips, which seemed to hide shyly within the dark strands, and captured them in a fervent kiss. As their lips melded, he tasted something new, something exhilarating and intoxicating. His hands cradled her delicate, feverish cheeks, deepening the kiss, dissolving her restraint and hesitation with every passing second.

His broad palms began roaming the smooth expanse of her back, but the height difference left an agonizing gap between their bodies. He didn’t just want to kiss her, he wanted to hold her, to feel her, to connect with her in ways far more intimate.

So, his hands slid lower, tracing the alluring curves of her body before settling on her thighs. With effortless strength, he lifted her with one arm, settling her against his waist.

Their lips parted briefly as Su Yinuo gasped, a soft sound of surprise escaping her. Afraid of falling, she wrapped her arms around Qin Cangye’s neck, her slender legs slipping free from the nightgown to lock tightly behind his back.

He pulled her closer, one hand cradling the back of her head as he claimed her lips again.

His tongue explored her mouth with relentless hunger, teasing, tasting, dominating. He chased after the softness of her tongue, pressing and conquering, while their bodies remained flush against each other, never separating for even a moment.

The thin silk nightgown might as well have fused with her skin. He could feel every inch of her soft warmth, and she, in turn, could sense the tension and heat radiating from him.

He wanted to move, needed to, but reason held him back. The permission he had been given was only for a kiss.

Su Yinuo was already lost in the haze of his embrace. Clutching his head, she felt her entire body being consumed by his presence, her bones and skin melting under the force of his hold.

Deep kisses were always suffocating. She was entirely at his mercy, too inexperienced to turn the tables or steal even a moment to catch her breath. When the air in her lungs was nearly depleted, her body tensed, trembling faintly like a desperate plea.

That tremor only stoked the fire of his desire. Releasing her lips, his hand slipped beneath her nightgown as he carried her to the bed, tumbling down with her in his arms.

Su Yinuo arched her head back, gasping for air. Only when the dizzying sensation of asphyxiation faded did she realize just how little separated them now. With a startled cry, she jerked away and—

Slap!

Her palm struck Qin Cangye’s face with a sharp crack.

The crisp sound and the stinging pain on his face snapped Qin Cangye back to his senses. He knelt frozen on the bed, clutching the small white garment in his hand, desperately trying to piece together an apology in his mind.

But Su Yinuo was the first to burst into tears. She curled her legs and shrank back further, covering her face as she sobbed, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hit you. I said we could only kiss…”

“I’m the one who should apologize, Nuonuo! It’s my fault!” Qin Cangye hurriedly pleaded. When he tried to move closer to comfort her, Su Yinuo flinched and retreated fearfully, now huddled pitifully against the headboard.

“Nuonuo, I’m a scumbag, I’m sorry. I thought I had self-control, but when it comes to you… I just… I couldn’t help myself. Please don’t be afraid of me, okay? I won’t touch you,” he begged, inching closer.

“Then hurry up and get out!” Su Yinuo wiped her tears with her hands, but through her fingers, she accidentally caught a glimpse of the terrifying thing that had been pressing against her earlier. She immediately covered her eyes again, flustered. “Put your clothes on first!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Go out now!”

“Okay, okay, Nuonuo, don’t be angry!”

Soon, Su Yinuo felt the bed shift, followed by the sound of a door hastily closing. The room fell into complete silence. She lowered her hands, smoothing her skirt, her cheeks burning.

After a moment, she glanced down at her slender arms and muttered, “How can it be that big? It’s thicker than my arm… That’s terrifying…”

The next morning, as soon as Su Yinuo opened her door, she saw Qin Cangye standing outside, looking cautious and weary, as if he hadn’t slept all night.

“I’m sorry, Nuonuo. I went too far last night,” Qin Cangye blurted out the moment he saw her. He grabbed her hand, his grip both frantic and stubborn. “You won’t ignore me, will you? You can’t ignore me.”

His grip was almost painful, but through his damp palm, Su Yinuo could feel the intensity of his unease. She knew it wasn’t just about what had happened the night before, it was also tied to what they had to face that day. So, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, patting his back gently. “It’s okay, it’s okay!”

After a night of tossing and turning in distress, Qin Cangye hadn’t expected to be met with such a tender embrace at dawn. Stunned for a moment, he hugged her back tightly, his eyes reddening, his nose stinging as he whispered her name over and over. “Nuonuo, Nuonuo…”

The memorial service for Qin Cangye’s mother was held at noon in the Qingshan Hall on Chaoyang Mountain.

Dressed in a plain dark gray suit and holding a bouquet of white chrysanthemums, Su Yinuo arrived early with Kong Wenxin. At the entrance, attendants greeted them. After Kong Wenxin handed over the invitation, she linked arms with Su Yinuo and led her inside.

Every year on this day, Qin Cangye would reserve the entire hall, so at this moment, apart from those attending the memorial, there were no other guests inside. The hall was decorated in a fresh and elegant garden style. Su Yinong walked along the cobblestone path, gazing at the empty pavilions, the mirror-like pond, and the trees that had withered and yellowed in the winter. She couldn’t help but feel a chill and a sense of desolation.

The memorial was held in the hall’s auditorium, which was simply furnished with only a few solid wood round tables. The tables weren’t even covered with tablecloths, just adorned with some pre-meal fruits, snacks, and an antique teapot.

The most striking feature in the auditorium was the portrait of Li Ruyin hanging prominently on the central wall at the front.

The moment Su Yinuo stepped into the auditorium, her eyes were drawn to the portrait. Unlike the black-and-white photos of the deceased she had seen before, this was a vibrant, radiant vintage color photograph. The woman in the picture was young, beautiful, and smiling brightly, with a tenderness in her expression that was identical to the way Qin Cangye looked at her. Su Yinuo immediately recognized her, she was Qin Cangye’s mother.

“Ruyin was very beautiful when she was young, wasn’t she?” Kong Wenxin whispered.

Su Yinuo nodded emphatically.

Kong Wenxin, holding onto Su Yinuo’s arm, slowly walked toward Li Ruyin’s portrait, her eyes gradually reddening. She placed the pure white chrysanthemum in her hand on the square table in front of the portrait and murmured in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible, “Ruyin, don’t worry. Cangye will be happy, he really will.”

Su Yinuo also placed her chrysanthemum on the table and looked up at Li Ruyin, thinking to herself: Auntie, I wish I could travel back to the time when you were smiling so happily. Then I could warn you about the dangers ahead, do everything in my power to stop you, and help you avoid the knife’s edge, so you could walk a path of life filled with blooming wildflowers…

After paying their respects, the two returned to their seats at the back. Soon, the other guests arrived one after another. Occasionally, someone would come over to greet Kong Wenxin, curious about the girl beside her. Kong Wenxin would smile and softly reply, “My niece.”

When most of the guests had taken their seats, Su Yinuo realized that Li Ruyin had very few relatives and friends. At their table, there were only herself, Kong Wenxin, and two elderly gentlemen in their sixties. These refined and dignified elders weren’t Li Ruyin’s parents but her former university professors.

The hushed murmurs in the venue came to an abrupt halt as Qin Cangye and a few others entered.

Even Su Yinuo straightened her posture, her heart fluttering nervously as she watched Qin Cangye, who looked more solemn and cold than she had ever seen him before.

At this moment, Qin Cangye exuded an icy aura that kept everyone at arm’s length. Even his gaze was filled with gloom and aloofness, a stark contrast to the pitiful, lost puppy-like demeanor he had shown that morning.

Seeing Qin Cangye like this, Su Yinuo couldn’t help but press a hand to her chest, feeling as though she couldn’t breathe. But when she shifted her gaze to the composed elderly man walking leisurely behind Qin Cangye, a chill rapidly crept up her spine, making her feel as though she had plunged into a pitch-black ice cellar, enveloped in fear and cold.

She didn’t dare look any longer and lowered her head, taking several deep breaths.

When she looked up again, she saw a refined middle-aged man and a young man who appeared to be around her age. She could guess that the terrifying old man from earlier must have been Qin Cangye’s grandfather, Qin Weishu. The middle-aged man seemed to be Qin Cangye’s father, but who was that exceptionally well-mannered young man?

“Why is there an extra child here?” Kong Wenxin beside her also voiced her confusion.

“Aunt Kong doesn’t recognize him either?” Su Yinuo whispered.

Kong Wenxin frowned and shook her head. “I’ve never seen him before.”

After the group took their seats at the main table, Qin Cangye stood up and raised his teacup in a toast to the guests. “Welcome, elders and friends, to this memorial gathering for my mother, Li Ruyin. As you all know, my mother was a gentle and hospitable person in life. Unfortunately, confined within the compound and bound by feudal doctrines, she rarely had the chance to host you all. So, as her only son, I’d like to fulfill her unfulfilled wish on her behalf. Please, enjoy the meal, because my mother once told me that the pain of hunger is unbearable!”

From the very first sentence, Qin Cangye’s words were laced with sarcasm and veiled barbs, something most of those present were already accustomed to. They raised their teacups in return, silently draining them in one go.

Among the guests at the gathering, only a handful had shared a deep bond with Li Ruyin. The rest were there partly because they dared not refuse Qin Cangye’s invitation, and partly because they wanted to see who would truly take the reins of the Qin family in the coming year.

Soon, the waiters brought out the dishes, all vegetarian, consisting of light and simple seasonal vegetables.

Just as Qin Cangye signaled with his eyes for everyone to begin, a hoarse voice suddenly cut in: “Hold on.”

Without even looking up, Su Yinuo knew that venomous tone could only belong to one person. She raised her teacup to cover her mouth and cautiously glanced over, only to see a smug grin on Qin Weishu’s face.

“Everyone,” Qin Weishu didn’t even bother to stand. Sitting with an air of unshakable superiority, he patted the young man to his left and chuckled. “Let me take this opportunity to introduce someone. Our Qin family has truly been blessed by our ancestors, our lineage thrives! Back in the day, Jian’s first wife was half-mad and incapable of bearing more heirs for our family. But Jian has made us proud, he’s brought back such a fine grandson for me! Qin Wangxuan! My youngest grandson, and a top graduate of Cambridge University, no less! Come now, Wangxuan, stand up and greet your uncles, aunts, and elders properly.”