Savage Kiss - Chapter 18

A faint buzzing seemed to echo in her mind.

Xu Qingyi quickly withdrew her hand, wanting to create some distance, but the large hand at her waist remained as immovable as a branding iron, even abruptly pulling her back.

In that instant, caught off guard, Xu Qingyi closed the already minimal distance of just a few centimeters, crashing her lips against his thin ones.

He had been out in the rain, his lips were wet and cool.

That chill traveled from her lips to her brain, finally bringing her a sliver of clarity. Their lips still pressed together, their eyes met.

Shen Yanzhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed deeply as he played the victim first, “What are you trying to do?”

Even though he was the one who had pulled her close, Xu Qingyi steadied herself, pressing against his chest to quickly retreat, her words slipping out unfiltered and unusually honest, “…Sorry.”

She turned around, gripping the umbrella tightly as she tried to steady herself, but her attempts to unlock the door were utterly haphazard.

Car door locks, front door locks… these things seemed to have a personal vendetta against her.

No matter how hard she tried, it wouldn’t open.

Shen Yanzhou walked over, pulling her hand away as he reached for the lock with his other hand.

With two crisp clicks, it should have unlocked.

But his movements paused there. He didn’t push the handle down, instead turning his gaze to her, looking down at her intently.

Xu Qingyi kept her eyes fixed on the lock, avoiding his gaze.

Then she watched as the hand that had been fiddling with the lock instead cupped her chin, tilting her face up.

The next second, he maneuvered her into a reversal, backing her against the door.

The hand that had been holding hers was raised above her head, fingers interlacing with hers. “Every time… you provoke me and then try to run?”

When his kiss descended, Xu Qingyi felt every cell in her body ignite in an instant.

“Shen Yanzhou.”

It was the first time she had called his name. “After this…”

She still held to her principle, keeping things purely transactional.

“Shut up.” Shen Yanzhou kissed her, his voice hoarse. “Don’t want to hear it.”

“…I’ll take that as your agreement.”

No entanglement afterward.

…

Shen Yanzhou held her in his arms, both of them satiated and quiet.

Xu Qingyi buried her face against him, greedily inhaling his scent.

Her voice was muffled. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t disturb me anymore?”

She didn’t want him accusing her of playing him after tonight.

The way she was sniffing him made Shen Yanzhou’s throat tighten, why was she acting like a kitten?

“Can’t I change my mind?” he grumbled lowly.

Oh.

When Xu Qingyi tried to get off the bed, Shen Yanzhou hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her back. “The floor’s a mess.”

She glanced back. The battlefield was indeed chaotic.

But the bed wasn’t much better.

She had thought that someone with her… condition might scare people when losing control, but Shen Yanzhou was just as wild when he let go.

This lounge would probably need a thorough cleaning and reorganization.

“No offense, but…” Xu Qingyi didn’t understand. “Are you sure you’re not sick?”

Shen Yanzhou’s face darkened. “Want me to show you a medical report later?”

“…”

That wasn’t the kind of sickness she meant.

Whatever.

She just didn’t get it, if he wasn’t like her, then why did he seem to enjoy being with her so much, even though it was only their second time?

Strictly speaking, even the first time, he had seemed really into it.

That time in the car when he said he wouldn’t refuse her, she hadn’t even done much, yet he had reacted so intensely.

Shen Yanzhou leaned against the headboard while Xu Qingyi struggled into her clothes, her back to him. “You know what I’m trying to say.”

“This time, I didn’t force you.”

Xu Qingyi painstakingly fished her phone out of the sea of disarray, opening his chat window.

“Name your price?” She looked at him.

Shen Yanzhou lifted his eyelids, his expression turning cold and stern, but in the end, he yielded with a raised brow. “How much do you think it’s worth?”

He got up to get dressed as well, adding casually, “Compared to that Shi Qing.”

Xu Qingyi: ?

She replied, “I’ve never been with him like this.”

Wait, that wasn’t quite right. “We’re friends… strictly speaking, online friends.”

Shen Yanzhou looked up at her, the chill in his eyes gradually fading, but he still didn’t name a price.

Xu Qingyi tentatively asked, “Should I sleep with someone else to get a better sense of the market rate?”

Shen Yanzhou shot her a look that could kill.

“You can mess with me all you want, but at least don’t be with others while you’re with me. Is that too much to ask?”

She was joking, but she could tell he was dead serious.

Surprisingly, he had been so adamant about rejecting her last time, yet now he was making such a big concession.

“Same as last time, then?” she ventured.

Shen Yanzhou: “Whatever.”

Afraid that if she said she wouldn’t charge, there’d be no next time.

“…Aren’t you going to haggle?”

Shen Yanzhou finally laughed, flicking her forehead with his finger.

Always asking for money, but when it comes to actually paying, she hesitates?

Xu Qingyi transferred him 2,000 yuan. Given her financial situation, this “R&D expense” was a bit hard on her wallet. She’d have to be more frugal in the future, only seek him out when she needed inspiration, and avoid it otherwise!

Shen Yanzhou accepted the payment.

But then he said, “A hundred would’ve been fine too.”

“…”

She stared at the completed transfer. Then why did he take it?

Shen Yanzhou: “You can just make up the difference next time. I won’t hold it against you.”

Xu Qingyi: …?

He didn’t clean up the room, saying he’d take her back first.

Xu Qingyi had initially wanted to refuse. Since they were keeping things purely physical, it’d be best not to interact outside of that, pretend they didn’t know each other if they ran into each other.

But the rain had lightened by then, though the night was deep, and she really didn’t dare walk alone.

When they got off the yacht, Shen Yanzhou carried her. “Don’t jump if your legs are weak.”

As they walked, he teased, “You’re like a monkey, always jumping around.”

“I was a wild child when I was little,” Xu Qingyi summarized briefly.

She felt a bit proud. He’d only seen her jump off the yacht last time, not the trees she used to leap from as a kid.

This was nothing in comparison.

Shen Yanzhou knew how to keep the conversation going. “Hmm, no wonder your stamina’s so good.”

“…”

The car drove leisurely from the port to the seaside apartment.

Late at night, there were no people or cars around, but Shen Yanzhou dutifully waited at the red light.

Xu Qingyi looked at the neon lights ahead. “There’s something I think I should clarify.”

Shen Yanzhou responded with a low, husky “Hmm.”

She said, “I’m not the kind of casual person you think I am. So far, apart from you, I haven’t been with anyone else.”

“I know why you suddenly looked down on me last time, refusing to even do business.”

“Shi Qing is a great guy, and I’m definitely not good enough for him. The day he took me to see the car, I’d just finished work and hadn’t cleaned up.”

“As for the marks on my legs…”

She coughed lightly. “You know I… sometimes use toys. I accidentally scratched myself.”

She couldn’t see Shen Yanzhou’s reaction. As soon as the car stopped, Xu Qingyi quickly got out and hurried into the apartment, her face burning.

She just hoped he wouldn’t catch her testing out her designs in the future.

Shi Qing had sent her a lot of WeChat messages.

She had replied to him while she was with Shen Yanzhou, but because her fingers were unsteady, two random characters had been added at the end of the message.

Back then, Shen Yanzhou wouldn’t let her reply, but Xu Qingyi knew Shi Qing’s money-god personality all too well, he’d definitely spam calls and ruin the mood.

Plus, she didn’t want anyone to know about her relationship with Shen Yanzhou.

If Shi Qing or Mi Lian caught even a whiff of it, they’d hound her with questions.

So, Xu Qingyi told Shi Qing she’d been chatting with the neighborhood aunties after getting back, brushing it off smoothly.

Once home, Xu Qingyi wasn’t tired at all. She was full of energy and headed straight to her little workspace.

The model she’d been stuck on for so long had finally been improved and she was thrilled with the results!

Shen Yanzhou = Muse. The phrase flickered in her mind. Totally worth the two grand.

……

Leaning against the yacht, Shen Yanzhou lit a cigarette. His phone buzzed, and he glanced at it coldly before answering.

“Boss Zhou! I just saw the surveillance footage and realized you’d been here…”

It was the hotel manager, his voice trembling. “Are… are you alright?”

In the footage, Shen Yanzhou had entered the private room, locked the door behind him, what happened next was best left undescribed. But by the end, the officials had lost all their pomp, kneeling on the floor in unison.

Before leaving, Shen Yanzhou told them to get up… then casually poured half a bottle of liquor over himself.

The manager had no idea what that was about, which only made him more nervous.