Savage Kiss - Chapter 22

Shen Yanzhou had indeed slowed the bike down, occasionally, even the passing cyclists were pedaling faster than them.

Xu Qingyi urged him to speed up again.

At this rate, when would they arrive? It was agonizing. Might as well get it over with quickly, one sharp bout of suffering and then freedom.

Shen Yanzhou chuckled. “First you want me to slow down, now you want me to speed up? You’re the only one who can boss me around like this.”

Xu Qingyi swiftly changed the subject. “Why did you come here?”

“Uncle Pang knows this family.”

What Shen Yanzhou didn’t say was that he would know if anything happened anywhere in this coastal resort area, especially since she was here.

Xu Qingyi said, “Then ask about the child’s condition later.”

The child had already passed out by the time they were pulled from the water. She didn’t know how they were doing afterward.

“Mm.” Shen Yanzhou teased lightly, “Want me to get you a commendation banner? These days, there aren’t many people as brave as you who’d jump in to save someone.”

But her expression turned serious. “Don’t joke about that. That’s not what I meant.”

She really didn’t want any attention. With how pervasive media was these days, she didn’t need former classmates or coworkers digging up her past and harassing her online.

“Seriously, I just want to know if the child is okay.”

Shen Yanzhou nodded. “Alright.”

…

When the two of them returned to the repair shop, they saw Shi Qing standing by the roadside near the entrance.

Xu Qingyi signaled for Shen Yanzhou to stop the motorcycle.

“What are you doing here?” She had been too busy to play games the past few days and hadn’t chatted with Shi Qing on WeChat either. She had no idea why he was here, but it was definitely to see her.

Rather than leading him to her place, it was better to talk here.

Shi Qing looked her up and down. “What happened to you?”

Her hair was still dripping wet.

Shen Yanzhou, standing nearby, could only pretend to be a helpful stranger. “There’s a hairdryer in the shop. Need it?”

“Dry it now, or you’ll catch a cold.” Shen Yanzhou made the decision for her.

Xu Qingyi took the cue. “Thanks.”

She briefly explained to Shi Qing that she had been relaxing in the park and ended up saving a child, which was why she was soaked.

Shi Qing looked stunned. “You know how to swim?”

She seemed to be good at a lot of things and always managed to surprise him.

She played games, and her jungle skills were even sharper than most guys’!

Her dancing wasn’t coquettish or vulgar, it had a unique elegance.

And she could swim? She’d actually jumped into the river to save someone!

Meanwhile, Shi Qing was a complete non-swimmer.

When Shen Yanzhou brought out the hairdryer, Shi Qing was gazing at Xu Qingyi with admiration. “Teach me how to swim? I’ll pay you five times the market rate?”

Then he turned to Shen Yanzhou. “There’s a swimming pool around here, right?”

Shen Yanzhou’s expression was cold. “Don’t know.”

He pointed into the distance. “There’s the ocean. You can just jump in… very convenient.”

Shi Qing scoffed. “I’m trying to learn, not die!”

As Shen Yanzhou walked back inside, his gaze flickered briefly toward Xu Qingyi, checking if she’d actually agree.

Once Xu Qingyi finished drying her hair and turned off the hairdryer, Shi Qing immediately asked, “So, the swimming pool now?”

She wouldn’t agree. It wasn’t good for online friends to have too much real-life interaction, especially when swimwear in front of the opposite sex was… well, too much.

At most, she’d humor him with a quick look before sending him on his way.

So, she didn’t answer right away, only saying, “I need to use the restroom first.”

Shen Yanzhou, standing by the entrance, gestured toward his room, indicating she could use the one there.

Xu Qingyi pressed her lips together but went anyway, lingering any longer would just be awkward.

In the bathroom, Ke Yan casually vented to her as if they were friends: [If your designs could make it into Tianhua Group’s containers, they’d instantly become high-end!]

Then she sent a photo: [This CEO is harder to bump into than a ghost!]

Xu Qingyi was surprised to find that Shi Qing was actually in the photo.

[Who’s this?] She circled him and asked Ke Yan.

Ke Yan replied: [Tianhua’s crown prince. Never seen him in person.]

Xu Qingyi was stunned. Her gaming buddy was the heir of the supermarket empire?

“Knock knock!”

Xu Qingyi jumped. “What?”

Shen Yanzhou was at the door. “Out of tissues. Should I pass you some?”

She had just come in and hadn’t done anything yet, so she walked over and opened the door, reaching for the tissues he was holding.

But Shen Yanzhou didn’t hand them over. Instead, he peered through the crack of the door, his dark eyes fixed on her face.

The bathroom was a sensitive place, and Xu Qingyi’s nerves prickled. “You… let go.”

Instead, Shen Yanzhou stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and locked it.

Xu Qingyi instinctively backed away, only for Shen Yanzhou to pull her close with one arm.

“Taken it out?” he murmured.

Before she could answer, he kissed her.

Xu Qingyi’s blood instantly ran hot, but Shi Qing was waiting outside, so she had to push him away.

Shen Yanzhou wasn’t particularly insistent, his lips brushing her skin. “Need help?”

She immediately shook her head. “You… get out.”

Shen Yanzhou remained unmoved and suddenly asked, “Planning to teach him how to swim?”

Xu Qingyi changed her mind and nodded. “Yeah, he’s paying well.”

Shen Yanzhou scoffed. Wasn’t what he paid enough? Back when he begged her to teach him during an online gig, she hadn’t even bothered.

But for Shi Qing, it was different?

Xu Qingyi faintly sensed his gaze darkening abruptly.

“I kind of want to.” His voice was low and rough as he suddenly said this.

Xu Qingyi’s heart skipped, but she feigned calm and refused. “No. Shi Qing’s waiting.”

The moment she said this, Shen Yanzhou pinned her against the wall, making no effort to hide his displeasure. “He’s more important than me?”

Xu Qingyi frowned. Why compare? “Have you forgotten what our relationship is?”

Shen Yanzhou’s jaw tensed slightly as he tried to kiss her again.

Xu Qingyi felt he was being too forward today. Was it because he saw her using that thing outdoors and assumed she was easy?

“Just a little while.” He cupped her chin, too caught up in the moment to think straight.

He just wanted to make the guy outside wait longer, preferably long enough to guess their relationship wasn’t purely platonic.

Xu Qingyi considered how he’d taken care of her today and didn’t resist too much.

But as the kiss deepened, Shen Yanzhou grew bolder, clearly toeing the line.

Pressing against her, he asked, “Where’s the remote?”

Xu Qingyi’s eyes widened.

Did he want to watch her… use it right in front of him?

Before she could process it, Shen Yanzhou took the remote from her bag and pressed the button.

Xu Qingyi’s brows furrowed. “Shen Yanzhou!”

She was genuinely angry. Their usual games were fine, but today, he was disrespecting her, ignoring her consent.

When he tried to kiss her again, Xu Qingyi shoved him hard. “Get out!”

Her sharp tone snapped him back to his senses.

Shen Yanzhou opened his mouth, realizing his mistake, but he was already pushed out the door.

Less than two minutes later, she stepped out, her face icy.

Shen Yanzhou hesitated, wanting to speak, but she ignored him and left without a word.

He had no choice but to walk over and grab her, but she dodged him directly, pulled open the door, and left.

When she met Shi Qing, Xu Qingyi adjusted her expression and said, “Let’s go.”

She showed him around the swimming pool, treated him to a meal, and scheduled his weekend lessons.

Then she sent Shi Qing away, still not giving him any chance to find out where she lived.

Back at her apartment, Xu Qingyi received a WeChat message from Shen Yanzhou asking if she had gotten home.

She left it on read.

After taking a shower, she wanted to go straight to bed, too exhausted to move.

When she finished showering, she noticed Shen Yanzhou had messaged her again:

[There’s something in that coat I need to use in the next couple of days. Can you bring it over, or should I come get it?]

Xu Qingyi’s emotions were tangled. The fact that he knew something so private made her feel humiliated.

His lack of respect for her made her reconsider whether she even wanted this relationship anymore.