Savage Kiss - Chapter 46

Xu Qingyi coolly replied with a single word: [No need.]

Shen Yanzhou responded with an emoji, one that looked both silent and aggrieved.

Xu Qingyi couldn’t help but laugh but chose not to reply.

The next morning, when she woke up, she noticed Shen Yanzhou had sent a few more messages after that.

He asked what time the next day would be convenient for him to come over and fix that small piece of equipment.

Even though she hadn’t responded, half an hour later, he still earnestly sent a [Good night.]

Had he spent that half hour staring at his phone, waiting for her?

Xu Qingyi headed to the art academy dressed in a way that gave off a college student vibe before driving into the city.

Unexpectedly, just as Shi Qing had predicted, after chatting with Professor Chen and having her figure assessed, she was immediately asked to pose as a model for the class that day.

Xu Qingyi had zero experience.

Professor Chen smiled reassuringly. [No need to be nervous. Just sit where the instructor tells you and do as you’re posed. Treat the students like they’re air, think about delicious food, think about pretty dresses, and the class will be over before you know it.]

Those words were an immense comfort to her.

For the first time, Xu Qingyi sat exposed in a studio filled with twenty to thirty people, wearing nothing but a silk ribbon, her most private areas barely concealed.

Though her face was partially veiled, she was still tense at first. Gradually, she let her mind drift, reminiscing about the culinary skills of Uncle Pang and Ma Xu the day before.

She sat sideways the entire time, her gaze fixed out the window, completely unaware that Shi Qing was among the students that day.

Shi Qing’s painting was executed to perfection, down to the smallest details, like the faint blue mole just below her lowest rib, where her waist was at its slimmest. He had even carefully mixed the paint to match its exact shade.

Though the veil obscured the contours of her face, he meticulously sketched every inch of her.

After the session, Xu Qingyi was directed to change and leave.

Only after watching her walk far into the distance from the steps of the teaching building did Shi Qing finally descend.

When she texted him, he even turned away guiltily, as if caught doing something wrong.

Xu Qingyi wrote: [The side gig went well! I’ll treat you another time!]

For once, Shi Qing didn’t respond with his usual playful banter. He pulled up the keyboard twice but couldn’t bring himself to type anything, eventually locking his screen.

When he had asked her to teach him to swim, he’d already harbored ulterior motives but he’d hidden them well.

Yet after today’s class, something deep within him had surged uncontrollably, wild and unstoppable.

Before driving back to the coast, Xu Qingyi stopped by Xu Chen’s hospital room without notifying the Boss.

To this day, she still didn’t know the Boss’s name, nor had she seen him a second time.

However, he had told her that Xu Chen was receiving the most comprehensive treatment available, with hopes for surgery and a high likelihood of waking up afterward.

In other words, as long as she performed well enough, Xu Chen would open his eyes to this world again.

As she left the hospital, she walked toward the back gate where her car was parked.

Out of nowhere, she caught sight of Shen Yaoyao. Unsure, Xu Qingyi took a step back and hid behind a stone pillar to observe.

Shen Yaoyao was talking to a man inside a car. From her angle, Xu Qingyi couldn’t see him clearly, only a glimpse of a black sleeve.

Then the man reached out and caressed Shen Yaoyao’s face, revealing a silver ring on his thumb.

A silver ring?

A chill ran down Xu Qingyi’s spine. Wasn’t that the Boss? The day they met, she had noticed the ring on his thumb, its surface glinting coldly whenever he moved his fingers.

Just then, Shen Yaoyao leaned down, reaching into the car, and kissed the man inside.

“I really don’t like him anymore.” Shen Yaoyao gazed softly at Shen Yuqiao. “Are you coming over tomorrow night? I want you.”

Shen Yuqiao’s expression remained unchanged as he gently stroked Shen Yaoyao’s hair. “I’m busy these two days.”

Shen Yaoyao smiled understandingly. “Alright, I’ll wait until you’re free.”

“Shen Yanzhou is already hooked on that girl. I saw them together with my own eyes. You’ll soon be able to completely remove him from the family, and I can marry you soon!”

The car drove away.

Shen Yaoyao stood still for a moment before turning to leave, her face cold. She even wiped her lips roughly with her hand.

Xu Qingyi waited a long time before daring to come out, quickly moving past the car and leaving.

After all this, it turned out Yaoyao was playing both sides, acting as the boss while also keeping an eye on her and coveting Shen Yanzhou. She sure wasn’t tired of the drama.

Once Xu Qingyi pieced it all together, she actually felt relieved.

From now on, whenever Shen Yaoyao was around, she just needed to act her best.

When Shen Yanzhou’s WeChat message came through, she simply called him instead. “I’m driving, can’t text.”

Shen Yanzhou could sense her coldness, but since she had taken the initiative to call, the implication was clear, she was giving him a chance.

He smoothly picked up the conversation. “You probably haven’t eaten yet. I’ve already made reservations. I’ll wait for you.”

Xu Qingyi, maintaining her detached attitude, suddenly had a bold idea.

Today, she had posed as a model for a painting. Could she, one day, have Shen Yanzhou pose for her?

As a designer, her drawing skills were unquestionable. The first adult toy she had designed was inspired by his proportions.

The thought alone sent a rush of excitement through her veins.

Barely containing her breath, she dangled the bait for Shen Yanzhou:

“Didn’t you say I could take pictures of you anytime?”

Shen Yanzhou let out a puzzled “Huh?” clearly caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic.

Xu Qingyi pressed on. “Does that still stand?”

Shen Yanzhou didn’t hesitate. “Of course. Whatever you like.”

If this was what it took to keep her from staying angry, then so be it. He didn’t mind at all.

But after getting his confirmation, Xu Qingyi fell silent again.

“Hello?” Shen Yanzhou asked. “Bad signal?”

“No,” she replied calmly, keeping her eyes on the road. “Just a bit tired.”

Shen Yanzhou paused, then checked the time. “What kind of work did you do today?”

Xu Qingyi obviously couldn’t tell him.

Her silence, however, came across as indifference to Shen Yanzhou, so he tried to keep the conversation going. “There are still people at the shop. If you’re uncomfortable, I can have dinner delivered to the yacht instead?”

Xu Qingyi had always held a biased view of men, aside from Xu Chen, she believed none of them were any good.

But so far, Shen Yanzhou didn’t seem bad at all. In fact, he seemed rather decent.

If she let herself fall for him, it would be trouble.

“Not tonight. Tomorrow,” she said. “The repairs can wait till tomorrow too. I don’t have anything else going on then.”

Shen Yanzhou had been tantalized by her earlier mention of taking photos, only for her to abruptly withdraw the offer, leaving him unsettled.

“Fine. I’ll have dinner sent to your place then.” He hung up before she could refuse.

As Xu Qingyi drove past the repair shop, she slowed down and glanced over to see Shen Yanzhou standing outside, spotting her car immediately.

She rolled down the window. “Should I bring the stuff here tomorrow, or…?”

Shen Yanzhou, surprised by her initiative, cut in. “I’ll come to you.”

She nodded and drove off.

The next day, Xu Qingyi didn’t have Shen Yanzhou come over until after 4 p.m.

Shen Yanzhou called her first, then entered her home by inputting the passcode himself.

Xu Qingyi’s voice came from the workspace: “Wait for me a moment!”

She had already disassembled the product, keeping the exterior to herself and only handing him the internal components.

The moment Shen Yanzhou took it, he knew it wasn’t any of the ones he’d seen before.

His first reaction was: “It’s this tiny?”

He didn’t understand women’s stuff like this, but compared to his own, it really did seem unimpressive.