What to do if I've locked myself in a book! - Chapter 24

The next day, Ling Qianqian lazily woke up well past noon.

After being ambushed by Cheng Ye the night before and a night of chaos, her body felt completely wrecked, as if run over by a truck. Her lower body ached and burned, lingering reminders of the previous night’s intensity. She cursed inwardly—Cheng Ye had been like a wild beast, insatiable and relentless, leaving her body covered in marks. She knew she couldn’t let him continue like that; things were getting out of control, and she just wanted to return to reality.

By now it was past one in the afternoon. After washing up, she carefully made her way down the stairs, every muscle sore, struggling to maintain her balance.

Bai Yiyan was already up. He wore a loose camel-colored sweater and sat cross-legged on a deep brown leather armchair in the living room, reading.

The floor-to-ceiling windows were wide open, letting in the cool autumn breeze carrying fresh moisture, making the room feel refreshing. Golden sunlight slanted across the room, highlighting his handsome, refined features like a living oil painting—calm, elegant, and visually pleasing.

The soft rustle of pages was pleasant to hear. His pale, long fingers moved gracefully across the paper, each finger slender and well-defined, like hands made for playing the piano. He wasn’t wearing glasses, and a few strands of hair fell across his forehead, disturbed slightly by the breeze. His long eyelashes flickered as his eyes followed the text, lingering no more than three seconds per page.

This was his reading habit. He read widely but superficially, rarely focusing deeply on a single book, reading whatever caught his interest. Perhaps this was the indulgence of a naturally gifted writer.

When she first became his assistant, she was surprised. Despite the little time he spent reading, he managed to pursue a wide variety of hobbies—swimming, horseback riding, golf, gardening, making handicrafts—giving the impression of a leisurely, carefree life, while still producing well-written work effortlessly.

In contrast, she buried herself in writing, without recognition, still in the stage of hard, laborious work.

Being around Bai Yiyan was comforting. His demeanor was the opposite of Ji Shi’s slightly aggressive energy. Bai Yiyan never pried into her private life or over-cared for her. She shared things with him voluntarily and enjoyed chatting with him. Even living under the same roof felt safe and comfortable—a difference in emotional intelligence and innate talent.

His gaze fell on the woman struggling down the spiral staircase. Today, she wore a slightly loose white velour dress that reached her ankles. As she descended, the fabric followed her body’s curves, outlining her graceful figure. Her black hair fell lazily on either side, and traces of sleep still lingered on her beautiful face. As she held the railing, one shoulder slipped, revealing pale skin and the faint red marks of last night, all in his line of sight.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Mm, not bad…”

They greeted each other as usual. Normally, Bai Yiyan woke later than her, but today was the opposite. She noticed the food left for her on the distant dining table but had no appetite. Her body felt drained. About seven or eight steps from the floor, her arms weakened, she missed a step, and suddenly lost control, falling.

“Ah!!”

Her heart sank as she shouted in alarm, reaching for the railing but unable to grab it in time.

Bai Yiyan quickly dropped his book and sprinted across the stairs. With swift reflexes, he caught Ling Qianqian from the front. Despite his slim frame, his arms were incredibly strong, holding her steady. Her body leaned forward from momentum, and they bumped against the wall together.

Thump—thump—

Her heartbeats, strong and steady, transmitted through his sweater. She was buried in his embrace, her cheek pressed against his chest, her body snug against him. Fortunately, they avoided an awkward position.

The clean, citrus-like scent he exuded mingled with her breath, sending a jolt through her skin. Her face flushed crimson, and as she looked up, his sharply defined jaw was close enough to make her heart skip a beat.

“Did you hurt yourself anywhere?”

“No… thank you…”

She tried to pull away, but a long-unseen prompt suddenly appeared before her eyes: 【He wants to sleep with you.】

“Uh?!”

Her scalp tingled, and she looked up in embarrassment, meeting his clear, pure eyes. There was no trace of malice in them. “What is it, Qianqian?”