What to do if I've locked myself in a book! - Chapter 42

“Qianqian!”

“A-Yan!”

At that moment, Bai Yiyan was her lifeline. She threw herself into the man’s arms, clutching his lapel, tears welling as she buried her face in his chest.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced—consciously or not—at the umbrella that had been crushed, lying quietly by the roadside. It was battered by wind and rain, like discarded trash, claimed by no one.

Ahead, Cheng Ye flashed through her vision for an instant. Was it an illusion?

Why was he wearing short sleeves? Just like the people in BLUEBERRY, all dressed out of season.

In the book it was late autumn; in reality it was midsummer. Could it be that—

The strange thought flickered through Ling Qianqian’s mind. She shook her head in his arms, trying to brush away the unrealistic idea.

Bai Yiyan held her, turned, and moved onto the sidewalk. He took her hand and led her under a shop awning to shelter from the rain. Seeing the wronged, shaken look on her face, his heart ached. He tidied her soaked, messy hair and wiped the rain from her cheeks that wouldn’t dry. “Are you okay?”

“Mm, I’m fine now…” She looked up at his concerned gaze, blinking as beads of rain trembled on her lashes. Bai Yiyan was the same—no one knew how long he’d been caught in the rain. Both of them were drenched.

“Achoo—”

“Don’t go to a hotel tonight. Come home with me. Take a good shower and rest.”

“Mm.”

She thought so too. Besides, she hadn’t booked a hotel and had nowhere to stay.

—

When Ji Shi rushed to the other side of the road, he reached out toward the spot where Ling Qianqian had just been standing—and grabbed hard at the air.

His fingers spread, but there was only damp air and rain and the disdainful looks of passersby.

His heart felt as if a huge piece had suddenly been hollowed out.

The umbrella crushed by cars was gone.

Gone along with Ling Qianqian.

What did this mean?

Had his world intersected with hers at some point—his umbrella left behind in her world, while he himself was shut out?

—

Ling Qianqian went home with Bai Yiyan. The familiar surroundings stirred her emotions. Even in the book, his home’s layout was exactly the same as in reality.

The indoor lighting shifted with day and night. The living room automatically adjusted to soft, warm light, feeling especially cozy. The heating began to prewarm, and she finally felt comfortable.

Both of them were soaked, cold, and miserable, so they prepared to shower.

He went into the bathroom first to run the water, then brought her clean towels and pajamas. She had left a few sets of clothes here when she used to work as his assistant. She hadn’t expected the book to have them too—it was convenient now.

“Go take a shower first.”

“Mm.”

Ling Qianqian walked into the bathroom easily. The heater light was a bit harsh. She took off her coat; underneath, a thin slip dress was soaked through, clinging to her body and looking very sexy.

She lifted the hem—and was startled to find faint red marks still on her body, left from being bound by that man.

How could this be…?

She had clearly returned to an earlier time. Why were those marks still there?

She thought of how the man had mentioned the heart-shaped kiss mark near her navel, using the Ace of Hearts. Her heart trembled. Had he not guessed it—had he actually seen it?

Knock, knock, knock—

The bathroom door was suddenly tapped. Startled, she quickly lowered her dress and covered herself.

“Come in.”

After hearing permission, Bai Yiyan pushed the door open. He was holding a box of bath salts, intending to hand them to her, but instead saw Ling Qianqian like a wet beauty, hands shyly unsure where to rest.

The pink-green slip dress was soaked and clung to her, revealing the white underwear beneath.

Noticing his gaze, she turned slightly away, embarrassed. Even though they had been intimate before, being looked at like this still made her shy.

He set the bath salts by the tub, then quietly wrapped his arms around her from behind. Leaning close by her ear and kissing it in the mirror, he asked, “Want to shower together?”

A shiver spread from her ear. His gaze shifted to the mirror, chasing the woman’s evasive eyes reflected there.

“Better not…”

She pushed his arms away. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to—she didn’t want him to see the binding marks or to know what had happened in BLUEBERRY.

Bai Yiyan never forced her. Though a little regretful, he still respectfully let go.

“Don’t soak too long. It’s easy to get lightheaded.”

“Mm, okay.”

Seeing him leave like a gentleman and close the door, she felt both relieved and a little guilty for disappointing him.

After her shower, he made her a cup of hot cocoa to warm her up. When they talked, she made up a reason for the night—saying she had planned to find work at a hotel, but the shady owner nearly refused to let her leave. She didn’t tell him the truth.

When they sat close together on the sofa, Bai Yiyan tried to get closer, but she kept pushing him away, afraid the marks on her body would be exposed. Thankfully, he didn’t press her.

She said she was tired and went to rest in the room she used to sleep in when she was his assistant.

At midnight, Ling Qianqian lay awake, tossing and turning. Too much had happened to sleep, and she felt bad about rejecting Bai Yiyan again and again. She finally threw off the blanket and got up to find him to talk.

It was after one in the morning. He was probably still writing in the study.

Her bedroom was on the second floor, on the same level as the study. When she reached the end of the hallway, she saw the study door open, but it was dark—maybe he was tired tonight and had gone to bed.

On a whim, she padded up to the third floor in her slippers and found his bedroom. The door was ajar, and through the crack she could see him sleeping.

She slipped in quietly. The handsome man lay on his side, breathing steadily, still so good-looking. Just looking at him stirred her feelings.

She quietly climbed onto his bed, lifted the blanket, and slipped in. Thinking she hadn’t satisfied him earlier, she figured that as long as she didn’t turn on the light, he wouldn’t notice the marks on her body.

Ling Qianqian slowly nestled into his arms, leaned toward his lips, and kissed him first.

The man woke from light sleep. When his eyes met Ling Qianqian’s, he froze in shock, almost finding it unbelievable.

“Qianqian?”

“Why are you so surprised…”

She kissed him again playfully. Bai Yiyan instinctively leaned back, his gaze turning serious. “Is it really you?”

Of course he was shocked. Ling Qianqian had been missing for so long, yet now she had suddenly appeared in his bed.