Shortness of Breath

“Why are you so absent-minded?”

The man’s voice was deep and magnetic, with a distinctive scent, easily recognizable.

Jiang Xiao took two steps back, exerting effort to break free from Zhou Qishen’s grasp. At his words, she glanced back, only to realize that the two people who were there a moment ago had disappeared from the corner.

Zhou Qishen asked like this, indicating he probably hadn’t seen them.

Jiang Xiao averted her gaze and casually brushed it off, “It’s nothing. Why did you come out?”

“Didn’t I say I would just say hello and leave.”

Zhou Qishen couldn’t ignore the fleeting sadness in her eyes. Rarely did a complex expression appear on her flawless face.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the man at the end of the corridor just now was his newly recognized nephew, and the woman accompanying him should be the future niece-in-law Jiang Xiao mentioned.

Thinking back to the good things those two had done to Jiang Xiao, Zhou Qishen’s eyes gradually became gloomy and he loosened his tie irritably, but because of the people in front of him, he could only try his best to restrain himself and try to stay calm.

After a moment of silence, he suggested, “Shall we go upstairs and get some fresh air?”

Fresh air?

Jiang Xiao raised an eyebrow with some interest. She didn’t know why he suddenly changed his mind, but her current mood wasn’t great, and a breath of fresh air wouldn’t hurt.

Following Zhou Qishen, they took the elevator to the rooftop garden. Jiang Xiao only then realized that besides the ground floor, there was an additional observation terrace above.

Standing at the highest point and looking down, one side was the dazzling skyscrapers in the distance, while the other was lush vegetation nearby, giving a strong sense of contrast.

Jiang Xiao leaned against the railing, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the rare tranquility. The cool wind blew, dispersing the blush from the alcohol on her face.

Suddenly, she heard a rustling noise beside her.

Zhou Qishen swiftly opened his cigarette case, took out a cigarette, held it between his fingers, and handed it to his mouth. However, he didn’t light it, just lightly biting the end of the cigarette. His profile tensed, looking displeased.

Watching this scene, Jiang Xiao’s eyes flickered, and kindly said, “You can smoke, I don’t mind.”

“Hmm.” He replied softly but didn’t take the next step.

With that said, Jiang Xiao didn’t continue to persuade him. In the two days of their interaction, she noticed that although he smoked, he didn’t seem addicted. Except for the one on the balcony earlier, she hadn’t seen him smoke again.

She couldn’t help but feel curious. “Why do you smoke?”

Hearing this, Zhou Qishen, who was looking straight ahead, tilted his head, his eyelids drooped, and his tone was also lazy: “When you are in a bad mood, it is a tool to relieve yourself.”

After hearing this, Jiang Xiao raised her smooth chin slightly and snorted unhappily, “So you were in a bad mood because of me last night?”

After this sentence, the atmosphere inexplicably stagnated for two seconds. Finally, Zhou Qishen chuckled with interest, breaking the calm, “I dare not, I dare not.”

Her focus was always different from others, yet she could pinpoint the key points strangely.

Mixed with obvious teasing in Zhou Qishen’s laughter, Jiang Xiao was still successfully pleased by these words, and a shallow arc appeared on her red lips.

The night wind blew, and stray hair danced in the wind. Jiang Xiao couldn’t help but touch her increasingly warm cheeks, whispering softly, “You’re right, the aftertaste of that wine is really strong, making my face red.”

“My head is a bit dizzy too…”

Zhou Qishen raised his eyelids, took the cigarette from his lips, threw it into the nearby trash can, and slowly approached her, “Let me see.”

“No need…” Jiang Xiao didn’t avoid it in time. The next moment, his large hand gently touched her.

The cool fingertips touched her hot skin, bringing a cooling effect, instantly relieving some discomfort.

Jiang Xiao didn’t resist anymore. She just buried her face in his slightly cool palm. His hand was large, with slender knuckles and bones, almost revealing the faint blue veins protruding under the fair skin.

Jiang Xiao’s heart couldn’t help but flutter.

“It is indeed a bit hot.” Zhou Qishen murmured as if to himself.

“Mm…” Jiang Xiao was a bit dazed.

She seemed really drunk. Her eyes and cheeks were flushed, her eyes were blurred, and her thick, curly eyelashes fluttered, covering her eyes shimmering with ripples, overly cute.

Zhou Qishen’s Adam’s apple moved unconsciously. Her face was small, and her hands almost had no remaining space, leaving only large features piled up in the middle, allowing him to clearly capture every subtle expression of hers.

The melodious violin music floated into their ears, and the close gaze made the surrounding air start to become charming.

Under the intoxication of alcohol, Jiang Xiao’s consciousness had become blurred long ago. She felt at a loss in such a situation, slightly tilting her head to move her gaze away from his eyes, glancing down with her peripheral vision under the railing.

Below, the green plants were lush, the lights were bright, and many people came here to relax. Groups of friends chatted and laughed together. At any moment, someone would look up at the second-floor terrace and find them embracing tenderly…

Awareness.

At this point, an inexplicable sense of excitement surged in her heart. Jiang Xiao’s head buzzed, and her reason told her she must escape immediately. However, as soon as she took a step back, a strong palm firmly held her lower back, preventing her from moving a fraction.

Jiang Xiao tried to struggle, softly changing the subject, “We should go back.”

He refused in one breath, “No rush, stay a little longer.”

His words seemed to be leading her in a provocative direction, and uncontrollably, she fell into a trap. The fabric of her dress was thin, and she could even clearly feel the shape of his palm…

Their breathing became more and more rapid, and the thin lips seemed to be about to touch hers.

In a panic, Jiang Xiao found strength from somewhere and pushed him away, “Zhou Qishen! We really, really should go back.”

Her voice was stumbling, her eyes were evasive, and she was the first to flee from the spot, walking quickly towards the elevator.

It felt like a raging flood was chasing her from behind, and if she waited another second, she would be engulfed and swallowed.

*

Jiang Xiao tossed and turned in bed, feeling that something just wasn’t right.

Half an hour passed, but she still couldn’t fall asleep.

Another half hour went by, and she remained wide awake.

Jiang Xiao realized that she couldn’t sleep because of a kiss that was not delivered..

Regrets lingered, making it unforgettable.

Since returning from the banquet, Jiang Xiao couldn’t help but wonder, what if she hadn’t pushed him away back then? Would he have kissed her?

He probably would have, considering the perfect atmosphere at the time. It was just right for a kiss.

“Why did I avoid it?” Jiang Xiao berated herself internally, feeling regretful for being timid at a crucial moment. Faced with such a handsome guy, why did she run away? She should have kissed him passionately.

After cursing herself, Jiang Xiao licked her dry lips and decided to go get some water.

She kicked off the blanket and sat up in bed like a carp, the phone showing it was almost midnight.

Behind the door, silence prevailed.

At this hour, Zhou Qishen must be asleep, but just in case, Jiang Xiao added her pants over his pajamas to avoid an awkward encounter if they accidentally met.

Jiang Xiao quietly opened the door, then carefully closed it, afraid of making noise and waking up Zhou Qishen on the other side of the house.

“You’re still not sleeping at this hour?”

The sudden question in the quiet night startled Jiang Xiao. Subconsciously, she looked towards the source of the voice. Upon seeing the figure in the kitchen clearly, she breathed a sigh of relief, holding her chest in fear and saying, “You scared me.”

Similarly unable to sleep, Zhou Qishen leaned against the refrigerator with crossed arms, holding a glass, calmly watching her. His posture was relaxed, showing no trace of the guilt of nearly scaring her to death.

Jiang Xiao also looked at him. His previously slicked-back hair was now gently falling forward, adding a hint of youthful innocence that belied his actual age. His black silk pajamas draped smoothly, accentuating his noble and hard-to-approach demeanor.

In contrast, she was plain-faced, wearing mismatched clothes with her hair casually disheveled, and even lost one shoe, looking like a madwoman…

Plus, considering what had happened not long ago, Jiang Xiao’s cheeks suddenly flushed red, unsure where to put her hands and feet, both embarrassed and awkward.

After a brief eye contact, the embarrassed Jiang Xiao looked away first, bowing her head to find her fallen shoe. After putting it back on, she asked him back, “And you? Why aren’t you sleeping?”

He raised the glass in his hand, “Thirsty.”

With just two simple words, he clearly explained why he was here.

“I’m thirsty too.”

After saying this, Jiang Xiao remembered why she came out in the first place. Leveraging the natural light from outside, she groped her way towards the refrigerator in the dimly lit kitchen.

However, her mind was relaxed, and she didn’t notice the two steps leading up to the kitchen. Carelessly, she slipped and lost her balance, falling heavily with a loud “thud” on the steps.

The sudden accident caught them both off guard.

Time stood still for a few seconds, and with a cry of pain, Zhou Qishen put down the cup, bent down and reached out to help her.

However, as soon as he got close, he quickly averted his gaze.

Sensing his unusual behavior, Jiang Xiao frowned suspiciously and looked down. Her face immediately turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

The pants she had put on before coming out were fine, but the loose neckline of her pajamas suddenly slipped down due to her abrupt movement, partially exposing her delicate shoulders and… accidentally revealing a large area of fair skin.

Before a more serious mistake occurred, Jiang Xiao hurriedly grabbed the neckline in a panic, trying to tighten the fabric little by little.

An awkward atmosphere permeated the air, making Jiang Xiao both embarrassed and regretful, unable to look him in the eye. She murmured, “I told you, the pajamas are too big…”

At that moment, Zhou Qishen timely spoke up, easing her embarrassment, “Stand up first.”

Biting her lip, Jiang Xiao awkwardly smiled and thanked him stiffly, “Thank you.”

Without stubbornly refusing his outstretched hand, she slowly stood up with his help, feeling sorry for her bruised buttocks and knees, having suffered a heavy blow from the steps.

But with Zhou Qishen beside her, she couldn’t reach out to rub her buttocks. She could only sit on the stool first, but as soon as she touched it, a piercing pain from her hidden place made her frown.

Soon after, the warm kitchen light was turned on, and the halo just happened to reflect on Zhou Qishen’s slightly reddened ears, like early peach blossoms, attracting frequent glances.

Jiang Xiao was stunned for a moment, a whimsical thought flashing through her mind.