Chapter 19

His Kiss

At eight o’clock in the evening, at the Yongning Street Police Station in Yangcheng, Lin Qianyou nervously stood across the street.

She was holding a blue gift bag, inside which was the apology gift she had bought for Qi Shanglan.

Yangcheng at night was always much livelier than during the day, and even the police station was no exception.

Lin Qianyou had been observing the police station from across the street for a while and noticed that the people coming in and out the most were drunk, and she guessed that they were probably like her—people who lost control after drinking.

With that thought in mind, she sighed in frustration.

Having mentally prepared herself, Lin Qianyou finally took a brave step toward the police station.

She slowly pushed open the door and nervously entered the noisy lobby.

Qi Shanglan was facing sideways to her, speaking to two drunk men in front of him. He had his arms crossed and looked extremely impatient, likely scolding them.

Lin Qianyou stood stiffly at the door, too hesitant to step forward or retreat, so she just stood there obediently, waiting for him to finish his business.

He Chuanan, with his sharp eyes, immediately recognized Lin Qianyou and called out loudly, “Lin Qianyou?”

His loud call successfully drew everyone’s attention, and people in the lobby turned to look at the door. One drunk man even whistled at her.

Qi Shanglan also glanced over at her. Lin Qianyou met his gaze, forced a smile, and raised her hand to greet him.

Qi Shanglan didn’t have time to respond to her. He turned and walked toward the greasy man who had whistled at her. He grabbed the man’s collar and looked at him with an extremely cold expression. “You still can’t behave even in the police station?”

With a sharp shove, Qi Shanglan sent the drunk man staggering backward, and he fell heavily to the ground with a loud thud, followed by a painful groan.

The entire lobby fell into a dead silence, with everyone watching Qi Shanglan and the man on the floor.

Seeing this, He Chuanan quickly went over to push Qi Shanglan aside, whispering, “Brother, we’re the police. Don’t be impulsive.”

Qi Shanglan didn’t bother with him. He turned his head and asked Lin Qianyou, “What are you doing here?”

As soon as Lin Qianyou saw him, memories of what she did to him last night flooded her mind. She took a deep breath, and with the silence of the crowd hanging in the air, she blurted out four words that were loudly shocking: “I… came to surrender.”

The lobby grew even quieter than before, as everyone looked at the elegantly dressed Lin Qianyou in disbelief. They couldn’t believe that such a beautiful and pure-looking girl was confessing to a crime.

“Surrender?” Qi Shanglan was completely confused, “What are you surrendering for?”

Lin Qianyou looked at him in surprise. “Don’t you know? Last night, I—”

But before she could finish, Qi Shanglan suddenly stepped forward, covered her mouth with his hand, and quickly grabbed her wrist, pushing her out the glass door and leading her away from the lobby.

Lin Qianyou, pulled along by him, had no choice but to hurriedly take small steps to keep up.

He brought her to a secluded corner outside the station, where there were no streetlights and it was quite dark. It was so dark that Lin Qianyou couldn’t make out Qi Shanglan’s expression, nor could she tell whether he was still angry with her.

But he was probably still angry.

Once again, he held her wrist and pushed her against the wall. She heard him sigh, and the force on her wrist disappeared. Then she heard him ask, “Are you remembering what happened last night?”

Lin Qianyou silently nodded, obediently answering, “I remember.”

“I’m sorry.” Lin Qianyou suddenly apologized, looking at Qi Shanglan with innocent eyes, which were glistening with unshed tears.

Qi Shanglan was taken by surprise, staring at her with confusion as he looked at the tear-filled Lin Qianyou.

“This is the apology gift I bought for you, it’s the latest model of a razor.” She raised her hands, presenting it to Qi Shanglan respectfully.

Qi Shanglan couldn’t believe his ears. He asked in utter disbelief, “Why are you apologizing to me?”

Before he could finish his sentence, Lin Qianyou began to sob. Her chest heaved with each sob, causing her two soft mounds to shake rhythmically, and a few tears slid silently down her cheek and into the cleavage of her chest.

Qi Shanglan turned his gaze away, but then he heard her say, “I treated you as a friend, but I won’t use shortcuts. Just tell me honestly, how long will I be sentenced?”

Her eyes were already filled with tears, and she looked as though she was ready to face death.

Qi Shanglan’s brow twitched, and he finally understood what was going on.

It seemed that she had sobered up halfway. She remembered the first part of last night, but the most important second half was completely forgotten.

Still, her pitiful and resigned appearance was a bit amusing, and Qi Shanglan suddenly felt like teasing her.

“Life imprisonment,” he said, maintaining a serious tone.

“Huh?” Her response clearly startled her, “Is it that serious? No chance for redemption? Will I be sentenced that long just because I surrendered?”

Seeing her deceived expression, Qi Shanglan couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. At that moment, Lin Qianyou, even in her naivety, realized that he was deliberately teasing her.

Lin Qianyou, suddenly annoyed, pushed Qi Shanglan. “Qi Shanglan, I’m being serious!”

Qi Shanglan swayed his upper body, laughing. “I was just teasing you.”

Lin Qianyou’s emotions were like a rollercoaster, rising and falling. She felt uncomfortable being mocked like that, but when she thought about what she had done to him, she felt she had no right to criticize him.

Lin Qianyou lowered her head and looked at his lower body. She slowly raised her finger and pointed at it, murmuring, “Did you get seriously hurt there?”

Qi Shanglan looked down at the area where she was pointing.

Damn, is it really serious?

He suddenly pushed her hand away from where she was pointing, pressing her firmly against the wall again. Furrowing his brows, he leaned over and looked down at her. “Lin Qianyou, what exactly are you trying to do?”

Lin Qianyou looked up at him in confusion. “Didn’t I scratch it last night? Don’t you guys rely on that? There’s no need to be shy. Life’s big issues are important. If you have a problem, just say it. I’ll take responsibility. I’ll even cover the hospital fees.”

She really considered everything in great detail.

“It’s fine, I’m fine. The wound is small, and it didn’t hurt it. Do you understand?” He spoke softly, trying to explain it clearly to her.

After he finished speaking, Lin Qianyou slowly nodded, a beat behind, and said, “I understand, I understand.”

To be honest, what’s so embarrassing about this? It’s not like we didn’t learn about it in biology class.

Qi Shanglan released Lin Qianyou but still felt like she might be thinking of something unspeakable. So, he said seriously to her, “Don’t think about strange things. Did you understand?”

She nodded again, still saying that she understood.

Qi Shanglan: “…”

“Is there anything else?” Qi Shanglan asked. “If there’s nothing else, go home. I’ll give you a ride.”

“You still haven’t accepted my apology gift.” Lin Qianyou once again handed him the gift.

Qi Shanglan still didn’t take it, truly not knowing what to do with her.

“Lin Qianyou.” He suddenly called her name in a deep voice. She responded with a soft “Mm,” so he continued:

“Have you ever thought that the one who should apologize is me?”

“Huh?” Lin Qianyou looked at him in confusion, noticing his Adam’s apple gently move.

“Is there a possibility that I took advantage of you?”

“What?” She was even more confused.

“Like this.” Qi Shanglan stepped closer to her, raising his left hand and placing it at the back of her head. Then, he gently pulled her head toward him and suddenly pulled her into his arms.

Lin Qianyou collided with his chest, looking up at him in confusion. Just like in the afternoon, in the stairway, his firm jawline was getting closer and closer to hers. His breath grew clearer, more intoxicating with every second.

Whether it was out of guilt or nervousness, Lin Qianyou didn’t pull away this time. She just stood there, quietly waiting for him to come closer.

Qi Shanglan slowly closed his eyes, pressing a kiss onto her lips.

It was just an impulse, and it wasn’t the first time he’d felt this way toward her. What did it matter this time? Afterward, if she wanted to punish him, it was up to her.

On a summer night, a gentle breeze brushed by, carrying a hint of warmth and the fresh scent of plants.

The moonlight washed over everything, casting a silver glow, and their lips, under the moon’s witness, lightly touched.

This kiss, like the summer night’s wind, carried an irresistible force, yet it made one lose themselves in it.

Her long hair danced lightly in the wind, brushing his cheek, carrying a coolness and endless tenderness.

They were so close, and Lin Qianyou couldn’t help but sigh again—he really had an excellent appearance. Even at this close distance, there wasn’t a single flaw to be found.

Deep, piercing eyes, a straight, well-defined nose, and—soft lips.  

No one knew how long had passed before Qi Shanglan finally pulled away from her lips. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was her dazed, utterly stunned expression.  

“Do you still think you were the one taking advantage of me? Have you figured out who should be apologizing now?” he asked, his familiar breath brushing against Lin Qianyou’s nose.  

She froze for a moment before snapping back to her senses and shoving him away. Her gaze shifted restlessly, each movement revealing her inner panic and confusion. And yet, somehow, she managed to laugh.  

“No one needs to apologize. We’re even now. I forced a kiss on you once, and you just forced one on me,” she said with a smile, forcing out an awkward dimple.  

“I just remembered I have something to do. Gotta go!” Lin Qianyou shoved the gift into Qi Shanglan’s hands, then turned and hurried away.  

Under the night sky, Qi Shanglan watched her flustered figure fleeing into the distance, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smile.  

Lin Qianyou, you got it wrong. 

That was the second time I’ve stolen a kiss from you. 

When Lin Qianyou got home, her face was burning hot. The moment she stepped inside, she rushed straight to the bathroom and splashed her face with water.  

The cool water brought a fleeting sense of relief, but it did nothing to hide the deep flush on her cheeks.  

The pounding of her heart echoed in her head, so loud it left her breathless.  

Just now, Qi Shanglan was definitely getting back at her. Yes, that had to be it. He must have felt like he was at a loss, so he kissed her to even the score.  

Yes, that had to be it.  

Lin Qianyou let out a long breath, trying to convince herself.  

But no matter how much she tried to rationalize it, she couldn’t deceive her own heart.  

Because even though it was already three in the morning, she could still hear the sound of her own heartbeat—so loud, so restless—that she couldn’t fall asleep.  

What she didn’t know was that, across several streets, someone else was lying awake too.  

In the bathroom, cold water poured down Qi Shanglan’s body, but his breathing only grew heavier, more ragged.  

And the more his hand moved, the harder, the more uncontrollable, his body became.  

In the silence of the night, two restless hearts pounded wildly.