Chapter 42: Kindling Flames

After being separated, Xu Jiaojiao greedily inhaled fresh air. No kidding, in those few minutes just now, she felt like she was suffocating. This man really wanted to devour her alive.

Xie Zhi’s gaze was deep as he watched the girl, watching her catch her breath. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her tightly into his arms. His warm lips gently brushed against her ear. “Jiaojiao, the lanterns will still be here tomorrow, but we have work afterward. You can sleep in tomorrow.”

Xu Jiaojiao looked at him with a mixture of embarrassment and anger, panting hard. “Xie Zhi, I never knew you were this eager.”

“I’m only like this with you.”

The two of them practically ran back to the guesthouse at the fastest speed possible. Jiaojiao’s cheeks were flushed from the run, her heart pounding wildly. She pressed her hand against her chest, afraid that her heart might leap out at any moment.

Once they entered the elevator, Xie Zhi pressed her against the wall and kissed her. Jiaojiao pushed him away, her eyes wide open in shock. “You can’t even control yourself for this long?”

Xie Zhi buried his head in her neck, trying to calm his overwhelming emotions. Just as the elevator made a distinct “ding” sound, they reached their floor. Luckily, there was no one around. The door was slammed open, and they quickly shut it behind them.

“Shower, it’s dirty outside.”

“Okay, let’s do it together.”

Xie Zhi almost bit into her ear as he carried her toward the bathroom. He had chosen this guesthouse with his own little plans in mind: excellent soundproofing, a huge bathroom, and the commercial district downstairs, making it the perfect vacation spot.

Jiaojiao’s earlobes were round and plump, but not in the typical “lucky” way. Xie Zhi didn’t know why, but he just couldn’t get enough of tasting her, unwilling to let go.

The sound of water splashing against the floor added to the atmosphere, almost like music. In that moment, Jiaojiao felt like the heroine of a TV drama, with the sound of water as their theme song.

Xie Zhi lazily lay on the bed, Jiaojiao tightly held in his arms. Her peaceful sleeping face reflected clearly in his eyes. This was what Xie Zhi had longed for countless times. From the first time he came to the village and saw her, this had become his greatest dream.

He remembered the first time he met Jiaojiao, when Xu’s father led him into the house. The girl was wearing a white shirt and knee-length shorts, exposing two long, fair legs.

Xie Zhi clearly remembered how her feet and knees were pink, her face flushed from the heat. It was love at first sight.

The girl called out to cool down, holding an ice cream. The sunlight seemed especially gentle on her, her skin still pale and smooth. Xu’s mother gently fanned her, and no one knew how jealous Xie Zhi felt or how much he wanted to be the one holding the fan.

He knew how people in the village talked about Jiaojiao. They said that at her age, she couldn’t do anything, not even wash clothes without them drifting away in the river. They all thought she had been spoiled by the village chief.

But Xie Zhi felt that Jiaojiao deserved this life. Those delicate hands were never meant for hard labor. After they became engaged, he proudly followed her everywhere.

Back then, his happiest days were when his mother sent things or when he received his salary. It was only during those times that Jiaojiao would sweetly say, “Thank you, brother.”

But such a good girl had fallen for someone else. Xie Zhi didn’t blame her, he only blamed Shen Yun for whispering in her ear, and for her misguided decision to marry Sheng Jiexing.

Furious, Xie Zhi swapped their drinks and drank a special cup himself. Later, he spent the night with Jiaojiao. But from that moment on, his life began to change for the better.

She had even called him softly, “Husband.” It felt like a dream.

Looking at Jiaojiao sleeping soundly, Xie Zhi noticed that her breath carried a sweet scent, intoxicating him. His fingers brushed against her face as he spoke with determination, “Jiaojiao, you are mine. We are destined to be together for life. Don’t even think about escaping from me.”

The night was long, with plenty of time left. Their story was just beginning.

…

Xie Zhi woke up early and quietly went to the bathroom to shave his beard, revealing his smooth and youthful face. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror.

When he came out, Jiaojiao was still sleeping. He felt a little guilty, realizing he had been too rough last night. Since she wasn’t awake yet, he decided to go out and buy something to cheer her up.

Downstairs was a boutique, and without hesitation, he entered.

The salesgirl, seeing such a handsome man, stared at him in admiration and quickly approached him with a smile. “Sir, how can I help you?”

“I want to buy something for my wife, something shiny. She likes that kind of stuff,” Xie Zhi replied.

The salesgirl felt a little envious. “Not only is he good-looking, but he’s also so thoughtful. Why can’t my husband think of buying me something?”

After browsing and with Xie Zhi’s discerning eye, he bought a platinum necklace and a pair of pearl hairpins. He happily paid for the items, imagining how Jiaojiao would look when she received the gifts, her eyes filled with delight.

When he returned, he opened the door but immediately felt something was wrong. Jiaojiao was sitting on the bed, her slender back trembling as if she had been deeply hurt. Xie Zhi froze and quickly shut the door, rushing over to her.

He held her from behind, turning her around in his arms. Seeing her red eyes from crying, his voice was soft as he asked, “Why are you crying?”

Jiaojiao, seeing Xie Zhi, couldn’t hold back her tears. She sobbed uncontrollably, her voice choked. “Where did you go? Do you know how scared I was when I couldn’t see you?”

Xie Zhi’s heart shattered. He kissed her cheek and gently wiped away her tears. “I’m sorry, Jiaojiao, I went downstairs to buy something for you. Look, I got you something.”

He placed the beautifully wrapped box in her hands, wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, and said, “Don’t cry, it breaks my heart.”

Although he spoke like that, Xie Zhi was secretly delighted. He didn’t expect Jiaojiao to care about him so much. The sweetness that filled him made him feel like he was eating honey.

He gently touched her red, swollen eyes, his voice low and husky. “Like a little rabbit.”

Jiaojiao glared at him through her teary eyes, which made him feel a strange sensation in his chest.

“Open it, sweetheart.”

She unwrapped the box, revealing a platinum necklace with sparkling diamonds. In those days, diamonds weren’t as heavily marketed as they were in the future, and it wasn’t as expensive.

Jiaojiao stared at it, wide-eyed. “It’s so beautiful.”

Suddenly, she slapped her thigh. “Diamonds! I can buy big diamonds and wait for them to appreciate, along with some gold and stuff.”