Chapter 16

Ji Qingyu’s curiosity was firmly grasped by Feng Chengze, so much so that after returning home, she wasted no time and was highly efficient. It took her two hours to complete the entire process yesterday, but today, she compressed it to just one hour.

When Feng Chengze, who was in the study, received her message saying, “You can come in now,” he raised an eyebrow.

Feng Jiayuan had already gone to bed, and they were both very grateful for this. Their daughter liked them very much but wasn’t overly dependent, not needing her parents to accompany her for everything. Neither Feng Chengze nor Ji Qingyu had fully stepped into the role of parents yet. If they had to spend long periods with their child before adapting to this new identity, it would indeed be very tiring.

Tonight, Feng Chengze was much more courteous. At least he remembered to knock before entering, although his courtesy was still limited. He didn’t wait for her to say “come in” before pushing the door open, as if knocking was just a formality to notify her that he would enter in a few seconds. She was massaging her neck and looked up to see Feng Chengze holding a wine glass with a calm expression. Although they had only been in close contact for a few days, she had already discovered some of Feng Chengze’s preferences.

For example, he liked to drink extremely bitter espresso.
For example, to relieve unpleasant emotions, he preferred drinking alcohol over smoking.

This was a good thing for her; at least she wouldn’t be harmed by secondhand smoke. Yes, after a short period of interaction, she discovered an excellent trait in him that she hoped he would maintain: the domineering president no longer smoked and didn’t have the smell of tobacco on him.

How did she know he used to smoke?

Naturally, it was Feng Yu who told her. She didn’t like her boyfriend smoking, and they had argued about it several times. Feng Yu was also helpless. He said he admired his older brother the most, but the four-year age gap between them was an insurmountable chasm. When he was in kindergarten, his brother was in elementary school. By the time he was in middle school, his brother had already gone abroad. They had never been in sync, so in his mind, his brother was distant and mysterious. In his teens, seeing his brother smoke, he wanted to learn, too. Among the rich second generation, there was no shortage of spoiled heirs. Good habits might take a long time to cultivate, but bad habits could be learned in minutes. Then, he smoked for several years. He always promised to quit but never took any real action.
…

The crisp sound of ice hitting the glass brought Ji Qingyu back to reality, pulling her into the bedroom she shared with Feng Chengze. She stared at the wine swirling in his glass and suddenly felt like drinking. She had to admit the slightly tipsy feeling she had on the plane that night was wonderful. She hadn’t forgotten it since. When she was a student, she rarely touched alcohol except for a sip of cold beer at parties. Now, it felt like she had opened the door to a new world.

Feng Chengze couldn’t ignore her burning gaze. “You can’t handle this wine.”

It was too strong.

Ji Qingyu nodded. “Do you have anything else?”

“Yes.” Feng Chengze raised his hand and took a sip of his wine. “In the study’s wine cabinet.”

After speaking, he lifted his chin, indicating that she should check it out herself. Like her, he was unfamiliar with this house, but at the same time, he was very clear that he wasn’t the only master here. Apart from important business information on his computer, there was nothing she couldn’t see.

With his permission, Ji Qingyu put down the massager she was using to help the cream absorb and eagerly walked past him toward his study.

Feng Chengze suddenly felt uneasy. He wasn’t afraid she’d drink his collection; he was worried she’d randomly pick another strong wine. He really didn’t want to deal with a drunk person late at night. He turned around and followed her steadily, leaving the master bedroom door open.

Ji Qingyu was still wearing the pajamas from yesterday. Her shorts were very short, barely covering her thighs. As she tiptoed, her straight calves tensed. Feng Chengze’s gaze swept past her slender, white ankles and didn’t slowly move up. Instead, he leaned against the door, his eyes casually lowered. “Don’t pick a strong wine.”

“…” Ji Qingyu didn’t know what counted as strong wine. The wine cabinet was filled with variously shaped bottles, dazzling her.

Feng Chengze saw her looking up, curiously examining the bottles, occasionally whispering the words on the labels. He had no choice but to come up behind her, and with a slight bow, he could see the top of her head.

“How about some sweet wine?” he asked.

Although they kept a certain distance, Ji Qingyu could still feel his deep voice traveling from above and behind her to her eardrums.

“Sure.” Sweet wine sounded sweet.

Feng Chengze picked a bottle for Ji Qingyu. Its color was golden and translucent. The moment he opened it, she smelled the sweet fragrance of honey and various fruits.

They returned to the master bedroom. A few minutes later, Ji Qingyu sat on the edge of the bed while Feng Chengze sat in the armchair by the bed. He wasn’t too keen on being on the same bed with her while sober.

Feng Chengze took another sip of his drink, the cold liquid traveling down his throat to his stomach.

Ji Qingyu curiously took a few sips of her wine. The alcohol content wasn’t high, and as she savored it, she could taste the flavors of nuts and vanilla that she liked. Among the four tastes—sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy—her favorite was “sweet.” She relaxed her eyebrows, her taste buds satisfied, her lips curling up, and her eyes bright.

Feng Chengze had noticed a few days ago that she was very adaptable. No matter what situation she was placed in, she could find joy in it. She didn’t think it was God’s hand mocking them by putting two completely incompatible people together. She saw it as a wonderful adventure, so after the initial panic, she behaved more comfortably than he did.

As this thought arose in his mind, the next second, her curious gaze moved from the wine glass to his face. Her thoughts were on her face, and even her body unconsciously leaned towards him. Her slender, fair hand pressed on the dark blue sheet, slightly sinking, as she looked at him expectantly. Waiting for his “We’ll talk about it tonight.”

“…”

Feng Chengze somewhat regretted telling her about the telescope. There was no need to confirm it anymore; the telescope was undoubtedly brought by Ah Yu. Whether their relationship had been good or bad, close or distant, family or enemies, Ah Yu was still a member of the Feng family. The saying “out of sight, out of mind” didn’t apply to Yi Sheng’s businesses.

Was the restaurant manager out of his mind to offend Ah Yu?
What did this have to do with the manager? He could have ignored it and not gotten involved. Only a few people were capable of removing the telescope, so after analyzing it thoroughly, he didn’t want Ji Qingyu to know. Besides making him embarrassed and her uncomfortable, it served no purpose. Thus, facing Ji Qingyu’s bright eyes, he actively avoided the topic.

Ji Qingyu was dumbfounded, stunned, and incredulous…

Wait, what??
Was he feeling embarrassed???

She wasn’t foolish either. Combining this with what he said in the restaurant’s private room, even though he was deliberately and awkwardly avoiding it, she could roughly guess and finally understand why his face occasionally showed a subtle expression of disgust during dinner.

Uh…
Did Feng Yu really bring the telescope to give her a romantic surprise?
And who moved it later?
Although he didn’t want to admit it, he knew that he was the most likely person.

It was a trivial matter with no real significance. So what if the telescope was Feng Yu’s idea? This gesture of romance, arriving five years late, was like a meticulously crafted cake left untouched for five years. Even if it were perfectly preserved, she wouldn’t take a bite.

So what if it was Feng Chengze who had it removed? It was his hotel restaurant, and he had the right to make anything he disliked disappear. Her curiosity wasn’t that strong, so she wisely changed the subject. She had unknowingly drunk more than half of the sweet wine in her glass. “This is quite good, not strong at all.”

The balance of sour and sweet was just right. For her 22-year-old taste buds, it was even better than the rosé champagne on the plane. Sweet and delightful. However, she still wanted to try Feng Chengze’s drink. The color looked more enticing than hers, especially with the unmelted ice cubes inside.

“Still want to try?” he asked.

Ji Qingyu honestly nodded. “I’ve never had it before, a bit curious about the taste.”

“Alright.” He got up, went out for a moment, and returned with a glass filled with ice in one hand and a bottle of foreign liquor in the other. He wasn’t stingy, but the liquor was quite strong. It strongly affected him the first time he had it after becoming an adult. So, he only poured a small amount, just enough for a sip or two. He figured she wouldn’t be able to handle much more. It was just a sip or two for her.

Ji Qingyu took the glass with both hands, her lips touching the rim, tilting her head slightly. Her smooth, long hair slid over her shoulders, revealing her delicate, fair neck.

Feng Chengze didn’t sit down but stood by the bed, holding the wine bottle in one hand. He blocked the soft light from the bedside reading lamp.

Ji Qingyu found the drink very strong, with a complex and stimulating taste. She tried hard to swallow it without choking but still looked up at Feng Chengze with a somewhat embarrassed expression, saying, “I really can’t handle this…”

Feng Chengze’s eyes showed a hint of amusement. He hadn’t put his glasses back on, making him look gentler than during the day. In some matters, men and women have a tacit understanding. Even though waking up in the morning was awkward, Ji Qingyu wouldn’t suggest sleeping in separate rooms. She might have thought about it, but the idea would be quickly dismissed. It was like when she accidentally skipped from her first year of high school to her second year of college; even if it weren’t her dream university, she wouldn’t drop out.

Perhaps Feng Chengze thought the same way. After all, they had been married for over four years, and their daughter was almost four. Their past wasn’t just a nominal marriage, and now they had various interests intertwined.

Ten minutes later.

After brushing their teeth, the two lay in bed. Just as Ji Qingyu had guessed, Feng Chengze had no intention of sleeping in separate beds. Both had drunk alcohol, their bodies were warm, and the usually comfortable indoor temperature now felt a bit high. However, they both lay stiffly, neither getting up to lower the temperature.

Ji Qingyu kicked the thin blanket to the foot of the bed. Feng Chengze didn’t cover himself with a blanket either. Both were silently calming their breathing. This was the inconvenience of having another person in bed. Ji Qingyu couldn’t ignore Feng Chengze’s presence; his aura was too strong, filling the entire room. All the details she had deliberately ignored throughout the day now surfaced in her mind: the strong hand around her waist, the broad chest, the sharp and smooth jawline… She subconsciously curled her fingers, gripping the bedsheet. In the quiet night, even this slight sound was amplified.

Ji Qingyu: “…” She hoped Feng Chengze was already asleep.

However—

“What’s wrong?” a deep male voice came from beside her.

“A bit thirsty.” Ji Qingyu simply sat up, pursed her lips, and softly said, “I’m going to get some water.”

She got out of bed, slipped into her slippers, and groped her way to the door in the dark. Feng Chengze reached out, about to turn on the reading light for her, but then thought better of it and lowered his hand. At least at this moment, he felt it was better for the room to remain dark and unclear.
He was also fed up with his body. Even during his restless teenage years, he hadn’t felt like this. He didn’t know how long she would be gone or if she would turn on the light. Despite having drunk alcohol and his body gradually warming up, he still pulled up the blanket to cover himself.

Ji Qingyu didn’t have the habit of drinking water before bed. She just walked outside for a bit, hesitated, and returned. The moment she opened the door, the soft light from the hallway shone on the dark carpet at the entrance of the master bedroom. With this bit of light, she saw Feng Chengze on the bed. He hadn’t moved from his sleeping position. She had thought about lowering the temperature but, seeing the thin blanket covering him, dismissed the idea. She wanted to turn on the light but was afraid of disturbing him. So she tiptoed back in, closed the door behind her, and felt calmer as she lay back in bed. However, she unconsciously wanted to move away from him, and in a half-asleep state, she moved towards the edge of the bed. She was startled when her leg lifted but didn’t land on the mattress, almost falling off. Her body reacted faster than her mind, rolling back inwards. Until she bumped into something, she was fully awake. Before she could react, an arm quickly wrapped around her, pressing her body tightly against his waist and abdomen, fitting together like puzzle pieces. She couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp.

Feng Chengze opened his eyes and looked down at her. At this early hour, the room was still very dark. At this moment, compared to her vision, her hearing and sense of touch were more acute. She felt his intense gaze lingering on her face, although he quickly let go of her and calmly turned over. In the current situation, one of them pretending to sleep was the only way to ensure a peaceful night. However, she still had the illusion of being thoroughly kissed by him.