Chapter 36
The moment her body lifted off the ground, Li Qinyue was wide awake.
It was an instinctive alertness. She was much taller than Zhuo Zhi, not necessarily thinner, and had decent muscle mass. If they compared their weights, people would be surprised, as Li Qinyue didn’t look like she weighed that much.
So her first reaction was to worry that Zhuo Zhi had overestimated herself and would drop her.
But after Zhuo Zhi took two steady steps, Li Qinyue’s worries completely vanished.
It was effortless. The arm around her was effortless, the steps were effortless, and even the breaths, visible in the cold air, were effortless.
Li Qinyue looked down, wanting to laugh. She had almost forgotten that this little girl could defeat an underground boxing champion.
Zhuo Zhi carried her, not through the main entrance, but around the small garden by the door, entering the house through a side entrance.
Li Qinyue continued to pretend to be drunk, or maybe asleep. This feeling of being taken care of like a child was quite comfortable.
Zhuo Zhi carried her into the living room and asked softly, “Should we go upstairs directly, Sister?”
“Hmm,” Li Qinyue mumbled in response, wrapping her arms around Zhuo Zhi’s neck and nuzzling her shoulder.
Zhuo Zhi carried her up to the second floor, pushed open the bedroom door, and placed her on the sofa.
Li Qinyue shifted into a more comfortable position and looked up at her with a smile, “I haven’t washed my face yet.”
Her voice was soft, almost like a whine.
Zhuo Zhi squatted down in front of her and asked, as if talking to a child, “Should I bring you a basin of water, or carry you to the bathroom?”
“Carry,” Li Qinyue stretched out her arms.
Zhuo Zhi smiled, amused.
Li Qinyue was the aloof and fierce Miss Li in front of others, and most of the time, she was a cunning fox spirit in front of Zhuo Zhi.
Only at these rare moments, when she was sleepy, drunk, and in a good mood, would she become soft and cuddly like a ball of cotton.
It made Zhuo Zhi want to cherish these moments even more.
She bent down and lifted Li Qinyue again. The bathroom door was ajar, a bit narrow. Instead of pushing it open with her hand, she simply kicked it gently with her foot.
Li Qinyue giggled in her arms.
Zhuo Zhi asked, “What are you laughing at?”
Li Qinyue said, “You look so… domineering right now.”
Zhuo Zhi, happy to hear that, shook her head and said, “When am I not domineering? I’ve fought so many battles for you.”
“Yes,” Li Qinyue patted her face, “I love it when you fight for me.”
Thinking of that cage match that had complicated their relationship, Zhuo Zhi blushed. She looked around the bathroom, “Should I put you down now, Sister?”
“No,” Li Qinyue shook her head in Zhuo Zhi’s arms.
“Don’t you need to wash your face?” Zhuo Zhi looked at all the bottles and jars, “You need to remove your makeup, right? I don’t know how to do that.”
“I’m not removing my makeup, I’m taking a bath,” Li Qinyue said.
“Oh,” Zhuo Zhi carried her further inside and stopped in front of the beautiful bathtub, “You have to get down now, I’ll run the bath for you.”
Li Qinyue finally agreed and kicked off her shoes.
Zhuo Zhi filled the tub, testing the water temperature, “Come to think of it, I’ve only done these things for you, Sister, making the bed, cooking, bathing… like a maid…”
Feeling that the temperature was just right, Zhuo Zhi turned around, “Sister, are you going to give me a raise…”
She couldn’t finish the word “salary”. If there was one thing Li Qinyue was fast at, it was taking off her clothes.
Her previously neat clothes were now scattered on the floor. She was truly rich, some of these clothes definitely needed to be dry-cleaned, but she didn’t seem to care, even though the bathroom was already filled with steam.
For a moment, Zhuo Zhi didn’t know whether to help her pick up her clothes or to advise her not to leave them lying around like this, lest she catch a cold.
Li Qinyue had removed her tights and was now only wearing her underwear.
Zhuo Zhi had seen her like this before, but she still couldn’t help but feel a wave of admiration. She was truly beautiful.
Especially in this environment, with this lighting, this steam, and the sound of running water.
Zhuo Zhi felt inexplicably thirsty. Her gaze lingered on Li Qinyue for a full half minute, unable to look away.
Li Qinyue was still undressing, ignoring her completely. Her hands were behind her back, ready to remove the only barrier that needed censoring at any moment.
Zhuo Zhi took a deep breath and, just as Li Qinyue’s hands were about to unhook her bra, rushed over and grabbed her arm.
Li Qinyue’s fingers were on her bra strap. She finally looked up, her beautiful eyes peeking out from her messy hair, “What?”
“Sister, I’ll go out, you can undress after I leave!” Zhuo Zhi exclaimed, staring at her, “Just give me two seconds.”
“Just close your eyes and don’t look,” Li Qinyue said with dissatisfaction. “Besides, didn’t you say you wanted to repay me? Why don’t you go the extra mile and carry me to the bathtub?”
“That’s not… it’s just…” Zhuo Zhi was struggling, “Sister, if you like, I can carry you around the garden every day…”
“You’re already reluctant to carry me now, and you’re talking about the future?” Li Qinyue pouted, looking aggrieved.
“I’m willing,” Zhuo Zhi said earnestly, “Then how about you put your bra back on, and I’ll carry you in, okay?”
This was her bottom line.
Li Qinyue pouted again, “Who takes a bath with their clothes on…”
“You can take them off after I leave,” Zhuo Zhi started to act cute, “Okay? Okay? Okay, Sister? I’m embarrassed like this.”
After a long silence, Li Qinyue sighed, “Fine.”
She moved her hands behind her back and said, “Done.”
Thinking that it was better to get this over with, Zhuo Zhi quickly picked her up and placed her in the bathtub.
The movement was a bit sudden. Li Qinyue was caught off guard and slipped as she was placed in the water, but her hand didn’t let go, grabbing Zhuo Zhi’s collar.
Zhuo Zhi was pulled down, her vision filled with water and the reflection of Li Qinyue’s beautiful skin.
Li Qinyue hadn’t bothered to re-fasten her bra. Now it was hanging loosely, like swaying seaweed.
Zhuo Zhi straightened her back, trying to stand up, but Li Qinyue also rose with her, her red lips moving closer, pressing against Zhuo Zhi’s.
Zhuo Zhi shuddered and jumped back, rushing out of the bathroom without looking back.
Li Qinyue’s laughter echoed from the bathroom, like a fox spirit’s spell, making Zhuo Zhi restless.
She ran all the way back to her room on the second floor, sat on the sofa in a daze, and touched her lips.
She couldn’t help but think, Li Qinyue’s lips were so soft…
Were her own lips this soft? Zhuo Zhi touched them, they felt a little dry.
When she lowered her hand, there was a faint red mark. Zhuo Zhi stared at it, realizing it was Li Qinyue’s lipstick.
She stared at her finger, her face flushing for no reason.
That night, Zhuo Zhi tossed and turned, feeling like something was missing, like the day shouldn’t have ended this way. She felt empty and unsatisfied.
In the middle of the night, her phone suddenly beeped. Zhuo Zhi grabbed it and checked.
It was a message notifying her of a bank transfer. Because she had contacted the company’s finance department a bit late, her first official paycheck was also a bit late. But Li Qinyue was truly generous. No matter how Zhuo Zhi calculated it, the amount was much higher than she expected.
She had money in her account, the starting funds her master had given her, and the money she had won from the boxing match. She seemed quite well-off.
But it was only at this moment, staring at the transferred amount, that Zhuo Zhi felt like this money truly belonged to her.
Her master’s money, it was best to return it to her. She would take good care of her in the future, repaying her kindness over the years.
Although Li Qinyue didn’t want the prize money from the boxing match, Zhuo Zhi still felt that it wasn’t hers. She would keep it safe for Li Qinyue for now.
Only this current amount, not a huge sum, but definitely not small either, was the result of her hard work and dedication. The more Zhuo Zhi thought about it, the happier she felt.
And with this excitement, she couldn’t fall asleep.
She calculated how much she would spend and how she would spend it. Then, despite the late hour, she sent a message to her master, telling her that she had received her salary and asking if there was anything she wanted to eat, drink, or play with, so she could buy it and send it back to her.
Her master always lived according to the sun, rising with the sunrise and resting with the sunset. She didn’t carry her phone with her often, so whether this message would be seen depended on fate. But Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but send a long message.
After sending it, she stared at her contacts list, suddenly envious of Li Qinyue, who had people to chat with even at one or two in the morning.
When she was on the mountain, Zhuo Zhi had friends of all ages. But after coming down the mountain, the only person she could truly consider a friend was Li Qinyue.
Thinking about this, she felt another surge of emotion, realizing that her life down the mountain was so comfortable, her work so exciting and smooth-sailing, it was all thanks to Li Qinyue’s kindness.
She should thank her properly.
But how? Li Qinyue had everything she needed. Her only hobby was…
Zhuo Zhi fidgeted with her fingers, blushing.
…teasing her, that was all.
Despite her insomnia the previous night, Zhuo Zhi woke up early, went for a run, bought groceries, and made breakfast.
And today, she put extra effort into her cooking. Following an online recipe, she tried making soup dumplings for the first time.
The steam billowed as she lifted the lid of the steamer. Zhuo Zhi was experienced in making buns, and the soup dumplings looked beautiful. It was just that the dough hadn’t risen long enough, so the skin wasn’t soft enough.
After a busy morning, when Li Qinyue came downstairs, she couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow.”
Zhuo Zhi, wearing a small apron, stood beside the table, bowing with a perfect smile, like a hotel waiter.
Li Qinyue rushed over, picked up a soup dumpling with her chopsticks, and took a bite, “You made this yourself?”
“Yes,” Zhuo Zhi leaned closer, “How is it? Is it good?”
“Haven’t you tried it yourself?” Li Qinyue mumbled as she ate.
“I did, but I don’t know if it suits your taste.”
Li Qinyue finished one dumpling before saying, “Don’t you know my taste? I like everything you like to eat.”
Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “That’s how you rich people are. You’re used to delicacies, so you find simple homemade food delicious.”
“Your cooking is more like farmhouse fare,” Li Qinyue sat down and started eating properly.
After finishing their meal, Li Qinyue wiped her hands and asked with a smile, “You seem different today.”
“Different how?” Zhuo Zhi asked.
“Especially attentive,” Li Qinyue said.
Zhuo Zhi wondered if it was that obvious. She denied it, “Aren’t I always attentive to you, Sister?”
“You’re being extra sweet,” Li Qinyue raised her hand and brushed her finger against Zhuo Zhi’s lips.
Her movement was swift and unexpected.
Zhuo Zhi only had time to blurt out, “Dirty.”
“What’s dirty?” Li Qinyue looked at her hand, “Do you think my hand is dirty?”
“My mouth is dirty,” Zhuo Zhi took a napkin and wiped her lips, “I haven’t wiped my mouth yet.”
Li Qinyue still stared at her finger, a mischievous smile on her face, “I don’t mind.”
Zhuo Zhi didn’t understand her. She stood up to clean up the dishes. As she entered the kitchen, Li Qinyue said, “When I said you were being extra sweet, I meant it sincerely.”
Zhuo Zhi replied from the kitchen, “Of course I have to keep you happy, Sister.”
“Not just happy,” Li Qinyue shouted back, “I meant, your lips are sweet.”
After a pause, as if afraid Zhuo Zhi wouldn’t get it, she added, “They taste sweet.”
Zhuo Zhi almost dropped the bowl in the dishwasher.
As she cleaned up the kitchen, Zhuo Zhi carefully analyzed Li Qinyue’s train of thought, and the more she thought about it, the more terrified she felt.
Li Qinyue had said she was being attentive, probably attributing it to the kiss on the lips the previous night. Although Zhuo Zhi felt like she was the one who had taken advantage of Li Qinyue’s soft and fragrant lips, it would be wrong to be extra attentive because of that.
So, after leaving the kitchen, Zhuo Zhi didn’t dare to delay any longer. She said to Li Qinyue, “Sister, when are you free? Can we go to the city to buy some things?”
“I’m free now,” Li Qinyue was interested, “What do you want to buy?”
“A new phone, some snacks for my master, and I want to treat you to dinner,” Zhuo Zhi paused, “A proper dinner.”
“Treat me to dinner?” Li Qinyue said with a smile, “Didn’t you just treat me?”
“A more formal one,” Zhuo Zhi thought of the restaurant they had gone to that day and fidgeted with her fingers, “I got paid.”
“Eh? You just got paid?” Li Qinyue frowned.
“I contacted the finance department a bit late, so I missed last month’s payment and got paid this month instead.”
“You’ve only been here for two months?” Li Qinyue looked at her, “It feels like it’s been much longer.”
“It’s been more than two months,” Zhuo Zhi walked closer to her, “Does it feel like every day with me is a year, Sister?”
Li Qinyue glanced at her, “You’re asking the obvious.”
Zhuo Zhi raised her chin, grinning like a fool, “I don’t know.”
Li Qinyue reached out and pinched her chin, “Because I like you, it feels like it’s been a long time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have realized how much I like you…”
Zhuo Zhi let Li Qinyue pinch and shake her chin, her heart sweet, her face warm.
“Sister Qinyue, let me treat you to dinner,” she pleaded.
“Let’s go then, Is there any other meaning behind this dinner invitation?”
“No!”
“You answered so quickly, do you even know what I’m asking?”
“Anyway, I don’t have that kind of meaning.”
“Tsk.”
“You look beautiful today, Sister Qinyue.”
“Flattery won’t work. You have to let me hug you for it to work.”
“Go ahead and hug.”
“You never object to this kind of thing.”
Li Qinyue leaned half her body weight on Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder, hugging her as they got into the car, hugged her as they got out of the car, hugged her as they strolled through the mall, buying a mountain of things.
They left the mall, had someone deliver the things back to the villa complex, and then went to find a restaurant for dinner.
Zhuo Zhi let Li Qinyue choose her favorite restaurant. Li Qinyue took out her phone and carefully browsed through the options, trying to find a place that wouldn’t be too expensive for the little fool but still had good food that she had tried before.
Suddenly, there was a screech of brakes from the street outside. Li Qinyue, hearing the sound, thought it was a nice car. But Zhuo Zhi had already rushed outside.
Li Qinyue quickly looked up. When Zhuo Zhi ran, she was so fast she was almost a blur.
There had been a car accident. Even though they were in a crowded area where cars were mostly moving slowly, there had still been an accident.
Li Qinyue only had time to see a person lying on the ground before a crowd of people rushed over, blocking her view.
As for Zhuo Zhi, she was probably in the middle of the crowd, long gone from sight.
Li Qinyue quickly put away her phone and rushed over. There were so many people, it was noisy, and many of them were filming with their phones.
As she approached, Li Qinyue realized that the car looked familiar. And when the person inside got out, her heart skipped a beat.
It was Mi Xingyi.
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