The sweet, soft pressure of her lips reignited a spark within Qin Heye, his body straightening as his large hands found Shi Ning’s waist. Her slenderness made him hesitate, not daring to hold her too tightly. When he didn’t immediately respond, Shi Ning gently bit his lip. “You can have higher requirements,” she whispered, “no writing, but kiss marks… um.” Her words were cut short as Qin Heye, with an eager tenderness, took the initiative, counter-attacking with a kiss that left her melting.
Her body softened, leaning back inch by inch as he drew closer, until she found herself pressed against the quilt. His kisses, once confined to her lips, now trailed down to her neck, then to her collarbone. Shi Ning felt the intensity build, a captivating warmth spreading through her. Wrapped only in a bath towel, he felt like a furnace against her.
“I miss my wife so much ,” Qin Heye murmured, his lips finding her ear, “every cell in my body misses my wife.” He gently bit her ear, his bass voice a low question, “Wife, do you feel it?” Dazed, Shi Ning could only nod, “Yeah.”
The kiss was fervent, yet Qin Heye gritted his teeth, pulling back. He held Shi Ning tightly, cradling her in his arms. “Sleep with me.”
Shi Ning, calculating the hours, asked, “Did you rush back overnight?”
“Yeah.” Qin Heye recalled the video of Shi Ning crying, a pang of distress striking him when he couldn’t get the earliest flight. He had spent a small fortune, arranging a private plane, desperate to return to her side. His wife had been bullied; he needed to be there to support her.
Thinking of her earlier call, roughly the same time, Shi Ning blushed with embarrassment. “You planned a seven-day business trip. Coming back two days early, did it delay your work?” Shi Ning, despite everything, was remarkably considerate to those she loved, knowing when to cling and when to give space.
Qin Heye leaned down, kissing her forehead. “No, I was already rushing through the work. Only a few details remained; Pei Qianhuo can complete them himself .” Shi Ning felt a flicker of sympathy for Pei Tezhu, the hardworking assistant, knowing the president had prioritized his wife. “Pei Tezhu has worked hard in the back . You have to give him a bonus.”
Qin Heye looked at her, a playful glint in his eyes. “I’ve worked hard too.”
“Huh?”
“I want a reward.”
Shi Ning found his serious demand for a reward amusing. How could this normally arrogant and domineering Qin Ye be so utterly adorable in front of her? And he wanted a reward! She leaned up, lightly kissing his chin. As he lowered his head, intent on a deeper kiss, Shi Ning raised a hand to stop him. “Wait, let me tell you something serious first.”
Seeing her earnest expression, Qin Heye nodded. “Go on.”
“There’s something wrong with the medicine Grandpa takes. Fortunately, I didn’t divorce you this time. Otherwise, if I’d argued with Grandpa and made him faint, and he’d died without rescue, I would have been an indirect murderer.” As Shi Ning spoke, Qin Heye’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t interrupt. When she finished, he asked, “Does Grandpa know?”
Shi Ning nodded. “Yeah, Grandpa still trusts me a little and wants to test the medicine.” She looked at Qin Heye, a flicker of unease in her eyes. “Someone always wants to harm me, or harm your family. Who do you think this person could be?” She remembered the online comments, suggesting the Qin family’s misfortunes were linked to her. Was this an attempt to kill through her, or were they targeting her and Qin Heye directly?
“The Qin family’s status means many enemies in the business world, but our immediate family is simple.” Their direct lineage — Grandpa, his parents, and him — was small. However, other collateral branches of the Qin family eyed them greedily; if anything happened to him, the family fortune would be divided amongst them.
Qin Heye comforted Shi Ning. “Don’t worry, I will investigate it clearly.”
Shi Ning hummed. “I will help you too.” She looked up at him, her gaze earnest. “You must believe me; you can’t bully me!”
Qin Heye’s eyes held hers, a serious question in his voice. “Is it not okay to bully you that night?”
That night… the night of the divorce? Shi Ning’s face flushed at the memory, her gaze falling to Qin Heye, still wrapped only in his bath towel. The bedside lamp illuminated the sharp, masculine lines of his body before her. His abdominal muscles, in particular, were distinct, full of powerful charm.
Qin Heye saw her silence and lowered his gaze. “Then, then I’ll let you bully me.”
Shi Ning stared at him, wide-eyed. Qin Heye’s cheeks grew warm. He tilted his head, pressing Shi Ning’s small head against his firm chest. “Sleep with me for a while.”
Shi Ning was still tired, stifling a yawn. “I need to sleep too.” Qin Heye was utterly exhausted. He’d worked intensely for two days and a night in Country N to finish early. Shi Ning’s aggrieved call had come just as he’d managed a brief sleep. He’d flown back overnight, working through the remaining tasks on the plane. Now, seeing that Shi Ning was safe, not truly bullied, just frightened, a wave of relief washed over him, and he quickly fell asleep.
Shi Ning thought she could sleep too, but Qin Heye was right beside her, his arm still around her waist. His chest and abdominal muscles, like a furnace, were pressed against her back, radiating heat that warmed her face. So her sleep refused to come.
She waited patiently, ensuring Qin Heye’s breathing was long and steady, a sign of deep sleep. Then, gently, Shi Ning turned to face him, observing him with quiet boredom. In sleep, Qin Heye shed his usual cold reserve, appearing softer, gentler. The air around him seemed to soften too, making her feel comfortable, at ease, and profoundly safe.
“He looks so good, so perfect,” she thought. As she watched him, her hands, bored, began to itch. “If I touch his eyebrows, he shouldn’t wake up, right? I’ll just touch them gently.” Qin Heye’s eyebrows were perfectly shaped, thick and sword-like, extending slightly towards his temples. He didn’t wake, but his long, curled eyelashes trembled. Shi Ning’s eyes snapped shut in fright, terrified of waking him. But he remained asleep.
A little braver, Shi Ning gently touched his tall, straight nose. Still, he didn’t stir. Her daring grew. With her index finger, Shi Ning lightly traced Qin Heye’s thin lips. “It looks so kissable, and it feels so kissable, let’s kiss…”
Before she could finish, Qin Heye’s hand suddenly closed around her small one. “How about kissing?”
“I woke you up.” Shi Ning, startled by the sudden intensity in his eyes, tried to pull back. But Qin Heye held her hand firmly, pulling her directly into his embrace. “I’m not asleep.” His sweet, fragrant wife was right beside him; he was no gentleman capable of remaining calm. Especially when her naughty little hands had been restlessly touching his face, declaring him “very kissable!”
Shi Ning’s cheeks burned with shame and anger. She had been messing around while he was “sleeping,” saying embarrassing things, and he had caught her! She glared at him. “You pretended to sleep…”
“I can’t sleep. Do you want to do something to help you sleep?”