Chapter 46:

Although the incident at the psychiatric hospital had made Lin Qiao more dependent on him, Shen Qingzhou still didn’t wish for her to experience anything similar again.

Truthfully, what did she have to do with any of it? She and Fang Zheng had barely crossed paths before; she had been dragged into everything solely because of him. It should have been him facing the consequences, not her.

Shen Qingzhou patted her shoulder gently, pulling her closer into his embrace, resting his chin on the crown of her head. Gazing thoughtfully at the soft surface of the quilt, he murmured, “How about I help you get revenge?”

Lin Qiao stiffened slightly, hesitating before saying, “Those people seem really dangerous. If you end up breaking the law or getting into trouble because of me, then I’d rather you didn’t help me get revenge.”

Shen Qingzhou seemed to chuckle softly, then said after a moment, “Don’t worry, it’s fine. Get some rest.”

Lin Qiao inhaled deeply, obediently curling into his arms and closing her eyes, murmuring softly, “Okay.”

She ended up sleeping straight through until evening. If her stomach hadn’t growled in protest from hunger, she wouldn’t have woken up at all.

When she got up, Shen Qingzhou was already gone. But he didn’t keep her waiting long—he soon appeared before her, carrying a tray with three dishes and a bowl of porridge.

Lin Qiao looked at him in surprise: “How did you know I was awake?”

Shen Qingzhou glanced at her, placed the tray on the dresser, and fetched a small table from the corner, setting it on the bed before placing the tray on it. He replied coolly, “I not only knew you were awake, but I also knew you were hungry.”

Lin Qiao took the chopsticks he handed her, astonished: “So you really can predict things? Come to think of it, you showed up so quickly this morning—you probably predicted I was there.”

She thought of Qi Zheng and asked, “I asked someone I know to call you for help. Did he call you?”

Shen Qingzhou sat down on the edge of the bed, picked up the porridge bowl, and handed it to her, eyeing her sideways: “Someone did call. I was already nearby, so I got there quickly.”

“He really called?” Lin Qiao was both surprised and delighted. “When we have time, we should thank Dr. Qi properly. Who knows what Fang Zheng would’ve done to me without his help.”

Shen Qingzhou gave a soft snort: “What Dr. Qi? No one by that name called. It was Zhao Chunjun.”

“Zhao Chunjun? Who is that?”

“The doctor who gave you the injection.”

“It was him?!” Lin Qiao stared at him in shock. “Impossible, how could it be him? Why would he help us?”

Shen Qingzhou raised an eyebrow, his tone indifferent: “Because he’s smart.”

Lin Qiao looked at him, puzzled. He leaned in closer until their eyes met, deliberately lowering his voice: “What? If you don’t want to eat, then let’s do something else.”

At his words, Lin Qiao immediately lowered her gaze and began eating, carefully holding the bowl of porridge. Only after finishing it did she cautiously ask, “What did you want to do?”

Shen Qingzhou didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, “Was the food good?”

“Delicious,” Lin Qiao nodded enthusiastically. “Even better than Du Xinling’s cooking.”

Shen Qingzhou smirked slightly: “Of course.”

“Did you cook it?” Lin Qiao guessed curiously, admiration evident in her eyes.

Shen Qingzhou accepted her admiration calmly, nodding casually: “Once you’re done, I’ll clear the table. Go take a shower, I’ll inspect you afterward.” With that, he gathered the dishes, removed the table, and left.

Lin Qiao watched his back disappear, pondering what he meant by “inspection.” Could it be… checking whether she had washed herself thoroughly?

Feeling flustered, Lin Qiao closed her eyes briefly, then pulled back the quilt, grabbed her pajamas, and went to the bathroom to shower. After her nap, she felt much more energetic, wide awake now, as if she had jet lag from returning from the U.S., unusually alert at night.

When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Shen Qingzhou already in bed in his pajamas. He was holding a book with a plain black cover with dark patterns. Curious, Lin Qiao leaned in and asked, “What book is this? Why doesn’t it have a title?”

Shen Qingzhou glanced at her and said, “It’s a family heirloom. If you want to read it, you have to join the Shen family first.”

Lin Qiao’s face flushed slightly. She snuggled under the covers and asked with a smile, “Are you proposing to me?”

Shen Qingzhou placed the book aside, picked up a towel, and started drying her hair. After a while, he said, “I’ll go get the hair dryer.”

Lin Qiao wanted to say she could wait for her hair to air dry, but he moved so fast she didn’t even have time to speak before he was gone.

Waiting eagerly in bed for two minutes, Shen Qingzhou returned with the hair dryer. He plugged it into a nearby socket and sat beside her on the bed, gently drying her hair.

He was tall, so even sitting down, he was taller than her. It wasn’t uncomfortable physically, but emotionally, it was overwhelming. Shen Qingzhou, who was usually so proud and aloof, was now doing such gentle and considerate things for her. She had troubled him so much, yet he never complained, always treating her so kindly. A man like this was hard to find even with a lantern.

When the sound of the hair dryer stopped, Lin Qiao slowly spoke to Shen Qingzhou, who was about to return it: “Qingzhou, if you were proposing just now, then I accept.”

Shen Qingzhou paused, turned around, and looked at her deeply. After a moment, he smiled slightly: “You deserve a better proposal. This one is too simple. Wait until I’ve made proper arrangements—I’ll propose to you properly. But I’ll keep your answer for now.”

Feeling teased, Lin Qiao blushed, averted her gaze, and buried half her face under the covers, waiting quietly for him to return.

Shen Qingzhou returned as quickly as always. He must have showered in another bathroom while she was bathing. He smelled of the shower gel she loved most. She leaned closer, closing her eyes slightly, savoring the scent.

Shen Qingzhou wrapped his arms around her and whispered, “Take off your clothes.”

Lin Qiao looked at her pajamas and murmured, “Why?”

Shen Qingzhou said, “Are you tired? If not, let’s make love.”

Actually, Lin Qiao had guessed something would happen tonight. She had mentally prepared for it. But Shen Qingzhou always spoke so directly and bluntly, making her feel a little embarrassed.

“Can’t you be a little more reserved?” Lin Qiao lightly hit his chest. Although she didn’t verbally agree, her actions didn’t reject his further advances.

Shen Qingzhou helped her take off her pajamas. After her shower, her skin felt even smoother. From the moment he rescued her from the psychiatric hospital, she had gradually regained her vitality. Her bare face was clean and fresh, her eyebrows delicate and long, her eyes like peach blossoms filled with gentle allure. When he touched her, she looked flustered and charming, like a blooming poppy flower—just looking at her made his heart race.

Shen Qingzhou took a deep breath, pulled the covers over both of them, and moved his body between her legs.

Slowly removing the remaining clothes between them, he looked down at her, his handsome, noble face serious, his dark eyes filled with reverence.

“Spread your legs a little more,” he whispered, sucking on her earlobe. Her heavy breathing beside his ear, those restrained yet increasingly passionate moans, made him ache with desire.

“Don’t go too fast…” Lin Qiao murmured anxiously, “Be gentle…”

Shen Qingzhou pursed his lips: “I haven’t even entered yet.” He looked down at her chest, making her glance down too. Their eyes met at the intimate junction between them, the hardness there growing even more insistent, making Lin Qiao feel breathless.

“Like this,” Shen Qingzhou seemed to be positioning himself, slowly guiding his hardness into her.

Lin Qiao gasped and nodded, her voice husky: “Slowly… mmm…”

He obeyed her, slowly pushing in. With a few previous experiences, both had become more familiar, no longer as awkward as before. Lin Qiao gradually began to feel the pleasure.

“Go slowly…” Once he was fully inside, she still couldn’t help reminding him, “Don’t be as rough as last time on the mountain.”

Shen Qingzhou remained unmoved, kissing the corner of her lips as he said, “When you’re thirty, you’ll beg me to be rougher.”

Lin Qiao turned her face away, glaring at him: “But I’m not thirty now.”

Shen Qingzhou sighed: “Alright, don’t ruin the mood. I was afraid you’d change your mind, so I didn’t even dare to do foreplay.”

That sounded like he was afraid she’d back out, rushing in hastily without even having time for foreplay.

Lin Qiao understood his meaning and widened her eyes even more, glaring at him.

Shen Qingzhou loved how she looked at him like this—it made him feel like his entire world was hers.

He lowered himself, slowly withdrawing from her body before slowly entering again, truly taking her words to heart and going slowly.

At first, Lin Qiao felt his tenderness and comfort, occasionally letting out soft moans. But soon, he wasn’t satisfied with just this, gradually increasing his pace.

Lin Qiao found herself adapting to his presence, no longer as tight and awkward as before. She tried wrapping her arms around his shoulders, slowly feeling the pleasure he gave her.

The large object repeatedly entering and exiting her body brought a deep, intense pleasure that nearly made her forget to breathe. Shen Qingzhou kissed her, helping her catch her breath, and she felt as if she had come back to life.

Biting her lower lip, she gazed up at him with seductive eyes, soft moans occasionally slipping from her lips. He looked into her eyes, his lips curving into a gentle smile, his usually clear eyes now filled with desire.

This was a sight only she could see in the entire world—even Xie Jiayi, the woman who bore him, had never seen this side of him. Her possessiveness was deeply satisfied, so she no longer restrained her moans, letting out natural cries of pleasure. His hardness inside her only grew even more.

On that summer night, the bedroom lights were off, only the small bedside lamp on. Its warm glow illuminated the darkness between them, the flickering light creating an intensely intimate atmosphere.

Lin Qiao rose and fell with Shen Qingzhou’s movements, spinning between pale light and darkness. She seemed to lose herself, no longer reserved or shy, freely expressing her desires and satisfaction before him.

And he looked at her. In that moment, his eyes no longer held desire, only pure clarity. He said, “Lin Qiao, I love you.”

It was the first time he had said “I love you” to her so sincerely. Although he had said it during their previous intimate moment, that time had been overshadowed by unpleasantness, making this moment entirely different.

Lin Qiao’s eyes welled with tears, her body weary yet content. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling his head to her chest, whispering gently, “I love you too.”

…

When two people who love each other are together, it feels as if no hardship can truly scare them. Having someone to rely on makes one stronger. When your partner is so exceptional, it inspires you to strive to become better too. That kind of love is truly beautiful.

After officially moving in with Shen Qingzhou, Lin Qiao found that it wasn’t so bad. Being able to see the person she missed every day when she got home was much warmer than returning to an empty house.

Still, when she had free time, she would miss her father, wondering how he was doing in Dubai.

As Lin Qiao walked into the supermarket to buy groceries, she took out her phone to check WeChat. Scrolling through her Moments, she saw several posts from her father—photos documenting his luxurious life in Dubai.

… To get her to move in with him, Shen Qingzhou had really gone all out.

Lin Qiao smiled wryly, put her phone away, and walked toward the fresh food section to shop. She turned her head absentmindedly—and froze at the sight of someone.

Near the fresh food section, in the dried goods aisle, stood several customers. Among them was a tall man who stood out.

His aura was different from others. He was selecting items in the crowd, yet his eyes watching the store clerk weighed and labeled the goods seemed to mock their ignorance. Everyone who passed him felt subtly looked down upon and excluded. His smile looked polite, but Lin Qiao could tell—he was laughing at them.

He looked down on everyone, despising every single person.

Lin Qiao quickly averted her gaze and hurried away, even though she hadn’t bought anything yet.

The world was indeed small. She never expected to see Zhao Chunjun in a supermarket, a place filled with the scent of everyday life.

Apparently, even a man dressed like a gentleman still needed to eat human food to survive. For a moment, she had even thought he had evolved to feed on people’s consciences.